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Forbidden Magic 62
Chapter 62 - Torture
“Luna?” Ginny whispered back. Harry snapped his head around at the sound of Luna’s voice. “Luna!” he whispered with a rush of emotion.
--
Meanwhile, Hermione was thrown against a wall and Bellatrix was towering over her. All Hermione could see was the tip of a wand and fierce eyes peering at her. “So, mudblood,” Bellatrix said coldly, “Where did you get that sword?”
“I-I-“ Hermione was struggling to speak. “CRUICO!” Bellatrix said with authority. “Answer me FASTER!”
--
Ginny turned her head around when she heard the most horrible noise she’s ever heard in her life, Hermione screaming out in pain. It struck her very soul and something inside was burning with pain. She felt hallow yet anger and then pain. Deep emotional scars were forming as she heard Hermione scream once again. “Mr. Ollivander?” Ginny heard Luna’s voice next, “do you have that old nail with you? We need it to cut them free and I think it was near you by the water jug.”
--
“We found it – we found it! I swear! Please! No!” Hermione screamed out with tears running down her face. “LIAR!” Bellatrix was now inches from Hermione’s face. “CRUCIO!” she shouted again with more force.
--
Another scream and Ginny started to glow red in the face, “HERMIONE!” Harry was free at last, and then Ron who was also fighting in his ropes at the sound of Hermione’s screams which were ringing through their cell.
“Ginny, please stay still!” Luna whispered to the redhead, “I can’t see what I’m doing.”
“In my pocket, there’s the Deluminator and it’s full of light!” Ron exclaimed. Luna took it out and a click was heard. Ginny had to close her eyes because of the flood of light that filled the room. “That is so much better,” Luna said, “Thank you Ron. Hello Dean!”
Ginny was finally free and was crawling towards the dungeon door. She could hear Bellatrix above.
--
“What else did you take you filthy mudblood?” Bellatrix took out the silver knife and ran it next to Hermione’s face cutting her skin. Blood started to trickle down her face. She winced at the pain and saw the face of her attacker light up with sadistic pleasure. “Tell me the truth or else that won’t be the worst you get!”
--
Ginny was running around the dungeon looking up at the low ceiling, looking to the floor. She was trying to find a way out. She then had a crazy idea. She closed her eyes and tried to dispparate without her wand but to no avail. She thought that perhaps she could reach Hermione but with no wand it was useless. The magic wouldn't work. Ginny gave out a scream of frustration and then, “HERMIONE!”
“There’s no way out Ginny,” Luna said in a shocking calm manner. “This dungeon is completely escape proof. We’ve tired.”
--
Hermione was sobbing uncontrollably and she couldn’t answer Bellatrix who held the knife tightly to her frail skin. “I—“ she tried to speak but the cutting was getting deeper. The blood rushed down her face and landed on her jeans below. “I—“ she tried to speak again.
“FASTER! Come on!” Bellatrix shouted. She took the knife away and held her wand at Hermione again. “CRUICO!”
--
Hermione screamed louder than she had before and the pain ripped through Ginny’s body. She didn’t want to, but the tears came through her eyes. She looked around hopelessly and started to bash at the walls with her bare hands. Over and over the others in the cell could hear the flesh come into contact with the hard stone wall and the steel door.
She was moving from place to place, “HERMIONE!” Blood was starting to come from her cracked hands. Her punching at the walls became more violent the more she heard Hermione scream. “NO!” Ron shouted.
Ginny turned to see her brother, also full of tears, and then she felt his hands and arms clasp around her. “Please Ginny, this isn’t going to help her,” Ron tried to tell her but the girl didn’t listen. She turned her body and started to trash it against the door. “No! Ron, you don’t understand! HERMIONE!” More blood poured out of her hands. She was smearing it all over the door. Ron cringed at the sight.
--
“We didn’t take anything else!” Hermione shouted over her sobs. “I swear to you! The sword was—“
Bellatrix took the knife and rammed it into Hermione’s shoulder. “OH!” Hermione shouted as she felt blood starting to surge at the wound. “WHY?!”
“Because you are lying to me! I told you much worse would happen! Crucio!” Bellatrix bellowed. Hermione cocked her head back and howled in pain. She looked almost like a wolf caught in a bear trap at this point. The knife was removed and blood was staining around the wound. “How did you get into my vault? Hmm? Did that dirty little no good goblin help you? DID HE?”
“We only met him tonight! I swear to you that the sword we have is a COPY!” Hermione shouted, “It is merely a copy!”
“Likely story!” Bellatrix shouted.
Ginny slid down the door of the dungeon with blood covering her hands. She left a crimson trail as she fell in a heap. Ron was still grasping her and the two sobbed. Ginny looked up at the door and heard another painful scream from Hermione. It was high pitched and the sound cut through her like knives. “HERMIONE! HERMIONE!”
“We can find out if she’s lying rather easily can’t we?” Lucius came into view, “Draco! Get in here boy!”
Hermione’s battered eyes looked up to see Draco. He was peering down at her with fear in his eyes. He turned to his father who was now grabbing him by the face. “Fetch the goblin. He can tell us if the sword is a fake or not.”
--
“Griphook!” Harry rushed to the goblin, “Please, tell them the sword is a fake! Tell them it is, they can’t know that is the real one! They will kill her if—“
Draco was at the door and his voice rang out in a shaky tone, “Stand back and line up against the back wall. Don’t try anything… or… or… I’ll kill you!”
They scrambled up to the back wall and the lights were turned off by Luna who lined up next to Ginny. Ginny felt a friendly hand grasp her, she knew it was Luna telling her that it was going to be ok, but she couldn’t believe that right now.
Draco stomped into the dark room with a lantern in one hand and his wand in front of his body in the other. He looked at everyone in the room before he grabbed the goblin and dragging him out of the room. The door slammed shut behind them at the exact time that there was a loud crack. Ginny’s eyes looked around the room as Luna clicked the lights back on.
Dobby was standing in the middle of the cell looking around at all the faces. “DOB—“ Ron tried to say but Ginny saw Harry hit him in the arm.
--
Hermione’s limp body looked like a lifeless doll as she slumped against the wall. She could see Bellatrix staring at her with a deep rooted hatred. You don’t even know me, Hermione thought bitterly, if only I had my wand. I think most of the Order has a score to settle with you. Her brown eyes went from Bellatrix to blackness. Her hands, which were free, were grasping the blood stained spot on her shirt.
The pain from the crucio curse and from the knife wounds on her face and shoulder were draining her. She felt her body go into a state of shock when she heard heavy footsteps coming near her. If I could only apparate to you Ginny, Hermione thought with sorrow, but that spell I placed on you... what a fool I am. I blocked you. I'm so sorry. So sorry.
“Harry Potter,” Dobby whispered quietly, “Dobby is here to save you and your friends.”
Harry, who was so close to Luna that she could smell him, looked down at Dobby with a surprised look. “But how did you—“
Another scream filled the house. Hermione was hit with the crucio curse once again. Her fierce eyes which were filled with saline looked up Bellatrix. “What—what was that for?” Hermione spat out blood as she asked her.
“Mudblood,” she answered, “it’s a reminder of what is going to happen to you if this goblin tells me that this is the real sword.”
--
“You can dispparate out of here right?” Harry asked him. Dobby nodded. “You can take humans as well?” Dobby once again nodded. “Right, ok, please take Luna,” Harry’s hand, which was intertwined with hers, came loose, “take Dean and Mr. Ollivander, take them to—to“
“Bill and Fleur’s,” Ron filled in the blanks, “Shell Cottage on the outskirts of Tinworth.”
The small elf nodded his head for a third time. “And then come right back to us,” Harry added, “Can you do that please?”
“I can Harry Potter,” the little elf managed to whisper.
Luna pressed her lips to Harry ear before she grabbed onto Dobby who was gathering the others in the cell, “I want to help you. I can’t leave you here.”
“Go, please,” Harry pleaded with her. “I will see you soon, I promise.”
“Don’t break it,” Luna whispered as she left the room with a loud crack.
--
Meanwhile, Bellatrix was pointing her wand at Hermione. They had been staring at each other for quite some time. “What is taking that Goblin so long? And what was that crack?! Draco should go check!” Bellatrix asked without taking her eyes off Hermione.
“He’s looking at the damn thing,” Lucius answered, “And no, Wormtail can go check. Make him do it.” Hermione was curled up against the wall as another crucio spell hit her body. This was the last straw; she fell over with a loud thud. The goblin looked up to see her lifeless body on the floor. It made him cringe.
“We need to tackle him,” Ginny whispered. Her hands were now covered in dried blood and her body was completely silent as she sat on the floor. “We have no other choice if we want to save Hermione and ourselves.”
“Stand back,” Wormtail’s voice rang out, “I’m coming in! You better not be by the door!”
Ginny and Ron grabbed his wand hand as Harry tackled him to the floor and held his hand to Wormtail’s mouth. “What is going on down there Wormtail?” Lucius asked from the drawing room.
“Nothing!” Ron answered back in his best, passable, imitation, “All fine sir!”
The wand set off sparks that hit the walls as Ginny twisted his wand arm behind his back. His other hand grasped Harry’s throat. “You’re going to kill me? After I saved your sorry life?”
His fingers seemed to slack off from Harry’s throat and he was able to break free. Harry kept his hand over Wormtail’s mouth as Ron tried to take his arm down with his sister. They didn’t think about his silver fingered hand in their plan and Ginny was realizing the flaw could be deadly.
“Let’s take this,” Ron whispered as he took the wand from the man’s hand. He handed it to Ginny as he backed away from him. However, the helpless man tried to struggle himself in this moment. “No!” Harry whispered. He and Ron tried to pull this arm down while Ginny pulled his torso. They were trying to get him to stop but to no avail.
His face turned blue and started to feel heavier in Ginny’s arms. “No! You bloody coward!”
Helplessly they watched him fall to the floor. Ron, Harry and Ginny all exchanged looks but there was no time. Ginny heard Hermione scream overhead and it caused her to be the first to rush out of the door.
They all made it to the drawing room but were merely looking at the grim scene. Hermione was still, lifeless and horror swept over Ginny. She started to cry again at the scene. Bellatrix was standing over Hermione’s body as she stared at the goblin. “Well? You’ve been looking at it long enough! What do you have to say about it?”
Griphook was holding onto the sword and pretended to look it over. Ginny knew that perhaps he was stalling so that they could break free. “Is this the real sword or not?” Bellatrix asked impatiently.
“No,” he answered, “this is a fake.”
“Are you sure?” she asked him again, “Are you absolutely sure?”
“Yes I am,” he answered with confidence. “Good,” she said with a sigh of relief. She flicked her wand over his face causing him to bleed. He fell over near Hermione by her feet. She kicked both bodies out of her way and Hermione’s face twisted with pain but Ginny could see the fatigue in her face and finally she was rendered unconscious.
“Now, we are ready,” she said with a deep breath as she rolled the sleeve on her robes up. She touched it with her forefinger. “There, now I think we can safely dispose of the mudblood and the goblin. Greyback, if you want the girl—“
“NO! YOU CAN’T BLOODY HAVE HER! DIDN’T I TELL YOU THAT?!” Ginny roared as she broke out running through the drawing room. Bellatrix was shocked to see Ginny running towards her with Wormtail’s wand pointed at her. She tried to raise her wand in time but it was useless, “Expelliarmus!” she yelled out as Bellatrix’s wand flew out of her hand and into the air.
Ron, who was taller than Harry, merely reached his hand and grasped the wand. Lucius, Narcissa, Draco and Greyback tried to fight back but Ron thought the spells that Ariana had taught him in his head. Narcissa fell to the floor and her wand came from her hand. She was too busy grasping at her throat as she felt invisible hands choke her.
Harry rolled on the floor and grabbed her wand. He got up and stunned Lucius while Ginny stunned and blood boiled Draco. He was squirming on the floor by the time she took her wand away from him but then when her eyes came back to Bellatrix. The most horrible thing that could happen did.
“STOP OR SHE DIES!”
Hermione’s lifeless body was being held up by Bellatrix. The silver knife was at her throat. “Drop your wands!”
Ginny’s body went still as she clutched Wormtail’s wand in her hand. “Drop them! If not we’ll just have to see how filthy her blood is!”
Hermione, who was already bleeding heavily, was still but a limp figure in Bellatrix’s grasp. She was barely breathing. Ron and Harry both held onto the wands they had stolen. Ginny felt defeated. “Fine,” she said, “You win.” She dropped the wand onto the floor. It made a clanking sound at her feet.
Harry and Ron dropped theirs as well. All three of them raised their hands in surrender. “Good,” she laughed, “Draco! Do something useful and get up, get our wands and WAIT! He’s coming and you will soon be dead, Harry Potter.
“Now then, Greyback take the mudblood and Cissy I think we should tie up the little brats.”
Narcissa got up while Draco dropped the wands in Bellatrix’s hand. The ceiling started to shake and Ginny’s eyes looked up to see the Chandelier tremble. There was a loud creak and then a crack and finally, the whole thing collapsed. It landed on Hermione who slumped over without a fight. “NO!”
Griphook was pinned underneath while he held the sword in his hands. There were shards of the glass flying in all directions. Draco was struck in his face. The glass was protruded out of his flesh as blood stained the fine crystal. He had several of them lodged as he doubled over in pain onto the floor. Bellatrix was struck in her chest as she fell over in pain.
Ginny rushed over to the wreckage and with all her might pulled the unconscious Hermione out. Hermione fell lifeless onto Ginny’s body. The redhead held her for a moment as her fierce eyes looked at Bellatrix. Hermione’s hands came to her arms, Ginny looked down at her. “G—Ginny?” her voice was hoarse, “I—I—need to tell you something..."
“Don’t speak right now,” Ginny told her with such a love in her voice that Hermione felt warmth, "it can wait. Save your strength." The bond is what woke me up, she thought; I have a part of her soul in me. A part that is awake... but I can't seem to...because I blocked, I'm so sorry. Please... Ginny felt her hands fall from her guarding hands. Hermione let out a small huff of air as she went unconscious again.
Damn it, Ginny thought with anger, that didn’t last long. Please wake up soon Hermione…
Harry and Ron leapt over an armchair and wrestled the wands out of Bellatrix's grasp. Ron tossed a wand to his sister who was dragging Hermione over her shoulder. She ignored the weight of the other girl as Bellatrix’s wand landed in her hand.
She had every right to point it at Bellatrix and kill her with the wand she used on Hermione but instead she pointed it at Greyback who was coming after her. “Soffocare!” she roared. He started to choke and turn blue under the strength of the spell. Ginny stood over his body with Hermione over her shoulder. She stopped when she heard Narcissa scream, “Dobby!”
Bellatrix, who managed to get up to her feet again, froze in place, “You little filthy beast! You dropped the chandelier!”
Dobby bravely walked into the middle of the room. He shook his finger at Narcissa and with a fierce look on his face said, “You must not hurt Harry Potter!”
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