the_debt_of_time

"What is that?" Bellatrix snapped.
"Sword," a Snatcher grunted.
"Give it to me."
"It's not yours, missus; it's mine, reckon. I found it."
There was a bang and a flash of red light, and Scabior drew his wand to a roar of
anger from his fellows. "What d'you think you're playing at, woman?"
"Expelliarmus! Stupefy!" she screamed, disarming Scabior and stunning the rest of his
group. She moved in on Scabior and threw him to the floor. "Where did you find this
sword? Snape sent it to my vault in Gringotts!"
"It was in their tent," Scabior rasped.
"Draco, move this scum outside," Bellatrix ordered, indicating the unconscious
men. "If you haven't got the guts to finish them, then leave them in the courtyard for me."
"Don't you dare speak to Draco like―" Narcissa began furiously.
Bellatrix screamed, "Be quiet! The situation is graver than you can possibly imagine,
Cissy! We have a very serious problem!"
She stood, panting slightly, looking down at the sword, examining its hilt. Then she
turned to look at the silent prisoners. "Put them in the cellar while I think of what to do!
Take them down, Wormtail."
At the mention of the name, Padfoot growled and barked viciously, thrashing in the
air as he tried to break free of his bindings, struggling to reach just an inch of flesh so he
could tear it from the body of the traitorous rat.
"Wait," Bellatrix ordered sharply, "all except for the Mudblood and Sirius." She
gestured first to Hermione and then to him. "Keep the blood-traitor away from Potter,"
she directed, likely figuring that keeping the two separate would cause them the most pain.
Wormtail ushered the prisoners to the cellar, flinching when Padfoot barked viciously at
him.
Hermione cowered against a nearby pillar as Bellatrix descended upon her, wand
raised. "Where did you get that sword?" she asked the girl with a menacing look in her eyes.
Before Hermione could even answer the question, Padfoot began kicking in mid-
air, paws lashing out against his restraints, barking madly and growling as loudly as possible.
His barks echoed off of the marble floors and walls, nearly drowning out the screams of
Hermione's name that came from the cellar.