I apologise for the wait, I accidently clicked DON'T SAVE and had to redo the lot...

But I have managed to catch up to where I was!

Chapter Nineteen: Tortured and Captured

My group was forced to scatter as a foot appeared above us. Luna tried to stay with me as long as possible, but I gave her a light shove towards the castle.

“Go, Lu- I’ll be fine” I said, nodding encouragingly. She gave me one more wide-eyed look before vanishing into the fight. There was a shattering bang, and I watched as part of the castle wall exploded, revealing fighters in the exposed corridor while Acromantula scaled the building.

“Alicia” I spun at my name. Remus was fighting with Dolohov, whose mask was forgotten. “Get to the castle- now!”

“Do you even know me?” I retorted, shaking my head as I worked my way towards him, firing arrows at passing Death Eaters. As I reached him, three figures detached themselves from the crowd and ran at us. I automatically shot at them, but they knocked the arrow away with a wave of a wand.

“Don’t shoot!” A man shouted and I lowered my bow quickly.

“Sorry!” I said as Sean, Sophie and another figure appeared. “What are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t stand it, not knowing” Tonks said, accepting my fierce hug. “Mother has Teddy, she said she’d look after him for us” She directed at Remus, who nodded, still fighting Dolohov.

“I can’t believe you shot at us” Sean said to me, shaking his head.

“You came straight at me during a war- what d’you expect?” I said defensively, hitting a Death Eater in the shoulder as they came at Sophie. “I wasn’t exactly going to take my chances, seeing as they’re meant to be here for me”

“Exactly- which is why you need to get to the castle” Remus demanded as Sophie and Sean began to duel with two masked Death Eaters.

“Wait- what?” Tonks said, frowning as she rushed to help her husband.

“Oh right, you missed it- Voldemort wants me to join him while he wants Harry dead” I shrugged, trying to get a clear view on Dolohov, but Remus kept getting in the way. As I went to snap at him, a ringing laugh started in the darkness. Sean and Sophie turned towards the sound, and were blasted off their feet.

“Sean! Sophie!” Remus shouted, trying to reach them. I rushed to their sides, dropping my bow and fumbling to find pulses.

“Please, please, please!” I cried, knowing Tonks had moved to stand over me protectively. “Yes!” Relief washed through me as I felt the steady beat of life in both wrists. “They’re alive! They’re alive!” I said happily, glancing up at the witch. Before I could perform the counter-curse, however, the laughter started again, this time closer than before. Tonks and Remus both looked round, but I spotted her first, snatching my bow up and taking aim. “You” I snarled, making them both spin round. “Remus- watch your fight!” I snapped, feeling like the professor for once.

“Manners, pretty girly” She scolded, malicious laughter echoing across the space between us. “Remember to respect- your- elders” She shot a Cruciatus curse at me with each word, making me duck to the side.

“I hope you don’t mean yourself” I said cheerfully, taking aim into her face, but her attention had turned to Tonks.

“Aunt” She spat, glaring.

“You are no family of mine” Bellatrix snapped, her wand slashing through the air. Tonks retaliated, snapping at me to take care of Sean and Sophie. I grabbed the back of Sean’s robes and dragged him out of harm’s way, then done the same to Sophie.

“Rennervate” I said quickly, waving a hand over their faces.

“What happened?” Sean said immediately, sitting upright.

“I think it was Stunners, I’m not sure” I said, standing between them and offering them both a hand. “You scared me for a second, just to let you know”

“Sorry” Sophie said sincerely. “Where’re Tonks and Remus?”

“Remus is still fighting Dolohov” I said, watching the two fights from our safe spot. “That laughter was Bellatrix- Tonks is fighting her. She told me to take you someplace safe, so I did”

“Since when have to listened to advice?” Sean teased, and I pulled a face at him.

“I’ve always listened to Tonks- she’s like another sister to me” I added, and I spotted the pity cross their faces quickly.

“We need a plan” Sophie said, watching the fighting through the trees. I leaned against a pine tree, resting my bow against my legs. “I think Alicia should stay in here-”

“Sorry?” I said, frowning.

“It’s safer in here than it is out there” She said quickly.

“No offense, but you can see those Acromantula out there, can’t you? They’re not exactly hard to miss” I snapped, pointing towards the castle. “Their Hollow has obviously been turned into a camp for the enemy- so nowhere is safe anymore”

“Nobody knows the Forest like you-”

“Voldemort knows enough- he lived in here during my first year” I said, motioning to the trees behind us.

“Jamie may have mentioned that to us before” Sean allowed, sounding awkward. “What if she stays with us?” He said, looking at his wife. “We can keep an eye on her, keep her out of trouble” I snorted, which they both ignored.

“I can take care of myself, thank you very much” I said defiantly, crossing my arms over my chest. “The girl you knew hasn’t come out of hiding yet” I added, my voice softer. They both looked at me for two seconds.

“You stay with us, fight with us- like an equal” Sophie said eventually. I nodded, reaching for my bow as I scanned the battle ground.

“Where are they?” I said, snapping upright, my bow forgotten at my feet. “Where’s Tonks and Remus? I can’t see them” Both adults looked out, searching.

“There!” Sophie said, pointing. I sprinted out of the trees, towards the two fighters, leaving my bow behind me and causing Sean to swear as they followed me. Then it happened- the two Death Eaters had the couple back to back and the jets of green light illuminated the area, hitting both Order members squarely in the chest.

“No!” I shouted, pushing myself faster. I heard Sophie stumble to a halt behind me, but Sean continued to chase after me. “No!” I skidded to a stop, falling to my knees beside them and fumbling for their wrists, trying to check for a pulse. I heard Bellatrix laugh as Dolohov loomed over me, his wand pointed into my face.

“Alicia” Sean said, swiping his wand through the air and forcing the Death Eater back several steps.

“Gone” I whispered, dropping their wrists and wrapping my arms round my head, hiding my face in my lap. “All my fault… Shouldn’t have run… Because of me-”

“Are you feeling guilty for your friends deaths, pretty girly?” Bellatrix’s voice breathed in my ear, making me scramble to my feet, my hand groping for a bow that wasn’t there. “Your boyfriend’s mummy and daddy are too busy to help you” She said, walking round my in a close circle, a hand running through my long lavender coloured hair, making me jerk away from her. She was right- they were both duelling Dolohov, who was sneering at Sophie.

“They were brave too, just like you- it took six of us to kill them, and they were cowards”

“Gideon and Fabian were heroes!” Sophie shouted, her wand slashing furiously.

“So, I think we should play a little game, don’t you?” Bellatrix said, whispering into my ear as she rested her chin on my shoulder again.

“You’ll have to catch me first” I hissed at her before sprinting for the tree line. Her laughter echoed behind me as she followed. Running into a Forest with a crazy killer witch behind me without any way to defend myself wasn’t exactly one my smarter plans, but I did it anyway.

“You know death is the only option you have left now, Alicia” Bellatrix called as I dived behind trees and jumped thorn bushes. “The Dark Lord doesn’t need you to join us once your little friend is dead” I ignored her taunting, continuing through the Forest at high speed. “Everyone you love is dead, Alicia- or dying, well, at least they will be soon” She laughed and her curse hit me in the small of my back, making me fly towards the ground face first. Pain erupted, spreading quickly from where the curse hit until it consumed me, making me scream in agony. I didn’t know how long it lasted- seconds, minutes, hours maybe- but eventually, Bellatrix raised her wand and came to crouch beside, grabbing my hair and forcing me onto my back.

“Go to hell” I whispered, glaring weakly up at her and making her laugh as she let my head go, letting it smash against a sharp rock that was embedded in the leafy floor. I felt the blood begin to seep through my hair, which was a snowy white colour.

“You’re very persistent, aren’t you?” She said, cocking her head to the side as she watched me. “A fighter till the end, I see. Crucio” This time I knew it was coming- I could read it in her dark eyes. Again, I wasn’t sure on the time passing by, gasping for breath as the pain receded and Bellatrix’s face loomed above me again. “Most would have given in by now- begged for death. But not you” I managed to spit at her between breaths. “Naughty, naughty” She scolded, smacking me lightly on the arm. I’d hit my head again on the rock, this time at the front of my head, so that the blood trickled into my eyes. “What shall we do- oh” Her tone changed and she glanced down at her exposed Dark Mark seconds before Voldemort’s voice echoed round the clearing and the grounds, calling his Death Eaters back to him and giving Harry and me a deadline to hand ourselves over. “Well, doesn’t that make it easier” Bellatrix said happily, wrapping her hand in my hair and forcing me to my feet. “Let’s go for a little walk, shall we?”

It was only a few minutes of stumbling over tree roots and fallen braches till I spotted a flickering light ahead of us. Bellatrix threw me forwards as we entered the Acromantula Hollow, where I rolled towards the large fire in the middle of the clearing. I felt the weight of every eye on me as I pushed myself to my feet, swaying once.

“Very good, Bella” Voldemort said, appraising me. I met his cold red eyes with a glare, my hand balling into a fist. “I assume you know our other- guest” He motioned to the left, but I didn’t take my eyes off him. “Do you not trust me, Alicia?”

“Alicia!” Hagrid’s voice caused my head to whip round, making the Death Eaters laugh at me.

“Hagrid” I said, taking a step towards him. Several wands appeared, all pointing at me, and I turned statue-like, my eyes returning to Voldemort. “What do you want?”

“You, of course, my dear” He said calmly, a cold smile appearing on his face. “You would be welcomed into our family with open arms”

“I think I’d rather die, if I’m honest” I said, matter-of-factly. Anger flashed across his face quickly. “So, what will you do with me now, seeing as I’m a fighter till the end- that is what you said, isn’t it?” I asked Bellatrix innocently. Voldemort held up a hand, halting the witch’s attack on me. “Hi, by the way” I added, glancing at Hagrid, who was watching me with a terrified expression.

“You’re not afraid, are you?” Voldemort questioned, taking a step towards me.

“Not in the slightest” I answered honestly. “You see, I know the only way I’ll get out of this place is as a corpse-”

“Ah, that is where you are wrong, my little Seer” He said, smiling again. “You see, I have a use for everyone soon enough. I can see your engagement ring- I think you will be useful as a hostage. Your other half wouldn’t want to risk your pretty little head, so he’d stop fighting- as would your remaining friends and family” He paused, giving me one last look before motioning to one of his Death Eaters. “Secure her separately from the half breed”

My hands were tied behind my back, then my arms were pinned to my sides and a length of rope was tied round my neck like a noose. As an extra precaution, I was gagged as well, then shoved to the other side of the clearing, which still showed traces of the Acromantula.