Nymphadora Tonks slowly opened her eyes, wincing when the brightness of the room hit her eyes full force. She blinked rapidly as white spots swam around her vision. She clamped her eyes shut tight before slowly opening them once more, her vision returning to normal. Her auror training kicked in immediately, and her eyes scanned the room. A wave of confusion filled her as she took in a large room that was made completely of gray stone. The walls were bare with the exception of a dark brown wooden door with a silver handle. Her eyes then looked down and she began to panic when she saw that her ankle was chained to the ground. Nymphadora grabbed the long silver chain and began to pull it but to no avail.
Nymphadora quickly stood up and yanked her ankle, causing a pain to shoot through her leg. She hissed in pain before yanking her ankle again, only to feel a harsher pain. Nymphadora's instincts kicked in and she froze, her eyes darting around the room. She whipped her head around when she heard the brown door creak open. Her eyes narrowed as a woman who looked eerily similar to her mother walked in. Nymphadora recognized her immediately as her mothers sister, Bellatrix Lestrange. Memories of how she got chained to the ground flooded back to her, anger quickly replacing her panic.
"Bellatrix," Nymphadora spat. The word came out sounding like the most vile curse. Bellatrix grinned wickedly as she walked into the room followed by three men Nymphadora recognized immediately. "Malfoy, Crouch, Lestrange I knew you three were death eaters." Lucius sneered at her as though she were a slug while Barty smirked victoriously, his eyes shimmering with mirth. Nymphadora almost blanched at the lecherous look Rabastan was leering at her with, his eyes scanning her slowly from her purple hair down to her scuffed up black sneakers.
"Hello dear niece," Bellatrix mocked as she twirled her wand between her long thin fingers. "I'm so glad you've returned to the land of the conscious." Bellatrix' brown eyes flickered with amusement as though she was experiencing her own private joke.
"Go to hell," Nymphadora snarled. She tried to push away the thoughts about would most likely happen to her. She wasn't stupid, she knew what Bellatrix and her fellow death eaters were capable of. She had seen dozens of bodies that had been raped, mutilated, and tortured by the followers of Voldemort. She also knew that they would try to get information from her, but she swore to herself she wouldn't tell them anything.
"Watch your tone," Bellatrix spoke quietly, her voice menacing. "I can make things very difficult for you." Nymphadora saw Barty and Rabastan exchange anticipatory looks. Bellatrix stalked towards Nymphadora in a predatory manner, stopping when they were mere feet apart. Nymphadora could feel power radiating from her aunt, and saw nothing but hate, disgust and amusement in her eyes. She knew that Bellatrix would feel no pity for torturing her own niece.
"I know why you brought me here," Nymphadora spoke up, her tone steady much to her relief. She wanted to buy time, she knew that the Order and her fellow aurors would know that she was missing. Someone would find her, she just needed to buy as much time as she could by taking the pain. Hopefully while retaining some of her dignity. "You want information." Bellatrix' smirk was the embodiment of evil as she continued to twirl her wand. "But I won't tell you anything, now or ever." Bellatrix' eyes narrowed and any amusement in their fathomless depths vanished.
"Everyone says that at first," Bellatrix murmured, her eyes boring into Nymphadora's. "But in the end, everyone talks. Everyone." Bellatrix took a long step forward, Nymphadora could feel Bellatrix' hot breath on her face. Bellatrix slowly raised her wand and pushed the tip into Nymphadora's cheek. She used all of her self control not to flinch at the action. "And those that don't die." Bellatrix' lips curled into a cruel smile, her eyes once more flickering with the amusement of a private joke. "Painfully." The word rolled off her tongue like the purr of a dangerous beast. Nymphadora remained stubbornly silent. "You and I both know that I can't make you, after all like your mother you're a natural occlumens." Bellatrix dug the tip of her wand into Nymphadora's cheek and she grit her teeth.
"And I'm not telling you anything," Nymphadora said, her tone filled with loathing. She refused to let Bellatrix and her fellow death eaters see her fear.
"Then it appears we reach an impasse," Bellatrix murmured. Her wand lowered to her side, and Nymphadora felt a flicker of confusion. She eyed Bellatrix warily, she had heard too many stories about Bellatrix to think she wouldn't harm her. Nymphadora's first instinct was that Bellatrix was getting ready to torture her, most likely the cruciatus curse. Which is why her confusion doubled when Bellatrix turned and walked towards the other three death eaters. Her confusion disappeared when Bellatrix spun around and pointed her wand at Nymphadora, a spell shooting towards her before she could blink. Nymphadora felt her body being flung backwards. She felt the air leave her body as her back slammed into the stone wall, her feet lifted off the ground as her body stuck to the wall in a spread eagle position. She tried to move her head but found that she couldn't move any part of her body. The only movement she was capable of were her eyes which were flickering between the four death eaters.
"However, there's always a way," Bellatrix grinned as Nymphadora felt a surge of anger. Bellatrix' wand remained directed at Nymphadora. "Now, tell me everything you know about Albus Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix."
"Go to hell," Nymphadora spat as she tried desperately to move her body.
"Crucio!" Bellatrix yelled. Nymphadora screamed as the curse hit her, it felt as though a thousand needles were being stabbed into her skin. Screams tore from her throat as the pain increased, it was as though her entire body was on fire. She could see Rabastan, Bellatrix and Barty laughing while Lucius looked on as though he were watching a boring session of the Wizengamot. After what felt like an eternity, but was in reality only twenty seconds the curse was lifted. Nymphadora could feel her muscles twitching, and she felt as though she had just fallen off of the Astronomy tower.
"Would you like to tell me now?" Bellatrix asked with false sweetness.
"Never," Nymphadora growled, her voice gravely. Bellatrix snarled and once more cast the cruciatus curse. Once more Nymphadora felt like her entire body was on fire. She felt like someone was stabbing her repeatedly on every part of her body. The stone room was filled with blood curling screams mixed with laughter. Nymphadora screamed louder than she thought was possible as Bellatrix held the curse. After forty seconds under the curse Bellatrix lowered her wand. Nymphadora's mouth clamped shut and she bit down on her tongue filling her mouth with blood. The taste of copper overwhelmed her and she began to cough, she could fill blood dribbling down her chin. This fueled the laughter from three of the death eaters.
"Disgusting," Lucius sneered disdainfully. Nymphadora attempted to glare at Lucius but it came out looking as though she were squinting. Her body was aching all over and her breathing was beginning to come out heavier, like she had just run ten miles.
"Shall I give you another lesson, or are you ready to speak?" Bellatrix asked. Nymphadora didn't answer, she just stared at Bellatrix with all of the hate she could muster. "Well then, you really do leave me with no other choice." Bellatrix raised her wand, but in a flash Barty's hand was over hers. Bellatrix narrowed her eyes as she turned to Barty. "What are you playing at?"
"I think we should try something more," Barty's lips curled into a cruel smile, "fun."
"What do you have in mind?" Bellatrix asked, sounding genuinely curious. The way they spoke about torturing her made Nymphadora feel nauseous.
"May I?" Barty asked, his right hand gesturing lazily towards Nymphadora.
"Yes," Bellatrix answered. "I'm interested to see if you can get my dear niece to talk."
Barty walked towards Nymphadora, his wand nowhere to be seen. "I've always wanted to try getting information out of someone with the basics." Nymphadora watched with dawning comprehension as Barty reached into his robes and pulled out a small dagger. The blade was six inches and silver, a small emerald glittered in the hilt. Nymphadora once more attempted to struggle, but the spell pinning her to the wall was as powerful as before. Nymphadora watched with rising panic as he ran the blade across her stomach, although it didn't cut through her shirt she could've sworn she felt the metal. Barty's smile never left his face as he slowly ran the blade up her right arm before pulling it back. Nymphadora didn't have time to protest before she felt the blade being stabbed into her right palm. A scream tore through her throat, it felt as though her hand was being bitten repeatedly by a snake.
"The blade was imbued with a special potion of the Dark Lord's own invention," Barty mentioned as though he was merely mentioning the time. "The pain is ten time worse than a normal stab wound, and the cut will never heal." Nymphadora felt her eyes fill with tears as the pain in her hand continue to throb. Barty reached into his robe once more and pulled out another blade. He ran the blade slowly across her stomach until he pulled it back and stabbed it into her left palm. Another scream echoed around the room, and several tears escaped from Nymphadora's eyes. Slowly her hair started turning from purple to black, and her violet eyes turned brown.
"Oh my," Bellatrix mocked. "Someone is losing control of their emotions." A loud cold laugh left Bellatrix as Nymphadora bit her already bleeding and throbbing tongue. Nymphadora didn't notice that Barty had produced another dagger until she saw him wave it in front of her face. She watched with apprehension and fear as he dragged it across her body tauntingly. Nymphadora wanted to cry until she ran out of tears but she held back as much as she could, she was already hating herself for allowing a few tears to escape. She was in more pain than she had ever been in but she knew she needed to survive this. She needed to survive this so she could help the Order take down Voldemort. She didn't want anyone else to ever experience the pain that she was. She knew she needed to stay strong so she closed her eyes and pictured her mother and father. A second later her eyes opened wide, brown eyes filled with tears. A pain was coursing through her right arm more painful than the previous two stabs to her body. She flicked her eyes to the right and she screamed so loud that she felt as though her throat was tearing. Barty was grinning maliciously and carving letters into her arm. Nymphadora felt her body go cold as Barty carved the third letter and suddenly everything went black.
"Wake up." Nymphadora heard as her eyes fluttered open. She moved her right arm and pain shot through her body. She looked around wildly and saw that she was now laying on the ground, the cool stone floor sending chills through her body. She shot up and hissed in pain, she felt like she had been beaten to a pulp. Her legs twitched from the after affects of the cruciatus curse and she could still taste blood in her mouth. "Look who's awake," Bellatrix said amusedly. Nymphadora craned her head to the right and saw the four death eaters staring at her, their eyes filled with malevolence. She instinctually jumped back and another bout of pain flooded her.
"Are you ready to talk?" Barty asked, his eyes resting on her right arm. Pain shot through her arm, she looked down and her eyes widened in horror. Blood Traitor was carved into her arm, it took up her entire right forearm. It was void of blood and appeared to already be healed over. It looked like a year old scar. Nymphadora felt faint as horror, disgust and fear filled her down to her core. "I think it makes a lovely addition don't you?"
"You're sick," Nymphadora choked out. Her voice hoarse, and each word caused her throat to tighten with pain.
"So I've been told," Barty chuckled. "And if I were you I wouldn't bother to think about attempting to conceal that scar. Not even your metamorphmagus abilities will be able to cover it up. The Dark Lord is a genius is he not?" Nymphadora swallowed thickly, she didn't want to think about seeing that scar forever. 'If I get out of here.' A voice in her head told her but she ignored it.
"He's a sick bastard," Nymphadora spat. Her throat protesting her speech. "And one day he'll die and the rest of you will be sent to Azkaban." She could feel the temperature in the room drop ten degrees, and the looks on the faces of the four death eaters turned murderous. Bellatrix' eyes took on a demented gleam and Barty's eyes narrowed into slits.
"It seems you need to learn your place," Lucius spoke silkily. "And I know just the thing to make a blood traitor like you learn to respect your betters." Nymphadora didn't have time to respond because Lucius wand was out in a flash, a stunner shooting from the tip of his wand. The spell hit Nymphadora in the chest and everything went black.