Chapter Trigger Warnings: Talk of Torture, Implied Rape, Dubious Consent

Chapter 118:

Additional Alterations

Theodore Nott glanced out the window, watching as the rain pounded against it. Gloomy, morbid, just like the castle they found themselves trapped within. It had become a true place of torture.

"Mr. Nott!"

His gaze snapped forward towards Carrow.

"Can you tell me the proper way to tie up a prisoner?"

"Depends on what you wish your end game to be. 'Professor'."

"Interrogation."

"Force them against the wall. Shackle them to it. Tight, but not so much they'll be hurt further if they tug or fight when being punished for not answering. Using a sticking or an immobilization charm always useful in those situations. Makes them feel even more helpless and weak."

Carrow's expression narrowed, but he moved on. Clearly Nott was not as easy a target as Malfoy was.

"Can you go to her tonight? She's been asking after you."

Nott glanced over as Draco spoke softly to him, eyes glancing about sharply as Carrow dismissed.

"Is it safe?"

"As it can be. She needs more balm at any rate and I've got detention tonight."

"Bloody hell, Malfoy. Seriously?" He couldn't help glancing back at Carrow through the crowded doorway once more as he slung his bag over his shoulder.

"Not my fault," he muttered in response.

"Will she let me near her with it?"

"Giving it to her won't be a problem. But she was scared when I asked about allowing you to help with healing."

"I guessed as much. Surely she knows – "

" – it's not that. She doesn't want you seeing how badly she's hurt. How…low she's being forced to go. I think with you – 'public punishment' aside – she tries to forget."

Nott looked up at that but didn't stop moving towards their next class. "I can understand that. It's not like I want to be a reminder for her."

"I know. I can't – later," he replied, cutting off as the crowding grew thicker near one of the hallways. They looked at each other. What now?

"Ariella? Can I come in?"

Theodore carefully pushed open the door to the private room, glancing about and quickly closing the door behind him.

"Ariella? Are you here?"

Wand slipping into his palm, he glanced about, not seeing his friend in the small room. A cough had his head whipping towards the lavatory door. It opened and Theo raised his wand. Ariella came through, looking exhausted and weak, but overall, better kept than he had expected.

She stumbled a bit on the ledge of the doorway as she saw him, swallowing hard at the raised wand.

"Theo? What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit. Is now a bad time?"

"Is it ever a good time anymore?" she muttered, crossing to sit at the foot of the bed. Theo turned the desk chair towards her and sat down himself.

"How are you – "

" – please don't," she interrupted. "I don't have an answer. Draco's protecting me the best he can. You help. But this is – his position was already in…I will not be the reason he's further injured or killed. My position has to be good for something."

Theo stayed silent, letting her just speak. He knew she was frustrated; they all were, so he could only pretend to understand her unique position.

"Sorry," she murmured at his silence. His dark eyes widened.

"No. Please don't be," he paused hesitantly, before continuing, knowing he had to ask.

"Can I help? I know you don't want me to, that you wish I would…that we don't have to even discuss it. But as I've heard Draco say – it's your reality. And he has mentioned – it's been proven – sometimes a third party needs to be involved. Or else, it's better to have a go–between of sorts. Someone not directly tied. I can't say I disagree. Especially now. So…can I help?"

"I don't know. I'm sure Draco's told you: the bond's getting even harder to read."

Nott nodded in agreement. "He's mentioned it. Do you think it has to do with the – the bargaining," he asked, stumbling awkwardly as they finally got around to talking about the dreading "borrowing". She flushed and nodded.

"I hate that I'm even offering, but would it help to – to have sex with me in front of him? Or have sex with him while I watch? To have him prove – "

" – I don't know. Maybe…possibly. You can bring it up with him. Having him…"show off" his control in front of another might not be so bad. For the bond, I mean. Especially now."

"I don't want to think like this. I know you don't either. But what happens if the Dark Lord wins?"

"I suppose that would depend on how favourably the Malfoys are viewed at that point in time. I can guess that whatever treatment they have for blood-traitors and muggleborns, I'll be mostly lumped in with them."

She paused, before looking up again, though she was fiddling with the edge of her blanket. "I know you and Draco are fairly talented with Occlumency and with not wearing your hearts on your sleeves, with being able to put on mask. Could you help me? To not show as much, I mean?"

Theo stiffened for a moment. "If Draco agrees, then yes. Though I should mention: not everyone can do this. It's not a bad thing to be showing what you feel more often than not. Draco and I – most traditional pure-blood families – there are certain expectations, certain customs passed down. Especially with the older, well-to-do families. You've grown up at Malfoy Manor, you've seen it first-hand. To be honest – I'm surprised at how Draco's adjusted to you recently. How…how I am around you," he explained, flushing against his will at his admittance.

"It's just the bond."

"It isn't. It's had a hand, certainly, but it's you that makes us willing to show beyond our carefully taught mannerisms in private."

She kept fiddling with the blanket, looking down at her lap as she shook her head, but Theo noticed the small, embarrassed smile and grinned. It was progress.

"How about a game of Exploding Snap?"

She nodded and he summoned the deck of cards.

The door swung open as Draco strode in, stopping short as he caught sight of his two friends laughing, though they stilled at his presence; he noted how Theo immediately stood, wand out and raised defensively – and standing in front of Ariella.

"Good. You're both still here."

"How'd it go?"

Draco shot him a dark look.

"I need to address something with both of you."

She straightened and watched as Theo shifted his chair to an angle and Draco summoned a stool.

"Should I – "

" – no. Stay where you," he paused, loosening his tie. "I want to adjust your permissions, Nott."

"Come again?"

"He wants to give you more control over me."

"What? No. Absolutely not."

"Nott," Draco said simply and sharply. "I'm out of options and I need…I need to do this."

"Do I get a say?"

"Draco. I – please," she begged quietly. "I can't do this. And I don't – please don't do this. We've talked about this."

"I need you protected. Both of you."

Ariella refused to meet either of their eyes, going back to fidgeting with the blanket. Theo closed his eyes briefly and slowly blew out a breath.

"Okay."

Draco reached over and gently put his hands over Ariella's; she still jumped.

"Sit back against the pillows. You'll be steadier that way."

She nodded, moving to obey before removing her – Draco's – robes to give him hindrance–free access to her arm. He in turn moved to sit next to her.

"Relax," he murmured as he took her arm, watching as the command took some effect.

"Nott. Move closer to us."

Draco watched as Theo stiffly shifted towards them, before pressing his fingers to the mark.

"I, Draco Malfoy, second blood Master, give Theodore Nott permission and authority in absence of a Malfoy. You will obey his requests so long as they do not interfere with a prior order given by a blood owner. You have permission to obey and follow his directions, particularly in times of trouble, provided they do not go against a Malfoy's. He is to be treated as a Master–in–absentia."

Draco grabbed his friend's hand and brought it next to his, having Nott's fingers also touch her mark – his name, specifically. Both could feel the mark burning beneath their fingertips. Ariella was crying, gasping for breath, her body shaking.

After a minute, the bond's pulsing faded and Draco removed their hands. His eyes widened at the change to the mark. In a small tangent to Draco's name, below one of the corners of the diamond, lay a small mark.

TNj

"Malfoy, what does this mean?"

"It means what I said: in absence of a Malfoy, she is to report to you."

"Will I have to – punish her now? Have more sex? You know full well neither of us want that level of involvement from me."

"No. You shouldn't, at any rate. It's primarily for instructions. And if it starts asking for more, I'll override it. I promise."

Theo nodded, before jerking his head towards Ariella. Draco reached out to touch her shoulder. Immediately, she sat up and was propelled to the floor between the boys.

"Malfoy – you just said – "

" – this is initial. Trust me. Give her permission to use your name, talk back to you, treat you…normally, unless otherwise instructed."

Theo swallowed hard. She was still trembling on her knees between them.

"You have my full permission to treat me exactly as you did before."

She shuddered, but didn't move except to turn her head slightly towards Draco.

"I concur and agree to his instructions."

"Thank you, Sirs," she whispered, still shuddering.

Draco put a finger to his lips to silence Nott as he went to correct her, a stiff, pained expression on his face. He reached down and allowed Ariella to brace herself on his arms as she stood and returned to her seat on the bed.

"Do you want to wash up?"

"No thank you, Sir."

Partial realization hit him. "Theo is not to be considered "public". You can use my name in front of Theo Nott and vice versa. All previous allowances concerning private treatment are simply to stay the same or extend to include him."

She shuddered again as the mark pulsed once again.

"Thank you."

"Do you need us to take a look at anything right now?"

"I don't believe so. I'm okay. Thank you, though." She still refused meet either of the eyes.

"We're going to put a partition up. You won't be able to hear us, but we'll be able to hear you. Call if you need either of us. Otherwise, get some sleep," he ordered, knowing if he didn't, she would lay awake – most likely in pain – for hours until the pain and/or exhaustion overtook her.

"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir…Sirs."

Draco quickly put his hand up again to stop Nott's correction as he handed Ariella back the blanket. He then gestured for his peer to bring the chairs to the other side of the room. Quickly, he cast the proper spells.

"It's initial. Wait until she wakes up. Then, if she still calls you 'sir', you can correct her. It's always like this after a fresh order, especially a set that's new. And with how weak she is afterwards, she tends to revert back to the safety of that response," he explained.

"You didn't tell me you were adding me to that damned bond, Malfoy. That is not what I agreed to."

"I've already been giving you small pieces and allowances. This just makes it more formal and ensures I don't have to excuse her, that I don't have to punish her, for every little thing she tells you. It also allows you to order her to safety, to protect her properly without the bond interfering for a stupid reason."

Nott cursed softly, leaning back in his seat and running a hand through his dark hair.

"Do you really want me removing it?"

Slowly, Theo shook his head. "No," he said, his tone low, measured. "Just warn me next time you plan on doing something like that."

"Nott, I didn't even know the bond would react like that."

"Fine. Just. This is the opposite of what we spoke about this morning."

"We also talked about keeping her safe. And about what happens to her if something happens to me or my parents, my father specifically. I won't have another incident like last spring, where you couldn't help her because of this."

Theo didn't have a response to that.