intoxicating. / / fred weasley / / under revision

Chapter 98

They Disapparated. The gravel driveway to the manor house is wide and has a large hedge curving alongside it. The manor house surrounded by elaborate gardens, including a fountain. Nothing like the cottage by the sea or the burrow. It wasn't warm. Walking through the front door, it felt sterile. It didn't feel like a home. The hallway is large, dimly lit, and sumptuously decorated, with a magnificent carpet covering the stone floor. The walls of the entrance hall display pale-faced portraits lining the walls, and at the end of the hall is the bronze-handled door to the drawing room. Around her, the group was welcomed for the first time. But she was welcomed with the memory of horror and pain. She was back at the Malfoy Manor.

Maeve was pulled into the dark interior of the Malfoy Manor, followed by the rest of the group. Fred noticed Maeve's eyes were stuck on the floor in front of them, she couldn't get her eyes off a part of the floor that was in front of the fireplace. She expected to see herself there, bleeding and crying. She expected she would see herself, close to death.

"Look who came back!" Bellatrix threw her arms up in the air. Maeve broke her sight with the floor and looked up. Narcissa, Lucius and Draco Malfoy looked at the girl. Both Narcissa and Draco shared the same look, regret. Fred looked from Maeve back to the Malfoy's, and then it hit him. She's been here. This was where she was taken.

"But who did you bring this time, Little Salamander." Bellatrix laughed, grabbing Maeve's chin in her hand, pushing it to face everyone. Everyone's face went pale. The last time the trio saw Bellatrix, they thought she killed Maeve. Fred was being rushed with memories of her nightmares, her screaming in her sleep when she came back. George felt like he could throw up, he could see the fear in everyone's face. Even the Malfoys, for the girl.  "bring an audience to finally watch you die.. I'll make sure it happens this time." She pushed her hand off Maeve's face, walking around examining the group. Maeve looked up and saw Draco. She hadn't seen him since she graduated, she had almost forgot about him. She then remember the last time they talked, she told him, he wasn't his parents. She could tell, that conversation was going through his head. He had the same guilty look on his face when she found him in the hall, before her first detention with Umbridge.

"Bring the freak and her little twins into the cellar, I'll finish her last. I want to take my sweet time with her." Bellatrix laughed. "Wormtail!"

"Y-Yes ma'am." Peter nodded, and then grabbing Maeve's arm dragging her to the cellar with the twins not far behind. He opened the gate and pushed her inside, he wasn't gentle about it either. She was flung through the entrance and skidded across the floor. The twins were both strong enough to keep their balance. Once the gate was shut closed they raced to her, helping her up.

"Maeve, Maeve look at me." Fred grabbed her face, "You've been here? Haven't you?"

She nodded.

"When?" George asked, she looked up at him with glassy eyes, "Oh.." He realized.

"They're g-going t-t-to k-ii-lll me." She cried.

"No they won't, I won't let them." Fred assured her, "I won't let anyone touch you."

"Did you see a snake?" She began to hyperventilate, looking around her frantically. Memories swarmed her head, memories of the snake telling her all her fears. Fred could tell she was having flashbacks, so he pulled her into a hug. Interrupting those thoughts.

"Maeve?"

The twins and Maeve's head snapped to the direction of the voice.

"Maeve? Is that you?" A familiar dreamy voice was heard from the corner. Luna came out of the darkness, her lip had a small cut on it and her eye was discolored but it looked like a healing bruise.