[Trigger Warning: Violence, vomiting, Fenrir Greyback.]

[Spitfire : Chapter Seventy-Five]



5 July, 1996

Kennedy Zahel's inability to be patient for longer than three minutes is what made Cassie and Lee's lateness most unusual. At first, everyone was just annoyed by the girl's constant badgering, wondering where her blue-haired friend was with the 'spicy big-kid juice.' Rose was a little more patient, focusing on answering each and every one of Fiona's endless tangle of question after question about her and Kennedy's engagement. But after informing Fiona a near paragraph of information, she began to worry herself--where was Cassie and Lee?

When Nymphadora Tonks, her hair wild as a cotton candy machine, showed up at the shop and announced they were attacked--all questions were answered.

"Lee Jordan is being brought to St. Mungos by Austin Newark and a newbie to the Order," Nymphadora relayed, "won't wake up, but we think it's from some type of powder--there was some residue on his face, and all over the ground."

"Otherwise he's okay, right? He's not like  dying, is he?" Angelina asked, worried.

"His vitals appear to be okay," Nymphadora stated, "he's just . . asleep."

"That means Cassie's okay too, right?" Fred asked. "They took her, meaning they wanted her alive, and that powder doesn't do much but sedate a person."

"She should be okay, for now." Nymphadora stated, "we'll learn more about the powder when Lee wakes up. For now, not much we can do, Dumbledore has a few Auror's investigating Greyback, but lately that beast has been very under the wraps."

"He was probably planning," Kennedy stated, "I bet it was him who took her. Dudes got a creepy obsession with Cassie."

"Do you think he's going to try to kill her?" Fiona asked, gulping.

George put a hand on his brother's shoulder as he watched the boy pale at Fiona's question.

Rose swallowed nervously. "What if he tries to turn her?"

Fred's stomach rumbled and he swore, "Oh shite," without another word, he was running toward the washroom, all his stomach contents splattering into the toilet.

George swore and followed after him, "Fred, she'll be okay! She's been okay with every other interaction with that fool. This time we'll be able to prove his criminality and it'll never happen again. We just need to find her first."

"Do you think he'll allow her to leave freely?" Fred asked between gasps, Angelina was now with them, worry on her face. "No one leaves Greyback unharmed. Cas was a bloody infant when Greyback first tried turning her! Got a ruddy scar going down her arm!'

"But it didn't work, remember?" George asked, kneeling.

"What if it does this time?" Fred asked, "What's the consequences of being infected twice, hm?"

"Fred, quit talking out of your arse." Angelina growled, her previous expression of worry crashing into an expression of determination. "Cassie is strong, she'll be okay. We don't even know if it was Greyback who got her--imagine if it were just some low life! She'd take them on easily. Nevertheless, Cassie is a survivor and she'll make it out of this unharmed both mentally, and physically. We all will."

Fred swept a hang through his sweaty hair, regaining his breath after spending the last few moments vomiting. "I-I'm sorry, I just . . I can't lose her, Ang. Not like how Sirius lost her mum."

George sat down, stretching his knees ahead of him. "Cassie's been learning new dueling tactics since duel-club in third year, something kids back then hadn't had, or needed. She'll be okay, I promise, Fred. Besides, she shoots a pretty gnarly sardine-hex."

Angelina sat beside them, cringing at the footprint-coverent washroom floor. "I can just imagine a big-bad werewolf sneezing out a sardine, would be a bloody riot. I wish I went with her to get drinks instead." Fred and George simultaneously looked at her, both judgemental and offended looks on their faces. "Right, not the time."

"I feel like a sappy fool," Fred whined, rubbing either pulsing temple. "Crying on the washroom floor, my brother and best friend trying to cheer me up."

"You sound like a worried boyfriend," Angelina snickered, "honestly, Fred, this is the most emotion I've seen you express since first year when you broke your nose during practice and wept like an ickle baby."

"My nose was literally gone," Fred said, eyes wide. "It receded back into my skull, nearly touched my brain, I tell ya."

"Wished it stayed back there," George joked, "if it had, people wouldn't still be mixing me up with your ugly mug."

Fred softly punched his twin on the shoulder, smiling and looking down at his lap. They sat in silence for a few moments until there was a soft knock on the door. "Come in," Angelina called, holding George's hand.

Fred was already looking toward the door with a worried face. The door creaked open and at it stood Nymphadora.

"Lee's woken up," she announced, "and before you guys ask--he's okay. Just disoriented. Doctors found bulls-eye toad poison, not lethal but strong as hippogriff tranquilizer. He'll be out of it for a few days."

"Is he able to talk?" Fred asked, "tell Dumbledore who did this?"

"I was getting to that." Nymphadora grumbled, her bubblegum-pink hair flashing orange at the boy's impatience. "He was talking right when he woke up, took a few moments to understand him but eventually Dumbledore got a match for the person he was describing; Jared Brahm, a former Hogwarts student and current high-ranked member of Voldemort's army."

"So it's not Greyback?" George asked, his brow nearing his hairline.

"That's the thing," Nymphadora said, "we got in contact with an inside man and they said that Jared works for Greyback at the moment."

"So it is Greyback." Fred cringed, chewing on his lower lip with a pained expression on his freckled face.

"Greyback it is, kiddo." Nymphadora stated, trying her best to console the younger Weasley. "But we've got some good news."

"What possibly could be good about this?!" Fred asked, his eyes wild.

"Well, little-Weasley," Nymphadora grinned, "we happen to know exactly where Greyback is. Get ready, guys, we're mass-apparating in five."

Within moments, the three teens were standing, preparing for a battle against the scariest man alive. Arguably.

ツ

When Cassie first woke up, she noticed it felt like her nose was being overrun by a thousand biting mites. She scratched relentlessly and tried opening her eyes, but to avail, they felt glued shut. That was when her memories began coming back--Rose and Kennedy announcing their engagement, her and Lee leaving, a man showing up, a burning powder entering all her airways, and the quick and faint sensation of pain after her body collided with the ground. She could still feel the soreness, she wanted to inspect the wound . . . where she was . . . but she couldn't get her damn eyes open.

Her mind was also spinning, hardly focusing enough on her instinctual ability to open her eyes.

"Rubbing them won't help," said a voice, startling Cassie enough to cause the blue-haired momentarily-blinded teenager to shuffle closer into the corner she was positioned at. "There is a cloth on your left thigh, wipe the dust up into your hair. Don't let it fall back into your eyes, nose, or mouth."

Cautiously, Cassie held her hand out and checked both her legs, and where the person claimed was a cloth. Cas picked it up and brought it to her face, inhaling a fresh scent of . . chamomile? After a deep sigh, and restoration of panic, Cassie did as the faceless man told her and wiped the cloth from her eyes into her hairline. Fortunately, she found the ability of opening her eyes a tad easier. They burnt less, and felt less glued, but when she did peek them open, the light of the room she was in nearly blinded her. She wanted oh-so terribly to rub her eyes, but she didn't want any of that mysterious 'dust' getting into her skull

"It's like getting shampoo in your eyes," said the voice again, they were becoming more and more familiar. "Just wait a little bit and it'll become more bearable. And then soon enough there won't be a trace."

"Who are you?"

"Irrelevent." The voice answered, steady.

"Where am I, then?" Cassie was blinking, hardly seeing. Across the room from her she spotted the shadows of two figures within the light . . . or perhaps it was just two people, not shadows.

"Also irrelevant."

"Am I going to get any answers?" There was silence, so Cassie supposed that was a 'no.' She was going to shut up and conserve her strength until she could actually see, but then she remembered . . . Lee! Cas sat up quickly, her side searing in pain. "Where is he?"

"Where is who?"

"Lord freaking Voldemort, who do you think?!" Cassie asked, her eyes irritated and eye ducts tearing up. "I recognize your voice now . . . you were the freak who stepped ahead of me and Lee. Where is he? Is Lee okay? Is he here?"

Jared bit the tip of his tongue, holding back any retorts at the little spitfire on the floor. "Jordan is fine, at St. Mungo's getting fed useless meds. We didn't need him, we needed you."

"I suppose this is Greyback's doing?" There was silence. "You don't need to act like bloody Ministry spies. I know Greyback wants me dead, and in return, I only want the same for that sorry excuse of a man."

"You mustn't say things like that," said a worried voice, "Mr. Greyback would not be pleased."

"What did we say about speaking, Wormtail?" Asked the familiar voice, their voice switched from soft to angered.

So mysterious figure number two was Peter Pettigrew, how splendid! Cassie was kidnapped by the man who killed her mum, and is being babysat by the coward who killed her godfather.

Cassie's eyes were becoming more accustomed to the opaque lighting of the room. She found the area she was in to be very-well polished, and empty, for the most part. Except for a table at the corner, and a painting on the wall. It was different than what she thought would be a death eater-hangout. However, if it was this pristine, she must be in the quarters of someone high rank. Fenrir Greyback was high rank, but anyone familiar with the man's treacherous crimes would know that Greyback lives in the woods with his pack of inbred freaks and clowns. Hopefully her friends could figure such information out, it'd take out the possibility of thousands of death eaters from the possible-kidnapper list.

"There's only one way out, and we'll be watching it until Greyback gets here." Said one man, Cassie could now confirm visually this was the same man from before. The same robes, same hair, same everything--except, now, he carried a little more sass. And as ugly as ever beside him was the one and only Peter Pettigrew. The man's hair was blonde and thinner than the usual healthy head of hair. His face was full of bruises and warts, and his upper middle teeth just over lapped his lower lip enough to protrude like a rottweiler's lower jaw. "Don't try anything, Ms. Snow. May I remind you I have more of my mixture, and I am not afraid to use it."

"Don't worry, I won't be trying to escape," Cassie said truthfully, sitting up. "I can tell when the odds are in my favor, and as of right now, they are not."

Peter was watching her, studying her, even. If they would give Cassie her wand for one spell, she wouldn't waste it on saving herself--but rather she'd use it on hexing sardines out of the traitor's insufferable nose.

"Strangely mature for a girl your age," the unnamed man observed, "although, I suppose it only fits with the times we're in now."

"Thanks, by the way," Cassie sassed, "you death eater scum."

"Oi, a man does what he has to do to live." The unnamed man shrugged, "you've got the shitty mannerisms of your father, I see."

"And you certainly don't have the looks." Cassie retorted, crossing her arms over her chest.

The unnamed man laughed, it coming out quick and ending even quicker. "I like you, I'm Jared."

"I don't care."

"You're quite hostile, are you sure you weren't a Hufflepuff during your Hogwarts days?"

"Are you sure you weren't a Slytherin, Brahm?"

"You know who I am?"

"I do," Cassie said, or, at least, she thought she did--so she tested it out, and was confirmed correct. She had seen him in the 1978 yearbook the mysterious person once gave her for Christmas. Plus, Sirius had mentioned him once or twice. "I know the both of you very well."

Jared looked Peter up and down, frowning. "How unfortunate."

Cassie's eyes continued to burn, but were now much better from how they were before. On her side she spotted blood, confirming her belief of a possible injury. She held her arm tighter ontop the wound, hiding her cringe from the somewhat unbearable pain. "Does Greyback plan on killing me?"

Jared and Peter were silent, Jared began examining his nails.

Cassie cursed herself for sounding so weak, so hopeless. But she couldn't help it, as much as she'd love to be the spitfire Fred so always claims her to be, she was bloody terrified at the moment.

There was a knock on the door and everyone sat up straighter. In peeked an unrecognizable woman's head, her eyes were wide and her words rushed. "He's here."

Both Jared and Peter stood up, the two hardly taller than the other. They straightened their robes, and held out their wands as if they were watching a dangerous fugitive. When the doorknob turned, Cassie scrambled onto her own feet. A wild stenched entered the room before the culprit had, Fenrir Greyback, in the flesh . . or thick layer of dirt and grime. The pristine white room somehow darkened without the change of light, and Cassie was becoming more anxious than before. She fought her hardest not to touch her eyes, which burned with her new oncoming wave of accumulating tears. "Greyback," Jared greeted, a few moments later, Peter greeted the same thing. Greyback nodded to them both, flashing a nasty grin toward Jared.

"Seventeen years and six months," Greyback began, turning his toothy-grin toward Cassie who cringed at his yellow-green teeth. "Seventeen years and six months since I took the last breath of your mother, and held you in my arms."

"You didn't kill my mother," Cassie said darkly, "you didn't do shite, you coward. And again, you've yet to do anything--instead you sent a bunch of cronies to pick me up from a crowded village."

Fenrir began laughing, a strangled wheeze that sounded similar to a failing respirator. "You're much braver than your mother. Lass screamed and wept 'give me my baby!' 'give her to me!' 'she's cryyyyying!' and here you are, calling me a coward and stepping up to me like you have muscle on those scrawny bones."

Cassie took a step back, not noticing how close she got to the vile beast. "Why am I here?"

"To die, of course," Fenrir told thoughtfully, as if revealing to her a well-known fact. "It's been seventeen years, six months, and I am finished fooling with you. It is my time to end the Lee-family bloodline. You are last living and the key to family annihilation."

"What did my family ever do to you?!" Cassie yelled, the tears finally breaking through the invisible shield she forced upon them.

"What did your family ever do to me?" Fenrir repeated, he looked at Jared and Peter, grinning. "You hear what she asks?"

"Children are ignorant," Jared told, "without the proper parental direction."

"An o-orphan stigma, sir." Peter stuttered, "never left right after moving homes so young."

"I'm not an orphan, you podge," Cassie sneered, "still got one left, no thanks to you."

"Jared, sit her down." Greyback ordered, Cassie hadn't had time to react before she felt her legs collapse before her. She landed on a chair she hadn't seen before, which was pulled out from the table at the opposite corner of the room. Her arse felt glued, and her arms were unmoveable, as if strapped to the hard seat beneath her. She began to feel hopeless, a feeling she had yet to realize she had felt that entire time. "You ask me what your family did to me."

Cassie was breathing fast, more angry tears fighting to break through. She stayed silent, flaring her nostrils quickly with her hands balled into fists.

Greyback kneeled in front of her, and she got a close-up look of the unhealed scars that littered the werewolves face. He took his long, unclipped calloused finger and drug it along the scar that was barely visible along her left arm. It tingled under his touch, and he smiled when she flinched. "Well, I've only done to your family what they've done to mine."

"Bullshite," Cassie hissed, trying her best to move her arm from his grasps. To her nightmare, he only grabbed her arm tighter, his long greenish nails digging into her pale skin.

"No, no, you see, little Lee . . . your grandma, Kathryn Lee . . . she killed my mum. She then killed my dad, my aunt, my sister, and my entire pack." Greyback revealed, he began trailing his nails along Cassie's scar again, lost in thought as he told his story. "Then your grandfather . . . that funny little man--his ancestors before him spent centuries hunting my kind, killing thousands of us all over Europe. You witches and wizards wonder why there's so little of us lycanthrope . . . it's because your kind has been killing us since the beginning of time!" His nail dug into her skin, reopening a miniature spot of her scar. He calmed himself quickly, chuckling as he licked the blood off his fingernail. "Apologies for my temper, little Lee, touchy subject . . I don't have anything particularly against you, you know that? It's that grandmother of yours, but I already directed my revenge to that wench. My payback has been repaid, but for the thousands of us brutally killed with no one to help them, opressed for simply being who they are . . it's them who I must get reperation for."

"And that reparation includes killing teenagers? Breaking into homes and biting the arms of young children, facing them against the possibility of life as a werewolf, or a painful, sickly death?"

"I kill those of whom deserve it." Greyback snarled, "no Lee is truly innocent as long as they are breathing. Your mother proved that when she murdered my best soldier in cold blood. You have it in you, too, little Lee, you've just yet to acquire the proper moment to take ahold of that bloodthirst."

"I'm not a bloody villain in the D.C. Comics, oaf," Cassie retorted, her throat burning with the will to scream. "I'm not going to find some true awakening, and become a killer like you. I don't know what my family has done before me, but that does not justify hunting and taunting children all of their lives for something that happened years before they were born."

"My mum was pregnant, you know, when Kathryn Lee shot her with crucio. She died from heart failure during the curse, and then the baby died moments later, soaking her legs and dress in liters of blood." Greyback told, "we were living in the Virgin Komi Forests in Russia at the time, our pack mostly consisted of old men, mothers, and children. We were only there so the mothers could nurse their young, the fathers scavenged the perimeters of the forests, fetching any food to support the lot of us. At the time I was three years old. Three, Lee. You call me a monster . . . but your grandmother, her sisters, her own mother, were the actual monsters. They only left the children alive, including myself. But they hadn't left us with any sense to care for ourselves, the oldest one of us was six years old! There were infants, dozens of them, still hooked to their mothers tit wondering why nothing was coming out. Some blasted muggle hunter found us, took us to a factory in Komi Republic in the back of a pickup truck."

Cassie's voice was shaky. "I don't believe you."

Fenrir's face flared with anger, "It happened, and I am not arguing."

"I'm impressed by your story, Greyback, I thought you couldn't tell a squirrel from a peach--little did I know you could articulate such a shiteshow of a story." Cassie said, her voice still shaking and goosebumps at an all-time high. "I'm not going to feel sorry for a killer, and a manipulator. You killed my mum, y-you gave me this scar! You've taunted me since I was a child, and now you are planning on killing me today. I will never feel sorry for a disgusting human being like you, no matter what trauma you've felt--because ultimately, your trauma does not compare to the hundreds of lives you've ruined, and sent to an early grave."

There were a few moments of silence, Greyback's face constructed into an unreadable expression. But he laughed, spit spattering onto Cassie's face. "Lycan, you Lee's are truly stubborn as stone." He stood up and drug his finger up Cassie's arm, onto her shoulder, and stood behind her. She breathed quickly, trying her hardest to sit still--she looked at both Jared and Peter, Jared stared back at her, sympathy in his eyes, and Peter never took his eyes off the floor. "Everything goes in one ear," he pierced his nail through the cartilage of her ear, causing her to yelp and blood to splatter all over her shoulder. "And out the other." He did the same thing to her opposite ear, but she was already filled with too much adrenaline from the first puncture to feel it.

"I disagree," Cassie told, her voice uncontrollably shaky. "I'd say it's more of my fathers, a Black, trait to tune out the unimportant bullshite spouted out by old, dark arts-loving freakshows."

There was a sound coming from the other side of the door that everyone in the room noticed, causing a mutual share of looks--particularly between Jared and Peter, then Jared and Greyback. Greyback then nodded at Jared to go look, and Cassie was beginning to feel a shred of hope. Unexpected sounds, Greyback forced his lietenent to look? Could her evening visit to Greybacks quarters be shortlived? Jared peered through the door, and entered the room again with a shrug. "We're all alone, boss."

Shite.

"Good, I wouldn't wish to deafen the Dark Lord's top-tier workers with little Lee's screams." Greyback grinned, "I will tell you what I told your mother long ago--if you were not a Lee, you would be a beautiful addition to my pack."

"I'd rather chew off my own tongue than have my blood tainted by your--"

A burning sensation erupted across her red-tinted cheeks, and Cassie found herself looking to the right. Greyback had just slapped her, more like, whipped her with his daggered palm. "I let you speak enough, little Lee." He grabbed her head of hair, her locks turned white with fear as he stared into her eyes. "Oh lookie here, little Lee is a metamorphmagus! Now I know why you hadn't turned when I scratched you. I simply thought I hadn't cut deep enough."

"Are you really going to kill me as I'm strapped down, unable to defend myself?" Cassie asked, trying her best to remain calm as her heart beat a mile a minute.

"I do not care for mundane honor," Greyback looked behind him toward Jared and Peter, "wormtail, you will watch."

"But sir--"

Greyback aggressively grabbed Cassie by her chin, his nails digging into her cheekbones and causing her lips to purse like a pufferfish. He directed her face to Peter, she let her tears free fall. "Lee, tell Mr. Pettigrew he will be watching." Cassie wept, her chest filling with shame. He shook her face, digging his fingers deeper, "tell him, TELL HIM!"

"You'll watch, you'll watch . . ." Cassie cried, "you'll watch!"

"What will Mr. Pettigrew be watching?"

Cassie tried to calm her breathing, "Y-you kill me."

"Very good," Greyback said, his voice calming of fury, "wormtaillllll, why aren't you watching yet?"

The man was visibly shaking, he lifted his head slowly, but soon enough, his eyes connected with hers. "I'm watching, sir."

      Greyback smiled and went behind Cassie again, he held her chin and tilted her head to the side, smelling her neck from her chin to her shoulder. "Your skin is thin, soft, too. With one careful swipe I could send you into darkness without another thought in mind." He began trailing his nail along her neck, and she realized he was taunting her. He was making sure her death was slow, and full of anxiousness, pain, and fear. He wasn't going to let her go quick, like how anyone would reasonably want. Perhaps she could use this to her advantage? If she could space out his fun of taunting her, possibly she'll be able to wait long enough for the Order to arrive? "You're a beautiful lass, perfect size, color . . . scent. Perhaps I could have more fun with you than originally planned."

      And perhaps she wouldn't be able to wait until the Order arrived.

       There was another soft knock on the door, however, this time it sounded more hurried. Fenrir growled into Cassie's bleeding ear and pointed for Jared to answer. Silently, and hesitantly, the man did--the same woman from before poked her head in. "We've got company, sir. Dozens of them just apparated outside the manor. I sent Berkley, Malfoy, and Killigan to fight but I don't know how long they'll last . . . if they're even still up and able now."

       Greyback yelled, causing Cassie to jump in the seat she was magicked too. "Who told them we'd be here?!"

     "I-I don't know," the woman said, "they just showed up. Could they be tracking the girl?"

      Jared spoke up, "Impossible, I ensured to clear the scene of any evidence of her before we came here. Any hair has been burned, blood or skin cells, too. I also have her wand, they must have a spy amongst our midsts."

      "Have they sent anyone recognizable?" Greyback asked.

     "No one, everybody seems particularly new." The woman answered.

      "Could simply be a scouting mission then, and you've just sent our men to attack." Greyback snarled, "Gilly, I said you were lookout, not in charge of conducting my crew."

       "I'm sorry, sir." Gilly apologized, her head bowing in embarrassment. As her hair parted from her neck, Cassie spotted the faint scarring of a mouthbite--she was a part of Greyback's pack. Another poor soul forced under his control.

       Greyback moved away from Cassie, pulling a small, splintered wand from his pocket. "Brahm, Wormtail, watch Lee--Gilly, you're coming with me, we have some fools to take care of. Brahm, if Lee speaks, remove her tongue for me, lad."

     "Y-Yes sir," Jared said, Cassie's small instance of relief was overwhelmed with panic. When Greyback left, the first thing Cassie did was speak.

      "You're not going to remove my tongue," She said, her voice shaky and radiating with nerves.

      "Quiet." Jared ordered, cracking the knuckles of his left hand.

      "You didn't even want to kidnap me," Cassie said, "I heard what you said, and I know you could have killed my mate Lee Jordan if you wanted too."

       "I have orders, and I am not afraid of complying." Jared said, ignoring everything else Cassie called bluff on.

     "Peter," Cassie called, turning her attention toward Pettigrew. "You coward, you're just going to watch another one of us die?"

     "I have not watched any of you die," Peter shakily responded, "I'm innocent, I've done nothing."

      "My mum was killed, my da' was imprisoned," Cassie began, "James Potter and Lily Potter were murdered beside their infant son, you are currently working for the man who ruined Remus Lupin's life!" Cassie yelled, "I bet you even contributed to Marlene McKinnon and her family's massacre."

      "I-I-I-I 'aven't done any of that!" Peter stuttered, "I've killed no one, I-I'm i-innocent, I'm a victim. A victim like you!"

      "Quit talking, the both of you." Jared yelled, there was a crash from above them. "I will have your tongue removed, Lee. Yours too, Pettigrew, for good measure."

     "I am a victim," Cassie said, "I'm a victim of many things throughout my short years of life. But today I can be a survivor if you help me, Pettigrew. If you let me go, I-I can assure my father you saved me."

      lI-I can't," Peter said, he glanced at Jared. "I won't."

       There was another crash, now closer to the door, and Cassie could hear Greyback's yelling. She grew more frightened, and her yearn to escape only increased by the billions. "Please, Peter, I-I'm scared, I don't want to be here anymore," she could see his eyes breaking, perhaps he wasn't so heartless afterall . . . perfect. "I can hear him, Uncle Pete, he's coming back--please . . just get me out of here."

        Jared stood up, "You will stop this manipulation here and now. I will spare you your tongue, but do not have me regret it. Speak again, and I'll have you knocked on the floor."

      Taking this threat sincerely, Cassie kept her mouth shut. But she ensured to stare Pettigrew down, she tilted her head and let a tear drop for extra measure--and immediately, she watched his expressionless face shatter. "I-I can't do this," Peter said, getting out of his seat and approaching Cassie. "Brahn . . she's just a kid, I-I knew her as a baby! I-I can't allow this to happen, I just can't."

     "You know what Greyback will do to you if you betray his orders." Jared warned, "he won't allow mercy, Pettigrew."

      "He can't do anything worse to me than the Dark Lord's ever done." Peter said, and he pulled out his own wand, directing it to Cassie's magically-useless arms. Before he could say or do anything, Cassie watching him thankfully and slightly disgusted, the door blasted open. There were sparks and slams, then Cassie hopelessly watched as the large metal door fell to the floor. Jared was struck by sparks and debris, sending him unconscious, and Peter had jumped into a corner in fear. At the door stood a familiar face, and Cassie grinned with a waterfall of tears trailing down her cheeks. "George!"

      "Fred, I found her!" George yelled, and he ran up to Cassie, kneeling in front of her. "You're bleeding," he stated, grinning, "well, that contradicts my promise to Fred you'll come out unhurt . . . but you're alive!"

       Cassie was nodding, holding back sobs, "I am, I'm alive. I-I'm stuck to the chair, George."

     "I've got you," George said, he stood up and pointed his wand toward her magicked arms. "Dimittas!"

       A huge wave of relief swept through Cass as she could finally move her arms, and coddle the wound Greyback gave her over her formally healed scar. Scaring her half to death, she was pulled into the arms of someone red-haired and sweaty, easily recognized as Fred. She threw her arms around him and hugged him equally as strongly as he hugged her. He dug his face into her hair, and she dug hers into the crook of his neck. "I've got you, I'm here."

"I know, I know," Cassie cried, she then moved her head to look at him, and she let out a shaky tear-filled laugh. "That was the bloody scariest moment of my life, Fred. I-I thought--"

"Oi, you're okay now. The entire Order is here, last I saw Greyback—he was being apprehended by Snape and Minnie." Fred looked over at George, and nodded his head to Peter in the corner. George let out a loud, overdramatic gag at the sight of the mousy-man. Cassie giggled through her tears, her hyperventilated sobs slowing as Fred held her.

"Alright, c'mhere rat-boy," George cooed, growing closer to Peter with his wand out. In retaliation to the oncoming threat, Peter turned himself into a rat and scattered in between George's feet, escaping the room as George sent numerous stunners at the animagus. "Shite, I'll be back!"

"Please be careful," Cassie whined, wishing they could all just stay in the room until liberated entirely by the Order of the Phoenix.

"He'll be okay, love," Fred reassured, holding her tighter and allowing one of his own tears to fall into her natural raven-black hair. "You'll be okay, we'll both be okay. I will never let you leave my sight again, no matter how long this battle ensues."

Cassie hugged him back, allowing her head to collapse into the crook of his neck. The shouts and explosions from upstairs continued to ring throughout the room, causing debris to fall from the ceiling and dust to come flying down the stairway leading to the once-standing door. Despite all the ruckus and death-scented air filling the small expanse, Cassie felt safe in Fred's arms.

He only felt more frightened, and worried in hers.

AUTHORS NOTE

      ah shit, *bites lower lip seductively* whasss poppingggggg

yo 5,000+ words of angst—haven't done that for a while!
 
vote and comment if you liked this chapter, or if you just want to be nice—it'd be appreciated. (:

March 19, 2021
5,654 words