Solitaire

Solitaire

Chapter Two: Living Nightmare

I don't know if I should have expected it or been shocked. I had run to my window after springing from my bed. An odd noise at this time of night, I almost dreaded finding out what had caused it.

At first, I couldn't spot anything in the moonlit darkness. All I could see were the silhouettes of the trees and the Malfoy Manor gate. I almost looked right past it if it were not for the slight flicker of flame from a torch. I squinted in a desperate attempt to see what was going on. I could see several silhouettes of figures just outside the property. Through the iron bars of the gate, I realized who these figures were.

Death Eaters.

My father and his companions.

So the noises that I had heard, shuffles and muffled screams, made sense. A few more torches came alight, which worked out well to my advantage now that there was more light illuminating the scene.

What I saw next chilled me down to my bones. The death eaters had cornered someone that was passing through. Their captive had backed into the gate causing a loud clang, shaking the lock. The malicious threats encircled the victim who was helplessly trembling. So much that even I could see from my window ledge up high. Two of the larger figures then took two steps towards their prey and muttered something. I didn't have to hear what they said to know what they had done. The next moment, two bursts of light emitted from both wands and struck the now-still body.

Of all the things I had experienced to that point in my life, I was not prepared to witness the blatant torture and killing of a human. I couldn't bear to watch any more of the events occurring outside the Malfoy Manor. The worst, sickening feeling was that I knew my father was behind it, if not provoked it. I pushed myself away from the bedroom window and sat down on the edge of my bed.

All along I had thought that the war had been diminishing. God, was I naïve. To think the peak of the killings had passed. Even that thought made me scoff now. I dropped backwards onto my bed and just lay there for the longest time. I didn't know what to make of everything. I was going back to Hogwarts in less than a week's time.

The sound of hurried movement snapped me out of my trance. I dared not to look outside, but this time the noise sounded promising. It sounded as if the tormentors were leaving. Just as I thought, I saw the flicker of their torches heading out into the city, away from the Manor.

Instinctively, I looked back at the gates to see if their captive was still there. Although now only lit by the faint moonlight, I still saw the outline of a figure lying on the cold ground.

Something changed in me at that moment. Something I had never felt.

In that moment, I ran outside to help that poor soul.