| Girl on Fire |

74

VERONICA MALFOY

Draco and I apparated home and our house was full of death eaters. The second they saw us, we were immediately grabbed. "Draco!" I yelled as I was dragged away from him. "Ronnie!" he exclaimed. The death eaters dragged us into the drawing room and The Dark Lord stood there with a glare on his face. The death eater forced Draco down to his knees in front of him and yanked the back of his hair to make him face him. I struggled against the death eaters holding me but they wouldn't let go. "Let him go! He didn't do any-" I started. Then one clamped his hand over my mouth. Tears filled my eyes as I looked everywhere for Mattheo. He was gone.

"Draco... you failed." The Dark Lord said. "My Lord, I apologize but Severus killed him. He's dead." Draco said. The Dark Lord dug his wand into Draco's neck. "You were ordered to do it, not him!" he yelled. "I'm sorry! I won't fail you again. I will-" he started. "Crucio" The Dark Lord said. "No!" I screamed into my captors hand. I watched my brother thrash and scream on the floor. I fought and fought to break free but it was no use. Tears streamed down my face as I begged him to stop. By the time the spell broke, Draco was shaking and coughing blood.

"I know you won't fail me. I hope once you see what happens when you do, it will inspire you to work a little harder." he spat. Then he turned to me. "My son isn't here to save you now." he sneered. He looked at the death eaters and nodded. "Take them to the cellar and punish them both until they understand the consequences of their failure," he said. The death eaters each grabbed Draco by the arms and picked him up. His feet dragged on the floor as they took him to the cellar. They shut the gate behind us and tossed us both onto the floor. 5 death eaters vs us.

I quickly rushed over to Draco and shook him. "Draco, are you ok?" I whispered. "Run" he whispered. I shook my head. "Not without you." I said. "Ronnie, get out of-" he started. I was pulled away from him before he could finish. "Stop! Please!" I yelled. Two death eaters held me back as I watched them deliver punch after punch and kick after kick. They beat him until he was bleeding and bruised. said. "Incarcerous" he said. Ropes wrapped around Draco's wrists and yanked him up. They used a sticking charm to keep his arms above his head and stuck to the support beam. "Just stop! Please! Stop!" I sobbed. The death eater conjured a table and bent me over it. He grabbed my hair and forced me to face Draco. "Watch," he whispered into my ear. His body was crushing me. "Please, you're going to kill him!" I yelled. "That's enough. Leave him." he said. The death eaters groaned. "Fine. Let's have our fun with the girl." one said.

I exhaled a shaky breath as I backed away. I hit the wall and there was nowhere to go. No escape.

"Please- you don't have to-" I started. "Shut up." one spat. "Veronica Malfoy." the death eater said smugly. "The female heir of Malfoy, the son of Voldemort's girlfriend. And now here you are, trapped and at our mercy." he taunted. "You always thought you were better than us. The first female death eater to be given a task since Bellatrix. You always thought you were untouchable." he continued as he walked closer. "I don't know what you are talking about. I'm not." I said quietly. "Shut up!" the other yelled. "Get her arms," one said. "No! Get the hell off of me!" I screamed as they started to grab me. "Leave her alone!" Draco yelled. His voice was hoarse and I could barely see his face through all the blood. "Get away from me!" I cried. I was fighting like hell but it was 4 grown men vs one teen girl. One man held one arm tightly and another did the same with my other arm. One stood behind me and gripped my hair and pulled my head back to face them. The death eater smirked at me and wiped the tears from my face. I jerked my head away but he grabbed my throat. "Don't act like you don't want this." he said darkly. "Let me go." I said weakly. "Why would we do that? We've heard your loads of fun." the other death eater said. "I swear, if you touch her, I will-" Draco started. "Silencio" the death eater said. With a flick of his wand, Draco was silenced. He looked at me with concern and struggled against the ropes that held him. "Why should Marcus, Adrian, Mattheo, and hell, even Potter get a turn but not us?" he taunted. "Let me go," I said, gritting my teeth. He just scoffed. "No." he said. I spit in his face and he just laughed. Then he punched me across the face. I cried out in pain as my cheek swelled up. He ripped open my button up and the other death eaters laughed. He stared at my white lace bra and dragged his finger down my chest. I squirmed and tried to move but I couldn't.

"This should be fun." he taunted.

MATTHEO RIDDLE

I apparated away from Hogwarts and to Riddle Manor. I walked in expecting my father but it was empty. He told me to come here to bebrief him after we left. But he isn't here. I walked all through the house and found nothing. "Father!" I yelled. "Father! Where are you?" I asked.

Then I felt it. That feeling. The magical signature of the mark I gave her alerting me she's in danger. Fuck, how could I be so stupid? This was his play the whole time. Keep me here so he could punish Draco and Veronica. Within a second, I had apparated to Malfoy Manor.

I stormed through the doors and my father sat at the table with 8 other death eaters. He gave me a smug grin. That bastard. I wish I could kill him. Right here, Right now.