PRETENDING TO LIVE~ {The Lestrange Daughter #2}

𝟕𝟏. Cruciatus

TRIGGER WARNING; Contains depictions of torture. Not terribly graphic but please take care if you are sensitive to such things.

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Valentine signed her name neatly at the bottom of the letter. She then set her quill back in the ink well and slid the letter into a new envelope, placing it atop the small pile.

She'd been writing replies to Draco and the others. Apparently, Leah had accidentally stood on Mrs Norris and sent Flich into an absolute rage. Flich had dragged her in front of Snape, demanding she be punished. Valentine could just imagine Snape's irritating twitching brow and she'd actually laughed out loud. 

Leah had written about how it was an accident and she'd never meant to step on Mrs Norris. Valentine believed her. Leah, who felt horrid about the whole ultimately harmless affair, would never purposely hurt an animal like that. Though of course, that wouldn't convince Flich. 

Blaze insisted that the whole thing had been completely hilarious, whereas Draco didn't mention it in his letter. He didn't say much at all, but everyone else seemed to have something to say about him.

Leah said that he hadn't smiled once since Valentine had returned to the manor. Blaze said that he only ate when they nagged him. Benjamin said that even from a distance, Draco looked like a shell of himself. 

Valentine had nothing to laugh at there. She itched all over to do something, but in this instance she was unable. So, she read her letters and tried not to set them on fire out of her own frustration. 

Valentine stretched her arms up over her head and sighed. There was one letter she was yet to receive. She still hadn't gotten word from Samson Pike. It was another thing that made her itch. She was forced to be resigned to her own uselessness and it made her want to scream.

Then there was a sudden knock at the door, pulling her from her damning thoughts.

"Come in." She said in a dull, bored tone, not turning around as the person entered.

"It's Emma, Miss." Said the maid. "I'm just here to collect your laundry, but I can come back if you're busy."

Valentine waved a lazy arm at her and Emma headed for the bathroom. The uneven pace of her steps struck Valentine almost immediately.

Valentine twisted around to look at the woman.

"Emma."

The maid froze, her back tensing.

"Miss?" She peered over her shoulder nervously.

"You were limping just now." 

"Uh..." Emma wasn't sure how to reply, staring down at her feet. 

"Look at me." Valentine ordered.

When Emma hesitated Valentine stood. 

Emma then did turn around, eyes clamped shut tightly.

Valentine's face almost dropped at the sight.

Emma's lip was cut and bruised in one corner. Her brow had an odd bump to it, painted the same dark purple as her lip. 

That was just her face, Valentine realized. She could see the way Emma was holding one arm stiffly against her side and the way she was most certainly standing to keep the pressure off her left foot.

"What the fuck happened to you?" Valentine frowned.

"If it bothers you, Miss, I can have them looked after right away." Emma spoke quickly, eyes still shut tightly. "I was going to wait until I finished my work for the morning is all..."