The Art of Living - R. Black

thirty five

Song for this chapter: Insane in the Brain - Cypress Hill

TW use of Unforgivable curses, torture, blood, broken bones, death

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Atlas Black

Late March, 1998

The cellar door opens abruptly and two Death Eaters march into the cellar where we're being held. I move to stand in front of Elio, hoping that they're here for someone else. Both Death Eaters grab my brother and me and cast a spell that ties our wrists behind our backs.

"Don't take them," Luna Lovegood says fiercely. "They're just kids."

"Be quiet, blood traitor!" One of the Death Eaters yells.

A Death Eater grabs me by the back of my shirt and pushes me forward so that I stumble over my own feet. He pulls me up harshly and forces me up the narrow stairs.

I oblige and walk up the stairs, Elio right behind me. The Death Eaters have a tight hold on both of us. When we reach the top of the stairs, Elio starts squirming in his captor's hold. The Death Eater is not pleased so he kicks Elio in the back of the knee and pushes the back of his head.

"Hey, don't touch him!" I yell at the Death Eater yanking my little brother along. "You can't do this!"

The Death Eater holding me back tightens the rope tying my wrists behind my back.

"Ow, let go-"

The Death Eater punches me in the face. It happens so fast that I didn't even process it until I hear my nose crunch and feel hot blood run down my face. I've never been punched before but the pain is blinding. He hits me so hard that my vision goes a bit blurry and I feel like I'm going to throw up.

"You can't hit him!" Elio yells. His form is blurred but I can see his captor yank him back and make him wince.

"Shut up or I'll punch you too, you filthy half-blood," My captor yells.

He pushes me forward and I stumble into what looks like a foyer. Everything is extremely expensive and the place looks like it belongs to one of the Sacred 28 families. I scan the pictures lining the foyer and see a few familiar faces.

We're in Malfoy Manor.

"Well, well, well, I guess it's time for a family reunion."

I turn my head to see my cousin Bellatrix. She looks completely manic, twirling her hair with her wand and with a smile on her face that makes me want to run and hide.

"It was awfully rude of your mother and father to not let me meet you boys," She says. "We are family after all."

"We are not your family," I argue through clenched teeth.

Bellatrix frowns and lets out a manic laugh. "Maybe not, but you could be," She suggests. "Just because mummy and daddy have righteous morals doesn't mean you have to. You could be on the winning side, you could be with your family."

"Are you an idiot?" Elio asks with an exasperated laugh.

Bellatrix pauses for a moment and turns her attention to my little brother. "What did you just say to me?" She says harshly.

"I asked if you're an idiot," Elio deadpans. "Because you must be if you think that we would ever want anything to do with you and your cult. You are not our family, you never will be. We will never join you."

Bellatrix stares at Elio and the air suddenly feels very tense. Then she grins. "I can see why you were put in Slytherin, I had my doubts at first," Bellatrix says. "You're just like your father. You're a coward and a traitor. You have so much wasted potential Elio." She surveys the foyer which is empty aside from her, us, the Death Eaters holding us, and the two guards standing in front of the doors.