vii. the carrows' revenge
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"Hey, Gin." Luna suddenly came up from beside Ginny, surprising the Weasley who was walking down the hall on her way to their "Muggle Studies" class. She did not want to take it after learning Alecto Carrow was teaching but she really didn't have a choice.
"Hey, Lu." Ginny started looking around again, making the Ravenclaw curious as to what she was looking for.
"Are you looking for someone?" Luna's question made Ginny stop and blush slightly. Why was she even looking for that Hufflepuff when she didn't even know who she was until 3 days ago? It had been 3 days since she was taken by the Carrows for punishment, but she had not seen her since then, not even during meals. What if they already killed her or took her to Voldemort?
"Luna," began Ginny hesitantly. "Have you seen Jemina Nightingale?"
"Oh, Jem? I don't know." Luna had a frown on her face. "I haven't seen her since what happened during the Welcoming Feast. I heard the Carrows did a Curse on her."
"What?" Ginny asked in alarm.
"Yeah, she came back that night with bandages around her arms. That's what I heard from the Hufflepuffs." Luna stared at Ginny then with curiosity in her eyes. "Why are you suddenly looking for her?"
"I-It's nothing." Ginny cleared her throat immediately to hide the fact that she stuttered. "Just... Just curious." She could see Luna was unconvinced and started defending herself though she didn't understand why she did so. "I mean, she's a Muggleborn! Wouldn't you be worried after seeing her being taken by the Carrows?"
"Wouldn't you be worried for what happens if you'll be late to class, Weasley, Lovegood?" A cold voice said from behind them, making the two jump. It was Alecto Carrow with a raised eyebrow. "Now, get in so we can start. I don't have the patience to deal with you."
As the Death Eater walked past them, Ginny looked like she was about to say something but Luna shook her head and pulled them in, taking seats for them at the back.
"Now, I'm sure you all know about the Mudblood, Jemina Nightingale." Alecto Carrow started, making Ginny and Luna exchange uneasy glances. It couldn't be... "I would have been glad to punish her with my brother, but she has gone beyond the limit and so, the Headmaster himself punished her."
She cackled loudly at the thought, remembering the sight of cuts on the Hufflepuff's arms and face. Snape really did not disappoint. Ginny and Luna had their eyes widen at that. Snape punished her? The thought made Ginny clench her fists. After killing Dumbledore, now, he was attacking students as well?
"Anyways, let's just say she got what she deserved. The good old Crucio and some curses. So, if you do not want to end up like that filthy Mudblood, I do hope you cooperate and stay down for your own good." Alecto Carrow smiled wickedly at them before she started her lesson, a picture of dead Muggles on the blackboard.
Ginny's fists were still clenched, her heart suddenly aching at the thought of Jemina Nightingale under the Cruciatus Curse. She may have never felt it but she knew it was the curse that placed Neville's parents in St. Mungo's. And to think she went through some other curses... She just hoped Jemina Nightingale was alright before she started pretending to listen to the lessons. And there was a little thought in her mind that she never thought she would think. She wanted to see the Hufflepuff.
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"It worked!" Jemina said gleefully to Ariana who was smiling at the cheerful girl. "I can't believe it actually worked." She was currently in the Room of Requirement and she was executing one of Deanna's plans to help Hogwarts. This was the first step to their rebellion. Jemina put up a portrait in the Room of Requirement and tried countless times to find the perfect spot over the past few days.
And finally, she got the perfect spot to connect the portrait to Hog's Head. It was a way to protect them if they were going to bring Dumbledore's Army back. Aberforth sent her a grin when she finished it while Ariana came with her to bring her back to Hogwarts.
"Well, Deanna has the best plans." Ariana's comment made the two of them laugh, and Jemina thought she was right. Before she left, Deanna left some plans to Aberforth to be given to Jemina in case she really continues going to Hogwarts. It made Jemina wonder just what Deanna had been doing in this time. Did she even have some time for herself?
"Bloody hell, I'm going to be late. I'll see you later, Ariana!" Jemina called out, running out of the Room of Requirement.
Ariana just chuckled as she watched Jemina go. "Just like Deanna." She smiled one last time, looking at the Room she was sure she'd be visiting from time to time before making her way back into Hog's Head.
Jemina gasped for breath, wiping the sweat from her face as she finally arrived in front of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom... Or she should say, the Dark Arts classroom, presided by Amycus Carrow.
"Damn, Jem," someone said from behind her, making Jemina jump in surprise. It was Noah with worry on his face. "Where have you been?"
"Just somewhere." Jemina finally caught her breath and smiled at Noah. "Come on, class hasn't started yet, right?"
"No, it hasn't so come on." Noah and Jemina proceeded to enter the classroom wherein Amycus Carrow smiled widely at the sight of Jemina, a plan coming into his mind immediately. The girl just ignored him and sat down at the back with Noah, too happy to actually pick a fight with the Death Eater.
"Everybody, settle down!" Amycus Carrow stood up when the students settled down. Jemina saw that there were only three Hufflepuffs, her, Noah and Troy Macavoy, and there were more than 10 Slytherins in the class. But the smirk Amycus Carrow had made Jemina feel this class couldn't be good. "Now, I'm sure you're all familiar with the Three Unforgivable Curses. And the third one? The Killing Curse."
Jemina and Noah looked at each other uneasily, knowing it really could not be good. Amycus Carrow took out a badger from under his desk, making Jemina's eyes widen and her fists clench. Was this bastard going to kill the badger?
The Carrow seemed delighted at Jemina's reaction and he pointed his wand at the badger. "Avada Kedavra."
Jemina stood up at that, but she was too late. There was already that flash of green light and the badger fell on his back, no sign of life. Jemina's voice was caught in her throat and her entire body just froze while Noah pulled her down and whispered. "Please, Jem." But Jemina paid no attention to him, her eyes still on the dead badger.
"Now, take out your wands and each of you get a badger here. Do as I have done." Amycus Carrow said delightedly. None of the students stood up, all of them uneasy. How could they kill an innocent badger? Amycus Carrow glared at them. "Now!"
Some students were about to stand up despite not wanting to but someone spoke up before any of them could stand. "No." All heads snapped to the source of the protest, and there was Jemina, a cold gaze in her eyes and her fists clenched. Noah looked as if he wanted to say something but Jemina squeezed his hand, telling him to keep quiet.
"What did you say, Miss Nightingale?" Amycus Carrow asked with a victorious glance in his eyes. His plan had worked. He wanted to punish the Muggleborn more due to what she had done during the Welcoming Feast. She dared call the Dark Lord by his name and for that, she must pay. Whatever torture Severus had done to her was not enough.
"None of us will do it," said Jemina bravely, now standing up with the same cold gaze and crossed arms.
"Will you take responsibility then and take a detention for it?" Amycus Carrow asked, feeling giddier than ever. She was falling right into his trap.
"Jem, don't." Noah mumbled to her pleadingly. He knew what the Death Eater was trying to do. He was trying to find a way to torture the Muggleborn without it becoming an issue. If Jemina willingly agreed to take a detention, he was sure the Carrows would go attack her with no mercy.
"Fine." Jemina agreed, not even glancing at Noah who looked defeated now, holding his head in his hands. She wasn't stupid. She knew he was only saying that to get her in detention and attack her for a good reason, but she couldn't just stand down after knowing what they were supposed to do.
"Very well then, class is dismissed." Amycus Carrow grinned at Jemina, the grin making her know she was in for a long night. "Please follow me, Miss Nightingale."
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"Crucio!"
"Sectumsempra!"
"Liberacorpus!"
Jemina fell to the ground after countless rounds of torturing with the Carrows. They'd cast all different curses on her, heal her and go over the process again. She honestly felt like dying due to the pain. She was exhausted and in pain, but she would never give up. Even if it meant going through this all over again.
She coughed out blood and tried getting up on one knee, but she was quickly kicked by Alecto Carrow who pulled her up by the hair, meeting Jemina's glare with her own. The Death Eater grinned at her. "I guess our Lady really did teach you something. You're relentless, you are."
"We'd like to do more, but I'm afraid it's already time." Amycus Carrow levitated her broken figure using his wand and threw her out of the office, her body slamming into the wall and becoming more bruised. "I hope you've learned your lesson, Mudblood. For your sake."
The cackles of the Carrow twins were the last thing Jemina heard before the door closed, finally leaving her alone. She coughed up blood once more and stood up shakily, almost falling when she did so. Jemina rested her hand on the wall for support and started limping away from the office. She had gone through so many curses. From different hexes and jinxes to the Cruciatus Curse.
It was a different type of pain, the Cruciatus Curse. It made her writhe uncontrollably and no matter how much she tried to hold in her screams, she would let out some groans and grunts now and then, but she was proud she did not scream. She knew they didn't heal her this time because they wanted the students to see what would happen to rebels like her. Too bad, she wouldn't give up even after this.
Jemina cursed mentally when her body dropped to the floor, she couldn't walk anymore due to her countless injuries and the exhaustion she felt. She could see the world spinning and her eyes were threatening to close shut. She felt like she was dying, like she put up a good fight. And though she tried fighting it, she had no choice but to let her eyes close. It felt bitter. To die right after giving a big fight.
But before she surrendered to the darkness, she could see an angel with red hair and dark robes. Her face wasn't clear but Jemina could see the redhead running towards her and saying something she couldn't hear. She could only smile as her eyes closed, a tear falling out of it.
'I'm sorry, Mum, Dad, Archie, Deanna.'
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