PRISONER (THE DARK LADY)

[MINERVA MCGONAGALL]

The darkness swallowed the old woman whole as she sat in the basement of a house, presumably belonging to The Dark Lady who took her. Minerva's frail form sat against an old concrete wall limply, her mouth dry from deprivation of water. She coughed and turned her head toward the slit in the wall that acted as a window, a small stream of light flickering on the damp ground. She smiled softly. "Albus would say, 'where there is light, there is hope,'" she whispered to herself. "Albus would say 'you can get through this, Minerva, you can'" she whispered again. She looked down to the dark, gray floor and sighed, coughing and raising her hand to muffle the sound. She hadn't been awake long, but thought that if that fact alerted The Dark Lady, Minerva would soon be found in her presence.

By the squeal of the basement door opening, she realized she was right.

[THE DARK LADY]

Keira opened the door to the basement, watching the old woman hold her hand up to her face as the light filled the room. She made a face at the dankness of it, then shrugged and stepped down the steps toward Minerva. "Comfortable?" she questioned with a raised brow. Keira smirked.

"Aren't you proud of me? I'm more powerful than Voldemort ever was - and I have you to thank for that."

[MINERVA MCGONAGALL]

The amount of light that flooded into the basement made Minerva cringe. Her eyes had been used to the darkness for too long - something that she wasn't happy about. This whole situation was uncomfortable and she knew death would come to her soon. Of course, she knew there were Aurors searching for her. Minerva was not only well-known, but well-respected. She knew that people had to be looking for her. But would they be too late? There were times - unfortunate times - that she felt that, in fact, they would.

Minerva ignored the woman's asking about her condition; this was a game to her. Minerva then scoffed at her next statement, swallowing saliva as to be able to speak. "I would never be proud of someone like you. Killing innocent people is nothing to be proud of," she noted, then shook her head. "And as for Voldemort," she whimpered. "He was scum. And you're simply following his path. You...will not win this war."

[THE DARK LADY]

The Dark Lady frowned, hastily walking up to Minerva and drawing her wand. Inches from her face she said, "I don't need your permission to be great." Keira slashed her wand across the front of Minerva's left shoulder, listening to the old woman let out a groan. She smiled darkly. "Oh but won't I?" she asked in a whisper, then stood upright and took a few steps back, crossing her arms over her chest and tilting her head back slightly. "I've managed to destroy the University and a Muggle village. I've captured the Headmistress of Hogwarts and got in and out of the school without harm to me or any of my followers - I've got the entire world on edge and they haven't even seen my face." Keira laughed maniacally. "I've already won this war."

[MINERVA MCGONAGALL]

Minerva tried to face the woman boldly, but when she made a deep cut into Minerva's shoulder, Minerva couldn't help but groan. She put her hand up to her shoulder and pressed onto the wound. Her hand shakily removed from her cloak with splattered blood about her palm. She looked up at Keira as she backed away, explaining all of the things she'd accomplished - all of the things of which Minerva was already aware. "It will not last. To conquer the world you'll eventually have to reveal yourself. Once you do, you can never step into the light of day - they will find you. They will find me," she whispered, looking down at the floor. The woman before her slaughtered an entire Muggle village, and was sure to have committed other murders that Minerva knew not of. What was stopping Keira from killing her? Minerva coughed and looked up once more, her eyes droopy. She just didn't understand why this woman was doing this. Hadn't the wizarding war prior proved that Muggle-borns were just as much a part of society as anyone else? Were there people in the world who were still so caught up in blood purity that they would resort to killing? Minerva couldn't believe it. She just couldn't believe that all that she fought for during the last two wizarding wars was for not.