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NOT LONG AGO had the moon and the stars arrived at the Ambrose Manor. The thirteen year old children had not failed to note the absence of their mothers at Platform 9¾. The unspoken questions of their mothers' whereabouts were answered as they followed their fathers into Axel Ambrose's office.
The women had tears flowing down their faces, thick ropes fastened them to a chair and gags placed in their mouths. Former perfectly done hair and makeup, unkempt. It did not take much to understand the Incarcerous Spell had been utilized. For how long was indefinite.
Draco Malfoy and Elara Ambrose endeavored to rush to the mothers' sides to help, except Lucius extended an arm to keep them back. The entire time Axel paced behind his desk — frustration radiating off him. There had never been silence so loud.
Through watery vision, the pair glanced at their mothers to ensure no further harm was done. The children — well aware — their mothers were capable of performing nonverbal and wandless magic, pondered why they weren't doing anything. Their once unsettled question then answered by the simplest of movements. Time after time when the women attempted to escape, ropes grew tighter leaving marks on their exposed skin, and more tears were shed.
Whenever Elara and Draco turned away from their mothers, they were met with the pitiless glares of their fathers. The duo no longer cared what happened to them so long as their mothers were freed from their current state.
Lucius had been the one to break the stillness, jaw clenched tight, sneering at the children down the length of his nose. He approached his son, rather slowly, giving enough time for Elara to notice his raising hand and push herself in front of Draco. The sound of skin hitting skin reverberated around the office. Elara Ambrose possessed a reddening cheek, yet didn't feel any stinging sensation. She could hear the faintness of shouts from Draco and muffled yells from the mothers — but neither could compare to the deafening ringing in her right ear.
Receiving hits from Lucius Malfoy was not a first for her. Elara was blessed with a photographic memory but these moments were not ones she found important enough to recollect — therefore vaguely remembering the instances in the past. Why would she ever want to replay the beatings of her best friend? Elara Ambrose was far from a sick person.
She could not bear Draco Malfoy getting hurt as she was involuntarily forced to sit and watch. For such reason, the girl in a sense persuaded Lucius and Axel to trade Draco's punishments for added punishments to herself. So long as they pledged to not lay a finger on him and as long as she never spoke of her punishments to Draco, the men were content. And well.. everyone knew how grievously Elara kept promises and how protective she was over him.
