YEAR SEVEN, CHAPTER SIXTY ONE
THE PAIN OF A CURSE
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Christmas was over as soon as it began and Francesca found herself back at Hogwarts in no time. Wrapped up in her head all over again with no escape. Less students returned after Christmas, as Francesca assumed.
Draco was no where to be found, he promised Francesca that he'd be here when she got back but she couldn't find him anywhere.
Things only got worse during her return to Hogwarts and Francesca noticed more and more students going missing as the days went by.
"This torture," Daphne sighed one day in front of the fireplace. "I don't know how much more I can take."
"It's okay," Tracey said, holding her tightly. Daphne sniffed, tears falling from her eyes. Tracey brushed gentle fingers through her hair.
Pansy gripped onto Francesca's hand, holding it tightly as if her life depended on it. The Common Room was supposed to be a distraction from everything going on outside.
"It's not okay!" Daphne yelled. "This is not normal... I shouldn't of came back, why did you convince me to come back?!" Daphne cried, glaring at Tracey.
"I'm sorry," Tracey whispered. "I didn't want to be here without you Daph."
Daphne sighed, crying silently.
Weeks went by and Francesca found herself being screamed at by Alecto Carrow one Tuesday morning for falling asleep in class. The yelling went on and on and on for so long that Francesca eventually tuned her out.
She didn't come back too until someone had placed a hand on her arm and dragged her to the front of the class.
"This is what happens to students that fall asleep in my class," Alecto said, glaring at Francesca who stared back at her with wide eyes. She raised her wand, "Cruicio!"
Francesca screamed in pain, dropping to her knees and hugging herself. It felt like her skin was being ripped open and torn inside out. Like her bones were being crushed. Like all of her organs were exploding inside of her over and over again.
Alecto would only stop for a few seconds before cursing Francesca again. She fell back, curling up into a ball and glancing around the room at her peers while tears fell from her eyes.
Nobody did anything, she now realised how helpless and humiliated everyone else felt when they had to endure this torture.
Then Francesca noticed him. He might have been hiding behind his Death Eater mask but she recognised him from a mile away and it only made things worse. Why wasn't Draco helping her?
Alecto didn't stop until the pain was too much for Francesca to bare. Francesca's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she was out cold. Alecto smiled to herself, placing her wand back inside her pocket.
Alecto continued the lesson, leaving Francesca's unconscious body laying limp on the floor. As if she wasn't even there.
Pansy stared at her best friend in fear and worry, trying to hold back the tears that were in her eyes. Millicent was right by her side, biting her lip profusely, worried for her friend.
Tracey and Daphne refused to look, both girls looking down at the desk they sat at, holding each other's hand tightly.
If Crabbe and Goyle were fazed they didn't seem to show it unlike Blaise, who was staring at Francesca in complete shock, hoping that she would just wake up and return to her desk.
Draco stood at the back of the room, he knew that she knew but there was nothing he could do. If he tried to interfere it would of ended badly for him. So he had sit back and watch, he just hoped that Francesca would let him explain.