Sanguinolentus- Blood stained


II-

Harry Potter slumped over the table, misery encompassing him. How to end this? Before long, Voldemort will begin the attacks. Begin the...

extermination.

He cringed and Ron put his hand on his back.
"Class starts in five minutes." He whispered. Harry nodded, his face pale and filled with dismay. "I'll meet you down there."
"Be careful. You've got your coin? Are you armed?" Ron nodded and grabbed Hermione's hand. "See you guys later then."
"Bring an escort, ok Harry?" Hermione's eyes were filled with worry for her friend. "And Harry-"
"Yes?"
"Be safe."

Hermione and Ron ran down the hallway, casting swift glances into dark corners, wands out.
"Lumos."
"What are you crazy?" Ron grabbed the end of Hermione's wand. "You know as well as I do-"
"Sorry... I just thought I saw-" She hesitated a moment longer, both still running, before whispering the words "Nox" and pulling her robes over her. "Hurry."

He didn't need to be told twice.


"The Cruciatus Curse." A thin-lipped smile met them as they entered. "Pull out your books." The teacher noticed the two walking in. They were on-time of course, too afraid to be late, yet he still singled them out. "Sit the fuck down! Page two hundred eighty-seven! You-" He pointed at Ron. "You can practice it on the next person who walks through that door." Ron simply nodded, eyes wide yet head lowered.
"Ron-"
"Shut up Hermione." He whispered back harshly. They were both thinking the same thing.

Three minutes passed. A bell sounded in the halls and the teacher grinned. "Someone's missing. Someone will be late... I think whoever it is- shouldn't show up!"

It was a few more minutes before Harry opened the door. The teacher laughed, a low guttural sound that made the students cringe. "Go for it." Harry hadn't taken a step when Ron shouted the curse.

"Crucio!" Harry fell to his knees. He had trained under this curse; they all had. He clenched his fist, teeth bared. They all knew this game. Some more than others. The first one to give in lost. Losing meant the torture room. Some are killed, especially if they're mudbloods.

Their eyes met. Harry's shut first, sweat pouring down from his hair. A tooth cracked and blood dribbled down his lips. He remained silent. Ron's resolve however, was crumbling. His hand shook, head turned away. The teacher was howling in the distance, the students staring on with a cold acceptance.

Finally a heavy grunt was heard. Harry slumped to the ground on his hands and knees. Finally he tossed his head up and screamed. Hermione covered her ears, tears on her lashes. Ron fell to his knees, lifting the curse. The teacher clapped.
"Well done! Well done... Now, to decide who lost." His smile was sickening. "You-" He pointed at the hunched figure. "The one under the curse. Go to the torture room." Harry's eyes shot open, a look of horror on his face. He quickly hid it though, pulling himself up and leaving quickly, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "And as for you." The teacher flicked his wand in Ron's direction. "Imperio." Ron stiffened, eyes attentive. He was fighting it. Fight it... please fight it-!

Minutes passed. They seemed like years. Finally the teacher pulled away, disappointed.
"Let's start, shall we? Yet I see we're missing one more. He probably just decided not to show!" The slimy laugh filled the room again and Ron glanced around.

"Where's Draco?"


"Master says any new torture chamber patients are to receive a different punishment. Only one is needed though." Harry recognized the voice, head still bent. It was him. Peter Pettigrew. He felt his stomach churn. He felt physically sick. Harry wanted to lunge at his face and- "Yes... the perfect job. You will look after Master's pet." Harry flinched, thinking the worst. Dragons. Dementors. Basilisks. The list went on in his head. "The Master's inferius will lead you." A stench hit Harry so strong he doubled over. Pettigrew kicked him and he straightened, holding his breath. An animated corpse held out its hand, a piece of rotting flesh sliding off the bone. It motioned for Harry to follow, empty sockets piercing Harry's eyes in its solemn gaze. He gulped, following the puppet, fearing the worse.

The instant he entered the large room he recognized it as the Slytherin common room. He had been there... was it the second year? It had been so long... The room seemed darker than it had been. Colder. Emptier. He heard ear-piercing screams in a room below them, then banging. This must be the pet. Maybe it was its feeding time. On some level that comforted Harry. On another, it made him feel like retching.

The puppet pointed and Harry followed the winding stairs down into the darkness.

He entered the room, dark and cold. He stood in the doorway, eyes open in shocked silence at what he saw.