Chapter 56

After a rapid flight, I landed hard on my stomach. The sudden tug had made me miss the best moment to draw my wand, and I was hit with a Petrificus Totalus spell.

I fell heavily to the ground, seeing Katherine's smiling face peering at me.

"Tsk, tsk, not so impressive. I thought you'd put up a fight since you were so cautious," she said, patting my face.

I felt myself being levitated, my gaze fixed on the floor, seemingly in a hallway or some such place.

Unable to move, my mind raced. Katherine had targeted me to capture, but was it specifically me or just anyone who fit the bill? Now it seemed I was being taken somewhere, maybe to someone else. The situation wasn't entirely hopeless; she didn't seem to want to harm me, which might mean there was room for negotiation. Once the Petrificus Totalus was lifted, I could use the Portkey to escape.

After passing through a door, I heard Katherine speak.

"Brother, I brought someone. She's a Gryffindor."

A man's raspy voice replied, "You took a week! Why only now?"

"Who knew a Gryffindor could be so cautious? I couldn't gain her trust, so I had to use force. Violence is quicker." Katherine complained, like a spoiled child, before I was unceremoniously dropped.

This brute! So she initially planned to lure me in? Blaming my caution when it was her own fault for being obvious. I silently fumed, glaring with the only part of me that could move—my eyes—since her back blocked the other man's view.

"Caution is good. A brainless Gryffindor wouldn't make a good spy. Take her wand." The man ordered.

A spy? Death Eaters always trying to poach.

Katherine roughly searched me and eventually pulled my wand from my sleeve. I cursed silently. I loved that wand, but if it came down to it, I had to prioritize my life.

"Miss, we have some matters to discuss, so we brought you here. I apologize for the roughness. If you cooperate, I'll lift the spell now." A man with dark brown curls looked down at me, his superior tone infuriating.

I controlled my emotions, using Occlumency—though not as skilled as Severus, I wasn't bad—and blinked to show compliance. If they wanted a spy, there might be room to negotiate.

"What's her name?" The man didn't move.

"Sawyer Snape."

"Snape? What is your relationship with Severus Snape?" The man prepared to lift the spell.

He knows Severus? If they were acquaintances, I pondered my chances of persuading him to let me go.

"Rodolphus, has someone arrived?" A woman's voice, accompanied by approaching footsteps, sounded nearby.

The voice was familiar, and the name too. I had a bad feeling, ready to use the Portkey once the spell was lifted.

"Katherine brought someone suitable from St. Mungo's, a Gryffindor." The man stopped lifting the spell, and I sighed inwardly.

"Ah, Bella, here's your brooch. It helped me bring her here." Katherine's words made my heart sink. Rodolphus was Bellatrix's husband's name; no wonder it sounded familiar.

I was in deep trouble.

As if to confirm my misfortune, a face appeared in my sight. Seeing me, Bellatrix's expression turned to a mix of cruelty and delight.

"Isn't this my dear little cousin? How pitiful, lying on the cold floor!" She sneered, kicking my shoulder.

"Is she the Sawyer Hill?" Rodolphus's tone also changed.

"You know her? She's Bella's cousin?" Katherine seemed unaware of my connection to Bellatrix.

"Aunt's illegitimate daughter with a Muggle, just a filthy half-blood. Ungrateful brat, as soon as my mother died, she turned to the Order for protection of those Muggle foster parents." Bellatrix spat the word 'Muggle' with contempt. She turned and smiled at me maliciously, "I still have your 'gift'!"

She lifted her right sleeve, revealing a long, ugly scar on her forearm.

"Enough talk! Crucio!"

To my surprise, it was Katherine who cast the spell first, sounding thrilled. Pain exploded through me, every nerve on fire. Unable to move, I felt my body convulse, every cell screaming. The pain was bearable for me alone, but...

My child! I prayed the six-week-old embryo in my womb would be okay...

"Stop," Rodolphus ordered, and I was immensely grateful, despite him being an accomplice.

"She's married to Snape?"

Bellatrix snorted, "Snape? That half-blood Slytherin, good at Potions. As if he's anything special. A Slytherin not joining the Death Eaters after graduation, making the Dark Lord recruit him. He'll regret it!"

"Crabbe mentioned Snape refused, struggling with how to report to the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord respects his abilities, so we shouldn't provoke him." Rodolphus considered. I saw a chance for a reprieve.

"But we can't just let this girl go. She might be in the Order! Snape's attitude is unclear; they might have joined Dumbledore already!" Bellatrix argued, glaring at Katherine for taking her chance for revenge.

I regretted letting my guard down for a moment of happiness. There's a saying about being happy too soon... I hadn't even told Severus the good news... I couldn't let anything happen to my baby!

As the aftereffects of the Cruciatus curse faded, I gathered my strength, preparing to use the Portkey. I needed to act before Severus realized something was wrong and came for me.

"What do we do? I can't stand her. It took a week to get close to her, almost made me sick. Now my cover is blown, I can't let her go back to St. Mungo's!" Katherine whined.

They wanted to recruit or control me. If that failed, they'd likely kill me. I had to adapt; if they planned to negotiate, I'd have a chance to escape.

They continued arguing. Bellatrix insisted that if I'd turned to Dumbledore years ago, I couldn't be persuaded now, and if controlling me failed, it was better to kill me and find someone else. Katherine wanted to torture me into submission, needing practice with the Cruciatus Curse, complaining that it was ineffective on a petrified person.

I vowed to remember everything she did to me and repay it double!

Finally, Rodolphus decided, "We'll take her to the Dark Lord, suggest she's a potential spy for the Order. If she can be used to leverage Snape, we'll claim the credit." He sneered, "Crabbe can't blame us for stealing his thunder if he's incompetent."

"And I brought her here; I want to see the Dark Lord too!" Katherine's fanatical tone reminded me of crazed fans from my previous life. Worship, madness, with a bit of reverence.

"Let's go. No captive meets the Dark Lord without being controlled." Bellatrix seemed to agree, crouching to say sweetly, "My dear cousin, you'll have the honor of meeting the Dark Lord! The Cruciatus Curse is nothing compared to what he can do! Enjoy... haha!"

Her manic laughter made my stomach churn, possibly from nausea.

Facing her threats, I wasn't too scared. There was still hope. If I had to talk to the Dark Lord face-to-face, they'd have to lift the Petrificus Totalus. I'd use that moment to activate the Portkey. It'd take less than three seconds to place my right hand on the ring on my left hand, turn it, and mentally activate the spell.

"We're going to the main house. The Dark Lord is currently residing with the Lestranges. It's an honor! Today's success will elevate the Lestrange family; Malfoy won't gloat for long."

They levitated me, moving for about five minutes through long corridors before stopping.

"We can't take her in like this." Rodolphus said, and I felt myself being pulled upright.

Expecting the 'Finite Incantatem,' I controlled my stiff limbs to clasp my hands, ready to escape.

But I underestimated the lingering effects of the Petrificus Totalus and Rodolphus's speed.

"Incarcerous!"

Ropes shot out, binding me tightly, almost cutting into my arms. Still immobile, I cursed inwardly, struggling to stand on my stiff legs, thinking of my next move.

A force pushed me forward; I stumbled and turned to glare. It was Bellatrix, looking at me like a lamb to the slaughter, gloating, and malicious.

"My poor little cousin, so helpless! Haha!" Bellatrix laughed, instructing Katherine to watch me as she and Rodolphus approached a grand double door. The Dark Lord was inside?

The doors opened eerily, and Bellatrix and Rodolphus entered respectfully. Katherine pushed me forward with her wand, head bowed.

"Rodolphus, Bellatrix, oh... and little Katherine," a seductive voice said, "I assume you bring good news uninvited. May Crabbe report first?"

"Of course, my Lord." Rodolphus bowed deeply, stepping aside.

"Oh... Master! I failed to bring Severus Snape to you as ordered. I beg your punishment!" The man named Crabbe trembled.

His task was to bring Severus? The Dark Lord wanted him. Naturally, Severus refused. Crabbe must have tried violence and failed, likely suffering for it.

The Dark Lord paused. Crabbe must have been petrified, the pressure radiating from the center palpable.

"Hmm, I'll deal with you later."

 The Dark Lord's displeased tone dropped the temperature. "Rodolphus, who did you bring? Don't waste my time, or you'll face the consequences."

"She's a recent Gryffindor graduate. We suspect she's with the Order, possibly useful as a spy." Rodolphus answered respectfully.

"Such a person should be handled before brought to me. Still untamed?" The voice sounded dangerous, hinting at imminent anger.

"More than that! Master," Rodolphus hurriedly added, "She's Severus Snape's wife. Since Snape refused, we could use her to make him comply."

"Oh—I see." The voice drawled, interested, pleased. "Gryffindor girl, come forward."

I tried to move my bound arms, inching forward. All attention on me, I dared not rush. Katherine pushed me, my shaky steps barely advancing.

The double-sided mirror vibrated; Severus! He knew I was missing!

"So timid for a Gryffindor? Interesting. Lift your head." The commanding tone allowed no refusal. I suppressed my rising fear, yet it felt as if an invisible hand forced my head up, meeting red-glowing eyes.

A penetrating gaze shot into my mind. Legilimency!

I immediately erected mental barriers, using Occlumency to block the spell. Perfect Occlumency made defenses invisible, showing misleading memories to deceive the caster. But against this foe, I had no confidence.

The mirror still vibrated. Severus would use the Portkey soon! Their target was Severus!

Please, don't come, Severus!