Not a Gryffindor - a Harry Potter fan fiction

Chapter 17

Warning: this chapter contains torture and mild graphic violence. Enjoy :)

My blood ran cold and my fists clenched.

"How did you... How did y-."

"Oh Zara, don't be so... startled." Alyssa drew out the last word in her smooth, emotionless voice, sending chills down my spine. "It was easy really. See my darling daughter here, she had the generosity to leave this -" she picked up a familiar looking invisibility cloak - "lying around." Carrie grimaced.

"It was simple after that," Salazar continued calmly. We only had to follow you - a very touching story by the way Carrie - and now all that's left is to welcome you to lead our dementor army."

"And what makes you think that I'm gonna do that?!" I said boldly, glaring at Salazar.

"Well we decided to ask you kindly first, and if you declined, well we thought maybe we could persuade you instead; take you back to our cozy abode, and see if you could be CONVINCED!" With his last word he pointed his wand at me, and shot a blinding light from it. Pain coursed through every inch of my body and I collapsed to the ground, writhing and screaming. All happiness was drained from my body and I felt completely hopeless.

I managed to whisper a desperate "please," at the upside down image of Salazar, before the pain intensified, I screamed once more and the world faded to black.

***

I woke in a daze, my head throbbing. I couldn't see anything but pitch black - as if all the light in the world had evaporated - and a dank smell hung in the air. A scratching sound came from a few meters away; a sound that rang in my ears and irritated my brain.

After an unmeasurable stretch of time, the scratching stopped and a frustrated sigh rang out, echoing around the walls. As it faded, slow footsteps replaced the sound, footsteps that were headed in my direction.

"Hello?" I called, instantly regretting my decision to speak. The footsteps sped up, along with my heartbeat and suddenly, there was a crashing noise beside me.

"Zara!"

"Carrie... What happened?" I attempted to sit up, but my head spun with dizziness and forced me back onto the ground.

"Okay, stay lying down for the moment... And don't worry, your eyes will adjust to the light eventually. Oh Zara, I was so worried about you! I thought you were dead... Although maybe it'd be better if you were... Then you wouldn't have to experience what my parents have in store for you..."

"Okay, what the hell are you talking about Carrie?!" I cried exasperatedly.

"They created a new curse. You and I are the only ones that know about it other than them. They've pretty much put the feelings of hopelessness and devastation you get from dementors into a spell with an added bonus of pain. And now we're in the dungeon, awaiting brutal torture."

"Okay, well that's not creepy or terrifying at all, also how come you're still alive if you're no use to your parents any more?"

Carrie shrugged. "They're different to Voldemort. They don't believe in fast, painless death. If they have the time, they'll gladly torture anyone.

"Our family have lived in this manor for years, and before this room was turned into a dungeon, it was the house elves,' well, house. After it became a dungeon, it also became my room. I used to be able to climb up the chimney and sneak around he house - that's the other reason that I became an animagus - I can't imagine the consequences if I was caught. I've been trying to find the chimney, but it seems to have been blocked up."