Silent Riot | Regulus Black

FORTY THREE

a/n- this was bitch of a chapter to write. VERY long, but it was unavoidable I'm afraid. also, unfortunately, i am very bad at writing duelling scenes (spoiler, sorry), so please just bear with me.

Gemma trudged up the stairs, exhaustion weighing her down. Regulus had been relentless with his drilling in quidditch practise that day, and since she and Jules were the only original players there (Snyde was apparently unwell), Regulus' irritation had just been fuelled by the incompetent new players.

She headed to her dorm and stripped off her quidditch uniform. Wearily, she got under the shower and turned the knob to increase the temperature. She always liked the water to be scalding hot, otherwise it just wasn't enjoyable.

She watched as steam gradually rose around the bathroom, as she spread soap on herself. It was sandalwood; she hated floral scents with a passion, and even more so, sweet scents, like vanilla or caramel. Who the hell would want to smell like vanilla?

She used Iz's shampoo, just as her friend had insisted. She was slightly concerned to see that it was unbranded, and therefore one of Iz's own inventions, but she decided to go out on a limb and trust her friend.

She put it in her hair, and inhaled. The scent was something unrecognisable, but she definitely liked it. She leaned her head back against the wall, and closed her eyes, putting the shower up on its stand so it fell on her lightly.

Less than five minutes later, the steam was so dense that it was getting difficult to see. She ignored it. And then it became difficult to breathe.

Panicking slightly, Gemma wrapped her red towel around herself and stumbled of the cubicle, making her way to the door.

She didn't get very far, before a familiar feeling overcame her. She found her vision swimming, then realised her legs had given out under her, and she was sitting on the cold bathroom tiles. Everything around her went black.

She opened her eyes. She was sitting, in a chair. It was a rather uncomfortable chair, one that dug into her back and her bum. Couldn't they have put a cushion on this chair? At least there were armrests. She moved to put her arms on the armrests, but then realised she couldn't. They were tied behind her back, using chains. Chains. Rope would have sufficed. Why on Earth did they think they needed chains? It wasn't like they'd given her her wand. It wasn't like she was a dinosaur.

The image of a dinosaur strapped to a chair made her laugh. Then she stopped laughing. Why was she strapped to a chair?

She looked around, and all that met her gaze was dozens and dozens and dozens of trees. Dense, dark, gloomy trees, and nothing else. She realised with a start that she was in the Forbidden Forest.

Yes, she remembered a bit more now. She'd been sick after taking too much Vexation Vanisher, and she'd escaped Madam Pomfrey to come down to the Forbidden Forest and see if she could find some Runespoors because Runespoors were adorable.

Then there had been a loud bonk and everything had gone black.

And now she was tied to a chair.

'Helloooooo!' She called out. There was no response. 'HEEELLLLOOOOOO!'

'Hello,' someone said. She blinked. It actually worked. She strained her neck and turned it as far around as it would go. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a figure. It was dressed in a black cloak, and the hood was up, so the face was set in deep shadows and she couldn't see the features.

The figure walked past from behind her, and instead stood in front of her. Now she saw it properly, and for the first time, a light shred of fear brushed her heart.