Maledictus

Ch.8 - The Apple Tree

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"PLEASE, THAT'S ALL
I ASK"

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Henry? Henry, what do you mean?

HENRY! ANSWER ME!

YOUR SHINS WILL BE KICKED TIL THEY BREAK IF YOU DON'T ANSWER ME!

Try as she might, he wouldn't answer.
His message kept replaying in her head.
She could still hear the panic in his voice.
He was in trouble.

She was so busy worrying about this one message, she forgot she was surrounded by the trio, and she screamed out in annoyance.

"Alice!" shouted Ron. "Alice, what's wrong?"

"He's in trouble" she said. "I need to find him"

"Find who Alice? Find who?" asked Hermione.

"I need to find him"

She jumped off the bed to run, but Harry grabbed her before she reached the door.

"MR. POTTER PUT ME DOWN!" she screamed, memories coming back.
Lucius used to do that to her. "PUT ME DOWN!"

Harry still didn't listen and without thinking, she bit his hand, and he let go immediately as he cried out in pain.

She darted towards the door and ran out.
She knew it wouldn't be long before they caught up with her, so instead she decided to hide.

It was far.
The perfect place.
It was a huge apple tree with thick branches that made it easy to climb.

Alice could hear them shouting after her as she climbed the tree.
She slipped the first time, grazing both her arms and legs, but she worked through the pain, never stopping til she reached a decent height.

And just in time too.
They were just behind her, but luckily didn't see where she disappeared.

"ALICE?!" they called over and over again, all through the afternoon.
Everyone came out.
Bill, Fluer, Mr and Ms. Weasley.
Even Crookshanks came out for a sniff.

But they didn't find her.
They headed back inside when it fell dark, promising to look first thing in the morning.

Alice stayed quiet, eating the apples surrounding her.
She was starving, but she knew at some point she would throw them back up again, so she only ate a few.

Henry, I will find you, but you need to answer me.

Just then, she heard a rustle in the bush below her and she froze, her heart pounding in her chest.

"H-H-Hello?" she called out, crossing her fingers that it's not someone who wants to kill her.

The rustling stopped and she saw a long shadow disappear into darkness.

"I know someone's there" She said bravely. "I didn't mean to scare you"

Still not getting an answer, she climbed down the tree - well actually she fell out of the tree - and headed over to the bush.

There was a girl in the bush.
She looked scared and cold.
Her face was littered in cuts, and her lip was bleeding.

"Miss? Are you alright?" she asked, lending her a hand.

"Get away from me" She shouted, and Alice instantly recognised the voice.

"Ms. Banks? Ms. Banks, is that you?"

"Alice?"

She climbed out and stared at Alice.

"Alice, you need to get out of here now" she said urgently. "They're coming for you"

"Ms. Banks I don't understand? How did they find me?"

"I don't know, but you need to leave tomorrow morning at the latest"

"Ms. Banks, I need to ask you something"

"Make it quick"

"Where is Henry?"

"All I know is that he is safe" she said. "Don't tell anyone you met me, and I mean it, get out of her"

And with a small crack Rue vanished, leaving Alice as baffled as ever.

~*~

"Just tell me where my sister is!?" pleaded Henry as several Death Eaters surrounded him. "Please, that's all I ask"

"First you need to see if the boy will really do what we ask" said one, holding his wand.

"I've already told you, my dreams don't come for weeks. It could be tonight, or it could be next month. Now tell me where my sister is!"

Crucio was the last word Henry heard before every other sound was drowned out by his screams.

He fell to his knees as soon as the pain was released, and the Death Eaters laughed around him.

"You'd think you'd get used to it" teased one.

"I'd like to see how you'd react!" he spat back.

That one statement, caused ten times more pain.

"Just tell me where my sister is" he panted, not able to lift his head.

"Your sister?" sneered another. "Your sister is dead, because of you!"

Tears stung Henry's eyes as he watched the men disappear into the dark corridors of The Cell.

He stuck his fist in his mouth and screamed.
He was the reason his sister was dead.
He was the reason she was in pain.

He left her not once, but twice.
It was all his fault.
If only he knew that she was alive.

~*~

"Anymore news for us?" asked Voldemort, gesturing for Rue to sit down.

"She's still in the blood traitors house and she has no idea what's in store for her, although she did get a message from her brother" she replied nervously.

"And what was this message?"

"She didn't tell them exactly what it said, but something about him being in danger"

Voldemort thought this over, and his lips curled into the most hideous smile, Rue had to look away.
She knew what he was going to say.

"I think you've proven that your worthy" he said, the smile still sticking, but getting creeper. "I think it's time, don't you think?"

"I'm ready when you are my Lord"