Punishment?

Thank you reviewers and readers, sorry about the wait, I was a little stuck as to where to go, but I think I've got it.


The excitement at Hermione speaking filled the house with a contagious good mood, though it didn’t last long. Everyone was gathered in her room while Remus gently prompted her to speak again.
“Lucius.” She said, a tear trailing down her cheek. Harry had to be restrained as he whipped out his wand and began bellowing about ‘hunting the bastard down’. After several more minutes of fruitless attempts, Remus gave up and hurried the others out to let her sleep. The mood in the house returned to its usual sombreness and once again anticipation filled the air. Finally after almost a week, Snape returned. Everyone rushed to greet him as he wearily stumbled down the hall, though after seeing the furious glint in his eyes, Molly chased them into the kitchen to wait for him. Snape and Remus conversed in whispers in the hallway, while the others waited anxiously. Finally they joined them and everyone leaned forward, desperate to hear Snape’s tale. He bowed his greasy head and took a deep breath.
“I apologize for the length of time it took me to return,” it was obvious he wasn’t sorry at all, only stalling, “though I have found out about Hermione’s time at the manor.” The room was silent as every breath was held. Snape was obviously having trouble phrasing the next part of his story.
“What? What happened to her?” Snape glared angrily at Harry who returned the look impatiently.
“It seems they were using her as… a test subject for a new form of torture, not physical…but emotional.” The horrified faces around the room looked momentarily confused.
“Did you find out exactly what happened?” Remus gently pressed Snape, who nodded slowly, looking sick.
“They found a way of recording the process…magically.” He paused as jaws dropped. “I didn’t bring a copy as I would not put anyone else who knew Hermione through the horror of watching it, but I can tell you if I could erase it from my memory I would.”
“So,” Ginny’s tiny voice piped up, shaking with anger and horror, “what did they do to her?” Snape ran his hand through his hair before attempting to explain in the least explicit way the breaking of the strong and clever girl they all loved.



After Snape’s terrible tale the younger members of the order had to be restrained as they attempted to apparate to the manor and take on the Death Eaters themselves. In the end, only the older members of the order stayed in the kitchen to discuss plans, and more importantly whether there was a need for a plan. The youths being all for charging into Voldemort’s lair and beating Lucius to death with their bare hands, were of course shocked when the more restrained members suggested that this may not be the most helpful thing to Hermione. While the meeting went on the kitchen, Harry, Ron and Ginny sat in Hermione’s room discussing how exactly they would disembowel Lucius Malfoy. Hermione’s eyes fluttered open and she looked blearily around the room until her eyes fixed on Harry.
“Harry?” She whispered, and almost instantly the three of them were at her side, breath held for her next words.
“What is it Hermione? What can we do for you?” Ginny nervously held her friend’s hand like a small bird.
“Where’s Lucius, I need to find Lucius…” She trailed off and they all jumped up as if electrocuted, glaring meaningfully at each other.
“She wants revenge,” Harry’s voice shook with rage, “we all know what we have to do.” With that the three of them swept downstairs and out the front door, before clasping hands on the doorstep.
“We can’t take them on at the manor, but he’ll probably be about to leave the ministry.” With a curt nod at each other, they spun.