Unintended Consequences:
Doe was finally tailing Alecto. It felt like she had been waiting months for this moment. No doubt it was her capture of Rosier that had finally convinced Moody she was capable of doing this. For this morning he had given her the okay. She stood behind the wall of Diagon Alley, watching Alecto Carrow take a turn down knockturn alley. She clutched Moody's invisibility cloak in her hand, ready to use it at any moment. Her wand was clasped in her other hand.
She walked quietly into Knockturn alley, keeping a good distance between Alecto and herself. She didn't want her to know she was there.
Doe followed her deeper into the alley.
She looked like she was about to enter Borgin & Burkes. She was so absorbed in watching her, that Doe hadn't noticed someone watching her.
" Meadowes, you really shouldn't be in such a dodgy place alone" a voice behind her said. She spun around quickly.
Behind her was Rabastan Lestrange. She reacted quickly shuddering. She felt someone else behind her grab her wand out of her hand. Mulciber had snatched it from her hand.
Mulciber gripped her arms behind her. She panicked, trying to kick him.
" Such a pretty face" Rabastan said stroking her cheek with his hand. She pulled away from him quickly. Her eyes full of pure loathing.
" Meven!" Rabastan said uttering the anti-apparition spell.
" Bring her over here" Rabastan order Mulciber. Mulciber followed Rabastan, dragging her into an abandoned store, while she thrashed and kicked furiously.
Mulciber dropped her on the floor and locked the door with magic. She got to her feet instantly. She was wandless and couldn't apparate, so there wasn't much she could do
Rabastan shook his head coming towards her, " Now, now Doe. Why so angry?" he said, one of his hands lacing the back of her neck. His wand was clasped firmly in his other hand.
Doe wanted to pull away, but his wand was deterring her. She noticed his left sleeve was rolled up, revealing the Dark Mark.
" Yes, impressive isn't it?" Rabastan said soothingly, taking her hand and placing it on the tattoo, " you can almost feel the power"
Doe stiffened as he moved closer to her. His hand still on her neck.
He pushed his left arm onto her mouth, pressing it against her lips. She shivered violently.
" You know, Doe. I've always found you so endearing, despite the little matter of your filthy blood" he whispered in her ear, " maybe you and I can forget about the blood status for a little while"
Doe didn't move. She was paralyzed with fear. She had always known Rabastan was foul, but this wasn't something she thought he was capable of.
Rabastan grinned, her discomfort making him even more pleased " Yes it's something about this little brave Gryffindor thing you've got that just fascinates me" he said pressing himself against her.
Her chest began to rise and fall as he pushed his wand closer to her throat. He could kill her easily, and it made her furious. Of all the people she could die at the hands of, Rabastan Lestrange would be the last one she picked.
Rabastan smiled and pulled her face towards his, kissing her roughly.
He pushed her against the wall still kissing her. His wand was practically stabbing her in the throat and the other hand kept her firmly pushed against the wall.
Doe was disgusted. He opened her mouth trying to grant himself greater access. She shoved him off of her. She couldn't take it.
Rabastan's face flickered with anger and he pulled her against him again, kissing her harder this time. His hand was squeezing her wrist so hard it felt like he was going to break it.
She brought her knee up between his legs.
Furious, he snapped her wrist.
She screamed and clutched at it. Intense hot pain rippled through her left wrist. It had to be broken.
Rabastan snarled, " You are so such a stupid girl" he said, " you always make the wrong enemies" he said, his hand collided with her cheek.
She recoiled back from him.
Rabastan's lip quivered with anger and he moved on her, knocking her to the ground. This time he held her down with his knees, his wand pressed so hard into her throat she could barely breathe.
He moved back to her mouth kissing her hard. Doe turned her head pointedly away from him, her entire body shaking in fear and disgust as she felt his free hand reach under her shirt. She closed her eyes as she felt him tear it off her. She couldn't believe what was happening, and she couldn't stop herself from violently shaking.
As Rabastan moved his mouth to her chest she felt his free hand reaching for the waistband of her jeans. That was all it took, she acted without thinking, taking her free hand and grabbing him by face and shoved him off of her.
As she did, she felt his wand push into her throat so hard, she had to grasp to breathe.
Rabastan got up from the floor, enraged.
" You should be thrilled that someone like I would even look at you" he snapped at her, practically drooling with anger.
" I would never let you anywhere near me" Doe snapped breathily, clutching her wrist tightly and rubbing her throat, " let alone touch me"
Rabastan's face contorted with rage, " You insolent little bitch" he snapped.
He raised his wand and pointed it at her, " Crucio!"
Doe had never before felt the effects of the cruciatus curse. It was the first time she had ever felt the effect it could have. Pain rippled through every part of her body. She fell to the floor.
It was like being stabbed on every part of your body while being set on fire. Her screams echoed through the shop.
A small smile came to Rabastan's face, " Good, you deserve a little pain. You didn't honestly think you would be able to imprison one of the Dark Lord's followers and get away with it did you?"
" He deserves to rot there" she snapped at Rabastan, still doubled over on the floor in pain.
" Crucio!" he shouted again.
Once again the pain filled her again. It felt like it was getting worse. She couldn't contain the screams.
Rabastan smiled again, " I have to admit, it gives me great satisfaction watching you suffer like this"
" You're vile" she managed to get out between screams. Her teeth clenched together tightly.
Rabastan scowled and raised his wand again.
"Crucio! Crucio! Crucio!"
She screamed again as she felt the pain plague her body again. It was the most unimaginable torture she had ever endured. She would have given anything for it to end. Even death, had to be preferable to this.
She didn't know how long she was there, every time the effects of one torture curse ended, Rabastan cast another one. It had to have been twenty times. She couldn't feel her body anymore. She was crumpled on the floor. Her face lying against the cold stone. She felt like she was dying. She couldn't move.
" I think I've had enough" Rabastan said angrily, " Let's go Mulciber. The Dark Lord is waiting"
Rabastan leaned over Doe and kissed her, " See you, Dollface" he said and headed to leave.
Mulciber made a face, "Wait".
He raised his wand at her body on the floor, " Crucio!" He said casting his own torture curse at her.
The pain filled her body again, and she screamed loudly as her body thrashed at the intense pain that filled every part of her.
Mulciber approached her and kicked her full force in the ribs, " That was for Evan" he snapped.
He dropped her wand on the floor several feet away from her. Both he and Rabastan left without casting another look at her.
Doe couldn't move. Even the lightest movements filled her body with pain. She could see her wand discarded in front of her. She reached for it. The movement caused an intense pain to rip through her. She pushed further, trying to ignore it and get to her wand. Tears filled her eyes and she clasped the wooden handle of her wand.
She could barely lift it. She silently cast a spell and her patronus appeared.
" Get Sirius" she managed to whisper. The silvery gazelle disappeared and her arm fell back to the floor. She felt like she was going to die. The pain was filling every part of her and as she looked at the floor, she thought about how she had managed to get herself in this situation. She was so foolish.
She was so lost in the pain that she didn't notice the door open and see Sirius dart inside.
She didn't see him until he was on his knees next to her.
"Doe" he said horrified, looking at her crumpled on the floor, her shirt missing and her throat black and blue.
She couldn't move and she couldn't speak. Her eyes were barely open. Her lips were trembling, as her eyes filled with tears.
Sirius looked horrified as he picked her in his arms.
He apparated quickly and she recognized the white walls of St. Mungos. People were talking around her. She didn't hear any of it. She was too consumed by the pain. Her eyes slipped closed and everything disappeared.
When her eyes finally opened, they felt very heavy. But they weren't the first thing she felt. The first thing she felt was the pain. It still hurt so much. It was like the pain was still radiating in her bones. She wanted to scream, but she didn't think she could muster the energy.
" Sirius" a frantic female voice cried, " Sirius, she's opening her eyes"
She looked up and saw the faces of Lily and Sirius peering over her bed.
" Oh, Doe are you okay?" Lily asked quickly.
Doe tried to speak, her throat was still very swollen so it took her a moment before she was able to form the words.
" I'm in pain" She managed to say blinking quickly. Her voice sounded wrong, muffled by how swollen her throat was.
Sirius stood next to her, holding her hand and looking relieved.
" You're alive" Sirius said desperately, " You scared the hell out of all of us"
" Sorry" Doe croaked quietly.
" Don't apologize" Lily said quickly, " we were so worried"
Doe tried to sit up and lean against her pillows and instantly regretted it. Pain coursed through her whole body. She bit her lip to stop from crying out.
" Do you remember what happened?" Sirius asked.
Doe nodded, " I was attacked by Rabastan"
" Lestrange?" Lily asked in shock.
She nodded, " And Mulciber"
Sirius' mouth pulled into a tight line. He was white with anger, "We figured, when we saw what happened"
" Sirius" Lily said quickly, " I should probably go tell him that she's okay and she's awake".
Sirius nodded, " You go, I'll stay"
Lily looked at her with a small smile and disappeared from from the room.
" Tell who I'm okay?" Doe asked.
Sirius looked to the door, " You'll see"
Doe was confused but Sirius didn't look like he was in the mood to elaborate.
" How long was I out?" she asked Sirius.
" Four days" Sirius told her. He looked very tense.
His eyes filled with the most intense anger she had ever seen and he looked at her with a pathetic gaze, " Doe. Rabastan, did he…" Sirius trailed off clearly unable to finish his sentence.
Doe bit her lip as her eyes filled slightly with tears, " No. He tried but.." she stopped herself.
Sirius let out the breath he had been holding and kissed the top of her head.
A moment later, the door opened and Lily walked in, behind her was a man.
It took Doe a second to recognize who it was.
Remus stood in the doorway of the St. Mungos room. His hair was a mess and his eyes were red and puffy. Tears were sliding down his cheeks. He looked like hell. And he was staring at her, crying. She didn't know what to say.
" You're okay" he said and smiled. He ran his hands through his hair and let another tear fall from his eyes before wiped them, " they didn't know if you were going to wake up"
She stared at him wide eyed.
" What are you doing here?" she asked him. She wanted to scream it, but her throat made it sound soft and croaky.
Lily grabbed Sirius' arm and led him out of the room, giving Remus and Doe privacy.
He stared at her as if she had three heads, " You were attacked, they thought you were going to die, why wouldn't I be here?"
" Well I'm not dead, so you don't have to feel obligated to stay" She managed to say, biting her lower lip to keep from crying.
Remus looked like she had slapped him, " I'm not here out of obligation" he said quietly.
" Then why are you here?" she asked. Her throat was dry and she didn't want to start crying.
" Because I love you, Doe" Remus said firmly, " I love you, and there isn't anywhere I needed to be more than right here"
Remus moved towards her bed and stood next to her, taking her hand. Tears were starting to roll down his face again.
" I should have never left" he said quickly, " I thought I was protecting you"
Doe started to cry. She couldn't help it.
Remus took his other hand and wiped the tears from her face.
" Doe, I am so sorry. I swear to you, I will never leave you again. If you take me back, I promise I won't let anyone hurt you ever again"
Doe began to cry, she had been bottling everything in for so long, it all came out at once.
" Doe" Remus said softly, bringing her head to his chest.
"I'm sorry" Doe bawled, " I just...this has been so hard and I missed you so much…and I just want you to come home"
"Of course" he whispered to her, "whatever you want"
Remus sighed and brought his lips to her forehead kissing her.
" I love you so much, you had no idea how scared I was" he said squeezing her hand.
" I love you too" she told him.
Remus's expression softened and he pulled a chair next to her bed, still holding her hand tightly.
She looked to her other hand, where her wrist was wrapped up.
" They told me that you endured so many torture curses, that it was unlikely you would recover" Remus said quietly, " they said that that much amount of torture results in either Death or insanity"
His lip quivered.
" Well neither happened" she said quietly a small smile on her lips.
" I couldn't lose you, I would never have forgiven myself" Remus said.
The door opened and Sirius strode in, followed by James and Moody.
" You alright?" Moody asked, sitting in the other seat.
Doe nodded, " Just a little uncomfortable"
" Fifteen torture curses in an hour, I'd say that would make you a little uncomfortable" he agreed.
He told her everything she had missed at work and in the Order, telling her that there was a warrant out for the arrest of both Mulciber and Rabastan for attack on an auror.
He was interrupted by Healer Bones who had come in to tell her 'how lucky she was to be alive'.
He told her that the pain wouldn't last too much longer, but they kept her in there for another week anyway. Sirius, Lily, and Remus never left her bedside, besides work. It turned out in her absence Remus had procured a job in the Magical recordkeeping office.
He only left when he had to work. Besides that, he was with her every minute.
It was a Saturday afternoon when Healer Bones finally decided she was strong enough to go home.
Remus had helped her home, where she was pleased to see, his things had returned too.
" It's good to be back" Remus said smiling at her.
She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him towards her, kissing him with several months worth of missing him. His hands found their way to her hips and he kept her pulled close to him.
She pushed him towards the bedroom, but he stopped her.
" Healer Bones told you not to overexert yourself"' he reminded her.
Doe frowned, " So we'll be very gentle" she suggested with a tiny smile.
Doe pulled Remus back towards her and this time he didn't fight it. They fumbled around until they made their way to the bed. She grabbed at Remus' shirt pulling it off effortlessly. She reached up and kissed one of the scars that was closest to her on his chest. Remus closed his eyes and then pulled her face back up to his and kissed her intently.
" I love you" Remus said quickly.
" Remus, I love you too" Doe told him.
He stroked her face, " I am so sorry if I hurt you being gone"
" That's over, don't worry about it" Doe told him.
Remus smiled softly and pulled her back towards him.