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- 20 -
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Bellatrix was laughing.
Harry was yelling.
He's not dead, no he can't be. There has to be some way, any way, to get him back. I don't... I don't understand? It's an archway, just an archway right. He's fine, he has to be fine.
The longer I stand there waiting for Sirius to reappear, the weaker my knees feel. Suddenly I'm falling, my legs giving way. My wand slips from my hand and clatters loudly on the stone steps as I sink, I think I hear it roll away from me, clattering each time it reaches an edge. I myself never touch the ground. Someone catches me from behind, their face hidden from me. The person pulls me backwards, through the doorway and back into the brain room. It's empty now, the remnants of Ron's battle with the brain scattered across the floor. Did someone find them and get them out, they had to be okay, I couldn't take it if they weren't.
"Sirius," I mutter, staring forward at the doorway as it slams shut. I push at the arms of the person holding me, trying to free myself from their grip. "No, I have to help, I... Sirius."
"Elora, stop- Stop!" The voice shouts, flicking me around and turning me to face them. Sebastian? He's still wearing dark robes, but his hood is gone now. He's gripping my shoulders, watching me intently. "I'm sorry Elora, he's gone."
"No! He can't be, no," I'm whimpering now, gripping the front of his robes in my hands. "Seb, no I-"
A spell hits my side, sending me spinning to the side. Someone else has entered the room, another Death Eater. Their hood is still on as they stalk closer to me. I scramble to my feet, desperate for my wand but knowing it's on the other side of the door. The person doesn't head straight for me however, and walks directly to Sebastian.
"What are you doing," The man hisses, pulling off his hood as he speaks. The man is short and blonde, with a hard look on his face. He scowls at Sebastian, who for the first time since I had met him, seems to shrink back into himself. The man looks at me, an evil look on his face. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Black."
I stare at him, standing firm despite the grief that's clenched around my chest.
"I must admit, I didn't realise who you were until you ever so gracefully informed Bellatrix of your name," He laughs cruelly, taking a few steps towards me. Instinctively, I stumble backwards. "I can see it now, especially when Bellatrix used Cruciatus on you."
"I don't understand," I stutter out, nothing he said made sense. He laughed cruelly at me once more, Sebastian was nearly cowering from behind him.
"I remember it like it was yesterday, the way your mother writhed under my curse. She begged me to stop, it was pathetic really. Though I must admit I quite enjoyed it when she stopped begging for me to stop, and started begging for death." He grinned, he flipped his wand around in his hand as he took steps closer. I felt my heart crumbling into pieces, but with the very mention of my mother I knew, I couldn't give him the satisfaction. "That's right Miss Black, I killed your mother, and now, I'm going to kill you." He looked to Seastian, as if a thought had suddenly struck him. "Even better, my son will kill you," His hand clasped Sebastian's shoulder, and pushed him forward. I glanced between the two, son? There were barely any similarities between the two, other than the hardened Slytherin exterior they both presented. "Like father like son, a nice bonding moment for us Sebastian."
"Father I ca-"
"You can Sebastian, you know the spell," Sebastian's father hissed, "This is your chance to prove to the Dark Lord that you're worthy, she's a blood traitor, she's worthless."
Sebastian raised his wand, pointing it at me with a shaky hand.
"Seb, please," I whispered, taking a miniscule step forward. I stared at him with soft eyes, pleading not with the Death Eater that stood before me, but the boy that teased me about my boyfriend within minutes of meeting. The boy who befriended the famous Quidditch star not because of his fame, but because he too could see just how isolated he was. "You don't need to do this."
Seb stared at me, his wand visibly shaking. His father grew impatient as Seb made no move to curse me, and pushed him harshly to the side.
"Useless boy," He mutters, with his wand up he sends a spell in my direction. With no way to protect myself, it launches me backwards. My head hits first slamming against the wall, just as it had earlier in the space room, and leaves me dazed. Dizzily I touch the back of my head, my blurry vision still being able to see the blood that now coats it. Sebastian is still on the ground, staring at me in shock. Yaxley stands above me, condescendingly staring down at me.
"What do you say Miss Black, will you beg like your mudblood mother?" Woozily I pull myself up so I'm sat up against the wall, staying silent as I watch the man taunting me from above. "Crucio!" The same pain I felt before courses through me, white hot and seething. My body curls and shudders as the curse wreaks through my body. My mind screamed for the pain to end, and when relief finally came I wanted to sigh in relief. Had someone come to save me once again? Was Sirius still with me? Was he standing between me and the devil once more?
"Are you ready to beg yet Elora," Yaxley snarled, crouching before me like a beast ready to devour its prey. A sob spilled from my lips, betraying my want to stand strong. I had to... I... I couldn't. The spell hit me once more, worse than the last. Someone was screaming.
Me?
Was I screaming?
I couldn't be sure, my ears rang, my blood boiled inside of me. I wanted an end, I wanted this to be over, I couldn't do this any longer.
"Please," I sobbed, somehow I was on my side, curled into a fetal position. I could see someone staring back at me, a kind face, a familiar face. Sebastian. "Seb, plea-" Another scream ripped through my body as the curse hit me once more.
The pain stopped suddenly once more.
"Enough Father!" I faintly heard Sebastian stating, "She's had enough."
"You need to learn, boy," The man snapped, "Even pretty bloodtratoirs like this one deserve to die."
Pain rocked my body once more, I was clawing at my skin as I heard the man laughly faintly from above. I couldn't take any more pain.
"Please," I pleaded through screams of pain, "I can't, please no more!"
A final surge of pain cascaded through my body, before suddenly nothing. The curse was stopped short, and, as I drifted out of consciousness, a new face flooded my vision.
I knew them, I knew I knew them.
They were pale, scarred, but kind. They were the last thing I saw before I lost consciousness entirely.
