Part 3- Right Between the eyes

The Midlands - Tomorrow

The light was fading in the small wooded grove as the army of black clad figures stood whispering in the breeze. The stars twinkled softly in the sky as a man reclined slowly on a grey marble throne. A soft tinkle of laughter sounded a he inclined his head at the woman lying on her back on the grey marble slab. She lay sedately, twisting a strand of poker straight, dirty blonde hair between her fingers. Her nails, painted a dark black, tapped a rhythm against the hard stone. The woman could be no more than 18, not a real woman at all and yet………. She seemed so old for her years. Her eyes rimmed with bags as well as kohl gave her a drawn look. Her face, like her cloak, was faded, as though a disease had ravaged her very soul. In fact that was not far from the truth. Not a disease, a responsibility, a responsibility that had permeated even the darkest corners of her mind, leaving no room for rational thought. She had given up on that a long time ago, instead relying on her instincts and to her credit, they had served her well for over a year now, ever since she ran away………….

"You can charm me all you like, Tom," She smiled up at him, "But my rules stand. While you are on my land, you will live by my rules. Therefore if you happen to stumble upon three teenagers, you will bring them to me where I shall decide their punishment, using the laws of my land." She finished slowly waving her arm above her head as if to mark out her land with her hand. 'Tom' visibly straightened his back at the use of his name, very few people had ever called him that and he had killed most of them.

Grudgingly he nodded his head slowly, a sneer spreading across his face as he reached forward to catch her hand in mid air, tracing her knuckles with his fingers. "Of course my dear," here he buried a nail into her skin, fixing her with his gaze, she didn't even flinch as the red globules of blood slipped across her wrist. "But if they come looking for me, and it is a possibility that they will, I am entitled to use self defence against them, am I not, by the rules of your land." He mimicked her, taunting her with his last sentence. Her smile only grew wider, soaking in his supposed hostility, something to use against him later, she thought, storing every comment in that little part of her memory named 'Tom'.

Releasing her hand the man with the slitted eyes stood, waving a hand in the general direction of some of his servants. "And now for the entertainment, my sweet, just for you." Three men appeared from the edge of the clearing dragging a flaxen haired boy between them. He was thrust roughly to his knees in front of the marble slab as the woman raised herself into a sitting position, legs dangling over the edge.

"This boy has been very stupid. His cowardice has almost cost me the lives of many, and why? Because he didn't have the strength to kill. You can kill my dear, can't you?" At this the thin, pale man, 'Tom' turned towards his guest, a former captive. He raised his eyebrows, waiting for a response. The woman simply nodded, not trusting her voice, she needed to stay strong and in control in Tom's presence, but looking into this boy's eyes her resolve faltered.

"Well then, my sweet, tradition commands that the boy's father kill the unruly son. Do you agree with this or would you prefer to do it yourself?" Abruptly the woman stood, thinking fast she turned towards her former master, walking slowly towards him, she whispered slowly into his ear, "Can't he wait?" She trying to buy some time, save the boy's life, escape unharmed, all of the above?

'Tom' chuckled, "Surely you can wait my dear, what would my followers think?" She pulled away masking her disappointment with a sneer.

"But of course, I think that it would be a good idea if………" But she never got chance to finish her sentence on how best to kill the boy on his knees in front of her for at that moment, the three aforementioned teenagers burst out of the woods, wands pointed squarely at Voldemort, or 'Tom' as Cassie called him.

Cassie sighed, well that was her only theory for saving Potter and his friends blown out of the water. She leaned forward head resting against 'Tom's' chest. His heand came up and consolingly patted her back. "Never mind, Cassie. I'm sure the next time you try to save children's lives, they will be a little more gracious in holding on to your good judgment." His words sounded cryptic even to one who had listened to them day and night for a year but the underlying message was still there: They've come and now I will kill them.

It all seemed slightly pointless for a second but then she caught sight of movement in the corner of her eye. Lucius Malfoy, her old memory and……. Well, it was probably best to stick with enemy. He was levelling his wand against his own son, the boy formerly in danger from Cassie. How was it that one evening threatening an old master could spiral down hill so quickly into an evening trying to save the lives of four teenagers and oneself?

Cassie's mind clicked into gear quickly as she swiftly stepped backwards away from Voldemort towards Lucius.

"Let him live," she pointed towards Draco, completely ignoring Potter and friends, "And I fight for you. All my power on your side and I will help you destroy them," here she pointed back to Harry, Ron and Hermione putting them in danger's way again.

It was an intoxicating idea for 'Tom', this woman held more power than even him possibly, and until now she had stayed neutral. Lucius turned his head towards his leader, uncertainty glittering in his eyes. Everything weighed on his decision. Lucius was confident he would choose well, kill the boy, then the woman, and then the Golden Trio. It would work and it would solve all their problems. Then he spotted something in his master's eyes, something he didn't like. A kind of joyful lust and he turned towards Cassie and nodded. "He lives and you fight for us." Cassie nodded in agreement, turning towards Harry, Ron and Hermione, a fulfilled look on her face. Timing was everything, she had to fake their deaths well, to make it believable and…………

A flash of green came from behind her as Cassie realised Lucius wasn't going to give up that easily. She pushed off her feet, spiralling back in a kind of back flip, landing on her hands as vines erupted from her wrists, encircling the blond boy and pulling him back towards Cassie, away from the green flames. Landing on her feet again, all hell broke loose. Voldemort screamed, Lucius screamed, Draco groaned, Harry struggled against her vines, Hermione went limp accepting her fate and Ron grabbed at Hermione's prone form. Most importantly Cassie flew, spreading her great, majestic, white, feathery wings and lifting off the ground, four teenagers bound to her with thick green vines.

She reached cloud level before anybody felt the down side of exceedingly fast flying at exceedingly high altitudes. Ron vomited, the glop slipping down to Earth, Cassie not bothering to collect it.

"Hogwarts it is then," she breathed to herself and sped north, to the Scottish Highlands, wishing she wasn't.

Don't care what they have to say
No point in listenin' to them anyway
Why'd you have to give them what they want?
They love to watch you as you fall apart

Stick it to them like a phoenix rise
There's nothing grander than the big surprise
They can't hurt you with their sticks and stones
About time take them right between the eyes

Seek to destroy cause they're scared of you
That's why they try to make a fool of you
They're so jealous of my pretty star
Cause you've got soul inside your shattered heart

Stick it to them like a phoenix rise
There's nothing grander than the big surprise
They can't hurt you with their sticks and stones
About time take them right between the eyes

And you've been waiting all your life
To fly high into somebody else
And it's true it's a cruel, cruel world
Life's a bitch and then you die my love

Don't care what they have to say
You shouldn't listen to them anyway

Stick it to them like a phoenix rise
There's nothing grander than the big surprise
They can't hurt you with their sticks and stones
About time take them right between the eyes

People like to build you up
Then they'll stab you in the back like that
You know it breaks my heart
Can't see you going out like that

Stay alive my love
Stay alive my love
Stay alive my love
Stay alive my love Garbage – Right Between the Eyes