I SPY || 𝕝𝕦𝕔𝕚𝕦𝕤 𝕞𝕒𝕝𝕗𝕠𝕪

Chapter 26. Crucio

"M-my Lord," Lucius stammered, he swallowed hard as he took in the scene before him.

            "You never informed me she had awoken Lucius." The Dark Lord tutted. "Instead... I had to hear of it from a revolting house elf,"

            "I apologise my lord, it was my doing, I wanted to check myself that the girl was sound of mind from her extended sleep, before we brought her to you," Severus explained confidently, taking the blame. Lucius looked to his old friend, thanking him with his eyes as the two stepped closer to their master.

            "She is quite sound of mind, aren't you dear?" Voldemort cooed into the girl's ear, sending repulsive shivers down her spine. The blonde little hairs on her arms and legs stood on end, fear pulsed through her entire body. "Respond to your Lord, girl," Voldemort hissed as he tugged at her hair roughly, earning a small yelp and whimper.

            "Y-yes sir," She choked with her eyes squeezed shut, she clutched at her chest, the pain growing second by second.

            "My Lord," Voldemort corrected darkly.

            "Y-yes, m-my Lord," Astrid wept.

            "Quite the obedient little thing..." Voldemort breathed as he moved his hand from her hair to her jaw, tracing it softly with his finger. "And her beauty... is unmatched... I see why you took such a liking to her Lucius,"

            "P-please my Lord, please don't hurt her... the child..." Lucius pleaded with a gulp.

            "Ah yes the child..." Voldemort sighed, he ran his hand lightly over Astrids thigh, tracing his long fingers up to her stomach where he caressed the silk nightgown with his lily-white fingertips. "You never informed me of this either, Lucius."

            "With respect my Lord, I only found out upon seeing her at the ministry,"

            "TWO WEEKS PASSED!" Voldemort bellowed, his hollow voice startling the frightened young woman on his lap, she let out a squeak and a whimper at the sudden outburst. "You have had plenty of time to inform me of this... development."

            "My apologies my Lord," Lucius breathed, lowering his gaze.

            "Your pure blood child is safe... for now Lucius. Now... to the task at hand..." Voldemort wheezed, his hand roughly gripped Astrid's chin and forced her head around to face him. "What information did you relay to your associates, girl?" Astrid kept her eyes closed as she tried to shake her head no.

            "N-nothing," She cried. Voldemort gave her chin a sharp squeeze, to remind her of her manners. "My Lord."

            "Nothing? You expect me to believe... you gave them nothing?" The Dark Lord mocked. Astrid's heart thumped in her chest, each beat stabbing her over and over again.

            "I f-found nothing... my Lord," Astrid whimpered. Closing his serpent-like eyes Voldemort decided to look into the girl's mind, wandlessly and without a word he entered, but found himself tightly closed off.

            "She is... skilled in the art of Occlumency," The Dark Lord sneered.

            "Yes, My Lord, given who her father is it was to be expected... I already tried to extract information from her mind before...." Snape uttered, his face void of emotion. The Dark Lord decided to test the young professor's candour, since he had no way of peering into the truths inside her head. Releasing her face he reached into his robe for his wand, pulling it out sharply he pressed it into her throat.