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Post by HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER! on Jun 19, 2009 9:41:25 GMT -5
It was approximately 11:00 AM in the morning on a Saturday in the summer. The heat in the air was rising fast and most could already tell without the weatherman that it was going to be a scorcher. Many of the streetwalkers in the shopping district clung to shade under overhangs or went inside the shops just to escape the burning sun. Fortunately, it was a dry heat rolling in, and thus they did not have to worry about humidity and its habit of making those in it uncomfortable and sticky in their own skin.
It was on this day that a certain Hermione Granger had decided to re-enter the wizarding world which she had left so many years ago. After a brief dip into the pool of magic with Ronald Weasley and a period of seclusion afterwards, the young lady decided it was about time to get herself familiar with a world that she used to call her home. Diagon Alley had seened to be a fitting place to come back, considering it was where she too had started her journey back when she was eleven years old. Remembering the taps on the bricks from her childhood that opened up te magic world to her, Hermione entered as naive as she was back then.
The quaint shopping street, however, had changed considerabley since she had last been there back during her seventh year. The cobblestone roads and sidewalks were littered with the poor and destitute, particularlly around the entrance to Knockturn Alley. As she walked up the sidewalks and peered into the stores, she saw that the insides had changed only in what they sold. Perusing the wares in the bookstore, for instance, she discovered, in horror to her own principles, that most of the reading material had been censored and screened by the new system of government. Her strong sensibilities and demands for equality made such a blatant refusal of free press fire her u. However, she knew she could not riot in such a public place, lest she be recognized and arrested.
Walking a bit further from the bookstore, she found herself on the steps to Gringotts. She had no money stored here anymore, so there was little need to go in unless her curiousity go the better of her. Instead she stood and observed those entering. All looked decently affluent, and her keen eye noticed that this area of Diagon Alley was nicer than where she previously was. The men in charge keep this place clean and shoo the riff-raff away, Hermione thought, putting her hands in her jean pockets. No one she recognized, though...
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Post by kai on Jul 12, 2009 20:06:37 GMT -5
 
Bellatrix seemed to be visiting the Alley a lot this week. It wasn't as if she was really surprised, but she had also had a lack of sleep this week. Her husband seemed to be making sure that she did not get any sleep and that was rather annoying in itself. In any case, she wasn't in a very good mood as she dropped the coins on the mantle of the counter and took the book from it, sliding it into her pocket for safe keeping. There was nothing else for her to do in the alley for the moment so she could return home and sleep. Her husband was probably out, at work so she could spend her time just sleeping, reading and making potions.
She was unsure at the moment at the reason as to why she was so tired, but she could probably put the blame on the fact that she was not sleeping as her husband kept waking her, or the fact that she had not finished her potion so she was unable to sleep. The Dark Lord needed the potion done and her mind was probably telling her to get her arse on overdrive to work on it, even if it meant that she needed to lose sleep over it. Bellatrix yawned slightly as she pulled open the door but other than that it was the only sign that she was tired. She had never actually suffered from black marks under her eyes from lack of sleep, she merely yawned a lot.
She moved away from the shop, getting furhter and further from it until she reached Diagon Alley. She wrinkled her nose to stop another yawn from escaping her before she started moving through the crowds. She just wanted to get home. She needed her bed. Then she could work on the potion for a few hours and it would be finished. But sleep came first. She was tired. As she walked a figure caught her attention to which she stopped in her tracks, a smirk appearing on her face. Moving so she wasn't seen she moved around the figure, one Hermione Jean Granger and slipped her wand out of her sleeve before she moved close enough to press it to the girls back. Bellatrix towered over Granger, a fact she was glad for.
“Hello Mudblood, it's been a long while. Missed me?” she asked, her voice mocking as it travelled into the girls ear. One of her hands snaked out to hold the girl in place. “Now where have you been all these years?”
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Post by HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER! on Jul 12, 2009 20:23:05 GMT -5
Hermione, no longer accustomed to checking her surroundings and watching her back since emerging from the safe world of muggles, had not expected to see anyone she knew. If she were to want to see anyone, it would had to have been a friend from the past; perhaps Ron Weasley, Ginny, she wouldn't even had minded Draco Malfoy, considering she knew she could wallop him in a duel if things turned sour. All that she had seen before her were witches and wizards whom she did not recognize, from pureblooded families ready to withdraw and deposit small fortunes to buy a winged horse for their broad-faced son or three purebred kneazle kittens for their spoiled rotten little girl. Never in her right mind did she even think of coming across a Death Eater, and especially not Bellatrix Lestrange. She should have seen it coming, her emergence from the burrow of Muggle life surely attracting attention from the omniscient dark powers.
Feeling a wand pressed against her back and a hand holding her where she stood, the brown-haired witch did as any noble member of the Order would do and not panic. Her brain, however, was flooded of her stay at the Malfoy Manor, being tortured with the Cruciatus Curse not too long ago. Hearing that voice address her by 'Mudblood', mocking her by asking her if she missed the one who had toyed with her like a cat did with its helpless prey. Hermione knew she was in serious danger, with the people around her not willing to assist a one of lesser blood in peril. Her spine stiffened, body locking up in terror, and her hands shook so much she was not able to grab at her wand in her pocket. She dared not look back to stare at the face of her attacker, knowing well who it was before.
"None of your business," the muggleborn spat, partially out of rage and mostly out of fear, "Now let me go."
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Post by kai on Jul 12, 2009 20:39:54 GMT -5
She giggled softly, in a way that Granger would be aware off. Oh Bella had a lot of fun with Granger. She had proved interesting to play with. So much more interesting when she was under Cruciatus.Oh how she had screamed and writhed. Oh merlin. She was sick. Merlin, how she loved the screams. Bellatrix felt the girl stiffen as her body locked up and there was something about that which sent a shudder of pleasure through her body. Just like the old days.
She tightened her grip on Granger as she spoke and chuckled softly. She moved her head down, bending lower to her and almost pressing her lips to Grangers temple in a mocking caress. “Now now dear, you know you want me around pet. Life is so much fun when you're here for me to play with.” she purred as her hand moved across Grangers side, an action which would probably repulse the girl but Bella was having a lot of fun.
Bellatrix tended to get handsy when she was thinking about torture. She chuckled softly, low enough for it to be seductive but enough to tell Granger just how amused she was. Oh how she wanted the girl under her curse again. “You know Granger, I have missed you, really.” she added as an afterthought.
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Post by HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER! on Jul 12, 2009 20:55:56 GMT -5
Bellatrix's height advantage over Hermione really frightened her. She had stood up to her before and those much stronger than this witch from the house of Black, but why was it that now she was as terrified of her as the mouse to a hawk? The sheer surprise and unexpected nature of the attack was what indeed scared her the most, and that no one would come to help her. Harry was long since dead and gone, killed at the hands of her own attacker's sort, and Ronald was surely not in Diagon Alley, but more likely than not in the Burrow with her siblings. The lioness who had been so brave in battles past was stripped of her teeth and claws and now became nothing but a toy to a sick-minded cat with all intention to kill.
She felt her stomach twist and churn as the woman bent down and nearly passed out right where she stood when she began to speak again. She shuddered when her hand ran down her side, as if expecting claws to come and slice at it. Her eyes, wide with anxiety, shot to the side where her marauder's own was, too looking for any chance of escape. None, just as she thought. Bellatrix, to her, was the ultimate hunter, skilled in the art of stalking and catching her prey. She must had seen her long before she felt any sort of presense of danger. That fact wrapped round her brain as she listened as each word fell on her ears. The tone of voice in which she spoke stiffened the young woman even more, wishing every second that she had just stayed home and watched television with Crookshanks.
What was certain was that she did not want to be this monster's plaything, and thus struggled against her grip, straining each muscle forward to perhaps break free, although she knew very well that Bellatrix was stronger. Finally, desperation took over her rational-thinking brain and she began to call her help.
"Let go!" she yelped, her voice shrill with panic, "For the love of Merlin, someone help me!" She knew very well what was to happen if she did not get free fast, something she had been through before...
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Post by kai on Jul 12, 2009 21:06:50 GMT -5
Bellatrix giggles again, the sound echoing in the alley. No one would help Granger. No one would dare stand against Bellatrix, not when the alley was full of Death Eaters. The Death Eaters outnumbered the resistance. That much was certain. So Bellatrix really was not at all worried. She would have her fun that was for sure. Another chuckle reached her mouth as Hermione yelped but she merely cast a wandless silencing charm around them so that no one would hear them. Such talent slipped from her fingertips, in a way that Granger would never have known. As a mudblood the moment that the Ministry had been taken over and their saviour had been killed it was the end for all Mudblood and their learning. Bellatrix had made sure that they were treated like they deserved and she would be damned if they took over again. She would not allow it.
She was skilled, oh so skilled in the art of stalking her prey, waiting until the right moment to strike, but getting to Granger had been child's play. The woman had just stood there, as if waiting to be taken and that just made this all the more interesting. The fact that she had not gone for her wand – not once. Bellatrix had made no move to remove it, because in all honesty whats the worst that Granger could do to her? Break a few bones? She'd welcome that. A crucio? She'd love that. “No one can hear you love.” she purred softly a tone of finality in her voice before she began to push the girl towards knockturn alley and from there into one of the sidestreets which just so happened to be deserted.
Her fingers slipped up the girls side, still feeling their way up before they knotted themselves into the girls hair before she tugged down hard on it, making sure Granger could see her. Bellatrix used her superior strength to turn the girl around so her back was facing away, so she could see into the girls eyes, to see the fear in them. “Now tell me dear,” she started, “How does this feel?” she asked before wasting no time.
“Crucio.”
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Post by HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER! on Jul 12, 2009 21:34:00 GMT -5
As she was being pushed into the depths of that place known as Knockturn Alley, being the fighter that she was Hermione attempted still to break free from Bellatrix's grip. Skidding her feet against the pavement to slow their progression to the depths of the underworld, as it seemed to her, crying out, and attempting to loosen her grip by kicking out and shoving; all such techniques were utilized. She did hear that a silencing charm had been put on her and her attacker; a clever move by a clever opponent. Normally when faced with danger, the once meek Granger would jump up and face the challenge of wit and skill with enthusiasm and yet measured caution. However, this matter, as if was with her last encounter with the lady Lestrange, was of her own life and death. It hung by the thinnest thread which could be cut at any time this sadistic woman wanted. And what Hermione truely feared the most was not failing in school but losing control of her own life.
Once they had stopped, Hermione seemed to know what was coming, this situation mirroring her time at the Malfoy Manor almost to the 't'. Feeling her hair being tugged hard from its roots, she couldn't help but wince in pain, as anyone would do. Now being forced to face the beast who took too great of pleasure in her pain, her mouth was slightly agape and was about to speak in her own defense when Bellatrix has set the curse upon her. A favorite of hers, Crucio must have been. Everyone has their favorite spell, after all.
Just as the description of the spell in the many books she had read over the years, unbearable pain shot through the woman's body. She let out a loud cry, shrill and reminiscent of death throes. Her eyes shut tight as she felt as if her head was to split open and she continued to scream. Each bone felt as if it was being pulverized, each muscle tearing, her skin melting off her body. Her knees gave out from underneath her, she now only upright as a result of Bellatrix holding her hair to keep her from running. Her muscles clenched; she had felt this pain before and many a time too, but there seemed to be no getting used to this.
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Post by kai on Jul 12, 2009 21:43:28 GMT -5
Bellatrix was enjoying this way too much, but then again, if she didn't enjoy this then it wasn't Bellatrix. Even thought she was exhausted to the point of collapse she was able to do anything that needed to be done without problem but the fact that she was able to fire out such a Crucio was interesting in itself. Naturally, she was a powerful Dark witch, and she was damn proud of that fact, she would not be allowed to be the Dark Lord right hand if she was a weak rat, much like Pettigrew. The stupid bastard. Bellatrix had not had a good life the first time that her Lord had left them, she had been chucked in Azkaban and that had not been pleasant. It had been a nightmare, but it was worth it. It was worth the fact that she was praised and rescued from that accursed prison.
She laughed, a laugh which many could describe as insane, but the fact was that she loved this. Pleasure ran through her as the girl's legs gave way She kept laughing even as she lowered the curse less than a minute later letting go of her hair at the same time, it would be a few minutes before the girl would even be able to stand, let alone fight back. So she took this time to circle the girl, much like a lion would circle its prey before it attacked and tore its lunch limb from limb. Merlin, that would be an interesting plan. She chuckled low in her throat as she moved, her head watching the girl, chin lifted slightly as she watched.
“Tell me Granger, was that to your liking?” she asked as she raised her wand and fired a bone shattering curse an inch away from her hand. “Or would the mudblood want every bone shattered before I take you to meet my darling husband.” she added with a smirk. The only thing that Bella and Rodolphus could do together without bitching was torture and have sex. Both were interesting enough.
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Post by HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER! on Jul 12, 2009 21:59:55 GMT -5
The curse of choice for Bellatrix finally being stopped, perhaps at the pleasure of seeing the woman after her suffering, she had let her brown hair go. Thus, Hermione fell to the ground with a thud. Her chest was expanding and compressing extrememly, each breath a labor for her. Body shaking all over, as if she were thrown in an icebox, her matted hair covered her face which was pressed against the stones embedded in the pavement of the alley. Tears now streaked down her cheeks, she slowly raised her head up to see Bellatrix circling her like a wild hyena at a kill. She even laughed like one, Hermione thought.
Being able to surivive that cure many times before, perhaps what had changed from the last time she had been tortured was that her strength was coming back to her at a more rapid pace than before. Although still on all fours, the woman started lifting her body off the cobblestone alley, slowly as not to stress her weakened limbs or alert her tormentor of her returning clarity. She winced away from the spell that was shot from the woman's wand, just missing the victim's hand. Listening carefully to what the Black had to say afterwards, her body stiffened at the thought of being alone with both Lestranges. Torture would not be the only thing on the menu then.
"...what do you want from me?" she finally gasped breathlessly, her right hand slowly creeping back towards her knee.
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Post by kai on Jul 12, 2009 22:11:04 GMT -5
Bellatrix chuckled softly as she watched the girl moving, she was slowly getting back up, good. It was all the more fun when they fought back. She grinned slightly as she watched, this was fun. More fun than sleeping. But it would be more interesting if she had her husband here with her, they were masters at torture and then some. Bellatrix was practically glowing at the thought of taking a play-thing home with her. Merlin. That was sick, but that was Bellatrix for you, it was what she enjoyed doing, always had always would. Even if sometimes it was a cause for concern. The only two things that were on her mind at a time like this was sex and torture, and both of them were sometimes closely related when it came to her and her husband.
As she spotted Grangers hand near her knee her foot lashed out and hit the girls knee to which she laughed loudly, madly, as she heard the reaction. That had to hurt. She had no need to answer just et, she was watching. She needed to wait, to watch. Bellatrix needed to make sure that she did not just lose it all and kill the girl now. No she wanted this to happen slowly, to happen so slowly that it was done properly. Bella wanted...no needed this kill. She needed this girl to suffer, then maybe she could rejoin baby Potter one and for all. Then she would have to go hunt down those ginger traitors and then she would be done with that part of her life. Longbottom and Lovegood could also be a path she could pursue.
“I want many things from you dear. You to scream for mercy. You dead. You to admit defeat. You to go visit you dear Potter in death...” she spoke as she circled the girl. There was a lot of things she wanted. Then perhaps once the girl was dead she would go and get rid of the pent up sexual frustration that using Crucio gave her. Surely Rodolphus would not dare complain lest she leave him nearly dead again.
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Post by HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER! on Jul 13, 2009 9:37:03 GMT -5
Well, from what Hermione could now make of it, Bellatrix was much more of a hyena than she remembered. The laugh and the merciless character gave that all away and let her animal nature shine through. The concept of someone needing to kill in order to be content, that being much like the predators that stalked the moors, shook the very-much human Hermione to the core. So much so that it distracted her from dodging the hit to her knee by a black boot belonging to her assailant. Sure, it did sting bad and she knew it was to be bruised, but right now was not the time to be complaing about a hurt knee. She figured that she could still stand after all this beating, and she did also have another trick up her sleeve.
Only her classmates and those who had fought her in heated battle would have known this, but Hermione was unique a witch to have learned nonverbal magic at a much faster rate than her collegues in school. Being the first at something always meant you were to beocme more skilled in it, and since she practiced magic in the basement of her home outside of London, the Granger girl was not in the least bit rusty when it came to spellcasting. She had only not practiced the killing curse, finding it to be too hard to bear after seeing her dearest friend die at the hands of it. Hermione was becoming more and more agitated instead of frightened at Bellatrix Lestrange, and her change in emotions would result in a more confident woman, unafraid.
"...I am not your toy," she muttered as she began to stand to her full height, legs no longer shaking. Her face with an aggressive expression, she stood finally to face Bellatrix Lestrange as she would have planned to sometime in the near future. Taking into account that spells which inflicted pain would have no real effect on her, Hermione figured with her cever brain that a hex to distract her would be her best bet. Thinking hard of the charm in mind, before the witch attacker could do anything else, a flock of at least one-thousand canaries rushing out on wing ehind the younger witch, assaulting and pecking at the former Black. Ms. Granger took this chance well, hoping that the woman was blinded by the yellow birds, and attempted to rush out of the alley and to a safe place where she could apparate away.
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Post by kai on Jul 13, 2009 10:04:29 GMT -5
Bellatrix was too busy casting wards on the alley to even notice that the girl had stood. She was busy thinking back to all those wards she needed to put up at home while she put up three simple ones on the surrounding area. One was to make sure no one disturbed them. Another was to ensure that Bella could leave whenever she wanted too, as Head Unspeakable she was able to poke a hole through the anti-apparition ward on the alley, it wasn't too hard if you had the clearance and enough magic to do it. There was something else which seemed to be distracting her, the last ward was trickier, but it would make sure that Granger couldn't merely walk away from the alley, unless she wanted her legs blasted out from under her as soon as she crossed the ward line. Bellatrix was no fool.
While Granger was good at non-verbal spells, Bellatrix excelled in them. Merlin knew she was smarter than this mudblood witch any day and she had not had to rely on her books. Bella had never been the bookworm, but she had passed all her Owls and Newts with Outstandings, there would have been nothing else that was expected of her. Anything lower than an outstanding had meant torture. And while she loved pain, the last thing she wanted was one of those sessions with her father. It was the girls voice which brought her back to the alley and she noticed the the girl was standing, looking aggressive. Her eyes merely sparkled in pleasure at this, it was always more fun when they could fight back.
She laughed as canaries headed her way to peck at her but she merely conjured several dozen snakes which snapped up the birds in their jaws with a sickening crunch. She hummed softly as she whacked some birds out of her way before pushing past the snakes and towards Granger. “I wouldn't do that if I was you, unless you have no need for your legs.” she said in a sickly sweet voice before she giggled insanely. She flicked her fingers slightly and the ward she'd placed on the alley sprung up, the only way you could take it down was if you knew the curse and knew the order in which Bella had cast it, which wasn't an easy feat considering this was one of her own creations.
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Post by HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER! on Jul 13, 2009 10:23:43 GMT -5
Hermione had not thought to look behind her to make sure that Bellatrix was incapacitated by the birds, but at the nmistakeable sound of vipers slithering about and the snapping of jaws, she knew that her plan had inded only worked for a few seconds, at most. Turning her head to the side so that she could see whta indeed had all happened, she saw the birds that she had conjured being consumed, as perhaps she was by fear and anger, with the creator of the snakes heading towards her with a smirk on her face. Fight or flight dictated her movements now, and she again attempted to bolt out of the alley, despite the warning given by the predatory witch. She did not expect to run headlong into a wall, set up by Bellatrix herself. Normally, she was able to mimic curses and would have been able to get away. However, her not seeing how the structure was conjured as a result of being in a panic before, there was no way she could break through.
Fully turning around to face Bellatrix, as she was determined not to let this woman get behind her again, her brain wracked to find another spell which would injure or subdue the Black. To get her as far away form her as possible would be a good option to pick, and thus the curse 'expulso' was her choice. Then, if the woman was put far enough away from her, maybe she could apparate out of the alley and onto the other side of the barrier and free form her clutches. It seemed like there was a chance it would work, so using her skills at nonverbal magic, without saying a word or anything else to indicate that she had a trick up her sleeve, she conjured up a great explosion of fire right in front of Mrs. Lestrange, hopefully to push her back against the end of the alley.
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Post by kai on Jul 13, 2009 10:32:20 GMT -5
Now Bellatrix had not been able to contain her laughter when Granger collided head on with the conjoured ward. Oh merin, what an idiot. That was supposed to be the smartest with Hogwarts had to offer before the take-over? No wonder they'd lost. They were a bunch of idiots really. Who the hell, was stupid enough to run into a wall? There was nothing much for her to do until she stopped laughing, this was all just too amusing for her to even consider leaving. Bellatrix was having way to much fun, there was surely nothing else she could have done with her time. Well she might have been able to go have some fun with Rodolphus, or she could have gone to talk to Rabastan for a little while.
Then again, she had not expected the great explosion of fire and it was only the fact that she was far away enough that she did not burn. She growled loudly as she slashed her hand across the air cutting through the fire with water before she blasted off a reducto at Grangers face. Now no one would miss that ugly mug of hers, all her friends were mostly dead anyway. “Don't you ever learn Granger, you can't win.” she snarled, her spellcasting was matched only by Voldemort, which ensured that her accuracy and precision were near perfect. The only time her spells were off was when she had lost it, but she hadn't...yet.
One could not expect a mudblood to lay down and die, that would be asking for too much from them. It seemed as if all they were here for was to be an annoyance. There was little to be said or done really, Bellatrix could only kill the bitch and get it over with and thats exactly what she was planning. Which was exactly why she had just send a stream of acid at Granger without really planning it. It was a spur of the moment thing and Bellatrix just loved it.
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Post by HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER! on Jul 14, 2009 11:42:36 GMT -5
Despite the speed at which flying materials and acid would be shot at Ms. Hermione Granger and the skill of the attacker, the great thing about magic was that all of it, save a few, could be countered. It made duels in school very interesting, with battles lasting hours until exhaustion of the loser or the skill of the winner would end the fight. Hermione in her time had become a very successful dueler, too fighting and incapacitating Death Eaters in her wake alongside Harry, Ronald, and other members of their party. If Antonin Dolohov, with his mysterious curse striking her back when she was but fifteen, couldn't bring her down, this witch couldn't either. That was what she thought, after all; a shot of overconfidence, maybe, but soon enough she would have this wench at her feet.
Again not using her wand or words to express what spell she choe to cast, impulsively she used the 'Finite Incantatem' charm, which she had seen used quite a bit back in Hogwarts. Any time a fight seemed to start and a teacher was close by, they would use the spell to stop the two opponents' hexes from hitting each other and sending them straight to detention. As well as dodging the vile liquid to and thus stopping it from burning her face, only small bits of her hair that did not move fast enough with her body, but also nulled the other cures thrown at her. However, moving so quickly to dodge was a bit too much for her still-recovering body to take, and thus her knees gave awy again and she hit the pavement hard. She kept her keen eyes on Bellatrix to see what she could be thinkig up next and her brain wracked and continued searching for other curses in her attempt to escape.
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