Chapter 8-Torture
As the sun rose on the day Harry and Hermione had been caught sneaking back into Gryffindor Tower, three hooded figures carrying a bundle tied with a rope at both ends got into a car just outside the Hogwarts grounds. The bundle appeared to be very awkward as they laid it in the trunk of the American Ford Taurus.
"Hurry, someone will see us," said a frantic voice. They pulled their hoods and cloaks off and tossed them on the bundle and drove of at a high rate of speed. Once they were far enough away from anyone who knew anything about Hogwarts, they pulled the car over, opened the trunk to ensure the bundle was in one piece. When the trunk opened, the bundle was as still as when they put it in. "I'll bet he's dead. It would serve the little bastard right, it would."
The bundle was opened and there laid Draco Malfoy with an incredibly dark and nasty bruise from his chin along the side of his face to his left eye. His nose had dried blood and his jaw was swollen. His chest rose and fell slowly. One of the dark figures gave him some water from a wash cloth to moisten his lips and then forced what looked like a pill in his mouth. Malfoy awoke suddenly choking down the pill as they placed a pillow case over his head so he couldn't see them. "There," said one of the others. "Wake up and go to sleep you little blighter. That'll keep you sleeping for another 10 hours or so. That is, If you don't choke on your tongue." He laughed.
They drove all that day until dusk when they arrived at a little broken down house so remote that no one would look there for anyone unless they knew they were there on holiday. They dragged Malfoy into the house by his shoulders. They made sure his knees hit every step. They held his arms pulled back far enough to cause excruciating pain in his chest and shoulders. Every thing they did, they did to ensure that Draco Malfoy would never forget this day.
Malfoy was left tied to a chair with a gag and no where to relieve himself. They were going to leave him there at first for 2 days. Then they would give him a piece of bread, an apple and a glass of water. They would leave him there for 2 more days and then repeat the process one more time. On the seventh day they would start what they had come to do.
Two days before the beginning of school a plan to liberate the Death Eaters incarcerated in June was completed. The day Malfoy was kidnapped, they were to be brought to a location close to where they were now. They had been counting on the commotion at Hogwarts to distract all of the top ministry officials and get the aurors away from the Ministry. They had succeeded. No one knew their plan. Not even the three henchmen knew the plan.
"I'm hungry. How about you two?" The tallest said as the door shut behind them.
During the next six days, Malfoy lived in his own excrement, hungry and in the dark. Draco had no idea what pain and suffering could be until now. He heard the door and could feel the presence of many people in the house. A malevolent voice began speaking, "I have brought someone here for you Lucius. You may know him."
Malfoy heard what sounded like a curtain pulled back and a cry of shock. He knew the voice. It was his father's. Malfoy desperately hoped his father would get him out of this, but at that moment the blindfold was removed and rockets of white light pierced his eyes and excruciating pain filled his head.
Lucius said, "Wormtail, let my son go."
Wormtail laughed with such malevolence that even Lucius cowered. "Thrice have you had the opportunity to end Potter and you did not. The last time you failed so miserably that months of work has been destroyed. Each of your failures-yours, Crabbe and Goyle-will cost you. But you shall pay a price for your ineptitude." Wormtail was now taunting both Malfoys. "Watch and see how bad it can get, Lucius. Your son still breathes while Crabbe's does not and Goyle's just barely breathes. You are the lucky one."
At that moment Wormtail turned toward Draco and pointed his wand, "Crucio." Draco convulsed in the chair so hard that the wooden dowels creaked under the pressure. The strain on his face had left him looking like a mask with veins popping all over. Finally, the chair tumbled when the convulsions were so strong that one of the chair legs snapped. Draco lay crying on the floor.
"So, Lucius, what are you going to do to make up for your idiocy. Lord Voldemort does not want excuses. We are under orders to kill your son, if you do not find some sacrifice worthy of releasing him." At this, Lucius Malfoy drew a deep breathe, hoping to think of something that would satisfy Lord Voldemort. When he could not answer, Wormtail turned to Draco again and said, "Crucio."
This time Draco was lucky to pass out from the pain. Both of his ankles had been broken as they strained against the restraints. His shoulder had become dislocated. He awoke hours later, dressed and clean. But his father was no where to be found. Draco was in a different room, he was sure of it. He heard faint murmurs from somewhere else in the house.
"We will return to Hogwarts tomorrow. The plan is to take another student and kill one more."
"Who will we take?"
"We will do as Malfoy suggested. We will take one of the Weasleys. We will kill the first student we find with the Weasley we catch. The point is terror. The first was to demonstrate our resolve to our failed brethren. Reminding them that they would not only be held accountable, so would their not so innocent children and families."
"Do we think that we can get in the same way?"
"Of course, our mutual friend will help us again. Besides, Malfoy will be left there. The prodigal son returns. Do you still have the invisibility cloaks?"
"Yes. One of them is Potter's. We switched it with one of ours. We will leave it at the scene tomorrow. That should make for interesting reading in both the Quibbler and the Daily Prophet." They all laughed, knowing that it would condemn Potter. "It was so enlightening to talk to Potter in the infirmary. No one had a clue who I was."
Malfoy heard the voices trail off. The swelling in his ankles and his shoulder made every moment a trial. He hated the fact that he couldn't move They had bound him hand and foot, but the herbs he was given kept the pain at a point just below where he would scream. He hated Potter and the Weasleys. He knew he could finally have his wish. He could use this experience to gain their trust and lead Potter into the open. He would be more valuable to Voldemort than his father. Good old Lucius, his dear old dad had let that bastard torture him. He would pay just like Potter.