Hermione blinked. More Galleons than she'd seen in her life.

"Apologies," he continued, squinting at his numbers again. "With the virginity, they will be starting at 15,000."

Pansy chuckled and crossed her arms over her grey dress.

"And what's your estimation?" Yaxley asked, Sickles in his eyes.

"Estimating 33,000 Galleons."

Hermione felt like she was swallowing sand. Even Pansy, who was used to that kind of money, went still.

That was the yearly salary for the Undersecretary to the Minister.

The four-year tuition for one of the prestigious universities that she considered applying to after the war ended.

She realized she would not be killed. No one would be idiotic enough to buy her and then kill her off. No, it would be a slow death for her. Maybe years.

She wondered how Dolohov thought he could afford this.

The old man duplicated his notes with a tap of his wand and handed the copies to Yaxley. Yaxley grinned, eyes sparkling, and escorted the two of them out and back to the holding room.

She spent the rest of the day sitting near Ginny and Luna. The energy of the room was like a cold breeze, starting at one end and rolling over them individually, forcing them to tuck into each other. At some point, one of the girls started dreaming aloud about what she wanted to do after Hogwarts. Hermione thought she was maybe a fifth year. Several others followed her, voicing aloud the things they wanted to do. Like they had choices still.

There were no windows, so it was hard to tell when the day began to inch toward evening, but hours later, Walden Macnair walked into the room, several other Death Eaters waiting in the doorway behind him.

Hermione watched Pansy tuck herself behind another girl, spine curving to become smaller.

Macnair looked around the room with a careful intensity. His eyes stopped on Hermione and Ginny, smirking.

"Ladies," he announced, and Hermione wondered if it was to be the last time she would be addressed with such formality. "We'll begin transporting you now. Your Holder will be in charge of you while you travel by portkey. Anyone who tries to fight or run or disobey orders during this process will be killed promptly."

He said this last part directly to her.

"Once you are secured backstage, you will follow instructions from the handlers. Disobedience will result in punishment. For example—"

Quick as lightning, his wand turned on her. A screaming pain rocketed through her blood, boiling and coursing through her muscles, shaking her nerves and pulling her ligaments apart one by one.

And then it was gone. And Ginny's hands were on her shoulders, holding her, screaming for her.

She stared up at the black tile ceiling, breathing hard. She'd been Crucio'd before, but this was strong. Like a concentrated force of lightning sizzling her. It took her a few minutes to sit up.

By the time she focused her eyes again, Macnair was finishing his speech, and asking for his Lots to join him. He searched the room as four girls stepped forward. The two in white were scared, but the two in grey were shaking.