Brave [2]

Chapter 90

December 1999

"Don't lose her!" Harry shouts, and immediately I'm weaving between the trees as fast as I can. Months of Auror training have led up to this moment, and I was lucky enough to have both my brothers there to take my on my first field mission. And the Death Eater we have to capture is much too familiar.

It feels like my anger's being taken out in every step I take, almost as if it's Alecto Carrow's fault Aiden died in the battle, Alecto Carrow's fault Remus and Dora are gone and Teddy has to grow up without parents. But I'm stepping in. I swear, I'd do anything for that kid, and I'm not going to let Death Eaters ruin my life again. Never again. Those days are long gone.

"REDUCTO!" I shout, waving my wand, and the place where Alecto's standing blows up like a minefield, but she's jumped to the side in time. It's slowed her down a little and I jump over the giant ditch in the ground, rolling on the other side to stop my knees from jarring, but she's running again, casting spells behind her that I just about manage to dodge.

I have no clue where Ron and Harry are anymore, and lost in the woods takes on a whole new meaning now. There were a group of Death Eaters here, they must be looking for the others. Alecto's mine, I need to get her.

Aiden's dead body...

"Stop," I tell myself harshly through gritted teeth, forcing the image back, the blood pumping faster around my body as I force my legs to hit the ground quicker, slowly catching up.

"You betrayed me, Cassia Black."

"Petrificus Totalus!" I shout, but it misses her, my aim completely off. My mind's messing up, images flashing behind it that I can't unsee, and it's one glance over her shoulder before I see Alecto's dark and dirty face.

"You won't be so protected forever. And the moment I speak to the Dark Lord, I'll make sure you're there to hear how the protective blanket is going to be pulled right off. Cruciatus Curse ought to do you good."

"CRUCIO!" I scream, the word slipping from my lips almost as naturally as breathing, and this time it doesn't miss. She falls on the ground, some sort of sound echoing between the trees that could be mistaken for laughter, but it's not, it's her screams...

And I slowly come to a stop beside her, wand pointed at her throat like hers was once pointed at mine, but the familiar face throws another face into my memory and I lose control of her, remembering how easily I threw the knife and it embedded itself right in Amycus's heart – Amycus, a man who hurt so many, but I killed him–

All those people I killed. I swore I wouldn't let this job change me, but I have changed, I have–

And then there's Voldemort's shout echoing in my ears and I press my hands to them to get the sound out but it won't go and there's the burning all over my skin once more and I'm yelling from the pain, the voices clamouring in my head, the voices that wouldn't go away at first but eventually faded the more I was with Fred but now they're back, oh God they're back, and if the voices are back then Voldemort must be back, we're all in danger–

I didn't even realise I threw up till my throat is sore, something still pulling tightly at my gut, stomach swirling again, and then I throw up once more with everything I've eaten in the last couple of days which, admittedly, wasn't much. Alecto's gone, she's gone, I let her go and I failed–

"He's back," I sob as footsteps come behind me that I recognise all too well. "He's back, Voldemort's back–"

"He's not back," comes Harry's soft voice, his arms wrapping around me gently. "Cass, I killed him, remember? We destroyed his Horcruxes, he's gone–"