Dumbledore
Last time...
They worked together to place the rest of the books on the shelves. They had brought a lot, and without using the very top shelves, it was a tight squeeze.
"Here, I'll hold these and then you can push them in," he suggested. She nodded. With his help she managed to get the last book wedged in the space, arms pressing against Draco's hand. Suddenly, a bracelet that he hadn't noticed on her wrist turned hot. Really hot.
"Ouch," he said, jerking his hand back. She jerked her hand away as well.
"Sorry," she said, "My uncle's home, I must go."
"Wait, why?' he asked.
"He needs me," she said, hurriedly walking to the door. Her face was completely different now. It was serious and apprehensive. Gone was the playful light that had been present almost all afternoon.
"Amira-" he said. She paused for a moment to look at him. He floundered under her gaze. "Uh, just, I'll see you soon."
She stared at him for a moment and then nodded. Then she hurried out of the room.
Amira was cursing her slow steps as she rushed to her uncle's room on the third floor. It was only him and Pettigrew living in that wing now, and Pettigrew spent his nights on Diagon as a rat. She didn't want to run, because she didn't want someone to see, but she knew she was pushing it. Her uncle was probably already annoyed with her. She was right.
She pushed open the door to see him half clothed already, waiting with a belt in his hand. He had a maniac gleam in his cold eyes. He marched over to her and grabbed her by the throat, and slammed her back up against the wall.
“I’ve got a lot of energy tonight bitch,” he taunted before dropping her to the floor and walking towards the bed.
“Get over here,” he demanded. One spell, and the door was locked, another and her clothes were off. She hated feeling exposed like this. He shoved her down onto the bed so that her chest was flat on it and her feet were still on the ground.
A whistle of air was the only warning she got before the belt hit her backside. She bit her lip to keep from crying out. He was just getting started, and he didn’t like it when she broke too easily. The belt cracked down time after time. Whenever he hit a spot that he’d already hit, she couldn’t help but whimper. He laughed at her pain.
“You’re such a slut for this aren’t you bitch,” he cackled, “Just a whore.”
She didn’t react to the insults, they weren’t new.
Finally, when she was crying openly, he picked her up and threw her towards the headboard. Her cheek slammed against the frame and she saw stars. He crawled after her as she tried to orient herself. His heavy hands yanked her ankles and flipped her over so that they were face to face. She hated this position the most. In most of the others, she could close her eyes and pretend it wasn’t happening, but here, he forced her to be present.
He groped at her chest and slapped her face once. He roughly parted her legs, already panting. Then, with a roughness that was unusual for even him, he slammed his way inside of her. Instinctually, Amira cried out and tried to get away from him. He grabbed her wrist and pinned her down so that she couldn’t escape the blinding hot agony radiating from where he was violating her. It never got easier. She bled almost every day. She didn’t know why her body refused to get used to the harsh treatment.
He brutally took her for a long time that night. He looked down at her, leering, panting, and grunting. His sweat dripped over her as she cried. She struggled against his hold as hard as she could, but she couldn’t escape his superior strength. She lay there, thinking about how she wished she was anywhere else. Or thinking that she’d rather be dead than endure this for another second. Finally, she could tell he was almost done. He yanked himself out, and it was covered in red. He knelt over her body and finished jerking himself off with his hand, before spraying it all over her face and chest.
As always, Amira felt like puking. After he had calmed himself, he threw her off the bed.
“Clean yourself, you’re disgusting,” he commanded. She crawled to the bathroom as fast as her broken body could manage. In the sink, she did her best to wash herself with shaking hands. Then, when she was clean, she donned the maid’s robes that he had put there for her. She knew it was her cue to leave, and find somewhere to spend the night.
She’d never had a room, even at their house. She slept under the stairs, in the attic, outside, or wherever she could find.
She tiptoed out of his room, he was already asleep, passed out and naked on top of his covers.
Not knowing where to go, and being exhausted, but terrified to close her eyes, she went to Draco’s small library. She just needed to distract herself from the thoughts of how filthy and used she felt. She didn’t want to think about how bad she hurt and how she was still surely bleeding. She grabbed a small book and found the chair nearest the back to read in until she fell asleep, early in the morning.
Draco sighed as he headed back in from the garden to prepare for breakfast. He had been hoping to catch Amira there, but she had been nowhere to be found. Her abrupt exit yesterday had left him wondering about her far more than he had liked. He hadn't been able to truly sink into a meditation last night, or this morning when he had tried.
Before he entered his room, he decided to poke his head in the small library across, just to see if she was there. At first, he didn't see anyone and almost left before he noticed her curled in a chair in the very back. She appeared to be asleep. There was a book in her hand. Draco carefully walked closer, wondering why she was sleeping there, instead of in her own room. He noted her bracelet poking out on one arm. There was an odd shadow beneath it. Looking to her other wrist, he realized the shadow was not a shadow, but a bruise, and it was replicated on both arms.
He touched her leg lightly to wake her as gently as he could. He was not prepared for the way she jolted awake, her eyes shooting open as she threw herself away from his touch as far as the chair would allow.
"Hey, woah, it's just me," he said, startled as well. She looked at him, and frantically looked around the room. As she did so, Draco spied another bruise on her throat. His stomach clenched in a knot. There was also a red mark on her left cheek bone. She took a deep breath.
"I am so sorry, I shouldn't have fallen asleep here," she said.
"It's okay, I fall asleep in the library all of the time," he chuckled. She didn't laugh. She didn't even smile. In fact, she still looked tense, like she was in trouble. "It really is okay. Why were you in here anyways?"
"I just wanted to read," she said in a small voice.
"Well, that's what this is for I guess," he smiled again, trying to get her talking the way they had yesterday. She looked down, and curled tighter in on herself. Draco felt concern growing in him. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, yes I'm fine," she said quickly.
"Ok..." Draco wanted to point out the bruises but she was ducking her chin and her wrists were covered now. He didn't want to admit how closely he had been looking at her. "Look, I've got to go to breakfast, but... I'll come back here afterwards?"
She didn't say anything. Draco supposed he hadn't really asked her to.
"Will you be here?" he asked. She looked up slowly, looking afraid still.
"Do you want me to be?" she asked, "I can go, if you want it to yourself."
"No, no, stay if you like, I just didn't know if you had somewhere else to be," he said.
She shook her head, "Not unless my uncle calls for me." Her jaw seemed tight and her voice was barely audible.
Draco nodded, "Well, I'll see you then."
He left, unable to stand the awkward tension any longer and also extremely late to getting ready for breakfast. He rushed down when he was ready, with only a minute or two to spare. His heart dropped when he realized almost everyone, including the Dark Lord, was already there and seated. He hurried to his seat after greeting the man and kept his head down. He was relieved when Pettigrew scurried in behind him, meaning he was not the last to arrive. They ate and covered the normal business. Before he dismissed them all, he had a final announcement.
"I know we are all excited for the escape the day after tomorrow," he started, "Before we do that, there is something we all need to discuss."
There was silence.
"In two hours," he started, "I expect you all to be back in this dining room. I also want every single other living thing on this property in the room."
"My lord?" Bellatrix asked, "Living things?"
"You all, house elves, bloody peacocks, prisoners, everyone and everything that breathes better be in this room in two hours." the Dark Lord demanded before he swept out of the room. The rest of them filed out afterwards. Draco heard Yaxley talking to Pettigrew.
"Do you think he means squib too?" he asked him.
"I-I would ass-sume," Pettigrew stuttered in agreement. Draco turned his attention to his mother.
"Mother," he called to her before she could leave. She stopped and turned to him, "A word?"
She nodded and led him up the stairs to their wings. She brought him into a small sitting room on her side of the hall.
"What is it dear?" she asked.
"This might be odd," Draco said, "And stop me if I am being improper."
"I always will, you know that," she said with a slight smile. He nodded.
"You know the girl that lives here?" he asked.
"Amira, yes." she said.
"You know her name?" Draco asked, surprised. His mother only nodded. "Well, is she... is she alright?"
His mother's eyes sharpened at lightning speed, "Why do you ask?"
"Just, well, she has bruises," he said lamely, "And... she seems afraid... of her uncle?"
His mother sighed and sat back. "I feared."
"You feared? What Mother?" Draco asked, leaning forward. She rubbed her face uncharacteristically.
"Yaxley is not a nice man, and he has never treated a woman with respect in his life, not even his wife," she explained, "That's why they could never conceive."
"He hurts her then," Draco stated. She nodded.
"I think so," she said.
"Why? I know she's a squib but...." Draco trailed off. Yes, squibs were shunned by purebloods, but abuse, especially child abuse, was extremely frowned upon. Children were precious, and even the non-magical ones were taken care of. Kept in secret, but kept well. Draco had been punished in his youth, yes, but that was traditional discipline. Abuse was unheard of.
"I don't know," she admitted, "Perhaps because she was had out of wedlock? Either way, it is not an excuse for what he does to her."
"She shouldn't be hit," Draco agreed. His mother looked at him quickly.
"Draco," she said slowly, "What he does to her, it's far worse than hitting."
Draco looked at her, not comprehending for a long moment. It was only the seriousness of his mother's gaze that clued him in. When the pieces connected in his head, his stomach dropped and he sat back. He felt the blood rushing away from his face and he thought he might throw up. He wasn't stupid, he knew rape was a common and favorite activity of some of the Death Eaters. His father had made it clear that it disgusted him. Draco felt the same. It was horrible. One of the worst things he could imagine happening to someone. Especially someone so young.
"No," he whispered. His mother looked on carefully.
"Have you been speaking to her?" she whispered. "Don't lie."
"I-" he stopped, still shaken, "Yes. Is that forbidden?"
"It is not forbidden," she said, "But it would not due for anyone else to find out."
He nodded, dazed and horrified. It seemed to be a common feeling for him these days.
"And Draco," she said, "She is a squib. You must not... care about her."
"Yes Mother," he said solemnly. He already knew that quite well. She stood. Before she left, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and squeezed.
"All will be well."
Two hours later, Draco was gathered in the dining room with a very odd assortment of beings. The oddest were the peacocks. Pettigrew had them stunned and laying in a corner. His mother's cat, in her arms. The hoards of house elves cowered in the back of the room, looking extremely uncomfortable. Draco was shocked by how many there were. Then, there was Nagini, who had rounded up every single rodent that she could find on the grounds and was keeping them encircled in the corner of the room. From what he could see, there were rats, rabbits, squirrels, and more. Nagini kept snapping her fangs at them. Draco wondered if the snake was having too much fun with her assignment.
The rest of them were standing together in the front of the room. Draco stood next to his mother. On her other side was Bellatrix, and then Yaxley and Pettigrew. Apparently there were no other Death Eaters there today.
Finally, there was Amira. She was lingering on the wall nearest them, looking like she'd rather be anywhere else. Draco could barely look at her with the knowledge he had gained this morning. He felt sick, and he felt rage towards the man who had committed the crimes. He wanted to help her. No one deserved to be treated like that. Especially not her. Not when she was so smart, so kind, and so peaceful. Someone like her should be treasured. His thoughts didn't care that he wasn't supposed to care about her. He did, on a basic human level, he cared. It didn't help that she was beautiful and interesting too.
The Dark Lord's entrance broke his train of thought. The man swept in and walked to the front of the whole room, and observed them for a moment.
"What an odd group," he said and chuckled. The rest of them chuckled nervously. Draco was genuinely so curious about what the point of this was, or if the man was truly insane.
"Let me explain," he said, "I have a ritual that I would like to conduct on the night of the escape. It will create quite the magical surge so I will be using the escape as a distraction. I don't want the Ministry swooping in here."
"However, this ritual requires precise knowledge of the amount of magic in my environment to create the calculations and runes," he said slowly, "I have calculated many times, and for some reason, something is not adding up."
He paused.
"There are a few options," he hissed, "Either someone is hiding here, a strong wizard at that, or someone is hiding a strong magical object."
Draco looked at the people near him. None of them seemed guilty of knowing about either.
"I have sealed off this room, and searched the rest of the castle for either, and have come up with nothing," he said slowly, "Which means the extra magic is coming from someone in this room."
There was another tense silence as the group tried to process what he was saying and what that meant. Draco was a bit lost.
"How can this be, I wonder," the Dark Lord said theatrically. His red eyes traveled over each of his Death Eaters slowly. When he looked at Draco, he could feel some magical pulse surrounding him, and measuring him. "Hm."
The Dark Lord spared a few glances over to the animals in the room before his eyes traveled to rest on the final occupant.
"Ah."
Draco's heart leapt to his throat as the Dark Lord's attention clearly turned to Amira. He didn't dare turn his head to look.
"Come here girl," he instructed in his serpentine-like voice. Amira slowly walked to the front of the group, and kept a respectable distance away from the Dark Lord. Draco could tell her face was completely blank. He was terrified for her. She was a squib, the Dark Lord wasn't a fan of squibs.
The Dark Lord circled her slowly, not saying anything. Finally, he spoke.
"Yaxley, she is your.... niece... correct? The squib?"
"Yes my lord, is there a problem?" Yaxley asked anxiously.
"No, no problem," the Dark Lord whispered quietly, "I have just found an answer."
He placed a hand on Amira's shoulder. Draco would've died on the spot, but she didn't flinch. She kept her head down respectfully.
"You are not a squib," the Dark Lord murmured loud enough for them all to hear.
"My lord?" Yaxley asked, "She has no magic."
"Silence!" he hissed, "You are wrong. She has more magic than any of you."
He examined her longer.
"Look at me girl."
Amira slowly raised her chin to meet the red eyes. Draco's heart was about to beat out of his chest. He wanted to take her and run far away. He wanted to rescue her from the Dark Lord but he knew any attempt would leave them both dead. There was a very long pause in which Draco felt like he might die.
"Ah, yes, it all makes sense now," the Dark Lord said, taking her chin. "A Dumbledore."