FIFTY SEVEN
[tw: just a v dark chapter,
check a/n for summary]

THEY CAME WITH DARK masks and flashes of light. They came with screams and cries from the guests, everyone trying to find their way out. It was blurry. Rory knew she felt her dad's hand grab her arm but she pushed away and gripped tighter to her wand. She shouted at him, told him to leave her and worry about getting Aaron and Cory safe.

She knew she had to stay. She had to stay with the Weasley's. It was where she always went when she needed somewhere, and now that they needed her she couldn't leave. So she tried to protect those around her, rushing Ginny into the house to keep her safe. Rory was a protector, not a fighter. She had never defended herself against Dark Magic like everyone else had to do, instead she did her best to keep people safe.

The cries of fear and flashes of light did not last long, because in the mess of it all, Harry had left, along with Hermione and Ron. Once they realized Harry was not there, they stopped. But they didn't leave.

The Death Eaters stayed as each and every guest left, making sure to question them, and then they stayed and entered the Burrow. Other Order members remained too like Remus and Tonks.

First, they checked the house, nearly tearing it apart. In the attic, a ghoul disguised as Ron was able to convince them the Weasley boy was there, just sick and highly contagious. However that did not give them reason to leave, as they insisted the Weasley's were hiding something.

As they searched the house, Molly and Arthur tried getting Rory to leave, but she wouldn't. She sat there in the living room with the others, holding tightly to Ginny's hand as they entered.

She didn't recognize any of them. She didn't know their names. But she knew their spirits. Evil and cold.

"You," a tall man said, pointing his wand at Rory, "You aren't one of them, are you?"

She softly shook her head.

He leaned in closer, Rory shut her eyes, but all her senses were heightened. His breath smelled awful and his hands, one now rested on her wrist, were cold.

"No I've never seen her before... she goes first."

Rory's eyes shot open and she felt a tight pull at her arm, causing her to stand up. Fred stood up too, but was pushed down by another Death Eater, "Wait your turn." He sneered.

"NO! DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!" Fred shouted, but his yells became muffled as she was pulled away.

The man brought Rory into the dinning room and pushed her on to a wooden chair. She stayed quiet. She knew they would all have to endure what she was about to. She just had to be first, she had to be the sacrificial lamb for the time being, and she was fine with it. Anything to keep everyone else safe.

Three Death Eaters stood in the dinning room while the others either watched the living room or surveyed the home again.

She recognized one in front of her as Lucius Malfoy. His glare as cold and uninviting as his son's.

The other dark, cloaked figure there was a woman.

The woman spoke first, "Who is she, Avery?"

Avery, the man who had brought her to the room, pointed his wand at her. Rory flinched, not knowing what would happen, and felt a tight pressure around her wrists and ankles. She looked down and saw slick black ropes tied around her, keeping her frame still on the chair. They hurt, but it wasn't horrible.

"Tell us," he leaned in, "What is your name?"

She swallowed, "My name is... Aurora..." she had to lie, she couldn't say Archer, she couldn't say Harrison. Her mind searched fast for something, "Lennon. Aurora Lennon."

"Lennon?" Lucius raised a thin, white eyebrow, "You a mudblood?"

She shook her head, "Half-blood."

"Pretty girl," Avery said, running a hand down her hair, her face, and to her knee. She stayed tense, attempting to block out the feeling of unwanted touch. "Why are you here? You're not related to the Weasley's. What's your purpose, doll?"

"I'm a friend. A family friend. I live with... with the twins, Fred and George." She spat out.

"The owners of that bloody shop in Diagon Alley, huh?" The woman scoffed.

She nodded.

"Alright, Aurora..." Avery whispered, "Tell us... where is he?"

"W-What? What are you talking about?" She stuttered out. Her mind drifted back to the old policeman shows she watched as a child. The perpetrators would often play dumb during interrogations. It would work... sometimes.

Avery rolled his eyes and straightened up, giving Rory a chance to breathe (she hadn't even realized she was holding her breath until that moment).

"Where. Is. He." He repeated, harshly, raising his voice.

Rory shook her head, raising her own voice as well, "I don't know what you're talking about!"

The man held out his wand, it was right between her eyes, nearly touching her nose. Her breath was catching up with her, becoming faster and more rapid.

"Don't make this get ugly, princess. You know what we're talking about. I'm going to ask one more time, where is he?"

Rory shrugged.

"Get McDowell," Avery snapped at the female Death Eater, lowering his wand.

The woman left out the back door and came back moments later with a man. Rory recognized him, but she had never met him or even seen him.

But he was the spitting image of his children, Cleo and Zane. Or rather, they were the spitting image of him. He had dark hair and amber eyes, complimented by tan skin. He had facial hair, it was not unkempt like his son's, but clean and precise.

"She not cracking?" McDowell asked Avery. Avery shook his head. McDowell got out his wand and stepped towards Rory. His large black boots making loud sounds across the creaky wooden floor. Although Rory's breathing was quick and panicky, her face remained flat and emotionless.

McDowell leaned down, the same scary and hungry look Avery had. His gaze first met her eyes, then moved down her body, making her feel so exposed she wanted to cry. His eyes did not hold the same warmth of his children. They lacked the feeling of a fireplace on Christmas Eve, instead they burned into her soul like the fires of Hell.

Perhaps if she had to picture what the Devil looked like, it was the man in front of her.

"The three of you can get out," he said, "I want to be with the girl alone. Avery, wait by the door."

Rory thought being around less Death Eaters would make her feel more at ease, but the opposite occurred. More fear crept in her heart as she was alone with McDowell.

"So, is there a reason you're playing dumb, little girl?" He asked, still so close to her he was nearly touching his forehead to her's.

"Just tell me what you're talking about," she said in a shaky voice.

"Harry Potter. Where is he?" He roared, still so close to Rory she flinched slightly.

"I don't know! He wasn't even at the bloody wedding! I barely know the boy!" She lied, shaking in her chair out of anger, forgetting she was bound by ropes. McDowell pointed his wand downwards and the ropes tightened. Rory screamed in pain, given it was so sudden and so much tighter than before.

"Stop!" She cried, "Please, stop! I told you I don't know anything!"

He didn't loosen the ropes, but instead placed his forefinger over her lips, "Shh. No need to shout. I could do much... much worse."

Rory took a deep breath and screamed again, just because. It wasn't a scream of fear or pain, but of power. She knew that when children scream loud and hard enough, they eventually get what they want. Perhaps if she screamed, piecing the ears of McDowell, he would let her go.

"Shut up!" He shouted, pressing his wand to her neck. She stopped, but looked at him with a narrow gaze. She couldn't feel her wrists and ankles were hot, white from the pain. She tried ignore it. What else was she meant to do?

"I'm going to ask you again," he said quietly, "Do you know where Harry Potter is?"

She shook her head. He stepped back, slowly. He nodded and raised his wand. Once again, he tightened the ropes. She screamed once more, looking him dead in the eye. They got tighter and together, she felt as if her bones were going to snap. And then, release. He let her go, lowering his wand. The ropes were gone and the girl fell to the ground, curled on her side. McDowell grabbed her by her left wrist which burned with pain and brought her back to the living room. He practically threw her down on the carpet.

Fred stood up, "What did you do to her? How dare you fucking touch her. HOW DARE YOU —" he began shouting. But was stopped as the Death Eaters decided he was next to be questioned. He was taken into the dinning room, before anyone could protest.

Rory felt faint, looking down at her raw wrists and ankles, speckled with bits of blood from where the ropes had broke her skin.

Remus knelt by her side and helped her on to the couch.

"Are you alright, dear?" He said quietly.

She nodded, "I'm fine. Really. I'm lucky, really."

He nodded and softly rubbed circles on her back, comforting her without causing the Death Eaters to take notice.

Rory heard Fred's voice from the dinning room, shouting.

"DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO ME, I DON'T CARE!" He yelled. Rory winced and held her breath. The questioning continued, but it didn't last nearly as long as Rory's. Fred stumbled out of the dinning room only twenty minutes later, his lip bleeding slightly. She assumed he had been hit, nothing he couldn't handle.

George was next, then Bill, Charlie, Fleur, Arthur, Tonks, Molly, Ginny, Remus... it went on for hours. No one had been badly hurt or even tortured, which seemed like a miracle to Rory. The pain in her wrists and ankles become more blinding as time passed. As each person being interrogated screamed, she felt their pain and wished to take it away for them. Her body ached, it had been tense the whole night. It was tense up until the moment every Death Eater had gone, McDowell being the last to leave.

Arthur sent out a Patronus message to Ron as well as Andrew, letting them know they were all safe, but being watched.

Fred hugged Rory tighter than he ever had once the Death Eaters were gone.

"When I heard you scream I tried getting up, I tried doing something," he said, "But they wouldn't let me. I'm so sorry."

"I'm okay," she lied, "I would never want you getting yourself hurt over me. I can handle myself. It was nothing, really."

"It is not nothing!" Molly snapped, approaching Rory with a small vial, "Essence of Murtlap. It might sting a bit but it should help." The woman took the bottle and unscrewed it, releasing an eye dropper looking tool which let out droplets of the Murtlap Essence on to her skin.

She winced as the blue liquid kissed her sore skin, but as it seeped into her veins, she felt a tingling sensation that caused her to physically sigh of relief and relax into the couch. The women dropped the Essence on her wrists and ankles and wrapped them with bandages for the time being.

Rory didn't even realize it was three in the morning. She was exhausted, but couldn't sleep. Sleep seemed like an absurd concept to her.

The Order members had left not long after the interrogation, perhaps to check on their own families in case they had been marked up as well. The house was a mess, Rory tried to help tidy, but could barely lift her wand with how sore her wrists were. She had trouble walking, too, but denied anyone's aid as she trudged up the steps to Ginny's room.

"D'you need help?" Fred's voice was heard from behind her. She turned around and saw him leaning against the door frame, a worried look in his eyes.

"No," she said firmly.

"And I'm the stubborn one, okay," he joked, stepping into the room and shutting the door. He bent down beside her and dug through her trunk she brought. He pulled out a fresh set of pajamas for her and placed them on her bed.

She sighed and attempted to take her dress off, but winced as she brought her arm behind her to unzip herself. He softly placed his hands behind her and did it for her.

"Thanks," she muttered. He shut his eyes as she took her dress off and changed into the softer, more comfortable outfit. "You can go now and help your family. I'll be alright."

"No, come on," he held out his hand and she took it. He walked to the edge of the steps and shouted down, "Mum! I'm going to take Rory to bed if that's fine. Is it alright if she sleeps in my room tonight?"

Molly looked up from the bottom of the steps and nodded softly, "Of course. We'll be alright down here. I'll have a hot breakfast ready for you in the morning. Goodnight, dears."

"Molly, you don't have to —" Rory tried to protest.

The woman just shook her head and walked away.

Rory sighed, "I promise, Fred. I'm fine."

"I've known you for nine years now," he said, "I think I can tell when you're lying. C'mon, you need your sleep."

She nodded and followed him up to his bedroom. He got out his wand and tried to tidy it, enough just so they would be comfortable. He changed out of his own dress robes and climbed into bed with Rory. With his arms around her, humming softly against her chest, she was able to fall asleep.

A/N:

chapter summary:
rory gets interrogated by death eaters, most notably mcdowell, the father of her friends from school. she tells them she doesn't know what they're talking about and he tightens ropes around her ankles and wrists, putting her in a lot of pain. he eventually lets her go and they interrogate the rest of the weasleys and members of the order for hours