I finally finished! I haven't had much time to sit down and write because of I've been really busy with school and other crap. Besides all that, I just haven't been feeling very inspired as of late, rather down actually...But, with the help of music (Evanescence, Linkin Park, even some classical) and a little piece of mind, I have managed to conjure up this next chapter. Hope you like it! Comment and let me know what you think!
Chapter Three
Everything was now a haze. Her world was crashing down before her eyes. Nothing mattered anymore. All she could think of, all she could feel, was the pain. It came over her like waves, crashing waves. Just when she thought it was over, more came, more unbearable then the time before. It consumed her body to the point of no return.
Time seemed meaningless as he tortured her and she was dangerously close to her breaking point.
"I will only ask once more…Where is the Order's headquarters?!"
Lucius watched her as she crawled on the ground. She was a filthy halfblood and meant nothing to him. Disgusting, impure, and an abomination to the wizarding world…And besides all that, she was a member of the Order of the Phoenix. He felt no sympathy for her. In his mind, she deserved this. Every bit of pain she felt, was another blow to filthy blood traitors, halfbloods, and mudbloods who stood in the way of his cause.
He was in control and could do anything he wanted with her. She was a prisoner now and she belonged to him. He could torture her and make her pay for what she had done, make her crawl and beg for mercy.
He could see it clearly. She had stood up; eyes filled with fire and hate and had asked for this…
"DO IT!!" she had said.
The words remained in his mind, daring him to do this.
"Have you had enough halfblood?! Have you had enough?!"
Aurelia wailed in agony.
"YES!! STOP!! PLEASE!!..."
Lucius lowered his wand, ending the torturing curse. Aurelia couldn't help the tears that fell from her eyes. Trying desperately to hide them, she moved her body to the corner of the room, in the shadows.
Slicking his silvery blond hair back, Lucius began to pace again. Despite Aurelia's efforts to try and conceal her tears, there was no doubt that he had seen them as they fell from her dark eyes and down her flushed cheeks.
"You still don't cease to surprise me. Do tell me Halfblood do you get some kind of sick satisfaction from your own torture?"
His tone was sarcastic and cold, each word a jab at her self esteem.
"Of course I don't you cold hearted bastard!!" Shouted Aurelia.
"Then why don't you just answer my simple question?"
Aurelia struggled to hold back her tears.
"I…I can't…"
Lucius took out his wand and said a silent spell. A tip of light came from the end of his wand and illuminated the dark room. He walked over slowly and bent down to her level. Holding the light up to her face, he examined her features closely and began stroking her hair softly. She shivered and tried to move away from him.
"Does it make you feel brave?" he asked, his voice no longer cold and cruel but more a soft whisper.
He now held her chin with his hand. Aurelia would not look at him. Couldn't look at him… She refused. Instead she looked away.
After a moment or so, he let go of her and stood up.
"What a shame…" he whispered.
Suddenly a gasp escaped Lucius' mouth. He pulled up the sleeve of his right arm to reveal the hideous dark mark, the mark of Voldemort. His arm throbbed, just like Bellatrix's had done, but his moved maddeningly as if there were some type of little animal crawling down his arm.
Aurelia stared, almost frightened, but more sickened by it. Lucius watched her reaction and quickly pulled down his sleeve, his face returning to its frozen composure. No more emotion.
"It seems like our charming little get together will have to be cut short, Halfblood…"
He straightened his elegant, dark navy robes and headed for the door but stopped just before closing it behind him.
"I look forward to seeing you this evening. I do sincerely hope that you will be more… cooperative."
She watched as the languid face, illuminated by the tip of his wand, slowly disappeared, leaving her in the darkness. All alone in complete darkness…
Aurelia sat in the dark corner of her room, her prison. She thought of her life. How had all her hard work gotten her here, a captive of the Death Eaters?
Sirius…Where is Sirius?
Time was meaningless. Had minutes passed, hours, days? Everything was all the same. The longer she sat, the more her thoughts wandered to him…She could see his long scraggly hair, his aging but still handsome face, and his dark, almost black colored eyes…how they used to light up when he laughed. He could always make her laugh, always cheer her up; he was always there when she needed him. But not anymore.
Soft whispers, a soft touch, grey eyes, icy grey eyes……..No! Not him…
She wondered if he felt the same way about her. He must have felt the same. The way he would look at her and smile…
The way he stroked your hair…Wait?!
The darkness of the room slowly became lighter as the door of the room creaked open.
Him.
Just tell him everything. Anything just to end this torture...No! No! No! Just hold on a little longer! Don't let them win. Don't let him win.
He strutted inside the room, the heels of his black boots clicking smartly on the stone floor.
"Good evening. I trust you managed to get some sleep?"
Cordially sarcastic as usual…
Aurelia managed a joyless laugh and looked at him disgusted.
"Not in much of a talking mood I presume?" Lucius drawled
"Oh so you finally noticed?!"
He smirked before replying.
"Well no matter. It seems you've run across a stream of luck, Halfblood…"
Aurelia looked up suddenly and watched him confused.
"You see my wife's estranged niece managed to disclose the location of the Order's headquarters." He continued.
The words rolled off his tongue as he cracked a smile of utter satisfaction.
Tonks? There was no way that she had broken! She was so strong. Stronger than I could ever be…
Aurelia lowered her head feeling defeated and hopeless. Lucius now stood over her, looking down disdainfully.
"Don't take it to heart Halfblood. You should be proud that you lasted this long. I must say I expected you to break long before her. You really have surprised me…"
Hate welled up within her. She wanted to hit him, hurt him, and make him pay for what he done to Tonks. It must have been something awful for her to break like that.
She stood up and lunged at him.
"YOU BASTARD!! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HER?!"
Hysterical tears rushed down as she clawed at his face. Despite her efforts, he grabbed her by the wrists and pushed her to the floor.
"Stop acting like such a child. It may interest you to know that I had nothing to do with her interrogation."
He lifted her up by the arms and pulled her towards the open door.
"Where…Where are you taking me?"
"You'll see soon enough…." He replied.
Holding her arm in his iron grip, he pulled her down the corridor. It was dark all accept for candles that magically levitated along the stone walls, but they were few and far between.
Finally he came to a stop in front of a one of the various doors along the corridor. He took out his wand and muttered a spell. Aurelia heard the lock click as he opened the door.
It was a bedroom.
Oh God! Not this! He wouldn't! He couldn't!
"Aurelia!"
The voice was sweet and familiar. It was Tonks.
Tonk's normally bubblegum colored pink hair was now a dark maroon, a sheer sign she wasn't at all happy. How could she be? She was paler then usual and looked as if she were wasting away.
They embraced, as tears streamed down both their faces. Aurelia was so glad to finally see someone she knew and loved, someone who reminded her of better days. Lucius watched disdainfully with a smug look on his face.
"I suggest you hurry up your little catching up and do as you were instructed Nymphadora. I'll return in an hour and I expect everything in order."
The door slammed behind him.
"Thank God! I was worried sick about you!" said Tonks as she hugged Aurelia.
"Where are we? What is this place?" asked Aurelia.
"No idea. I haven't been outside this room since they brought me here."
Aurelia had first met Nymphadora Tonks at the Auror Academy. Tonks was a year older and she had, in a sense shown her the ropes. They became very close friends during their time at the Academy. After graduation they had joined the Order together. They were like family. They were sisters.
"Have they kept you here all this time?" asked Aurelia.
She looked around the room, marveling at its grandeur, not being able to stop herself from comparing it to where she had been kept all this time. There were fine carpets and dark, elegant furniture. In the center of the far wall was a large bed with a mound of pillows and emerald green sheets.
"Yes I really can't understand why they keep me here." said Tonks.
Aurelia could tell Tonks felt guilty. She knew that Aurelia had not been kept in a place like this.
"…I mean I know that my mother was a Black but even so. They disowned her. I just don't get it."
"Well it could be worse…" said Aurelia, not being able to keep the scorn out of her voice.
Tonks looked at her with such remorse and pain in her eyes. Then she broke down in tears.
"Oh Tonks I'm so sorry I didn't mean it like that! I'm sorry!"
Aurelia had never seen her like this before. Tonks was always smiling and always so strong. She just wasn't herself anymore.
"Aurelia I'm so sorry! I've been so weak! I told them everything! I really tried but I…But I…I just couldn't…"
"Shh…It's ok."
Aurelia held Tonks, trying her best to comfort her.
"They…they…I just couldn't take it Aurelia…I just couldn't! I'm sorry…I'm so sorry!"
"Shh…You have nothing to be sorry about after what they did. Look at me Tonks. You have nothing to be sorry about it."
"Yes but I could've lasted longer. At least till the Order finds us."
Aurelia didn't reply. As much as she desperately hoped to be rescued, she knew in her heart that they wouldn't come, that they would never be found in this place.
"Tonks listen to me, we just have to keep our heads about us. Alright? We just need to take it a little at a time."
Tonks nodded her head and tried to dry her tears.
"I've just never felt so weak before…" said Tonks.
Aurelia's thoughts wandered to what Lucius had once said to her…
Now you see Aurelia, there is no point in fighting anymore. I'm too strong for you. Why don't you spare yourself the exasperation?
That was when he had called you by your name…
Aurelia took in a deep breath, letting the air fill up her longs. Then she breathed out again.
"Yeah I know what you mean."
More than you'd ever know…
"You mean he didn't say anything about what they're for?" Asked Aurelia.
"No he just said for us to put them on and be ready by the time he gets back."
Aurelia lifted one of the two dresses that lay on the bed. The material was pure white and soft to the touch.
"I think it's silk." Said Tonks.
"Well I don't care what it is. I'm not putting it on."
"But we have to…"
"I don't have to do anything! All of this is some kind of sick joke!"
Tonks was now putting on her dress.
"Aurelia please. What else can we do?"
"I don't know! It's just…just…I have a bad feeling about this."
Tonks' face dropped and pain entered her eyes once again.
"I do too…"
Something was different about Tonks, but Aurelia couldn't quite put her finger on it. Something very different…
Tonks was now facing the mirror on the dressing table. Her reflection showed that her hair had grown to a dark purple. Nowadays it was nearly as black as Aurelia's raven hair.
Aurelia walked over to Tonks and sat down next to her.
"Tonks, we're best friends and we have been for a long time now. You know that you can tell me anything."
A sad smile came over Tonk's pale heart shaped face.
"I know."
The two sat for a while without talking, not really knowing what to say.
Finally Tonks spoke up.
"Well you best get dressed before he comes back. God knows it might be the last time we ever wear something this nice."
The words stuck in Aurelia's mind…last time.
She forced a laugh.
"Yeah I guess…"
Without another word, Aurelia put on the white silken dress. It felt soft on her skin and it caressed every curve of her frame. She had never worn something this beautiful before. Just then she thought of the irony of her situation. This might be the last time she ever wore a white dress again.
Sirius won't ever get to see me in white after all….
But what about Him? He will…
The door banged open suddenly and Lucius walked in followed by Rookwood, whose face was in its usual cruel sneer. Aurelia and Tonks shot up startled, clinging to each other.
"Well they certainly do clean up nicely…" said Rookwood to Lucius.
Lucius didn't reply but stood, arms crossed looking at the prisoners as if he were bored.
"Wouldn't you say, Lucius?"
"Augustus, you waste your flattery. Besides they're both halfbloods and neither worth the time nor the effort. Let's just get this over with." drawled Lucius.
Rookwood nodded a reply.
The two Death Eaters' wands were raised pointed directly at Aurelia and Tonks.
"Now listen closely, this can be done the easy way or the hard way…I want you both to walk out into the hall and we will follow close behind."
"Where are we going?" demanded Aurelia.
"Turn around you stupid halfblood!" said Rookwood as he pointed his wand directly in her face.
The corridor seemed darker than usual. The floating candles that had once levitated near the walls, illuminating the bits of peeling wallpaper, were gone. If it weren't for the light given off by the two wands, seeing through the darkness would be impossible.
Aurelia and Tonks held hands tightly, afraid to ever let go.
"Walk faster!"
It was Rookwood. His voice was loud and cruel.
But not as cold and cruel as Lucius…
The two prisoners quickened pace. Then Aurelia felt Tonks' grip loosen. She was now breathing remarkably heavy.
"Aurelia…" she whispered.
"Keep walking!" shouted Rookwood.
Tonks' feet gave way and her body fell to the floor.
"Oh my God! Tonks! Tonks!"
Aurelia shook her but she didn't move.
"What's wrong with her?! What did you do to her, you bastards?!"
Lucius was now bending down holding his wand down to Tonks face. She was unconscious. Her face looked paler than before.
"She is ill. Rookwood, you were given charge of her yet you let this happen!"
"I didn't know…" said Rookwood defensively.
"How could you not?! Are you a fucking idiot?!" Lucius voice was demeaning and angry as he spoke.
"Well I…"
"Oh shut up! Here, take her. She cannot be seen like this."
Rookwood waved his wand and Tonks' unconscious body lifted from the floor. It now levitated just over their heads.
"I trust you don't need instruction on how to clean up your mess!"
Rookwood shook his head shamefully. Lucius had such an effect over his underlings. They truly feared him.
Who didn't?
"You can be sure the Dark Lord will hear of this!" said Lucius
Aurelia stood up to follow Rookwood and Tonks' body, but was pulled back by a strong pair of arms.
So strong…
"Not so fast Halfblood."
He pulled her along with him further down the dark corridor.
"Where are you taking me?!" she demanded.
"To him…" answered Lucius sounding almost amused.
"Who?"
Fear crept into Aurelia's voice, for she already knew the answer.
"The Dark Lord of course…"
She heard a small mocking laugh in his drawling voice as he whispered what she had always feared.