Disclaimer: Anything you recognize does not belong to me, however much I wish that it did. Instead, it all belongs to J. K. Rowling. However, anything you do not recognize does belong to me. (This includes all of my original characters, especially Selena. She is my own creation!)


Summary: “The greatest conflicts are not between two people but between one person and himself.” What if doing the right thing wasn’t as simple as everyone thought? What if there was no such thing as an easy choice? What if both answers to a dilemma led you down a path that isn’t right or easy? Selena Rosa struggles with making just such a choice, a choice where neither path seems right. What will she ultimately choose? Written for the “June/July Monthly Challenge Two: Conflict” by megan_lupin of Gryffindor.


Author’s Note: After a boring weekend, I decided it was time to sit down and think about some of my original characters, and I decided to start with Selena Rosa, even though she hasn’t yet made her appearance in Harry Potter and the Locked Door. Selena’s past worked out to be put together and used as an entry to this challenge, and so, here is the product. So, I present for your enjoyment, Selena’s Choice.


~**~


Selena’s Choice


By megan_lupin


~**~


“The greatest conflicts are not between two people but between one person and himself.” --- Garth Brooks


~**~


Massive storm clouds blanketed the sky, rumbles of thunder and flashes of lightning promising rainfall sooner or later, and by the looks of things, it would be one of the harshest storms in months to plague the country. No one was venturing outside their homes, and even the animals were fleeing for cover. Mothers and fathers hurried to get their children inside their warm and safe houses. It was almost as if people everywhere were expecting something horrible to happen, and no one wanted to be around when it did.


Not everyone was heading for home, though. A few people were, instead, gathered together in their department’s headquarters, awaiting the order to go to work.


They all stood in silence in the small chamber, many thoughts raging through every mind as the six individuals prepared for their mission. Some were mentally reviewing spells that might be required, while others made sure that their wands were in full-functioning order. There could be no room for mistakes, no room for failure. In their job, mistakes and failure usually meant fatal injury . . . or worse.


“Hey, Selena, you okay?”


Selena Rosa abruptly turned around as she heard the voice, placing a quick smile on her face as she did so. “Yeah, Roger, I’m fine,” she answered, her voice clearly betraying the slight feeling of nervousness that she had tried to suppress. Stop it, Selena, she thought, mentally rebuking herself for even having those emotions. You’ve done this before. An Auror mission is nothing new, and you are not a rookie at this. Get it together! “I guess I’m just feeling a little anxious, that’s all.”


Roger Folan gave a reassuring smile as he sat down in an empty chair beside his partner. He had trusting, bright blue eyes, and his light blond hair was still worn loosely, falling to his shoulders and around his face. His physical appearance differed greatly from his partner’s, whose long, silky black locks fell down the length of her back, the dark colour of her hair contrasting greatly with her pale complexion. Though he was around six years her senior, Selena had developed a very close relationship with Roger during her years as an Auror. He had been there when she entered the program, and had helped guide her through the training and deal with the stress that sometimes came with the job. She felt safe with Roger watching her back; he’d never let her down before, and she had no reason to believe he would ever do so.


Of course, there were other reasons that caused Selena to feel safe with Roger, though none of them were romantic, unlike what many of their colleagues thought. No, the real reason was much more personal than that. In short, Roger Folan reminded Selena of her twin brother, Leo. They both had the same trusting eyes and warm smile; they both had a fantastic sense of humour, but could be serious, caring, and understanding when it mattered; and they both had the amazing ability to make a person feel welcome, even if they’d only just met each other. Well, Leo used to be like that, anyway, Selena thought. I’m pretty sure he’s changed by now. People usually do when they join the Death Eaters. No one knew, of course, and the few who did didn’t say anything about it. She’d dropped the ending of her surname after her brother made his decision; within a week, Selena Rosalynn had become Selena Rosa, Auror for the Ministry of Magic.


Selena had not seen her brother in two years, and if she was perfectly honest with herself, she was in no hurry to see Leo again. Leo’s decision had basically destroyed their parents. Her father, who had already been getting on in years, died within three months after Leo disappeared. “It was old age, Mrs. Rosalynn,” the Healers had told her mother. “His body simply couldn’t last any longer.” The loss of her husband and her son’s disappearance combined to torment Selena’s mother. Within five or six months, she had fallen ill herself, and all the Healers could do was just make her comfortable. “Her mind is pretty much gone, Selena,” they told her. “She’ll probably never recover.” Selena shook her head slightly to try and rid her mind of the thoughts currently plaguing it, but Roger rescued her from their assault instead.


“What’s the problem?” he asked, drawing her attention away from her thoughts once again.


“It’s nothing, really,” she answered, “I’m okay, I promise.”


Roger hesitated for a moment, looking like he was struggling on whether or not to push Selena. In the end, though, he decided against it. Of course, his decision might have been influenced more by the fact that Kingsley Shacklebolt had just entered and was preparing to go over the plan for the upcoming mission than by a strong regard to spare Selena’s feelings.


“All right, everyone,” said the tall, black Auror, causing all eyes to focus on him. “This mission is pretty straightforward. We go in, we arrest, and we leave. There’s not supposed to be much opposition; our sources supply that no more than four Death Eaters are going to be present. So just stay close to your partners . . .” (Here, Kingsley looked at Selena and Roger, Juan Rodriguez and Susan Hillis, and Tonks and Melina Gregory) “and we should be back here within two hours. Any questions?”


Selena looked around the room, but no one seemed to have anything to ask. Tonks and Melina stood over next to Kingsley, all three of them going over the numerous diagrams and blueprints of several warehouses posted on the wall; Juan paced back and forth across the small Apparition chamber that they were gathered in, mumbling under his breath a long stream of incantations as he did so, while Susan just sat in a simple wooden chair, staring out of the window at the scurrying Muggles outside; Roger was still reclined in his chair next to Selena, who had gone to fiddling with her wand, twirling it through her fingers. Everything’s pretty straightforward, she thought, trying to calm the anxious nerves inside of her. There are six of us, and there’s only going to be four of them. There’s nothing to worry about; nothing should go wrong . . . nothing at all.


But of course, whatever can go wrong, will go wrong . . . and on that day, well . . . things went wrong.


----------


“GET DOWN! NOW!”


“Juan! Roger! Move left!”


“They’re coming out! Tonks, look right!”


The scene before the Aurors had quickly become a massive realm of chaos, suddenly turning into a great free-for-all battle between the Aurors and the Death Eaters, the latter group numbering far more than four. Something’s wrong. Selena knew it the moment that they had all arrived and seen the dozen or so Death Eaters coming out of the surrounding warehouses, encircling the small group of six Aurors. There’s too many . . . far too many. Voices shouted incantations, commands, and warnings from both sides, though in the confusion surrounding them, it was impossible to tell who was shouting what.


“Melina, look out!”


“Avada Kedavra!”


“SUSAN!”


“HILLIS!”


Susan Hillis did not even see the beam of green light hurling towards her from a Death Eater to her left, and she fell to the ground amidst yells and fighting. From out of the corner of her eye, Selena saw Juan drag his partner out of the main fighting, leaving her behind an old and broken down bus to re-enter the fray himself, decapitating Susan’s killer with a well-placed spell within seconds. Selena ducked into one of the warehouses surrounding the fight between the Death Eaters and Aurors, barely dodging a Cruciatus Curse as she did so. She wasn’t able to dodge the curses that came from those gathered inside the building, however.


“Crucio!”


“Impedimenta!”


“Avada Kedavra!”


The Killing Curse was the only one that the Auror was able to dodge, though in dodging the green light, Selena fell right into the path of the torture curse. She was hurled backwards into the far wall and collapsed to the floor, her body screaming in pain. Fighting the intense urge to scream, Selena fired a couple of curses at the approaching Death Eaters, hitting one of them in the leg. The other, however, was unimpeded by her spell and, silently waving his wand, sent a spell towards her. The spell succeeded in getting through Selena’s diminished shield and struck her in the chest, causing her hearing to suddenly cease and her eyesight to immediately blur, eventually disappearing all together.


Everything was plunged into dark silence, and Selena’s breath momentarily caught in her chest as she realised that she was no longer grasping her wand. Shit! she thought, her hands groping and searching the cement ground around her. Where in the hell is it?! Finally, her shaking fingers wrapped around the cool wood of her twelve-inch mahogany wand, but it was too late. Another wand was held pressed against her throat and a hand was wrapped tightly around her wrist --- the wrist of her wand arm.


“Drop it,” a harsh voice hissed in her ear, the Death Eater pressing the tip of his wand even harder into her throat. Selena twitched as she suddenly realised that she could hear again, though her eyes still only saw blackness. She strained her hearing, desperately seeking assurance that other Aurors were in the warehouse with her. But it was useless. There were no sounds of a battle raging within the warehouse, and that could only mean one of two things: Either there had been Aurors and they were all defeated, or she was alone with who knew how many Death Eaters; neither option boded well for her.


“I said drop the wand,” the Death Eater spat again and, though her Auror instincts and training-honed skills shouted at her to keep the wand and try to fight, Selena felt her wand slip from her loosened grasp and clatter noisily to the cement ground at the Death Eater's feet. The next thing she felt was her head slamming roughly into the thick wall behind her, and this time, a scream did escape her lips. It echoed around the abandoned warehouse, its sound drifting out into the battle currently taking place outside between the two opposing forces. As Selena struggled to get up and away from the Death Eater, rocks and rubble cutting into her knees and pieces of broken glass embedding themselves in her already cut hands as she crawled, she heard her name shouted from what seemed like miles away.


“SELENA!” shouted Roger. Selena heard the warehouse’s door bang open and a flood of pounding footsteps running through the building. “Selena, where are you? Answer me!”


But before she had the chance to issue any words from her mouth, to yell for Roger’s assistance, the Death Eater who had struck her blind hit her with another spell.


“Petrificus Totalus,” he muttered, and Selena’s efforts to move were immediately ceased as she collapsed where she was, the spell locking all of her limbs frozen in place. “You’re coming with me,” the Death Eater whispered as he reached in his pocket and placed a small, round mirror in her hands. Selena had never used a Portkey without her eyesight before, but she felt the jerk behind her naval that signalled the magical instrument was working. As she left the warehouse behind, she could have sworn that she heard Roger cry her name out one more time.


----------


The torrents of rain that had remained in the sky now fell towards the earth in harsh and violent winds. Lakes and oceans swirled terribly, creating some of the largest waves that had been seen in years. Rivers swelled over their banks, and streets flooded with the icy water as people ran for cover, scurrying like rats into their homes to get out of the weather. The entire country was assaulted by the storms, even a small, old manor house that sat imperiously upon a tall hill. Inside the house, streams of rain fell through a broken window, coating a young woman with long black hair as she slept.


----------


Rain thundered down upon the roof of the manor, and thunder rumbled loudly from outside, the sound like a massive dragon’s roar. The weather had remained the same the entire time; it never changed, and the storms never ceased. They continued their assault, sometimes even seeming to swell in intensity as the time went on.


Time . . . Time had passed slowly after the disastrous Auror mission in mid-February. Hours turned into days, days turned into weeks, and still, no one came for Selena. No one at all . . .


She had remained alone . . . alone and abandoned. That is, until someone opened the door to her prison --- someone whom she had hoped to never see again.


----------


“Leo,” she whispered as she watched her brother walk towards her. He was cloaked in elegant black robes, and his face no longer bore the smile that it used to wear. The trusting eyes had turned cold and distant; the overall lightness that had once filled his heart and soul had disappeared. Selena just stared at the man before her, realising abruptly that her brother really had gone . . . The tall figure in front of her was now no more than a stranger.


“Hello, Selena,” muttered Leo, lowering his hood to reveal shoulder-length black hair just as elegant as his sister’s. His voice is even different, Selena thought, and she was right. Leo’s voice had grown like his eyes --- colder. There was no light emotion or joking manner behind it anymore; instead, it was completely serious and distant. Silence reigned throughout the room for awhile, until Leo broke it by continuing to speak. “It’s been almost two years, sister, and yet you have nothing to say to me . . . nothing at all to say to your twin brother?”


“You are not my brother,” replied Selena, her voice hoarse after almost three weeks of not having to use it. But once she had begun talking, she suddenly felt the overwhelming need to let everything out . . . to tell Leo exactly what she thought about him. “My brother would never have joined him; my brother would never have made a decision that destroyed our family . . . a decision that killed our father and caused our mother such grief that her mind is all but completely gone; my brother, the Leo I knew, would never have fled and abandoned his life . . . abandoned me. . . . You are not that Leo,” finished Selena, her dark eyes welling up with salty tears that she steadfastly refused to let fall.


Leo had made no move to interrupt his sister as Selena vented at him. He just stood in front of her, his feet planted firmly on the ground, and listened to her. He watched as tears began to fill her eyes, and he watched her fight them back. She’s still as stubborn and proud as ever, he thought. That could make this a problem.


“The Leo that you remember, Selena, is no longer,” he said. “I’ve changed a lot in the past two years; I’ve grown and learned more in the last couple years than I’ve ever been taught before, even at Hogwarts.” Leo walked forwards, taking a seat in a simple wooden chair that he’d conjured and faced his sister directly, his cold eyes boring into hers. “We could be together again, you know . . . All you have to do is say yes.”


Selena started at her brother’s words. The entire time that Leo had spoken, she had been refusing to look at him, turning her gaze in the opposite direction when he tried to make eye contact. It was just too much for her, to see her brother like this. Every time she looked at him, her heart and mind yelled in anger, her soul wishing over and over that Leo could come back. And now, had she heard correctly? Was he really telling her that things could be like they were? Was it even possible? Hadn’t he changed too much?


Yes, she thought. My Leo is gone, and this Leo is a stranger. It isn’t possible. It never was. But still, the hope, however slight it was, burned within her, and Selena could not stop herself from wondering.


“Say yes to what?” she asked. “What could possibly bring my brother back?”


“Say yes to the Dark Lord,” answered Leo, his voice sounding like he had simply just stated the time of day. “Join him, agree to serve him, and we no longer have to be enemies with each other. Our mother won’t have to die knowing her children never made up, and it’s possible that she could even be cured. Don’t you see, Selena? If you take the Dark Mark, everything can go back to normal. Yes, I’ve changed, but so have you in these past couple years. We aren’t the same we were then. But ---”


“NO!” exclaimed Selena, abruptly standing from her sitting position on the cold and wet floor, backing away from her brother the whole time until her back came up against the wall. “How can you even think that I would agree to such a thing? Is that why I’ve been trapped here for weeks? Did he think that by leaving me alone that I would crack or break or something? It was your decision to join him that caused Mother to fall ill in the first place! How would me making the same terrible mistake make her better?”


Leo just watched her as she fell away from him, supporting herself on the wall behind her. Her arguments just flew through his mind; he had expected nothing less from his stubborn sister, anyways. “Selena ---”


“I said NO!” she screamed. “There is no way in hell that I would agree to join that monster! I would die first before ---”


“Then I’m afraid it’s come to this,” Leo mumbled under his breath as he turned and walked back towards the door. For a split second, Selena thought of trying to overtake her brother and make a run for it, but the idea disappeared almost the moment she thought of it as she caught sight of what were located right outside the door.


Or, more truthfully, she saw some and felt the others.


Three Dementors glided into the room when Leo stepped clear of the doorway, and the creatures converged on Selena, who collapsed to the ground amidst screaming and crying in her mind.


“I joined the Death Eaters, Mother . . . I joined because I believe in the Dark Lord.” . . .


“Susan!”


“Look out!”


“Selena!”


Through the voices and fog in her head, Selena was able to discern more voices in the room besides her brother’s. One she’d heard recently before: It belonged to the Death Eater who had captured her in the first place, but the other one had the ability to send a chill down her spine: The voice of Bellatrix Lestrange was never welcome.


“I’m sorry, Selena,” she heard her brother say, though his voice sounded oddly distant and quiet. Of course, that could have mainly been caused by the Dementors separating the two. “But you have a choice to make: to join the Dark Lord or not . . . and I hope you choose the right one.” With that said, Selena faintly heard Leo leave the room, his diminishing footfalls followed by the sound of the heavy wooden door slamming shut behind him.


The last image the 28-year-old Auror was able to discern was Bellatrix leering down at her, the witch surrounded by a trio of Dementors, before the blackness took her.


----------


“Will you serve him?”


“No.”


Pain ignited all over Selena’s body, her vision blurring with the salty tears that ran from her eyes. She could feel the blood flowing down her skin from her many lacerations and cuts, but still, she wouldn’t give in.


“Join him!”


“Never.”


Heavy pressure crushed her ankle this time, joining the numerous other broken bones Selena had accumulated. She screamed as the agony engulfed her, her mind desperately seeking the realm of welcome unconsciousness and relief. But the relief never came soon enough.


“Give it up, Rosa!” The voice belonged to Bellatrix; it always belonged to Bellatrix. Her order was met with silence . . . silence that was soon followed by more screams. “Crucio!”


Selena screamed, but she never gave in. She was never tempted to; that is, not until the Death Eaters started playing on a whole other level.


~**~


Author's Note: I hope you're enjoying the story so far. I decided to break it up into two parts, as it was quite lengthy when it was all one. So, that said, stay tuned for Part II.

~Megan

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize does not belong to me, however much I wish that it did. Instead, it all belongs to J. K. Rowling. However, anything you do not recognize does belong to me. (This includes all of my original characters, especially Selena. She is my own creation!)


Summary: “The greatest conflicts are not between two people but between one person and himself.” What if doing the right thing wasn’t as simple as everyone thought? What if there was no such thing as an easy choice? What if both answers to a dilemma led you down a path that isn’t right or easy? Selena Rosa struggles with making just such a choice, a choice where neither path seems right. What will she ultimately choose? Written for the “June/July Monthly Challenge Two: Conflict” on Mugglenet.


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


By megan_lupin


~**~


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 I would appreciate any comments you would care to leave. I tried a slightly modified style of writing this time around, and so don’t hesitate to (constructively) let me know what you think.


~Megan