Chapter 39. Worse than Death
The wedding was beautiful, especially Fleur, in her white and black gown with her black headdress. It was the closest thing to a fairy-tale in these trying times. Tonks tucked into a plate of food beside Astrid.
"Do you want some?" Tonks offered.
"No, thank you… I'm not hungry," Astrid smiled. She smoothed out the skirt of her dress, the one Tonks had chosen out for her. It was a red chiffon dress with a cowl neckline, little spaghetti straps that crossed over on her back and a floaty hemline that reached a couple of inches above her knee. Tonks had made her wear her hair up in an undone French twist, with some waves spilling out if it, framing her face. Tonks had also practically held Astrid down to put a red lip on her full pout, which she borrowed from fleurs makeup collection.
"Literally don't understand why you think red isn't your colour, it really is," Tonks said with a mouth full of food.
"I feel ridiculous, I just… I feel really bold,"
"As you should be, look at you," Tonks wolf whistled after swallowing her food, causing Astrid to blush awkwardly.
"Stop it, you're embarrassing me," Astrid whined sheepishly.
"Is my wife causing you bother Astrid?" Lupin asked as she stepped up to Tonks side.
"When is she not?" Astrid smirked, "Excuse me whilst I grab a drink," Astrid sighed, slinking off to the champagne table where she took a small glass.
"Astrid Moody? Is that really you?" A French accent beckoned her from behind. Astrid turned around to face the elegantly tall Madame Maxime, her old headmistress.
"Yes, headmistress," Astrid forced a smile, she knew exactly how this conversation was going to go.
"Look at how you've blossomed, you were always a pretty little thing, but you're a beautiful young woman now, I hear you're a mother too," Olympe said clasping her hands together gleefully. A lump grew in Astrid's throat and her stomach flipped as her headmistress spoke.
"Yes," Astrid breathed, "I am."
"Where is the little one?" The Madame asked, looking around.
"Not here," Astrid sighed with a forced smile.
"Ah yes, I hear child free nights are quite the blessing when your family is young," Madame Maxime commented… unknowing to her, the words she spoke were like daggers to Astrid's heart. She'd happily never have a child free night again if it meant being reunited with her daughter.
"Your husband must be quite the catch… that is some ring!" Madame gasped, capturing Astrid's hand and analysing the emerald ring on her finger.
"Er, yes, he is," Astrid took a large swing of her champagne.
"Where is he? I must meet this gentleman!" She purred, looking around.
"He is also… not here," Astrid swallowed sadly, she couldn't force the happy charade anymore. Madame Maxime caught onto her mood change and patted the girls shoulder.
"I'm sure I will meet him, when the time is right," She smiled warmly at her ex-student before disappearing into the crowd to mingle with the other party guests. As everyone gathered around the dance floor to watch the fist dance, Astrid pushed towards the back of the tent where the walkway to the house was.
"Where do you think you're going?" Fred teased, spinning Astrid around as
"It's the first dance! Don't want to miss Bill mess up his feet," George laughed.
"Can't dance for toffee that lad," Fred chimed in.
"Not like us," They both said at the same time. Astrid sighed deeply and pushed the stray hairs from her face.
"I can't… I don't think I can do this; I think I'm just going to… go to bed," Astrid exhaled as she finished her drink and discarded her glass on the table next to her.
"You know where we are if you need anything," George nodded at her understandingly.
"Anything, even if its just a bit of cheering up," Fred offered, pulling her into a friendly hug. Astrid smiled in return as she pulled away, but as she turned to leave the tent, the walls and ceiling were illuminated in blue as a patronus shit into the dance floor. Astrid grabbed George's sleeve and the three of them pushed forward to listen to what the patronus had to say:
"The ministry has fallen… The minister of magic is dead… they are coming… they are coming… They are coming!"
Panick erupted among the guests, many of them pushing passed Astrid to run out of the tent, some of them apparating away. Gasps, screams and shouts filled the air… and then they came.
Death Eaters in clouds of black smoke flew through the tent, landing on tables, tackling guests, spells were shot in every direction as the Aurors and Order members present battled the Dark Lords followers. The tent was soon engulfed with flames and chaos ensued. Astrid, wandless due to her pocketless dress that she didn't even want to wear, made a break for the house to fetch her wand, she'd be no good just standing around getting in the way. She kicked off her heels and ran to the Burrow, but her route was blocked when Corban Yaxley appeared in a poof of black smoke in front of her.
"Hell0 my pretty, don't you just look ravishing in red," His rough gravelly voice purred. He didn't have his wand aimed at her, just yet anyway, so Astrid decided to run back to the safety of Lupin and Arthur, turning she made a break for it, but Yaxley took aim as quick as he could.
"Incarcerous!" He spat, laughing as he watched thick ropes shoot from his wand and hit Astrid in the back, the impact knocked her to her knees. He walked over slowly, with a menacing look in his eyes as the ropes wrapped their way around Astrid, binding and gagging her. Astrid tried to wriggle, but they only got tighter and more painful the more she struggled.
"Come along, princess," Yaxley laughed, heaving Astrid over his shoulder he shot off in a cloud of smoke with the girl in tow.
Yaxley arrived at the gates of Malfoy Manor and carried the girl over his shoulder down the path whistling ominously. He had a skip in his step, and that scared Astrid all that more.
"Oi, twins, where's the Dark Lord?" Yaxley asked as he entered the manor. Amycus and Alecto were sat lazily upon the stone stairs, meant to be keeping guard over the Manor whilst so many of their numbers were out raiding the wedding.
"Dining Hall I imagine," Amycus spat as he took a bite of a green shiny apple. "Why? What you got there?" He asked with his mouthful.
"A present," Yaxley licked his lips and heaved Astrid off his shoulder to the floor, she bowed her head down, hiding her face from the deplorable man.
"Aren't you supposed to be leading the raid on the Weasley wedding?" Alecto asked, her voice laced with attitude.
"I was…" Yaxley smiled as he tapped his wand against the ropes, they pulled away from her body and vanished into thin air. Astrid coughed, finally able to properly breathe, she laid a hand on her chest as her heart beat rapidly. "But then I spotted this one at the party, so I grabbed her." He laughed, grasping Astrid by her hair he lifted her to face the twins.
Both of them jumped up dramatically, sick twisted smiles on their faces.
"F-off, I can't believe it," Alecto scoffed with a laugh. "As if you got her,"
"The Dark Lord will most be pleased," Amycus smirked, "Malfoy… probably not so much,"
"Malfoy can suck my dick, he shouldn't have got in bed with a blood traitor," Yaxley tutted as he yanked on Astrid's hair again, causing her to yelp and whimper.
"Wormtail!" Amycus called over the rat-like man. "Let the Dark Lord know Yaxley's got a present for him."
Severus and the Dark Lord were in a meeting when Wormtail interrupted them, the Dark Lord was most displeased by his servant's lack of manors that he cast a crucio spell on him, sending him screaming and shaking to the floor.
"I-It's th-th-the g-irl," Wormtail screeched between his cries. Voldemort stopped his torture immediately, and beckoned Wormtail to tell him more. "The girl, the child's mother, Yaxley has her," Wormtail whimpered from the floor. Voldemort let out a long laugh that sent shivers down Severus' spine. His heart filled with dread at Pettigrews words. She had been captured. Only days ago death eaters were laughing about the fall of her father, and now she too was going to be disposed of, leaving the infant the last in her line.
"Bring her to me, fetch Lucius as well,"
Severus thought hard as Pettigrew crawled from the dining hall, and he quickly conjured a plan in his head to save the girl from Lord Voldemort's wrath.
"Lucius, please… come join us." The Dark Lord smiled, his thin lips warping up at the sides made him look even more terrifying. He motioned for Lucius to stand at his left hand side, whilst Severus was seated to the Dark Lord's right.
"Yes, my Lord," Lucius said in his small voice, and obediently stood near his master with his hands clasped together, his eyes focussed on the wooden floor of his home.
"Yaxley has brought me a present Lucius," Voldemort wheezed wickedly, "Oh how I would love for you to help me open it."
The Dark Lord couldn't help but let out a low chuckled as he motioned with his hand for Wormtail to let Yaxley in. Yaxley appeared through the door, dragging a petite figure by their blonde hair. Lucius' blood froze in his veins, he knew it was her, without even having to look upon her downcast face he knew it, he could tell from the curve of her hips, the delicacy of her shoulders, and the aura she gave out. His clasped hands began to tremble as he watched Yaxley throw Astrid to the dark wood floor. She landed hard on her front, her arms outstretched in front of her, legs bent. Her red dress had reared up showing a slither of the crease where her rounded bottom ended. She looked up, her red lips trembling as she met eyes with the Dark Lord.
"Dear Astrid… welcome back." The Dark Lord purred as he motioned to the room. That room. The room where she had suffered the most pain and suffering. Astrid's gaze trailed over to Lucius who stood nearby, hands clasped together it was obvious he wasn't going to act, wasn't going to save her, despite the pleading look in her eyes. He looked more broken than she did. It made her wonder what hell the Dark Lord had put him through.
"Don't look to him my dear… he isn't going to save you," Voldemort tutted.
"W-where's Everly?" Astrid breathed as she looked about the room. "Where is my baby?"
"Safe… for now," Voldemort hissed.
"I want to see her," Astrid said with a bit too much confidence, she sounded demanding, and the Dark Lord loathed her tone. Quickly he moved forward, a movement not unlike a slither, but also like a glide… he brought himself to one knee before her and gripped a large pale hand around her throat, the suddenness of his actions caused her to squeak.
"You dare… demand… of me?" The Dark Lord whispered; he was so close Astrid could feel his rancid breath on her lips. She closed her eyes and whimpered as he squeezed her throat. "Look at me," He demanded. Astrid obeyed, opening her eyes. He regarded her a moment before forcefully throwing her away by the neck and returning to his seat.
"Pity… such a beautiful creature… but so stupidly stubborn." Voldemort sighed before forcefully addressing his servant: "Wormtail bring the child."
The room waited in silence as Wormtail fetched Everly from the nursery, to Draco's dismay he had to hand her over to the rat like creature. Astrid glanced to Severus as they waited, if looks could kill hers certainly would have as she narrowed her eyes on Dumbledores murderer. When Wormtail returned, Everly crying in his arms, Astrid covered her mouth with relief at seeing her precious baby, unhurt.
"Everly," Astrid breathed, tears fell down her cheeks as she reached out her arms, but Wormtail didn't bring the infant to her, he headed for the throne, and handed her over to the Dark Lord, who brought her to his chest. Astrid let out a sob at the sight, her daughter in the hands of a monster. "Please," Astrid choked, "please don't hurt her."
"Me? Hurt a defenceless pure-blood child? Why would I do that?" Voldemort tutted. "No, Everly is the first, in my new generation of death eaters, she's going to grow up serving her Lord."
Astrid sobbed harder, mascara stains running down her cheeks.
"Please… let me hold her, please." She begged. Lucius heart was breaking more and more by the second. He felt as if he might collapse any second as his knees grew weak below him.
"No," Voldemort smiled as he rubbed Everly's back, soothing her. "Now then Lucius, I almost forgot you were there for a moment… Wormtail give him your wand." The Dark Lord ordered. Wormtail obliged sheepishly, handing his wand over to the Senior Malfoy. His hand shook violently as he took it in his palm.
"Now Lucius… kill her," Voldemort ordered, his eyes flicking to the blonde man beside him. Voldemort's lip curled up at the sight of Lucius' horrified expression.
"What's wrong Lucius? You can't do it?" Voldemort mocked, as he reached into his robe. He pulled out his wand and pressed it to Everly's tummy. "Kill her, or I'll kill the child. You choose!" The Dark Lord had a pretty good idea who his disciple would choose, and it wouldn't be the woman.
"My Lord," choked Lucius, "Please… please don't"
"Please" the Dark Lord mimicked mockingly. "Do it!" The Dark Lord pressed his wand harder into Everly, causing her to struggle and cry.
"Kill me Lucius, please!" Astrid yelled out as she clutched at her chest. "Please just do it, kill me!" But a flash of green never came, Lucius was frozen still, tears slipping from his eyes.
"So weak! So pathetic!" The Dark Lord yelled, retracting his wand from Everly and pointing it at the girl. "I'll do it myself then!"
"Ahem… May I put forward, a thought my Lord… an idea?" Severus coughed up, picking the opportune moment to intervene. Voldemort relaxed his wand hand, resting it on his knee he motioned for Severus to continue.
"I can't help but think, what a waste it would be… to kill such an exquisite creature… and once she perishes, along with her beauty… the emotional torture on Lucius' heart will… cease." Severus trailed off. Astrid grit her teeth, her whole body tense, she glanced a disgusted look at the man as he spoke about her as if she was a piece of meat.
"You have a different… proposal, Severus?" Voldemort would have cocked an eyebrow had he any. He was intrigued by Severus, wondering just what he had in mind for the girl that was worse than death?
"Not a proposal… only a thought my Lord… My lust for the girl hasn't been secret… she is an object of desire. I believe that long term… placing her in my bed, as a… plaything… would be far more painful for both of them, than just killing her?"
Severus spoke as if he was talking about the weather, his voice devoid of all emotion, all feeling. Lucius closed his eyes tightly shut as he clenched his fists so tight his fingernails drew blood. With his jaw clenched he shook his head in disbelief, he was disgusted he once called Severus a friend.
Astrid gasped angrily at his words; she lowered her head shaking it with small sobs. Tears fell from her eyes, dripping like raindrops to the black wooden floor. She was sick to her stomach with what Severus had said. The room fell to silence as Voldemort pondered for a moment.
"Hmmm, I guess… you do deserve a reward Severus… you have been most valuable, most dedicated… shall we ask Astrid her thoughts?" Voldemort wheezed. "What say you, Astrid? Would you rather take Severus' offer of warming his bed, or would you prefer me to kill you?"
"Kill me, I want you to kill me," Astrid's answer had no hesitation, no faltering, not even a stammer. She was decided upon the fact she'd rather drop to the floor cold than serve Severus in such a sick way.
"I guess… that's decided then," Voldemort hissed, "Take her with you to Hogwarts, Severus… she's all yours."