"Sixty-five thousand," said Dolohov, chuckled.

Ludo was white next to her as he waited. "I hear sixty-five thousand," he said at last. The crowd started twisting, buzzing with whispers. "Do I hear sixty-six?"

She didn't dare look to him. Couldn't bear the idea that if she looked, she might see indecision in the way he held his shoulders. Maybe she could pinpoint his thoughts like in Arithmancy, when he'd roll his shoulders back and reset his posture before diving back into a problem.

"Sixty-five thousand going once."

Or the way he'd stare at the chalkboard in Potions, tilting his head to the side until suddenly grabbing for his quill, jotting his thoughts onto the parchment as if they'd disappear if he wasn't quick.

"Sixty-five thousand going twice."

Or in sixth year, when he'd been removed and sullen, strained to figure out a solution, and his eyes had been distant, cold and grey. Lifeless. His posture hunched and small.

A gavel banged.

The world cracked open, and a violent sound poured into her ears like lava.

Her eyes on the "x" beneath her feet as Dolohov jogged up onstage and met Macnair in the middle. The scroll. A burning on her left arm. And then a fist in her hair, dragging her head back. Dolohov was there, grinning down at her. He licked her face and the balconies went wild.

She shoved at him. And they loved that.

He laughed, grabbing her head to push her down to the floor. When she looked up from her knees, Dolohov was waving at the audience, basking in his victory, and unbuckling his belt.

She crawled back, shaking her head, rattling her bruised brain.

Yaxley was smiling in the front row, screaming, "Not until I get my money!"

She couldn't make out sounds anymore. Too much in her ears.

As Macnair wrenched her up, throwing her to the backstage guards, she chanced one last look to see the crowd on its feet, one seat in the fourth row empty.

Chapter End Notes

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Chapter 6

Chapter Notes

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The guards dragged her through the hallways of the Palace Theatre, taking stairs and turning corners that she couldn't possibly memorize even if she was trying.

They turned a corner and found a guard in front of a door. They passed him, and just before turning another corner and taking stairs down, she heard a loud crack and whipped her head around to see a small elf standing in the middle of the hall.

"Cuppy is here for three Lots," he squeaked.

They dragged her around the corner before she could hear any more.

The further down they went, the more often she heard a crack followed by a small voice. Using elves to transport the Lots.