Ok so this is my first published work, and I am still working out the kinks. This story takes place in Harry Potter's 5th year, Order of the Phoenix, Strictly canon up until this point. This story is rated M for future chapters, which will include violence, language, etc etc.
Disclaimer: Nothing within the Harry Potter universe belongs to me, it all belongs to J.K. Rowling, I claim no ownership over anything but my own created characters.
Blood splattered walls, smeared hand prints, dirt and blood caked the floor, that was what Cythera had called home for what seemed like an eternity, since that fateful May night, her loving almond colored eyes were glazed over, her once beautiful shiny obsidian locks were now dull and matted with blood, much like the rest of her body. She thought back, remembering that fateful night once again, tears brimming in her eyes.
It had been a warm May evening, Cythera had dressed in her favorite white cotton sundress, matching wedge sandals, and her intricate silver locket that her beloved brother had given her. He had not wanted her to attend the county fair that night, said it was far too dangerous, but upon being victim to his sisters pouting, she was allowed to attend as long as she was back by ten o'clock. Her long straight black hair was charmed into bouncing spiral curls and put up in a ponytail, and she set off, not without begging her brother to accompany her, but sadly a searing pain in his left forearm prevented him from that.
She walked around the fair, nibbling happily on some cotton candy, a pale blue sticky mass that melted eagerly on her tongue. Cythera was thinking of her brother, staring up at the dark night sky as she felt the warmth of the melting sugar in her mouth, she loved her brother dearly, despite his being eighteen years her elder, she loved him. She smiled brightly as fireworks filled the sky, and that was the last thing she saw, before she woke up in the horrible room she now occupied.
No one came into her room, Cythera saw no one at all, except for the hand that delivered her food. She had given up screaming the first day, given up crying by the third, she could guess why her body was covered in bruises and had several gashes, she'd been cursed while she had been unconscious.
Aching was all Cythera felt now, both physical and emotional, she wished for her brother, wished someone would rescue from her current hell. Her throat was raw and bare, her lips chapped so angrily they bled, she was pretty sure her right shoulder was dislocated, and all she wanted was for her brother to open that door. For who knows how long all Cythera did was sit in the corner of the room, barefoot, covered in who knows what, after awhile she stopped wishing for her brother, and wished for death.
After an eternity of lying there, finally she heard something beyond her door, screaming, and she could swear one of the voices was familiar. She listened trying her hardest to make out the voice she heard, then it clicked.
"Severus! Severus, I'm in here!" She screamed hoarsely, ignoring the shooting pains it sent through her throat or the feeling of blood oozing from her cracked lips.
Her throat throbbed in anger, the deep cracks in her lips bled furiously, and every bruise and gash on her body suddenly was very real to Cythera as she crawled towards the door. She was thrust back a moment later, the heavy door violently swung open, and not a moment later Cythera was enveloped in her brother's arms.
The moment his arms surrounded her, enveloping her small fragile body, she went limp in his arms. Severus looked down at his sister, being sure not to expose any emotion to the dark witch that was staring at him.
"I wouldn't have taken her if you had kept your mind on the task the Dark Lord gave you," She hissed as Severus walked past her out of the disgusting room.
"You will pay dearly for what you have done to my only living relative Bellatrix," Severus replied coldly as he swept past her and down the hall, wishing to quickly leave the Malfoy manor.
As Severus entered the main hall, he ran into the younger Malfoy, who stared at the limp girl in his potions professors arms. Severus narrowed his eyes at the younger Malfoy, watching him scan his eyes over his little sister.
"Professor, who is-" Draco began, his voice was soft and somewhat detached, his stormy grey eyes wide seeing the blood and bruises.
"That is none of your business Draco," Severus quickly said cutting him off, and with a resounding crack, he disappeared from Malfoy manor.
Severus apparated back to his and Cythera's home, quickly taking her up to her room and lying her down on her bed, wincing as he fully observed the wounds that had been inflicted upon his baby sister. Yelling for a house elf, trying his best to ignore the crack in his voice, he quickly planned what he would do.
"What can Sprinkles do for you Master?" A soft squeaky voice said next to Severus a second later.
"Wash Cythera, take great care, she is severely injured, after she is clean dress her in something loose, put this balm on all her bruises and open cuts, then come get me," Severus ordered handing the house elf a jar full of a thick yellow paste and a jar of a clear gel-like orange paste, before retreating from the room.
Severus paced in the study, running his hands through his hair, not only was he waiting for Sprinkles to finish with his sister, but he had contacted the order and was waiting for Dumbledore. Something he particularly disliked having to do, because he knew Dumbledore was going to tell him it was useless to have Cythera go by the last name Prince, when obviously Bellatrix had found out she was his sister.
"Severus, I have just received your letter, have you found Cythera?" questioned the all too familiar voice of the Hogwarts Headmaster as he exited the fireplace.
"Bellatrix found her, tortured, all that time," Severus ground out angrily, "She looks like she is going to die."
"Master, miss Cythera is resting now," Sprinkles squeaked bowing deeply before vanishing with a quiet snap.
"Severus, you know what I will say, you are lucky no one figured it out earlier, but now it is useless for your sister to pretend she is not your sister, I believe you should bring her to stay at Order headquarters until semester begins," Dumbledore said resting a hand on Severus shaking shoulder, who had since slumped into a chair.
Severus nodded before standing and walking up the stairs to Cythera's room, she need to get several potions down to help quicken the healing, and make her lucid, he could only imagine what she had been through in that room.
Staring down at Cythera, Severus involuntarily shuddered at the sight of her, his loving baby sister, skeletal thin, covered in bruises and gruesome burns and cuts, no longer the vision of beauty she had been four months prior. Sprinkles had applied the pastes, but they would take awhile to completely heal. Grabbing a calming draught, a blood replenishing potion, and a few other assorted vials of various colors, Severus began administering them to his sister.
It was rare for anyone, including Albus Dumbledore, to see Severus in the way Cythera saw him. Severus was very close with his sister, and she was probably the only living person who knew how good of a man he was. Albus watched silently, blue eyes twinkling, as Cythera began to wake, her lovely almond eyes blinked slowly, focusing on her brother who loomed over her.
Everything was a blur to Cythera, but she knew that her brother was the dark shadow looming over her, she could smell the unique blend of scents that made up her brother. Trying in vain to sit up, Severus pushed her back down, shaking his head.
"Severus, I believe you can take Miss Snape to the Order headquarters now, she is healing well," Albus reminded Severus, nodding to the quickly fading bruises and cuts.
"Cythera, can you hear me?" Severus asked searching her almond eyes for any sign of recognition.
"Mmhmm," She mumbled feeling very tired, he must have given her a sleeping draught, he was sneaky, he knew she'd agree to whatever when she was half-asleep.
"I will be taking you to Order headquarters for you to stay until term starts in two weeks, you will be safe there," Severus explained quickly waving his wand to pack Cythera's things into a trunk.
In and out of consciousness, Cythera remembered flooing, she thought, she wasn't sure, because she was pretty sure she'd seen a duck tap dancing at the foot of her bed, and that seemed highly unlikely. When she woke up, she was glad it was not the horrific room she remembered, but a simple bedroom, she was lying in a very comfortable large four poster bed, groaning she sat up, hearing her back crack and pop in defiance.
"Ah, you are awake Miss Snape, feeling better?" The sound of Dumbledore's voice immediately caught Cythera's attention, as she turned to look at him.
"Uh, yes Where is my brother?" Cythera asked, not that she wasn't happy to see Dumbledore, that meant at least she was safe, but she'd have preferred to see her brother.
"He would have been here, but he was called away sadly, he should be back later tonight to check in on you," Dumbledore said with a soft smile, "Just know you are safe here and a personal guest of mine, I believe that there are some here who are your age, but I believe everyone is very curious about you."
Shortly after that, Dumbledore left Cythera to think, she groaned and flopped back into the pillows, after six years of being the nameless Cythera Prince, Ravenclaw who got outstanding grades, she no doubt was going to be Cythera Snape, sister to Potions Master Severus, and very interesting.
"I don't want to be bloody interesting," She growled to no one in particular, with an exasperated sigh, she slid out of bed, letting her feet touch the cold hardwood floor, making her way over to a mirror in the corner of the room.
"Goodbye Cythera Prince, Hello Cythera Snape," She mumbled running a hand through her hair and shaking her head.
Thank you for reading, please leave me a review, I enjoy all criticism, but if you flame me, well I don't care