The Disgraced of the House of Black - A Multi-Character Fanfiction - Part One

190. Pain Beyond Description

How exactly they got to the room with the arch, Althea could never afterwards recall.

"You are not in a position to bargain, Potter," Lucius was saying as they entered.

"Look what I found!" Lyra called gleefully, shoving Althea forward, keeping a tight grip on her hair.

As they went down toward the bottom of the pit, Althea caught sight of what was going on. Harry was standing on the dais, thankfully, still holding the prophecy. No one else was in sight from their group. Ellis stood next to Lucius in front of Harry while the other eight Death Eaters stood around him in the circle.

"I say we try a new means to loosen his tongue," Lyra said with the slyest grin any of them had seen on her before.

Before they could say a word, Althea was on the ground again, shrieking as she felt every part of her being flare as though on fire. After it had been going on five minutes, she wasn't even sure she knew her own name. When it finally stopped, she was sobbing weakly, gasping for air.

"That was just the beginning," Lyra said slyly, drawing a knife from her pocket and forcing Althea on her knees.

Harry was shaking, watching her with his eyes filled with terror. Althea felt the cold blade rest against her throat as she was grabbed by the hair again. Lyra pulled her head back so she was staring at the ceiling, exposing her pale neck.

"What do you say, Potter?" she said in the same soothing, persuasive voice she had used before, a tone all the more eerie considering what she had just done. "Hand it over, or watch her bleed out right now."

"Harry," Althea whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. "Y-You can't do it. Don't-"

"Silence," Lucius snapped.

Shifting the point of the knife to the side of Althea's neck, Lyra mused, "I could always stab her here, takes less strength, I suppose."

Althea was trembling so badly, it was only Lyra's grip on her hair that kept her in place. There were several tense minutes as Althea waited to hear what Harry would decide.

"Perhaps you need for evidence of what I'm willing to do," Lyra said viciously.

"Lyra-" Ellis began, but before he could say more, Althea was shrieking and sobbing on the floor again, curling into herself so tightly she began to leave bruises.

But Ellis wasn't watching Althea. He was staring at Lyra. Her face, that face he had once found so beautiful, so enchanting, was filled with such cruelty and hate he loathed to look at it, but the only other thing to look at was Althea, shrieking and screaming on the floor as she was tortured, her flaming hair spread around her like a halo.

"Stop it!" a voice from behind shouted.

Lyra's focus broke as she turned, instantly catching sight of Neville Longbottom as he vaulted down the stairs, his lip thick and swollen and Hermione's wand in his hand. Althea gasped weakly for breath, rolling onto her back as tears slid from her eyes into her hair, her eyes fluttering as she fought to remain awake. Neville tried, again and again to stun the Death Eaters, but no spell left the wand. He was quickly caught and detained.

"It's Longbottom, isn't it?" Lucius Malfoy sneered.

"Longbottom?" Bellatrix repeated, finally looking away from where she had been staring hungrily at Althea's writhing form. "Why, I have had the pleasure of meeting your parents, boy."

"I DOE YOU HAB!" Neville shouted, fighting so hard against the Death Eater containing him that he shouted, "Someone stun him!"

"No, no, no," Bellatrix said, stalking closer and closer to Neville. "No, let's see how long Longbottom lasts before he cracks like his parents...Unless Potter wants to give us the prophecy..."

"DON'D GIB ID DO DEM, HARRY!" Neville shouted.

"Crucio!" Bellatrix cried.

Neville screamed, curling into himself so much the Death Eater containing him was momentarily holding him off the ground. Neville quickly fell to the floor, twitching and screaming in agony.

"That was just a taster!" Bellatrix said. Turning, slightly, she said, "Tell me, girl, whether Malfoy or my spells hurt worse. I just want to know."

Althea had not thought herself capable of enduring more pain, but instantly she was screaming again, wailing and sobbing so much she thought her head would explode. Then, Bellatrix stopped. She was sobbing so weakly, Lyra checked her pulse to make sure it hadn't slowed.

"Now, Potter," Bellatrix said with a crazed smile. "Either give us the prophecy or watch your little friends die the hard way!"

Harry had only just withstood handing it over while watching Thea tortured, but two of them were too much. He wasn't even sure how much more Althea could endure. Slowly, he held it out. Lucius quickly jumped forward to take it, but before he had laid a hand on it, the double doors above them sprang open, revealing Sirius, Amara, Lupin, Moody, Tonks, and Kingsley.

Hazily, Althea looked over before her eyes closed weakly. Harry dove out of the way as spells began to fire from both sides. Remus instantly went to Althea, taking her up in his arms without even checking if she was still breathing. He didn't have time, he couldn't think. Quickly setting her out of harm's way, he jumped back into the fight.

Amara was duelling furiously with Bellatrix, her eyes ablaze with anger as her wand flashed through the air quicker than lightning. Sirius was dueling Lucius while Remus dueled Ellis. Lyra was caught in a fight with Kingsley. Amara was knocked back into the steps, but before Bellatrix could shoot the killing strike, Sirius, who had just incapacitated Lucius, shot a spell at her.

Lyra glanced up, instantly catching sight of the last person she wanted to see. Dumbledore had arrived. Instantly, she stopped her fight, apparating away. Ellis quickly sent a large piece of the stone dais at Remus before also disappearing in the blink of an eye. Soon almost every fight was over, but Sirius and Bellatrix were still fighting.

Amara sat up, clutching her throbbing head as she got back up, looking to see what had become of Bellatrix. Sirius and Bellatrix seemed the only ones unaware Dumbledore had arrived.

"Come on," Sirius laughed, ducking Bellatrix's killing curse, "You can do better than that!"

His voice was echoing around the cavernous room. The second jet of light hit him squarely in the chest. The laughter was still painted his face, yet Amara saw his eyes widen slightly in shock. Then, in a graceful arc, his body fell back into the black veil. Bellatrix's triumphant scream intermingled with Amara's horror-struck one as Amara slid to the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks.