Chapter 19
Lupin was full of guilt and worry. He felt guilty that he might have been the one to push the boy into taking the potion. Worried about the effects that Snape had said were common and would result from the potion. It would be his fault if the boy succumbed to insanity and didn't recover from the horrible memories he was re-experiencing.
Severus as much as he detested, loathed, and hated the werewolf, he could not blame the boy's decision to take the banned potion on the wolf. It had been the boys own decision and had been planning this for awhile. According to the boy's Potion Journal, he had just lacked the means and opportunity to make it. Since rejoining the magical world however, the brat had already begun collecting the ingredients needed.
Cassian had no one but Cassian to blame for his current condition. Normally the dour Potion Master wouldn't say anything especially as anything that caused the wolf pain made him happy. Or it would if not for he fact that Severus was very curious about the depth of Remus' guilt. It was palpable and nearly a physical thing, broadcasting so easily.
The guilt and worry could very well pass as a teacher concerned for his student. That it had been their chat that had drove the boy to take the potion. And even though that might be part of it, Severus couldn't help but think it was more than that. It was almost as if it was personal. As if the wolf was grieving for a family member.
Narrowing his eyes, Severus asked, "What exactly were you two talking about, Lupin?"
The Potion Master watched as the werewolf's expression once again filled with guilt and anguish. Lupin was also filled with self-doubt and second guessing himself. He understood Snape was a fellow teacher and only had his students' best interest at heart, but... he was torn. He wanted to help the boy, but at the same time, he still wasn't sure if he could trust Snape with this information.
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The boy blinked and looked around in confusion. He was in a park. He couldn't remember how he got here, nor did he know why. He turned to look at his ever present companion. Harry was staring aback at him worriedly and with a bit of fear in his expression. "You're still bleeding."
Blinking, Boy reached up and touched the sticky uncomfortable fluid on the side of his face. Bringing his hand back into his vision he stared. His fingers were tipped in red. He was assaulted with the memory of the crash. He whimpered and crouched down as pain, guilt, and shame washed over him. Pain because his body was coming out of shock so was now feeling his acquired injuries. Guilt because he'd left his family in the car and didn't do anything to save them. Shame because he should have. If he had been able to do magic like Harry or Dudley he could have...
Pulling his legs to his chest, he wrapped his arms around them, and lay his head on his knees. "What am I gonna do now?"
He had no idea where to go. His aunt and uncle made it very clear he had no other relatives and his parents had died in a car crash. His aunt and uncle were the only family he had and now they were gone. No one else would want him. No one else could ever love him. He was alone save for Harry. Even if he could find his way back home, it was night and he'd never been outside at night before. Aunt Petunia had said that bad people wandered the street at night.
He continued to shake, chest starting to hurt. He was so wrapped up in his misery he didn't see or hear the approaching delinquent. A rock hit him directly in the middle of his back. It really stung but didn't hurt overly bad, but he had still cried out in startled. Turning he caught a rock to his shoulder and this time it really did hurt! He stared as the older boy grinned and picked up another rock. His face showed malicious joy as he tossed the fist size rock up and catching it.
Before Boy could ask what he'd done wrong and why the older boy was hurting him, the youth hurled the rock at him. Boy instinctively brought his arms up to protect his head as he flinched. He felt arms wrap around him and knew that it was Harry and that his brother had him in a protective hug. Harry was the one who got hit with the rock instead of Boy. The force of the throw and the size of the rock that hit Harry caused them to topple to the ground.
That made Boy angry. No one hurt his brother! Glaring at the teen who was staring in stunned disbelief, he felt something well up inside of him. He wanted to hurt the one who hurt Harry. Make him feel what Harry had felt, that he himself had felt when the rocks hit him. Next thing the child knew, the delinquent was moaning in pain on the ground, curled in a ball. There were three rocks by the whimpering youth. The very same three rocks that had been thrown at Boy and Harry. Boy felt drained and exhausted.
"That was impressive."
Boy nearly jumped out of his skin and dislocated his neck as he turned to face this new threat. He wasn't aware that the rocks that had been by the older boy were now floating in the air and flew toward where the voice came from. He gaped as the rocks seemed to halt in midair and drop to the ground.
"Sorry for startling you. Are you alright?"
"Um..." Boy blinked and looked this way and that. There was no one there. He looked to Harry who shook his head. He couldn't see anyone either. Was Boy losing his mind? That was the only explanation for hearing the voice and the rocks.
"You're not crazy," the very real audible voice said. "And I am not reading your thoughts, it's rather obvious what you are thinking."
"A-a-are you a ghost?" he stuttered.
"No. I am very much alive."
"How are you invisible?" Despite being a bit afraid, Boy was also curious.
"Magic," the voice responded simply.
"Magic?" It came out skeptically but Boy was actually thinking.
"Oh, yes." The voice was more eager now. "Do you want to learn? I can teach you. All you have to do is come with me."
"C-can I think about it?" He was trying to stall as he thought quickly and silently conversed with Harry.
"Certainly, but my offer is only good for three minutes. Decide before then."
"I don't think this is a good idea," Harry started.
'But magic! I really did it! And he could teach me. I won't be helpless anymore!' Nothing against his brother or to belittle him, but Harry didn't know how he could do what he did so it wasn't like he could help Boy out.
"But we don't even know who he is!" Harry tried to argue with the stranger danger tactic.
"What's your name?" Boy asked.
He could practically hear the smile in the man's voice. "My name is Markale."
"Why are you interested in me for?" While silently he retorted, 'There, now we know his name.'
"Do you really not know?" The voice sounded pleased with this news and the boys frowned. Markale quickly apologized though his voice seemed to barely conceal his excitement. "Sorry, but it is so rare to run into someone so naïve to their abilities. You, like myself are a wizard. You can do magic. You, like myself had magical parents or had a magical ancestor somewhere in your line in order to be able to do what you do."
Boy's eyes flashed, jaw clenching he glared at the ground. So, his parents were wizards too. Wait, they couldn't have been wizards. How could they have been taken by a stupid car crash? There was no way his parents would have died that way if they were magical, so that must mean he had a magical great grandfather or something. Something as simple as a car crash couldn't harm a wizard right? Yet...Dudley was magic...and he was gone. Taken by a car crash just like his parents.
"Have I said something to offend you?" Markale asked not sounding the least bit sorry.
Boy shook his head, not able to get a verbal response out. Obviously his parents hadn't been strong enough or powerful enough if a car crash could kill them. Well, Boy wouldn't die so pitifully. He would become strong. He would become powerful. He would not allow anything to take his family away from him again. Looking up, Boy ignored Harry's look. "Okay."
The concoction burned his throat and tasted vile! He felt his gag reflex activate and nearly spat out the liquid. A hand covered his mouth and a stern voice commanded, "Swallow."
Cassian's hands came up to claw at the hand, but his grandmother was stronger than him. His father sat in front of him impassively, only reaching out to capture Cassian's hands. The boy tried moving his head away from the hand over his mouth, but the woman's hands were like iron. Tears formed in his eyes but he refused to let them fall, if they escaped his eyes, it would be like admitting defeat. Unable to stop himself, Cassian swallowed the liquid and his body immediately seized and began to shake uncontrollably. His grandmother didn't let go of him in order to reduce the injury his flailing body would cause.
Voice and gaze dispassionate, Markale calmly stated, "You need to learn the failure of not being able to identify the poison or potion right away."
As the tremors gained in strength, Markale picked up another vial. Lucretia pried the boy's mouth open as her son poured the antidote down Cassian's throat. Once again, the woman's hand covered his mouth to keep him from coughing and spitting some out.
When Cassian's body was only twitching every now and then, Markale continued his lecture and warning. "Luckily today's lesson wasn't a lethal dose nor deadly. Luck will not always save you, so you have to constantly be aware and ready for anything. Create your own luck by using your brain."
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Severus growled as he and Poppy had to hold the boy down. Cassian was thrashing before his body went rigid, mouth open in a rictus of a scream, fingers and toes curling as his body arched. The boy's body went slack and the two professors relaxed with a pant.
The Potion Master wondered how much more the boy's body could take. Because of his foolishness, all the work Pomfrey and he had done, might have been for naught. They would have to start allover to heal the boy's damaged mouth and throat. Not to mention all the other injuries the boy was accruing once again.
On another hand, Severus was getting to see a bit of what his student had been through and he was not pleased one bit. Matter of fact, he was livid. No one, let alone a child deserved to have been treated as badly as this one had. It was a shame Markale Ashwood hadn't been kissed by a dementor. He more than deserved it from what Severus could see.
Pomfrey was near tears now. She had been in denial when it first began. Surely no one would treat their own child this way. Proof of the contrary was before her however. The marks appearing on the boy and from what Snape had divulged, it was evident that yes, it could and did happen.
"When is the mind healer due?" She whispered as the boy's body jerked and a long angry red welt appeared on Cassian's body.
"By the end of today. Ashwood altered the potion so his 'condition' is plus or minus."
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Cassian scowled as he glared up at the stars. He had no idea where they were. He was wondering if this was a punishment for not detecting the drug fast enough to prevent himself from losing consciousness. When he woke, he was tied up and a note from Markale telling him to find his way home. "Any clue where we are or if we're being watched?"
Harry looked but didn't see anyone nor did the landscape appear familiar at all. "The note said to use your lessons..."
Cassian snorted. "Lessons? I'm beginning to wonder if Markale actually wants a son. He's been doing a good job of trying to kill me."
"You think he was lying about getting your body accustomed to the poisons so you'd be able to resist them better?"
"How should I know?" Cassian snapped. "What lessons could I draw on out here?"
Harry thought as he gazed up at the stars and shrugged. Cassian frowned, arms crossed. What had Markale been really trying to 'teach' him?
"Stars..." Harry absently stated.
"What?"
"They're pretty."
This was the first time they'd been let out of the manor at night. Cassian frowned before his eyes widened in realization. The list of names...They were constellations! Markale had left him just a bit of a tip! Grinning, Cassian grabbed Harry's hand. "Let's go, Harry!"
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Boy looked up at Markale. The man had concocted a potion and after hearing how old he was, Boy and Harry watched and waited. He'd been asked about his family and seemed pleased when Boy replied that they were all dead. Looking at Boy as he approached with the potion he said, "This will help you forget. It'll suppress those memories."
Licking his lips, Boy asked, "Why?"
"Because you are going to be my heir. I need an heir and you'll do."
He gave the potion to the boy who drank it, but told Harry, 'You'll remember for me right?'
Harry nodded and held Cassian's hand as drank the potion. Boy's eyes glazed and Markale nodded. Drawing his wand he muttered, "Obliviate." Setting his wand back as if he'd never drawn it he stated, "From this day forward you are Cassian Ashwood, heir to the Ashwoods."
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Swallowing, Cassian looked nervously from one to the other. The old man and woman stared at him, inspecting him. The woman looked suspicious. "This is that Muggle's offspring?"
The man however looked at Markale with an unreadable expression. "What happened to his mother?"
"Dead," Markale replied flatly.
Cassian couldn't remember his mother and Markale said it was because it was too traumatizing. He should try and let it go since he would be living with his father and grandparents.
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They had been running for a few months and it was all Cassian's fault. If he hadn't gotten sick, Makale would never have had to go back to the apothecary where he'd been made. The Aurors had been trying to capture Markale since then. At the first site of Aurors, Makale had cast a disillusionment charm on Cassian. He stumbled a couple times trying to keep up as they ran and it didn't help that Markale would pull him along impatiently. His legs were tired and his breath was coming in pants.
Markale stopped and Cassian slammed into him, nearly falling to the ground. His father's grip on his hand prevented him from falling. His arm felt as if it was nearly yanked from it's socket as his father yanked him closer and shoved him behind a tree.
There were several pop sounds and Aurors were there surrounding them. Growling, Markale shoved the top of Cassian's head down, forcing him to the ground, even as he pulled his wand. The man started firing curses at them and began to run. Cassian stared wide eyed and trembling as the Aurors and his father fought. There were too many! His father wouldn't be able to get out of this! It was his fault, so he should be the one to try and help fix it. Pulling his wand, he swallowed nervously and pointed it at the nearest Auror. His arm was trembling.
"Abolesco,"(1) he quietly said and watched the dark yellow jet of light hit the nearest Auror's arm. The man screamed, clutching his arms as it began to wither before his eyes. The other Aurors were distracted for a moment and Markale used it to kill one of the men and growled, "Dammit boy, if you're going to help, then kill them!"
Cassian flinched and nodded even if his father couldn't see it. Leave no witnesses. That was another Markale had made him learn and beat it into his head. Letting out a breath, Cassian aimed at another Auror and whispered, "Avada Kedavra!"
The green light hit the man and he went down. From there it was just plain confusing with people firing spells left and right. When the spells ceased, Cassian saw that everyone was down and not moving except for his father. The man was bloody and burnt and gesturing for him to come where he was half sitting on the ground.
Going over to him, Cassian knelt next to him. The man pressed the Ashwood ring into his hand then calmly told him, "Finish me."
"I-I can't -"
"Finish me, boy!"
Cassian flinched, clutching the ring tightly in his fist. Harry quietly said, "He's suffering. If-if you kill him then -"
"No!"
Markale grabbed the front of Cassian's shirt and pulled him close. "Finish me now or let the Aurors do it. They'll question me and take you away. They'll lock you up in Azkaban and you'll never see the light of day. They have ways of finding out what spells were performed by who. Trust me boy, you're youth won't save you."
Glaring at Cassian he growled out, "Leave. No. Witnesses. Finish it." He roughly shoved the boy away when he shook his head.
"You disgust me. You're weak. I shouldn't have ever brought you home. I should have left you to fend for yourself and be at the mercy of predators."
Cassian began to shake and Markale sneered at him. "This is your fault. If I had left you I wouldn't be waiting for Aurors to haul me away."
Tears fell from Cassian's eyes as he glared at the man. It was all true and he couldn't deny it. He started it, so it was only right he finish it. Pointing his wand at Markale he choked out, "Avada Kedavra!"
Knowing that he had to mean it and want the person dead, Cassian dredged up everything he could and motivation of wanting to stay out of Azkaban helped. As soon as he uttered the spell, Cassian slumped to the ground on his knees. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he stood. He should tell grandmother and that wasn't going to be pretty.
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A.N. - So, a little insight into Cassian's character? And yeah, hoping that will explain it for some people who still weren't connecting Boy and Cassian as the same person. This chapter is short. Really short -_- but the next one will be longer. I was in a bit of a rush to get this one up.
(1) Abolesco - Decay