Briar POV
"How are you alive? I thought Goyle killed you as his initiation?" I turn my head to the side to glance at her more fully as that's still the only part of my body I can move. Watching her move to crouch in front of my cot, I notice Goyle standing against the wall with his arms crossed and smirk in place.
"Well, that was a lie obviously. Goyle's initiation, as suggested by Lucius, was to find information to use against Draco if he rejected the plan from the Dark Lord. Lucius was kind enough to tell Goyle you were still alive once he got out of Azkaban so he really must not like you at all. Poor wittle baby," she finishes with a cocky smirk and a baby coo. Laying there in shock, Goyle is now next to Grace in a crouch as they both stare at me cruelly.
"That doesn't answer why you're alive. I thought you were dead! Do you know how many nights I stayed up crying for your death? How much I thought it was something I had done and I had somehow killed you? How could you let me think you were dead?" My voice becomes more strained the longer I talk as I fight back tears. She scoffs before standing to full height to walk to the cell door.
"Did you actually think we were friends? I just pretended to be your friend so I could try and get information from you for our Dark Lord. I would do anything to please him," she states with devotion in her voice. While I'm a little confused by her apparent love for the Dark Lord, my immediate reaction is to try and make sense of how she could've fooled me all this time, but I come up empty. I guess I never really had any friends in Hogwarts after all aside from Cedric.
"So, it was all an act? All the banter, all the stories you told me about your life? Was any of it real?" She pretends to think for a moment before a smirk grows across her face.
"My hatred for your mother was real," she teases. My face falls into an emotionless mask as I turn my head to face the ceiling as she continues. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go check in on Ms. Parkinson's progress with our little Draco upstairs while you get better acquainted with your future husband." She cackles as she opens and closes the cell door with a resounding SLAM that echoes throughout the damp, enclosed area. I stiffen as her words sink in and I realize I'm in the catacombs of Malfoy Manor. A sick sense of relief washes over me as I realize I'm still close to Draco, but dread quickly overrules that feeling as I realize he probably won't know where I am. Trying to connect with him mentally, I find myself quickly gasping for air and lightheaded. Goyle laughs darkly next to me as he sits on the corner of my cot and places a hand on my thigh.
"I wouldn't bother with that mental connection crap. It won't work down here because of the enchantments that have been put into place by the Dark Lord. Once I told him of your existence, he enlisted Lucius to help him find ways to dampen your powers. Draco won't be coming to save you because you're mine now," he finishes as his hand starts to wander up my thigh to brush the side of my hip before wandering back down to squeeze my thigh possessively.
"I will never be yours," I spit out in disgust. My eyes widen slightly as he straddles my legs and places both hands on my knee.
"I was so hoping you'd say that," he sneers. Before I can even prepare myself mentally, he has snapped my leg between his large, unforgiving hands. A piercing scream escapes my mouth before I can stop it and, while I can feel my magic already starting to heal the injury; I can feel how drained the wards around the catacombs are making me. The process of healing is more difficult than it should be.
"You sick bastard! I will never be yours no matter how much you hurt me. Draco willfind me. I will make sure of it," I threaten. He chuckles darkly and pats my healing kneecap with a condescending tone to his voice as I hold back a whimper of pain with each pat.
"Oh I'm sure you will, sweetheart. Just like he found you in Blaise's room after your fight?" My eyes widen in shock and quickly turn to a look of confusion.
"How did you…" He cuts me off with a squeeze to my leg.
"Polyjuice Potion, obviously. I heard your argument with Draco from the hallway after I broke in through the door by the garden. All glass for a door really isn't a good idea, just for future reference. I'm sure Narcissa would've liked to not be knocked out by her now ex-husband because she happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time," he trails off and shrugs to stand. "Anyway, try to get some rest. You need as much of it as you can get before the feast in a few days where I will announce our betrothal to the rest of the Death Eaters with our Dark Lord present."
He walks to the cell door to open and close it as slowly as possible to taunt me with my immobile state. His actions sting me more than I thought it would as I feel the full extent of my helplessness start to set in. If I can't move, there's no way I can get out of here unless I can somehow push the paralysis out of my body with my mind.
Once Goyle has been gone for a few minutes, I start to focus my mind on healing the stiffness in my body to try and push the paralysis away. I can feel how quickly my energy is draining, but I can feel a tingling in my toes like they've fallen asleep. Excited that I'm making progress, I push away the strain on my body and sweat collecting all over my body in exertion as I continue to let all of my mental energy flow to the rest of my body. Just as the bottom half of my body is free, I start to feel a pounding headache and nausea. My body is now drenched in sweat and I can feel and hear myself panting heavily in pain. Thinking I can free the rest of my body before I give into the fatigue, I keep pushing my energy into my torso and arms to free them. However, just as I can feel the tips of my fingers start to tingle, the darkness calls to me. The last thing I hear before I succumb to the darkness is the faint sound of a shuffle and a gasp.
Draco POV
Blinking my eyes groggily, I groan at the feeling of cotton in my mouth and a splitting headache meaning I was cursed into a dreamless sleep. As the events rush to me, I can feel my confusion and anger start to become more prominent over my discomfort. Pansy hexed me. I should've known she was just using her acting skills to force me to let my guard down while Briar has now been missing for even longer.
Pushing myself into a sitting position, I open my eyes to realize I'm lying in my bed with just my sleep pants on still. Glancing around the room, I notice everything seems to be in place except for a black t-shirt that's now laying at the end of the bed. Slowly getting to my feet, I walk over to quickly pull it over my head. Running my fingers through my hair, I walk to my door to find the layers of protection spells I had placed on it has been stripped away. Opening the door quickly, I race down the stairs to the living room and stop short when I find my mother tied up and unconscious like Blaise who's in the same state as her on the other couch. What makes my blood run cold is my father sitting on the couch next to my mother stroking her face.
"Don't you fucking touch her, you bastard," I growl. His head turns to me and I see an amused smirk on his face. He stands and places his walking cane in front of him before folding his hands neatly on top of the head of the dragon.
"My, Draco, you've completely forgotten the manners I taught you. How disappointing," he drawls. He takes a few steps to get closer to me around the couch and I find myself rushing forward. Before I know it, my fist makes it way to his face and he's on the ground glaring up at me.
"You taught me nothing, but hatred. Hatred for muggles, hatred for half-bloods, hatred for myself, and most importantly hatred for YOU!" He stands abruptly and brushes his robes off haughtily before staring down at me with his cane in one hand – his knuckles white with the pressure around the staff.
"You little ungrateful, disgusting excuse of a son! How dare you speak to your father that way," he seethes. I can see his hand tighten around his staff, but the only thing I focus on is how little his words hurt. I let out a breathy chuckle.
"You're not my father. I didn't have a father. I had a tyrant who made me fear for my life, fear for my mother's life, and fear for my fiancé's life. I will no longer be afraid of you. You're a pathetic excuse of a man and I will neverrespect you or see you as a father figure when all you did was teach me how much you hated yourself!" As I continue speaking, my voice gets louder and louder as I take more steps to stand right in front of him with barely any room between us.
"Your father must never have loved you for you to pass along that treatment to me. Honestly, I feel sorry you never felt the love of a father, but I'm done making excuses for you. With you divorced from mother, that legally makes me the man of the house so get the HELL out of my manor before I kill you where you stand!" A flicker of fear passes behind his eyes, but my satisfaction is short lived as I hear slow clapping behind me.
"My my Draco, how you have grown. Yes, you will be a very important pawn in this war, indeed," a low, menacing voice rasps. Turning around, I find the Dark Lord standing a few feet away from me with Bellatrix standing next to him and Pansy cowering behind my aunt. Standing up to my father is one thing, but the Dark Lord? Especially when I don't know where Briar is, I find my options very limited. He must see the conflict written on my face because he chuckles darkly before continuing.
"Bellatrix here tells me you have been keeping a very powerful pawn from me, Draco. A young witch by the name of Briar?" My throat threatens to close up as I see my Aunt smirk in my direction. Pansy shifts behind my aunt, but I quickly push her presence to the side. The Dark Lord continues talking as if having a conversation with himself. "Yes, she has been acquired by Bellatrix and will be most useful to us once we…convince her to join our side," he responds with a deceitful tone. My hands clench at my side as I realize he means to torture her until she complies to join him.
"She will never join you. You will never convince her," I snarl at him. Aunt Bellatrix bristles next to him.
"How dare you speak to our Dark Lord that way! You disloyal little…" The Dark Lord's hand raises to indicate he wants her to stop speaking. She immediately obeys and lowers her head as a sign of respect. The Dark…Voldemort takes a few steps to get closer to me and I hold my ground as I gather all of the strength I can. For my mother, for Blaise, for Briar.
My doe. Can you hear me? Are you safe? Where are you?
"If you're trying to reach out to her mentally, she won't be able to respond. Goyle will be with her and making sure her magic's…shall we say, inaccessible?" I growl in frustration and take a step forward, only to be thrown to the ground with a nasty hex that makes my skin feel like it's being peeled off. Grounding my teeth together, I push all of my willpower into not screaming when, thankfully, the hex stops.
"If you hurt her…" I start only to be talked over.
"My, you must love this witch if you're willing to talk back to your Dark Lord. Whatever shall I do with this information?" Voldemort smirks and turns to Bellatrix. "Bella?" His voice has taken on a softer tone and I would assume is the closest he can get to sounding sweet given who he is. Her head snaps up in response and she walks quickly to stand in front of him.
"Yes, my Lord?" I notice she tilts her head slightly to the side to bare her neck slightly as a sign of submission. I find myself wrinkling my brow in interest as I've never known my Aunt to be a submissive person.
"How was she?" My ears perk up as I let his words sink in. I stand shakily and plant my feet in a widened stance so standing is easier – my fists still clenched at my sides.
"She took the bait. She thought I was her dead friend and Goyle is down there trying to…convince her to comply now," Bellatrix finishes with a sickening smile on her face.
"Excellent! And the wards?"
"Still up and just as powerful as ever. She's not escaping anytime soon," she reassures him. He turns to me and I can see his eyes flickering dangerously in the dim lighting of the living room.
"You see, Draco? You can't get to her and I can do whatever I want to her so you should cooperate if you want Ms. Griffin to stay in one piece." After a brief second of silence, he continues as if he has an afterthought. "Well, almost one piece. Mr. Goyle is very much enjoying his time with her." His dark laugh pushes all of my anger and frustration to a boiling point. I let out a scream as I run toward him. His face slips into an expressionless mask and I find myself flying through the air. Sharp pain paralyzes me as I find myself pressed face first on the floor. Groaning, I slide my hands along the floor and start to push my body up; glass from the photograph frames on the mantle behind me slicing into my palms and knees as I try to stand. The floor quickly starts to darken as my blood stains my mother's expensive, white, fur rug. After a few moments of slowly pushing my body into compliance to stand, I stand shakily on my feet and leave my hands open and hanging to my side as I stare eye to eye with Bellatrix.
"The Dark Lord requests you clean this mess up and get some rest," she snarls as she takes slow steps to get closer to me. "You have much to accomplish tomorrow for him. It should be remembered that not complying will result in consequences for you and…others," she trails off while turning her eyes to my mother's prone body on the couch.
She apparates out of the room, assumingly to follow the Dark Lord who had vanished before I could stand. My body shakes as the adrenaline leaves my body. I feel my blood slide from my hands into the puddle that is quickly gathering under me. Drops of blood caress my face and I reach up to wipe them away before they can get into my eyes. Turning, I slowly stumble to the couch to fall to my knees by my mother's motionless body to release the ropes she's in, but without my wand, my bloodied and cut up hands can't function well enough to untie her. Letting out a growl of frustration, I can feel tears welling up in my eyes as the feeling of helplessness starts to overcome my senses as I remember my wand in somewhere in my bedroom.
Before I can wipe away the tear that has fallen from my eye without my permission, I see a hand reach in front of me to untie the ropes that bind my mother. Turning my head in shock, I see Pansy kneeling beside my battered body and quickly untying my mother. Quickly glancing at Blaise, I see she has already released him and he's slowly waking up with soft groans of pain. Just as quickly as she appeared by my side, she stands and starts to rush out of the room as I watch her with bewildered eyes. Before she can cross the threshold of the family room, she turns to look at me with sad eyes before rushing back to crouch in front of me. She presses something into my numb hands with a nod of her head before rushing backwards and apparating out of the room. Rapidly filled with curiosity, I open my fist to find a bloodied piece of paper. Opening it carefully, my eyes widen when I read the words carefully written on the piece of paper.
She's in the dungeons. Be careful. I'm so sorry.
Alright, kids! Its been awhile, but here is the next chapter. I want to hear your thoughts on Pansy! Do you think Draco can trust her? What do you think Bellatrix is trying to accomplish by pretending to be Grace? Until next time, my loves! XOXO