My apologies on the wait, everyone. I had to think long and hard of where I
wanted this to go and other commitments have gotten in the way of my
writing. I now know where I am going, more importantly where Sev and
Cassie and Drac are going..Get ready, this shits about to get heavy!!1
Enjoy. Big thanks to all my reviewers - Don't worry, I could never let the
object of my obsession Die... not yet, anyhow..
Purgatory
"Professor?" the voice was weak, and called shatteringly out to him from somewhere behind the blinding shadows which surrounded him. Suddenly aware of himself, he was startled to realize that everywhere he tried to look, there wasn't anything but darkness. He couldn't move, couldn't turn around to see behind him - had there been a full body bind placed upon him, or some similar hex? Why couldn't he see? That was what was really bothering him. He had no idea where he was, and it was neither cold nor hot, soft nor cold. He felt as if he might be floating in the air, or was he possibly 6 feet under water?
He attempted to call back to the voice, which he recognized as belonging to a young girl and sounded vaguely familiar though he couldn't remember who she was or if she was of any significance to him. His voice wouldn't work, nothing came out, and he didn't believe that his lips moved. "DAMN!" the word shot across his mind like a snitch.
"Professor?" Slightly different tone this time, same voice. Had she heard his thought? How could that be? Should he try again?
"Indeed." Was the only thing that came to the surface.
"Professor. It is you! I can't find you Professor, I'm frightened!" The voice trailed off, ending in a slight whimper.
Don't fade away child, you seem to be the only thing in this place (where WAS this place?) that is logical. I need to know that I haven't finally gone over the edge and completely lost my mind. I need a thread to hold onto. "Don't leave me little one, I need to remember who we are and why we are here." he was aware of who he was, but at the moment his name escaped him. All other details seemed very sketchy, just out of his reach of comprehension.
"Professor, I'm so scared. I think I'm dying! "The voice broke off into a stifled sob "He found me, even in a Muggle hospital, I don't know how he knew I was there. But he found me, Professor, and gave me poisons.. That's all I remember before I came to this place . I'm so terrified!" The voice hit a panicky pitch.
He who? Who would poison a mere child, how deranged and cruel was that? He mulled it over in his mind, struggling to hold the question, and suddenly the memories flooded him..
Hogwarts
His softly darkened dungeons, his passion for chemicals and their interactions
Dumbledore
Ignoble...
IGNOBLE!
Malfoy and the girl.
Cassandra!
The trip to Muggle London
Shouting at her
The red bus careening at her in the intersection...
(It was all HIS fault)
Bolting into the street to catch her
The impact as he hit Cassandra
The darkness which ensued as the bus hit him.
Suddenly it all made sense. In a instant he knew for a fact who he was, and that his ward was in grave danger. He would not let her down, as he had to so many in the past. His past.. it was a darkened room right now, but it caused him hurt to think of it. Something terrible must have happened, something beyond the incident which found them here. Whatever it had been, it would not happen again. He must protect the girl.
"Hold on Cassandra! I'm coming for you. Don't stop fighting the poison- stay strong, I will create as antidote for you. But you must keep fighting it, Child!" He sent the words out in a rippling wave, and they almost seemed to cut the grey curtains which surrounded him, if only momentarily.
"I'll try professor. Please don't die! I'm trying to come and find you!" The little voice called back, clearer this time.
Die? Why would she be worried that he might die? She was the one who had been poisoned by a deranged man. It was simply a dream, nothing more. Telepathic communicating, kything was normal in wizards, almost common place once they were of an age to be aware of it. Why did she think he would die.? Unless they were both in this place for the same reason. Could it be that they were both hovering on the brink of death, and that this place was his own personal hell? It was quieter and safer than he had ever imagined. No screaming voices, no pain or torture nor torment. How strange, how soothing. he could almost get comfortable here.
An agonizing scream cut though his private musings, and in that moment he knew he must make a choice, and although he had the right to seal his own fate, that of the young girl he'd grown fond of lay in the balance. With a shocking force, he felt his entire self being vacuumed up and across the darkness, coming back with an agonized gasp into semi-consciousness.
Purgatory
"Professor?" the voice was weak, and called shatteringly out to him from somewhere behind the blinding shadows which surrounded him. Suddenly aware of himself, he was startled to realize that everywhere he tried to look, there wasn't anything but darkness. He couldn't move, couldn't turn around to see behind him - had there been a full body bind placed upon him, or some similar hex? Why couldn't he see? That was what was really bothering him. He had no idea where he was, and it was neither cold nor hot, soft nor cold. He felt as if he might be floating in the air, or was he possibly 6 feet under water?
He attempted to call back to the voice, which he recognized as belonging to a young girl and sounded vaguely familiar though he couldn't remember who she was or if she was of any significance to him. His voice wouldn't work, nothing came out, and he didn't believe that his lips moved. "DAMN!" the word shot across his mind like a snitch.
"Professor?" Slightly different tone this time, same voice. Had she heard his thought? How could that be? Should he try again?
"Indeed." Was the only thing that came to the surface.
"Professor. It is you! I can't find you Professor, I'm frightened!" The voice trailed off, ending in a slight whimper.
Don't fade away child, you seem to be the only thing in this place (where WAS this place?) that is logical. I need to know that I haven't finally gone over the edge and completely lost my mind. I need a thread to hold onto. "Don't leave me little one, I need to remember who we are and why we are here." he was aware of who he was, but at the moment his name escaped him. All other details seemed very sketchy, just out of his reach of comprehension.
"Professor, I'm so scared. I think I'm dying! "The voice broke off into a stifled sob "He found me, even in a Muggle hospital, I don't know how he knew I was there. But he found me, Professor, and gave me poisons.. That's all I remember before I came to this place . I'm so terrified!" The voice hit a panicky pitch.
He who? Who would poison a mere child, how deranged and cruel was that? He mulled it over in his mind, struggling to hold the question, and suddenly the memories flooded him..
Hogwarts
His softly darkened dungeons, his passion for chemicals and their interactions
Dumbledore
Ignoble...
IGNOBLE!
Malfoy and the girl.
Cassandra!
The trip to Muggle London
Shouting at her
The red bus careening at her in the intersection...
(It was all HIS fault)
Bolting into the street to catch her
The impact as he hit Cassandra
The darkness which ensued as the bus hit him.
Suddenly it all made sense. In a instant he knew for a fact who he was, and that his ward was in grave danger. He would not let her down, as he had to so many in the past. His past.. it was a darkened room right now, but it caused him hurt to think of it. Something terrible must have happened, something beyond the incident which found them here. Whatever it had been, it would not happen again. He must protect the girl.
"Hold on Cassandra! I'm coming for you. Don't stop fighting the poison- stay strong, I will create as antidote for you. But you must keep fighting it, Child!" He sent the words out in a rippling wave, and they almost seemed to cut the grey curtains which surrounded him, if only momentarily.
"I'll try professor. Please don't die! I'm trying to come and find you!" The little voice called back, clearer this time.
Die? Why would she be worried that he might die? She was the one who had been poisoned by a deranged man. It was simply a dream, nothing more. Telepathic communicating, kything was normal in wizards, almost common place once they were of an age to be aware of it. Why did she think he would die.? Unless they were both in this place for the same reason. Could it be that they were both hovering on the brink of death, and that this place was his own personal hell? It was quieter and safer than he had ever imagined. No screaming voices, no pain or torture nor torment. How strange, how soothing. he could almost get comfortable here.
An agonizing scream cut though his private musings, and in that moment he knew he must make a choice, and although he had the right to seal his own fate, that of the young girl he'd grown fond of lay in the balance. With a shocking force, he felt his entire self being vacuumed up and across the darkness, coming back with an agonized gasp into semi-consciousness.