Undying Love (A Jily Fanfiction)

Chapter 31: The Twice-Turned-Cloak

They apparated onto the Potter doorstep, with Lily, drained, clinging to James' shirt.

"You wouldn't want me to carry you in," James whispered to her as he gently pried at her fingers.

"Or you could, could be Spiderman and climb, carrying me to the window."

Sigh, Lily was like that, trying to conceal her feelings in the vain hope that it wouldn't affect others'.

"Who's Spiderman?" He asked, feigning interest as he pressed the doorbell, thrice.

Marlene answered the door, her eyes gentle, and James knew she was far better a gem than Sirius ever deserved.

"I'll get Lily," she assured James. "Why don't you go upstairs and hang out with the boys?"

Nodding, he followed Marlene's advice, his eyes lingering on Lily as he went.

-

There was only darkness, until a narrow ray of light broke through for Sylvia Johnson to make out the details.

Blood trickled in her eye, tinting her vision red, but nothing mattered anymore. Her purpose was served, and she would rot here until the end of her days.

She was chained to a wall with her hands above her, and her feet barely touching the floor. Her clothes was in strips, baring more skin than to her liking. Her blond hair was dirty and messy. She wondered if James would recognise her.

She opened her mouth to the damp ceiling of the dungeons, the dirty droplets dripped into her mouth, moisturing her chapped lips. It was the first drop of water she had tasted in days.

"Johnson," the new voice, ringing with authority said.

"Malfoy," she rasped, her energy not allowing her to do anything else.

"You're stubborn, I'll grant you that. But why not give in to our terms? Then you can have water, food, friends, and everything you have lost." His voice was cold.

She laughed through the blood in her mouth. I must be going insane. "What you're asking, is for me to betray the boy I love, leaving me no choice but to regrettably decline the Dark Lord's so very generous offer."

"Why you insolent slut," Lucius cursed, his wand at her in a fraction of a second. "Crucio."

And she screamed as millions of knives tore through her body. The pain was overwhelming, she couldn't think, couldn't speak. Helpless...

"Stop it," a female voice said, and the pain ebbed.

"Cissy," Malfoy said in alarm. "What are you doing here?"

"Let me talk to the girl," she suggested quietly, "Maybe I could succeed." Where you did not.

Malfoy's face twisted, but although Narcissa Black was his engaged for political reasons, it was evident to anyone that both their feeling went beyond those of companions.

Love in troubled times, how Sylvia envied them.

When Lucius Malfoy left, Narcissa questioned, "Why not give up, girl? Why would you hold on?"

"I can't betray them again," she whispered brokenly. Narcissa would never hit her, she could speak freely.

"You mean you'd gladly betray the whole school, but not that Potter boy." She asked, not unkindly.

Resigned, she nodded.

"I thought so," then she leaned in to whisper in Sylvia's ear. "But if you don't do so, they'll put you under the Imperius Curse and make you infiltrate Hogwarts."