Betrayal of the Black

chapter sixty-nine

THIRTEEN HOURS LATER

"VISION IN YOUR RIGHT EYE has been permanently lost," informed a healer, tightening gauze around the aforementioned eye. "Unfortunately, medical attention was delayed too long, and even then, I'm not confident that healing your eye to full vision would have been possible."

"Yes, yes. I understand." She pulled her hands towards her chest, only for them to be restricted halfway. There was a soft jingle of metal. "Totally delayed myself getting medical attention on purpose. Has nothing to do with the fact I've been handcuffed to this table for the last four hours."

The healer shifted on his feet uncomfortably, but when the man opposite Celestia gave a flick of his wrist, the healer was quick to flee the room. With a sigh, she focused back on the man on the other side of the table.

It was a miracle that the Ministry had managed to band itself together again in such short time. In all honesty, she hadn't thought far enough into the future to consider what was going to happen after the final battle at Hogwarts. Her, Theo, Draco, and Regulus had been the only Death Eaters who hadn't fled as soon as Voldemort had died. The Ministry was always vying for a win, so it was no surprise that it had led to the four of them being separated into interrogation rooms.

After losing consciousness, she'd been informed that Mary and Madam Pomfrey had done their best to try and heal her. In the end, though, they had been unable to save her vision. She woke up a few hours later, and those from the Ministry had arrived and demanded she and many others be taken into custody.

Mary, Pansy, and Blaise had all been taking in for questioning due to their affiliation with their group. It had enraged her at first, but through a crack in the door a few hours ago, she'd heard that they'd been let go. Harry, she knew, was also somewhere in the Ministry, undoubtedly giving them an account of the events that occurred.

All she wanted to do was go home and sleep. She was no longer in excruciating pain, but it seemed the fight wasn't over quite yet. Verbally, at least. At the rate this interrogation was going, she wasn't sure if going home was even in the cards for her anymore.

Orson Thornton glared at Celestia, but she pretended to pay him no mind. It had been much like this for the past four hours. She didn't really understand what the point of the interrogation was, seeing as there had been many witnesses to everyone she had killed during the battle, and Harry as a witness to her murder of Dumbledore. Still, it's not like she were going to outright admit it, anyway. She was pretty sure they had delayed her medical treatment as some sort of threatening tactic.

"It is a mystery how your cavalier attitude has brought you this far. But it won't take you any further," he began to threaten. "Whether you confess or not, you're going to be thrown into Azkaban just like your father was."

Are they threatening you with Azkaban as well? she asked Theo.

Mhm, came his answer. How you holding up, darling?

Gave me some pain medicine. Vision in my right eye is completely gone, apparently, which sucks, but I don't exactly have the time to dwell on that right now. She fiddled with the chains of her handcuffs which had been strung through a bar on the table. I miss you.

I miss you more, he promised.

Before she could answer him, Orson slammed a fist down onto the table. "Are you even listening to me, Black? You'll never see the light of day again! The Dementors will leach every lick of happiness you may attempt to find in there! Now, answer me, did—"