Selena's Choice

Author's Note: Continued from the previous chapter, Selena now finds out exactly how the Death Eaters started playing on a "whole other level." Enjoy the second part of Selena's Choice.

~**~

Selena's Choice

~**~

Part II

~**~

A young woman lay upon the wooden floor below the newly barred window, the wet, dirty ground making her even more uncomfortable than she already was. She was shivering slightly as some of the rain water continued to drip on her ragged body, and as a great crack of thunder sounded throughout the night, the young woman suddenly shot up from her position on the ground, the sudden movement causing the chains around her wrists and ankles to clang together, the eerie sound echoing around the small room.

Her breathing was ragged as she moved from the centre of the room to lean against the mouldy wall behind her, wincing in pain as she put too much of her weight on her broken ankle. Blood nearly covered the length of her pale face, though it had long since stopped flowing from the gashes and cuts; it was already hardened dry by now. She had numerous other bruises and cuts in other places on her frail body, though they were mostly on her arms and back, and some of them were still bleeding quite freely. Finally, after several minutes of struggling through her pain, her heart jumping at every loud clank of the chains, the young woman ceased moving, just relaxing back against the wall. Shutting her eyes, she tried to drift off to sleep.

"Selena," whispered a quiet, yet high and cold voice coming from the doorway at the other end of the room. The old, wooden door that had been there when she had first arrived in this room seven weeks ago, (or at least she thought it had been seven weeks . . . time was difficult to keep track of clearly), had been replaced by a door made up of iron bars, making her room seem much more like a prison cell than anything else.

The use of her name stirred Selena from her drowsiness, but she still did not move. Upon hearing the voice, her heart had been gripped by intense fear, a feeling that she completely detested and up until the past several weeks, she had rarely, if ever, truly felt. But things had changed a lot during the seven weeks that Selena had spent in this house. She had now honestly experienced fear. The voice said her name again, but still, she did not open her eyes. Please go, she thought. Please leave me alone.

"Get up, Rosa," he continued anyway, oblivious to her pleas. Or perhaps, he just didn't care. "I know you're not asleep." For a brief moment, Selena did not move, instead choosing to act like she was not even conscious. But that did not last very long, being interrupted as it was by a leather boot crashing into her stomach, causing Selena to scream and clutch her body in agony. She forced her dark eyes open to glare into the face of her attacker. It wasn't him. No, he still stood in the doorway, just watching the scene before him without any emotion on his hooded face. Instead, a masked Death Eater stood above her, his long brown hair flowing into his face.

"When the Dark Lord gives you an order," the Death Eater hissed in her ear as he wrapped his fingers through her tangled mass of black hair ---

"--- I expect you to obey," finished Voldemort, who still had not moved from his position in the doorway. "Understand?"

Selena did not respond, and the tall Death Eater tightened his grip on her hair, causing Selena to gasp in pain again. "Say, 'Yes, Master, I understand,'" said the man as he positioned himself next to her, forcing her head to stare in Voldemort's direction. Silence reverberated throughout the room for a time while both Voldemort and his Death Eater waited on Selena's answer, and finally, she opened her mouth.

"He's a monster, not a Master," she hissed at the two Dark wizards, glaring defiantly into Voldemort's scarlet gaze, meeting the Dark wizard's eyes like few ever dared to do.

A brief moment passed before the Death Eater seemed to realise and register what Selena had said to his Master, but once he was sure he had heard it correctly, he released his tight grip on her hair, only to wrap his fingers around her throat instead. As Selena struggled for breath, her vision swimming in front of her, the man spat into her face and, displaying more physical strength than he looked like he could possess, hurled her against the far wall, where Selena collapsed, unmoving, on the ground.

Voldemort had watched the entire scene play out without interfering. Selena Rosa was an interesting witch to watch, to be honest. Her defiance intrigued him, and it had not diminished in the four weeks that Bella had spent trying to break her. She was powerful, too, and her brother had proved vastly loyal in the two years of his service. His sister, once she was persuaded, would do the same. She would be useful . . . more useful than even she knew. Voldemort knew this, and so he did not punish Selena for her remarks. At least, he didn't punish her this time. Lord Voldemort saw his Death Eater give a final kick to Selena's side before the two of them --- Master and servant --- exited the room, walking down the corridor and out of sight.

----

Several minutes had passed since Voldemort and his Death Eater had left Selena's room, and a dark, ominous presence soon came floating along to drift in front of the iron door and focus its attention on the unconscious young woman below the window. The Dementor's rattling breath echoed around the small area, everything about it chilling anyone or anything that was near. Selena shivered once again as she started to regain her consciousness, a whimper even escaping her lips as she felt the Dementor's presence.

"No," she muttered as she shoved herself up further against the wall, pulling her knees close to her chest and wrapping her cut arms securely around them, trying desperately to get away from the dark creature. "No . . . no . . . no . . ." But her pleas when unheard as her mind worked against her, and her darkest memories plagued their way into the forefront of her freshly renewed consciousness.

Carolina Rosalynn, Selena's four-month-old daughter, had fallen ill. Her breathing had already stopped once, and it had been shallow ever since. Selena rushed through the streets of London to get to a fireplace connected to the Floo Network, finally making it to St. Mungo's. She sat in the waiting room with her mother and father, a cold feeling in her stomach as she waited for the Healers to tell her about her baby. . . .

Her salty tears dropped onto the parchment, smearing the inky words upon it. It didn't matter, though. She'd already memorised the main part of the message. "Dear Mother, Father, and Selena, I've decided to follow a path that I think is the right one. I joined the Death Eaters, Mother, Father, and sister. I joined because I believe in the Dark Lord; I believe he's right on so many accounts. You are sure to be shocked by this news . . . I've left to spare you any pain of saying farewell. . . . Your son, Leo Rosalynn." . . .

Mrs. Rosalynn sat crying in her bedroom as she held Selena's father's cold hand. He'd already passed away, and the Healers had already left. It was just her mother and her, now. Leo was gone, and now, her father was gone. . . .

"I'm sorry, but her mind is pretty much gone, Selena. She'll probably never recover," the Healer said to her, grasping her shoulder comfortingly. "Again, I'm truly sorry." . . .

Beams of different coloured spells crossed and collided in mid-air as the intense battle outside the warehouses raged on. Susan Hillis collapsed as a Death Eater's Killing Curse struck her. The other Aurors fought the Death Eaters, and Roger shouted out as she left. "SELENA!" . . .

"Join him!"

"Never!"

"Crucio!" . . .

The memories finally faded away, though the experience with the Dementor left Selena with rivers of tears streaming from her dark eyes, the salty liquids making their own tracks down her dirt- and blood-covered cheeks. She usually held the emotions back; she wouldn't let them break free from her control. But this time, she couldn't stop the tears from coming. They ran like floods from her eyes and she was beyond the power to make them cease.

"I just want it to stop," she muttered. "I want it all to end."

Well, said a harsh voice in her mind, why don't you just give it up? Why not just join him? It'll end after that, and you'll be free. There won't be any more pain or torture. So, why not?

"Because it's not right, and I can't do that," Selena answered the voice aloud. "Can I?"

Of course you can. There's nothing stopping you from just taking the Dark Mark, becoming a Death Eater, and serving the Dark Lord. You know it will solve everything, don't you?

"Well, it might help with some things, but I don't think it's the answer. I don't believe in the Dark Lord like Leo does."

Okay, first off, you just referred to him as "the Dark Lord". Secondly, you don't have to believe as strongly as Leo does. As long as you're loyal enough, it's fine. So, choose . . . life as a Death Eater or life as a tortured prisoner. Would the former be as bad as the latter?

Selena had to think on her answer this time, and that thought alone frightened the witch. "Yes, it would . . ." she said. "I can't ignore what I know is right . . . I can't be a Death Eater."

"It's a shame that you've yet to make the right decision, sister."

Selena's eyes shot towards the iron barred door as she heard her brother. Leo didn't come in, though, and as he looked over the bleeding body of his sister, a slight look of pity crossed his face, but only for a second before it returned to the cold and impassionate look of a Death Eater; if Selena hadn't known her brother for twenty-six years, she would have missed the look entirely. She did not respond to Leo's comment, however, and just kept her dark eyes --- Still filled with utmost defiance, I see, Leo thought --- glued on him.

"We've asked nicely and respectfully," he said. "We've tried force, and still you will not consider the offer. I'm sorry to have to use this method, sister." Leo paused for a moment and exhaled a heavy sigh. "But you have left me no choice in the matter. Bring him in. . . ." he finished, stepping away from the iron door, which suddenly swung open, its hinges creaking, and banged against the wall. For a brief moment, no one appeared in the doorway. But soon enough, Selena watched as three figures entered into her room, two of which were large, masked Death Eaters, and the third was held between the two, or more accurately, supported between them. The third figure was on his knees, his hands bound behind his back and head bending forward, exhausted. His breathing was harsh and ragged, and his chest was bleeding from a recently-applied gash. His long, blond hair covered his face until one of the Death Eaters reached down and yanked the man's head up, revealing a bruised and pale face. Selena could not suppress a gasp as she recognised the identity of the kneeling man before her.

It was Michael Kenningston, a Healer at St. Mungo's and Selena's fiancé.

"Michael!" she exclaimed, her voice hoarse, but it was apparently loud enough to rouse Michael into further consciousness.

"Selena," he muttered and, seeming to gather strength from seeing his lover, tried to struggle with his captors, but it was to no avail. They held him tightly, and one of them even kicked him in the side to subdue his fighting. Selena screamed for the two Death Eaters to stop, her eyes still glued on Michael as she heard him whisper, "Thought you were dead. . . . Roger . . . the mission . . ." He gasped in pain as one of the Death Eaters struck him in the stomach, and he fell, moaning, to the ground.

"Why are you doing this?" whispered Selena as she looked up at her brother, his face showing absolutely no emotion as he witnessed the scene before him. "Why me? Why Michael? Why any of this?"

Leo sighed. "Because you're powerful, and the Dark Lord wants you to join him. There's also a bit of selfishness on my part: You're my sister, and I'm tired of the two of us being enemies with each other. As for Michael, well . . . you didn't respond correctly to any of the previous messages. . . . Now, think really hard before you answer the question. Will you join the Dark Lord, Selena?"

Selena bit her lip as she struggled with the question. It was the first time that she'd ever had to actually sit and think about her response. Usually it was just a quick "No" and then the punishment. But after taking one look at Michael, Selena knew there was more at stake here this time. Still, she couldn't give in; the defiance still burned too strongly inside of her. "You know I won't," she said, glaring at her brother. "I said I'd never join him, and I mean it. . . . I'd die first."

Another sigh escaped Leo's mouth as he turned to the nearest Death Eater standing over Michael and gave a slight nod of the head. The Death Eater grinned and, withdrawing his wand from an inside pocket of his robe, pointed it at Selena's fiancé and muttered, "Crucio." Michael screamed as the curse tore through his body, his back arching off of the ground. Selena's pleas soon joined her fiancé's cries.

"Stop it!" she yelled, struggling against her own chains. "Leave him alone!" But the Death Eaters paid no attention to the young woman as she cursed at them, demanding that they cease their torture. Finally, both Death Eaters lowered their wands, leaving Michael gasping for breath on the ground.

"It's very simple, Selena," whispered Leo as he entered the room and approached his sister, leaning down directly in front of her. "You wouldn't respond correctly when you experienced the punishments. I'm curious, however, how long you can remain defiant when it's the man that you love enduring the Cruciatus Curse. Think about it . . . Someone else will be back tomorrow to ask again."

With that, Leo left Selena's room, followed closely behind by the two Death Eaters dragging Michael along after them. The door to Selena's room slammed shut, its sound startling her as it echoed throughout the area. Sobs began to rack her body as Selena started rocking back and forth on the floor, thoughts plaguing her mind . . . thoughts that were soon joined by sounds of Michael's screams.

Now you've done it, the voice from before spat in her mind. You've dragged your fiancé into this entire mess.

"Michael was never supposed to be hurt," Selena cried, the tears streaming from her dark eyes, dark eyes whose defiant light was becoming dimmer. "He never did anything."

But you did. By not giving in, you've brought others into this pain and torture that you've resigned yourself to. Defiance and stubbornness isn't just affecting you, now; it's hurting Michael, the man who loves you more anything in the world.

"I KNOW! I know." Silence followed Selena's outburst, and the voice in her head did not argue back right away. "But I still can't . . . it's not the right thing . . ."

You're being selfish, you know. The voice was back. You're not refusing the offers because it's "not the right thing"; you're just selfish. You don't want to appear like a traitor . . . You're self-centred and egotistical, and ---

"I am not!"

Oh yes you are. Why don't you try to be selfless this one time in your life? Hmm? You know it's really the right thing to do, don't you? By saying yes, you get your freedom, and you rescue Michael from any further pain. Can you honestly ignore that, Selena?

Selena's sobs had increased as the voice had continued. Her dark eyes were now red and sore, and she continued rocking back and forth, her arms wrapped around her knees. The crying caused her breathing to become shallow and rough, and the tears had caused her vision to blur so badly that she just held her eyes shut, the tears still leaking out and running down her cheeks. A scream tore through her ears once more, and Selena bit her lip. "I'm sorry, Michael," she muttered. "I'm sorry, but I can't . . . I just can't."

You're a coward, Selena, said the voice. You're just a selfish coward.

"That's not true," she cried. "It's not true . . . it's not true." Selena Rosa curled up in the corner of the room, wrapping herself together as securely as she could. She felt like she was a little girl again, waking up after a bad nightmare and going to seek her mother's comfort. This time wasn't a nightmare, though; this was real; she was twenty-eight, no longer a little girl; and her mother wasn't anywhere near her. She lay in the corner, pleading with the darkness to take her; whether it was to death or just sleep, she didn't care. Please, she thought, please just let it end.

Rain fell once more from the dark and cloudy sky, though there were no harsh winds and rumbling thunder this time; it was just the rain, slowing falling from the sky and dripping through the barred window to Selena's room. The water drifted down the bars and wall, falling together into a large puddle on the dirty floor. Selena slept on in the far corner, Michael's screams having quieted for the time being.

----

A young Selena ran through the kitchen and down the hall to her brother's room. She was clutching a pair of letters in her hand, and she burst through the door, causing Leo to jerk up in his bed. "What is it?" he asked sleepily.

"They came, Leo," said Selena, her face split into a large grin. "Our Hogwarts letters came today!" Leo jumped up from his bed, suddenly awake, and ran down the hall after his sister, a grin on his face as the two eleven-year-old children went in search of their mother. . . .

A sound of clanging bars slamming against a wooden wall shook Selena Rosa awake from her dreams. Go away, she thought as she heard the footsteps approach her. Not anymore. The footsteps didn't leave, though; they stopped right in front of her, and a voice that she could no longer bear to hear spoke quietly.

"Hello, Selena," muttered Leo as he looked down at his sister. She did not look up at him, and he did not even make any movement to force her gaze up, like he had several other times. He would take her chin in his grasp and force her to look at him, but he didn't this time. "Have you thought anymore about what I said? About the offer?"

She had thought about; she had thought about it much more than she felt comfortable admitting to. The words of the voice came back and floated in her mind, but she still couldn't do it. Her answer had been the same from the beginning, and regardless of Michael, she couldn't let it change.

"Are you ready to call me 'Master?'" asked another voice, and Selena's gaze was drawn towards the doorway to her room, where Voldemort stood, watching the exchange between brother and sister, the former a loyal follower while the latter still resisted him, despite the situation with Michael. "Are you ready to join me?" he whispered.

Selena just sat back against the wall, her arms still wrapped around her knees. She focussed her eyes away from Voldemort and her brother, choosing instead to stare at her knees. Not moving an inch, she remained silent. "Well?" Leo continued, and this time, he reached down and lifted her chin up so that she was facing him. Her eyes, however, she kept cast down. "Selena?" he said.

"You already know my answer," she whispered, her eyes burning from the night of crying and her heart breaking as she said those words. The voice in her head kept screaming at her about Michael, that she was condemning him, that she was a selfish coward. But I just can't . . . I won't.

Leo released his grip on her chin and stepped back. As he did so, Selena brought her eyes up to look at her brother, but her gaze somehow became redirected towards Voldemort, who smiled for the first time that she had ever known him, and the image made her feel even more fearful than she ever had before. "Not even to save your daughter?" With that, he stepped away from the doorway, revealing a little, five-year-old girl, her hands tied behind her back, being held by a massive Death Eater. Her face was extremely pale, and her short, black hair hung tangled around her head. She stared across the room and her dark eyes met her mother's tear-filled gaze.

"Mummy?" she asked fearfully. "Mummy, what's going on?" Selena looked up at her brother, a part of her mind hoping that surely he wouldn't allow this to happen. Surely, he wouldn't let Carolina, his own niece, suffer? But the hope was false. Leo was a Death Eater now, through and through. Carolina meant nothing to him.

"Either join me now," Voldemort muttered, "or watch your daughter suffer instead for your defiance." Selena glared up at Voldemort, but he did not appear in any way relenting. He raised his wand and pointed its tip at Carolina, who hadn't moved since she'd been brought in. "Apparently, your own pain doesn't matter; your fiancé's pain doesn't matter; your daughter's pain . . ."

"What's your answer, Selena?" Leo asked, his voice holding the same coldness that it had developed upon his joining Voldemort's ranks.

Selena's gaze was now locked on her daughter, who was shivering from either the fear or some other cold, Selena didn't know. Not my baby, she thought. Her heart felt like it had stopped, and her mind screamed that it needed a plan --- something --- anything. And to top everything off, the voice was back.

Are you going to let Carolina suffer? the voice asked. Surely, your selfish cowardice isn't that inhumane ---

But I'm not a coward, Selena thought. And I'm not selfish . . . I'm not . . .

Look at your daughter, Selena! Look at her shake in fear! Listen to Michael's screams from down the corridor! You are the one doing all of this! Just give in, and say yes!

No . . . I don't want to ---

Want? This is about what you want! You're condemning those who love you because you don't want to give in?! You've said it yourself, then. It's all because you are a SELFISH COWARD!

But . . . I can't . . . It's not right --- Selena's thoughts were cut short, however, as Voldemort's cold voice intruded into the silence of the room.

"Still defiant, Selena?" he said as he focussed his hard, scarlet gaze back on Carolina, the five-year-old visibly paling further as the Dark wizard approached her. "Very well. Crucio!" he exclaimed, and Carolina collapsed to the floor, twitching and screaming out in agony. Through the screams, one word was discernable to everyone in the room, though Selena was the only one greatly affected by it.

"MUMMY!"

"Mummy," she said. The voice was back. She's screaming for you to help her, and all you do is sit there. The Dark Lord is hurting your little girl, and you're doing nothing about it, when you have the power to stop it.

I can't ---

Just say yes! It's not that hard! Call him "Master" and be done with it!

But ---

No buts! Unless you agree, you, Michael, and Carolina are going to live like this for a very long time. You'll never marry the man you love; your daughter will never get the chance to go to Hogwarts . . . All she'll know is pain and suffering . . . and the fact that her mother didn't love her enough to save her ---

THAT'S NOT TRUE! It's not! I love her . . .

You're selfish, and you don't love your daughter . . . your own appearance is more important than Carolina ---

"NO!" Selena exclaimed. "STOP IT! JUST STOP IT!" Her voice echoed around the room, and it was then that she noticed her daughter's screams had stopped. The two Death Eaters and Voldemort stood and looked at Selena, whose gaze was focussed on Carolina. Her daughter had collapsed to the ground and was still twitching from the curse. She had cuts on her arms and face from where she had hit the ground and the wall while suffering the effects of Voldemort's torture.

"'Stop' what?" Voldemort whispered as he stepped away from Carolina and approached Selena. Leo moved back as his Master walked in front of him. He stopped in front of the young Auror, her dark eyes, which had previously held such a massive amount of defiance towards him, now dim with loss and defeat. It's almost complete, he thought as he watched her. "'Stop' what?" repeated Voldemort.

Say it, Selena, the voice hissed. Do it now!

But ---

Do it!

Voldemort watched the thought conversation rage between Selena's two opposing minds. He had seen many fight this conflict, and had followed Selena's progress for the past several weeks. Not ready yet, are you? Voldemort mused and he lifted his wand towards the sprawled body of young Carolina Rosa. The action had just the result intended.

"Stop . . . Master," Selena mumbled, the words destroying the last bit of defiance inside her as they were spoken aloud. "Please stop, Master."

A slight smile lined Voldemort's face and Leo wore a similar expression as his Master's. The twenty-eight-year-old Death Eater watched as Voldemort made Selena extend her left arm. He stared as the Dark Mark appeared on his sister's pale skin, its heavy, black colour shining out even more intensely on Selena's pale skin than had her complexion been darker. We're not so different after all, are we, sister? he thought. We both wound up on the same path in the end . . . like I always knew we would. His thoughts were cut short, however, by Voldemort's last words before the Dark wizard left the room.

"That's right, Selena. I am your Master."

~**~

Author's Note: Well, I hope you enjoyed this story. I had a great time writing it, especially getting to actually use a lot more of Selena's story than the stuff that will make it into Locked Door. I also debated for a long time whether to focus more on a different aspect of Selena during this time and submit this for the "Alone" Challenge, but then decided against it in the end, as you can tell. There just weren't enough aspects of loneliness for Selena to work in that challenge. Again, thanks for reading, and let me know what you thought.

~Megan