Graphic torture, rape and possibly some other warnings as we go along. I will let you know before each chapter as we take this journey together. You have been warned, so PLEASE heed the forewarning and read only if you are not squeamish. Constructive criticism only: flamers will be burnt at the stake.

Chapter 1: Present Day

Remus Lupin stood immobile in the foyer of Malfoy Manor; his eyes held wide, looking around in wonder at the splendour of the grand entrance hall.

The familiar voice of Severus Snape shook him from his internal musing. "Come, now," Snape beckoned, his voice dripping with derision as it echoed throughout the vestibule.

Remus tore his gaze from the staircase, tapestries and artwork that adorned the hallway. His eyes snapped quickly toward the direction of the voice, just in time to see Snape's figure disappearing into a hidden area roughly fifty metres ahead.

Legs complying quicker than his brain, he jogged to catch up to the dark figure, his wand extended in front of him.

Snape made a rigid left-hand turn, and instead of heading for the door at the far end of the room, he stopped suddenly, eyes to the wall in front of him. Remus found that he was forced to halt abruptly to keep from running into the other wizard.

Snape lifted both hands up and placed them onto the slabs of stone before him. He whispered an incantation, the words producing an opening in the barrier. A narrow staircase appeared before them, leading down into what Remus assumed were the dungeons.

The wizard, his hair as dark as the atmosphere, his skin, even more hopelessly pale against the black backdrop, turned slowly and glared at his counterpart.

"Lupin, I daresay even Lucius had enough intelligence to rid this infernal manor of Dark objects. Corpses should not be an issue." Though his voice was as ominous and foreboding as ever, the man's eyes betrayed his unease.

Remus merely nodded his head in agreement, knowing it was in his best interest not to provoke a wizard like Severus Snape.

Snape descended the moist stone steps first, wand held at the ready as if he expected the manor's previous owner to be laying in wait, ready to ambush him at the bottom of the staircase.

Remus shivered as he hesitantly followed Snape's rapidly disappearing form.

As if of their own accord, the wall sconces abruptly flared to life, eliciting an uncomfortable brightness, as the men made their descent down the narrow stairway. The corridor was constricting, demanding that they continue in single file.

Remus turned to his left and saw row upon row of cell doors. He involuntarily shuddered once more as he thought of all the atrocities this place had seen.

Quickly pulling himself together, he followed the straight backed wizard into the first cell.

"What are you doing?" Severus snapped, turning around to face the aged werewolf. This brought Snape's face into direct alignment with the latter's wand, which was held up mere inches away from his face.

"I, I—" Remus stuttered as he backed away from Snape's outstretched arm.

"I suggest that you start searching the other cells. I don't need you to hold my hand, Lupin," Severus snarled at him, his lip curling in an all-too-familiar fashion.

"Of course," Remus replied, bowing his head and making a swift departure from the chamber.

He thought it best to start at the opposing end to the Potions Master, and so he quickly made his way to the last cell in the row.

He paused and lifted his head, sniffing the air around the door as though gauging it for human occupancy. It was hard for the werewolf to determine if there was anyone within the chamber as the dust, dirt and mould of the dungeons were playing havoc with his most profound of senses. He felt a tingle of magic emitting from the door and quickly took a step closer to it.

"Severus," he called out, his voice echoing in the eerie corridor.

"What do you want, Lupin?" Severus asked, frowning, as he marched over to stand by Remus. He folded his arms across his chest, a scowl etched on his face.

"This door has been warded," Remus replied, ignoring his partner's tone.

"How astounding. What, precisely, would you have me do about it?" Snape asked, his tone bordering on uninterested.

Rolling his eyes, Remus turned his wand and his attention back to the door. Brow furrowed in concentration, he spoke the incantation aloud, while moving his wand in a sweeping arc. "Alohomora." Nothing happened. Undeterred by his initial failure, he tried again; not wanting to dip into the Darker spells in his arsenal unless it became absolutely necessary. "Ianua Unlock." Still nothing.

Severus sighed at his counterpart's failure. "Move out of the way, wolf," he ordered. "It is obviously a warding spell of the highest level of the Dark Arts. Although you may have been the Defence against the Dark Arts professor years ago, I think that this might even exceed your knowledge, impressive as some may consider it to be." Severus shouldered the wizard out of the way and stood before the door.

If the werewolf hadn't known the Potions Master since boyhood, he would have been insulted by the man's actions. As it was, having worked closely with him in the Order and at the final downfall of the Dark Lord, he took it all in stride. Remus merely moved a little further away.

Snape raised his wand, his features a reflection of his complete concentration.

"Obscurum Amplexus Mihi, Patefacio The Ianua, Permissum Is Sus Solvo," Severus incanted authoritatively.

He felt a strange tingling sensation on his left forearm, where the Dark Mark was located, and exhaled sharply when the door clinked open and swung inward. The smell from inside of the cavity hit him like a putrid draught. It was rank, and all he could do to save face was to hold his left arm over his nose and mouth, all thoughts of the hideous branding on his forearm vanishing in the aftermath of the foul stench that was invading his nostrils.

It took his eyes about thirty seconds to adjust to the darkened room, and in the time Severus stood in the doorway, Remus had pushed his way past him with his wand still drawn.

Remus, used to a nocturnal habitat, scanned the room for any movement. He had smelt worse, so the unpleasant odour hadn't bothered him. It was the undercurrent of something else that alerted his senses—something human.

His large eyes surveyed the cell before him—a stack of straw lay solitary in the far right corner, obviously used as a bed for the pitiful creature that had been kept in here. Next to that was an aged wooden table which held a single plate and glass. Continuing on, he swept his eyes over the other side of the room, taking in a pallet in the left-hand corner. There was no mattress on the frame, just a couple of steel spring coils sticking up from the base, it looked as though they had seen better days.

Severus' eyes were drawn to a hole in the floor directly across from where he had been standing in the open doorway. His nostrils flared in disgust as he realised that the hole was indeed a makeshift bathroom and the culprit of the smell.

"Scourgify," Snape choked out. Gingerly lowering his arm from its position across his face, relieved that he could once again breathe without the thought of losing what little lunch he had eaten.

Looking around the small, dark cell, he became aware of two sconces attached to the far wall. Raising his wand, he muttered, "Incendio," and the room was brought into focus with a faint, shadowy light.

Remus was standing a metre away from bed, where he had detected the hint of human scent. Looking down through the broken coils of the cot, he thought he perceived movement in the corner, underneath the bedding. In the light provided via the sconces, it appeared to be a bunch of dirty rags. Taking a tentative step forward, he saw a human leg sticking out from beneath the soiled garments.

Crouching down on all fours, he made his way over to the bed. Sheathing his wand beneath his robes, he looked over his shoulder at Snape and gave him a nod. Severus understood and held out his arm, pointing his wand tip at the mass of filthy material.

"It's okay," Remus said, turning his attention back to the task at hand and inching his hand closer and closer to the pathetic soul that was lying in the corner. "We are here to help you. You can come out now." Remus' hand got near enough to touch the garments when a growl from below caused him to retract his hand as if scorched.

The growling continued as Remus crouched, his amber eyes reflecting his shock.

"I said we are here to help," Remus repeated, his voice wavering.

Suddenly, the thing shot from under the bed with such force that it knocked the surprised werewolf onto his back. It was clawing and biting at him as he made to push it off his body, which proved to be not so difficult a task, considering that it was rather lightweight.

Severus cleared his throat, his wand still trained on the deplorable creature in front of him, as Remus scurried backwards using his arms and legs as leverage.

The creature looked up at the Potions Master, its eyes narrowed with loathing and hatred. A split second later he saw its eyes change to that of great shame as it quickly made its way over to Severus' feet, keeping its head bowed low.

Severus jumped at the action, taking a diminutive step backwards, but then stilled when he saw the creature stop in front of his boot clad feet, its head touching the floor. Filthy hands were splayed out in front of it, bent at the elbows, palms down. Its legs were tucked beneath its grimy, scantily-clothed body. A metal collar adorned its neck, and its body, hair and what little clothing it was wearing, appeared utterly repulsive.

Severus schooled his features into a look of indifference, though his mind was racing as he took in the sight of the utterly repugnant creature in front of him.

'Forgive me, Master, but I did not see you there.'

Severus took a couple of hesitant steps backwards as he heard the feminine tone enter his mind. His pretence fell, his face registering his astonishment at hearing the voice in his head.

Before he had time to formulate a response, she spoke within the confines of his mind once more. 'I await your command, for I am yours to do with as you see fit.'

Still she lay splayed there, on the brutal hard stone floor, the perfect picture of submissiveness.

Sorry for my garbled Latin.

Ianua Unlock—Door unlock

Obscurum Amplexus Mihi, Patefacio The Ianua, Permissum Is Sus Solvo—Darkness surrounding me, open the door, let it swing free.

Thanks go out to bewarethesmirk and acciobook7 for their wonderful beta'ing job.

Let me know what you think. Sonia :)