 Technically technical all the time Bookaholic
Snape took his place in the circle before taking a look around. The Dark Lord stood, waiting somewhat impatiently for the stragglers to arrive. He could also see that there were a number of new recruits standing with their sponsors. They were easily discernable by the almost audible excitement they exuded. Then, Snape spotted the simpering mass in the corner... So, it wasn't just a discussion this time. Snape pulled down more of his mental shields as he prepared for what he guessed was to come. It was his turn.
Before he could think on it any further, the Dark Lord raised his hand for silence. The quiet conversations ceased abruptly and all eyes and ears focused on the object of their obedience. "Mulciber... Macnair," the Dark Lord called and two of the hooded figures took tremulous steps forward. "You failed me once. You continue to fail to kill the Weasley girl."
Snape watched as the Dark Lord raised his wand. He had long since been immune to the screams of his comrades but, he watched as the lump in the corner shivered in fear at the sound of the two grown men who were reduced to simpering on the ground. When they finished twitching, the Dark Lord made them get up and drag what now could be seen as a young woman to Snape's feet. "Severus," the Dark Lord gently hissed his name. "I believe you have the happy pleasure of being first in line today."
He looked directly into the scarlet eyes of the Dark Lord and smiled, even as his insides squirmed. The problem wasn't that he was squeemish. The problem was that, despite his years of working for Dumbledore and trying to change, he still enjoyed many of the aspects of being a Death Eater. It shamed him but, a part of him looked forward to these moments when he was forced to raise his wand to another living human. He was able to avoid the torturing for the most part but, the Dark Lord allowed his Death Eaters to take turns in interrogating his special witnesses. To refuse would be suicide and then, where would the Order be?
"What do you wish to know?" Snape asked, wondering who this girl could possibly be; he couldn't recall her from Hogwarts though, that wasn't surprising in her condition.
"These two," the Dark Lord responded, pointing to Mulciber and Macnair. "Brought her as a substitute for failing to kill the red-haired witch. They thought she might have some information as to her whereabouts. She was supposedly a friend."
Snape nodded and turned back to the girl. He still didn't recognize her but, he would need to at least try to in order to give Dumbledore a full report. This girl was not going to leave here and the only way her family would know what happened to her would be for Snape to report on it, unless... Perhaps Draco would recognize her. In order to allow the young man to see the girl's face without attracting undue suspicion, Snape knelt down beside the girl and tilted her chin up with the tip of his wand. As he had predicted, she turned her face away from him and suddenly took in her surroundings. She stood and spun around within the circle of Death Eaters, trapped, before stopping and looking back up at the masked Snape. "Coward!" the girl spat.
Snape sneered within his mask. "Tell us about Ginny Weasley," he spoke in his unmistakably deep and silky voice.
The girl seemed to recognize him and she stood with her mouth flapping, her eyes wide in surprise. "I... I.." the girl stuttered before she was reduced to screaming on the floor for a few seconds after Snape released a short burst of Cruciatus curse on her.
"Oh, come on Severus," a voice cackled behind him. "You used to be so much more creative. I miss your old shows. What happened?"
Snape spun around and advanced on Bellatrix as he would have done before his change of heart. He grabbed her throat with one hand and she smiled in triumph. "There's my friend from Hogwarts," she whispered.
Reminding himself that once the girl gave up her information, she was as good as dead, anyway, Snape made a slashing motion with his wand as he turned around, ripping the sleeve of her robe from the shoulder and drawing blood. "Ginny... Weasley..." Snape whispered as he knelt down beside the girl and grabbed her hurt arm.
After several more attempts to get the girl to speak, she finally began to pour out her heart. The Dark Lord was not pleased with the information she gave and killed her immediately after she was reduced to sobs and was no longer coherrant. Though she had spoken the truth, she had told them nothing about the whereabouts of one, Ginny Weasley.
Snape took his place in the circle once more and noticed the two "Death Eaters" standing beside Malfoy. The Dark Lord seemed to notice them at the same time. Beneath their hoods, one could just make out heads of red hair. "Weasleys," Snape immediately thought to himself. But, there was nothing he could do to save them now, should the Dark Lord decide to unmask them...
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Blast from the past! |