Somewhere

Lost in the darkness, hoping for a sign

Instead there is only silence,

Can't you hear my screams?

Never stop hoping,

Need to know where you are

But one thing's for sure,

You're always in my heart

I'll find you somewhere

I'll keep on trying until my dying day

Jenny

3/20/11

1:24 a.m.

Everyday, Bellatrix beat me. It didn't matter the time, nor the day. Sometimes she would ask for information, somedays she would just beat me, curse me and scream at me when I didn't. My body slowly grew more and more emaciated, bony and battered. I was forced to shut down all my emotions and hope, and turn into a cold, uncaring shell. I didn't think of anyone who cared about me, who would be looking for me.

I became good friends with Luna and Ollivander. Their friendship and strength was what kept me going, especially when they took Hestia. It had been random. I thought they were there for me, but when they took her away, I never saw her again. I knew she was dead, we all did, but there was no time to mourn, no time to honor her memory. One night I had the strength to carve her initials into the wall and the date with the rusty nail, but that's all I could do for her.

One night, at random, at who knows what time, the door flew open, and Bellatrix came in, seized me, and walked out without a word. I dreaded her. I wouldn't submit to physical torture, so she always drugged me. My mind wasn't mine anymore, and it drove me crazy. I didn't know what I was telling them, and if I would someday be responsible for someone's death. I knew Hestia and Dedalus died for keeping me safe, and that made me hate myself more than I could say.

Bellatrix punched me hard in the face, sending me spinning onto the hearth from the force of it. I used to fight her back. The first few times, I would be winning until she Stunned me. Now I didn't try anymore. Especially when the Malfoy's came to watch. I don't know why they would. Sometimes they would come and watch, their faces and eyes full of sadness and anger, but they never did anything. Their faces had been terrible the day I nearly beat Bellatrix. Her hands tore me back into the center of the room, and shoved me down. Her feet kicked into my ribs with dull thuds that echoed through the house. She snatched a lamp and went to throw it down over my face when the door opened, and a Death Eater I didn't know ran over, looking horrified.

"Bellatrix, my love. Gringotts, Gringotts owled us." He panted, and Bellatrix dropped the lamp in shock, sending glass shards exploding everywhere, deep scratches embedding glass into my neck, face, and then hands as I picked them out silently as she turned her attention to the man.

"And? Is everything alright with the vault? Everything is secure?" She asked urgently, almost in a possessed fashion as her boy and her clasped hands.

"A problem, Bellatrix?" A high cold voice asked calmly enough, but anger bubbled just below the surface. I stood shakily, and saw Voldemort standing in the doorway, his snake wrapped around his shoulders. His face looked dangerously smooth. I assumed my normal position, staring at one wall stiffly, but listened for everything I was worth. I was still a spy at heart.

"No, never My Lord. Our vault is untouchable. Your possession is very well protected." The man said quickly, and Voldemort sighed, stepping into the room. Posession? Did that mean a Horcrux?

"You should hope that it is, Bellatrix, considering you have not completed what I asked of you." He said, and I felt his glittering eyes on me.

"M-My Lord? I don't understand. I gave you the memories of the questionings." Bellatrix sounded afraid now, as Voldemort stepped closer.

"I told you to see how much pain she could take before she broke. You only induced the pain until your patience wore out. I wanted to see how strong Muggles can really be. I am displeased."

"Many apologies, My Lord. I wanted you to receive the information you asked for as quickly as possible. If you want, I shall beat her longer." Bellatrix turned on the spot and slapped me across the face with her knuckles. Since I was turned sideways and looking ahead of me, I didn't see it until it was too late. A sharp crack followed her blow, and I felt something in my face break.

"Stop, Bellatrix." He said softly as I stayed where I had turned, holding onto my face, feeling the blood flow over my fingers and onto the floor. Suddenly cold and firm hands turned me, and they closed around my wrists, pulling my hands away from my bleeding face. I felt a finger tilt my chin, and when my eyes opened, Voldemort was looking down at me once more.

"I've thought about you since we last met, Miss Quinty. You are a Muggle, touching you should repulse me. But the qualities you possess, your mind set, your determination…It is all very fascinating to me. Your blood does not look any different than any other wizard's, yet what does it not possess that mine does?"

"Purity. Purity and Magic." Bellatrix said proudly beside her man, and Voldemort laughed softly.

"Allow me the pleasure," He said, and then his hands were on either side of my head, and he was gazing into my eyes intensely, their evil redness burning into my eyes. His pupils dilated slightly, then he quickly let go, but his hands hovered on either side of my head. "The Dark Magic," he said, "of a werewolf transformation is now within my understanding. But it vexes me as to why your mind and body had and has more power than mine." I said nothing, only stiffened and closed my eyes as he stroked my limp hair with his hands. He was reading my mind: What was he seeing? "Answer me this, Miss Quinty. Where does your strength come from?" His hands tightened on my head as I hesitated.

"It matters not, My Lord. You are stronger than she will ever be." The man said firmly, and Voldemort's hands tightened momentarily, then let go of me.

"I wonder if you are more willing to answer with a little dose of pain." I opened my eyes.

"P-pain is not my enemy, because I can not d-define it; therefore, it does not define me." I said firmly, speaking louder than I had in weeks, and stupidly speaking right to Voldemort's face. But I knew this would simply speed along what was already going to happen. He recoiled slightly in shock. I went back to staring at my spot on the wall, waiting for the curse to end it all.

Voldemort turned and paced quickly and furiously around the room, looking deep in thought. "Her strength comes from her wisdom. But Muggles do not have wisdom, they do not have what she has. Being a werewolf cannot possibly add that to a being, Greyback was an example enough of that." I flinched at the name before I could stop myself. I was physically drained; my mind was stretched to its limit. I was making Voldemort second-guess himself over a Muggle. It was dangerous territory, being the source of his fascination. I knew that fascination would die as his frustration grew, and I would be killed. I couldn't help but wonder why he was so fascinated about Muggles' anyway, he hated them. He could kill me in an instant. He should have killed me two weeks ago.

"Leave us." He said to the Lestranges, and they left without another word, leaving me alone with the Darkest Wizard of all time. He flicked his wand at the fireplace, and fire erupted in it, and as the warmth passed over me, I nearly ran over there to bask in its warmth. It felt like warm soup on a cold day, my cold and broken body crying out for heat. "Sit." He said, and slowly, I turned and sat stiffly on an armchair, staring at the floor, annoyance and hatred building inside me. He should have killed me awhile ago. Tiny rays of hope started to enter my mind before I squashed them violently. I will never see my friends and 'family' again. Lupin and Tonks and the Order and the Weasley's and the trio will move on. Draco will be alright without me.

"You display strength without your realization. You are right to prepare yourself for death, but I cannot understand why a Muggle can do such a…heinous task. I want to ask you questions, yet I know not what to ask. You have me feeling like a schoolboy. I do not like to feel this way, and I haven't for 54 years. I wish to rid myself of you, but I can't bring myself to do it, nor let one of my own do it for me…have you nothing to say?" I looked up to see him looking impatient.

"I have nothing to say that will change what you decide. I cannot tell you what you want to hear." I murmured, looking back at the floor.

"Hmmm…truthful, yet so dissatisfying. How maddening." His soft voice grated my nerves sharply as we lapsed into silence. "Disappointing. Go back down to the cellar knowing that you will be killed within the next two weeks. Know that I am giving you time in case I think of a way to express this need for knowledge." I stood and walked to the door, and I heard him follow me, even down the steps to unlock the door, then lock it again as I walked back inside my prison, mind blown.

…

Harry

3/20/10

2:54 a.m.

"Harry!" someone shouted roughly, and I shot straight up, heart hammering. In my dreams, I had connected to Voldemort's mind, and from there, to Jenny's. I couldn't understand why Voldemort still cared about Muggles. His past had helped throughout their exchange, but it disturbed me, his thoughts.

And Jenny, Jenny, looking so hopeless and cold, looking so battered and dead. Through Voldemort, I had been in her mind, knew that she was so willingly able to steel herself into not showing signs of pain during interrogations, not showing pain or grief for her own fate. It sent shivers up my spine and tears down my face.

And then, in the beginning, Bellatrix had been panicking over her vault, and her husband had told Voldemort that his possession was safe. Could that possibly be a Horcrux, the Cup from Hufflepuff we were searching for? My vision focused to see Lupin standing over me, wand drawn, while everyone was sitting up in their beds, looking at me in worry and shock. Hermione, Ron and I had stayed with Tonks, Lupin and Draco, even though we had the Horcruxes to hunt down. Everyone had been silently counting down the days until the full moon, when we would give up hope for good.

"I was in his head, and Jenny was there, he went into her head and I felt it, I saw it-" Draco leapt out of bed at her name, and Hermione shrieked, Ron paled, Tonks gasped and Lupin stiffened.

"You saw her? What did she look like, is she alright?" Draco demanded, coming over and helping me up.

"I-no-well, no, she's been," I swallowed, feeling sick, "tortured. A lot." I looked around and seized a bowl off the table and my wand, then retrieved the memory. I had to get it out of my mind. "I can't h-have it in my head anymore. You can look if you want." I turned away from the bowl and grabbed my hair, thankful that the memory was gone, but unable to squash the horror and grief surging through me.

Draco viewed the memory, and when he came back out, even he had tears brimming over his eyes as he went back to his bunk and got in it without another word.