#christopher sienna: dead dove au

[siennarowle]

dead dove: do not eat

Sienna glanced around the small room when the portkey landed, desperately trying to find Glenda in the dark to no avail. Before she could try and move to her feet, a pair of rough hands grabbed her and forced her into a chair, her short slip riding up before a charmed set of ropes restrained her. 

Unsure of how long she sat in the dark, Sienna jumped at the sudden sound of thunderous applause coming from the outside room. Straining in her seat to try and hear what was going on, she heard a somewhat familiar voice rise above the crowds.  

"Welcome!" Ludo Bagman's amplified voice spun over the crowd in the outside room. "Welcome. Please, please, in your seats, gentlemen." He stepped up to a podium on the large stage outside of where Sienna was being kept. Sienna could feel heartbeat thunder in time with the applause as Ludo tried to control the crowd. .

Sienna couldn’t help but feel herself start to hyperventilate. She dipped her head between her knees, tears tracking down her cheeks, mouth open wide as she struggled to breathe. One of the guards went to check on her, wrenching her back up.

Outside, Ludo was beginning some kind of opening remarks. They sounded rehearsed. Some propaganda about the days to come. Sienna watched as the guard in the room with her moved towards a door, opening it to watch the proceedings and leaving Sienna with a cracked view of the outside stage.

Sienna looked onstage again, recognizing discarded set pieces as she pieced together that they seemed to be in Muggle London. She’d always wanted to go to a show in Muggle London. When she and Sirius had been together, he’d always promised that one day he’d take her once they were free from the ever present gaze of their parents, but that had never happened. She wondered where Sirius was now. Had he escaped the attack on the school? Or was he somewhere in the building, waiting for whatever was to come just as she was.

Sienna wondered where her brother was. Or whatever was standing in the place of her brother’s body. There was little doubt in her mind that he was out in the crowd tonight. After all, he had a lot to earn from the evening if the appraisal she’d had was anything to go by. Rodolphus was there too, probably.

Was Christopher?

Ever since she’d learned about Rodolphus while engaged to him, she’d always assumed that her brother and closest friend were likely involved to some extent. She never thought they were involved in the way that Rodophus was, but it simply didn’t make sense for them to have avoided it entirely. And if Christopher was in the crowd, did he have a plan to help her? Or was he just as lost as her brother was. In the back of Sienna’s mind, the memory of her appraisal played on repeat with the sinking knowledge of the projected cost being well outside of Christopher’s capabilities, but she didn’t allow herself to give any credence to the thought. She knew that Christopher would find a way. 

"We have seventy-seven Lots for auction tonight," Ludo announced magnanimously as Sienna struggled to watch the stage. The crowd erupted. 

"Gentlemen, we'll bring each Lot onstage, one at a time. I have here their grading, important facts, and blood status. All Lots sold as is. The winning bidders will coordinate with Walden Macnair at the end to arrange payment."

Sienna let the words wash over her. 

"Let's start off the evening right," Ludo crowed. "With a Potter."

The audience screamed, and somewhere in another room Mia thrashed.

 Ludo gestured to the other side of the stage, and out of the corner of Sienna’s eye Mia Potter was dragged out, hands stuck together behind her back as she kept her head up defiantly.

Ludo Bagman laughed and beckoned Mia to his side

"Twenty-years-old. Pure-blood. So, if anyone is looking for a blood traitor to play with..."

Ludo chuckled and the crowd hissed.

"Fine muscle mass, as you can see on your parchments. If you need another house elf, this might be your lucky day…although I’m sure there are far better uses that you could find for someone like her."

"Let's start the bidding at 3,000 Galleons."

~*~

“The fuck are we doing in Muggle London?” Christopher grimaced as Thorfinn led him through the streets. 

“I told you, you’ll see,” Thorfinn chuckled, ducking out of the alley the pair had apparated into. “It’ll be worth it. I’m certain that you’ll find it particularly interesting.”

Grimacing as Thorfinn beckoned him through an open door of the theatre, Christopher narrowing his gaze as his eyes adjusted to the darkened room as Thorfinn led him to a pair of empty seats. 

Whatever sort of show that Thorfinn had brought him to, it already seemed to be well in progress as the pair sat down, and Christopher watched as Ludo Bagman began speaking. 

Following Ludo’s gesture, Christopher froze as Glenda Chittock was led on to the stage wearing not much other than a short white slip that did not leave much to the imagination as the stage lights focused on her. 

“Thorfinn, what-” Christopher hissed, turning to glance at his friend in confusion. “This isn’t…”

But Christopher was cut off as Thorfinn simply smirked in response and gave a nod as he handed him an auction paddle that he’d had in his robes. 

“Thorfinn, that’s your sister’s best friend. We can’t- this isn’t right,” Christopher muttered under his breath, debating whether or not to storm the stage himself. 

“What Sienna wants right now doesn’t matter,” Thorfinn replied venomously, shooting Christopher a glare that stunned him into silence. 

“Gentleman, we’ll start the bidding at 1500 Galleons,” Ludo Bagman’s voice echoed throughout the theatre, drawing Christopher’s attention back to the stage. 

Glancing around, several paddles rose into the air as the bidding began. 

“1700 Galleons.”

Christopher watched as a few hands lowered. 

“1850 Galleons.”

Christopher watched the bidding continue for a few minutes, paddles lowering and raising as the numbers grew higher, his mind racing with what to do. 

“3000 Galleons going once…Twice…” Ludo’s magnified voice echoed through the crowd and before Christopher could second guess himself, he reached for the paddle that Thorfinn had handed him and thrust it into the air.

~*~

Sienna turned her attention back to the stage as the gavel banged.

"Sold!" The audience erupted. "Glenda Chittock, sold to the Rowle party for 6,250 Galleons."

Rowle Party. Thorfinn. Sienna felt bile rise in her throat at the news that her own brother had purchased her closest friend. Before she could stop herself, Sienna threw up between her legs, the sound gaining the attention of the guard that had been assigned to her. The guard took his eyes off of the stage, cursing at the sight of Sienna but decidedly not doing anything to help her. 

Suddenly she felt the ropes behind her loosen and someone yanked her to her feet by her hair, maintaining a solid grip as a newly arrived figure led her towards the door to the stage where for the first time she had a solid view of it. Antonin Dolohov made his way on to the stage and secured Glenda’s wrists before being handed a parchment by Ludo Bagman, presumably to sign away his rights to Glenda as having been her original captor. After setting down the quill, Antonin gave Glenda’s backside a final slap as the crowd cheered him on before she was led off of the stage, passing by the doorway that Sienna was being held in. 

Their eyes met one final time, Sienna watching as Glenda helplessly tried to convey some piece of wordless information to her with no success as Sienna’s guard quickly yanked her attention back in front of her.    

"And now... our grand finale."

It sounded like Ludo Bagman was announcing the Seeker entering the stadium. Perhaps he had? It could be if she just closed her eyes. The theatre thundered.

She blinked, trying to focus. She needed to be present. Maybe once this day was over, she would fall asleep and never wake up.

They pushed her forward, escorting her onstage. Bagman was yelling something over the crowd, but she just squinted against the lights. Someone was operating the theatre spotlight, blinding her to the faces in the crowd as her eyes fought to adjust.

She looked down at her feet as they placed her on a red "X" next to Bagman. Her gold dress shimmered.

She looked up, remembering Mia Potter’s lifted chin. The theatre was full. Balcony after balcony. Must have been over a thousand people, and Sienna despaired at the thought that likely every member of the audience was someone she knew. Perhaps someone she had thought to be a friend. And now they were getting a far better look at her than she would have ever allowed. 

The noise continued for ages. Her eyes landed on the masked Death Eaters on the ground level, filling up the majority of the front rows. Some of them on their feet, screaming and taunting and punching their fists in the air. Some of them seated, whispering to each other and pointing to the stage.

She scanned the crowd, looking for her brother. 

"Alright! Alright!" Bagman laughed, sounding like his old self again. "I know we're excited. Some of us have special toys to go home to..."

Sienna slid her eyes to Ludo as the men cackled. He'd been seduced by it all. Infected. He met her eyes and quickly looked away.

"Our final Lot of the evening," he announced theatrically. He read off her appraisal notes. "Sienna Rowle." 

Hissing. Booing. Jeering. 

Much of the crowd were on their feet again, screaming. She heard the words Traitor and Bitch and Kill the slut.

String her up!

—deserves this, the dirty—

Show us her cunt!

Have a bit of fun with her, you will!

Make an example out of her. Sienna knew that this was what was happening. She was a warning to everyone who wasn’t there at how fast things could change if one stepped out of line. 

~*~

“What the fuck, Thorfinn,” Christopher hissed, starting to rise to his feet before being roughly pulled back down by his friend. 

“She’s made her choice,” Thorfinn snapped. “This is what happens when you step out of line. She knew the consequences.”

“Like hell she did,” Christopher yelled over the screams of the crowd. “You have to stop this. She’ll never forgive us.”

“I don’t care what she thinks,” he said flatly. “This is on her. Not me.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Christopher glared, the look of disgust evident in his tone.

“I told you. She made her choice. I told her what would happen if she stepped out of line. She did it anyways.” 

“Fine, then. I’ll help her myself,” Christopher snapped, pushing himself out of the seat and away from Thorfinn before he pulled a wand on him. Without thinking, he moved towards an empty seat in the back, fighting the urge to be sick as he watched the scene unfold. 

~*~

"Gentlemen, gentlemen," Bagman crooned. He raised his hands to call for peace. "I've not yet begun the bidding. In fact…It seems as though our little pureblooded princess has made something of a mess of herself. How embarrassing for her… What do you say we put her in something a bit more befitting of her personality?"

Laughter. 

Sienna stiffened as she felt the familiar tingle of magic on her sullied slip. She glanced down as she watched the slip tighten around her curves, the fabric transfiguring into a translucent white mesh as the neckline began to plunge. With a look of horror, Sienna realized the slip had been transfigured into a makeshift bridal themed teddy.

“Let’s not forget the most important part,” Bagman sang, procuring a white veil that he roughly thrust on to Sienna’s head as the theatre exploded, “After all, we must not forget just how desperate Miss Rowle has always been for a veil of her own.”

Sienna focused her hardened gaze on the crowd, her eyes finding the outlines of two men towards the back of the crowd who were not participating in the outroar. Sienna could feel hear heart begin to race as she began to hope as to who it might be.

Ludo read out her measurements. The crowd cackled when he suggested that she'd do fine in the kitchen, and whooped when he mentioned her muscle mass would be handy in the gardens. They crowed at the thought of her dusting their manors.

Thunder. The acoustics shivering with the applause and screaming. The lonely Death Eater did nothing but cross his leg.

"So, gentlemen... we start the bidding at eight thousand Galleons."

Fifty paddles shot into the air, calling Ludo's attention.

Sienna swallowed as her attention turned towards the front of the crowd, her eyes locking on Rodolphus’s lazy hand in the air. 

"Let's weed you out a bit, shall we?" Ludo quipped. "Nine thousand."

Only about five wands dropped.

"Nine-five. Jumping up to nine-five, gentleman," Ludo began.

She watched as wand hands slowly descended, Rodolphus and Mulciber keeping up with each other, laughing at their little game.

Her knees felt shaky, and she wondered if she would be seeing food again anytime soon. Perhaps never.

"Eleven thousand Galleons. Do I hear—Yes, sir, eleven thousand. What about eleven-five?" He pointed to Rodolphus. "Eleven-five to Lestrange. Several others still in. Twelve?"

She let her eyes glaze over, watching the unmoving figure in the back. He sat still, wand in his lap, head supported in his hand. He looked young. Thin shoulders. Tall. If this was in fact Christopher, then why wasn’t he doing anything?

"Twelve-five? Yes, Twelve-five to Mulciber. Do we have—?"

"Fifteen thousand." A tense voice. A voice that Sienna knew better than nearly anyone. Sienna blinked as every person in the first three rows turned to look at the figure in the back. He'd raised his paddle.

Whispers and shuffling. She knew that Mia Potter had just sold for a bit more than that.

"Er, yes. Fifteen thousand to..."

"Fifteen-five," Rodolphus snarled, sending a glare back at the younger man.

"Sixteen," from the fourth row.

"Sixteen-five."

"Seventeen."

"Twenty!" Rodolphus stated firmly, like he’d ended a game of cards, irritated with Christopher.

The theatre was buzzing. Most of the crowd had figured out that it was Christopher Flint who was throwing his money against Rodolphus Lestrange.

"Do I hear twenty thousand five?" Ludo asked, speaking up again.

Rodolphus’s paddle shot in the air. Christopher’s followed.

"Twenty-three" Rodolphus grinned, his eyes locking on to Sienna’s.

She wasn't sure if it was the warm stage lights or the future bearing down on her, but Sienna felt her lungs begging for air.

She'd known that this would happen. That she'd be leaving with someone like Rodolphus. In the back of her mind, she'd been mentally preparing for a week. Even so, her hope hadn't died.

She'd felt a spark of possibility when she’d heard Christopher’s voice. But now, as he hesitated before yelling, "Twenty-three five," she wished he'd never jumped in at all. The inevitable heartbreak of his loss was something she didn’t think she would ever recover from.

"Twenty-eight," said Rodolphus, chuckling at her expression.

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

She didn't dare look at Christopher. Couldn't bear the idea that if she looked, she might see the realization in his face that this was far beyond what he could afford. The way he would hold that guilt in his shoulders. Maybe she could pinpoint his thoughts like she had growing up as they worked on potions homework, when he'd roll his shoulders back and reset his posture before diving back into his cauldron.

"Twenty-eight thousand going once."

Or the way he'd stare at the chalkboard in transfiguration, tilting his head towards her as he would silently reassure her that he’d help to explain the lesson later on.

"Twenty-eight thousand going twice."

Or in seventh year, when he'd spent much of the first weeks at school keeping her company as she avoided the halls where Sirius might be.

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 Rodolphus ignored protocol and jogged up onstage and met a blank-faced Thorfinn in the middle. The scroll. A burning on her left arm. And then a fist in her hair, dragging her head back. Rodolphus was there, grinning down at her. He licked her face and the balconies went wild.

She didn’t dare move, her palpable fear causing her to freeze. She could tell how much he loved that.

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

She recoiled, shaking her head.

Thorfinn had a slight look of disgust at the sight, shoving him back lightly as he handed him the parchment. "Not until I get my money, Lestrange."

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

As Rodolphus 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 back row now empty.