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"FINISH IT!"
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Before Alice even had a chance to react, two Slytherins had her pinned against the wall, her legs barely touching the tiled floor.
"Let's see mudblood" Romilda spat, twisting her wand in her hands. "I have the sudden desire to break both your wrists right now"
"No please!" Alice cried, trembling.
"But, I'd certainly be expelled"
Alice let out a sigh of relief.
"That's why Jason and Lucas will do it for me!"
She didn't know who threw the first punch, but suddenly a fist had slammed into her face and another to her stomach.
Her mouth filled with blood.
They boys stumbled back to catch their breath as Alice gagged, spitting blood onto the ground causing Romilda to shriek.
Before they dived back in, the boys eyes were narrowed with determination as Alice dodged Jason's punch.
Lucas grabbed a chuck of her raven-black her, using the power to whack her head against the stone wall.
Alice screamed in pain as blood dripped down the side of her face.
Stars clouded her vision as she crumbled to the ground.
"Okay boys" sneered Romilda. "Finish it"
Alice curled into a ball as both her wrists were stomped on until Romilda heard the satisfying crunch of her bones.
"Maybe you'll think twice about doing the job right" Lucas and Jason rubbed the blood off their knuckles, as Romilda stared at Alice. "We'll be going, tell anyone and I'll make sure you don't stay conscious!"
With one last warning look, Romilda was gone.
Alice watched as they faded down the hallway.
She pulled her knees close, covering her bruised face with her black hair.
"Alice?" asked a voice, footsteps stopping. "What happened?"
It was Ginny.
"Oh...um...Just tired" she answered. "I had a free period"
"No Alice, I meant what happened with Romilda"
Alice didn't meet Ginny's eyes.
She knew she'd have to tell everyone at some point, but she wasn't ready for it to come so soon.
"I can't tell you" her voice is small.
Ginny scoffed. "Don't you understand? This is what they're mad about!?"
"Of course I know!" she yelled. "You wouldn't understand, so what's the bloody point! Everything seems to be my fault, but it's not! Okay!? ITS NOT!"
Alice stood up quickly, groaning, bringing a boney hand to her stomach, bending over.
Ginny took a step back.
Watching the whole picture take form, the bruising, the cuts, the blood, the broken bones.
"Alice"
"I'm fine" she mumbled.
"No you're not"
"Yes I am"
Realizing that there was no point in standing, Alice sat back down, slowly, Watching the red head scan her body.
Guilt hit Alice.
She wanted to tell her.
She did.
But it wasn't that simple.
Tears brimmed her eyes. "I want to tell you Miss Weasley, but I can't"
"Why?" Ginny wasn't mad. She sat down beside the small Gryffindor, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You can trust us Alice, we won't hurt you"
"I know" she says simply. "But others will"