Chapter Five: The Butler, Searching
I still own nothing.
A/N: Warning, this chapter has a pretty graphic torture scene.
Greengrass Manor, Lake District, August 17th, 08:30
"What did you just say?" asked Daphne again. Tracey was still sat on the windowsill, giggling maniacally to herself.
"Like a giant bat." she giggled, fapping her arms for effect.
"I see. Long hair?"
"Yup."
"Then I think we've found our Undertaker."
"I quite agree, young mistress." said Sebastian. "However, is it not a little off topic? How does healing Neville's parents aid us in defeating Voldemort, or the Nightmare Queen?".
"Before they were attacked, Neville's parents were two of the best aurors in the world. Not to mention brilliant magical theorists. If we explained the situation, then they may be able to save us several steps."
"I see. Would you like me to bring this Undertaker to you, young mistress?"
"No. I'll go to him. After all, I am his boss now." Daphne grinned. Then, standing, she made her way to the door. "Complete your daily tasks until I send for you.". And with that, she was gone. Tracey looked to Sebastian.
"What are my tasks today, Mr. Butler?" she asked, saluting.
"Change the bedsheets in the young mistress' room, and Miss Astoria's. Then, lay the table for lunch. "
"Aye, aye, Mr. Butler, sir!" Tracey saluted and leant back, falling out of the window. Sebastian stared at the spot she had been sat in for a moment.
"I wonder, did she do that intentionally?"
?, ?, August 17th, 08:30
"Where has Bellatrix been taken?" asked Voldemort. The Death Eater before him trembled with fear, at the sound of Voldemort's cold, high voice.
"My Lord, I'm afraid we don't know." he said, quietly.
"Don't know?!" Voldemort shrieked. "CRUCIO!". The man before him screamed in agony as the curse took effect. To his right, Hermione sat watching the screaming man, with a look of unbridled pleasure on her face. The screams to her were better than any music. After a few moments, Voldemort released the Death Eater from the curse. "Find her. If you fail me again, I'll hand you over to my daughter, and you'll wish you were never born!" he spat. "Do I make myself clear?"
"Y-Yes, m-my lord." the man stammered. "Thank y-you."
"Get out of my sight.". The Death Eater made a quick bow and scurried from the room. Voldemort sighed. "We're surrounded by incompetent fools, my dear."
"Yes, father." Hermione nodded, her face flushed, a fact which didn't go unnoticed by Voldemort.
"My dear, whatever is the matter?"
"Nothing, father." Hermione said, looking down quickly.
"You rather enjoyed watching me torture that fool, didn't you?". Hermione remained silent. "Very well, go. How is Selby doing these days?"
"What's left of him is surviving, father." Hermione said, looking up at him and grinning maniacally.
"Very well, when you've finished with him. I need you to complete a mission for me."
"What is the mission?"
"I need you to hurt Daphne Greengrass."
"Hurt? Not kill?" Hermione frowned.
"No, hurt her. Make her so scared that she'll send her butler, Sebastian to us. He was once Potter remember, the prophecy stated that only he could defeat me."
"So you must kill him first?"
"Exactly, my child."
Greengrass Manor, Lake District, August 17th, 13:30
Astoria and Daphne had sat down to lunch. Sebastian was currently serving Daphne her afternoon tea. "This afternoon's tea is Earl Grey."
"Thank you, Sebastian." Daphne nodded. "So, Tori. How're you? I haven't seen you around lately."
"I've been busy." Astoria replied, not meeting her sister's gaze.
"Busy?... Oh." Daphne grinned. "So, who is it?". Astoria blushed heavily.
"What? No-one. Leave it alone."
"So, you don't want me to know? A Gryffindor?"
"Daphne!"
"Clearly someone well known, whether that's good or bad though. It's not McLaggen is it?"
"What? Ew! No!" Astoria said with a grimace.
"Aha, so it is a someone that you've been sneaking away with." Daphne giggled. "C'mon. Tell big sis."
Astoria sighed. "It's Colin."
"Colin… Creevey?" Daphne asked, shocked. "I mean, yeah… Uh… He's nice… Short… But nice."
"He's sweet, and kind, and caring." said Astoria. "Honestly, Daph. I think you'll like him."
"Yeah, yeah, I mean… I guess. He's… Sweet. Uh..." Daphne stammered. Behind her, Sebastian stood with a smirk on his face.
"Now, now, young mistress. It is unbecoming of a young lady to sit with her mouth open."
"Yeah, you might catch flies." Astoria grinned, taking a sandwich. Astoria and Sebastian shared a chuckle. Daphne fixed Sebastian with a glare.
"Shut it, you." She warned, pointing at the butler.
"Yes, young mistress."
?, ?, August 17th, 13:30
Hermione reclined in her chair. The room was currently covered in blood. The remains of the Death Eater she had been torturing were strewn everywhere. She wiped her brow, only to find her hand covered in gristle. "Even in death, you're an annoyance, Selby." she cackled. She span round to rest her feet on the desk, kicking what she could only guess was his torso off the desk. It hit the floor with a wet splat. As Hermione relaxed in her post-torture state, she was interrupted by a knock at the door. "What?!" she snapped. A timid looking Death Eater she vaguely recognised stepped in. "What is it?"
"Ma'am, we believe we may have found the Greengrass Manor."
"Good. Where is it?"
"We believe that information is inside this boy's head." he said, pulling a small blonde boy through the door.
"Hermione? Where am I? Why are you covered in blood?" Colin asked, panicked, his voice squeaky, his eye's darting around the room. Hermione glared at the Death Eater. She grabbed Colin by the scruff of his robes and threw him into a chair, and quickly bound him so he couldn't escape. Then, she turned back to the Death Eater.
"YOU! WORTHLESS! PATHETIC! IDIOT!" she snarled. With each word, she cast a bone breaking curse at the man. "We could've tricked him into handing us the information! He still believed I was loyal to Potter."
"Ma'am! I didn't want to deny you the pleasures of torturing him!" the man whimpered.
"IDIOT! I WOULD'VE DONE THAT ANYWAY!" she shrieked.
"Ma'am, could we not obliviate the boy?"
"And risk losing the location of Greengrass Manor?!" Hermione cried, finally decapitating the man. Colin screamed as the man's head disconnected from his body. Hermione straightened her hair, and took a deep breath. She turned to Colin, a smile on her face. "Colin, I'm sorry you had to see that." she said, sadly. "Don't worry, he was a very bad man, who did some very bad things."
"You're hardly the good guy." Colin snarled. Hermione giggled.
"Oh, I know. I'm evil. A sadist, even. That's why I'm so glad to see you Colin." she said, discarding her robe. Underneath, she was wearing only her underwear, on her left forearm, was a clearly visible, jet black dark mark.
"So, it's really true. You're a Death Eater." Colin sighed.
"No. I'm more than just a Death Eater." Hermione giggled, straddling him. "I'm the Nightmare Queen.". Hermione took one of Colin's hands in hers, and raised it to face level. "Tell me, Colin. Where is Greengrass Manor?" she asked, then took one of Colin's fingers in her mouth and gently sucked on it.
"What are you doing, Granger?" Colin spat. Hermione merely moaned around his finger. "Look at you. Siding with the Dark Lord. You're pathetic, You're a disgrace to Muggleborns.". The next thing Colin knew was pain. Unimaginable, unbearable pain. He screamed in agony, unsure of what could have caused this. Looking at Hermione, he saw blood around her mouth. His finger was hanging on by a mere sliver of skin and tendons, which Hermione swiftly bit through. Colin was panting heavily.
"You've got nine more to go through, Colin." she whispered, huskily in his ear, taking the next finger in her mouth.
"Go to Hell." Colin panted. Another burst of pain, and Colin had lost a second finger.
"Oh, dear Colin. I do hope you're not right handed." Hermione giggled, grinding against him.
"You freak. You're enjoying this. Hell, you're getting off on it." Colin spat, his vision blurring from pain and blood loss.
"So what, I like my work. You could make it easier for me, just tell me where your little girlfriend lives." she grinned. Colin chuckled darkly.
"Bite me."
"If you insist." Hermione laughed, ripping off his shirt, and tearing a chunk of his shoulder away with her teeth. Colin screamed. "Y'know, your screams are my symphony." Hermione grinned. "And they really get me going."
"Lemme tell you something, Granger." Colin panted. "One day soon, Harry, or Sebastian, whatever he's called now… Will come for you… and he'll tear your goddamn heart out.". Hermione laughed.
"I'll look forward to that day. Until then though, I think I'm full. At least, I don't want anymore fingers." Hermione said, going over to the desk, and reaching into the top drawer.
"Well that's too bad for you, isn't it?" chuckled Colin.
"Hardly." shrugged Hermione, pulling two items out. A knife and a regenerative potion. Mostly used in sports. A quicker, though even less pleasant version of Skele-Gro. It could even replace organs, though the process was said to be excruciating. "Tell me Colin, have you ever heard the legend of Prometheus?"
