Deathly Endings [#5]

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine:

We were starving. They 'forgot' to bring us food on the first night. Luckily, Luna learned the hard way and has been saving portions of her food each time. She happily shared some with us. Time passed slowly. I lost track. There was no doubt I'd lose my mind being trapped down here much longer. There's no sunlight and no contact from the outside world. I was laying down on the ground when I shot up at the sound of people coming down the stairs. As I looked up I was relieved to see that it was Draco instead of anyone else, but he was wearing a warning look. Not long after, Bellatrix and a few others were coming down the stairs.

He gave me a sympathetic look before putting back on a cold face. They entered the room and stopped in front of the three of us. Behind them, they tossed in what looked to be a Goblin. I wondered if they were going to keep collecting prisoners. "Have you enjoyed your stay?" Bellatrix asked sarcastically and I responded with a dark look. "Draco is here to redeem himself."

I snapped my attention over at Draco and wondered why he was down here. He was no longer looking at us but looking at the cold hard floor. "Draco," hissed Lucius Malfoy as he placed a hand on his son's shoulder and pushed him forward. Draco took a step closer to us.

"Very good," Bellatrix encouraged and then smirked once again at the three of us. She handed Draco his wand and he gripped it tightly. "You know what to do..." I watched as he tried to avoid eye contact with me, but this was killing him. Whatever he was about to do, he didn't want to do it. It wasn't hard to see that. Then his wand was pointed at Veronica as his lips twitched to form the words.

"Stop!" I yelled standing up weakly. "What are you doing?" I was yelling at Draco and caught his attention. He had lowered his weapon but Bellatrix took a step forward.

"Restrain her!" she screamed and quickly I was grabbed by two Death Eaters who I thrashed to pull away from but they dragged me over to one of the poles in the center of the room. I felt as my wrist was hook by a chain and linked to the pole. I pulled at it, but there was absolutely no getting out of this. Bellatrix was in my face again saying, "Once I figure out what to do with you...you'll be sorry." I didn't doubt that. "Continue Draco!"

Looking back at Draco, he turned his head away from me and held the wand up to Veronica who was still lying on the floor in pain from yesterday. "Crucio," he said and then I watched as Veronica's collapsed in pain on the floor. She screamed yet again, and I screamed in protest but Bellatrix motioned for the Death Eater to my left to put a hand over my mouth. So this was my punishment? Watching the person I had feelings for torture my best friend? What a cruel world this was becoming.

As much as I wanted to be furious as Draco for doing this to my friend, I couldn't find any proof that this was his fault. He was being told what to do, and if he didn't do it he'd be killed. He probably got in loads of trouble for finding us before we went to the Ministry and not turning us in. Veronica though was screaming in pain, and I wanted to make it stop. If only I could stay awake for more than two seconds of the Cruciatus curse, they'd divide up the pain. Instead, they were inflicting it all on her as punishment to both of us.

They left shortly after and I remained chained to the pole. Draco couldn't bring himself to look at me after he left the room. Luna tried to unchain me with a hairclip but it was unsuccessful, she promised she would keep trying. A house elf brought down food and placed it in front of us. "Veronica..." I called. She was laying on the floor across from me. "Veronica?" She responded with a simply groan. "Your foods here." She must be starving, I know I was.

"You have it," she replied.

"No, if anyone needs it, it's you."

"What's the point?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, what's the point?" she responded darkly. "They're just going to kill us in the end. What's the point of even trying to survive? So that they can only drag out this torture longer. Well screw it, I'm tired of playing there games. Give me one good reason I should bother trying." I went to begin speaking...but she was right. She was entirely right, what was the point? We weren't getting out of here. They were going to kill us. The longer we lived, the longer the torture. I had no response. 

She was right. So I pushed the plates of food away from myself.

"You two are mad," Luna said jumping into our conversation. "I've been here for almost three months, because it is worth it. Think of the people who will miss you when you're gone. Fight for them, it is worth it."

"You're too positive Luna..." I pointed out, the higher you get your hopes up the harder you fall when they don't come true. She had loads of people who loved her when Veronica and I had very few close friends and barely any relatives. No one was going to save us in the end. We were in the Death Eater's house now.

"Not at all," Luna disagreed. "We're going to get out of here. I'm sure of it."