Cordelia's P.O.V
The same sound repeats itself over and over.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
I can't really tell If I'm awake or unconscious. The sound seems so close yet so far away. I feel like If I just try to reach for it I might be able to grab it and stop the irritating sound. My head is buzzing and I just want it to stop. The echo is so high, it makes me wonder where I am. I soon realize that my eyes are closed and I can see nothing but darkness. I slowly open my eyes and at first, I can only make out some shapes around me, but as my vision gets clearer I see where the source of the sound is coming from.
Claudio is standing near the door, dressed in all black, tapping his ring on what looks like a bookshelf. I look around the unfamiliar room, it's quite large, there's a desk next to the bookshelf and a large painting of the Greek Gods playing what seems like a game of poker. Something feels odd. There are no windows, the only light source that illuminates the room is coming from the lamp on the nightstand placed next to me.
Where am I?
"Claudio?" I call, my voice was barely audible from how sore my throat feels. He stopped tapping his ring and shifted his gaze back to look at me.
No answer.
I repeat his name again, but he still doesn't respond and continues tapping his ring on the bookshelf. I wipe my eyes and sit up, with my back touching the bed frame. Why is he acting so weird and mysterious?
"Why are you not answering?" I inquire and he stops tapping again and leans against the bookshelves with his arms crossed, after a short-lived pause, "Because that's not my name" he remarks.
"What?" I'm confused... I observe him and there is something weird about him. The way he stands, the looks he gives me and it hits me.
Akoni.
I gasp and suddenly feel very exposed and I quickly try to comfort myself by pulling the covers over my shoulders. I know that the blanket isn't going to help me at all but it still gives me the false illusion that I'm protected somehow.
"What is this place?! " A smirk creeps upon his face and he lets out a low chuckle and starts nearing me. I push myself to the side of the bed until my back slams the wall and he sits on the edge of the bed. I look at how far the door is and think of making a run, but what if it's locked? I touch my sides to see if I still have a wand, but I doubt it... He wouldn't be that stupid to leave me with a wand and I was right, my wand was gone.
He started laughing and looked at me with a pitiful expression, "You really thought I wouldn't take your wand?" he got up, straightening his pants and before he made his way out, he turned around, "You really should work on your Occlumency shields." He left and I was alone now.
Draco's P.O.V
After Granger's suggestion, we went straight to Dumbledore's office. He wasn't there so instead we went to McGonagall. It's frustrating because we're losing time and I don't know where that psychopath took her or what he might have done to her already. He might have even killed her and we would be cluelessly still searching for her. I aggressively knocked on her door but Granger immediately snapped my hand and stopped me.
"Stop it Malfoy! We're irritated as much as you are right now, but you still have to be respectful!"
"I couldn't give two shits about respect right now-" the door opened itself and McGonagall looked at us with a confused expression, "Is everything okay?" she asked and I burst into the room.
"No! Everything is not ok! His fucking rapist psycho brother captured Cordelia and we don't know where she is right now!" I fumed and Mcgonnogal gasped, "Language Mr. Malfoy!" she exclaimed.
"How the fuck do you expect me to talk in a proper language in this type of situation?! He kidnapped her!" I slammed my hands on her desk, my rage consuming every inch of me.
"I'm really sorry professor, but this is a very urgent matter" Granger stood next to me.
"I understand that this is an urgent matter, Miss. Granger but," she looked at me with furrowed brows with her usual calm and collected voice, "This is no way to talk to your professor and this is a very serious accusation. How do you know that Mr. Valentino captured Miss. Reinders? Do you have any proof?" she asked and let out a frustrated sigh.
"This is a waste of time," I turned around and made my way towards the door where Claudio and Theo were standing.
"Malfoy, wait!" Hermione exclaimed and Theo stopped me from walking out by pushing me back with his hand to my chest, "I get how serious this is but just wait for a second. For my sake, I also want to find her." I hesitated for a moment, "Fine" I said and turned around and stood next to him.
"Thank you," Granger said and turned back to face Mcgonngal. She took the map from inside of her pocket and mumbled the code, "I don't know if you're familiar with the Marauders Map-"
The old witch cut her off, "I am"
"Great then" continued Granger, "No need to explain that... As you can see Cordelia isn't on the map and neither is Akoni. We were wondering since Akoni just turned seventeen can't trace his magic anymore, however, Cordelia is still underage and if hypothetically speaking Akoni cast any type of magic around her inside or outside Hogwarts grounds we might be able to trace their location and we need you to apparate us to the Ministry to find out"
McGonagall cleared her throat, "Yes it is possible, however, how do you know that he has 'kidnapped' her, they might have just snuck out to Hogsmeade. Not that It is allowed or I condone such things especially during class hours."
I started to grow irritated, "Fuck this," I said and tried to unlock the door, but it wouldn't open. I turned to face the old witch who had her gaze fixated on me.
Granger let out a sigh," Professor we just know. I beg you to trust our word in this and please help us. We're running out of time and I'm really concerned for Cordelia's sake. His brother, " she turned to look at Claudio, "has done very concerning and awful things since he arrived at Hogwarts and we urge you to not question us further because we're only here for good intentions and we wouldn't bother you if the matter wasn't serious. »
McGonagall shifted in her seat and sighed, "Very well then", she stood up and walked next to Granger, "I can't bring all of you so take my arm, Mrs.Granger and Mr.Malfoy." I walked next to her and held her arm, "Both of you return to class" she told Theo and Claudio and with a pop, we were on the Ministry grounds.
I would come here often with my dad during the summers so the territory wasn't really unfamiliar. We took the lift to the Magical Law Enforcement Department. We descended at the second level, "Wait here." McGonagall ordered us when we arrived in front of a room. She knocked on the door and entered a few seconds later.
I frustratedly leaned across the wall and fidgeted my ring. Granger stood a couple of feet away from me, staring at the ground while holding her notebooks to her chest.
I fucking hate this. I wonder if he hurt her and what she's feeling right now, but then I remember Mcgonngall's words, that may be in actuality they might have run away together or snuck away to Hogsmeade together...
"I should've done something" I hear Granger say and I look up at her, she looks miserable as if she's about to tear up. I roll my eyes, the last thing I could deal with right now is fucking comforting her. But, for some reason, I feel empathy towards her. We're feeling the same thing. I also hate myself for not knowing what was going on.
The door opened, "Come in" I heard Mcgonagall's voice from inside the room. I waited for Granger to go in first and I entered after her, shutting the door behind me. The professor was sitting across from an elderly man, I checked the name tag on the desk, his name was Arnold Henderson. "Hello, Miss. Granger, Mr. Malfoy" Arnold greeted, "I understand that this is an urgent matter so I'll just go straight to the point. I just checked the Ministry archives on magic done in Hogwarts grounds and found that the Stunning Charm has been cast to Mrs. Reinders at 2:56 AM near the Black Lake. That is the last location where magic has been used near her. I've notified the DMLE Aurors and they have now started the search for her."
I looked over to Granger who looked as shocked as I did, but I couldn't help the small sensation of relief pour over me since the small doubt I had for a split second over the chance that she might have willingly escaped with him was crossed out of the list.
"Thank you, Arnold," said Mcgonnogall.
"We will let you know as soon as we get a trace and in the meantime please report any information that might seem helpful in finding her whereabouts" he looked at us with a warm smile. I nodded and walked away.
"Thank you sir" Ganger responded and I heard her footsteps near me.
Cordelia's P.O.V
As soon as I heard Akoni's footsteps vanish into thin air, I got up and looked around the room for any possible weapons I could use. I opened the desk drawers but there was nothing but some pieces of parchments and broken quills. The quill's top was a little pointy so I still took it and shoved it in my pocket.
I walked over to the massive bookshelf and the shelves were really dusty as if they weren't cleaned in years. I looked inside the books to see if there was anything helpful stuck in between its pages or in between the books. After at least half an hour of scanning every book and the whole shelf, I saw something shine at the left inside the corner of the shelf. It was a sewing needle.
I quickly picked it up and remembered that one time my muggle friend had picked the lock of a convenience store to steal sweets at 3 am. It was the 14 of July 1993, the independence day of France, and for some reason, we were really craving caramel Carambar's, and since there were no stores open at that hour we had no other choice than to steal it. However, I do remember putting a five euro bill on the counter so it wasn't really stealing after all. After that, we went to her house and I wanted her to teach me how to do it just in case I would be handy one day and I was right.
I neatly inserted the needle inside the lock and started working my way through with what I remembered. However, my actions were cut short when I heard footsteps approaching the door. I silently made my way to my bed and just as I heard the door unlock, I sat at the edge of the bed, placing my hand over to my chest as if I were scratching it, but in actuality, I slowly put the needle inside of my bra.
"What are you doing?" he inquired and stood only a foot away from me. He scanned the room and me suspiciously. A moment later his gaze was fixated on my right pocket, I didn't dare looking down to not give anything away. He held out a hand, "Give it." I just looked at him with zero expression on my face and didn't obey.
The door was open this time. If I hit his underleg very hard, I could gain at least a couple of seconds and run out of the room without him stopping me, that is if he doesn't procure his wand in time and stun me. And then what? I do not know where I am and don't know what is outside this room. He would reach up to me and stop me. I have to be clever with this and first find a way to get out of the room and know my surroundings to form a clearer plan of ways I could escape. But I also can't treat him well, because then he's gonna be suspicious and that won't help my case.
"What are you talking about? What can I possibly have?" I ask frustratedly and sit up further backward the bed.
"Don't play dumb with me now. Give it" He approaches me.
"I don't have anything to give you! You already took my fucking wand and that was the only thing I had with me before you fucking stunned me!" I exclaimed.
He sighed frustratedly then within a second put his knee on the bed and his figure was on top of me. He grabbed both of my arms aggressively and pinned them down on top of my head.I tried to stop him, but he was too powerful. I kicked my knees and tried to get up, but I was too late. He reached his hand into my pockets and took the broken quill, "This is what you get for not obeying me when I ask you to" he whispered into my ear and trailed his tongue along my neck all the way down to my chest. He let out a groan and ripped my shirt apart and I let out a sob. I tried to inch upwards but I couldn't, his body was way too heavy on mine. He grabbed my breasts and I could feel his hardness pressing into my thigh.
He got up and I quickly sat up crossing my arms around my chest, wiping the tears with the back of my hand. Akoni took a book from the shelf and threw it on the bed and I gasped at the sudden movement. He transfigured it into a chain and I got up and ran across the room knowing what was going to happen next, "No!" I cried out, but he didn't care, he grabbed my arm and dragged me back onto the bed. He tied the chain to the bed and the other end to my wrist.
"If you try something like this again, your other hand will end up being chained too" he mumbled an inaudible charm pointing at the chain and turned on his heel to exit the room. The second he left I let out a breath that I felt like I was holding onto since the minute he first came in. I tried to pull my arm free from the chain, but I felt like my whole body was being set on fire and I screamed. It was one of the most painful things I experienced. My whole body was shaking and I stayed in a still position to stop the burning. When I did that the burning immediately stopped.
Why is he so cruel? I didn't do anything to him other than being nice.
I wish I never went to the Black Lake with him. I should've trusted my gut feeling yelling at me to not go. But I was too nice again and let him manipulate me. I hate myself and I feel disgusting. I want to take a shower. Knowing that I have his saliva on me and his touch on me makes me want to rip myself apart.
I hate this.
Draco's P.O.V
"I think we should go talk to Claudio,'' said Granger when we started walking back from Mcgonnogall's office. I look at her with an annoyed look, "About what exactly? What inspired him to find fucked up ways to remind her of a countdown" I hope she knows what sarcasm is.
"Ugh! No! Do you know how insufferable you are?!" she asked and I turned to look at her, "Me? Insufferable? Hope you don't mean yourself?" I'm genuinely curious, who does she think she is?
"Yes. As a matter of fact, I have and out of the two of us, you're the only one that's insufferable and acts like a child all the time. You always complain about everything and if one thing doesn't go your way you make a huge deal out of it and annoy everyone with your dramatic ass. So I encourage you to shut up and listen to what I have to say. Since I remember you coming to ask me for help just earlier today and that's what I'm trying to do here!" she let out an irritated sigh, as much as I hated it I know that her intentions weren't bad and they were only to help Cordelia. So I nodded and listened to her with a cold expression.
"Good. So, out of all of us, Claudio is the one that knows him best. They are twins after all and he might have an idea of where he might have taken her. So I suggest you stop with your stubbornness and we go talk to him without beating him up or using violence because he might have started with the countdown but he is not his brother and he didn't kidnap Cordelia."
I considered what she said for a second, "Fine, but I'm not promising anything with the beating up part. Those are my terms."
She crossed her arms around her chest, "Deal. Let's go."