little miss black

-94-

Avery was the angriest that Cass had ever seen him — and she had done a lot of things to anger him. He yelled curse after curse at her, but nothing was as bad as when he moved his attention to Noah.

Cass had never felt more pain than when Noah screamed. It was like someone had reached into her chest and pulled out her heart. It was her fault that he was getting tortured like this, she knew a relationship with someone other than Avery was dangerous yet she allowed it to happen. It was all her fault.

She had no clue where they were, a cellar somewhere probably, or how long they'd been there. The room was small and the only light was from a naked lightbulb hanging from the ceiling. Rough hands held her head in the direction of Noah, forcing her to watch every blow Avery and his goons hit him with.

"Your turn now sweetheart." Avery crooned. Cass' mouth went dry.

"What?" Cass whispered.

"You heard me, curse him." Avery handed her Noah's wand. "Do it or you'll pay the price." Cass looked at Noah and he gave her a nod. Cass shook her head.

"No." She said. "Not a chance."

"Be like that then." Avery shrugged. "Imperio."
Cass' eyes glazed over as she was shoved towards Noah.

Curse him. A voice in her head told her. Curse him, torture him. Cass raised Noah's wand at him.

"Cass please." Noah croaked.

"Be quiet." Avery snarled.

Do it! Curse him.

"No." Cass murmured, her whole body shaking as she fought of Averys curse.

CURSE HIM!

"No!" Cass shouted. Noah's eyes widened as she was knocked to the ground.

"Well then, that is rather unfortunate." Avery drawled. "I suppose I'd better do it myself." Someone grabbed Cass again.

Avery shot another curse at Noah and he fell to the ground in agony, blood pouring out of his stomach. Cass screamed so loudly that the lightbulb shattered. Glass sprayed the men and they hit the floor.

Cass wrenched herself out of the persons grip and ran over to Noah. Cass picked up Noah's wand off of where it had fallen out of her hand. She stunned everyone in the room and knelt down beside her boyfriend.

"I'm sorry." Cass said, ripping off her jacket and pressing it down on his wound. A few tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry."

"Hey, it's okay." Noah said, cupping her cheek gently. "It's okay." Avery started to stir and Cass had to think fast. She was panicking, but then it hit her. If they could apparate in they could apparate out.

"I'm going to apparate us back to Hogsmede." Cass said. Alarming amounts of blood was pouring out of Noah's stomach. Cass mustered every amount of her magical ability, took ahold of Noah, and somehow managed to apparate them back to the village they'd been snatched from.

•

Sirius had not moved since Cass and Noah had disappeared. Peter, James and Lily had gone for help but Grace stayed with him, angrily cursing out everyone under the sun. Remus had also stayed, trying to coax Sirius out of his position on the ground.

"You don't understand Remus." Sirius said, his voice hollow. "If she dies... she'll die thinking I hated her."

"No she won't, don't be silly." Remus said, wrapping his arms around Sirius.

"I was horrible to her today, and to Noah. I feel fucking awful. He's going to think I didn't like him." Sirius sobbed into his shoulder.

"Where the fuck are they!?" Grace yelled. "It's been nearly an hour."