PRETENDING TO LIVE~ {The Lestrange Daughter #2}

𝟓𝟓. Throat

Valentine quickly wrapped the sandwich in the handkerchief, casting a wary glance at the closed door.

As far as the occupants of Malfoy Manor knew, she'd never even stepped a foot inside the kitchens. They were considered to be the servant's domain, only entered by maids and house elves and the like and far beneath her notice.

She didn't know what she would say if she was caught. She knew that she was a risk and if it came down to it she'd throw any half baked lie out the window and throw her intimidation into full throttle. But mostly she was honestly just hoping that she wouldn't get caught.

She heard loud laughter elsewhere in the house, somewhere upstairs. Despite the good distance between herself and whoever it was, she decided she best leave before she started to push her luck. And oh, how little luck she had.

So, she scooped up the sandwich, now bound in the handkerchief and headed back over to the wall, as she'd gotten in using the secret passageway hidden in the walls of the manor.

The passage entry was still open in full view. It was a tall slot in the wall, maybe a foot wide. Valentine slid through it seamlessly and then started the short search for the switch disguised in the stone.

She flicked it and immediately the wall closed up with a dull rumble. She was left standing in the dark, only lit by the candle on the floor.

She bent down and picked it up before turning and heading back the way she had come, sandwich in one hand, candle in the other.

She didn't come this way often but the path was well engraved in her mind. She battered away low hanging cobwebs as she went.

When she reached The Intersection she set the candle down once more and knelt on the floor. Directly in line with the trapdoor above her was one set in the floor. The trapdoor led to the dungeon and was another passage she rarely had use for.

She wiped away a thick layer of grime, trying not to inhale the blooming grey cloud of dust.

She deftly unlatched it and pulled it open, resting it level with the floor. She felt a cold blast of air travel up to her.

She peeked down the dark shoot. At nearly ten metres deep it didn't even beat the passage to Lucius's now unoccupied study.

She swung her legs down inside the shaft, settling on the ladder fastened to the wall. Then she grabbed the candle and the sandwich, biting down on the knot of her handkerchief so she could carry it easier. With that, she started her descent.

Going down was always so much quicker than up. Less strain on her muscles. As she reached the bottom the shaft started to widen, similar to the passage to the study. She had a few feet of extra room to stand and did so quietly. At her feet was a thick metal grate in the ceiling of the dungeon.

She listened for a moment, hoping that Ollivander wasn't anywhere near. She knew the layout of the dungeon well enough, but she had no clue what corner the old man was likely curled up in.

She had considered attaching a note. Something that said, 'I'm not poisoned', but she figured that would just make it all the more suspicious.

She knew that Ollivander was being fed, although only enough to keep him lucid. Rabastan had said that Voldemort didn't want to risk the man having the strength to escape. Valentine thought it might have had more to do with breaking the man's spirit.

She didn't enjoy thinking about the innocent man locked in the dungeon, but she refused to hide it from herself. The truth was ugly, she'd never looked away from it before and she wasn't about to start. So, she pushed the sandwich through the grating that was just wide enough that she could slide the sandwich through sideways. She figured the handkerchief would keep its contents in edible condition despite the ceiling to floor drop.