(All is J.K Rowling's except my dear Lemercier.)
5.Punishment
The crowd of Death eaters jeered at Nott as he was man handled and carried toward Voldemort's throne room, where he was to be punished or worse murdered. Everything was a blur as lights flashed, bodies moved and a sudden turns made it hard for him to know where in Malfoy manor he was. He didn't want to go, it wasn't his fault. It was the death eaters in charge of guarding the castle inside and out. They're dead now and then some. Wincing as he dark mark burn, he thought back to the events that led him to where he was. It hasn't been ten minutes till both Lestrange's and Draco showed up, their wands out and ready.
"What the hell happened Nott?" Rodolphus snapped as all three of them sneered at Nott, who was sitting at the castle enterance he was truly a broken man. There were bodies all around him, and there were still more being carried out of the front enterance of the castle to the grounds. "Who did this? Where is the horcrux?" Nott didn't answer, he was in shock how could they have stolen the horcrux right under his nose? How? Letting out an angry breathe Bella raced into the castle, while Draco and Rodolphus moved around the bodies directing and talking to those that survived and saw what happened. Then came a scream so loud and high that it sounded like a calling of a banshee, Bella came out of the castle her wand out as she advanced toward Nott. Realizing the look of craze in her eyes he started to back away stumbling over the bodies laying on the ground around him.
"You filthy troll! You let them fucking have it!"
"What?" He asked dumbly as he fell on the muddy ground, watching her advance. Those death eaters loyal to Nott as their commander pulled their wands out, but Draco and Rodolphus held theirs out too. They wouldn't dare attack those that the Dark Lord favors, helplessly they lowered their wand and looked on.
"Bella what are you talking about?" Draco asked as he too neared Nott from behind, Rodolphus from his side, and Bella at his feet. Close enough they could have formed a triangle their head bent downward, as Nott himself looked upward, his right hand gripping his wand in the mud.
"The bleeding Horcrux is gone." She hissed as she raised her wand threateningly, both men glanced down at Nott with a look of disgust and anger. He had that one chance to redeem himself and the others in Voldemort's esteem, now it's lost. "I was so close to being his second hand... We only left you for three hours Nott! Three fucking hours! I should kill you right now."
"But you won't!" Snape called out as he stepped out from the apparation circle his wand out as he hurried to them, two more death eaters apparated their wands too were up.
"Who says? You? You half blood? You have no authority over me!" She snapped raising her wand above her head to perform a killing curse, at that moment a green light stirked her hand, letting out a cry she dropped her wand and cluthed her hand to her body. "The hell!" Severus merely shook his head, at once Draco stepped aside for Snape to join the them.
"You forget who's second in command Bellatrix... The Dark Lord wants him taken alive to the Malfoy Manor..." As he spoke the two death eaters that apparated with Snape gathered the shaken Nott by his arms. "He will be judged there... Draco... Rodolphus... Gather the rest of the death eaters here, there is no need to vaccant this sticking moat. He wants them all back to the Malfoy manor." Nott suddenly realizing what was to happen to him, started to struggle and scream for mercy.
"NO! PLEASE GODS NO!" He screamed as the two death eaters started to drag him toward the apparation circle, Severus in front of them leading the way. "NO SEVERUS! NO!" His scream was cut short when one of the death eaters who was holding up knocked him out, there everything turned dark.
The Throne room was crowded with death eaters all lined up against the walls, while the inner circle stood on either side of the throne which Voldemort was vaccanting. Severus the closest to his right hand side, Lucius, and Rodolphus while on his left hand side Cassandra, Bellatrix and Narcissia. They foregone the death eater masks and only wore their cloaks. Everyone's eyes laid on Nott who was kneeling a few feet from the Dark Lord, Chained around the wrists, Beaten and pitiful. The loud mutters and whispers amoung the death eaters were distinct, but with a raised hand Voldemort silenced them. "Do you know why you're here Nott?" He asked icily, Nott cringed at the Dark Lord's voice.
"Ye- Ye- Yes m- m- my Lo- Lord." He did not dare look up.
"Do you know what you did?"
"Yes," he moaned lifting his hands to his face as he started to cry, the chains rattled against the floor as they were moved.
"I don't think you fully comprehend the damage you have done to me. That horcrux was part of me, it's the reason that I survived my downfall, and that I am here. Yet you Nott betrayed me-" At once Nott let out a loud moan, whipping his head from left to right, and his chains rattling even more with the shake of his whole body. "No? Are you saying I am lying Nott? That you're master is a liar?" Again Nott shook his head, this was a losing battle either way he was going to be punished. Cassandra licked her lips as she glanced over at her lord, he looked sickingly amused. "What say you?"
"No my Lord you are not a liar." Nott said pleadingly, Voldemort smiled and waved for Wormtail to appoarch him.
"Ahh... Nott then you must be punished... For as I said you betrayed me... For that, you deserve severe punishment...My wand Wormtail." At that Nott went crazy as started to pull himself from the chains, pulling on one of the slackles on his wrist. Cassandra watched on with disgust as he started to pull with all his might, then there was a loud snap.
"He broke his tumb," Cassandra breathe out, Bellatrix at hearing Cassandra started to howl with laughter. She watched as Severus conjoured up another set of chains for Nott, shorter ones that wouldn't let him get up from a kneeling position. At once the hall was ablaze with talk and movement, the Death eaters moved in closer with sick interest. Glancing at her master she watched as Voldemort waved his wand, almost lazily at Nott. Then moving her eyes toward the prisioner she watched, Nott wringed and screamed under the silent curse that Voldemort placed on him. The yells for more and laughter broke through the death eaters, as they broke their ranks and crowded in to have a better view of Nott's painful punishment. At last Voldemort waved his wand again, and at once Nott stopped screaming and fell into a faint on the floor.
"Take him away." Severus nodded and he too waved his wand, the chains slowly disappeared nodding at same two death eaters that brought Nott back from Belfast they gathered Nott and dragged him out of the room. With the entertainment gone, the death eaters cowered back against the walls uncertain of what was going to happen. Stepping up the dias Severus bent close to his master's ear and whispered "Do you wish to retire into your private chambers my lord?" With a slight nod of agreement, the Dark Lord got up from his chair and moved toward his private chambers taking the side doors, closely behind him Wormtail followed his eyes dratting here and there. Cassandra watched as her master left, his robes billowing behind his tall frame as he rounded the corner. He disliked his death eaters as much as he disliked the light side. He had many times voiced out his opinion on them to his inner circle as useless souls who joined because they were afraid, not because they really wanted too. From there he would name certain death eaters that he had delved into their minds and dreams at night; Laughing at their nightmares of him or of the cells of Azkaban or of the battle fields against the light side. Sliding her view from the doors she watched as the death eaters slowly dimissed themselves from the throne room, while the rest of the inner circle took their seperate ways through the same doors that the Dark Lord exited through.
Footnotes:
-The inner circle was made so that it would be easier to note the main death eaters. It's easier to group them and not pronouce all their names over and over again, thus the title of the inner circle was given.
-I made Severus Snape as Voldemort's second man, because of his triumph in killing Dumbledore. The rivialty of both Snape and Bellatrix were taken from the Half blood Prince. There also seems to be more of a connection between Bellatrix and Voldemort in referrence to the Order of Phoenix, when he disappeared with Bellatrix. Even when he left his other death eaters to their doom.
Personal Note:
I want to thank everyone for reading my fanfiction. Reviews aren't important for I see that many have been reading my fanfiction through the stats. Thank you again and I hope not to disappoint any of you. Good day to you all.
-M