CVII. THE ONES WHO PROVOKE US
21:79 ─❁────────── 31:80
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❝You can take everything I have,
You can break everything I am❞
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LUCIA DID NOT EVEN BOTHER to fight back as she was dragged roughly by Amycus Carrow up to the headmaster's office, where Snape now resided after he had taken over the positin of headmaster. Lucia could not comprehend the pain of being drag around by a chain around her wrist (Amycus sick way of finding amusement in her misery), for all she could think of was why she was heading up there in the first place.
Her body went cold.
Were they going to question her about Harry? Is that it?
No, they invited you to have tea — yes, you dumb airhead! Of course they're going to question you!
"Uh, so..."
"Shut up,"
"Okay," Lucia nodded listlessly in understanding as she walked along the corridors with Amycus's hand seizing her arm tightly, making it near impossible for her to get away from him and run away without alerting him.
She was really starting to wish Alecto had killed her off prior because it would surely have saved her from the agony of speaking to Snape or explaining to Amycus of what relation she had to Harry and whether she knew anything about Harry's location. Even though she completely had little-to-no idea where Harry and the others could be or what his objective or goals were, she was still his best friend and could be used as a pawn in this game of chess they were living in.
Finally, after what seemed to be hours when it was supposed to be minutes, they arrived in front of the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the headmaster's office.
"Pureblood,"
Pureblood?
That is the most tackiest password I have ever heard...
But as expected of Snape.
Lucia watched silently as the gargoyle sprang to life and shot a distasteful look over to Amycus before it leapt aside; the wall behind it split in two to reveal a stone staircase that was moving continuously upward like a spiral escalator. The two of them stepped onto the moving stairs; the wall closed behind them with a thud, and they were moving upward in tight circles until they reached the highly polished oak door with the brass knocker shaped like a griffin.
They stood in front of the door momentarily, and Lucia glanced at Amycus.
"Um, are you not going to...?"
Amycus shifted where he stood, glaring at her harshly.
Ah, Lucia thought privately. He needed her to help him figure out how to open it...
What a loser.
Lucia reached her hand out and rapped three times with the griffin knocker. The door opened of its own accord and Amycus dragged Lucia harshly inside.
Not even a thank you? The audacity...
Surprisingly, the room looked as same as it did the last time she was here, which was last year. Frankly she thought that Snape would throw away anything that had to do with Dumbledore, but she guessed she was wrong; the strange silver instruments standing on tables were silent and still rather than whirring and emitting puffs of smoke as they usually did. The portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses covering the walls were all snoozing in their frames.
"Carrow,"
Lucia tensed at the sight of Severus Snape, someone whom she once held a tiny respect for because he was a respectable Potion Master, but now? Now she wished he was gone from her sight. But that was impossible, and she understood that.
She watched idly from behind Amycus as the very man was looking at the pair of them, sitting in a high-backed chair which Dumbledore often sat in before his untimely death behind his desk; he didn't bother to stand up, only looking at her with his tunnel-like eyes in an attentive manner to the point that it was quite uncomfortable.
She gulped. However, she was not given the chance to comprehend the situation as Amycus merely tugged her forward, forcing her to fall on her knees before the desk.
Wincing, feeling as if she had scraped her knee, Lucia tried to stand back up in hopes to examine the injury when Amycus kicked her back down, pressing the bottom his feet forcefully against her back, making it hard for her to breath. She gasped, in need of air.
"Amycus," warned Snape. "In need of answers, learn to not kill her first!"
"Just because the Dark Lord appointed you to look after Hogwarts, does not mean you're the boss of us!" snapped Amycus, before he glowered back down at the girl that was begging for air, trying to get out of the position she was in. He smiles sadistically, "And it isn't like it'll hurt, you know? She deserves it anyway,"
"The Dark Lord prohibits any type of injuries toward the future generations that may cleanse our world from muggles,"
Amycus scoffed. "'Thought you know her better than I do, Snape? You were her teacher for what, seven years now? You know who she is," he added dangerously.
"Do not dance with the devil, Amycus," said Snape sharply, glancing down at the tormented girl. "The Dark Lord specifically said only to kill those who decided to not return and preserved those who do. There are reasons to his decision. Are you questioning him?"
Lucia managed to glance up at Snape curiously. Ah, so that's why they haven't tried killing us yet...
"A halfbreed Gryffindor!"
"Enough!" Snape adjusted his robes dramatically and sat back down, "If she does not give us the rightful answers, then perhaps you may do as you wish. But do not kill her,"
Amycus glared at Snape in dissatisfaction, before he took a good amount of Lucia's hair and yanked it back, causing her to yelp in pain with tears welling her eyes. "Be glad the world is on your side now, lassie," he said and let go of her.
Lucia laid on the floor, catching a breath. Between those minutes she spent with the two of them, she made a great conclusion: She was not going to get out of this in one piece.
"Get up!" Amycus said, forcing her back up to her knees.
Oh, she was definitely a goner by the end of this. She could already see her future — a gravestone. They better engrave a flower on it prettily, Lucia thought bitterly as she sat on her knees, trying to ignore the throbbing pain of her knees. She closed her eyes awaitingly for them to start the interrogation, but it seemed that they were waiting for someone else.
Then, the door behind them opened; Alecto Carrow sauntered in with sadistic smile that much mirrored her brother.
Ah, great.
Lucia already knew what she was going to get from Alecto — the pain would be much more agonising than what Amycus did, that was for sure. Because of the annoying mouth of hers, now she was going to get it.
"You didn't play without me, did you?" said Alecto, and Lucia cringed.
Merlin's limp arm, save me now.
"'Course not," said Amycus resentfully, as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Snape didn't let me until we get something for her,"
"I should be thanking you then, shouldn't I, Severus?" said the wheezy woman. Lucia already felt lightheaded by all of this.
Alecto fixated her eye son Lucia when she saw her wand sticking out of the pocket of her robes. "My, my, did neither of you take a moment to confiscate her wand from her?"
Snape rolled his eyes in a bored manner from behind his desk, while Alecto looked as though he could take a jab on her sister for annoying him.
"I really shouldn't have expected much from man that isn't the Dark Lord, should I?" said Alecto, snatching Lucia's wand from her pocket and throwing it in a daunting distance from Lucia, knowing that it would only torment her further for being so helpless now.
Lucia closed her eyes patiently.
"DiFiore,"
"What?" Lucia murmured, glancing at Snape as both Amycus and Alecto Carrow stood on either side of her with their wand pointed at her.
"Let's not beat around the bushes. You were someone that was very close to Potter,"
"Exactly. Were." Lucia said, as if that was the most obvious thing ever. "Past tense, Professor. Harry and I are no longer in any type or relation whatsoever. I feel nothing for him the moment he broke up with me. He broke my heart, and don't you think I feel nothing but resentment toward him?"
"I don't care what you and Potter had, DiFiore," said Snape, rolling his eyes. Lucia could scoff if it were not for the fact that she was focusing on her pain. "Just tell us what Potter is planning on doing,"
"I don't know, okay?" said Lucia frustratingly. "Really, I don't!"
"Your words means nothing. You could just lie," hissed Alecto.
"Yes, I know, but I'm not!" exclaimed Lucia. "I'm not lying. I have no idea what he's planning, where he's whereabout is, or what his doing either! I'm as clueless as you!"
Snape stared at her long and hard
Lucia stared back at him in the same manner, yet almost pleading for him to believe her when Amycus suddenly yanked her hair once again.
"Do you know what we do with a lying bitch?"
"Language," was all Snape said.
"But I'm not lying!" her voice slowly but surely became hoarse and thick as tears welled in her eyes. She didn't feel any type of fear when she first stepped foot in here, or when Amycus was tormenting her minutes ago, but somehow this time was different; his voice had an ominous undertone that made her wary.
Alecto, unlike her brother, did not look toward Snape for permission as she merely rummaged through her robes for something. Lucia struggled in Amycus' arms, trying her hardest to get away, but it was as if all these efforts gradually became trivial as Alecto slowly sauntered toward her and forcefully pushed her down on her stomach and shoved something in her hand.
"What —" Lucia's words short-lived by gasp of pain that came out of her mouth agonisingly as against her will, her hand moved in a writing motion upon the floor. She felt as if her skin on the back of her hand was slowly and excruciatingly being teared open with every single stroke she did with, what she could managed through her glazed eyes, was a quill.
It was then it dawned on her blurred and frenzied mind that it was no ordinary quill. It was that quill.
"Tell us where he is, or else!"
"I-I don't know... I DON'T KNOW!" she cried, and Alecto merely pointed her wand at her hand. Lucia felt the pace in writing she was in began to double the amount.
She gasped.
She tried to stop it, but her hand woulddid not heed her begs.
Even as she so pleadingly tried to detach her hand from the ground, it just would not budge. All she could do was live through the pain that felt as if she was reliving a painful memory that was once reality to her.
"Stop! Please, stop! STOP!" Lucia begged, not being able to feel both of her hands. She stared aimlessly with hot, prickling tears brimming her eyes as words were carved on the back of her hand that seemed to call out for her in a reminiscent way that was even more painful than it already was.
"You know something," said Amycus near her ear. Chills went down her spine, and Amycus pulled her hair further back, causing her whimper. "Tell us, then maybe we can put this off for another time,"
"I really — I don't — I really don't know know anything!"
"Wrong answer," said Alecto, raising her wand once more.
Lucia's eyes widened, fear enclosing every fiber of her body as she looked from the blood that trickled down her scarred hand and into the puddle fo blood that forming around it before immediately she snapped her eyes at Snape, begging.
"P-Professor, please," she sobbed. "You can look through my memories — I know you can — I'm begging of you —"
"The impudence!" said Alecto before Snape could say anything. "Brother,"
In the corner of her eyes, she saw something she was dreading: a smile.
"What is it, sister?"
"Do you remember what we do with children that do not know the meaning of respect?"
"Clearly,"
Her body trembled violently as the two siblings began to raise their wand at her. She looked back at whilst trying her hardest in stopping her hand from continuing the onslaught, however all her thoughts were filled with Snape. He turned his back on her. Nonono —
"Crucio,"
Before Lucia could do anything to move, before she could even beg another tousands times, the curse had hit her soundlessly. She gasped out for air as she fell back on the floor, writhing as one hand reached for her throat, air seemingly nonexistent while the other occupied the quill as it moved, engraving words into her hand mercilessly.
Her back arched, tears brimmed her eyes with tears, burning. It felt as if she was being stabbed a million of times, over and over again without halt by blunt knives that were piercing through her body, her head, and her mind without any sorts of mercy, as if the mere prospect never existed. She could not think, all she could see, hear and feel was the white-hot sensation that overwhelmed her as if she had arrived in purgatory.
This was purgatory.
If it was possible, her tears could fill up a river of stars. She wanted this to end, but as she plead within her mind, it was as though the pain began to become more excruciating and before she knew it, a deafening scream was let out so unconsciously, passing her mind like it was dust. So excruciating, so monopolising...
She wanted to die.
Louder and louder her screams became as it echoed shrilly against the walls of the office. It was uncontrollable. She felt exhausted, but at the same time she couldn't stop it from being let out, as though she needed to tell everyone, to warn them that she was drowning in fire.
They ceased the curse, and she fell still on the floor.
"P-Please..." she whispered with every fiber of her body, yet it was soundless and incoherent as she gazed at Snape, beseech. "Professor... help..."
Snape could not bear looking at her, turning around to look out of the window.
Lucia felt all hope dimming from within her as she closed her eyes. She trembled, grasping for the peony locket on her collarbone, praying: Someone... anyone... save me...
Amycus and Alecto raised their wand once more, a sadistic smile painted their lips. And that seemed to be the last thing saw before everything in her world ceased.
"You know, you seem unapproachable this year,"
"And yet you still approach me," Astoria Greengrass walked hastily down the corridors after she exited the library with her belongings. She thought she would have a quite calm reading hour, but she greatly underestimated just how notorious Draco Malfoy was as he came crashing down on her only time of merriness.
"Will you please just listen?"
"I rather not," she said aggressively. "I have absolutely no reason to waste my time in 'listening' to whatever lie you have for me,"
"Let me explain myself!" he pleaded.
"What exactly is there to explain except for the fact that you did what you did?!" said Astoria, wheeling around at him in the middle of the crowded corridors, not caring if someone were to hear their argument. Draco staggered back, surprised. "You've made your choice!"
"I had no choice!" exclaimed Draco frustratingly.
Astoria shook her head. "You did have a choice. You could've gotten help when given the chance — you could've at least not lied!" she flared in infuriation.
"From whom exactly? From whom could I get help?!" Draco gazed down at her, slowly feeling himself going insane from her lack of presence in his life recently.
"Lucia gave you a chance!" said Astoria, lips wobbled.
"Really, what can she do? Look at where we are now, Astoria! There's no chance!" Draco ran his fingers through his hair, "I admit that I was proud of becoming part of them, because I thought I would be doing what my father would want, but then I began to regret what I did okay? But what can I do to erase this? I don't know!"
Astoria stared at him conflictedly, biting on her bottom lip.
She did not trust him. She could not trust him, not when every second she was reminded of last year. They were friends, she thought they were. Were they not? Was she just a pawn to make him look innocent in front of others while he was committing wicked acts behind the scenes? She felt betrayed.
But she did not want to feel that way.
As she looked into his icy-grey eyes, and all she could see was sincerity and desperation that mocked her too much. Astoria digressed, for she wanted to be rid of such feeling that was overwhelming her chest.
"Do you really regret it?" she asked quietly, not looking at him.
"I do," he nodded.
"How do I know that you're not lying? How do I know you're not just going to use me like you did last year?" Astoria breathed a dry chuckle.
"I never used you. Everything that happened last year — us being friends — they were all genuine. But I'll prove to you,"
"Then prove to me that you're worth my time again," Astoria declared, her warm eyes went cold momentarily before she let out a small sigh, "Prove to me that you were indeed sincere, show me that you regret it all. Then maybe I can reconsider,"
Draco's eyes lit up lightly. Those dimming eyes were finally with a little of life after so long of it being gone.
"Wait, are you serious?"
"Completely," Astoria rolled her eyes when she saw the hopeful look on his face. "Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to continue with my reading that you rudely interrupted —"
She halted.
Draco looked at her questionably.
"What's wrong?"
She shook her head distractedly. "No, No" she said. "I thought I heard something..." she added distractedly.
"Wha —"
But his words were short-lived as he heard something too. It was echoing through the walls of the castle, but he just could not point out what just yet. The sea of students quietened down from their rambunctious order, stopping mid in their movements too when they heard it.
It was a scream.
An ear-splitting, blood-curdling and shrill screams echoed through the castle, from corridors to corridors, from room to room, as it became louder and louder in volume. Their heart accelerated and rammed rapidly against ribcages just at the sound of it. No one dared to move. It was deafening, so world crumbling... so painful...
So deathly.
But it was also nearby.
Astoria turned to Draco, who shared a fearful gaze. Something clicked in their mind and before they knew it, simultaneously, they ran toward the scream, snapping the other students from their quivering trance.
They led them all down the corridors when they finally arrived in the entrance hall, where students began to pile up. In the center was the omnipotent Amycus and Alecto Carrow and... a writhing figure on the floor.
Astoria felt herself move forward, seemingly wanting to get a better look of it. Draco instantly caught her wrist before she could do so, but she brushed it off. Who was that? Why was her heart beating so fast?
Who —
Horror dawned on her. It was Lucia.
"Carrow, what are you — ?" Professor McGonagall gasped once she arrived at the front of the crowd beside the frozen Seamus Finnigan, Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley, and the rest of the Gryffindor House, mirroring their same reaction. Horror.
"Ah, I see you've attracted quite a crowd," said Amycus, yanking Lucia's hair back, but she didn't respond. Not even with a small whimper.
"Y-You —" Professor McGonagall was lost for words, and she felt as if gravity was slowly betraying as she was pulled down to her knees, but Professor Sprout and Madam Pomfrey was quick to catch her before she could go down.
Never in a million of years would she had predicted a student of hers would be torture under the same roof as her. Never in a million years had she thought she would live to see Lucia DiFiore writhed so violently on the floor of Hogwarts with tear-stained cheeks, hand covered with blood, while the other so faithfully held on her locket.
"Let this serves you as a warning," began Alecto. She then turned to her brother, nodding.
Amycus raised his wand directly over Lucia's lulled head, and before anyone could comprehend, she screamed.
Astoria flinched along with the others, who could not find ground as many began to lose their balance and feel back In fear.
"Protecting an Undesirable will lead you to nowhere," said Alecto in a callous manner. "Only those who deserves it will be given this punishment,"
It was clear to them that this was no longer a normal punishment. This was now public humiliation.
They could do nothing but stand still as they watched the Carrow siblings afflicting damage upon damages on Lucia. They felt as if they could do nothing to help her. They felt helpless.
If they were feeling this way, what about her?
Then, the screams ceased.
Amycus retracted his wand. He threw Lucia across the hall, letting the body hit the ground harshly as she trembled and twitched violently, yet without any trace of sound. Alecto tossed uncaringly a mahogany wand in front of the Gryffindor bunch, smirking viciously at them before she and her brother exited out of the scene and out toward the grounds of Hogwarts, leaving the staffs and students all to turn their gaze back at the girl.
No one reacted. They were too terrified to react.
Someone was tortured in front of them.
Shakily, Ginny Weasley reached out toward the mahogany wand, grasping her fingers around it. All she could do was stared at it in horror.
Draco looked around to everyone that seemed too frozen to even respond at the clear call for help in front of them. He turned back to the trembling body of Lucia DiFiore in deep confliction, before he made up his mind; he set forth toward her, snapping everyone out of their trance.
"S-Stop right there, Malfoy!" said the stammered Seamus Finnigan, anger evidently coursing through his veins when he approached his friend's body.
But Draco rolled his eyes and continued even with the onslaughts of threats the were heading his way.
"D-Draco, what are you doing?" asked Astoria, falling to her knees beside him and Lucia. She watched innocently as he propped the girl's body in his arms, checking for any other injuries.
"Repaying a favour," was all he said, before he hoisted Lucia from the ground.
"Mal —" But Ginny was cut off, as Draco snapped at her.
"What?" he cocked a brow at them daringly. Astoria turned around as well. "Are you going to get her away from the help she needs just because you hate me? Are you really going to let her suffer while you just stay useless this whole time? Someone needs to be useful,"
"Draco..." Astoria's eyes softened, but she didn't look at him, for all her attention was on Lucia, as she absentmindedly, wipe the tears on the said girl's cheeks.
"Professor," beckoned Draco, breaking the Head of Gryffindor House from her daze.
Professor McGonagall turned her head to Madam Pomfrey, "Pomona,"
And that was enough for Madam Pomfrey to react, as she hurriedly said: "Follow me, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Greengrass, Miss Weasley," She created a path through the crowd, and Ginny, Astoria, and Draco followed her swiftly toward the hospital wing, while the rest of the staff dealt with the rest of the students.
Draco felt Lucia stirred in his arms, and faintly he heard her whimper. "Ha...rry..."
He gritted his teeth, jaw set as he was tempted to close his eyes as a way to prevent the feeling of everlasting guilt from penetrating him, but he knew he deserved this.
This turmoil... Astoria's cold shoulder... He knew he deserved it.
༻❁༺
"W-Will she be okay?" Ginny asked quietly, as she held Lucia's hand tightly in hers.
They were in the hospital wing, watching as Madam Pomfrey urgently cared for Lucia, who was tortured in humiliation continuously without mercy. Astoria helped the matron as much as she could with all the knowledge of medicines she knew of, while Ginny and Draco sat in the sidelines, watching.
Quite frankly, Ginny hated the fact that he was here. Just the sight of him made her blood boil, but she could not do anything. She would have started a fight, but that would only stress Lucia more, and that was the last thing she needed.
"She will be fine," said Madam Pomfrey, forcing a potion into Lucia's mouth as Astoria-soaked Lucia's engraved hand with Murtlap Essence. "Unfortunately, they did not inflict her with any normal curse,"
Astoria tensed. "You mean..."
Madam Pomfrey nodded gravely. "The Cruciatus Curse,"
Right as Ginny let out a small whimper, the doors to the hospital wing blast open, revealing Professor McGonagall and Hagrid along with Luna, Neville, Seamus, Lavender, and Parvati.
"How's she?" Professor McGonagall immediately asked.
"I assure you that it isn't something I can fix, but we still must lookover her carefully. For all we know, she could be fragile after that," said Madam Pomfrey, not minding the many people that were filing into the hospital wing, for she understood the circumstances. "Any sooner or later, perhaps the healing would be much more difficult,"
"They used Crucio on her..." told Ginny solemnly to her friends, who pursed their lips, trying to hide their grieve.
Luna squeezed Ginny's shoulder for comfort.
"Figures," said Professor McGonagall gravely. "I went to inquire this to Severus, but it seemed that he already knew,"
"What does tha' mean?" asked Hagrid, frowning and not faltering his gaze from the injured girl. Just a few hours ago he had tea with her and was talking about Harry and the others...
"There was a blood stain on the floor,"
Madam Pomfrey gasped, whilst Hagrid had a dangerous look on his face.
"You don't think he — ?"
"No, it was definitely the Carrows," told Professor McGonagall, shaking her head.
"Why was she at that blind bat's office for?" inquired Hagrid, and Professor McGonagall let out a sigh.
"They called her out to Snape's office," Draco finally spoke after being silent the whole time. He was immediately met by the gaze of animosity from the group of Gryffindors, stern gazes of Professor McGonagall and Hagrid, and curious look from Madam Pomfrey and Astoria.
He was not surprised though, to be greeted by such sights he means. He had already expected this since the moment he stepped foot inside of Hogwarts, and especially the stunt he pulled last term...
"The called for her because they find out about her relation to Potter, and that she was the closest to him out of everyone in the whole castle," he told them, "Perhaps they wanted to question her, and she didn't give them the answer..."
"Surprise, surprise that you know, Malfoy," Seamus narrowed his eyes at Draco, scoffing in hostility.
"How did you find out?" spat Ginny.
"Because he was there to hear it," stated Neville the obvious. "We were there too, remember?"
"Sorry, I was too busy thinking about my Divination homework to listen to what rubbish Carrow had to say," said Lavender sheepishly.
"What Longbottom said," said Draco, not trying to challenge them whatsoever. He did not want to erupt a fight. "I heard and I put two and two together. Is that so hard to believe?" he added sarcastically.
Seamus was about to fight back when Professor McGonagall looked at them both sternly.
"Enough," she said. "If you want to fight, go out in the corridors. But don't be in here and disrupt the healing,"
Draco looked smugly at Seamus, who huffed in annoyance, looking away.
"Malfoy," called Profesor McGonagall, and the young man straightened immediately.
He hummed.
"Get Professor Slughorn here," she said.
"Ah yes!" said Madam Pomfrey suddenly. "We need more potions for him to brew,"
Draco nodded and with one last glance at the group, he exited out of the hospital wing. Professor McGonagall gazed at Hagrid.
"Don't show your animosity just yet, Hagrid. We must alert the Order," she said. "They must know what had occur and that Alecto and Amycus had display their power over the school."
Hagrid wanted to rebut, but immediately shut down when Professor McGonagall gave him a pleading look. He sighed and nodded, before walking out of the hospital wing solemnly. He really did wish he could contact Harry now...
"Now about you lot..."
"We're staying, Professor!" said Astoria adamantly.
"Yeah, the last time we let her go on her own or be by herself, look at where she is now?" stated Ginny. "I'm not leaving her side... not until she's okay,"
"Let us stay overnight here. Pretty please, Professor, Madam Pomfrey," pleaded Lavender and Parvati.
"Yeah, we'll take care of her!" said Seamus, and Neville nodded determinedly.
Professor McGonagall had a look of confliction as she turned to Madam Pomfrey, who nodded in acceptance of their presence in her hospital wing. Finally, Professor McGonagall gave in.
"Don't do anything reckless," was all she said, before she left the wing.
After Madam Pomfrey was finish with fixing Lucia, she headed into her office to do some work, leaving the group of teenagers to themselves. They sat in utter silence for a while before Ginny suddenly stood up with a look of anger and determination lace in her expression that painted her face. Everyone glanced at her questionable.
"We can't let them get away with this," flared Ginny.
"But what can we do? We're powerless against them..." said Lavender, wilting.
"What, do you expect me to just sit back and watch as this place fall into the hand of the Carrows, letting them do anything want? hell no!"
"Think for a second, Ginny!" sighed Parvati. "They have the law backing them up. What about us? We have no one!"
"Well Lucia got hurt even when she obeyed their law... it won't be long until they decided to have their fun with the rest of us without any reason too..." said Seamus quietly.
"The Carrows... my father told me about them once," began Astoria absentmindedly. "Bear in mind, they aren't the ones in You-Know-Who's faction that lost their sanity to Azkaban. If they're already this terrible, what about the Lestranges and the others like them?"
"That's why we need to show them that they aren't going to scare us easily!" said Ginny.
"Wouldn't that provoke them? Wouldn't that make things harder for us?" murmured Lavender.
"Aren't they the first to provoke us though?" said Luna in a dreamy manner, but behind her words were laced with clear bitterness. "With what they've done to Lucia, they're knowingly provoking us,"
Lavender and Parvati shared an uncertain look with one another.
"L-Luna's right, you know?"
Their eyes widened and instantly, they snapped their head toward the voice. Lucia attempted her hardest in sitting upright, wincing continuously, before she gave and plopped back down on the pillow.
"Are you okay?" Astoria asked. "Should I get Madam Pomfrey?"
"No," Lucia managed a shook of her head, "That... that won't be necessary..." she breathed.
"We're so glad you're okay!" cried Ginny.
"You really scared us," said Neville.
Lucia laughed lightheartedly. It was a major contrast to the screams that they had heard from her hours ago that still haunted their mind.
"But you know," she started slowly. "Luna is right. They started it first, why can't we just finish it?"
"Because —"
"Listen," said Lucia hoarsely, garnering her friend's attention. "There's many reasons why we can't let them get away with this any further. They treat us like rubbish,"
"They don't give us proper food..." Seamus nodded.
"And what they did to you..." muttered Astoria.
"They see us as doormats that they could step on," Neville stated cooly, and Lucia turned to him. They shared a knowing gaze. "But we're not doormats."
"And that's their mistake," said Lucia. "They're underestimating our capabilities,"
"We've defied people twice our age in this school already, so why can't we do that now?" said Ginny.
"The difference is that those are Death Eaters!" pointed Parvati.
"You have a point, but when you think about it, those who were appointed by You-Know-Who in the Ministry should be counted as Death Eaters as well, don't you think? Anyone can be a Death Eater if they share the same views and morals. What makes them different is the mark on their arm," said Lucia simply.
"And the skill that they possess!" Parvati huffed.
"Yeah, that too I guess," shrugged Lucia.
They pondered over her words, when Neville snapped his finger, causing everyone in the room to look at him. He gave them a determined smile.
"Let's make their life a living hell, just like how they did it to us,"
"What's your plan, Neville?" Luna asked.
Lucia had never seen Neville so confident before as he said such words that she had never known could be so reassuring before:
"Let's spread around that the D.A. is back,"