Chapter 3

My body was limp, my muscles lacking the strength to even hold me up. If Bellatrix Black wasn't holding me up, her body hugging mine tightly, I would be nothing but a broken doll lying forgotten on the ground. Slowly I managed to find the will to care that people were talking, with herculean effort I managed to focus my eyes. I stood there cocooned in Bellatrix's arms and watched as Fudge shook hands with Dumbledore.

"Well a bad situation, very bad all round. But we made the best of it. I'm sure you'll agree that the whole issue of my administrations decisions don't need to be debated in front of the wizengmot."

So that was his price, mine had been friends, I peered at Dumbledore, he didn't have a price he just knew everybody else's. How strange to think I was Bellatrix's price. The daily prophet had reported Fudge was facing an inquiry over his failure to acknowledge Voldemort's return. As the newly reinstated chief of the wizengamot Dumbledore had the power to make that all go away. The minister had signed off on slavery in an attempt to avoid humiliation and prosecution.

"Of course. We must focus on uniting against the darkness and not become distracted by the past." It sounded rehearsed, was that going to be the sound bite he gave the daily prophet tomorrow? Rita Skeeter would be disappointed. I hoped she called him a dingbat again. "Would you care for a cherry drop? A friend suggest I try them and I must say I am rather pleased with them."

"Excellent! that's simply excellent." Fudge beamed from ear to ear, even accepting a cherry drop, although he looked reluctant to actually eat it.

I could almost believe that I was capable of spontaneous combustion. I wasn't Harry or Ron, I know sometimes even the 'good' side had to manipulate and sacrifice its followers but to hear I would be keeping Fudge from being prosecuted for putting his political career above the well being of the magical world was beyond anything I could accept. The bastard was probably even keeping his pension, fucking slimy git.

"yesss, you're starting to see the so called light for what they really are." The words were a whispered hiss as the two wizards continued talking. "Oh they claim to fight for muggles and mudbloods, all the poor little unfortunates, but they're more than willing to treat you like property, to sell you if it gets them what they really care about, power. That's the only thing most of them care about, power and how to get it, things will never change because mudbloods have no power. They fight for the status quo, not change. They're all the same, the Dark Lord is simply honest about it. He at least wants change, instead of stagnation."

Her hand was under my top caressing my bare stomach, soothing the edges of the small cuts she had inflicted. I didn't want to soothed by her, I didn't want to agree at least partially with what she had just said about Dumbledore. I wanted … I don't know what I wanted, but it wasn't this.

"Well Dumbledore I must be getting back. The ministry doesn't run its self after all." He beamed as he jauntily put his hat on and headed for the fire, Tonks following behind and Kingsley, back ramrod straight, marched ahead of the minister into the fire. "Pleasure dealing with you Albus and err good day to you too Mrs Le – Miss Black." And ignoring my existence, he disappeared into the fire. Tonks gave me a small sad smile and she too left.

"Bellatrix now that we are alone I believe you have something for me?" Alone, even Dumbledore wasn't bothering to think I was a person anymore. My vision began to blur as I saw what the rest of my life would be like.

"Pet. Turn around and face me." Obediently I did as I was told, trying not to give in, to ignore the heartache. I kept my eyes downcast as I faced her. A thumb swiped across my check catching a betraying tear before moving down to capture my hand. The soft skin moving gently beneath my hand made my eyes jerk upwards to see wolfish eyes. "Now slide your hand down the side of my corset and pull out the piece of parchment."

Open mouthed I stared at her.

Those eyes began to harden and I remembered the fire when she told me I'd be punished. Hastily my hand moved across the top of her breast as my stomach clenched, fluttering madly. It was difficult to squeeze my hand inside, the surprisingly soft pliant flesh pressing against me relentlessly. Somehow I had imagined she would be nothing but cold and hard. I could feel the heat radiating from my face and jerked as my thumb grazed over a hard nipple. Finally, mercifully, my fingers touch parchment and I yanked my hand back. "Good, now give it to Dumbly over there."

Oh god that had been… what had it been? My stomach churned, fingers trembling I handed over the scroll. Not knowing what to do I stayed where I was grateful for the return of my personal space. Bellatrix stalked closer to the desk, a lazy gesture from her wand conjuring a chair.

"That should be everything we agreed upon." Fingers snapped. For a moment I was perplexed, until she made a come her motion.

"It seems you have forgotten to add the location of Hufflepuff's cup."

"Perhaps that's because I don't know its location." She pointed at the floor for me. With a deep breath I sat down cross legged on the rug. "I think the Dark Lord's right, Dumbley spending all that time around mudbloods really does make you stupider."

"In that case I am surprised with your choice of payment. I would have thought you the last person to risk her intelligence."

Fingers began to run through my hair "I have a pet, not animals I pretend are equals."

Hairy eyebrows rose above half moon spectacles, "I find it hard to fathom how you can truly believe that Bellatrix. Yet I find it harder still to believe you unaware of the location of one of Tom's most precious possessions. This list only contains five items and four locations."

She cackled, my skin shivered and fingers gripped my hair. "Please we both know you don't care about that. You only want to know about the seventh horocrux. You want to know if the halfblood needs to die."

Dumbledore merely tented his fingers "oh?"

"Don't act the kindly old man with me" the words were spat at high speed "we both know the truth. Potter is a horocrux, and the Dark Lord hasn't figured it out. So the only question is whether potty has an accident or you let the Dark Lord kill him because your going to have him die one way or the other."

"Are you certain that Harry is - "

"I have held a piece of the Dark Lord's soul; I know another when I see it."

"And yet Tom doesn't" he lent back in his chair, face thoughtful as he absorbed her words.

"I'm so pleased you've mastered the art of stating the obvious."

The fire crackled gently as Dumbledore seemed to stare into space. Bellatrix's foot began to tap until finally she huffed. "I have things to do, places to go, mudbloods to break in. So if all you're going to do is sit there…"

"My apologises Bellatrix, I was merely attempting to think outside of the box."

"What box?"

"Ah, its merely a muggle saying, I suppose you will be hearing a lot of those from now on."

I stared opened mouthed at him, Bellatrix's fingers stopped their insistent stroking and began to clench, pulling my hair and making me wince. Was he trying to get me killed? Angering Bellatrix Black like this was – oh of course. He was trying to get me killed. He was doing the Mudblood a favour, a nice quick death and plugging a potential information leak at the same time.

Dumbledore's newly shown ruthlessness was starting to explain a lot, as did the Harry the horocrux idea. I had always found it odd Qurriel was able to get a troll in the school and have it just happen to stumble across me, and the boys, just happening, to be the only people close by. The more I thought, the more sense it made.

Ron gave Harry an in to the magical world outside Hogwarts but he also kept him grounded. I was the one who provided the knowledge, did the research, gave the possible courses of action. A magical friend to make Harry care about a world he didn't know and a muggle born friend to act as the face of those who would die. After all Harry's desire to protect the Dursley's was hardly going to save the muggle world, more likely doom it.

Harry was the one who spearheaded the action, who pushed forward and refused to sit by. Who better to take on a risky mission searching for cursed objects? Dumbledore would be who Voldemort focused on as the main threat. So Harry could be sent of to search with little attention paid, after all he was a child whose protection Voldemort had stolen. Him 'running away in fear' was to be expected.

If we succeeded great, but if we died in the attempt we still took out one of the horocruxes. It was win / win. But now Dumbledore had the list from Bellatrix, he didn't need anyone to hunt for them, all Harry had to do now was die. In which case I wasn't needed anymore, making my sale to Bellatrix a no lose way of getting information. It was win / win situations all round. At least if you were Dumbledore.

"Oh, my pet is starting to see you for who you really are. Dumbledore, discoverer of the uses of dragons blood, defeater of evil, saint, giver of light, sacrificer of children." The husky voice wrapped around the room seductively, the whisper of a mad cackle hiding in the words.

Eyes which normally twinkled mischievously, flashed menacingly. "I expect you to provide me with regular information as per our agreement or I will sacrifice her again."

"Don't you dare threaten what is mine!"

"As long as you abide by our agreement there is no threat"

Seething Bellatrix stood, the hand in my hair forcing me to struggle to get my feet under me as quickly as I could.

"I will have an elf deliver her possessions to you in the morning." Bellatrix ignored him, grabbed a handful of floo powder and pulled me into the fire with her as she snarled "Malfoy Manor"

Spinning through the chimney network, trapped in the vice of her arms was an experience to put it mildly. I barely had chance to try and adapt to the situation before I was being shoved out on to cold marble flooring. Fingers snatched my hair dragging me up and forwards as Bellatrix marched towards the doors. I stumbled in her wake until I managed to get my feet under me, scalp screaming in pain. Her harsh grip remained but without gravity acting against me it wasn't making things worse.

The grounds of Malfoy Manor were impressively pretentious, the albino peacocks strutting around like Draco after he managed to feed himself, were a particularly nice touch. I tried to focus on the feel of evening sunlight on my skin, the scent of flowers in the air. God only knows when I would experience such things again.

A hundred yards from the gates we came to a dead stop, her painfully strong grip moved to my arm, glittering eyes caught mine as the side along apparition washed over me, squeezing me down a tube, squeezing till there was no air left, I was being turned into a squashed lump. Then with a crack the tube burst apart. A giant serpent loomed over me as I wheezed trying to catch my breath. I gave a strangled scream as I fought against Bellatrix's hold, I wasn't going to end my days being eaten alive.

Agony slammed through me as my head swam. "Stop it you silly twit, it's a goddamn statue. Don't make me hit you again."

My vision was wrong everything moved in waves, along with my stomach. My legs went from under me, sprawling half on the ground and half on her. The retching made my head pulse and throb, my brain was going explode into a million pieces.

"Honestly! The books said mudbloods are delicate but this is pathetic. Episkey" The pain in my head cleared, my face flushed as I looked at her vomit strewn boots. A muttered "Scourgify" and they gleamed black once again. "Look at me pet" I tipped my head back, the world still seemed too warm and close to my skin. The hard crooked wood of her wand caressed my cheek "Scourgify" my eyes bulged as the spell swept through my mouth. It felt as though a soap covered scrubbing brush was forcing its way into my mouth, scraping my tongue and cheeks raw. Before the disgusting spell had even stopped, her arm was under my shoulder, hauling me upright.

Yet again I struggled to get my feet under me as I was dragged forward, spluttering and coughing last of the soap bubbles. I shuddered as we passed under the towering serpent, closing my eyes and shivering. The thing looked like the Basilisk that had left me frozen. The grip slid down my body and wrapped around my hips. I was so tired it felt like I had been awake for days, had it only been yesterday that I'd been released from the hospital wing? I wanted it all to be over and to be back in my bed, my parents downstairs watching Newsnight and finishing a cup of tea .

The air changed, became warm and the feeling of sinking into thick carpet replaced gravel. Blinking my eyes awake I found a room that looked like a comfortable mansion's parlour, sumptuous love seats and delicate fainting couches seemed the order of the day – nothing that I would associate with Bellatrix. Her arm disentangled from my waist and I nearly stumbled as she moved away. I hadn't even realised I had been leaning on her, my face flamed with shame, god how could I have been leaning into her like that. She was an insane bitch who'd forced me into slavery.

Flopping into a blood red loveseat her hooded predatory eyes rooted me to the spot. "Okay my little pet, let's have a look at my new property. Take off your clothes." she made herself comfortable on the seat, leaning back, sprawled decadently, a wolfish smirk playing at the edge of her lips.

For a moment I stood, the world roaring in my ears. I saw the wand twirling in her hand and I swallowed thickly. I could feel salty tears cascading unbidden down my flushed cheeks. Everything had happened so fast, my mind was still reeling but this was wrong. That piece of paper I had signed couldn't really mean this was my life now, surely Dumbledore would come through the door any moment and explain it had been a ruse, a test, anything but real.

But the minister, the conversation afterwards, the pain in my chest told me it was real. I had signed it for harry, for my friends, to save lives. Snape whispered through my mind '…display some semblance of ability to please her, ...she has reason to supply Dumbledore with information that will save lives' That was what made me grasp my robes and gingerly slip them off.

"Remember to fold. Good pets have good manners and you are a good girl aren't you?"

I nodded my voice overwhelmed by the heat of my blush "Yes" I couldn't help shaking as I tried to fold my robes, desperately pushing back thoughts about her checking other things to make sure I was a 'good girl'.

"You're going to be a well behaved for me aren't you wittle one hmm?" her mouth twitched upwards, her wand continuing its lazy twirling. I managed to nod, my throat too dry at the thought of her turning that wand on me. "Put them on the table, that's it, now, let's have the rest of it off. Good pets don't hide themselves from their owners. Mudbloods wearing clothes," she shook her head "ridiculous."

I didn't say anything, I couldn't think of anything to say, at least, nothing that wouldn't have me twitching on the floor. There was only my underwear left, my eyes caught hers as tried to silently plead. Those eyes seemed to laugh as her lip curled upwards, I stared at the floor, the world trembling and watery as I reached behind me unclipping my bra. I clutched the small pink lace and cotton protection, gasping as I jerked it down, the straps catching, trying to give me a few more moments of modesty.

I almost wrapped an arm around my chest, wishing I could protect my bosom from the voracious gaze of the reclining death eater. The instant the thought crept into my head I knew it wouldn't play. The whole purpose of making me take my clothes off was so she could humiliate and stare at me. I just needed to get through this, make it to bedtime and think. Think of some way out of this mess. Sucking in a deep breath, I pulled my panties down. Quick like a band aid. They joined the small pile of my clothing.

Bellatrix bounced up from the loveseat and prowled towards, me I fought the all consuming desire to step backwards.

I went to a boarding school, I shared a room with four other girls – not to mention the showers, but I had never had my naked body dissected by another's eyes. Being naked at Hogwarts was all about carefully avoiding staring and everyone had been nude too, and focused on their own bodies, not scrutinising mine.

Our eyes met as she stepped into my personal space, those dark velvet eyes were filled with a sadistic pleasure. The bitch was enjoying this so much.

"Stand still for your inspection pet. You already have a punishment coming, you don't want to make it any worse. I own this body now," her voice oozed from her. A finger ran gently, almost lovingly, across my cheek, wiping away the trail of tears that I hadn't even realised were there. "It's mine to do with as I please and right now it's time for your inspection. A good owner always inspects their property."

It sounded like she was repeating something from a book, and I nearly laughed imagining the death eaters sitting round discussing the latest literature on how to care for mudblood slaves. Maybe they ate biscuits and drank tea with their pinkie fingers in the air?