Song for this chapter: Insane in the Brain - Cypress Hill

TW use of Unforgivable curses, torture, blood, broken bones, death

- - - - -

Atlas Black

Late March, 1998

The cellar door opens abruptly and two Death Eaters march into the cellar where we're being held. I move to stand in front of Elio, hoping that they're here for someone else. Both Death Eaters grab my brother and me and cast a spell that ties our wrists behind our backs.

"Don't take them," Luna Lovegood says fiercely. "They're just kids."

"Be quiet, blood traitor!" One of the Death Eaters yells.

A Death Eater grabs me by the back of my shirt and pushes me forward so that I stumble over my own feet. He pulls me up harshly and forces me up the narrow stairs.

I oblige and walk up the stairs, Elio right behind me. The Death Eaters have a tight hold on both of us. When we reach the top of the stairs, Elio starts squirming in his captor's hold. The Death Eater is not pleased so he kicks Elio in the back of the knee and pushes the back of his head.

"Hey, don't touch him!" I yell at the Death Eater yanking my little brother along. "You can't do this!"

The Death Eater holding me back tightens the rope tying my wrists behind my back.

"Ow, let go-"

The Death Eater punches me in the face. It happens so fast that I didn't even process it until I hear my nose crunch and feel hot blood run down my face. I've never been punched before but the pain is blinding. He hits me so hard that my vision goes a bit blurry and I feel like I'm going to throw up.

"You can't hit him!" Elio yells. His form is blurred but I can see his captor yank him back and make him wince.

"Shut up or I'll punch you too, you filthy half-blood," My captor yells.

He pushes me forward and I stumble into what looks like a foyer. Everything is extremely expensive and the place looks like it belongs to one of the Sacred 28 families. I scan the pictures lining the foyer and see a few familiar faces.

We're in Malfoy Manor.

"Well, well, well, I guess it's time for a family reunion."

I turn my head to see my cousin Bellatrix. She looks completely manic, twirling her hair with her wand and with a smile on her face that makes me want to run and hide.

"It was awfully rude of your mother and father to not let me meet you boys," She says. "We are family after all."

"We are not your family," I argue through clenched teeth.

Bellatrix frowns and lets out a manic laugh. "Maybe not, but you could be," She suggests. "Just because mummy and daddy have righteous morals doesn't mean you have to. You could be on the winning side, you could be with your family."

"Are you an idiot?" Elio asks with an exasperated laugh.

Bellatrix pauses for a moment and turns her attention to my little brother. "What did you just say to me?" She says harshly.

"I asked if you're an idiot," Elio deadpans. "Because you must be if you think that we would ever want anything to do with you and your cult. You are not our family, you never will be. We will never join you."

Bellatrix stares at Elio and the air suddenly feels very tense. Then she grins. "I can see why you were put in Slytherin, I had my doubts at first," Bellatrix says. "You're just like your father. You're a coward and a traitor. You have so much wasted potential Elio." She surveys the foyer which is empty aside from her, us, the Death Eaters holding us, and the two guards standing in front of the doors.

She raises her wand and points it directly at me. "Imperio!"

I feel the spell wash over me. I try to fight it. I try to move my arms, to protest, but nothing happens. I stand completely still, unblinking, staring at my cousin.

"Untie him," She tells the guard.

I feel the Death Eater remove the rope and I try to move again but nothing happens.

Bellatrix reaches into her robes and pulls out my wand which was taken when Elio and I were captured on the train ride home for the Easter holidays yesterday.

She extends my wand toward me. "Take it," She instructs. I grab my wand from her. "Good boy," She sneers. "Now use the Cruciatus curse on your little brother."

I try to fight the curse off so hard. I try with everything that I have. I would never do anything to hurt Elio.

I turn toward my brother. He's struggling to get free from the guard and he looks scared.

I try to stop the words from coming out of my mouth but it's no use.

"Crucio," I say, wand pointed at my little brother.

- - - - -

I'm sitting in the corner of the cellar next to Elio. I've been zoned out since they threw us back down here.

"I'm so sorry," I say. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Elio says. He's staring at the wall, still shaking from the aftershock of the curse.

"I'm sorry," I mutter.

I don't even register the cellar door opening and closing again until I hear everyone start talking. I look up to see Harry Potter and Ron Weasley in a frantic state. Luna, Dean, Mr. Ollivander, and a goblin named Griphook are all crowded around the pair of them.

Harry grabs a piece of a broken mirror out of his sock and starts yelling into it for help repeatedly. He pauses momentarily when he sees Elio and me.

"What are you doing here?" He asks.

"Got taken off of the train," I answer.

"What happened?" Harry continues, looking at my bloodied face and Elio's trembling.

Elio shakes his head. "Bellatrix happened," He mumbles.

There's screaming coming from upstairs, followed by crying and more screaming.

Before anyone can say anything else, the cellar door opens again and a Death Eater comes in. He looks familiar but I can't place his name.

"Let her go," Ron says.

"Shut up. Get back," The Death Eater demands. He has a prosthetic arm. "You. Goblin. Come with me."

Elio nudges me. "That's Peter Pettigrew," He whispers.

Griphook goes with him and the cellar door is locked again. The screaming from upstairs continues.

"What's happening?" I ask, feeling completely out of the loop.

"They caught us with the Sword of Gryffindor, they've got Hermione upstairs," Ron answers.

There's a crack and a house-elf is standing in the cellar.

"Dobby?" Harry asks. "What are you doing here?"

"Dobby has come to rescue Harry Potter, of course," The house-elf, Dobby, answers. "Dobby will always be there for Harry Potter."

"Are you saying you can apparate in and out of this room? Could you take us with you?" Harry asks.

I exchange a glance with my brother.

Dobby gives Harry a look. "Of course, sir, I'm an elf."

Ron and Harry exchange a look before Ron speaks. "Works for me."

"Right. Dobby I want you to take Dean, Luna, Atlas, Elio, and Mr. Ollivander," Harry says.

"Shell Cottage on the outskirts of Tinworth," Ron adds. "Trust me."

Luna smiles at Dobby. "Whenever you're ready sir," She says.

"'Sir'? I like her very much," Dobby says.

"We'll have to go in pairs," Dean Thomas says.

Dean and Luna leave first, mainly because Elio is still shaking and won't get off the floor. Mr. Ollivander goes next while I beg Elio to move.

He does eventually get up, however, Peter Pettigrew is coming right back down the stairs. He stares at all of us in the cellar and unlocks the door to walk inside.

"What do you think you're doing?" He sneers.

I punch Peter Pettigrew in the face so hard that he stumbles back and hits his head against the stone wall. He killed my aunt and my grandparents and got away with it.

There's a crack and Dobby returns to take Elio and me.

Peter reels forward and starts to strangle Harry.

"You won't kill me," Harry says. "You owe me your life, I saved you from Sirius and Remus killing you."

I'm a bit stunned by that information, but Dobby grabs Elio and me.

Peter releases Harry and instead his prosthetic hand wraps around his own neck.

The last thing I see before apparating away is Peter Pettigrew dying at his own hand.

- - - - -

It's less than ten minutes after arriving at Bill and Fleur's that mum and dad show up. Mum is crying and dad looks the most scared I've ever seen him, he's also on the verge of tears.

When I see them, I collapse into their extended arms like I'm five years old again.