It Was Never Supposed to Be Easy
Neville's Fate
And then…
The door swung open again and the tall form of Bellatrix Lestrange came sliding into the room.
“Master?” She whispered.
Voldemort froze, his shoulders stiff and his wand wavered. Behind him, Bellatrix had fallen to her knees, clearly afraid that the wand would be turned to her.
“Bella? I am…how shall I put this…busy!”
At this, he whipped around, his robes slicing through the air. Bellatrix seized for a moment and then she was still. Her face showed memories of the pain that I had so recently felt.
I felt no pity.
“Master…please? There are people here. Two people. They are here.”
Voldemort flew to the window, his robes billowing around him, as if they felt a wind that the rest of us did not.
“Is it the boy?” He hissed.
“Master, it is a boy. And a girl” Bellatrix flinched, clearly expecting to be punished.
“A…girl?” Voldemort whispered, his long fingers stroking his wand.
“Yes….Draco says it’s the Weasley’s blood traitor brat.”
Ginny? Why was she here of all people?
“Is the boy here?”
Bellatrix paused, and then whispered, “No Master. He did not come.”
“Who is the other one then?”
Bellatrix looked up, an expression of pure, fierce joy on her ravaged face.
“It’s Longbottom, Master. Little Neville has decided to join us.”
Voldemort threw back his head and laughed and my stomach dropped. Neither Ron nor Harry had come for me. They had sent Ginny and Neville. Most likely to their deaths. What was going on?
“Oh, my dear Bella. How excellent.”
“Master…?”
“Oh, yes. Yes, Bella…I’ll allow it. He’s useless to me. But to you…I rather think….yes; I think I’d enjoy dinner and a show.”
Bellatrix’s giggle was slow and dark. Her eyes danced, all memories of pain forgotten. She stood slowly, still half bowed.
“Master…Master…you are so kind. So good.”
Voldemort swept out of the room, leaving me alone with Bellatrix.
Bellatrix glanced at me and then she smiled her cruel smile.
“Well…mudblood. How much do you think he’ll scream?”
I whimpered and curled away from her. Neville was going to die, she was going to drive him mad, just like his parents, and then he would die.
It would be long.
And painful.
And all my fault.
“Don’t worry my dear. I’m sure you’ll be allowed to watch. Why, I imagine you’ll even get front row seats.”
Her cackle echoed around the room and then I was alone.
And Neville…and Ginny.
And Ron? Where was Ron?
The door swung open again and the tall form of Bellatrix Lestrange came sliding into the room.
“Master?” She whispered.
Voldemort froze, his shoulders stiff and his wand wavered. Behind him, Bellatrix had fallen to her knees, clearly afraid that the wand would be turned to her.
“Bella? I am…how shall I put this…busy!”
At this, he whipped around, his robes slicing through the air. Bellatrix seized for a moment and then she was still. Her face showed memories of the pain that I had so recently felt.
I felt no pity.
“Master…please? There are people here. Two people. They are here.”
Voldemort flew to the window, his robes billowing around him, as if they felt a wind that the rest of us did not.
“Is it the boy?” He hissed.
“Master, it is a boy. And a girl” Bellatrix flinched, clearly expecting to be punished.
“A…girl?” Voldemort whispered, his long fingers stroking his wand.
“Yes….Draco says it’s the Weasley’s blood traitor brat.”
Ginny? Why was she here of all people?
“Is the boy here?”
Bellatrix paused, and then whispered, “No Master. He did not come.”
“Who is the other one then?”
Bellatrix looked up, an expression of pure, fierce joy on her ravaged face.
“It’s Longbottom, Master. Little Neville has decided to join us.”
Voldemort threw back his head and laughed and my stomach dropped. Neither Ron nor Harry had come for me. They had sent Ginny and Neville. Most likely to their deaths. What was going on?
“Oh, my dear Bella. How excellent.”
“Master…?”
“Oh, yes. Yes, Bella…I’ll allow it. He’s useless to me. But to you…I rather think….yes; I think I’d enjoy dinner and a show.”
Bellatrix’s giggle was slow and dark. Her eyes danced, all memories of pain forgotten. She stood slowly, still half bowed.
“Master…Master…you are so kind. So good.”
Voldemort swept out of the room, leaving me alone with Bellatrix.
Bellatrix glanced at me and then she smiled her cruel smile.
“Well…mudblood. How much do you think he’ll scream?”
I whimpered and curled away from her. Neville was going to die, she was going to drive him mad, just like his parents, and then he would die.
It would be long.
And painful.
And all my fault.
“Don’t worry my dear. I’m sure you’ll be allowed to watch. Why, I imagine you’ll even get front row seats.”
Her cackle echoed around the room and then I was alone.
And Neville…and Ginny.
And Ron? Where was Ron?