I woke in pain, not the kind of pain one might get after having exercised the day before, but a deep ache-to-your-bones pain. Groaning softly, I shifted slightly in my bed sheets. For a second the sensation felt like my legs were in silky water, I couldn't seem to recall where I had gotten such nice sheets.
Eye brow creased, I opened my eyes. Dark green covers were what I first saw, followed by a large bed and finally a totally different bedroom to my own.
"What the…" I moved my arms, or tried to anyway, a great wrenching pain forced me to lower them with a hiss.
"I wouldn't try to move if I were you, my Lord didn't want you to be given any healing potions." The unmistakable voice of Abraxas Malfoy slithered from the corner. Sure enough, there he was sitting by a remarkably nice fireplace. Setting down his book, he stood and stalked over to me. "I have to admit that I would have given you the potions, if for no other reason than to get rid of those horrible bruises. You really do bruise too easily."
For an absurd moment I almost apologised, stopping myself when I finally looked down at the bruises in question. Even though I could only see the tops of my shoulders, I knew that the black marks would probably be all over me. Then something occurred, "I'm in my underwear…"
My captor smirked, running his fingers up the side of the blanket as he shifted closer. "Indeed. It wasn't at all necessary for you to be so uncomfortably clothed while sleeping. Why do you wear so many layers? It was rather like Riddle and I were playing a game when trying to undress you." He rolled his eyes, "you needn't worry so much about men being unable to resist your figure; your dirty blood does the trick."
I flushed red, "I don't wear so many layers because I am afraid people won't be able to resist me," furiously yanking the covers up until everything under my chin was concealed, "I happen to get cold here in Winter."
Malfoy scoffed, "it's barely autumn," and yanked the cover down a little bit more.
Growling I pulled it up as much as possible, "stop that."
"No," down another few inches, I gave up trying to pull it back up.
"Where am I anyway?"
Malfoy settled on the bed, I could feel his body heat against my hip. "Tom decided the best place to keep you would be the Head Boys dorm, after your little…attitude adjustment it was necessary to avoid you dropping dead on us."
Everything from before came crashing back, "Y—you crucio'd me." I would have shifted further away from him if I could, the side effects from the curse kept me from any true movement though.
"Technically Tom did, I just held you afterwards." He said it with such ease, as if causing a human being that much agony wasn't anything out of the ordinary. "You did twitch so nicely though. For hours after the curse was lifted, your body kept on shaking and shuddering."
"Stop it," I whispered.
"Never seen anything like it, nobody I've seen has ever reacted so strongly to such a mild dose of it. Your blood really must be inferior; perhaps the dirt amplified the cur—"
Somehow I found the strength to slam a fist into Malfoy's mouth. It barely stung my hand, I wasn't sure if that was because the rest of me hurt so much and drowned out any possible pain, or I just didn't have the strength to truly do any harm, but the point was made.
For a second there was almost complete silence, the only sounds coming from my mouth as I tried to bite back the whimpers of having landed back on the bed so roughly. Slowly he lifted a perfectly pale hand to his mouth; it came back with a slither of crimson.
"Hmm, you're lucky I take this as a sign of you getting better." Smirking he licked up the red drop on his hand, "Tom told me I should ensure you don't escape when you start to get your strength back." He leaned over me and before I could jolt my arms back, Malfoy had a hold of them. Then, surprisingly gentle, lifted them above my head. Even despite his uncharacteristic kindness, I still sobbed at the pain; it felt as if they were being yanked from their sockets all over again. Rather than use magic he instead grabbed something from the bedside table and wrapped it around my wrists, securing them to the ornate headboard.
In my twisting the blanket had moved from my shoulders, to my waist. Humiliated, I could do nothing as Malfoy ran his fingers lightly down the inside of my arms.
"Don't touch me," fingertips ran under my arms and along the side of my bra, "please." Rather than yank the blanket lower, to further humiliate me, it was slowly pulled up my stomach, over my breasts until it rested comfortably just beneath my chin.
Malfoy gave me an unreadable look, "you should get some more rest." Standing he flattened out the covers where he had been seated, "Tom won't like it when I tell him you tried to escape."
"B—but I didn't," an eye brow rose at my words, "truly. I—I just wanted you to stop saying those words, I don't want to remember the pain." Sniffing softly, I wished I could wipe away the tears that would probably fall from my eyes when I slept. "Please don't tell him, I don't want to be C—crucio'd again…"
Sighing, Malfoy moved back to his chair by the fire, deigning to sit before answering me. "Tom is my friend, lord and leader; I couldn't keep it from him even if I wished to."
"But—"
"No buts, however if it is any consolation, I doubt he will curse you again so soon. Now, get some sleep Antoinette."
Hearing my name brought back another memory, one of Riddle casting a spell that took away all the pain. In the past day I had two Unforgivables cast on me, and a very large part of me wondered how long it would be before the final one was cast.
…
"I hadn't figured on her being that feisty." Voices drifted in through my dreams, slowly waking me up.
"Maybe you shouldn't have gotten so close, think of her as a caged animal." The deep voice almost compelled me to open my eyes; thankfully I remembered where I was before I could make that mistake. "You'll find that animals will use any tricks they can to escape captivity, and what we have here is a very rare creature."
Either Malfoy or Riddle walked up to the top of the bed, I could feel eyes on me and so deliberately kept my breathing slow and calm.
"So you know what she is then?" Malfoy's voice came from near my feet. Which meant Riddle, with all his superior views, was watching a Muggleborn sleep?
Fingers brushed away the hair that was tangled in my face, almost causing me to jolt out of the bed, or as far as I could move considering my arms were still above my head. The touch moved from my face to my wrists, fingering whatever was holding me in place. "I am not certain yet, but am getting closer." The bonds were pulled on slightly, "nice touch this, using a Slytherin tie."
A chuckle sounded to my left, sounding slightly closer than I thought he was. "I honestly didn't look, my Lord, I was too busy trying not to throttle the girl for punching me."
"Hmm," suddenly the tie was released and my hands flopped down above my head, and despite myself I cried out in pain. "No real point in them now that she is awake and we are both present."
Groaning, I opened my eyes. For a second the light blinded me, but then Riddle came into focus followed by Malfoy. Both men looked refreshed and ready for the day. I could smell morning dew on the air, which meant I had lost track of the days I had been asleep. "You won't get away with this!"
Smirking Riddle sat next to me on the bed, while Malfoy gracefully lay down on the left side of the bed and leaned back against the headboard. They were both wearing leather gloves, black stretched over hands that caused only pain, and I knew without guessing that the evil leather would feel like silk.
"Do you have any idea how many people say that to my Master," Malfoy laughed, looking to the entire world like nothing was wrong. I hated that about him more than anything.
"What do you mean your 'Master', and you keep calling him 'my Lord'. I don't understand any of this…" I gingerly moved my arms down next to my body, the pain a welcome relief as it brought clarity.
"He calls me that because that is what I am; it is what I am to so many people. Their Master and Lord," the smooth words came from Riddle's mouth like chocolate, and I had to absurd wish to have him whisper those words again.
"Lord Voldemort is the one who will rid the magical world of filth, of those who do not deserve the gift of magic." Malfoy spoke the words as if he truly believed them; I had no doubt who 'Voldemort' was. "He and his Knights will usher in a new Magical era, one of pureness and true power."
I knew that Riddle was dangerous, but never had I imagined that he had actually managed to convince people that Pureblood's were the answer, the only answer. Didn't they know about the risks of continual interbreeding, already more Squibs had been born in the past hundred years then the past thousand.
"Voldemort…" I gaped for a second, "filth?"
Giving me a patronising smile, Malfoy traced his hand up my arm, seeming fascinated with the Goosebumps that appeared beneath his hand. I yanked my arm away as best I could. "Mudbloods – your kind – will finally be put in their rightful place, beneath those of pure magical blood." He frowned, "you of course are a problem, something both magical and filthy, but totally different to a Half Blood." His hand, undeterred by my rejection of him touching me, wound itself around my neck, touching my collarbone. "You don't feel dirty though. Whenever I touch you, I feel so calm, as if nothing will ever bother me again."
I wanted nothing more than to slap the offending hand away, but before I could it was knocked out of the way by Riddle. The second Malfoy stopped touching me his eyes almost seemed to become un-fogged, strange that I hadn't even noticed them glazing over in the first place.
Riddle clucked his tongue and waggled his finger almost playfully in my face, "Uh ah little gypsy, no using that particular talent on my Knights unless I instruct it."
Eyes darting between Malfoy and Riddle in confusion, I felt myself become dizzy. "What talent, I don't have any talents." Or at least that's what everybody tells me. "I'm leaving." Panicking slightly, when neither of them took their knowing eyes from me, I tried to sit up. Almost immediately falling back onto the bed, body depleted of energy.
"Sorry, Mudblood, there will be no leaving this bed for at least another day." Malfoy slowly drew his glove off his hand, one elegant finger at a time. "Just click your fingers once and Iron will appear to help feed and bathe you." A quick click from him, and a tiny house elf appeared.
I didn't waste any time. "Please, get help." I entreated the little thing, praying it would disappear to find help.
The elf just stared at me confused, then frowned and pointed a little finger at me. "You's is wishing to get the Master into trouble, bad Mudblood." My heart dropped, and my hopes.
Riddle chuckled, "Iron has been in the Malfoy family for decades and his ancestors long before that. He won't help you escape," red eyes hardened, "but I will have to remember this little incursion and punish you for it when you won't actually pass out from a simple stinging hex."
Iron nodded his head wildly, hands toying with the old pillowcase he wore as clothing. "Yes, Mudblood must be punished." I usually had an affinity for all creatures, but the malicious glee in Iron's eyes stopped any kind feeling towards it.
"Iron, you will ensure that the Mudblood stays locked in the Head Boys dorm, she is not to escape or I will give you to cousin Lucretius to play with." The thing looked so horrified at the idea that I actually felt a small twinge of concern, quickly quelled when it spoke again.
"Mudblood will not escape, Iron will nail her to headboard if she tries." A hammer actually appeared in the little monsters hand, he pointed it at me. "Mudblood, stay."
"Does he actually think I am a dog…" glaring at Malfoy, I thought about choking the chuckling aristocrat. "Do you actually teach your House Elves that Muggleborn's are scum? Haven't you both corrupted enough innocent creatures with your beliefs, you make me si—" A stinging pain erupted from my head, my body wanted to arch away from it but whatever was causing the pain was keeping me in place.
"Filthy Mudblood, thinking she can speaks to the Masters like that; Iron will teach its a lesson." The elf clicked his fingers and the thing pulling on my hair pulled even tighter.
Riddle flicked his hand at the volatile Elf and it went crashing back into the wall, knocking a painting off a nearby wall. For once Malfoy actually showed a flicker of emotion, his brows crinkled and he also waved his hand at the now cowering Iron, causing him to float over to him. The horrible hex holding me in place finally ebbed, my head sagged, and I realized that Iron had individually magic'd every strand of my hair to the headboard. The thought of basically being a bald squib was too much to handle, my eyes became blurry with tears.
Malfoy's angry eyes flickered over to me, then back to the Elf now punching itself in the head as it floated in front of him. "Iron, you will never lay a hand on Antoinette again, she is not yours to punish and neither is it your duty to defend our honour."
"Iron is sorrys, he cannot stands to have the Masters insulted like that." Huge eyes filled with rage met mine, "Mudblood must learn her place." He was quick to add, "But not from Iron, never from Iron."
"Crucio," the cold voice came from Riddle, who I had almost forgotten was sitting next to me. He was still as a statue, distantly I heard Iron shrieking but I couldn't take me eyes of the dark figure that was Riddle; perhaps the most frightening thing of all, he hadn't actually needed his wand to cast the curse.
Little Iron held out longer than I had, begging only after a bone in his arm cracked and snapped. The tiny figure twisting in unnatural ways caused every part of me to ache along with him.
"Please, please stop." Without thought I grabbed Riddle's hand and broke the curse myself, using what must have been the last of my strength and dropped back against the sheets.
For a moment there was only the noise of Iron sobbing, and beating himself still. "You dare to intrude," it was not a question but I answered anyway.
"I—I can't, no more hurting creatures, I can feel it..." Mentally and physically exhausted, I sank down onto the mattress, my hair seeming to untangle itself and fall down around my face, a great camouflage of black. "You're so evil…" I whispered, body curling into itself under the green cover.
"Iron stop punishing yourself, and draw Antoinette a bath," Malfoy broke through anything Riddle might have been going to say. He had apparently decided to refer to me by my name now, probably not wanting to kick a dog while she's down.
"Yes Master Malfoy, Iron will make sure Mudblood stink does not offend."
I almost choked out a laugh; I had risked another curse or hex for the likes of a creature that didn't even care I had helped it.
"We had best get to class, wouldn't want Dumbledore to wonder where his favourite student is." Apparently comfortable enough around Riddle to be sarcastic, the blond shifted his weight next to me and hopped off the bed.
"Quite." The Head Boy's tone, while quiet and calm, caused me to try and burrow even further beneath the covers. I didn't care that it hurt like hell and I probably looked rather like an Ostrich with its head in the sand, I just couldn't look into those crimson eyes any longer.
Nothing else was said, the only warning I got that they were gone was the clicking of the door. Slowly, I peeked my head out from under the covers and looked straight into gigantically evil eyes. Shrieking, I scrambled back about a foot before realizing it was only Iron. He gave me a look as if to say 'stupid Mudblood', and for once I agreed, it was stupid to jump at every little thing.
"As I must clean the filthy creature, would creature be so kind as to not cause any more pain for Iron?" I didn't think a House Elf was allowed to be sarcastic, but nodded in consent anyway; I wanted the smell of sweat off me as much as the Elf did. Little fingers clicked and I was lifted painlessly into the air. Trying to not show I was nervous as all heck, I didn't make a noise as the rest of my clothes seemed to vanish. Slowly floating through the air, I glanced only once at the door and preyed one of my captors hadn't forgotten something, I would never live down the shame if they saw me now.
"Yo—you should call me something other than Mudblood or creature." Speaking to the Elf was more of a nervous habit then actual wish to converse.
We moved into the bathroom without me receiving an answer. Unsurprisingly the room it was just as spacious as I had imagined. It was also almost entirely made of black marble, with little bits of red completing any small patterns. The red surprised me, surly any self-respecting snake would enjoy only green…
Steam rose invitingly from a large bath in the middle of the room, many golden pipes were currently pouring water into it, along with soaps. I could smell something spicy in the air, but also fresh; my back stiffened in shock when it occurred that I would come out smelling like a mixture of Malfoy and Riddle.
Rather than plonk me into the bath, Iron actually lowered me slowly. I hissed slightly as the heat touched my body, but moaned when it sunk into my bones. Job done, Iron stood watching me; I was too relaxed to care.
"Iron is required to call Mudblood whatever the Masters call her," I startled, almost having forgotten I asked the question.
It was easier for me to move in the bath without pain, and I could kneel without the water revealing my body at all, so I turned to face the Elf. "Have you always hated Muggleborns?"
The Elf smirked and very Malfoy smirk, "Iron is belonging to the great house of Malfoy. They is everything pure and magical, Mudbloods's shouldn't be alouds to exist."
Huffing out a sigh, as I knew I would never change Iron's mind, I sunk deeper into the bath and closed my eyes. I had learnt long ago that any bath in Hogwarts was charmed so that any who were in it couldn't possibly drown. It was a charm implemented long ago, after a certain rotund Headmaster decided napping in a bath would be nice. He was found the next day floating face down in the bath.
The scent of the room wrapped around me, slowly clouding my mind and distorting time until I wasn't even sure how long I had been lounging for.
"Times to be getting out, Mudblood." I groaned at the squeaky voice, but opened my eyes. The first thing I noticed was the totally wrinkled mess my hands were, it was satisfying somehow to know I was truly clean again.
"Call me Tony or Antoinette, please."
There was a slight pause, then, "Filthy Antoinette is to be hopping out of bath now."
I choked out a chuckle, amused by the horrible creature despite myself. Bracing myself against the sides, I went to pull myself out, stopping with a pained hiss as it pulled on sore muscles. I didn't even have to request help, and I was floated into the air naked. Water dripped off my body, making the only noise in the room a soft splattering.
Iron moved me back into the bedroom, my eyes drooped at the sight of the invitingly turned down bed.
"How am I still so tired? It feels like all I have done is sleep…" I questioned nobody in particular.
Iron clicked his fingers and I was dry, my hair going into its usual 'after wash' frizz. "Mudblood Antoinette was put under Cruciatus curse. Iron is used to such pain, deserves it. Mudblood deserves it too, but is weak." '
I was placed in the bed, covers magically wrapping themselves around me. "I'm not weak…" sullenly I grabbed the covers and turned over so I wouldn't have to face Iron, "When will they be back?"
There was no need for him to ask who I meant, "The Masters will be back when they are ready to be back. It is not the Mudblood Antoinette or Iron's place to ask when that will be."
Nodding I pulled the covers over my head, blocking out the world as much as I was able.
