rookwood , c & goyle , d .
The wards they had put in place demonstrated their youth well enough. Child’s play, truly. It had taken little more than a dismissive wave of his wand to bring them down. It would have taken far more to restrain Alecto and Amycus, who had been baying for blood since before they had even left England’s shores. He let them go now, did nothing but watch as they broke through the doors, hunters on the trail of a scent. Cassius following behind, the calmer water in their wake. He watched still and did nothing as the Carrows made quick work of the insides, Alecto’s wandwork furiously flying across the room. Her binding charm attacked with ferocity, red chains of magic tightening around both of the girls. It threw them to the floor of the kitchen, the violence of the aftermath shaking the whole room. Cassius stepped inside, running his hand along the island as he went. “You’re home. Good,” he began, tonelessly. He picked up the book resting on the counter, flicking through the pages idly. At the glimmer of movement in his peripherals, he rolled his eyes, knowing what was going to come the second he heard Alecto hiss. She spat at Dani’s feet, her wand pointing at her relative.
“Now, now, settle down,” Cassius said scoldingly, stepping in between them, having dismissively tossed the book back aside. He assumed the genial tone he’d used not so long ago, a guest in Dani’s home, then. too. Well, her old home, he now supposed. Too bad that measure of freedom hadn’t been enough for her. She’d never again come even that much as close. Cassius smiled at her, knowing, a baring of teeth that said he was conscious of all that was to come. “This doesn’t have to be so unpleasant. Now you see why I had to come, to play mediator. I’m afraid you’ve both made your families very angry, girls. In fact, you’ve made everyone very angry. But we are not without mercy. Perhaps you were only misguided.” His voice dropped an octave. Calm, controlled. The still waters. They could turn deadly, too. “Or perhaps you haven’t yet learnt where you belong.” He paused, as if considering, before turning to the Carrows instead. “Go ahead. Show them. The Cruciatus, I think, will be enough for now.” He looked down, shaking his head at Dani as each Carrow chose a target. His voice was full of disappointment, eyes cold but without regret. “You made this necessary.” Cassius’ eyes travelled along the line from her to Val, staring at the place where the red strands of magic interlocked, a brutal line that linked them together. He wondered if that would make it easier - to share a cage. “You brought this on each other.”
Dani has always been an excellent liar. Fooling those around her with sparkling smiles and starry eyes and cleverly fabricated lies. But it’s perhaps herself who she has fooled most, all this time. Drowning herself in lies to make the world easily to swallow, to make her feel a semblance of safety in a world that wants to devour her, if she doesn’t devour it. It all crumbles so easily. The crash of a door. Her cousins’ fury. The way they fall to the floor, restrained in more way than one. Terror, terror is what truly restricts Dani, and the constant echoing of stupid girl stupid girl stupid girl in her head. She stares at Alecto’s wand, with wide eyes, her gaze only wavering from the pointed weapon when Cassius steps in front of it. Something cracks –– it’s disillusion, it’s years of lies to herself to keep herself from slipping into a dark hole that will swallow her whole. They all fall away and it’s like Dani looks at her life objectively for the first time. All she can feel is an endless hopelessness. Stupid stupid stupid.
It’s him she appeals to, and not her cousins. Danielle Goyle knows, after all, that sharing blood with someone does not mean they will not harm you. But Cassius, Cassius was always a breath of fresh air in the confinements of Appleby, a person in her childhood memories who did not taint them like her parents did. Something like safety, perhaps, in a youth built on fear. Just another lie, as it turns out. Another way she painted the world prettier than it is. “Cassius –– please.” And then, she thinks of Val, next to her, and she wishes to outstretch her fingers to touch hers, but even that she cannot do. “It was my idea,” she croaks, because if someone has to be punished, should it not be her? She sent that text, she dragged Val with her to France, she dragged Val into her world of lies. She has never been good at loving, she thinks. “It was mine, and I’m sorry –– we’ll come with, there’s no need for this Cassius, we’ll come and we’ll listen but –– please, please, you’ve known me all my life, you don’t have to do this.”
She is resigned, perhaps. Something in her has given up now that the world has slipped from beneath her feet. Just kill us, a part of her wishes, and let our bodies teach our friends to do better than us. The unforgivable that hits her is not the killing curse, though, but the cruciatus in stead, Alecto’s sadistic face smiling. So much for mercy. Her body writhes, the restraints pushing against her skin, and she and Val’s screams mix together, singing in painful harmony.
you see , there’s a number of warning signs . things that should have given them a second to grab their wands , or even a beat to avoid being backed into a corner this way . the final signal , the one that goes unheard under their conversation , is a creak on the porch . this is something that val had picked up on over the past ten or so days : there’s a wooden board outside that has a tendency to creak like something out of an old gothic novel . it’s a moan like something yawning awake from a long nap , and the final step one takes before opening the front door . but there’s no time . no moment to act . just the door opening , and with it , alecto and amycus carrow riding in on the unfriendly , gelid bise . for a few blinding seconds , everything is red .
later , she’ll think of every other ward they could have used . every other precaution that could have protected them . if you’re so fucking keen , valeria , how come you couldn’t protect this place ? what good is this brain of yours and all those experiences breaking down wards and curses and protective spells , if you can’t turn around and use them to your advantage ? you can’t protect her . ( i didn’t raise a fool for a daughter , says the eidolon approximation of her mother behind her shoulder . you knew this wouldn’t last . time to come home , dear . )
she watches cassius , the man moving like predator circling prey . or a child playing god with his toys . valeria wonders if he’ll be the one to deliver the blow , if he’ll even dare to get his hands that dirty .
val’s anger has always been a simmering , quiet thing . perhaps she and cassius are alike in this way -- they’re the calm surface of a seas while beneath the waters churn to power a tempest . in the darks of his eyes , she sees her reflection . she hears dani pleading , and it’s like splinters under her skin ; her voice fractured with fear and the slightest bit of hope , even now . dani’s so close , and perhaps val’s hand flexes behind her , a phantom reach for the other . she’s never been good at comforting , never been gentle enough for something as bright and warm as the girl next to her , but she wants to try . but val can’t reach her hand bound like this , and she refuses to give them so much as that either . as she appraises the unyielding set of cassius’ face , she hears what he hears , and knows that there’s little either of them could say to make a difference .
there’s no pity , no so - called mercy , when the world lights red again . just a point to be made . that’s all they are : an example . they’re not necessary , or wanted , they’re just a reminder to any others that the only choice is to stay . these bodies aren’t your own any more .
at first , she thinks the following shriek is the kettle . a moment later , pain - rattled brain registers dani . it takes longer still to realize part of the bone - chilling lament of screams is her own .
turnnoffyourmind
dededos
kianamaiart
tangentwithtanner
