"So why are we staying up all night again?" Maddie asked, plopping down on the couch. Fred scowled.

"It's New Year's Eve, it's a given."

"Riight," Maddie nodded, turning the television on. She frowned at the New Year's news coverage, and turned it back off.

"And how am I going to be entertained enough to stay up all night?" she demanded as George walked in.

"You have us, that's how. We're enough entertainment for any occasion," he smiled, sitting down on the couch beside her.

Two hours later, Maddie was fighting sleep.

"Maddie, come on," George urged her to stay awake. She yawned, peeking one eye open.

"This isn't worth it."

"At least stay up until midnight; it's only half an hour away," Fred insisted. Maddie finally sat up and watched the television with them. Soon, they were counting down the minutes.

"Three minutes," Fred said.

"Two."

"One-" Maddie was cut off by a crash at the front door. She instinctively dove for her wand, which had been laying under the couch. She barely had it gripped in her hand before they were surrounded by dark figures leering at them. George had his wand aimed, but Fred was standing up without his; Maddie had no idea where he had put it. A cackle interrupted her thoughts.

"You thought we wouldn't keep checking for you here? How...stupid," a woman with pale skin and black hair sneered at her. Maddie found herself disarmed as her wand flew across the room. Another Death Eater picked it up as the woman jabbed her wand into Maddie's throat. She contained a gulp.

She then heard George yell, and everything seemed to go in slow motion as about ten curses hit the younger twin. Maddie's eyes flew to Fred, waiting for him to react, and he did, charging at the Death Eaters even though he hand no wand. He was almost instantly thrown to the floor, writhing in pain alongside George. It lasted for minutes, but to Maddie it felt like hours. The dark-haired woman kept laughing at the torture until she ordered them to stop. Her heavily lidded eyes turned to Maddie.

"Being a good little Mudblood, aren't we?" she spat. Maddie remained silent, refusing to give in to the anger the woman was trying to use to draw her in. She immediately felt a stinging blow across her face.

"How dare you look me in the eyes, you filthy creature," the woman growled, but Maddie remained standing upright. Her eyes watered, but she refused to rub her face, blocking the sting from her mind. This seemed to anger the Death Eater even more, as she drew out the wand and performed the Cruciatus Curse until Maddie blacked out.

She awoke to a dank and musty smell, but when she opened her eyes, everything was completely and utterly dark. She feared she had gone blind.

"H-Hello?" she called out timidly.

"Maddie, we're right here," she heard Fred's voice then felt his hands on hers. She let out a sob of relief as he put one arm around her. She couldn't seem to stop herself from shaking; her body still burned from the spell.

"Hello Maddie," a soft, singsong voice that Maddie recognized from somewhere came out of the dark.

"Luna Lovegood's here too. With Mr. Ollivander, but he's asleep right now. He's not doing too well," Fred explained. Maddie gave a weak 'hi' to Luna, then remained quiet.

"We're lucky to be alive, really," George's voice echoed on the other side of Fred, "Bellatrix doesn't usually take prisoners."

"How am I still alive?" Maddie questioned. When she blacked out, she was certain that she was dying just from sheer pain.

"They took us here for questioning. For our close ties with Harry," Fred explained as Maddie pressed her back against the cold wall she now leaned against. Fred pulled her closer to him as she shivered.

"They took me for Quibbling reasons," Luna spoke dreamily.

"Where's here?"

"Malfoy Manor," George spat. Maddie's heart sunk. She honestly had no idea how they were going to get out of this one.

Time seemed to creep by slowly as they sat in the cold...dungeon. Maddie felt helpless without her wand in her hand where it was usually held. She kept rubbing her wand hand absentmindedly until Fred grabbed it. The twins tried to make jokes, but they were lacking their usual hype. Luna randomly spouted out opinions on this and that, which somehow helped lighten the mood. Somewhat.

"What was you resolution?" George asked Fred.

"Don't eat as much candy," Maddie felt Fred shrug, "Yours?"

"Spend more time at home when this is all over." Silence hung in the air.

"Well?" Fred asked Maddie.

"Well what?" she questioned numbly.

"What was your resolution?"

Maddie thought for a long moment before coming up with an answer.

"To stay alive and not let any of you die in the process."

She was deprived of any responses as a door clanged open and light filtered into the cellar. Black eyes studied them for a moment, and Maddie's shaking increased. The eyes stopped on her.

"You. Come with me," Bellatrix ordered, walking over and grabbing Maddie's arm, forcing her to stand up, which Maddie hardly had the strength to do.

"No-" Fred began to protest, and Bellatrix kicked him in the face. Blood poured from Fred's mouth and Maddie let out a small cry. Bellatrix sank her long fingernails into Maddie's arm, drawing blood as she dragged her out of the cellar and slammed the door shut behind them.

Fred had tried to run after them, but the door slammed in his face. He kicked at it, trying to force it open. Soon they heard Maddie letting out long pitiful screams, and Fred frantically began trying anything he could to open the door. George finally held him back.

"It's no use, mate," George shook his head as Fred winced with every shriek they heard from upstairs. Luna sighed from her corner, then scooted over to check on Mr. Ollivander once more.

Sequel will be out in a week or two. I'd like to thank you guys tremendously for supporting this story, and all the reviews, alerts, favorites, and so forth. I'm sorry I haven't updated for a long time, my stepdad had a major surgery and now my grandma's sick, so I've been a bit busy. I'll try to keep a steady pace on updating, though.

Love,

Laura