✔️ 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎 → ℎ. 𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦

12 | P E R S P E C T I V E

when you fall asleep tonight,
just remember that we lay under
the same stars.

   TEARS STAINED THE cold floor, darker shaded freckles on this wooden ground. A throbbing pain pulsated through her limbs; a shadow of the excruciating feeling her body got shook with just minutes ago. Through the blood rush echoing in her ears, Ember numbly heard the clicking of heels right next to her face, but she kept her eyes closed and her lips pressed tightly together, preparing for the torture to tear her apart once more.

   She wouldn't scream. Ember Potter refused to scream. Those pale lips remained a thin line, even as slender fingers roughly grabbed her raven black hair and pulled her up.

   "Enough for today." Bellatrix Lestrange's voice sounded like an echo from afar. 

   "She doesn't seem to give in", another voice replied, underlined with a deep growl that didn't even sound human. "Why don't you let me try to persuade her?"

   "We need her alive, Greyback", Bellatrix said in a bored voice. "Draco, bring her back to her cell."

   She let go of Ember's hair and the girl's face hit the ground. After the pain of the last hour, this impact felt like a soft peck on her cheek, even though she knew it would leave a bruise.

   A pair of hands, much softer, much more careful, lifted Ember's shaking body from the ground.

   "How comes you're still alive", Ember whispered, when she was sure they had brought enough space between themselves and the saloon that was crowded with Death Eaters.

   She hadn't seen the boy ever since that night she appeared in his bedroom. Ember had been sure his death sentence was written. He had betrayed Voldemort. She knew Draco Malfoy was dead. Until tonight.

   "Don't speak", he muttered a reply. "Spare your energy."

   If she could, she would have laughed. "I'm dead anyways."

   He didn't answer. A lock klicked, and Ember knew she was back in the dungeon. Even through her closed eyes she could sense the surroundings were getting darker.

   Draco placed her on the icy concrete, and it felt like heaven on her burning skin.

   "Now listen to me", he fiercely whispered next to her ear. "We need to get you out of here. For now they will keep you alive, but as soon as they notice you're completely in control of your forces, as soon as they get that they are unable to turn you, they won't hesitate to murder you."

   "As I said: I'm dead", Ember replied, her voice weak.

   "Don't be stupid", Draco hissed, and for the first time Ember opened her eyes, looking into a face that even in the dimly lit room looked unhealthy pale. "Use your brain, Potter!"

   "I won't give in."

   "You don't have to." His face moved closer to hers, his eyes narrowed. "But they have to think you did."

   He so abruptly got up, that Ember couldn't but flinch, and she immediately regretted this small movement. Every bone in her body arched, and she pressed her eyes shut once more.

   "You!", she could hear Draco snap, and cautious steps neared. "Take care of her."

   With that, Draco Malfoy threw a last glance at the shattered pieces left of the once so strong young woman to his feet, before he crossed the room in large steps and locked the door with a flick of his wand, begging she would understand.

·

   "You can't go to Wiltshire just like that out of a guess." Bill looked into his youngest brother's narrowed eyes. "If she was murdered there, what do you think is waiting for you in that place, Ron?"

   "And if she wasn't murdered there?", growled Ron, his hand on the doorknob.

   He hadn't planned to meet anyone on his search for Ember, but after his involuntary meeting with a pair of Snatchers, he knew that without a plan, there was no chance in finding Ember. By now he had lost track of time. The days passed in a rush, and after a while of not figuring out a plan, Ron couldn't take it any longer. He needed to start somewhere; anywhere. And the only hint he got was Wiltshire.

   "Then what do you think will await you there?", Bill replied. "Think, Ron! This could easily be a trap! What if they want to get Harry there."

    "Why would they want to get Harry to Wiltshire?", Ron snorted, rolling his eyes.

   His eldest brother blinked at him. "Ron ... There's Malfoy Manor. Their headquarter."

·

"The word from Diagon Alley's underground, and the activities of the chief and his Death Eaters is that Florean Fortescue has in fact been murdered. As most of you know, our favorite sweets seller has been missing for some time. We have it from an unnamed source that his body was found, tortured to death. Of course, our pals at the Ministry are covering it up. Let us all have a moment of silence for Frotescue and his fantastical frozen foods."

   Susan shivered as Lee's voice began to waft through her small appartement. She closed her eyes, grateful for the sound of her loved one in these frightening times.

   It was the night before Christmas Eve. Staring out of the window, Susan blinked into the millions of twinkling lights of the city of London.

   "And still", Fred Weasley's voice out of the radio had her head snap around, "there's no proof of Ember Potter's death. We assume this to be a trap for Harry, and crave him to not follow this cowardly call." There was a short break, before with a much more quiet voice Fred added, "Ember, if you hear this, please send us a sign."

   Susan took a shaky breath and sighed, before she listened to the boys' 'good night' and turned off the radio. Seconds later, a small cracking noise behind her bacl announced that she was no longer alone. She closed her eyes and leaned back, two arms immediately wrapping around her torso, holding her tight.

   "Still no sign", Lee whispered into her hair, pressing his lips against her head.

   "She's okay. I know it."

—