Ruby and Devon trudged out of the hall and back into the courtyard. Malfoy was already waiting for them.
"Well if it isn't the terrible twosome. My, my, didn't we make a big mistake? I'm surprised you dared show your faces."
"Yeah well some of us have spine Malfoy." Ruby sneered.
"Some of us knew you would fail. Including the Dark Lord."
"He knew?"
"We all knew. The only reason you were given the assignment was because you already knew the girl. It saved time instead of sending someone else in to gain her trust."
"I don't get it, why bother with us if he knew we were going to fail?"
"It was a test."
"Shit." muttered Devon.
"Quite. Now the Dark Lord has another assignment for you. Hopefully you will find yourselves more than capable this time. In one week's time you are to go to the girl's abode."
"I thought we weren't going to be involved with her anymore?"
"If you let me finish. You will go at a time when you know she will not be home. If her, ah, housemate is home you will kill her. If not you wait for the young lady to return and then dispense of her. It is vitally important that this woman's life is ended. So don't mess up."
"Yes sir."
"I'm not a school teacher East, there's no need to call me Sir."
Malfoy swept away, leaving the couple in the darkened courtyard.
"Oh I hate him. 'I'm not a school teacher East'. Shouldn't act so bloody superior then should he? What is he? Like four years older than us?"
"Still, he's in the Dark Lord's trust, you shouldn't upset him."
"By the looks of it we're in His trust now."
"What do you mean? We messed up."
"Oh please, that was just Malfoy acting up again. You heard him, it's 'vitally important' what we're going to do."
"I think maybe Malfoy means it'll be our heads for the chop if we mess up again."
"If they thought we were going to mess up they wouldn't give us this job."
"They knew we were going to mess this up. What makes you think they don't know the same thing now?"
"What makes you think they don't know that we won't?"
"Ugh! This is giving me a headache. I'm going home. Meet me in the bandstand in Victoria park tomorrow at two."
"Viccy park at two."
The pair apparated their separate ways once more. They'd discuss their action plan the next day.
Carys awoke the next day with a sore head. Her mind felt fuzzy, she couldn't remember much of the night before, it all seemed blurry and dream like. There had been a party, lots of people, she remembered having a few drinks but that was it. And Ruby. For some reason she felt angry at Ruby. The two had obviously argued again. It was happening more and more often lately, well let that be the end of it. If the pair of them couldn't get on anymore they'd best just not bother. That would mean she wouldn't see Devon anymore either.
Not that that was any great loss. Devon had stopped being her friend and had become Ruby's boyfriend a long time ago. Let them have each other. She was better off without them. She had Lynne and her friends from work. When she thought about it, she didn't really have all that much in common with them anymore. It was a shame, but that was life.
Her eyes were blind with tears. How could this be happening? They had it all wrong. It wasn't her fault, it was nothing to do with her.
This was all just another dream. A continuation of the nightmares she'd been living with for months. It wasn't real. She'd wake up soon. Oh please, Merlin let her wake up.
"Help me." she sobbed.
Someone had to know this was all wrong. That she was innocent. But where were they if they did? She was here alone. No one could help her now. Even if they could it was doubtful that they'd be able to make the Auror's see sense. They were out for blood now. What had happened was serious. Someone needed to be held accountable. And it seemed she was that person.
"I didn't do it. I swear I didn't."
"The evidence all points to you Stroud. We know you did it. We just don't know why."
"I didn't do it!"
"Calm down Carys." Moody said, cutting all other thoughts short. "We won't hurt you unless you give us cause to. Let's just talk this through. Throw your wand out and we'll talk."
"You won't listen, no one will."
Images flashed through her mind. Her parent's taking her to the seaside. Going to live with Lisa. McGonagall's visit. Her first day at school. Her last day too. Her appointment at the Office of Registry. Ruby, Devon, Lynne, Lisa, and all the other people. Everything, every last thing led to here and now. Sitting on a damp, dusty floor of a warehouse in the middle of nowhere. Surrounded on all sides. Hunted like a fox. They were braying for blood. Her blood. They wouldn't get it.
If all they things that they said were true then she might be able to fight her way out. Then what? Run, hide, find out the truth. But she knew the truth. It was locked away in her mind. She held the secret of who she really was. Although now she wasn't so sure of who that was.
"You want to talk? We'll talk. But I'm not moving. I'm not leaving here. I'm not giving you my wand. So talk. What have I done. Tell me!"
"Sir, she's stalling."
"I know Bellamy. What other choice do we have, let her stall."
"But sir!"
"What do you want to know Carys?"
"What I did. Everything you say I did. I want you to tell me everything. I've got time for that, how about you?"
"We've got all the time in the world. Where shall I start?"