Response to Challenge #146: The Secret Indulgence Challenge
Title: Taboo
Rating: Probably a PG-13, for somewhat crude subject matter
Characters: Draco Malfoy, Peter Pettigrew, Bellatrix Lestrange
Author's notes: Less than half an hour. Very slightly spoilery for DH. Devilishly poor taste. *pokes community* Is this comm still going properly, I haven't seen a challenge released for ages!
This was the dullest task a Death Eater could be assigned to. One sat in a small room, gazing at a little red lantern, hoping beyond hope that it would light up. It rarely did.
Today, the unenviable task fell upon Draco Malfoy and Peter Pettigrew. Draco was sorely disappointed to be stuck with Pettigrew; sometimes one could have an interesting conversation with one's cohort, but Pettigrew was half-mad and all boring. Idly, Draco withdrew a deck of his cards from his robes and began to play Patience. With Exploding Snap cards, it was a faintly interesting game. More interesting, anyway, than looking at the bloody lantern which never did anything.
"You're not meant to do that," Pettigrew squeaked, "what if somebody breaks the Taboo and you're not ready to move immediately? They might get away and the Dark Lord would be furious."
"It's not going to ever do anything," Draco replied dismissively. Nobody broke the Taboo. The lantern hadn't illuminated for months now.
"It might," Pettigrew said petulantly, and made a point of staring at it. Draco returned to his game. Where was the bloody ace of diamonds?
"Ahahaa!" Pettigrew squealed, startling Draco, and causing the cards to explode. "Look, look, it's lighting up. What do we do, what do we do?"
Although Draco's heart was pounding at the concept of actual combat, he forced himself to remain calm and superior to the wreck of a man hopping from foot to foot. Both placed their hands upon the little red lantern, and Draco felt a sensation, similar to a Portkey. The lantern transported the Dark Lord's supporters to the location of anyone who dared to utter his name. Draco trembled slightly in flight; he secretly hated the idea of duelling another wizard, who would probably be better trained than he was.
The location seemed strangely familiar to Draco. As he looked around, he realised it was one of the guest bedrooms in his own home. Had they infiltrated it? Where was the transgressor? He could not see anyone standing, poised to fight. There were no bumps behind the curtains.
It was then he spotted a shape in the bed, moving, panting. He recognised that dark hair, wild and untamed now. His aunt Bellatrix. She looked blissful, her right hand moving at herself under the duvet. Draco felt immediately quite sick, as he knew exactly what she had been doing. It was something that no man ever needed to see. Especially as she had broken the Taboo! Now he knew what she gasped, breathily as she fantasised. His aunt! He turned to leave, motioning Pettigrew to follow. Pettigrew, was, of course, oblivious, being a complete simpleton, and said loudly,
"But what about the Taboo?"
It was like a spell had been broken. Bellatrix's eyes flew open, and she groped for her wand. Draco blushed. He could not imagine a more embarrassing situation than this.
"What are you doing in here?" she hissed. She had her wand now, and was waving it frantically between Pettigrew and Draco.
Draco tried to concoct a lie that would somehow make this whole sorry situation disappear. He drew a blank.
"Someone broke the Taboo up here," Pettigrew said.
"GET. OUT. NOW!" Bellatrix screamed, sparks flying from the end of her wand. Draco considered himself lucky that she was not sending out Killing Curses.
They scarpered. Draco took his own wand and pressed it to his forehead and mumbled, "Obliviate."
Nothing happened. Draco hoped that Occlumency would eventually block out this whole incident.