𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 | l. lovegood

xlii

𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐅𝐎𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐑 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 as it came into view. Bellatrix Lestrange arrived at the front gates to meet them. Her gaze drifted from Dorothea to Harry, whispering for the two Death Eaters accompanying her to get Draco.

They were brought inside to the sitting room. Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco Malfoy were all there. Bellatrix shoved Harry onto his knees and pulled him up by his hair. Draco was brought forward to identify him.

"I can't be sure," Draco said. Lucius went up and grabbed him roughly by the neck, hissing for him to look closely. He told him that all would be forgiven if they were the ones to turn Harry in.

"Now, we won't be forgetting who actually caught him, I hope, Mr. Malfoy," Scabior said.

"You dare to talk to me like that in my own house?!" Lucius snapped, making Dorothea flinch.

"Lucius!" Narcissa grabbed his arm and pulled him away. Bellatrix beckoned Draco closer. The blonde boy stared at Harry for a moment more.

"What's wrong with his face?" Draco asked.

"Yes, what is wrong with his face?" Bellatrix wondered. One of the Snatchers said that he had come to them like that and reckoned it was something he picked up in the forest. Bellatrix, however, suggested it was a stinging jinx. She suspected Hermione. "Give me her wand. We'll see what her last spell was." She then cackled as she walked forward. "Ah, got you."

Bellatrix gasped when she saw the Sword of Gryffindor in Scabior's hand.

"What's that?" Bellatrix demanded, pointing to the sword. "Where'd you get that from?"

"It was in your niece's bag when we searched her," Scabior answered. He smirked. "Reckon it's mine now."

Bellatrix whipped out her wand and sent a curse flying at him. She did the same to the other Snatchers. "Go! Get out!" she shouted. She stormed over to where Dorothea, Luna, Hermione, and Ron were being held. She shoved three of them towards Narcissa. "Cissy, but the boys and those two girls in the cellar! I want to have a little conversation with this one," she got uncomfortably close to Dorothea, who's entire body was trembling with fear, "girl-to-girl!"

Dorothea yelped when she was shoved roughly down onto the hard floor, Bellatrix quickly pinning her down before she could get up. She looked towards Draco for help, but he stood there frozen in fear, knowing that intervening would only make things worse for the both of them.

"That sword is meant to be in my vault in Gringotts. How did you get it?" Bellatrix growled. "What else did you and your friends take from my vault?!"

"We didn't...We didn't take a-anything," Dorothea answered truthfully, her voice shaking. She could feel the tears in her eyes, threatening to pour out, but that would make her look weak. She had to try and keep it together because she didn't want to give Bellatrix Lestrange the satisfaction of seeing her cry. "A-Auntie Bella, please, you have to believe me. W-We didn't steal it. R-Ron an-and Harry found it."

"I don't believe it," Bellatrix whispered.

Dorothea's arm was suddenly pierced with a stabbing pain. She cried out in agony, the tears that she had been holding back falling down her face. She squirmed underneath Bellatrix in an attempt to break free, resulting in the woman pressing her forearm against her roughly to keep her down, her dagger digging deeper into her skin.

"SHUT UP!" Bellatrix roared, placing a hand over Dorothea's mouth to muffle her screams. The petite girl kicked and thrashed. She tried to use her powers to push Bellatrix off of her, but she was in so much pain that she was having trouble concentrating.