Pariah: The Other Malfoy

Chapter 67: Revelations

I gulped as I recognised my father, Snape and Yaxley. Bellatrix advanced on me, grabbing the letter from Zeus before he could fly away, and opening it. She read it through before passing it to Snape, turning back to me with a grin.

"Crucio," I fell to the ground, screaming in agony, "You dare try and warn your filthy mudblood friend? You dare defy the Dark Lord's orders?"

"I don't care what the Dark Lord thinks, he disgusts me," I hissed, gritting my teeth, doing my utmost to hide my fear, "And Harry will take you all down."

Bellatrix shrieked, cursing me again, the intensity of the pain growing with her anger. My screams echoed around the room, I heard more footsteps approaching as I convulsed on the floor, my brain scattered as I tried to hold on to my sanity.

"Bellatrix," Snape stepped forward, pushing her arm down, "I think Miss Malfoy understands."

"She defied the Dark Lord!" Bellatrix shrieked, her anger growing more pronounced.

"And if she does it again, you may deal with her as you wish," Snape's voice was smooth, but hidden deep within it was a slight edge, "But I'd assume the lesson has sunk in already."

Bellatrix hissed before marching away, another pair of footsteps retreating with her. I was still lying on the cold floor, my breath coming out in gasps as I tried to push myself up on shaking arms. My father moved forward, pulling me to my feet and allowing me to lean against him. I forced my head up, sticking my chin out and staring forward with hard eyes.

Snape, my mother and my brother were the other people in the room, Yaxley having left with Bellatrix. I let out a shaky breath, blatantly ignoring Snape who still held my letter in his hands.

"Why did you try that?" My father asked quietly, my mother coming to my side as well.

"I... I can't let him get hurt," my resolve fell, my voice contrasting the brave facade I was putting on, "I couldn't... bear seeing him be hurt."

"You were willing to risk your life to get him this message?" My mother asked gently, sharing a look with my father.

"He... means the world to me," my legs were shaking beneath me, "I thought... Maybe if I could save one life, that would be something."

I watched as Snape folded the letter, placing it in his pocket without a word. I dropped my head again, tears stinging at my eyes, a pain growing in my chest as I realised I had failed.

"Let's get you safe," my father was supporting me even more now, my legs had completely failed beneath me.

Was Tobias going to die because of me?

He wasn't on the Hogwarts Express when I finally returned to Hogwarts. Did that mean he was safe, or had they grabbed him long ago? Many muggleborns were on the train, being kidnapped as soon as the train left the station, taken god knows where.

I sat with Neville, Ginny and Luna. We were silent and stony-faced, none of us knew what to say. There was no official announcement that Death Eaters had taken over, but everyone knew it was the case.

Snape was the new headmaster. I was worried what this year would be like for other students. Would they torture us? What would they even teach us? I knew teachers like McGonagall and the others had all stayed on purely to protect us students as best they could, but would that be enough?

Death Eaters searched the train again halfway to Hogwarts. They were looking for Harry, we knew that. Neville was the only one brave enough to stand up and say something to them.