Chapter 22 - Malfoy Manor

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Aurora looked around at the other three, now mere outlines in the darkness. She saw Hermione point her wand, set toward the outside, but into Harry's face; there was a bang, a burst of white light, and Harry buckled in agony. His face was swelling rapidly as rough hands grabbed him.

"Get up, vermin."

Aurora felt sickened, and she knew it was fruitless to fight. Some figure grabbed Hermione as hands felt in her pockets for her wand.

"Get -- off - her!" Ron shouted. There was the unmistakable sound of knuckles hitting flesh: Ron grunted in pain and Hermione screamed, "No! Leave him alone, leave him alone!"

"Your boyfriend's going to have worse than that done to him if he's on my list," said the horribly familiar, rasping voice. "Delicious girl... what a treat . . . I do enjoy the softness of the skin. . . ."

Aurora's stomach turned over and she was close to retching. She knew who this was, Fenrir Greyback, the werewolf who was permitted to wear Death Eater robes in return for his hired savagery.

"Search the tent!" said another voice.

Aurora was thrown face down onto the ground. Hermione was thrown down next to her. She could hear footsteps and crashes; the men were pushing over chairs inside the tent as they searched.

"Now, let's see who we've got," said Greyback's gloating voice from overhead, and Harry was rolled over onto his back.

Greyback, standing over Harry, laughed. "I'll be needing butterbeer to wash this one down. What happened to you, ugly?"

Harry did not answer immediately.

"I said," repeated Greyback, and Harry received a blow to the diaphragm that made him double over in pain. "what happened to you?"

"Stung." Harry muttered. "Been Stung."

"Yeah, looks like it." said a second voice.

Aurora was casting around in her mind for names. For something to say.

"What's your name?" snarled Greyback.

"Dudley," said Harry.

"And your first name?"

"I -- Vernon. Vernon Dudley."

"Check the list, Scabior." said Greyback, and Aurora heard him move sideways. There was a bright light in her eyes. "And you, ginger?"

"Stan Shunpike." said Ron.

"Like 'ell you are." said the man called Scabior. "We know Stan Shunpike, 'e's put a bit of work our way." There was another thud.

"I'b Bardy," said Ron, and Aurora could tell that his mouth was full of blood. "Bardy Weasley."

"A Weasley?" rasped Greyback. "So you're related to blood traitors even if you're not a Mudblood. Your pretty little friend . . ."

The relish in his voice made Aurora flesh crawl.

"Easy, Greyback." said Scabior over the jeering of the others.

"Oh, I'm not going to bite just yet. We'll see if she's a bit quicker at remembering her name than Barny. Who are you, girly?"

"Penelope Clearwater." said Hermione. She sounded terrified, but convincing.

"What's your blood status?"

"Half-Blood." said Hermione.

"Easy enough to check," said Scabior.

Greyback turned his attention to Aurora. She winced from the bright light in her eyes, and her head, involuntarily, turned sideways. Greyback let out a horrible laugh, and she -- far too late -- realized what he'd seen.

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