Grace gasped for air as she ran through the forest. The moon— almost full, glistened eerily. All she could hear were the shouts behind her and the unmistakable coloured glow of hexes grazing her skin and the area around her.
She glanced over her shoulder watching in horror as two Death Eaters closed in on her path. So focussed on the men running after her, she didn't notice the upturned root. Her foot caught and she sprawled forward violently. She cried out in pain, her ankle throbbing.
“Get up Grace,” she muttered to herself.
She heard the thundering footsteps before she saw them. Quietly, she heaved herself to the cover of thick bushes nearby; the ground scraped her arms, legs and stomach.
“She's somewhere around here.”
Her hands, shaking, moved quickly to cover her mouth to muffle her breathing. She couldn't be caught. She couldn't.
The men had long since abandoned their masks— leaving behind faces that Grace recognised. Malfoy, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle...and Bellatrix Lestrange. She could hear them rustling through the bushes. It was only a matter of time before they found her.
Her eyes— wide and fearful glanced around her for means of escape. Just ahead of her was a clearing that was outside of the apparation wards. If she could make it there, she could escape.
“Come out, come out where ever you are Gracie!” Bellatrix shrilled. A shiver ran down Grace's spine.
She flicked her wand at a tree a little ways down the path to distract her hunters before lurching out of her hiding place and towards the apparation point.
Several things happened at once.
“You idiot! There she is! Get her!” an enraged Malfoy ordered. Suddenly Grace found herself dodging red, green and orange hexes all directed at her. Some slashed her skin while others almost caused her to trip. She had almost reached her destination, when thick ropes wrapped around her legs. She fell face first to the ground, groaning in pain.
“Now, now Grace. Daddy isn't going to be happy, now is he?” Bellatrix asked, hovering over Grace with a sinister smile on her face.
Sobbing Grace struggled to breathe— her gaze fixed on her only chance at survival just a few feet away from her.
“What do you say we have a little fun before we take you to daddy? Hmm?”
Suddenly, red hot shooting pain erupted in every square inch of Grace's body. She shrieked.
“PLEEEASE! STOP! AHHHH!”
The laughter of those surrounding her was her only answer.
“Enough,” the calm voice of Lucius Malfoy said. Everyone stopped to look at him. “Back to the castle. I will return with Grace shortly.”
They all obeyed, but not before casting a look akin to that of a child being told to take a nap instead of playtime. As soon as they were all gone, Lucius relaxed and a lazy smile flitted on his face.
“Now that they're gone, I thought we could finish what we started the other day.”
“No,” Grace said firmly as Lucius started to readjust his robes. “No,” she repeated, shaking her head.
“I don't think you have much of a choice, being tied and all,” he taunted, fully exposed now.
She squirmed, trying to free herself from her binds. The abrasive rope dug into her skin, drawing blood but she didn't care.
Still he drew nearer and nearer until she could feel his breath in her face. She closed her eyes, praying for a miracle— a muggle act that would enrage her father.
Then suddenly, something cracked. Grace opened her eyes to see Malfoy sprawled against a tree several feet away from her— his head bleeding. The ropes and bindings were gone, leaving behind Grace's wand. She snatched it up and ran towards the clearing.
As she was apparating, however- the unmistakable sound of the curse, “Sectumsempra!”
The world disappeared— whirling away in a dizzying surge of magic. All that remained was a small woman with tangled blond hair, died red with blood.
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