I just want to let everybody know that I was very very conflicted about this chapter. I wrote it then rewrote it and then rewrote it again and I just couldn't feel 100 sure about it. You must understand that this chapter is by no means pretty but I feel it is necessary for the story. I'm trying to make a balance. I don't want this story to be all romantic fluff and I don't want it to be angsty and terrible either. So far you guys have pretty much seen all the angsty stuff and you will continue to see it in this chapter...BUT I promise this whole story will not be like this. I am doing this out of necessity in order to build on where I'm going with this...Please review and let me know what you think...

Chapter Four

"Your breathing has grown heavier Halfblood. If I didn't know better I would say you were frightened…"

He mocked her as he magically bound her to a chair. Aurelia tried to move her body but she was stuck and escape was impossible. The room he had brought her to seemed to have once been a living room of sorts. All the furniture had been carelessly pushed to the walls, leaving only a long wooden table, surrounded by twelve chairs. At its head was a large black leather arm chair. Aurelia shuddered at the thought of who she knew so often sat there.

Trying to keep herself calm, she forced herself not to think of whom she was about to meet. She scanned the room, taking in her surroundings. Then her eyes fell upon Lucius. He leaned lazily against the door with his usual smug expression.

Why does he always look so bored? I suppose murdering and torturing people can get a little old after a while…Why do you care anyway? Let him be fucking bored!

Aurelia shivered. The room was cold and the silky white dress she wore provided little warmth. She was very uncomfortable. The dress was low cut, not at all what she was used to, and she felt practically naked under its thin material.

She shook with nervousness and sweat poured down the back of her neck. Desperately, she hoped he couldn't see the true state of her being, how she felt truly hopeless. She just had to prove to him that, despite being his prisoner, she was still in control of her emotions.

Lucius took out a silver pocket watch from his robes, checked the time, then quickly snapped it closed and put it away again. He lifted his head and let his gaze fall upon Aurelia.

He watched as she took deep breaths trying to keep herself calm, trying to prove that she wasn't frightened.

Always trying to prove how strong you are. But you can never avoid the inevitable… he thought.

Her eyes cautiously scanned the room. Despite the fact that her body was bound, her eyes moved in defiance, uncontrollably. He tried to see past their cinnamon haze, to catch a glimpse of her thoughts, but he couldn't.

All he could see was defiance, insolence, and something else he wasn't quite sure of. Her eyes were always alive and gleaming.

Always filled with passion…

He couldn't help but be somewhat fascinated by her. Then her fierce gaze fell upon him. She was clearly agitated.

"So where is your beloved Dark Lord now? Fashionably late I suppose?"

How she had a way of infuriating him…

"How dare you?! You filthy…"

He was cut short.

There was someone else in the room now. The room was dark and Aurelia could only see the silhouette of a tall hooded figure.

"Lucius…"

The voice was high and clear.

Aurelia's heartbeat quickened and Lucius straightened.

He walked over to the figure and bowed his head.

"My Lord…"

"I trust everything has gone as planned?"

"Yes my Lord. We have managed to divulge all the information you asked for and everything has gone as we had hoped...except…"

"Except?..."

Lucius hesitated before he spoke. It was the first time Aurelia had seen him do that. He was always so confident when he spoke.

"My wife's estranged niece has fallen ill under the charge of Rookwood. But the situation has been dealt with accordingly. It is nothing too serious." He drawled.

"I should hope not. I do like my prisoners reasonably healthy. You cannot break the spirits of someone who is already broken. Don't you agree Lucius?"

"Of course."

The figure now made it's way to the head of the table and sat down in the large black arm chair. It was then that he removed his hood.

Aurelia tried to suppress a gasp. She had heard many stories of what he looked like but the reality was an awful awakening. He was hairless and snakelike with slits for nostrils. His skin was so pale that he seemed to emit a pearly glow.

So this was the wizard whose name was feared above all others? Whose name was hardly ever spoken. This is Voldemort.

Aurelia couldn't help but let out a deep breath. She was getting hysterical and she was loosing control.

"No need to grow impatient, my dear. I haven't forgotten you. I'm here because of you after all…"said Voldemort.

Aurelia didn't answer.

Voldemort continued.

"My Death Eaters tell me that you have given them quite a bit of trouble. Is that true?"

Her breathing was thankfully more level now.

It's ok. You've got control. Keep it that way…

"Is that true?"

He was leaned towards her waiting for an answer. Aurelia couldn't help but notice the pale bony spider-like hands in contrast to the dark wood table.

"No more trouble then any other unwilling prisoner would give."

Voldemort laughed. It was a cruel laugh that almost sounded as though he were hissing. Aurelia shuddered.

"Is that so? But it seems you are unlike any other unwilling prisoner. You have managed to exasperate even Lucius who is known for…"

Voldemort paused, a cruel grin on his face.

"…his way of divulging information."

Aurelia turned to Lucius, her eyes filled with loathing. His expression, however was totally unreadable as usual.

Cold hearted bastard.

She had almost expected Lucius to do something. Although she wasn't quite sure what…just…anything…

He didn't stir. His gaze was fixed on his master.

"I must say you are truly a force to be reckoned with. It is almost unbelievable that you're a halfblood."

Why did everything about them always come down to blood? So if you're a not a Pureblood, then that automatically makes you a piece of shit? Unbelievable!

"Wouldn't you say Lucius?"

Voldemort turned to Lucius as did Aurelia. Lucius' eyes flickered to Aurelia for but a moment before he replied…

"Oh I don't know my Lord…While she does seem pure from the outside, on the inside she is truly…"

He paused, with a smug half smile crossing his face.

"…Dirty…"

If the invisible bonds weren't holding her to the chair, she would've jumped and strangled him

"You bastard! You evil sick bastard!"

Voldemort turned back to Aurelia, watching her tears of rage with a mocking smile.

"She has such spirit in her, doesn't she Lucius?"

She looked away, trying desperately to avoid Voldemort's gaze. The fear of the possibility of more torture ate away at her. She knew that she couldn't take much more of it and the truly awful part of the whole situation was that Lucius knew that too. He knew that with a mere flick of his wand, she would fall into submission.

Why did you have to open your big mouth?!

Lucius watched her, as she began to break into hysteria.

No not now…You can't let this happen now…This is just what they want. Don't let him see you like this…Her head was pounding and she could hardly think anymore.

Her tears fell even harder the more she tried to stop herself.

Voldemort then stood from his chair and went over to where Aurelia sat. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a bony spider-like hand reach for her own. She could feel the cold fingers as they clasped her wrist. A shiver ran down her entire body as he made her stand up from the chair, the invisible bonds seemed to melt away. He now lead her to the center of the room, she didn't dare try to fight his powerful grip.

The tears still poured.

Stop it! Stop it now! Don't cry in front of them!

"Who would have thought that such a powerful witch, able to withstand torture, would be reduced to such tears by mere words?"hissed Voldemort.

Aurelia's chest began heaving up and down. She could hardly breathe anymore. After all she had been through, how could something so simple affect her this way? The little control she once had was slipping away.

"One must wonder why…"Voldemort paused for a moment before he spoke again.

"Let us see you after real actions have been taken."

Actions?!

Voldemort through her to the floor.

"Let us see just how dirty you are my pretty little halfblood…"

His eyes were gleaming.

Oh God! No! No! No! This can't be happening! Not this…

He then bent down slowly. Aurelia could now see the white of his eyes through the gloom. They were almost snakelike, wide with a maddening glare; inhuman…

As he ran his bony fingers across her cheek and then down the outline of her face, Aurelia stayed perfectly still. She wanted to move, she wanted to fight, but a force that she couldn't control, consumed her.

"I think I shall leave this pleasure to you Lucius… "

Lucius' icy grey eyes were now widened in surprise and shock.

"But my Lord!..." he protested. "She's a halfblood! Unclean! It would diminish my honor as a Pureblood!"

"Diminish your honor?"Voldemort laughed wickedly.

"Your honor was diminished when you chose to ignore the signs of my return to power for fourteen years! Your honor was diminished when you lost me my prophecy! And now…..now this…" He pointed his wand at Aurelia.

"My Lord, I have given my life to your service. I have been faithful to our cause since day one and I still am!" Said Lucius.

Voldemort's eyes widened maddeningly.

The sight of Voldemort's cruel smile sent shivers down Aurelia's body. It would remain imprinted in her mind forever, haunting her in her sleep.

"Then prove it!"

He lifted his wand and with a quick wave, Lucius was forced onto his knees, right next to Aurelia.

"I want you to take away the only thing she has left…"snarled Voldemort.

Lucius' eyes were widened and alert. They moved from Voldemort and back down again to Aurelia.

With that, Voldemort waved his wand again; forcing Aurelia's body so that she was lying sprawled on her back. He smiled as she lay motionless on the floor, powerless. Her eyes moved around in circles and rested on Voldemort.

The most frightening thing about him was not that he appeared snakelike or inhuman in appearance; it was the fact that part of him was still in fact human and yet he could commit such horrors upon his fellow man. A ghost, or a phantom, or monsters could never be nearly as frightening as a tortured human being with the power and ability to cause destruction.

"After this you will understand just how insignificant you are…"

His voice was no longer filled with anger; it was more a soft hissing whisper.

An invisible force pushed Lucius towards Aurelia yet he still resisted.

"Come now Lucius where is your sense of devotion?"

"My Lord she is an abomination. I cannot dirty my hands with her…"

Voldemort did not even blink nor falter in the least as he spoke.

"But you will…"

The shoulder of Aurelia's dress began to be pulled down by an invisible force. She tried to pull it back up but it continued to be pulled farther down, out of her control.

Lucius was close to her now; she could feel his warm breath on her cold skin. He looked over one last time at Voldemort, before his gaze returned to Aurelia.

She stared at him, her breathing heavy, into his eyes. They looked angry, confused, perhaps conflicted? Fear welled up inside of her for fear of what was to come.

His hands then slowly wandered to her shoulders as he gently pulled down her dress.

Aurelia eyes began to tear up again as she watched him and felt his touch. She looked into his eyes. Then used all her strength to whisper one word…

"Please…."

Desperation filled her voice. There was very little hope left.

His eyes softened for a moment.

Don't do this...

Then they quickly turned to ice. They were filled with fury, madness even…

He clasped onto the thin fabric of her white dress, and then ripped it off. The upper part of her dress was gone and her breasts were now exposed.

Oh God! This can't be happening.

Her arms automatically went to cover herself but it was no use. He clasped both arms and pinned them above her head. With his left hand he held them there securely while his right hand wandered down the side of her hip and down between her legs.

Now he was on top of her. Tears poured down the side of her face but she did not cry out. She was silent.

She could feel him pushing into her, gently at first then harder and harder. Her body then contoured with his and together they moved in a continuous motion.

Stop! What are you doing? Make him stop! Do something…anything!!

Her mind and everything she had been taught was telling her no. She heard voices in her head telling her to stop…to do anything to just make it stop. Part of her was filled with anger and absolute fury. She wanted to hurt him, make him feel pain. But she had never felt this way before. It was a strange feeling. She knew she should fight…

But she couldn't…she wouldn't.

What was this feeling? Pleasure? No it couldn't be pleasure. That was too simple. And it's not like she was enjoying this…Or was she?

Stop! Make this stop! Do you realize who he is and what he's doing to you?!

Despite his cold exterior his body felt so impossibly warm on hers. She could feel his hard chest and his strong arms as he held her close to him. His focus was completely on her but then it faltered for a moment and he seemed distracted.

His eyes gleamed and his body began to slow. As he looked into her eyes, he seemed confused. He caught himself, and then leaned his head over her shoulder. He whispered in her ear in a soft voice.

"I'm sorry…"

She was taken aback. For a moment their eyes met. Time seemed to stand still. But only for a moment…

Then suddenly his eyes turned cold as he lifted his hand high above him. The strong and powerful force of his hand sent pain over her as it touched down on her face.

Aurelia could here a faint hissing laughter and was then reminded of everything. A crude reality snapped into focus as she realized who had been watching the entire time.