16 December: Gryffindor Common Room.
It's been 9 days since Josette has been kidnapped. The news was reported in the Prophet accusing that Hogwarts is not safe anymore and a girl gets kidnapped in the daylight by death eaters.
Dumbledore didn't wanted to get this news out in the public not only is question raised about Hogwarts protection over students but about Josette as well. Why would death eaters kidnapp a student?? Why is she so important??
The marauders had been used to stares around the school, it came with the fact that they were one of the most popular groups in Hogwarts.
But the stares they got were usually stares of anger, or amusement, or fear. This time, it was different. Pity. Everyone stared at them with pity.
Minutes after the news in Prophet had been published, the rumors had, of course, begun to flow.
'She's been kidnapped.'
'Kidnapped? Please, she's dead, it's almost 2 weeks.'
'Why would Voldemort even Kidnapp her??'
'What does he want from her?'
'She must have done something. You know how arrogant she is!!'
No matter what the rumor was that was circulating around that day, they all had something in common: everyone seemed to agree with the fact that Josette was dead. Every other person who went missing turned out to be dead after a few days. Why would it be different about her?
The group of teens resembled ghosts as they walked through the corridors. Long gone were the days were laughter and loud conversation followed the marauders or scheming and sarcastic comments followed Marlene and Meredith.
Now, they all had the same downcast looks on their faces, barely speaking unless they were spoken to first. They had taken to eating in the kitchens, not wanting to deal with everyone whispering about them in the Great Hall, as well as the empty seat on the Gryffindor table where Josette used to sit.
Marlene, Lily and Alice had decided to become the group's personal babysitters, making sure that everyone was taking care of themselves properly. Though were not successful every time.
James spent his days pouring himself over his work, trying to do anything to distract his mind of Josette. He missed her presence a lot. He is seen on his broom all the time, that was the only thing making him feel little better.
Peter was afraid, like a lot. Voldemort did kidnapped Josette. Everything Marcus said was now setting into place, he was telling the truth, maybe he was right about the future as well?? He began to question where her loyalty lies. Is she really on the dark lord's side as Marcus said or not.
Remus had decided to drink his sorrows away, always carrying around firewhiskey in a flask. The werewolf was hardly sober, even in classes, and his grades had begun to slip slowly.
Meredith, the once cheerful and happy Hufflepuff, now had an empty and hollow look on her face. She had to be reminded to do certain things, such as eating. She told Jenna and Elijah about this incident. Jenna again fought with Castiel asking if had something to do with this. The family members are constantly in and out of the Ministry, demanding to find Josette as soon as possible.
Sirius, though, was worst of than all of them. He barely slept or eat or did anything at all. He was constantly filled with aggression. It had gotten so bad, that most people now averted their eyes when he was walking in the corridors.
The Slytherin gang had smug look on their faces all the time. They joked about her death in front of the marauders which raised onto a big fight in middle of the corridor. Sirius let all his anger on them and Nott was unconscious in the Hospital wing for 2 days.
Severus was always spying on them hoping to get some information about Josette. He kept asking Lucius about it but every time he said he didn't knew, which was true.
Narcissa was worried about her friend, she knew Voldemort was interested in Josette but didn't knew he would go to that extreme to kidnapp her.
James had been constantly writing back and forth with Mia and Monty, telling them everything going on between them. They would always write back instantly, giving him advice on how to help everyone, even though they themselves needed it to.
"Sirius-" Remus started.
"What now?? Any more secrets you kept from me??" Sirius snapped.
"You have got to stop doing that!!" Remus shouted, not able to take anymore of him. Ever since the reveal at Headmaster's office Sirius has been giving him cold shoulder. "You are not the only one worried about her. She is my friend too and I respect her privacy!! She told me not to tell you so didn't! Maybe you should have been a better boyfriend then she would have came to you and not me!!" Remus said a lot more than he intended to.
Sirius realized his mistake and took the werewolf's words seriously "I'm sorry. You are right. I should have been a better boyfriend." He mumbled.
"No, no, no. I'm sorry I didn't mean to say that." Remus shook his head and pulled the boy into a hug.
"But you're right." Sirius said through tears.
"No, no. You are a great boyfriend. She didn't tell you because it's hard to talk someone you love so much because you think it might hurt them." Remus tried to fix his mistake "And Josette loves to so much. I'm sorry for saying that. I'm an idiot."
"You are." Sirius mumbled as they chuckled lightly but it soon faded away. "She's safe right??"
"Of course she is. She's Josette fucking Hart. Nothing can happen to her." Remus said running his hands up and down his back.
~☆~
20 December: Lestrange Manor.
Josette was tired. Just because he needed her alive, doesn't mean he needed her intact, and Bellatrix in particular was having a lot of fun figuring out new ways of torture.
Josette obviously being too stubborn would never give Tom the map to the sword.
Necrosword, the weapon of Hela. It has special powers, it doesn't only work as a sword but in different ways as well. For instance it gives much more power to the person welding it. It's not exactly a sword but a substance which get absorbed by a person, giving them the powers of God, which Tom is obsessed with. It also includes living for thousands of year. The reason why Voldemort is specifically interested in it.
The sword currently rests with Hela in her tomb where she is kept locked. And after Marcel's interest in her mother Josette obviously figured out where she is. She just have to give him the location and all this torture would be over but Josette has other plans.
Everyday Tom would come asking for the map and Josette would turn him down, then enters Bellatrix having her best time of the day with her. Josette was kept in a dark room for last 13 days with a bed and a bathroom.
She soon learned that it was rather hard to enjoy a comfortable bed at night when your entire back is bleeding and it hurts to breathe.
The physical torture wasn't enough that Voldemort forced to go to Death Eater meetings, and watch people beg for their life as they were tortured over and over again.
She passed their souls to the other side and talked with them at night. They all were innocent people, Tom just killed a them because they married a muggle or ministry workers who got in his way and a little muggleborn boy who wasn't even 11 yet.
Voldemort was getting impatient day by day. Josette just hoped it doesn't get too extreme and he does something really bad.
Because of the bracelets she can't really talk with Heimdall or Frigga nor can they see her or she would have been out of this hell ages ago.
Josette was stepping out of the shower, cringing as she could feel her back still bleeding. Though she shouldn't really complain, given the fact that most hostages didn't even get the luxury of a bloody shower.
Getting dressed in the same shirt and shorts she had been given when she arrived there, she lay flat on the bed, her back facing the ceiling so as to not hurt the wounds, she looked out the window and into the night sky. The nights were the only time when she'd let herself feel anything.
Mortis Heladottir was actually scared and terrified. She knows this is her end she is not getting alive out of here. Tom will probably kill her after getting his sword or she's going to die of this torture. Most likely is the second one, knowing Josette she would never ever give Tom something this powerful.
She thought about her friends all the time. That's where she was getting her motivation from, to try and stay alive for them. All she could wish for is Sirius to wrap his arms around her and pull her to his chest, telling her that it would all be alright in the end.
She couldn't sleep, for the second she
closed her eyes she'd see the faces of all
the people she had watched get tortured and killed. Her body hurt everytime she moved, and there were a number of wounds all over her, all of them untreated and unhealed.
The door opening pulled her out of her
thinking, and she tensed as fear flooded
through her when Belleatrix walked in.
"Aw, is itty bitty Hart scared?" she
teased.
Josette rolled her eyes "What is it? This isn't according to your usual schedule."
"Get up." Snarled Bellatrix, grabbing her by the forearm and dragging her out of the room.
"I can walk on my own." Josette snapped shaking her arm out of the psycho's grasp.
She was led into the room where the meetings are held and for a second she panicked, thinking that she was going to have to watch someone else be tortured, but she relaxed when she saw it was only Voldemort sitting there.
"That will be all Bella." ordered Tom and the witch left the room briskly.
"Bella?? Has someone got a crush." Josette teased, knowing she was treading on thin ice here.
Tom laughed "How is it, that you're here, covered in your own blood, and yet you face me as an equal?"
Voldemort had to admit, he admired the girl. Her sense of willpower and her strength of mind was incredible and rivaled his own to some extend.
"You know how I am." Josette shrugged and sat down in front of him.
"See, that's why I admire you. Shame, it's all going to be a waste." He slightly shook his head.
"Are you going to tell me what I'm doing here, or will you keep complimenting me?"
"I'm very sorry to inform you that Castiel Coleman and Meredith Coleman are dead."
Voldemort walked straight into the Coleman Manor, searching for the traitor he had in his group.
Castiel was sitting in the living room with his daughter enjoying a movie marathon, hoping it would get Josette off their mind when the doors to room flew open with a thud and in walked the dark lord.
Castiel quickly stood up and protectively moved his daughter behind him. He removed his wand and pointed at the dark wizard.
"You made the wrong choice Castiel. You don't betray me and live to see another day." Tom hissed.
"I made the right choice and I'm not afraid of you anymore!!" Castiel spat.
Suddenly four more death eaters entered the room and circled the duo standing in the middle of the hall.
Meredith too picked up her wand and pointed in front of her. They started duelling, throwing curses and hexes at each other. Then a death eater disarmed Meredith and pulled her away from her father, pointing his wand at her throat.
"You lost me my loyal death eaters and now you loose your life." Tom hissed and pointed his wand at Meredith before saying that horrible curse.
Castiel cried as Meredith's lifeless body hit the floor, he didn't even had the time to grieve before the same curse hit him.
Josette didn't say anything for few minutes she thought he was lying but it was proved when he saw Castiel's ghost walked into the room.
She expected it to hurt, she figured it would in a few hours. For now though, she felt nothing at all. Not the pain in her back, not the ache in her bones, not the bruises on her body, nothing. She felt numb.
"Most people would think it's a bad idea to tell me they just killed my family in front of me." She spoke in clam tone like she usually does.
Tom expected many reactions, but that there, he hadn't expected. He imagined her to be crying, yelling at him, hell, even trying to hit him like she did at the party. Not this deadly calm in front of him, this girl covered in her own blood, who had just had everything taken from her.
"You don't have any magic, forgive me if I'm not scared." he answered.
"It won't stay like this for too long. So, what's your plan in this?? Clearly not to just break a news to me."
"I've learned you have no intention of giving me the sword and I can't kill you without getting it. So, I'm giving you a choice, Heladottir. If you wish, you can leave now, and I promise none of my men will follow you." He promised and leaned closer to her.
"Something tells me it's not so simple." Josette quirked an eyebrow.
"It isn't. If you decide to leave now, I promise, all your remaining friends and their families will be dead by the end of the year. Give me the map in exchange I'll spare your friend's families, and I'll give them immunity until they graduate from Hogwarts."
Josette thought about it throughly, she can walk out right now and all this torture will be over but she can't loose her friends neither can she give Tom the weapon of destruction.
"You'll give my friend and their families immunity until the end of the war, no one to touch them or harm them." Josette demanded.
"I'll give you what you ask concerning your friend's families, but I can't promise that your friends will be unharmed." Tom denied.
"Yes, you can, and you will."
"I don't take orders from anyone. And if this offer isn't enough for you then leave it. I will kill all your friends right in front of your eyes. One by one until you give me the map."
Josette bit the inside of her cheek, anxiously. Though she's the only on who can give him the map but he has the upper hand. "One year immunity for my friends after they graduate Hogwarts. Final offer."
"You got yourself a deal." Tom stretched out his hand with proud smile on his face.
"And you're assuming I'm just going to take your word for it?" Josette raised an eyebrow.
"What are you suggesting?" Tom furrowed his eyebrows.
"An unbreakable vow, of course." She shrugged
"You wish to sign your own death?" He chuckled.
"I wish to protect my friends." Then Josette took his arm.
"I vow to provide immunity for Sirius Black, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin and Lily Evans for one year after their Hogwarts graduation, and I vow that their families will remain safe from the war."
She didn't need to ask how he knew who she wanted to protect, it was obvious that he had enough information about her friends. "And I vow to give you the map to the Necrosword."
Silver strings wrapped around their connected arms, sealing the vow. They were both staring at each other in the eye, not wanting to be the first one to avert their gaze.
Tom has never been so happy in his life. Finally he will get what he wanted and Josette will be dead after the second he gets his hand on that map. "But how will you do it without magic??" He asked.
"I just need to concentrate. It's in my head, I will need some time to look for it." Josette said. Obviously she doesn't need any time the map is already ready in her head. She just need time to think how to outsmart the unbreakable vow.
"How much??"
"Don't know and it would be best if Bellatrix didn't came knocking on my door everyday. I want to concentrate."
"I promised her fun until you're alive. I'm afraid I can't break it." Tom smirked.
A/N
I wish Meredith had got to live. But like Dr. Strange said 'her sacrifice means infinitely more than her life'
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♡