The Siren's Call (A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

161. Escape

Dioleh was sobbing throatily on the ground, her entire body throbbing and trembling as Bellatrix stood above her, looking livid. Drawing a knife from her robes, Bellatrix crouched down by Dioleh before straddling her waist. Running the tip of the knife from her forehead to her jaw, Bellatrix demanded in a low, dangerous voice, "What did you take from my vault?"

"Nothing!" Dioleh sobbed. Crouching over her body, Bellatrix began making deep, long cuts that cause Dioleh to let out a shrill scream as she writhed beneath her. Dioleh couldn't even form words as the pain overrode her mind.

"WHAT DID YOU TAKE FROM MY VAULT!" Bellatrix shrieked. When the only answer was Dioleh's sobs, Bellatrix began cutting into her chest and stomach again. Dioleh shrieked, fighting as hard as she could against Bellatrix as the woman made several more marks along her body.

"WE DIDN'T TAKE ANYTHING!" Dioleh cried. "AHHHH!" The scream was so piercing, Dioleh herself couldn't even believe the noise had come from her mouth as Bellatrix drove the blade from along her forehead down to her eye. She missed the eye by a hair. Bellatrix got back to her feet, raising her wand again.

"Answer me and the pain stops," she said with a fixed smile. "CRUCIO!" Dioleh screamed again, a piercing, blood-curdling scream that caused even the hairs on Lucius' neck to stand on end.

Down in the cellar, Draco was pounding on the door, sobbing as he tried to break through. Banging his fists against the door a final time, he collapsed to the ground, pressing his fists into his temples as though by causing himself pain he could somehow block out hers. Imani was crying quietly, wrapped in Andre's arms. His grip tightened every time he heard the screams as he began to shake. Hermione was sobbing in Ron's arms as Luna worked through the knots around their wrists with a rusty nail.

"I'm going to ask you again!" Bellatrix screeched. "Where did you get this sword?! Where!"

"We found it!" Dioleh sobbed. "We found it! Please!" She screamed again. Draco was curled into himself so tightly he felt as though he were about to burst. Blaise was pacing back and forth in a nervous, anxious pattern.

"You're lying, you filthy little siren!" Bellatrix shrieked. "And I know it! You have been inside my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth!" Dioleh screamed again. She was turning deathly pale and was fighting to remain conscious. "What else did you take?! What else have you got! Tell me the truth or I swear I shall run you through with this knife!"

Dioleh was screaming again as Ron began running around the cellar looking for a way out. "There's no way out, Ron," Luna said gently. "The cellar is completely escape-proof." Draco was pressing his palms into his temples again as he cried, banging his back into the door behind him in a small attempt to escape.

"Imani, how did you escape?" Ron asked desperately.

Shakily, Andre said, "She had Draco, idiot. He could get in and out." Dioleh screamed again and an audible sob left Draco's lips.

"What else did you take! What else?!" Bellatrix screamed over Dioleh's still-writhing body. "ANSWER ME! CRUCIO!" Dioleh screamed again.

"IT ISN'T A REAL SWORD! IT ISN'T REAL!" Dioleh screamed through her pain. Draco began breathing a little easier as she didn't start screaming again.

"A likely story!" Bellatrix scoffed, crouching over Dioleh again and making another slash in her arm. But Dioleh's body had become so numb, she couldn't even feel it.

"But we can find out easily!" Lucius said excitedly. "The goblin downstairs!"

"Fetch him. Now," Bellatrix ordered.

The sound of footsteps approached them as Lucius stopped by the door and ordered, "Stand back! Line up against the back wall. Don't try anything or I'll kill you!" Draco had to be forced to his feet by Blaise as the door opened. Lucius avoided his son's hateful gaze as he seized Griphook by the arm and disappeared out the door again.