Trigger Warnings: Torture

Chapter 107:

Anguishing Facades

The sound of tortured screams was no longer something that simply haunted Draco's memories. Nor did they any longer simply belong to one person. Now, those same tortured screams and maniacal laughs echoed throughout Hogwarts, permeating into everyone and everything.

He never wanted this. He never even imagined this. It was so much worse than what he could have pictured. Blood purity was…still important, but perhaps – no, definitely – not at the cost of…whatever hell this was.

Draco steeled himself as he walked into "Dark Arts". Taking a seat next to his girlfriend, he could practically feel the tension, the trepidation, in the room as Carrow entered.

"Today we will be looking at different curses and hexes used to take someone just shy of going insane. How to combine them, especially when used on someone who has already experienced much Dark Magic. When done properly, your subject should be begging for mercy."

Shite. This won't be good. He remained as calm as he could as Ariella was all but dragged to the front centre of the room. In front of him, Draco saw Nott stiffen, though if he wasn't watching for it, he wouldn't have noticed. They were too good at this now, this act; they had to be.

It had been almost a month since he had…"agreed" to her use in lessons. Though he wouldn't admit it, certainly not aloud, he was worried for her. She was looking worse by the day. He could only imagine what they were putting her through when he wasn't there, let alone any of the "visitors".

"As we all know, the Cruciatus Curse is one of the most useful methods," Carrow began, before promptly demonstrating on Ariella.

He could see a few of his classmates, his peers, cringing as she writhed and screamed. When Carrow released the curse, he could see her gasping for breath. However, Carrow was wrong about one thing. She wouldn't beg, certainly not to them. Perhaps to his father, to himself, but never to anyone else. Certainly not to a…monster like Carrow.

"There are various cutting spells one can use. This is one of my personal favourites," Carrow continued, calling forth a long, knotted, fiery whip extending from the tip of his wand.

"Sweet Merlin," Draco heard Theo mutter under his breath. He agreed.

He could hear the crackling of the fire, the contact as it hit her body, the ripping of clothing.

Shite, he thought again. The whole class was about to see just how…scarred, how damaged her body was. If they hadn't already seen it in a previous lesson, that is.

He could hear rasping coming from the front of the room as she tried to breath through the pain and tears. He knew she hated it, hated crying, but he couldn't blame he; for the amount of pain she was experiencing, it was almost unpreventable that she would cry with something like this.

"There are, of course, other cutting curses, stinging hexes, etc. Would anyone like to give it a go?"

Draco watched as a few classmates stepped forward. Carrow seemed quite pleased, with himself, with them. He could feel bile rise up in his throat as he watched her. Worse, he could feel the bond acting up, alerting him yet again to her disobedience. Merlin only knew what the bond was reacting to this time.

Carrow looked over, smirking at him, knowing full well Draco couldn't do anything without hurting himself, without causing her even more pain. So he just sat there, barely registering what was happening around him, though his senses were on high alert, as they always were now.

Finally, the bell rang. Class ended. Immediately, Draco moved towards the front, only for Carrow to stop him.

"You can pick it up after detention."

"She'll die if you keep this up; besides, I don't have detention."

"Then order it not to die on us while it serves; and that can be arranged."

He desperately wanted to interfere. But he couldn't. Not outright, at least. Not now. An idea began to form in his mind as he leaned down, so his lips were right by her ear.

"Stay strong as you can. Stay alive," he ordered simply, his voice barely above a whisper. He felt her minutely nod against his cheek. With a disgusted sneer that hardly took effort to put on, he turned sharply and left, not at all shocked to find Nott once again waiting for him.

"Malfoy, you – "

" – follow me."

He led them to a side corridor just off the Charms classroom.

"I have an idea. I know what to do. It should work, at least for a short while. But I'll need your help."

"Anything."

"Are you sure about this?"

"No. But it's the best plan I've got, especially on short notice," Draco answered, more curtly than he meant. "Are you still willing to do this?"

"Of course."

"Thank you," Draco said sincerely.

"Cheers, mate," Theodore said, sarcasm dripping into his voice as he downed the vial of Polyjuice Potion, stolen from Slughorn's back rooms.

Draco watched as his friend transformed into his double, taking another vial of the potion with him as "Malfoy" left for Ancient Runes, during a period Nott had free of class.

Meanwhile, Draco disappeared into the secret passage behind his bed. Once in "Ariella's room" – their room – he quickly bagged up the balm and a change of clothes.

"Please," he then whispered, "please provide me secret passage to the Hospital Wing".

Shockingly, the castle listened. "Thank you," he murmured quietly as he sped through the walls of the ancient building. He came out in the corner just outside the matron witch's office, safely hidden as the passage sealed up behind him. Taking a breath to steady himself, Draco summoned his wounded servant.

She landed in a crumpled heap at his feet. She was still conscious, but that was a miracle unto itself. He pressed his hand to the bond mark.

"You are not to be punished for recent activity. I will administer punishment in due time," he necessitated, keeping his voice low, hoping it would listen.

"Mister Malfoy? What in Merlin's name…?" Madame Pomphrey asked as she caught sight of the students. Draco straightened, his face betraying nothing.

"I need you to treat her in that private room. Allow no one but myself to access it or even know of its existence."

Madame Pomphrey took a long look at the seventh–year boy in front of her. He was still a boy, but he was growing up quickly. Most of the students were, but he even more so, given the responsibility on his shoulders.

"I have your permission to treat her?"

"Yes. Whatever you need to do, you have blanket permission. Now and going forward. We've been using this," he said, handing over the balm, "to help."

"No one will know she's here. I'll do what I can," she promised.

"Thank you, Ma'am," he said, shocking her.

He watched with careful, sharp grey eyes as she levitated Ariella out of sight. There was so much blood…he could only hope she would be okay. That between himself, the bond, and Madame Pomphrey's skills, she would recover. He felt sickened he had waited so long.

Making sure no one was watching, he returned through the stone walls to "their room", where he quickly cast Tempus, and sat to wait out the time until Nott returned. How had things become this messed up, this horrid?

Meanwhile, Amycus Carrow was having quite the day, playing with the Malfoys' little pet. It was so much fun to make it scream. Especially since it couldn't fight back. Suddenly, just as one of his students brought the whip down, it disappeared. Carrow snarled as the students looked perplexed, before scattering out of the way as the Death Eater Professor stalked out of the room.

Carrow immediately went to the Slytherin Common Room, entering. Students looked up.

"Where is Malfoy?"

Silence met his question as they looked between each other, confused.

"Where is he?"

"Ancient Runes, Professor," Pansy supplied, hoping this wasn't yet another disagreement over the pathetic servant.

Carrow turned and hurried as quickly as he could to the respective classroom. He slammed the door open, disturbing the seventh–year students.

"Can I help you, Professor Carrow?" Professor Babbling asked, recovering quickly.

Amycus' eyes narrowed as he spotted Malfoy seated at the desk, to which he promptly stalked over to, leering down at the Malfoy heir. "Have all your students been here the entire time?"

"Certainly. Where else would they be?"

"Malfoy. Your servant disappeared. What did you do?"

"Nothing. As Professor Babbling said, I've been here in class all period. I haven't tried anything, as everyone here can attest to," stiffly replied "Malfoy".

Snarling again, Carrow spun around, slamming the door behind him as he left. What in Merlin's name had happened his borrowed toy?

"You're forgiven for interrupting my class, Professor," Babbling snarked before returning to the lesson.

Five minutes before classes were to end, Draco slipped back through the walls once more, and immediately went into the seventh–year lavatory. He hid in a stall until he heard footsteps. He stilled, waiting.

"Malfoy? It's me. I'm alone. The potion should wear off in the next few minutes."

Draco breathed a sigh of relief he didn't realize he was holding.

"You were right. Carrow was furious. Came to the classroom, but since I – you – were there the whole time, he couldn't figure it out. He's furious. Got his knickers in a definite twist. I'd steer clear of him – both of them, actually – as much as you can," Theo reported back, wincing as his body came back to him.

"Thank you. She's with Madame Pomphrey in the secret room. I said not to allow anyone. I'll given you permission later if need be, but the less we go there, the better."

Nott nodded, washing his hands and carefully disposing of the now–empty potion vials. "Agreed. I'm glad she's out of Carrow's reach for now. Today was…"

"…I know. I never meant for it to get that bad. I should have thought of this sooner."

"She doesn't blame you."

"Doesn't make it right."

"I never said it did. I'm saying she knows the risks and understands why you agreed."

Malfoy simply stayed silent.

"We'd better get down to dinner. You need to act as…normally as possible."

Draco straightened his robes and followed his friend out, terrified and grateful all at once for how things were going. He couldn't believe he was even having this thought, and would never, ever admit it aloud, but for once, he wanted Saint Potter to just hurry up and save the day.