Hello all!
Firstly, I would like to point out that this has only taken me two weeks to post instead of a year ( I feel that joke is a tad too soon), but anyway, Im proud of myself and thats all that really matters.
Secondly, a warm and sincere thank you to all who favourited , followed , read and reviewed since the previous chapter. You're all ( insert Snape's voice) obviously incredible.
THirdly, this chapter is short. I thought of joining it with the next chapter ( yes, I'm currently ahead) , but it would have been a tad long ( and that says something coming from me)
So, onwards good men:
"The cell. My home for all those years. Dark, damp , cold and unhaman. The first time they did it, it was winter and I shivered more than I breathed. It couldn't have been more than three weeks after my arrival, but still, time was hard to tell. A day, a month or a year, it felt the same.
I had been sleeping, which was rare. It had been tough at first, the fear, the hunger, the loss, the cold. Nightmares about what they would do to me seemed so commonplace, yet made me scream for help anyway... Like I said, it was tough at place they kept me was so quiet I could hear the mice sneak around down the corridor and yet I didn't hear them.
They grabbed me by my upper arms, their strength cold and great, within seconds I was losing feeling.
"Let me go!"I yelled, my voice hoarse, " Leave me alone!"
Would it have helped? Would they have listened? I knew the answer, just as I was starting to know them.
"Shut up, princess."He growled back at me, his breath smelt of blood.
I was just over six years, I was too frightened to say anything else. So, I let them drag me down one dark passage after another, each looking the same and I lost my bearings within the minute. When it grew so cold that I could see my breath in the air , I asked:
"Where are we going?"
He tightened his grip on my arm and I struggled to keep in my cry, "I said , Shut it!"
And so I did.
After what felt like eternity we came to a steel door and I knew then that this was going to be bad, all other warnings aside, this gave it it's stamp of approval.
Note: Nothing good ever happens behind steel doors.
I planted my feet in to the ground , refusing to go in, but all he had to do was slap me through the face and I went flying forward already. It was another cell, this time a square room with a chair, a table and a single lamp and Thantos, he was there too. This was the second time we've met.
"Misbehaving again, aren't we?"He cooed, eyes emotionless, "We've spoken about that, remember?"
I managed a stiff nod.
His lips curled into a sneer, "Answer!"
I swallowed, "Y-yes... sir."
"Good, now sit." He motioned towards the metallic chair.
I scrambled to my feet and with lead legs made my way to the chair, it's cold metal burning me.I watched as the two other occupants circled the room with slow steps, communicating through a series of nods and twitches before Thantos instructed him to leave.
When the door closed silently behind him , be turned his attention back to me and smiled, " Nasty business this... Messy too."He picked up a dagger from the table – That exact dagger- and held it to the light so that it glistened. I shrunk deeper in to the chair, tears obscuring my vision. He noticed my distress and his smile grew more sadistic, "Fear not- or a little, actually. That's always a little entertaining, this will hurt a lot, as it should."He took a step closer , bring the blade against my sweating forehead, I whimpered, "You see, that's the point. To see if you're the one, the one who can help us-"
"I can't- I can't help you, I don't know-"I started, but he interrupted me by moving the sharp blade lightly down the side of my face- It burnt, oh hell, it burnt.
He spoke quietly, barely a whisper, "You will. I'll make sure of that. But first, we need a snack, one can only live off mundane blood for so long without earning a treat."He licked his lips and pushed a strand of my hair away from my neck, " I wonder what it would be like to just do it, bite in to you, the warmth, the smoothness- but no."He broke his longing look and turned it to my eyes instead, "But we- I can't afford the risk of you turning in to a vampire, we need your blood, sweetheart... The pity." He place the dagger on the table again and grabbed hold of my hands , restraining them to the chair. I cried out at the restraint , but he goaded over me, smiling.
"This will hurt a lot , darling."He grinned and held the blade against the palm of my hand , pressing down. The burn- that's all it was- the consuming burn, not just in my palm, but everywhere. My body, mind and soul seemed to be heating up , tearing itself apart. I don't know how loud I screamed or for how long, but I passed out and welcome the eerie dark once again as my blood filled the bowls to be drunk."
Silence.
I looked at each one's facial expression and there was various stages of emotions: Disgust, anger , pity, fear, wonder. I lowered my gaze, wishing they would do the same. I chewed on my lip and couldn't help but wish for a happier memory- a peaceful one. Sure, remembering stuff was probably important and I should consider myself lucky for being able too, but still- a happier one. And I allowed myself to think this rather than the other main worry, the reason the room was filled with Mr. Potter, two Aurors , Mrs. Potter, McGonagall and Rose.
To be honest I'm not exactly sure of how I got here, the Headmistress's office that is. Or at least I can't remember the specific details , I'll blame it on the vague sense of panic I was feeling. I don't remember Rose's screams, I don't remember her being in the same room as me. I just remember the pulling back the wrapping paper and seeing the ruby jewel, having seen it enough to know that it was the same red eye stone that watched me through all my pain and suffering. And that's probably what triggered my 'meltdown' , what they indirectly stamped into my memory: that blade only brings pain, the worst of it.
The silence in the room was unnerving. I could feel their thoughts like static in the air, their silence only loud. I looked at each of their faces covertly , all pale and gloomy- well, it's not like we're giving away party packets at the end of this.
"And that's all they've ever told you about the dagger?"Mr. Potter said, his voice stern and aura-ish.
I nodded, "From there on I never asked questions."
His eyes narrowed, " And this object was only used as a means of torture?"
A flashback crossed my mind and I swallowed, "No. It was more than that, if anything that was just a glorious byproduct. They only ever used it on me when it came to feeding off me,they wouldn't ever use anything else. Ev-Even the one incident, they killed him before the vampire venom could take effect."
I rubbed the scar it left me on my neck, it always itched whenever I thought about it.
"But then, why send it to you?"Mrs. Potter asked, she had been oddly quiet, not taking her eyes off me.
"A warning,perhaps?" McGonagall reasoned.
" Most probably. But that's something we can discuss later, right now we should sort out the how instead of the why."Mr. Potter said quickly. Papa Potter out, Auror Potter in.
"Thanks to the Daily Prophet the entire Wizarding World knows she's attending Hogwarts, but I've seen to the security measures myself and they're all flawless-"McGonagall started.
"Excuse me professor. but wasn't that the case with Sirius Black? " Rose asked from her secluded corner.
The professor replied, "Sirius Black was a completely different situation! Unless you're telling me that vampires have learnt the skills or aquired the magic to become animagi?"
Rose's eyes dropped a little, " No, they can't."
She turned her gaze to me and I could see her mind working years ahead, asking me questions I could not hear.
"So an intruder?" Mr. Potter asked.
I saw her proud shoulders drop as she fell back into her chair, a look of utter exhaustion, "I would not like to believe it, but I shall interrogate the staff at first light, a traitor to one is a traitor to all." She sighed and turned her stare to me. "Ms. Black, I assure you that you are safe as long as you remain within our protection. Therefore , I think it wise to keep you away from Hogsmeade-"
I was out of my seat before the word left her mouth, "You Can't!"Her eyebrow raised and I remembered who I was speaking too, "I mean- please don't!"
"Aurora, your safety comes first-"Mrs. Potter cooed from behind me.
"I know! And trust me, I'm grateful and all, but I can't live my life between four walls! Merlin knows I've spent my whole life like that!"I drew in a deep breath, "Please? Let me have at least the small freedom of going to Hogsmeade , I beg of you?"
McGonagall looked over at the Potters who looked at each other and then back at her with nothing more than a twitch of the lip.
"Half-day. You will be allowed to visit Hogsmeade until two, then you will return to the school where it is safe."She said with finality.
I felt my face drop with disappointment, but nodded anyway.
"It's just until the this situation is dealt with." The other Auror said cheerfully.
I knew. Little did they know that I knew.
"Now, you two should get some rest." McGonagall said for our dismissal.
Rose stood and allowed herself a round of hugs and thanks for doing the right thing and bringing it forward, while I received my round of cliche " Be strong" and "We'll find him" and all that nonsense that's supposed to make me feel better, but doesn't.
Rose and I left after that and made our way to our common room in silence. She slept in her bed and I slept in someone else's bed as Rose suggested. It took a while, but eventually I heard her soft musical snores ( Firstly, yes. Rose is majestically enough to have musical snores. And lastly, I've been telling her for weeks that they're loud and sound worse than her singing, just because I enjoyed the look of horror on her face) .
I slipped out of bed, my toes curling as it made contact with the wood. I managed to make it out of the room ( possibly maiming Flapjack in the process) safely . I sat at the desk closest to the fire and grabbed hold of the nearest parchment and quill. I'll admit, this was a long shot, but my desperation was surpassing rational thinking and , well, I'm the factory of stupid ideas. I bite my lip and wrote.
OOOOOOO.
Who's Aurora writing too? Who's the traitor? How badly is Flapjack maimed?
Well, keep reading and reviewing for these answers to be answered and depending on how I feel, I might even add some more feel good moments between A&A , J& a certain person and S&R.
Read&Review
As always
Prongs4life