A/N: I've combined two chapters that I thought were much too short and could do well together. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter Eleven: Love and Hate

I jolted awake, my heavy breath coming out in short splutters. I tried to move, but I found my back was pinned up against something cold and wooden, and my hands and feet were tied together. Where was I…?

My eyelids felt heavy, and wouldn't move when I tried to open to my eyes. My sleepy conscience suddenly awakened, and I felt a wave of panic wash over me. Where the hell was I? What was happening?

I fidgeted fiercely, trying to cry out, but finding that my mouth had been stuffed with what seemed to be a wool cloth. I spluttered and desperately tried to spit it out. What the hell, what the hell, where was I?

Another wave of panic swept over me as I realized my wand was gone. I was tied up somewhere, with no means of defense. I was in serious trouble.

I tried once more to wiggle free, but it only dug the slim ropes deeper into my skin. I gasped, and felt a single tear fall down my cheek. I was going to die…

"Master," a voice rang through the chamber. My panic momentarily stopped. Someone was here. Someone would save me. Oh, Merlin, oh, Merlin. "She has awakened."

Immediately I cursed myself for being so stupid. Obviously this person was no help to me. They were probably the one who put me here. Dammit – dammit, and they said 'Master'…dammit, Merlin, this person was in league with Voldemort…and Voldemort was here. Oh, Merlin.

"Hm," the next voice brought a shiver to my spine. It was a low, dangerous hiss – one I found hard to believe was even human. I tensed. Voldemort. "Very well. I believe you can take it from here, Wormtail." Wormtail. Suddenly I remembered – the rat in the dark, the missing finger, us investigating…My blood ran cold. Where were Lupin and Hestia?

Loud, nearing footsteps stopping my thoughts abruptly. The hissing voice spoke once more, at a much closer distance than last time, "Goodbye, my pretty," to my utter disgust and fright, I felt a cold finger trace the edge of my cheek. I fought back against tears. "I will see you soon." And then he Disapparated. I could barely breathe. This could not be happening.

"Resietto!" I felt my feet and hands suddenly become free, and the gag on my mouth Disappear. "Unapparati!" A cold, tingling sensation washed over my body, and any freedom I had just gained was gone again – just like that.

My breathing heavy, I waited for Wormtail to speak again. But there was nothing. Just silence. I took a deep breath, and slowly opened my eyes. I seemed to be in some kind of cave; everything seemed to be made of stone. But it was so dark, I couldn't be sure. I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face.

"Beautiful place, isn't it?" squeaked a voice from in front of me. My eyes darted around wildly, but I could not see him. It was just too damn dark. "Lumos," he said suddenly, and I hoped beyond hope that he could not read my mind.

The room flared with light, and my eyes first pinpointed the small, rat-like man standing in front of me. My lip curled in disgust. I could not believe he had fooled me.

"Nice wand you have here," he jittered, and I could barely watch him as he talked. He was disgusting. He fingered my wand, and I scowled. He was rubbing his disgusting little fingers all over my wand…

"Get your grimy hand off of it," I hissed. His small, watery eyes met mine, and he smiled.

"So you do talk," he replied, trying to deepen his voice. I suppose he wanted to seem intimidating. Hah.

He walked slowly up to me, and ran a finger softly over my lips. I wanted to vomit.

"Lupin sure knows how to choose them," he whispered, a crooked smirk on his lips.

I paled. I can't handle this. I can't handle him talking about Lupin. No, no, no.

"Stop it," I whispered, looking away from him. I could him his hot breath on my neck, and it was practically too much to take. "What do you want?" It shook me at how weak my voice sounded. I was stronger than this…wasn't I?

"At the moment?" Wormtail asked, laughing in what I supposed he thought was cold and menacingly, but just seemed high and pathetic. His eyes flashed, and another smile fell upon his face. "I'm surprised you haven't noticed them yet."

I felt my blood run cold. What? Wormtail nodded to his right, and adjusted the beam of light issuing from his wand a bit.

Oh. Merlin. Tied up and unconscious, to my left, were Lupin and Hestia, their heads bobbing in a dead looking way by their shoulders.

"What did you do to them?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice devoid of any emotion but anger and hatred. I looked back at them. Their skin was ghost white, and I couldn't see any movement at all coming from them. Shit, shit, shit. I blinked back harsh tears.

"Oh, they're not dead," laughed Wormtail, the shadows making him look more rat like then ever. "Just…preoccupied. So they won't interrupt anything."

"You're a coward!" I shrieked, unable to keep my cool any longer. "What the hell are you planning to do? Just say it already! Dammit, just tell me!"

Wormtail smiled. "Really…this isn't about you," his face darkened, and his eyes were suddenly filled with hate and want. "This is about getting back at someone who's had it coming to them for much too long." Wormtail looked back up at me, his face lighting up with anticipation and pride. "You – you are just going to help the process along."

And before I could say another word, my world went black again.

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When I awoke, I found myself lying on the cold, stone ground. But…I was free. I gasped, and jumped to my feet. I would Apparate back to Grimmauld, and tell the others where to go, to save Lupin and Hestia…

I closed my eyes, and tried to concentrate on the alleyway just before Grimmauld. Instead, I found myself being flung against the stone wall. I swore, and straightened up.

Dammit. The Apparition blocking curse Wormtail put on me must still be in effect.

I took in a shaky breath, and looked around me. There was a small lantern in the corner, which illuminated the room. In the corner, there was a small cot, with a ratty blanket on top of it. Beside that, there was a wand. I neared it. My wand. I blinked. Were they playing with my mind?

I quickly approached it, and fingered it carefully. "Lumos," I whispered, and the whole room lit up. I waited for a moment, and then cast a silent 'Nox'.

There were no windows in the room…I wasn't even sure if it was still night. In fact…what day was it? How much time had passed? Was the Order aware of our disappearance? A million questions ran through my mind. I sat down silently on the bed, and stared at the ceiling. My eyes slowly traveled to the small door in the corner, which was sealed tightly from top to bottom. I got it. I was trapped.

Feeling tears and anger all boil to the surface, I let out a cry of agony, and ran to the door, slamming my fists hard against the cool metal. "Let me out!" I screamed, not caring about the sharp pain coming from my now bleeding fists. "Let me out!" I choked on my words, and fell back against the door, scraping my back clumsily against the hinges.

I was trapped.

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I lay awake, ignoring my heavy eyes and stifled yawns. I couldn't let myself sleep. Not when I didn't know what was happening. My dreams would only be wrecked with havoc and misery. At least when I was awake, I was safe. For now, anyways.

I wasn't afraid of Wormtail. With my wand back, I knew he was no threat to me. And I was pretty sure he knew it too. It had been at least five hours and he had not come to check on me once. I guess he neither overestimated my smarts nor underestimated my magical ability.

I coughed painfully, and drew in slow, long breaths to steady myself. It was suffocating in here. There was basically no oxygen, and the air had a horrible stench to it. Like the smell of…rotting corpses. I swallowed slowly. Either Wormtail's 'great' plan was to suffocate me, or he would not leave me too long in here.

Suddenly, a resounding bang to my left sent me to my feet, wand at the ready. There were awful wriggling and screaming noises until –

"Let me down, you awful man, let me down!"

I froze. Hestia. Hestia was awake.

High, pathetic laughter rung over her screams. "You're a lot more desperate then the other one, you know." A sharp sound stopped Wormtail in his tracks. My eyes widened.

She had slapped him.

"Get me out of here," she growled, her voice so low I had to strain my ears to catch it.

"Shut up!" shrieked Wormtail. I felt almost ashamed. I had let him toy with me…and look at Hestia – five minutes in and she was almost ruling the situation.

"Do not tell me to shut up, you foul –"

BANG. I felt the walls shake, as if there was an earthquake. My heartbeat quickened. No – he had thrown Hestia against the wall.

There was a small mumble, just inaudible to me. She was close.

"Hestia!" I whispered hoarsely against the door. "Hestia!"

"Tonks?" I heard a small, tired voice mutter. "Mhmm…is that you?"

"Yes, it's me," my breath quickened as I heard footsteps. "Hestia, are you OK?"

"Yeah…" her voice wavered in such a way that I knew she was barely holding on to consciousness.

"Are you bleeding?"

"A little…"

"Hestia?" The footsteps were dangerously close now.

"I'm fine," her voice suddenly sounded sharper, and I immediately fell to attention. "But Tonks…there's…there's something wrong with Lupin…he looks –"

"There!" I heard Wormtail's shrill voice cry out. I bit my lip, and sat back against the door, trying to be as silent as I could. "Have you learned your lesson now? You will not talk back to me!" I grinded my teeth angrily. Wormtail sounded pathetic. He was pathetic. And yet he had trapped us here. It made me so angry…I could kill him.

Hestia took in a sharp breath. "Fine," she hissed, moving uncomfortably against the wall.

I could feel Wormtail mouth moving into what could only be called a smile. "Good. Now, you're no longer of any use here. Get out of my sight."

I blinked, totally confused. Apparently Hestia felt the same. "W-what?"

"You heard me. Go home. Go somewhere. Just get out of my sight."

Hestia shakily stood up. "I'll – I'll go alert the Order!"

"Be my guest." Wormtail laughed, his high shrieks piercing my eardrums. "The Order can't even save them now."

Hestia gasped. "No…" As Wormtail's shrill laughs continued manically, Hestia quickly turned on her heel and Disapparated.

Finally, the room regained its eerie silence. My heart began to pound, fast, while I felt my reality begin to blur. Everything I just learned was starting to sink in…

"So." The closeness of Wormtail's voice caused me to gasp. He had lowered himself to the same level Hestia had been. He must have known I was there all that time. "Are you ready now to contribute your part?"

My part? I scowled. "You're pathetic."

Wormtail laughed harshly. "Maybe a few more days here, then…"

And with another laugh, Wormtail walked off into the silence.

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