ESTRANGED • The Final Installment

PART 1 - One

I marked off another day on the wall, my hands numb from the stone I used. I had grown callouses from them, making it easier to press harder to mark.

I was afraid to truly count the days. It wasn't like my journal and it wasn't like last Christmas. This was something different. Something darker.

I knew my birthday had come and gone and I was finally seventeen. I didn't think they sang to Draco or anything but I knew they would have done something. Maybe he became a full fledged Deatheater as a gift.

The days bled into one another just as I did. The cruciatus curse was unforgiving. A terrible pain had been with me for about two weeks. Maybe three... Sometimes one wrong move killed me. Bellatrix resorted to physical beatings as well. I was getting over a probable black eye and I knew my cheek was bruised. My lip was split and I had scratches all over me. Although, those are all nothing compared to the curse.

Draco had a hand in part of the torture. I could tell he didn't like it but I knew it was part of them being able to trust him. No loose ends.

I practiced apparating, doing my best to jump across corners of the room. It took a lot out of me though and I could only do it once or twice a day. I tried apparating out of my prison and the gate had been hexed. I was unable to move for a week.

Hermione's lessons from last year vanished within the first month of my capture. I could barely harness magic from the dungeon and maybe that was the point. Or maybe it was just me...

I just finished marking another day when the gate opened. I turned, standing up willingly as deatheaters came to get me. They pulled me upstairs, sitting me in a chair in the open living room. Just a year ago I was there in a beautiful dress, getting to know Blaise for the first time.

I shifted in my seat, holding back the vomit as my stomach ached.

"Cora, Cora." Bellatrix paced back and forth slowly. "A real fighter this one."

Deatheaters laughed evilly.

"We've got intel. The Potter boy is to be moved. We need to know where he's going." Bellatrix said.

"How would I know that, when I've been here since end of year?" I asked, my voice weaker than normal.

I made sure to keep my face strong as my voice hadn't been used for anything but screaming for a long time now.

"You were in bed with the boy. You should know." Bellatrix seethed, getting in my face.

"Was. Past tense." I replied.

She slapped me and it hit like an ache but nothing too sharp. I licked the inside of my cheek and turned back to her.

"Ouch." I whispered.

"She doesn't know anything." Draco said.

I tilted my head and chuckled. "Hello twin. Been doing well, I see."

"Don't," Bellatrix grabbed my face. "Talk to him. Where are they going? The Weasley home?"

I pulled my face away and gripped the chair as that movement sent a wave of pain through my head.

"They're not that stupid. After you torched it last year, no way they would go back there." I scoffed. "You'll have to get him another way."

"Very well." Bellatrix pulled out her wand. "Might as well punish you for the attitude."

Even hearing the word was painful. I grunted, unable to hold back screams like I used to. My nails dug into the chair as my insides felt like they were splitting open.

"Enough!" Snape exclaimed.

I breathed heavy, willing the pain to go away but I knew that was wishful thinking.

"We can't get information from her if she's dead, Bella don't be foolish." Snape snarked.

Bellatrix stepped away and deatheaters pulled me back to my feet and they put me back in my prison, pushing me to the floor.

It had been months of this and I hurt. My limbs felt like they would fall off any minute and I thought I would die right there on the cold cement floor. I pushed onto my hands and knees with a grunt of pain and crawled all the way to the back of the room where the darkness would hide me.

Maybe this was how I died. It wouldn't be so bad. Nobody would know so nobody would be heartbroken. Nobody would be able to mourn if they didn't know for sure.

Harry and them were probably better off anyway.