~ we grow fearless when we do things in fear~
----------
****
Talea woke up with a start, her head was pounding and her body ached. Darkness surrounded her like a heavy cloak, it covered her but it didn't keep the coldness away as she shuddered.
She let out a groan and sat up a little bit straighter. Talea held a hand to her throbbing head and tried to take in her surroundings. She sat on a cold concrete floor, her back slightly leaning on a wall and she was able to make out the shape of the room.
She had to be in some kind of cell, there was a heavy black door at the other end of the small heavy room with just a small square to look through that was covered in bars. Talea noticed that only a small window, also with bars, provided the room with just a little bit of light. But it wasn't sunlight, it seemed to be the moon that was shining though the bars.
How long has she been in here?
But where was she even? And that's when everything came back. She felt her heard clench as she remembered the attack on the Ministry, Ivars hand around her arm and as she turned around, he was changing right in front of her eyes into non-other than Augustus Rockwood.
She should have realised...
Talea remembered the times when she looked at Ivar, curious why he always seemed to be drinking out of a large, metallic water bottle. She assumed that he just liked to stay hydrated but as she thought about it now, it only made sense that he was drinking Polyjuice potion.
He always asked her weird questions about her seer abilities and her personal life; she should have known that something was off. It was only then that Talea realised that she did notice that something was off. She always had a weird feeling in her stomach when Ivar and her crossed paths but she never really thought about it until now.
She remembered the weird nightmares she had, when Rockwood was called by Voldemort to find out more about her. She should have gotten suspicious when the death eater told him that he knew that she was a seer, no one really knew except for the Order and the Unspeakables. Talea knew that he was a spy for Voldemort, the Ministry was searching for him.
But how did he manage to get around all of the security spells in the Department of Mysteries? How did he manage to disobey the Unbreakable Vow? And if the real Ivar Marshall really existed, where was he now?
She had so many questions but what worried her the most was that she didn't know what happened after she blacked out. Did the Ministry fall? What happened to her friends and Sirius? Oh, Sirius... was he alright? Is he hurt? And if he's physically, he's probably mental by now, he had to watch as she was pulled into the fireplace... he had seen it all.
Her mind was racing with thoughts and she looked for her wand, it was nowhere to be found, she bet that they took it. It was as if all the pain came back at once, she had been too distracted to notice it before. Talea gasped as she saw the slice on her leg, it was deep and red but it had stopped bleeding by now... That didn't mean that she hadn't lost blood. In fact, next to her was a puddle of blood and that was probably the reason why she felt so drained and dizzy.
As she looked up her body, she was shocked to see that shirt had ripped by her arms, as she carefully lifted it, she let out a gasp. There were three big scars around her arm that went from her wrist to her shoulder. She got splinched, well, of course she got splinched. She was unconscious while she apparated.
But why are there scars? Why were the wounds already healed? It seemed like someone took their time to heal them roughly, if they wouldn't have done it she probably would've bleed out. So, they needed her alive.
Oh no, if Iva-Rockwood was really able to find out everything about her? Did her find about her connection to Voldemort?
If yes, there was no reason to heal her wounds properly because in the end, she would be dead anyways. She was too tired to care, too tired to panic and as she leaned her pounding head onto the wall, she fell back into unconsciousness.
****
Talea jerked up when she heard the loud sound of the big metal door being pulled open. She flinched as she noticed the sudden brightness in the room and blinked, trying to adjust to the light.
She heard a pair of feet tapping onto the ground and as her eyesight finally went back to normal, they noticed the certain pair of feet, right in front of her body. Her eyes travelled up the long legs until she saw the matching face. Oh Merlin, she thought. She was in the goddamn Malfoy manor.
Right in front of her stood Narcissa Malfoy, the former Slytherin, husband to Lucius Malfoy and Sirius cousin.
Within a second Talea remembered that they took a Horcrux from Lucius Malfoy.
The good thing is, she had studied the floor plan of the house and knew exactly where she was.
The bad thing is that Voldemort wouldn't have left Malfoy unpunished and if they knew about all of her powers, they would certainly know that she was the one that took it from him. If Malfoy got punished, she wouldn't even have a chance to use her knowledge about the floorplan because there is no way that this family wouldn't make her pay.
"Long time, no see" Talea's voice was hoarse as her voice echoed through the dungeons.
Narcissa eyed her with a look she could not quite place, was it anger, pity or even fear? "Stand up, the dark Lord wants to see you."
Fear prickled in Talea's veins as she shakily stood up, partly leaning her body on the wall to support her body. She was weakened; by the loss of blood, the pain and the lack of food. She tried to hide it but she wasn't in the best condition to let her acting skills show.
Narcissa held the door open, as Talea stumbled into the dungeon's hallway but didn't spare her a glance. She trailed behind the Malfoy, not wanting her to know that she knew exactly where she was. Even though her body was weakened, her mind was in a better state. She was tired but the cortisol that was pumping through her body, alerted her mind.
She had to walk up a staircase that led to the first floor and then walked into a room that was opposite from the staircase- the drawing room.
The drawing room was a widely proportioned room, the ceilings were so high that Talea had to lean her head back in order to see it fully. Two chandeliers hung low, and a pipe organ at one end. A long ornate table was in the center of the room, it seemed as if the usual furniture was stacked away somewhere.
Talea noticed that a few people were sitting at the table, their heads turning in her direction as she entered the room. Abraxas Malfoy and his son were seated next to each other, at the other part of the table sat Bellatrix, a sneer covering her face as she stared at Talea.
She felt anger rise in her body as she saw that Augustus Rockwood was staring at her, his face held a proud smile that she wanted to punch off.
And there he was, Voldemort. She had never seen him in real life, just in her dreams or in her prophecies. Even though he sat at the end of the table, Talea was able to make out that he was tall, and skeletally thin. His face held deep, dark scarlet red eyes set in slits, like a cat's gleaming in the dark. And nose is as flat, barely noticeable which reminded Talea of a snake. His unnaturally long fingers clenched tapped onto the table where a big snake laid.
"If this isn't the infamous little seer" his cold voice made her movements freeze. Narcissa placed herself next to her husband and Bellatrix stood up eagerly, grabbing Talea's arms roughly.
"What should we do with her, my Lord? Kill her?" she led out a short, crazy laugh as her dark eyes roamed over her face.
"Let her speak first Bellatrix, bring her closer." How generous. Talea was pulled after Bellatrix and soon she stood directly in front of her enemy.
"Sit back down" ordered Voldemort and with a last glare, Bellatrix let go of her. The snake like man eyed Talea and his eyes travelled to hers. She wouldn't dare back down, if she was going to die, she wouldn't let her pride crumble.
Talea felt a burning sensation in her head as she stared into these dark eyes. He was using legilimens on her.
She nearly let out a laugh as she saw the confusion in his eyes. And for now, he stopped it. Talea would do anything to give the youngest Black a grateful hug right now. He taught her to defend her mind as soon as they started looking for Horcruxes while Sirius and her taught him other things. The black family was known for their powerful wizards and of course the children of the scared twenty-eight were taught all magic at an early age.
"I want to speak to her alone" Voldemort turned to the death eaters in the room and they left a few moments after.
Voldemort stood up from his place and stepped closer to her, his snake slithering behind him. "You could say that you're lucky. After you destroyed several plans of mine, destroyed three Horcruxes and let Dumbledore know of my plans, I am willing to give you another chance." Talea didn't answer, she simply stared at the figure in front of her in disgust and let him continue.
"I want you to work for me. I always wanted a powerful seer in my ranks and then I heard of you. You could use your abilities to help me and not destroy me. And in return, I will spare you and your disgusting friends from a horrible death-"
"No" interrupted Talea's voice for the first time "I would rather die than help you and my friends are able to help themself." She wasn't quite sure herself, she hoped they were safe but even though she didn't wanted to let them die, she knew that if she would help the other side, they would stand no chance against him anymore.
"No?" his eyes flashed over with anger "Well, let me tell you something it wasn't a suggestion, it was an order." He grabbed her chin and his bony fingers pulled it upwards "It is only a matter of time that you will bow to me, now that Dumbledore is dead there is nobody and nothing in my way that could stop me. Not even my own daughter, not even you."
Talea didn't dare to move her eyes from his as he let go of her face. "Abraxas!" he called out and gave her a sneer.
The older Malfoy walked into the room, bowing before shutting the door behind him "Yes, my Lord?"
"I think you still have some unfinished business; you are free to show her what the verge of death feels like." And with that, the dark wizard walked out of the room.
Talea had no way to defend herself against the man and as her eyes locked with his she knew that this man had no piece of good left in him.