BARBARA HAD READ ABOUT THE CRUCIATUS CURSE IN DADA; descriptions of the worst torture spell known to man, inflicting excruciating pain upon its victims, capable of driving them mad if subjected to it long enough. But NO amount of descriptions & tales could have mentally or physically prepared her for the unimaginable pain she experienced now. It felt like every nerve-ending was on on fire, like hot knives cut up each inch of her skin. Throat raw from screaming, the tortured noises eventually transformed into panicked sobs as the curse ended. Though she wasn’t technically subjected to it any longer, the pain still lingered, causing nausea to build in her throat. Rolling over on her side, she vomited once in front of the Death Eater, only managing to crawl three steps away from the puke before her shaking limbs gave out. Wrapping an arm protectively around her stomach, she curled up into a ball, resting her cheek against the cold floor as she tried to calm her frenzied sobs. ( It's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay, IT'S OKAY ). It became harder & harder to remember that the Cruciatus Curse wouldn’t actually hurt the baby when it felt like she was being burned alive. She repeated the mantra in her mind until the words almost lost all meaning, clinging to her hope with everything she had. “Please, please, please ---,” she begged, hiccuping, though she never finished the plea. Barbara couldn’t reveal anything about Dumbledore’s Army, couldn’t live with the choice if she did, and she knew the only other option was simply to endure. Endure whatever curses the Death Eater thew at her, and hope it would end soon.
