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Desdemona looked in amusement at the dignified headmistress curling up in a ball to sleep. "You remember that, Lilly," she said, content.

She was completely alone now. Master had gone out inspecting the school. For a moment Lillian hovered on the border of wanting to make another escape attempt. But it was too risky, and she was too weak to pull it off anyways. She laughed a little bit, giggling for no reason. She wasn't all there, half her mind had drifted off and left her. Whether it was the good or bad side, she didn't know. It always drifted away when it was in too much pain to take anymore. She was starting to forget things now...not things from her past, but what she was doing. She would end up on one side of the room and she never remembered walking there. It wasn't long spans, and she remembered being tortured and controlled perfectly clear, but eating she never knew. Her stomach was practically gnawing on itself, she hadn't been truly full for over a week. Even if she had eaten, she received so little food now that there was no point. She had never really been able to comprehend the true pain of hunger before. She had been hungry of course, she hadn't eaten for a couple days at one point, but still...never had she eaten so little or been so dehydrated. Her lips peeled and bled from no water, like how a bottom lip may peel in the freezing, numbing cold. Lifting a trembling hand to her face, she felt instantly how broken and bruised it was. Her nose and mouth were still smashed up for Desdemona's first day. How easy it would be to fix them if she only had a wand! She had black eyes, and the part that wasn't bruised was puffy was still red and swollen. Some of her cuts looked infected. There were open wounds and half-healed wounds covering her body. Her arms, chest, legs, thighs, feet, hands, neck, and back all showed signs of the cruciatus curse and other cuts being applied to them. Her eyelids and hands were always twitching, as well as her faulty smile. She was shaking almost always, like she was vibrating. But still she did not break. She wondered how long it would take for her to go completely mad...to lose it all. Surely, she wasn't that far away. What if she ended up in St. Mugo's for life? With no escape possible, no life of her own, locked away? She couldn't bear such a thought, not her, not Lillian, who had traveled the world, would be trapped. She was trapped now...being trapped in St. Mungo's couldn't be the life she had dreamed of. She vowed to try a bit harder..for her daughter, her sanity, and to never be trapped like this again...then she remembered she had already made a vow like this before when her husband was beating her. She kept laughing as she thought all this, her mind being at ease enough to think...but her mouth laughing until it was sore. She hoped with all her heart she wouldn't ever have to make this promise to herself again, as she continued to laugh. It wasn't just laughter though, she was crying as well. Whether she was laughing because she was crying or crying because she was laughing she wasn't sure...but she was definitely doing both. Her emotions were so confused...she was so mixed up...someone help me she thought, tears rolling down her face. Someone, anyone! She tried to speak the words but no noise came out but a rasping giggle. How tired she felt..how sore her throat was...she just wanted to sleep and never wake up.

Approaching the mahogany door of the headmistress' office, Desdemona found a floating paper that was attempting to enter the room, but to no avail. Reading it, Catalina confirmed what Rose was blibbering about in the Great Hall.

She opened the door to the office and stepped in.

On reflex, Desdemona's arm bolted out, catching Lillian square in the neck, sending her to the floor. Enraged, she whipped out her wand and screamed, "CRUCIO!"

As her victim writhed in pain, Desdemona screeched at her, "Where are all the purebloods, Lilly? And why did Liviana skip out on her detention? It's your fault! They're defying me, and it's all your fault!"

She continued on with the curse much longer than before to sooth her fury.

Desdemona watched as her captive truly became her slave. She ended the curse and whispered, "Imperio," for the last time. Lillian was too far gone to be anything more than her puppet. She would have been in a better condition had she been kissed by a dementor at this rate.

"Here," she said brusquely, tossing parchment and a quill at her. "You have more decrees to write."

Desdemona smirked at the constant breaking of Lilly's bones. Well, if she hadn't held out for so long, this would not have happened. It was not Desdemona's fault.

Amelia Frances Joan

Amelia was scared. In her voice she heard her father yelling at her. To do the right thing, not to be a coward. But truly, deep inside, she knew she was. She was scared. To the point that she was shaking, but she knew this is what she had to do. Knocking loudly, so that it echoed down the corridor, then pausing and adding a quiet knock, as if to apologize she called, "ma'am?" in a quiet voice, then listened carefully. She could tell the door was magicked. And that a simple alohomora probably wouldn't work. Taking in deep breaths, she started listing what she knew. Facts kept her world together, facts would fix this.

First Year Ravenclaw

Desdemona froze as she her someone rap on the door. She had specifically mandated that no one come near the headmistress' office, but like most of her other decrees, someone felt the need to ignore them.

Pushing Lillian aside, she crept up to the door and opened it a crack. The hallway was devoid of anyone. It was probably some snot-nosed prankster trying to get a rise out of her. Making a noise of disgust, she turned to her hostage. "You can pay for their indiscretion!" she hissed. "Crucio!"