Astoria stood in the corridor outside the infirmary room, her nerves wound tight like a coil. Despite her determination, she struggled to steady her breath as the task ahead loomed over her. Part of her still couldn't shake off the disbelief she was actually about to go through with this, even after having to relentlessly hound Daphne in order to get her permission. It was what she wanted, yet the weight of her decision felt heavy, like standing on the edge of a precipice, teetering between desire and apprehension, knowing there was no going back if she takes the plunge.
Astoria didn't even realize she was trembling until she felt her mother's reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure about this, sweetheart?" Julia Greengrass asked, her concern evident in her voice.
Astoria turned to her mother, her gaze trying to mask the uncertainty within. "Yes, Mom... I have to," she asserted, her voice steady despite the lingering doubt. "I need to do this."
Just as she spoke, the doors to the infirmary opened, and a guard emerged. "My ladies," he said, bowing respectfully. "She's ready for you," he informed them. Astoria exchanged a grim look with her mother before they both stepped forward, entering the room.
Once inside, Astoria's eyes quickly fell upon the reason for their visit – Hermione Granger lay restrained on the examination table at the center of the sterile white room. Heavy bonds encircled her neck, arms, waist, knees, and ankles. Magic suppressing bracelets adorned both of her wrists. The girl had been rendered utterly helpless, both physically and magically. And yet that didn't stop Hermione from struggling, her plucky spirit still alive despite the circumstances. Astoria observed her futile struggles against the restraints, her determined attempts to break free only ceasing when she caught sight of Astoria entering her limited field of vision, freezing her in place.
Astoria halted in front of the table, her gaze fixed on the bound prisoner for a long while. Hermione appeared healthy, except for her left hand, which remained visibly fractured despite her skin and the muscles beneath having been healed. Hermione was seemingly unable to move it at all as she kept clenching her right hand tightly, but the left one remained grotesquely limp. The sight of it caused Astoria to relive the memory of Hermione's agonized screams as the bones in her left hand snapped under her heel one by one. She certainly deserved it and Astoria felt proud to be the one to finally end her pathetic escape attempt.
Yet the memory of that day still haunted Astoria – both her actions and the irony of them. From day one, Daphne harboured a deep hatred for Hermione, longing to be rid of her, while Astoria grew protective over the muggleborn girl. Yet, despite Daphne's animosity, her older sister had never resorted to physical harm, a contrast to Astoria's actions that had now twice left Hermione with broken bones. Neither had Daphne ever done to her what Astoria was about to...
Finally Astoria's wandering gaze reached Hermione's face and their eyes met for the first time since that fateful day. The older girl stared at her with so much fear Astoria was momentarily taken back by it before she steeled her resolve. Astoria slowly walked around the table, never breaking eye contact, while Hermione desperately screamed into the rag stuffed into her mouth as a makeshift gag.
'How the mighty have fallen,' Astoria thought, a sinister smile curling her lips as Hermione's struggles and muffled screams intensified. With extreme caution, Astoria removed the gag, ensuring Hermione couldn't bite her hand or resort to some other trickery – a lesson learned from past mistakes. As the rag was pulled away, Hermione's apologies and pleas for mercy immediately spilled forth.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
But Astoria remained unmoved by Hermione's words. She hadn't come here to listen to apologies... she craved only Hermione's screams. Her hand shot out, gripping the older girl's chin firmly. "Not another word, you crazy bitch! I don't give a shit about how sorry you are!" she snapped, her tone commanding obedience. Fortunately for her, Hermione fell silent, the seriousness of her situation managing to get through even her abnormally thick head. Hermione didn't say another word and was merely shaking her head in denial, silently pleading with her eyes. She looked just about ready to faint when she saw Astoria drawing her wand.
Compared to her sister, Astoria had always held different views on pureblood supremacy and what it entailed. Among other things, this divergence led her to reject certain teachings her father imparted to Daphne over the years, deeming them outdated or morally wrong. Astoria had never regretted her decision… until now. Ever since Hermione Granger nearly killed her by slashing her throat, Astoria bitterly regretted not learning one particular lesson from her dad while she still had the chance. In a moment of vulnerability, she confided this sentiment to Daphne, only to be shocked when she learned it wasn't their father who had taught her older sister that lesson.
"Remember what I said," Julia suddenly interjected, causing Hermione to startle at the sound of her voice. Astoria's mother stood a few steps behind her, previously unseen by Hermione due to her restraints making her unable to crane her head. "There is no special wand movement. But the intent is everything... you must truly desire to do this," Julia Greengrass explained.
Astoria nodded with grim determination, raising her wand as Hermione's eyes widened in realization. Ever the intelligent girl, she understood Astoria's intentions instantly, even from the few words uttered by her mother. Meanwhile, Astoria lifted her left hand to her neck, tracing the skin where the goblin blade cut her. Though no scar remained, the fear Hermione was going to kill her – that she would die – still lingered in Astoria's mind. She locked eyes with Hermione, channelling all her hatred and contempt for the girl she had once protected and considered a friend.
"Crucio!"
Astoria felt the spell leave her wand and saw it hit her target. But to her dismay, it only elicited a gasp and a brief jerk from the helpless Hermione. It was obviously unpleasant for her, but not what Astoria was expecting to happen. Confusion and disappointment washed over her, and she turned to her mother, seeking guidance.
Julia Greengrass frowned momentarily before offering advice, "Try placing your wand directly against her chest... where the heart is." Hermione's anguish was palpable as she barely managed to widen her eyes and whisper, "No, please!" before Astoria followed her mother's suggestion, trying to put even more force into it than before.
"CRUCIO!"
This time, Astoria sensed the spell's potency increase, the direct contact between her wand and Hermione's body enhancing its effectiveness. Yet, it still fell short of her expectations as Hermione's body briefly convulsed, and she whimpered in pain. Based on her mom's memories she saw earlier and the books she read on the subject, Astoria knew the murdering bitch should be shrieking in unearthly agony right now!
"Why isn't it working?!" she exclaimed, turning to her mother in frustration. "What am I doing wrong?"
Julia stepped forward, wearing a sympathetic smile. "You're doing nothing wrong, Tori," she reassured her daughter. "I did warn you – less than one fifth of all wizards and witches can produce that spell," she told her, but her gentle explanation only deepened her daughter's disappointment.
"You can do it. Daphne and Grandpa... they can all do it," Astoria listed bitterly, feeling inadequate as a Greengrass.
"But your father couldn't," Julia reminded her firmly. "That's why I was the one to teach Daphne. Neither of your grandmothers could do it either."
Granger finally decided to take that moment to speak and as usual, she did it in her loud, annoying voice that got on people's nerves. "PLEASE!" she cried, interrupting their argument. Before Astoria could turn angrily in her direction and tell her to shut up or else, her mom had already raised her wand, firing off a gagging spell without sparing Granger a single glance. Her mother's magical prowess and quick reflexes impressed Astoria, despite her inner turmoil.
"To properly use the Cruciatus on another human being, you need to be able to truly hate them. Not just with your mind, but with your soul as well," Julia explained, prompting a wide-eyed reaction from Astoria.
"H- how do you hate someone with your soul?" she asked tremulously, wondering whether something like that was even possible. Astoria was certain she hated Hermione after the girl tried to kill her… but did she hate her with her soul too?
"Can you teach me how to do that?" Astoria asked, eager to prove herself as Greengrass and take her revenge at the same time.
But Julia's answer was resolute. "Some abilities cannot be taught, sweetheart. I'm sorry."
"So I just don't have the ability," Astoria concluded, her disappointment evident and immense.
Her mother embraced her briefly. "Tori, that's not a bad thing," she emphasized. "In their natural state, souls love and respect each other and all the living things. While some possess the ability to hate, researchers agree it is most unnatural... it shouldn't even be possible."
Astoria nodded in acceptance, finding some solace in her mother's words despite the lingering feeling of disappointment and inadequacy. But as her gaze shifted to Hermione, she noticed the girl's pitiful relief, inflaming her anger to an unspeakable degree. She might not be able to use the Cruciatus, but there were several nasty spells she could curse the bitch with. Dark spells she knew how to reliably produce! She was on the verge of casting one when she hesitated, her wand trembling in her hand. After what felt like an eternity, Astoria's expression shifted into a smile, a wholly different plan taking shape in her mind.
"Astoria?" her mother's voice pulled her from her thoughts as Julia noticed the transformation in her daughter's expression.
"I have a better idea," she answered while casting a wicked glance at Hermione.
Without another word, Astoria Greengrass strode out of the room.
Julia watched her daughter depart, a sense of contentment washing over her. Being unable to cast the Cruciatus must have made Astoria feel inadequate right now, but it came as a great relief to Julia. While occasional use of the curse was deemed safe, its frequent application could be as damaging to the caster as it was to their victims. The researchers were unsure whether the associated degradation of one's morals and personality changes were an effect or a cause, but in Julia's opinion it didn't really matter. One only had to look at the wizards and witches who made the Cruciatus a routine part of their magical arsenal to know it was dangerous and ultimately safer not to have the ability in the first place.
As the doors closed behind her daughter, Julia redirected her attention toward the mudblood prisoner. Hermione Granger's gaze remained fixed in the direction where Astoria had stormed off, seemingly unaware of Julia's continuing presence. Immense relief was visible on the girl's face, no doubt assuming Astoria's inability to cast the torture curse made her safe. Closing the distance, Julia approached the table and delicately brushed her fingers over the mangled left hand of the prisoner. The action instantly drew Hermione's attention, her eyes meeting Julia's as the pathetically relieved expression gave way to a mixture of fear and uncertainty.
"I'm so proud of her," Julia murmured quietly. "Astoria's a good girl… a good soul. She's not like you and I at all," she declared wistfully, before fixing her gaze on the mudblood's eyes, her expression darkening. "You, who would cut a child's throat…" Julia's voice wavered with emotion, but instead of breaking down completely, it turned flat and cold as she finished, "…and I."
With steely resolve, Julia pressed the tip of her wand against the girl's forehead and calmly uttered the words.
"Crucio."
Unlike Astoria's failed attempts, Julia's execution of the curse was flawless. The mudblood's face contorted in agony, her eyes squeezing shut. She opened her pink mouth and was howling at the ceiling, the agony she experienced burning through the gagging spell like it wasn't even there. Every muscle in her body contracted, causing her to spasm uncontrollably against the restraints that held her firmly in place.
This was precisely why Julia had ordered the girl to be restrained in such a manner – often, the victim of the Cruciatus curse would end up causing more harm to themselves by tearing muscles, ligaments, or dislocating joints, rather than from the spell itself. Bright red tears streamed down Hermione Granger's cheeks as she endured what was undoubtedly the most excruciating pain of her young life.
Observing the process with her magic sight was even more horrifying as Julia could see the girl's soul, body, and mind rending, coming apart at the seams under the relentless assault of the curse. Each wave of pain was like a brutal lash against the very essence of her being, shattering it with brutal efficiency. It was a visceral display of agony, one that left Julia feeling a profound sense of unease.
At last, Julia withdrew her wand, and the mudblood instantly fell silent, her body trembling in her restraints as she struggled to catch her breath, having expelled most of the air from her lungs.
"Relax, child," Julia said with genuine sympathy, stroking the girl's cheek gently. "Take slow breaths," she instructed, noticing the signs of impending hyperventilation. Julia patiently waited as Granger regained her composure, her teary, bloodshot eyes slowly refocusing on her surroundings.
"I hope you're not going to ask me why I'm doing this to you," Julia stated firmly once their eyes met, preempting any attempt by the mudblood to pose such a foolish question. The girl's lips trembled, fresh tears glistening in her eyes as she wordlessly opened and closed her mouth, ultimately shaking her head in response. Julia nodded with satisfaction.
"Good. I'd have to do it to you again if you asked. And I really hate that spell," she admitted with disgust, wiping away the tears that continued to flow down the girl's face.
"Can I tell you a little secret?" Julia asked, though it was more of a rhetorical question as she continued without waiting for a response. "What you experienced… that was just three seconds," she revealed, watching as the mudblood's eyes widened in utter disbelief.
"N-no. T-that's-" the girl stuttered, shaking her head in a fit of denial as much as her restraints allowed. "That's impossible!" she cried out.
Julia chuckled sadly, unsurprised by the reaction. Victims of the Cruciatus often perceived their suffering lasting far longer than it actually did, especially during their first encounter with the curse. "I'm afraid not," Julia said gently. "But fear not, you won't suffer any permanent effects. Three seconds is nothing. A strong, young person like you could probably endure as much as forty seconds and still recover afterwards," she explained, though the mudblood looked like she might faint at the very idea.
Astoria assumed it was her who had convinced Daphne into letting her use the torture spell on Hermione Granger. But it was actually Julia who had spoken with Harry and Daphne on her behalf, convincing them that not letting Astoria have any form of revenge at all would be impossible for the young girl to handle. In the end, they both reluctantly agreed on the condition she supervised their interaction and that the mudblood wouldn't be permanently harmed.
"Anything over a minute, however, and the damage is irreversible, no matter how strong or powerful the victim is," Julia continued. "That is why this spell is so feared. You could be as formidable as Merlin himself and still lose everything to it relatively quickly."
Despite the residual agony and her deplorable situation, Julia noticed the girl listening to her with rapt attention, her mind absorbing the new knowledge like a sponge. Internally, Julia chuckled at the thought, finding it a great shame Hermione Granger had been unable to reconcile with her daughter. With a thirst for knowledge like that, the mudblood could have achieved truly marvellous things under Daphne's guidance.
"W-what will happen to me now?" the girl then asked, as if echoing Julia's thoughts.
"Daphne is not going to take your soul... I know that much," Julia informed her. "But I doubt the alternative will be any more pleasant," she warned, crushing the brief hopeful expression on Granger's face. The girl swallowed nervously, her body trembling with fear as she closed her eyes to prevent more tears from falling. Julia gently stroked her cheek again.
"I feel for you, child, despite your actions," she assured her, her tone softening. "But the truth is, everything you did since your capture was a mistake," she said with disappointment, shaking her head. "It was utter madness for you to antagonize my daughter the way you did."
Granger opened her eyes and looked at Julia with a shadow of defiance reflected in her brown orbs. "And what would you have done in my place? Would you have surrendered?" she asked, her voice tinged with accusation, yet carrying a hint of genuine curiosity that Julia found intriguing.
Julia decided to amuse her as she gave her question some serious thought. After a moment of contemplation, she spoke. "If I had been in your shoes... I would've bled Daphne dry in exchange for my submission," she said, eliciting confusion from the girl.
"W-what?" Hermione stammered, clearly perplexed.
Julia sighed, wondering how to convey her idea to a Gryffindor like Granger. "Daphne was always going to demand your acknowledgment of pureblood supremacy," Julia finally started to explain before continuing. "But that was the only thing my daughter was absolutely unwilling to compromise on. Everything else was negotiable," she patiently clarified, observing as the concept slowly sank in for the girl. "So if I had been a captured by Daphne and she was interested in having me as her as her prized mudblood pet, I would've offered her my willing submission in exchange for getting everything I wanted... which, I suppose, in your case, would have been political power after the war," she concluded.
Hermione gaped at her with skepticism, denying the possibility. "That never would've worked."
Julia chuckled softly. "You'd be surprised. My daughter is a Greengrass through and through. They've always been exceedingly harsh on mudbloods who resist... but also exceedingly generous to those who submit," she explained before shaking her head sadly. "It's a shame you chose to belong to the former. If only you had made an effort to befriend my Daphne... you have no idea how amazing your life could've been."
This time, it was Granger who let out a laugh, although hers was filled with bitterness. "Be friends with someone who sees me as inferior?!" she asked, her tone fiery and defiant, a stark contrast to her pained begging only a moment ago. "What about my freedom? My dignity!"
Julia raised her eyebrow at her outburst. "Poor child... your dignity was gone the moment you were captured... your dream of freedom dead the moment Harry and Daphne became a couple," she informed her and the girl tensed nervously in her bonds as Julia's words hit all her emotional weakspots.
"And as for being friends... my best friend in the whole world is a mudblood," she informed her, her thoughts drifting to her dear Susan and their lifelong friendship. "We went to school together, did everything as one... we talked about boys and our plans for the future. When she acted foolishly, I called her out on it, and she would do the same for me," she recounted, noticing the Mudblood's fascination with her words. "I would do almost anything for my friend... but at no point did I ever view her as my equal. Nor did she ever fail to recognize me as her superior," Julia stressed to the foolish mudblood child.
"Frankly, had Susan ever treated me with such disrespect as you've routinely shown to my Daphne, I would've had her whipped," Julia finished, waiting to see if the Mudblood would react. She didn't, likely seeing no point in it. That suited Julia just fine, as she had no desire of converting Hermione Granger into a proper mudblood, considering her a lost cause.
Julia stepped away, retrieving some medical instruments. "I'm going to heal your hand now. You'll need to be in top shape for whatever Daphne is planning for you," she informed her and seeing the girl's worried look, she added. "Do not fear, child. I was an intern at Saint Mungo's before I became a mother," reassured her, somewhat calming her down. Julia worked without interruption until the girl saw her applying a tourniquet to her left arm.
"W- wait. What exactly are you going to do?" Hermione asked with sudden worry.
"That damn rock healed all your soft tissues but did nothing to correctly reset the bone and cartilage structure," Julia explained, her voice steady even as a tormented shadow passed over the girl's face. Being tied to the rock of Prometheus was a harrowing experience, even if Daphne had been merciful and didn't place a creature in her cell that would feed on the girl's liver every day.
"Right now, your hand is nominally healthy, but on the inside it's a complete mess that you cannot move," Julia continued to explain to her patient. "The safest and simplest course of action is to excise the affected tissues and apply skelegro," she explained while continuing in her preparation.
The girl was intelligent and quickly deciphered the full meaning of her words. "Y- you're going to cut off my hand?!" the mudblood screamed in horror, her eyes widening in terror.
Julia finally paused in her work and looked into her eyes. "There won't be any pain, child. By the time you regain consciousness, the skelegro will have long done its work," Julia reassured her, her tone chillingly calm.
"B-but can't you just fix my hand with spells?" Hermione pleaded desperately.
"No," Julia immediately denied. "That would take very long, cause you an immense pain and likely lead to complications," she informed her unwilling, a chilling smile tugging at her lips. "I suggest you take this as a life lesson, child," Julia Greengrass declared. "You raise your hand against your pureblood superiors, you lose the hand," she warned, her voice dripping with authority. "Had you been truly sincere in wanting to apologize to my daughter earlier, you would have offered her to take your hand as recompense," she suggested.
It seemed Hermione Granger finally reached her breaking point, or perhaps she sensed Julia's clandestine intention regarding her broken appendage. In any case, she spat with absolute disgust. "You people are sick!"
Unfortunately for her, Julia had no interest in tolerating insults from a mudblood who had attempted to murder both her daughters. And so, before Granger could scream out more profanities, Julia swished her wand, locking her tongue in her throat. "You speak ill words against your superiors and we take your voice," she whispered, followed by another wand movement. "You look at us wrong, and you lose your eyes," she declared as her spell made the mudblood temporarily lost her eyesight.
Now both blind and unable to speak, Hermione Granger thrashed around uselessly in her bonds. Julia sneered at her before leaning over the table to whisper one last thing to the girl before she would begin the operation.
"I've been told you encountered the brains at the Department of Mysteries," she mentioned and the girl completely froze, likely surprised by her sudden change in the topic. "It might interest you to know it's possible to keep a disembodied human brain alive far longer than regular humans," she continued. "I know that… because my birth family has developed that magic," Julia informed her proudly.
Unable to speak or see, Hermione Granger still managed a horrified expression, understanding the implications of Julia's words for her personally. "My father has a room in his dungeons filled with the brains of our enemies," Julia explained before leaning closer to whisper in the girl's ear. "Can you imagine such a fate? Alive, but without any stimuli... nothing but timeless oblivion?"
The girl was completely frozen, her terror palpable. Julia smiled with satisfaction as she straightened herself, declaring loudly, "Try to hurt either of my daughters again, bitch, and I WILL have your mighty brain in a jar! I mean it! Nod if you understand me!"
She then watched as the mudblood nodded frantically as much as her neck brace allowed. Eventually, Julia nodded. "Very good, child," she said before proceeding to stun the girl, ensuring that before Hermione Granger lost consciousness, she would hear her say one last word clearly.
"Diffindo."
