A Siren's Song

The Lion's Den

I know I should be finishing my other stories first but this one came to me and I just couldn't waste the idea. Damn Plot bunnies!

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Hermione awoke in pitch blackness. Her head hurt like hell and she had no idea what had happened to her. She got unsteadily to her feet. Putting her arms out she started to move blindly in one direction hoping to encounter something other than empty space. On the sixth step her feet were yanked out from underneath her and she fell in an undignified heap on the floor with a shrill yelp.

Hermione reached down to her ankle and found that there was a manacle around her boot. The stiff leather had stopped her from feeling it. She traced the chain back to the wall. Sitting against it she sighed. She tried to find her wand but it was gone. Now it was all coming back.

There had been a fight between the Order and the Death Eaters at the Ministry of Magic. She had been picked up by Lucius Malfoy as she lay injured on the floor. Hermione froze. She should be dead. Her hands went instinctively to where the burns should have been but she felt nothing. No pain and no sign of bandaging. That was weird. Plain weird. Maybe she'd imagined being wounded?

Hermione dismissed that idea instantly. There was no way she could have imagined that amount of pain. So how and why had she been healed? Maybe Vol-… He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, thought that if he spared her life she'd rat on Harry?…No... He wasn't that stupid. She was obviously more use to him alive than dead. So what did he want from her?

Hermione was still debating this question when the door opened. Hermione flinched at the sudden intrusion of the light. Then she saw who was standing in the doorway and cringed even further back. Bellatrix laughed.

"Come on out little girl." She mocked. "The master would like a word." Bellatrix waved her hand and the chain dropped from Hermione's ankle.

Hermione didn't move she felt no inclination to; she was frozen to the spot. Bellatrix was second only to Voldemort on the list of people who scared her to death.

"Get up you filthy mudblood." Bellatrix snapped striding into the cell and yanking Hermione to her feet as her playful demeanour evaporated; along with her patience.

"Bellatrix." This voice was softer. "She can't go into the Dark Lord's presence dressed like that."

Hermione then noticed the state of her clothing. Her robes were ripped in a dozen places and were spattered with blood. Her hair was a complete mess. Bellatrix flung Hermione unceremoniously at Narcissa Malfoy's feet.

"Sort her out then. But don't be long. The Dark Lord hates waiting." With that Bellatrix stalked off.

Narcissa flicked her wand and Hermione's robes vanished to be replaced by a long black dress with a low neckline. It was gathered in at the waist and the sleeves clung to her arms to end in a point with a loop that went over each forefinger. There were no shoes to go with this outfit. Narcissa flicked her wand once more at Hermione and her hair lost its usual frizz, and all the tangles accumulated during the fight, becoming mildly wavy.

"You'll do." She pronounced. "Follow me and don't try anything stupid. This building is heavily warded; there will be no foolish attempts at escape or miraculous rescues."

Hermione felt a thrill of fear, but trying to hide this, she crossed her arms stubbornly and scowled. They might have caught her but she wasn't going to make life easy for them. She was certainly not going anywhere near He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named of her own free will. They'd have to force her. Seeing this Narcissa raised her wand.

"Imperio."

Hermione's mind went completely blank. She was dimly aware of a voice telling her where to go. Her free will having been suppressed; Hermione did as the voice instructed.

The corridors passed in a blur of faint colours and hazy people. Hermione only became fully aware, when she was shoved to her knees before a man on black throne, flanked by other black figures.

"I have brought you the mudblood my Lord." Narcissa said bowing respectfully.

"Dismissed Narcissa." The high cold voice said, as the owner of said voice, waved his hand lazily towards the door.

Narcissa bowed and left. Hermione sprang to her feet. She was terrified as she fixed her eyes on the man sitting on the black throne. She mustered all her defiance.

"What happened to Harry?" She said. Her voice came out shakily.

"He lives. Perhaps he'll come and rescue you? Hmmm. His pet mudblood." There were several chuckles from the masked men on either side of the throne.

"He and Dumbledore will rescue me." Hermione said with more conviction than she felt. There was more laughter.

"Of course they will." The mocking voice said. "Now come here."

Hermione didn't want to but her legs moved of their own accord walking her across the room and up the five steps to the throne. There she stopped.

Voldemort got up and paced around her. "Very nice. Lucius are you sure of your calculations? You're certain that it's this girl, not another one?"

"Yes my Lord."

"You'd better be. I'll be checking up on it later." Lucius shivered at the threat contained in that sentence.

"The collar Bellatrix."

Bellatrix made her turn around, and pushing her hair aside, fastened a black leather collar, with a silver dark mark attached sideways to the front, around her neck.

She then put her wand to the buckle and muttered the word: "Forticus."

Hermione felt tears of humiliation burn in her eyes as Bellatrix forced her to turn back around. Then Voldemort pointed his wand at her neck.

"Imbuis Crucio."

"This collar prevents you from using any magic unless the Deatheater I give you to, gives you permission to use your magic. If you attempt to disobey any order given to you, you will be subjected to the Cruciatus Curse for ten minutes. You will not be able to remove the collar or damage it any way." Lord Voldemort sat back and smiled at her.

"Who wants her as their personal servant?" He then asked the ranks of his Deatheaters.

Four masked men and Bellatrix stepped forward.

"As I can't give her to all of you; you'll have to fight for her."

Voldemort smiled as a deadly fight broke out over his head. Hermione whimpered as a particularly nasty curse whipped past her; missing her by inches. She dropped to the floor beside the throne and covered her face.

Finally after a few minutes of ferocious duelling, that smashed two pillars in the hall as spells went wide, there were only two duellists left on their feet. The others were in no condition to continue fighting.

The masked man won the fight with a flick of his wand which caused Bellatrix to sink to the floor with a gasp; her neck and part of her face sliced open in a nasty gash.

"That was vicious." The Dark Lord said conversationally as he spoke a counter curse over Bellatrix.

"Sorry my Lord; but nothing less would have made her give up." Came the voice of Hermione's new master. "Shall I attend to the others?"

Voldemort nodded and went back to his throne. He snapped his fingers at Hermione who threw a look of loathing at him and at her new master. She knew that voice she'd heard it often enough. Then darkness rushed in around her, and she was squeezed unbearably tight, until she landed on the navy sheets of somebody's bed. Presumably she was in her new master's quarters.

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Please review and tell me what you think. Constructive Criticism welcomed. Flames will be ignored.