Marooned - Fred Weasley

Chapter 77: Malfoy Manor

TW: the title is pretty self explanatory since we all know what happens at the manor, mention of blood and metaphorically described scenes of torture.

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Like nothing of the past months had happened, Sarah found herself back at the Manor. Her heart was heavy, if she didn't know any better, she would think she was experiencing some post traumatic stress from what had happened the night before Dobby had rescued her.

She didn't have any other explanation for the way her limbs stopped working when the Snatcher led her inside. After the first step over the marble floor, her feet tangled together and she fell head first, became paralyzed with fear. This had never happened, nor did she wish to relive it. Her fall earned her a furious growl into her ear. When the man got her up to her feet, he had to carry her into the vast room the Malfoys were waiting in. It made everyone behind her exchange a deeply worried glance.

It was as if her body had finally succumbed to the nonstop added and unprocessed trauma. She wondered how exactly she will be able to go through seeing those dungeons again.

"Incoming!" sneered the man holding her.

"What do we have here?" Bellatrix appeared at the end of the hallway and stepped towards them. With a bit of luck, she considered Sarah's face irrelevant and had forgotten it.

They showed her Harry's forehead and she called for Draco immediately. He walked in and looked around at everyone, when he was asked about Harry, he was hesitant.

"Well?" Bellatrix yanked on Harry's hair, her wand pointing at his face. "Look closer, Draco."

If Sarah got something from the way Draco was looking, talking, or just standing in general, it was that he didn't want to be here.

Sarah and Hermione were held by Fenrir Greyback, the werewolf. Two others were holding George and Fred by the collar, Selena and Ron had another Snatcher guarding them, although he actually had an arm around Selena and his wand pointed at Ron. Their chief was pacing around the room, probably waiting for his bounty.

Draco was categorically unsure of who the disfigured person before him was, everyone kept exchanging uneasy looks because they knew him enough to believe he will sell them out any second. Only Sarah knew he wouldn't. She just knew.

"What's wrong with his face?" grimaced Draco.

"Probably something he picked up in the forest," said the Snatcher holding Fred and George.

Only Bellatrix saw right through it, "Or a stinging jinx."

"Was it you dearie?" she pointed at Hermione with a sly smile. "Check her wand, see what her last spell was."

She chuckled sickly when her suspicion had been proved but came to a full stop when she saw the sword of Gryffindor hanging from the belt of the Snatcher holding Hermione and Sarah.

"Where did you get that?" she gasped out.

"It was in one of their bags," he tilted his head towards the three girls. "Can't remember which one but I reckon it's mine now."

He didn't get to finish that, Bellatrix brandished her wand and threw a cord around his neck. He let go of them both to bring his hands to his neck, grunting and gasping for air. The others tried to intervene but in a brief move they were all immobilized as well. She took the sword of Gryffindor and yelled, "Out! Get out! Get out!"