Neville lay exhausted against the wall. He'd tried banging on the door, yelling, even setting off the ward alarms on the wardrobe by tugging on the handle, but it was all useless. He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten, and staying warm was using up his body's energy, fast. He was shivering and starving, and he'd wondered more than once ( Read more... )

The sound of heels on the stone woke him with a start. He moved back into the darkest shadowed corner, unsure of what good it would do. It was to the point where he could tell them apart by their footsteps. It would be a bad night. Or day. Whichever.

He woke up shivering. He was curled up in a ball, hugging his arms to his chest, but his whole body was shaking. His breath was a white mist on the damp air. He coughed violently and then whimpered as pain shot through his back and arms. The stone beneath him was sticky with his own blood. Grimacing, he moved away from it, still coughing. I swear, ( Read more... )

Neville woke up in the dark. Groaning, he sat up against the wall, grateful for the cool stone against his stinging back. Whenever he moved the wounds split open. She'd charmed the dried blood off his back and chest and dressed him for the party - why she'd taken him he still had no idea - but she'd taken his shirt back the second they'd returned ( Read more... )

The only reason Bill agreed to come with Lucius to this party was the promise that he might be able to see Ginny. Considering that they were locking all the slaves into one room (guarded by a only a few people), he thought that it might just work. If he and his sister behaved and didn't talk too loudly, they could talk and he could let her know ( Read more... )

Shooing (scaring more like it) the house else out of the sitting room, Narcissa took her seat and sipped a glass of chamagne. Getting ready that day had taken less time than she expected, so she was free to wait for her sister's arrival. They had finally picked a day to go shopping for a new slave for Bellatrix, and Narcissa couldn't be happier. ( Read more... )