AN: PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT READ IF THIS TRIGGERS YOU! PLEASE!
AN 2: I would strongly recommend reading "Rage" and "Even More Rage" before reading this one.
"Fred's coming."
Alyssa jumped and drew her wand to point at whoever was behind her. Bill held up his hands in defense. "It's okay, Alyssa. It's just me."
She relaxed and lowered her wand. "How is she?"
"Fleur's managed to stop the bleeding. She won't stop crying, though. Will anyone bother to tell me what's going on? You three just show up with a random house-elf and a goblin all covered in blood, and my sister's sobbing out of control while practically half-naked? What the hell happened?"
She sighed and turned back to stare out the window. "It's really hard to relive, trust me. You say Fred's coming? Can you just wait until he gets here? I really don't want to have to tell this multiple times."
"She was raped, was she?"
She stiffened. "I'll tell you later."
A loud pop sounded from outside, making both of them jump. Bill groaned. "This war's really making us all jittery."
"Can you blame us?" Alyssa grumbled, gripping her wand. "I'm going out to see who it is."
"Be careful."
Alyssa threw open the door and stepped out to see one of the twins standing several feet before her. Pointing her wand at whom she knew was Fred she said, "What was the first thing you've ever said to me?"
A small smile fell across his face. "'What's a pretty little thing like you doing all alone here?'"
"Where was this?"
"King's Cross Station in front of Platform 9¾."
"The date?"
"1 September 1991."
"And what was my response?"
"'Why the hell do you care?' Honestly, Alyssa, can't you just stick to one question like everyone else?"
"No."
He walked forward and pulled her into a tight hug. "Are you okay?"
"Not really. But it's Olivia you should really worry about."
"Yeah, Bill said that she was attacked. Couldn't say anything else. What happened to her?"
"I'll tell you inside when everyone else can hear. I really don't want to relive this more than once. You should see Olivia first."
Fred followed her into the house and down a corridor. "Olivia's in here. Olivia? Are you okay for visitors? Fred's here."
"She'll be fine for him," Fleur's throaty voice floated out, sounding down and heavy.
Opening the door, Alyssa found Olivia bundled up in bed with Fleur sitting at her bedside. A hot bowl of soup was on the nightstand. "How are you doing?"
Olivia opened her mouth to say something but closed it immediately as a fresh new bout of tears overcame her. Pushing past Alyssa, Fred entered the room and immediately went over to hug his younger sister tightly. "George wanted to be here, but we couldn't leave Lee alone where we were hiding. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Whoever did this to you will pay."
"Th-thanks," Olivia managed, not bothering to tell him that it wasn't needed. "W-where's Evan?"
"Resting from the shock," Alyssa said. "He was really traumatized what he saw. Not saying that what you went through was any worse, of course. What happened with him?"
"H-he c-couldn't h-help m-me, b-but he r-really wanted to! M-Malfoy was h-holding a-and a s-spell was p-placed o-on him s-so h-he c-couldn't even m-move! B-by the t-time the s-spell w-wore off, h-he was t-too d-distraught t-to d-do a-anything!"
"Zat's enough!" Fleur said sharply. "She needs to be left alone! Questions can be asked later!"
"Come on," Fred muttered. "Let's talk to Bill and you can tell us what happened."
As they left the room, they could hear Olivia hiccuping and asking Fleur in a broken voice, "Can you bring Evan in here, please?"
Alyssa sighed. "This is the worst thing that's ever happened to her. Something always happens. First year was getting knocked out by a giant chess piece, second year was having one of her best friends petrified and her little sister taken into the Chamber, third year was S-Sirius nearly giving her a heart attack by having a knife over her bed and being dragged into the Whomping Willow by a crazy dog, fourth year I'm dragged into the Tournament, fifth year is Umbridge, sixth year she gets poisoned, and now this. This is so unfair."
"Believe me, I get it."
"And then she was steaming mad the entire summer because I 'promised not to break her brother's heart' even though I did."
"Did she understand why?"
She stopped walking and turned to face him. "Yes. Didn't matter."
He looked at her seriously. "Did she ever find out what happened on your birthday?"
"No, and I don't intend to have her to unless we all make it out of this war alive and with You-Know-Who dead."
"What happened to using his real name?"
"A taboo was placed on it. All protective charms except for the Fidelius is broken, and the Death Eaters can immediately Apparate to where you are located. It's how we got captured. I said it even though I knew about the taboo."
Tears started running down her face. "Fred, it's my fault this whole thing happened. If I hadn't said his name, then Olivia wouldn't have been attacked like she did."
"Whoa, whoa. Calm down. Don't blame yourself. You didn't attack her. They did, whoever they are. You've got enough on your plate as it is."
"She's going to be pissed at me, won't she? Once she manages to get over at least part of the trauma?"
"Probably. Evan too. But they'll forgive you someday. I know they will."
She nodded and wiped her eyes before resuming walking to the living room. "Bill? Fred's here. I can tell you what happened now?"
Bill rose from the sofa. "You sure? Are you ready?"
She took a deep breath. "Yeah. Just don't get too mad at me. Please."
"Why would I be mad at you?"
"Just listen. Do you know about the taboo on You-Know-Who's name?"
"No."
"Anyone who says his name can immediately be tracked by his Death Eaters. Only the Fidelius Charm can protect you from that. Nothing else. I said it once we escaped Luna Lovegood's house, and the Snatchers captured us and took us to Malfoy Manor because they recognized me through my scar, despite Evan placing a Stinging Jinx on my face. The Malfoys and the Lestrange brothers were there. They were interrogating us until Rodolphus saw that we had Godric Gryffindor's sword. The real one. He panicked because apparently it was supposed to be in his vault on Vol- You-Know-Who's orders. He then wanted to keep Evan behind while Olivia and I were to be taken down to the basement. Olivia begged them to keep her instead, but that just gave Rodolphus another idea. A horrible sick idea. Lucius Malfoy then took me down to the basement and warned me not to attack him or else my friends would die. So I didn't. Down in the basement, I discovered Ollivander, Luna Lovegood, and a goblin named Griphook also being held prisoner there. Dean Thomas had been with us at the beginning of our capture but was taken down first while the three of us were being questioned. I heard – I heard screaming and crying coming from upstairs, and I knew that something really bad was happening to Evan and Olivia. Then Griphook was taken out to identify the sword we had, but I managed to convince him to lie that it was a fake. More screaming and crying was heard so I screamed for help, and Dobby suddenly appeared in the basement. You know, the house-elf who warned us that Umbridge knew about the DA? I had him take Ollivander, Luna, and Dean to Shell Cottage because Fred told me that was the place you were living in. It was the only place I could think of."
Bill nodded. "And it's a good thing you thought of it. Fleur had to take Healing training at Beauxbatons."
"That's great. Wormtail then came down to investigate the sound of Dobby's Apparating. As soon as he opened the door, I was so overcome with frustration and stress I attacked him. He was about to strangle me when I reminded him of the life debt he owed me. He hesitated, but that caused his silver hand to strangle him to death. I then ran out of the basement and up to the drawing room."
She paused and shuddered. "Then I saw the most awful thing ever."
Both brothers leaned in, their faces filled with apprehensive anticipation. Bill said, "What did you see?"
"First, I saw Evan sobbing while Draco Malfoy restrained him, looking even more distraught than when he had that mission of his for Vol- You-Know-Who."
"And?" Fred's voice was urgent.
"Second, I saw the Lestrange brothers getting to their feet. They were both naked."
"Oh shit," Bill whispered, his hand covering his mouth. "They really did –?"
"Yes. They did." Alyssa leaned in, her face filled with fury. "They raped her. And they made Evan watch while they did so."
Fred angrily punched one of the pillows on the sofa. "I'm going to kill those effing bastards!"
"Not if I don't get to them first!" Bill objected, his face turning bright red with fury.
Alyssa let out a bitter laugh. "Too late. I already took care of them for you."
Their anger was immediately replaced with shock. "Seriously?" said Fred. "You murdered more people?"
Alyssa glared at him. "Like you wouldn't have done the same. This is war. We've got no choice. We're all going to have blood on our hands. And in this case, they definitely deserved it. I've managed to wipe out the entire Lestrange family."
"Did you use the Killing Curse?"
Another bitter laugh escaped her. "Not at all. I tortured them first. And then I bashed both their heads into the wall. It was honestly the best thing that ever happened the entire time there."
Both brothers exchanged glances before looking back at her. Fred said, "Well, not that I'm happy that you killed someone again, but at least those bastards paid for what they did."
"You actually remember it this time?" Bill asked.
A grim look crossed her face. "This wasn't a psychotic episode caused by extreme grief and rage. This was something done out cold-hard revenge."
"So what now?" Fred said.
Alyssa looked over to where Olivia's room was. "One thing's certain. Olivia's not going on this mission anymore. And I don't think Evan should, either."
"Damn right," Bill said grimly. "My sister will be going to Aunt Muriel's where the rest of the family is hiding. All she needs right now is help and support."
"What about Alyssa?" Fred asked. "She can't do this on her own."
"Yes, I can!"
"Well, you're not! I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not!"
"Oh hell no!"
"You shouldn't be doing this on your own!"
"If you come, I might as well not have broken up with you in the first place!"
"Good! You shouldn't have broken up with me anyways, even with the promise ring I gave you!"
"I had to! You were in a dangerous position to be going out with the Chosen One!"
"So are Olivia, Evan, and Neville for being your best friends! Hell, the entire Weasley family's in danger for being your surrogate family! I think being your boyfriend's not that much a difference!"
"It's not the same –"
"Yes, it is the same thing! It doesn't matter! I'm coming with you, and that's final!"
She opened her mouth to argue, but he interrupted her by crushing his lips onto hers. It took her barely even a second to respond out of desperate need for comfort, and they broke apart nearly five minutes after savoring the feel of being close together like they were several months before. She was crying again out of relief and sorrow, and he hugged her tightly while she let it all out. Neither realized that Bill had left earlier while they were arguing.
"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "Everything's been so stressful, and it only gets worse every time. Everyone I love is hurt in some way, and I feel like it's because of me. Olivia being raped is just the last straw. I can't afford to lose you to some other tragedy. It all happens too much."
He nodded as he placed a light kiss on her head. "I understand. I'm still coming with you."
She hiccuped and wiped her eyes. Looking up at him with dead seriousness she said, "What do you know about Horcruxes?"
AN 3: Reviews are greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance to those who do!
