In retrospect, Lucius sort of deserved this. Not that heâd ever admit it, but it wasnât like heâd even thought to check for glamour spells in the area when heâd traipsed along the treeline of the Forbidden Forest, testing any gaps for breaks in the security wards he was warned would be present. The first chink heâd found, heâd immediately stepped forward without question, proud of himself for finding a hole in their seamless brigade, only to be tossed wand-over-ass into anâŚ. actual sink hole. The resounding thump had knocked the wind out of him when his back connected with a boulder of some sort, a pause in his reflexes long enough to send his wand skittering across the dirt floor.Â
It wasnât until Lucius had sighed and gone to search for his wand, an accio on his lips that the snare was activated, tendrils wrapping around his chest and slamming him back against the trunk of wretched creature. He knew better than to panic, relaxing within the stupid thingâs grip with a soft sigh, settling into place. Getting out of this mess by himself would require controlled effort and composure, even the slightest twitch of his muscles alerting the Devilâs Snare that he was trying to escape its clutches. Good thing he had enough patience to wait here all night, if he had to.Â
He hadnât been there very long when company joined him - although it was difficult to gauge the passage of time in a pitch-black dirt cellar, he hadnât caught a glimpse of sunlight when sheâd fallen, meaning it was probably still night. That was good, at least. He wouldnât have known who joined him if the familiar scent of burning spice, with a hint of something sinister and feminine, cedar perhaps, but that wasnât the point; the point was that he was joined by none other than his least favorite Lestrange in the country, now that Rodolphus wasnât around.Â
âBellatrix, darling, you must realize I have no clue, itâs not like I have the bloody stars to go by,â Lucius huffed quietly around a grin he didnât have to hide, silently cursing the Dark Lord. Of course he hadnât trusted Lucius with this mission - of course heâd send his favorite pet sniveling after him, waiting for him to fail, and look at that! They both were carelessly pompous enough to stride right into - heâd assumed Minervaâs - trap, Bellatrix not much wiser than him, it seemed.Â
âThereâs no point in struggling - it already knows youâre here,â but the warning was pointless, Lucius hearing the tell tale rustle of bark against stone, knowing she was about to be just as ensnared as heâd become - albeit, the Devil lessened its grip on Lucius as it focused on new prey, allowing the man to shake his shoulder once and causing the back up wand he always kept up his sleeve to fall into his hand, although he made no move to use it. Not yet, at least. He deserved a passing moment of joy, all things considered, to bother his sister-in-law.
In her immediate questioning of why the hell Lucius was here, Bellatrix hadnât taken the time to survey her surroundings beyond taking in the blonde heap of shit directly opposite her in the brief flash of starlight before the hole closed up once more. She took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, and if she were honest a creeping panic began to set in. Not only did she no longer have her wand, but she couldnât see exactly how small the space was. Her claustrophobia was a weakness that Bellatrix had tried for years to train herself out of, but her efforts had been in vain.
It took all of her strength to remain somewhat collected. She knew that if she showed the slightest hint of weakness, the slightest tinge of fear, Lucius would never let her live it down. He had twisted since their school days, since their relationship - he had become cold and cruel, just as she had. Make no mistake, if Lucius had a similar weakness then Bellatrix would surely taunt him for it, but that didnât mean she wanted him to have that particular piece of knowledge.Â
Bellatrixâs spine was straight and rigid as tendrils of the devilâs snare began to wrap around her ankles, slowly creeping up her legs. It was an unwelcome tightness, an unwelcome weight as panic that the walls were closing in settled over her. âI assume the Dark Lord sent you here to scout? You have no other reason to be creeping around the grounds of a closed castle....or are you still upset that you were skipped for the last mission, perhaps hoping to make it up and find something that you think Rabastan and I missed.â
Bellatrix made a wild grab in an attempt to find her wand, and the tendrils of the devilâs snare tightened impossibly around her, creeping further up her body. âI donât suppose you have your wand?â Bellatrix asked, closing her eyes for a moment as she tried to calm herself. The walls arenât closing in, the snare isnât going to kill you. If herself and Lucius couldnât get out of this, then they hardly deserved their positions in the war at all.
The snare was covering almost her whole body now, as Bellatrix tried in vain to relax and stay still. The walls were closing in, it was going to cave around them. Bellatrix wouldnât put it past McGonagall to make sure that those who tried to break into Hogwarts never actually made it. She was going to die in a hole, inches away from the man who should have been her husband.
âTell me you have your wand,â Bellatrixâs voice was quiet and almost pained, an eerie sound coming from her lips. Her voice was usually strong and confident, but that moment of weakness had slipped through. She had entirely forgotten her ability to cast wandless magic, her mind largely blank aside from its panic. Any self control she might have had over herself faltered in the crushing fear that she was going to die here, and Bellatrix looked over at Lucius. If it hadnât been so dark, he might have seen a pleading look on her face.
âI need to get out, I have to get out.âÂ