Lucy Snape and the Return of Lord Zuc (Book Four)

A living nightmare

The next thing she knew, Snape was next to her, his arm supporting her up. She couldn't tell when he got there but she didn't care. She didn't have the nerve to move and it was only when he tried to talk to her did she speak. 

"It will never be safe, never, not for us. Not us wizards, we are too weak. The vampires will kill us and we will be no more." Lucy muttered quickly 

"Lucy, tell me what's happened," Snape asked worriedly. He was terrified as to what had happened to Lucy. As to why she had been screaming, as to why there was blood everywhere. "I need to know." 

"You don't want to know. I don't need to tell you," 

"You need to tell me, you've had some sort of breakdown over it, I can only help you if you tell me" 

Without warning, Lucy grabbed hold of the front of Snape's robes. "Save me from myself" 

*   *   * 

"Well, she's fine, Severus. There's absolutely nothing wrong with her apart from she could do with a bit more sleep" Madam Pomfrey shrugged as she checked Lucy over one last time. 

Snape couldn't deal with Lucy going mental and having another breakdown so, despite her protesting, he took her to Madam Pomfrey. The only thing she could do was heal Lucy's wounds and get her a blood reviving potion. 

"There must be, she had a breakdown!" Snape said frantically as Lucy stared into the distance, still getting occasional glimpses of Kingston and Zuc. 

"What over, exactly?" 

"I don't know...She won't tell me" 

"Well you must find out!" Madam Pomfrey threw her hands up in disgust. Snape cowered slightly as she left the room leaving Lucy and Snape alone. 

"Lucy," Snape whispered and sat down next to her. He took her hand but she stared into the distance, trying desperately to keep hold of reality. She turned towards him and Snape almost fell over when he saw her eyes were blank. They were full of...Nothingness. 

He took a deep breath. "Tell me what's wrong." 

"Forever haunted by the fears of Lord Zuc and Kingston plotting to kill us. They will be forever there to taunt me and drain the happiness out of me as easily as a dementor. Real or not they are visions that are most likely true. Seeing them through the mind's eye does not make them real nor make them a thought." She replied, her voice eery as though someone else was saying it for her. 

"You had a vision of Kingston and Lord Zuc?" Snape was truly worried, so he questioned further. "Where were they and what were they doing?" 

"They have moved to the place they desire most but much is yet to be fulfilled to make their lifestyle complete. Many discussions have been made about what they are to do with their plan, their plan to kill the gifted and so many more innocent people. Muggle or wizard they are in danger." 

Snape put his arm around her and held her close, hoping that he would somehow get her back and her fears would go if he protected her. But for once Snape couldn't do anything to help her. Only she could try and block out the visions. 

"The orb is doing this to me, it will drown me in fear until it is satisfied with it's work. It has a mind of it's own, we cannot control it and even if we tried it would just grow stronger and smarter." 

"You're right..." He sighed. "I'll take it from you for the time being." 

Lucy reached into her bag and pulled out the orb then handed it to Snape who put it in his robe pocket and felt as though ice cubes had been dropped down his spine. Whether it was because of the orb or because he feared what was going to happen. 

"You'll be fine," he said. He helped her up and the two walked back to the dungeons in silence. When they arrived Lucy sat down on her usual seat and drifted off into a sleep without planning it. 

The visions returned again and somehow she slept through all of them but when she awoke it was midday. She wished that Snape had woken her up when she should of gone to lessons but somehow she could see why he hadn't. 

She got up, got dressed then saw Kingston again. He was chewing up a victim with his claws, then drinking all the blood. Before she knew it, Lucy was laying on the floor. Her eyes were closed and her hands were over her eyes. Tears drenched her face as she tried desperately to get rid of the vision. 

She took a deep breath then sat up and lent against her wardrobe. Angus, her cat, trotted in all of a sudden trying to shove something in. And she could hear his thoughts.

'Go on, read this. It's the book the Minister gave you.' 

Lucy took it and held it tightly. She opened the cover and was about to read when Snape walked in. Lucy flung the book in her wardrobe before he could notice it and looked up at him. 

"Please tell me why you're sitting on the floor," Snape said a little worried. 

"Er no reason," she lied. 

"You got another vision, didn't you?" He asked helping her up. 

"Yes..." 

"You've got to block them out. No matter how hard it is. You have to be strong, the more you watch them the more Kingston and Zuc will taunt you. They know your weak spots and you need to prove them wrong. You are not weak." 

"I am though. I've never been strong, I try but I just can't." 

"Can't or won't?" 

"Won't..." 

"Well as soon as you block the visions the easier it will be, understood?" 

"Understood." 

"Good, now McGuire is waiting for you in the great hall. So get some lunch and come straight back here." 

"OK, dad." 

Snape left the room and as soon as he did, Lucy grabbed the book she had thrown in the wardrobe and began to read as Angus sat on her lap. 

This was the full tale of the knights...

But the childproof version.