Thanks for the awesome idea! Without you, I don't think I would've figured out how this scene was going to play out. I surely wouldn't have gotten that curse right. =P

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Meanwhile….

Audrey

I found myself staring death in the face. Or at least I was fairly certain I was. The Dark Lord hovered over me, of course that didn’t take much with me. Even though I was completely disgusted by his face, I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. I never pictured this is what would happen. I thought I’d be able to sit here, mind my own business until Artemis got back, and then act like nothing happened. But that was not to happen. Lord Voldemort stood before me, looking as disgusting as ever. I was hoping I was dreaming, but I knew I wasn’t. I kept my eyes on him, I was too afraid of what would happen if I didn’t.

“What do you want?” I asked, admittedly fearing for my life.

He sneered at me. “You’re in the way. You have been for the past few months. You’re the one preventing Artemis from completing his task in a timely manner.”

I watched him draw his wand, and naturally started freaking out. “I didn’t keep him from doing anything! Whatever he did, I didn’t tell him to. Artemis has his own mind, and makes his own decisions.”

He continued to look down at me, staring viciously into my eyes, searching for something that I was not sure of. “For some reason, I’m not buying your story,” he eventually replied. “You have an almost unnatural ability to control him. Don’t think I haven’t been able to see that. Lying to me does not help your case.”

I felt as if I had swallowed my tongue. I wanted to reply, but nothing would come out. If I wasn’t afraid before, now I definitely was. My mind began racing. I was surely going to die here, never again to see Artemis or any of my friends. The worst part about it was that I was alone. No one would know what happened to me.

I was snapped from my thoughts as I saw two more figures come out from the shadows. I didn’t need introductions to recognize the two other Death Eaters. The taller of the two was undeniably Bellatrix Lestrange. Her wild, curly, black hair was piled high on her head. Her pale skin allowed her dark eyes to pierce right through me. I was honestly surprised that I hadn’t noticed her sooner, but her dark attire made it easy for her to hide in the shadows unnoticed. The other Death Eater was Peter Pettigrew, also known as Wormtail. He was the former best friend to Harry’s parents, and the former pet to the Weasleys. If I hadn’t known his Animagus form was a rat, I still would’ve thought he was one. He looked like a rat, smelled like a rat, acted like a rat. But I knew it was Bellatrix I had to be wary about. She was definitely the unstable one.

“Quit beating around the bush. Just kill her already!” Bellatrix shouted. “She has no purpose here.”

Voldemort glared at her. “Why would I want to kill her? What point would that be making, especially without little Artemis around to see it?” Voldemort questioned. “I know what I’m doing. Don’t question me again.” He turned back to me, wand still at the ready. I suddenly wish I knew something to beat him, but I didn’t. I knew no spells strong enough to escape. I know I had to look panicked.

“Awe, she looks frightened,” Wormtail sneered.

I noticed that he and Bellatrix had moved closer to me. Bellatrix knelt down to my level, looking me in my eyes. I resisted the urge to hiss as she lifted my head, examining me like I was prey. “My relatives do have interesting choices in significant others,” she mused. “And at the same time, I wonder what they see in my family in the first place.”

“Artemis isn’t your family!” I shouted in her face. I didn’t care if she was right in front of me. She needed to know how I felt; there was no way Artemis could ever be related to her in any manner. They were polar opposites! Then I realized it probably wasn’t my brightest move that night.

She stood back to her full height, glaring down at me. “That’s where you’re wrong, little girl,” she snarled. “Lucius Malfoy is Artemis’ uncle- Artemis’ mother is Lucius’ sister. Lucius is my brother-in-law.” She paused for a moment, as if my mind would explode from trying to comprehend that. “Though not directly, or even by blood, Artemis and I share a family tree.”

“Family or not, he’s nothing like you. And he never will be!” I countered.

“He’s not like me, you say?” Bellatrix asked. “Then where is he right now?”

Damn it, she got me there.

“Artemis isn’t a murderer,” I defended. “He couldn’t kill anyone, even if he wanted to.”

Bellatrix cackled evilly. “You don’t have to lie for him anymore! We all know the task he was given, how he’s going to fail. Even if he and Draco end up killing Dumbledore, they’re not going to survive the night.”

Voldemort sighed, seemingly fed up with Bellatrix’s ranting. “Alright, enough of your jabbering. I have stuff to do.” He pushed Bellatrix out from in front of me, taking his place about five feet in front of where I sat. He had a demented smile upon his face. That is when I got really got worried. I saw him raise his wand, its tip pointed at me; I took a deep breath and braced myself for what was to come. As I closed my eyes, I heard Voldemort say the word, “Crucio!”

What I felt next was the most excruciating pain I had ever felt in my entire life. I can’t even begin to explain to you, or anyone else, how bad it hurt. It wasn’t just part of me; it was my whole body. I fell from the chair, collapsing onto the floor, screaming bloody murder. I could barely make out his maniacal laughter over my shrieks. I lost all sense of where I was. I knew I was on the floor, but had no idea where as I thrashed about on the ground from the pain. All I knew was that I wanted to get someone’s attention, anyone’s. I shouted the first name that came to my mind…

“ARTEMIS!!!”

Voldemort and his cronies laughed at me. “Yell his name all you want, he can’t hear you. Neither can anyone else,” he said, matter-of-factly. “No one in this room can be heard. Muffliato prevents that.”

It didn’t matter to me; I wanted someone to save me. But this wasn’t the movies, or a romance novel. No one was going to come and bust down the door to save me. I kept screaming, louder and louder all the time as the pain increased. I was beginning to feel my throat clench and dry up from all the screaming. My blood pressure was sky-rocketing; I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. All my muscles were tightening, trying to prevent me from moving. My body was beginning to fight itself. Seconds passed slowly, each feeling longer and longer. This was the end. I was going to die.

When I had lost all hope, I heard the door burst open. I couldn’t open my eyes to see who it was. I just was hoping that they were going to help me. I heard a familiar voice scream, “Expelliarmus!” When I recognized it as Artemis, I immediately was relieved. Suddenly the pain was gone, and I was in someone’s arms. I was finally able to open my eyes, and staring down at me was Artemis, tear-glazed eyes staring down at me. When he noticed I had opened my eyes, he pulled me close to him. He ran his fingers through my hair, trying anything he could to help me calm down. But I think he somehow knew that just his presence was helping, even if only a little. After a moment, he turned away from me and looked at Voldemort.

“You lied to me,” he hissed. “You told me she wouldn’t be hurt.” I could hear the layers of irritation in his voice. You didn’t break promises to him, I knew that, but I doubted Voldemort did.

“She’ll be just fine,” Voldemort answered. “It was a ruse to get you to complete your task.”

“She’ll be fine?” Artemis questioned. “How many people do YOU know who were placed under the Cruciatus and turned out just fine? She may never be okay again, thanks to you. I hope you’re happy with yourself.”

Voldemort didn’t speak. He had no words for Artemis at the moment. Part of me wondered if he was afraid of Artemis, but I shook it off. He was the Dark Lord; the only person he feared I was sure was dead since Artemis and Malfoy had come back.

“So, is he dead?” Bellatrix asked.

“Dumbledore is dead,” Artemis announced, rather awkwardly. I felt as if he had left out some details to that, but I wasn’t going to question him.

“Are you sure he’s dead?” Bellatrix continued to interrogate.

I saw Malfoy out of the corner of my eye nod. “Positive. Artemis killed him,” he agreed. “Dumbledore is as dead as a door nail.”

Voldemort nodded slightly. “Well congratulations you two. I didn’t think you were actually going to complete it. Well done.”

Artemis said nothing to this, instead sitting down on the floor behind me, leaning against the wall. He pulled me into his lap, cradling me in his arms. I had never witnessed Artemis actually taking care of someone, not even myself to this degree.

In the calm, he whispered to me, “Audrey… can you hear me?” I nodded, but it took more effort than I wanted to use. “Everything’s going to be okay, I promise.”

“She’s not that great, you know,” I heard Bellatrix say.

“And what would you know about anyone being great? Your husband is just as crazy as you are and neither one of you are great for anything but being psychotic,” Artemis went off. “You know nothing about love; none of you do. You’ve never loved anything in your life.” He hugged me closer. “Audrey means more to me than anything. And for you to have the audacity to tell me that there’s nothing special about her makes me realize how stupid all of this is.” He pulled his head away from mine for a moment. I could tell he was about to make a decision. “And if I have to see all the people I care about get hurt, I quit. I can’t be a Death Eater anymore.”

I pulled myself up a little bit, even if it killed me to move. I had to see what was going on with my own eyes. Voldemort looked stunned for a moment, while his cronies looked even more dumb-struck. Artemis and Draco exchanged a few glances before Malfoy said, “I quit too. This isn’t worth it.”

“You can’t quit,” Voldemort replied. “Even after death, you can’t quit being a Death Eater. You two already have obligations here with us. You’re going to stay, and that’s final.”

“No,” Artemis defended himself. “I’m not continuing with this nonsense. I don’t care what you say, I’m done. You betrayed my trust for the first and last time today. You should’ve just left Audrey alone, but no, you didn’t. You had to make this more difficult.”

I couldn’t believe what I was watching. I couldn’t believe Artemis would quit for me, or Malfoy even, for that matter. I saw the growing anger spread on Voldemort’s face; I knew he couldn’t believe this was happening either. I watched him pick up his wand, and turn it on Artemis. My stomach knotted up once again.

Before I could think any further, I noticed some people run into the room from the corner of my eye. I turned to see Harry, Ron, and Professor McGonagall standing in the doorway. I knew this situation just went from bad to worse. If there wasn’t going to be a fight before they showed up, there was definitely going to be one now. I closed my eyes, hoping this would be quick and relatively painless…