Maggie had watched her father leave the kitchen for the shower. His mention of the fifth year Gryffindor class reminded her of Harry. She knew that owls sent wizarding post, but she didn't know how to get her hands on an owl. Then she remembered the house-elf and she wondered if he could deliver a message to Harry for her. She poked her head out of the kitchen, and strained, listening for the sound of running water. Satisfied that she had at least a couple more minutes before her father emerged, she took a deep breath and called softly, "Dobby!"
With a soft pop, the strange creature appeared, "Yes, Mistress Maggie?"
"Dobby, if I gave you a letter for someone in the castle, could you deliver it for me?"
The house-elf began twisting his hands in front of him. "Master Snape said no one was to know where Mistress Maggie was…"
"But if you were just to give a letter to Harry, you wouldn't be telling anyone that I was here," she insisted.
"Are you meaning Harry Potter?" Dobby asked, his voice becoming even squeakier and his huge eyes becoming even bigger.
"Yes! Do you know him, Dobby?"
"Harry Potter is a great wizard," Dobby said reverently.
"Will you take him a letter from me?" she asked again, hurriedly.
Dobby nodded his large head, the hats perched atop it swinging precariously.
"Ok. I will give it to you when you bring us lunch."
Dobby nodded again and left the room with a pop.
Not a second too soon, she thought, as her father walked back into the kitchen for another cup of tea.
-- --
Katrina was sitting, looking out the window when Wormtail had brought her breakfast. Her eyes had met his for the first time and they widened in recognition. "Peter Pettigrew? I thought you were dead!" Then she remembered, Severus had told her Peter was still alive.
The man had silently nodded, his face confused and frightened. He had deposited her tray and scampered from the room quickly after that.
Voldemort himself brought her lunch, along with a clear flask filled with a shimmering liquid. She warily eyed the flask as he placed the tray onto the table. There was no way she would willingly drink anything that was so obviously a potion. She edged away from the table and the malevolent individual standing by it.
He was obviously angered by her defiance as his wand rose in her direction. "You will be drinking thisss," he said, the flask raised slightly in her direction. "Willingly or not, you will drink it."
"I will not," she replied, suddenly fearful. What was in that flask? Would he truly force it upon her?
"I think you have forgotten who isss in charge here," he said softly, frighteningly. "Perhapsss that isss my own fault. I have been too soft on you thusss far. That will have to change. Crucio."
Pain drove her crashing to her knees, stars flashed before her eyes, the air in her lungs was released in a scream, and then it was over. Every muscle was twitching and every nerve felt like it had been on fire. She breathed heavily for a moment before risking a glance up at him. She didn't bother trying to rise from where she knelt.
"Now," he said calmly, "Get up and drink thisss."
She steeled herself before responding, "What is it? I won't drink it without knowing what it is."
"You will drink it becaussse I have told you to drink it," he said, his eyes narrowing and his wand again rising to point at her, "Crucio."
The spell slammed her to the ground as she screamed and thrashed in pain. Blackness began to edge into her vision as she writhed. The spell lifted and she panted in agony. He had obviously held the spell on her longer this time, she thought as she lay with her cheek to the floor. She had now experienced two of the three Unforgivable curses and, as she still valued her life, had no desire to experience the final one – the Avada Kedavra, the killing curse.
"O… Ok," she said softly, her voice sounding hoarse and weak to her own ears. "I'll… I'll drink it."
She slowly sat up, the pain was still excruciating and her muscles still gave periodic twitches. Once she was sitting and as steady as she could get, she extended a hand for the flask. Her hand shook and it was obvious that he noted that as he approached her and used his hand to steady hers once she had grabbed the flask. She downed it quickly, surprised that it didn't taste completely vile.
Voldemort took the flask from her unresisting fingers once she had downed the entire potion. He took a couple steps back from her, raised his wand at her again, and began chanting.
Katrina had flinched when he raised his wand, but then she relaxed slightly as she realized he hadn't cast the cruciatus curse upon her. As for what he was casting, she was at a complete loss. That was, until he finished and she was struck with a sensation so painful that she immediately passed out.