𝐑𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 | ℒ𝓊𝒸𝒾𝓊𝓈 ℳ𝒶𝓁𝒻ℴ𝓎

Chapter 30: Her little secret

Catalina was thrown by Bellatrix and the Death Eaters in the cellar. She fell on the cold, hard floor, scratching her palms. Several lines of blood appeared on her skin, making her hiss in pain.

Lucius was pacing around the dinning hall with his hands behind his back, thinking. His eyes were red and puffy and his hair, a mess. He didn't even look like himself anymore. Million thoughts ran through his mind from wondering how he knew so little about Catalina to how he got all of them in this mess. Firstly, he couldn't believe that he fell in love with a muggle. All his life, even several minutes ago, he still held the belief that muggles are beneath the wizards. He supported the wizarding supremacy with all his heart, even in the absence of Voldemort. He just didn't want to be a part of Death Eaters anymore but his beliefs were still there. He thought about how in seconds, everything he supported crumbled under a shocking confession from the person he loved more than himself. A muggle. A person whom he was against and considered inferior. Now he questioned where he actually stood in this whole ordeal. Could he like muggles just because of it? Absolutely not. But he wouldn't give up on her because she was a muggle. He hated muggles. All muggles but her.

But yet, enslaving and killing muggles would include her too. No one would stand for an exception just because he said so. He had to pick a side. And for her, well, he could endure being humiliated for affiliating himself with the muggles. He would do anything for her. But how? How could he get her out of here? All the Death Eaters were watching him and soon, Voldemort would be there. He could not drag time and get himself killed right now in his attempt to get her to safety simply because he wouldn't know what would happen to her if he dies and then, he certainly wouldn't be able to help her. And on the other hand, it's not like his death would stop Voldemort from killing muggles. She would still be in danger.

Draco threw his father a hateful look. He despised that he was a Malfoy and that he was dragged here. And now, Catalina had to pay the price too just because of him. Even though he hated the situation between her and his family, he still care about his best friend. She was the best person in his life and he could not bear seeing her die.

Lucius decided that he would try to advise them regarding Catalina, making it seem like he was still on their side.

While everyone was busy and agitated, Snape went down to the cellar. He looked at the poor girl who laid on the cold stone, hugging her knees to her chest and crying quietly. He noticed how she shivered slightly at the cold, her skin getting goosebumps.

"Miss Fawley." He spoke lowly.

She raised her head slightly but got scared of the Death Eater in front of her. She used her hands to push her whole body backwards until her back was pressed against the opposite wall. She started to tremble in fear.

He opened his hand, showing her a familiar necklace that she received as a gift from Arthur Weasley. "This fell from you." He explained. "If I'm correct, this stone is what I think it is. You will need it later." He bent down slowly and placed it on the ground, close enough for her to reach it.

He turned his back and was about to leave, but not before he took one last glance at her over his shoulder. "I'm sorry this is happening to you." His face softened as he told her those words from his heart. "You do not deserve it." And with that, he left.

***

Hours have passed and she was still there. Frozen and alone. She shivered and hugged herself tighter. Several steps and shouts were heard before the cellar was opened and inside were thrown Harry, Ron and Hermione. Catalina noticed that Harry's face was different, a sign that he was trying to hide his identity.

One of the Death Eaters entered the cell and took hurried steps towards Catalina until he stopped in front of her. She looked at his polished shoes, then slowly her eyes traveled up to his face. He had a smug smirk on his face. "Come with me. Miss Lestrange wants to get to know you." He yanked her by her arm, forcefully, making her stand on her feet. Catalina cried in pain at the tight grip he had on her arm. She could already feel the bruise forming.

He dragged her after him, making her stumble on her own feet.

"Catalina!" Harry shouted after her but it was futile. The cellar closed right in front of his nose.

***

After the Death Eater dragged Catalina upstairs, he threw her body on the floor like she was garbage, in front of Bellatrix who giggled evilly. She bent down to face her and look into her half closed eyes. "Oh, my dear, look at you." She said with fake compassion. Bella used Catalina's own wand to push back a few strands of the girl's hair behind her ear.

Lucius and Draco were several steps behind her, watching. The tension felt in every fiber of their muscles.

"How did a mudblood like you make someone like him so weak?" She asked. Catalina whined, moving her eyes to Lucius like she was pleading him. Bellatrix looked over her shoulder and smiled at the older Malfoy who only swallowed the lump in his throat to stop his crying. He closed his palms in fists and it took everything from his body to not kill Bellatrix right there and get him and Catalina killed in the process.

"Oh, but I've heard it, right? Muffliato only works if it's not cancelled by a stronger spell." She chuckled. "How would you think that I would let such precious information get away from the Dark Lord?" She asked Lucius with her back turned to him.

"Now, what should I do with you?" She dragged the tip of Catalina's wand on her cheek.

Bellatrix took one of her knives and dragged the blade across Catalina's arm. Catalina opened her eyes wide and screamed in pain while her body started to twitch.

The sound was like a torture to both Lucius and Draco.

Bellatrix held her down, dragging the blade on her skin again and again, leaving trails of blood. The blood poured on her pale skin and onto the floor, straining it. Catalina kept screaming and crying. "What can you do without your wand?" Bellatrix mocked her.

She pulled the blade from her skin, admiring her work of art. It was written the word "mudblood" in cuts. "There you go. Now you can't lie anymore about what a filthy creature you actually are." She spat, getting up from her position. She took a step back, admiring a Catalina that struggled to breathe and had a panic attack. Blood strained her skin and clothes while tears continued to fall on her cheeks.

Bellatrix turned to Lucius while everyone watched in silence. He could not bear to look at the gore image in front of him. His eyes were looking at the floor. Bella smiled wickedly.

She took her own wand, turning to Catalina and pointing her wand. "Crucio."

Catalina's loud scream echoed through the entire manor and her body reacted. She twisted and turned in pain while her lungs almost gave up from so much crying and screaming. Several tears fell on Draco's face as he watched his best friend being tortured.

Catalina felt her like her bones were snapped and her organs were ripped out. Her whole body started to tremble uncontrollably from the shock.

Lucius' hand went to his heart, holding it. It was like someone was trying to rip his heart out of his chest. The more he watched, the closer his heart was to being ripped. He felt like he couldn't breathe and had to inhale deeply several times.

Soon, Catalina's legs started shaking frantically, even more than the rest of her body. Down the inside of her thighs, she felt a warm and thick liquid pouring down. Her eyes widened in fear.

Blood.

Her shaky right hand went to her belly, trying to gather the last amount of power she had left. "My baby, my baby, my baby." She kept whispering again and again while crying and dealing with the ungodly amount of physical pain that she was in. "My baby, no." She closed her eyes shut and started crying loudly.

Even if her voice was faint, Lucius heard her words clearly. His head snapped towards her and towards the blood that poured from under her knee length skirt. His eyes widened in fear.

With a quick flick of his wand, he disarmed Bellatrix, making her wand fly high in the air, and land several steps away.

"Enough!" He shouted in anger.

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