Dark Side

Caught

Draco

My next assignment. Torture. I know this is a test, Voldemort knows, or at least has a feeling that I'm probably the most skilled and powerful wizard in his ranks, I have the potential to be the best, but I don't use it. He thinks he's tricking me, that if he gets me to do this, to do his most difficult dirty work, I'll become the best Death Eater. That's what scares me, I am going to be the best Death Eater. I have to be, in order for this to work. I'm scared that I'm going fall back into my old self. I'm scared that once I get there, I will start to actually become the best Death Eater, not just pretend to be.

I walk down the staircase and into the living room, the chairs and tables all pushed to the sides of the room, so the centre is just a big open space. I set my jaw, showing no expression when I see who's sitting in the middle of the floor, flanked by Greyback and Yaxley.

Olivander looks up at me, fear apparent in his eyes. I wish I could tell him that I'm undercover, that I don't want to do this, but I can't. I have to do this, torture one old man to save thousands of others. At least I won't have to torture him for long, he's old, he can't handle much. It's a cold thought, but it's the truth, and thinking like that is the only way I'm going to get through this.

I unbutton the cuffs of my sleeves, rolling them up. I walk to the centre of the room, dismissing Greyback and Yaxley with a wave of my hand. They grumble as they leave, hating being ordered around by a 17 year old.

To cast an unforgivable curse, you really have to mean it. I can't think about Ollivander while doing this, because I like him, and recently studying and understanding wandlore has given me a deep respect for him. Instead, I picture Voldemort, Snape, my parents, my aunt, and concentrate all that energy into the spell. I watch in what feels like slow motion as the jet of red light crosses the room.

There's no going back now.

Harry

We're fighting yet again. I thought that it would be like usual, we would fight, run out of the arguments we constantly repeat, then we'd all fall silent, go to bed, and start again tomorrow.

"We have to stay low, find the other horcruxes, we can't risk being caught!"

"But Voldemort's still out there!" I yell, then stop immediately, my blood turning ice cold in my veins. Draco had sent a note about a week back, the name was taboo.

We hear sounds, sounds that are too close, that are within the radius of our enchantments. We all draw our wands out of instinct, all of our brains too shocked by the sudden terror to do anything else.

Voices come closer to the tent, leaves and twigs snapping beneath feet. I look over to Hermione, she shoves the locket in the bag, then shoves the bag down her sock, effectively hiding it. She then turns her wand to me, and before i had time to recover from my confusion, a small jet of light shoots straight toward my nose, bring with it a painful stinging sensation. I don't have time to react, before the unmistakable gruff voice of Fenrir Greyback is right outside.

"Come out come out whoever you are, or the big bad wolf will have to blow your tent away." He jeers.

People come through the flap of the tent, dragging us outside. We're outnumbered, they grab our wands, and tie our hands behind our backs.

Greyback walks up to Hermione, putting his face up uncomfortably close to hers. "And who are you, beautiful?"

"Penelope Clearwater, half-blood." Says Hermione quietly, though remarkably steadily.

"And who are you, ugly?" Greyback says, disgusted, turning to me.

"Vernon, Vernon Dudley." I say, imitating a slightly deeper and stupider voice.

"There's no Vernon Dudley in 'ere." One of the snatchers calls out, holding a small book with the Ministry logo on it.

"Who are you, really?" Greyback sneers in my face.

"I told you, my name's Vernon Dudley." I repeat stubbornly.

Greyback pokes my forehead with his wand, then tilts his head, pushing my fringe up with his wand.

"Change of plans, we ain't taking this lot to the ministry." He says in a softer voice, seriously, not jeering anymore.

Draco

My job was now to guard the prisoners they had locked up in the cellar. Luna Lovegood had joined Mr. Ollivander in the cellar, used as blackmail for her father. It makes me sick with loathing to see them suffering there, so I sneak them food as often as I can. This week, my wretched mother, father, and aunt were all staying at the Manor, so I can no longer spend my days in the library.

I'm just lying in my bed, avoiding my family, when I hear footsteps approaching my room. There is one curt knock on the door, then Narcissa Malfoy enters without an invitation.

"Fenrir Greyback thinks he has just caught Harry Potter, we need you to tell us if it's him."

I simply nod and begin to follow her downstairs, even though my mind is racing with fear and dread. A potentially terrible thought pops into my head, they need me to tell if it's him. They all know what he looks like, but something must be so wrong with his face that they need someone who knows him to identify him.

I walk into the living room, and inside, held captive, are Ron, Hermione, and a boy with black hair and a face that looked like it had been attacked by an entire beehive. I lock eyes with the boy, and don't need to get any closer to know it's Harry. I know those green eyes, and they knew me.

My relatives and the snatchers are watching me, all waiting anxiously to see if it really is Harry. I walk over to him slowly, then kneel down in front of him, pretending to be studying his face. I know that if I say that it isn't him, they'll all just be taken to the ministry, and once the jinx wears off, they'll be back, and then people will start to suspect me. I decide to buy time, hope that Harry, Ron, and Hermione can manage to escape themselves.

"I can't be sure it's him. His face is too messed up. Looks like he ran into a stinging jinx. Just throw them in the cellar until the jinx wears off." I say evenly, turning back to the Death Eaters and Snatchers.

Wormtail appears, I don't know from where, and takes them down to the cellar. It's their job from here. I hope that if they manage to escape, they can bring Luna and Ollivander with them, but their chances are slim.