Chapter 4: The Misery

Do you really know me? I might be a God Show that you care adn how to cry How do you see me? Can yo usee my blood when I'm bleeding?.

Broken– Sonata Arctica

"What the hell!" yelled Ron. Mrs Weasley looked frantically around, trying to find Veronique. "Where'd she go?"

"Elsewhere," said Skylar quietly. He stood there staring at Mr Malfoy. Then he lost his temper. "You bastard! How could you? My God, you are heartless. She hates you, she's petrified of you and you know that. After everything she's been through, after everything you put her through. I HATE you." He turned to Draco. "As for you, if you even think about using any of that against her at school you'll have me to answer to, understood?" Draco looked from the furious Skylar to Mr Malfoy. He looked suddenly frightened at the look on his father's face and turned back to Skylar.

"I, err, what? You can't frighten me Veero," he spat, his sneer not quite as convincing as usual. Skylar laughed.

"Of course not." He turned to the Weasleys and Hermione. "Let's get out of here," then remembered he wasn't in charge here. "Please."

Mrs Weasley nodded and swept past a fuming Mr Malfoy and Draco. Everyone followed quickly and as quietly as possible.

An hour later they all sat in The Leaky Cauldron having lunch. Skylar had bought all of Veronique's things after assuring Mrs Weasley she would be fine and had probably gone to head quarters.

"I don't get," said Fred with his mouth full. "How could she apparate?"

"She didn't," Skylar said shortly. Fred frowned at him and Skylar sighed. "She transported, it's not the same and few people can do it."

"But-"

"No more questions Fred," said Mr Weasley.

There was silence whilst they all ate. When they had all finished Hermione looked at Skylar.

"Excuse me, Skylar, can I ask something?"

He looked up. "You can, though I won't necessarily answer it."

"Err, right. Erm, well, err, what was all that about?"

"All what?"

"Err, back there when she screamed and when you were yelling at Mr Malfoy. I didn't, I don't know if anyone did, I mean, I didn't understand," she broke off.

"I don't think you should ask that Hermione," said Mrs Weasley. "Come on everyone-"

"No. She has the right to know. You all do, though I'm aware that yourself and Mr Weasley already know," Skylar said, looking at Mrs Weasley. Then he turned to Hermione.

"I am not going to tell you as much as could be told. After everything that has happened to my sister I am not at liberty to tell people everything, only she can do that. You shall have to put up with the little information I can give I am afraid.

"Can you remember back to your third year? Towards the end of it, can you remember anything from any newspaper headlines to do with anything other than Uncle Sirius?" Hermione shook her head.

"We were all too worried about him, hang on, Uncle?"

"Yes, he's my Uncle. My mother, Orion Black, was his sister, twin sister actually. Anyway, at the end of your third year my sister went missing. She used to go for walks after Mum had finished teaching us for the day, we weren't taught at a school. One day she just didn't come back. My mum did not particularly mind, she didn't get on with Veronique at all, but she still got search parties sent out, but there was no sign of her.

"After a month my mother gave up. She said that it would be a miracle if Veronique was still alive. We'd found her wand abandoned and snapped in three at a nearby park. We thought she was dead.

"The next thing happened a little over a year after she'd gone missing. It happened on the night you witnessed Voldemort's return Harry. Veronique turned up. She had transported herself from wherever she had been to Dumbledore's office and then collapsed. Dumbledore found her after he had taken Sirius up to his office he carried her to the bed in his quarters and left her there. Once he had dealt with Harry and Fudge and everyone else he, my mother, my uncle and myself went to her to find out what had happened."

He stared at the table and closed his eyes, but a single tear ran down his cheek.

"What, what happened?" asked Hermione falteringly. He looked at her.

"She looked terrible," he whispered. "Her hair was all matted and greasy and large chunks of it were missing. She was so pale, she looked dead. She hasn't changed much there. She was covered in dry blood and dirt and her skin was covered in cuts and bruises. Her head was still bleeding from a huge gash across it. Her breathing was shallow and rasping, no one knew if she was going to live."

Hermione looked shocked, but not as shocked as Mrs Weasley who hadn't known the true extent of what had happened.

"It took a week but finally she recovered and we could find out what had happened. And here is where I can tell you no more. All you need know is that everything that happened to her has lead her to have an aversion to touch, and there are certain people whom she wishes never to see again. I apologise, I can give you no more information."

Veronique transported to outside headquarters. Once there she breathed deeply and let herself in. She slowly walked across the hall and into the kitchen, checking there was no one else there first. Once there she got her self a glass of water and rinsed her mouth. Then she drunk some and stood there, leaning against the sink.

Memories were flying around her head, none of them good. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't forget, she couldn't make them leave.

She couldn't think straight either. She moved slowly over to where the knives were kept. She took one and pulled her sleeve up, staring at the spot where a black mark was burnt into her skin. Then she took the knife and dragged it across her skin.

The blood dripped onto the floor. She smiled slightly and did it again.

She was so absorbed in her work that she didn't hear the door open, or the gasp that came from the person who had opened it.

Severus Snape walked down the stairs into the hallway of thirteen Grimmauld Place. He was about to leave when he saw the kitchen door slightly open. He wasn't sure why but something made him go over there and open the door.

Leaning on the table was Veronique, a knife in her hand. Snape gasped at the sight of her arm, it was a bloody mess. He walked over there and grabbed the knife from her hand. The girl looked up, fear in her mismatched eyes. Her mouth was open and she was breathing heavily. Tears were running silently down her cheeks.

Severus looked at the teenager and felt something, it may have been pity; it may have been guilt. He wasn't sure which.

"Why?" he whispered.

She began shaking and let out a small sob. She stared at her arm and sunk to the floor in tears. He put the knife on the table and knelt beside her.

"Veronique, I want to help you. Why are you doing this?"

"You know," came the whispered reply.

"I know, you're right, I do know." He looked tired as he ran a hand through his jet black hair. She looked up at him.

"Help me." He stared at her. "Please help me."

He didn't know what to do, which was something that happened rarely. He looked at the girl who was begging him to help her. "Veronique," he said slowly. "I promise I will never hurt you, and I promise that as long as I am able to do anything about it, no one will hurt you."

She looked up at him and then fell against him, sobbing. He put his arms around her and attempted to comfort the sobbing girl.