When Fire Meets Gasoline | Wizarding World

chapter forty-three | a new prison

Mary didn't miss Malfoy Manor.

The last thing she wanted to see was the gloomy estate, along with the people inside of it. Fear and dread took over as Bellatrix Lestrange was there waiting for them. She used her wand to lift the enchantments and to open the gates.

She felt Draco staring at her as they kept walking, but didn't exchange a glance his way in response. There was guilt piling up inside of her, knowing that part of this was her fault, along with Draco getting dragged back in this mess as well.

"It's great to be back, isn't it?" he muttered in a sarcastic tone.

"I'm thrilled," she responded back with the same tone.

"I'm sorry for what I did," he said. "If it hadn't been for me--"

"You didn't have a choice," she interrupted him. "Don't blame yourself for that."

When they reached the front door, Draco and Mary's parents were already there to lead them inside. It looked as if nothing had been touched, yet everything was spotless. Seeing that the manor was the same, Mary expected the people residing in it didn't change, either.

The Snatchers took the Fire Pack to the drawing room, where the long table from before was no longer there. Mary watched as her friends were pushed down to their knees, grunts and gasps escaping their lips. For a moment, she turned away, locking eyes with her parents. She wasn't sure if the expressions on their faces was relief that their daughter was safe or angry that their daughter ran away. One thing Mary was certain about was that most likely, her parents were disappointed in her decision.

Did they expect her to get caught? Mary didn't know, but this was something she didn't anticipate at all.

Scabior backed away, along with the other Snatchers, letting Bellatrix take over. She paced around the five of them, her eyes scanning each individual person, a small snicker coming out of her mouth. Each move she made was careful, as Bellatrix Lestrange was one to observe every detail in someone until they were ready to crack. Good thing Bellatrix wasn't focusing on Mary, then, because she was just about to reach her breaking point.

When Bellatrix was finished looking at the Fire Pack, she lifted her head, turning towards the Snatchers. "Are they all Mudbloods?" she asked.

"It's just those two," Scaboir answered, pointing at Oliver and Eliza.

"And the rest of them?"

"The two boys are half-bloods and the girl is pure-blood."

"Are you sure?"

"I confirmed it, Auntie," Draco spoke up. "They went to Hogwarts with Mary and I."

Mary took a deep breath as she heard her parents step beside her, to which she didn't glance their way. Instead, she kept her eyes fixated on Oliver, where tears were about to form. When he glanced at her, there was nothing but hurt plastered on his face, an expression that made Mary's heart ache.

It wasn't entirely my fault this happened, she thought. She just wished she could tell Oliver and the rest of his friends that. Maybe they'd understand once they got the full story, but really, it was obvious that she had diminished the trust she had built up these last few months. All of that for nothing, it seemed like.

No.

She wasn't going to let that hard work go to waste. No matter how she did it, she had to let them know how it went down. It might not convince them, no matter how hard she tried, but she had to put some effort into it. Otherwise, the Fire Pack would turn into ashes in no time.

"Very well, then," Bellatrix stated, a smirk creeping up on her face. "I think I'm going to have fun with these two." She motioned her hand towards Oliver and Eliza. "Take them all down to the cellar for now, minus the blood traitor. Her, Mary, and Draco are coming with me."