Ink and Parchment ~ blood and bone

29

“Enervate”

The man woke up with a sharp gasp and immediately began struggling with the ropes that bound him to the chair. Eliza moved forward jamming her wand beneath his chin.

“I suggest you stop struggling” she said calmly and the man instantly stilled beneath her.

“Potter?” he asked his confusion evidently overriding his need to struggle.

“You know who I am but it seems we’re still in the dark about who you are” Eliza commented idly before stabbing her wand harsher against his throat “care to introduce yourself?”

The man spat at her feet.

“Actually darling I think you’ll find that the most important introduction here would be me” Tom drawled and finally stepped out of the shadows to join her in front of their captive.

Eliza had to contain a snort; he was so dramatic.

“You’re that Gaunt brat” the man sneered, lips twisting into a ferocious scowl.

“Oh I’m afraid your mistaken” Tom simpered “but I would be glad to correct you”

Eliza watched curiously and took a few steps back as Tom met the man’s eyes. Suddenly he began screaming in pain, writhing in his chair as the dark mark on his arm pulsed with angry magic.

“My- my lord?” the man panted when his screams came to an end before he shook his head vigorously.

“Yes Barty” Tom said silkily “that is your name isn’t it? Barty?”

The man- Barty shook desperately as another wave of pain wracked his body.

“This is a trick” he growled “I won’t betray my master, I won’t” he kept repeating near delirious with the pain Tom was inflicting on him.

“I find myself growing impatient Barty – tell me what I want to know” Tom demanded with a steely voice. Barty continued to thrash and fight in his bonds.

“I’m going to have to use legilimency on him” Tom told Eliza who had been watching the events unfold “you can leave now if you want”

“And why would I want to leave?” Eliza asked stalking closer towards Barty.

“Do you need direct eye contact?” she asked, Tom nodded watching her with darkened eyes. Eliza lent over Barty and raised her wand so it rested just above the man’s eyes which were squeezed closed.

“Now I suggest you open those eyes Barty. I’m sure you won’t like my alternative methods”

Barty flinched violently but kept up his constant litany, swearing he wouldn’t betray his master. Eliza trailed her wand idly over the curves of his face before she stopped it above his eyelid.

“Are you ready to have something in common with Moody?” Eliza asked sadistically and allowed her wand to heat up in her hand.

His eyes snapped open and instantly Tom cast the spell. Eliza moved away as Tom savaged Barty’s mind and hopped up on the desk Tom had previously been sitting on.

Barty thrashed in his bindings. Shaking as Tom invaded him mind with a careless ruthlessness. Minutes must have passed as Tom waded through the memories of Barty’s entire life until finally the pair of them reeled back with sharp gasps.

“How interesting” Tom purred keeping his eyes locked on Barty.

“What did you find?” Eliza asked immediately and Tom spent the next few minutes recounting Barty’s entire personal history. His years at Hogwarts, his daring escape from Azkaban and his years trapped beneath the imperius curse. Eliza felt sickened. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be trapped like that, to solely serve someone else’s will. It was a surprise he was still sane – well, sane-ish.