Pairing: Avery

Prompt: common room

For Sylvia. She's been a great beta for me these past few weeks, and really helpful. So Merry Christmas! I wasn't exactly sure what you would want, so I picked something off your birthday fic exchange list – a less known Marauder era character that I've fleshed out.

(I would've written you something about Bill&Charlie siblingness as your present, but I had already written this when you mentioned it!)

It a bit darker than I was expecting but I hope you enjoy anyways, m'dear!

.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Avery asks his companion, fellow sixth year Slytherin, Mulciber. In front of them is a younger Mudblood by herself, walking the halls of the Dungeons. "The Mudblood seems to be lost," he adds on as they approach her.

"Leave me alone," she growls at them.

Smiling, Avery realizes that she's a Gryffindor, because only Gryffindors are stupid enough to say anything to anyone obviously older than themselves, much less older Slytherins. She tries to push pass them, but Avery and Mulciber don't budge. "And where do you think you're going?"

She looks up and meets his steel gray eyes with her own blue ones, not giving into her fear. "I'm heading back to my common room from extra potion lessons. Now, leave me alone!"

"And why would we do that?" Mulciber whispers in her ear. "We're having so much fun."

"You wouldn't dare to try anything," she informs them. "Because I'm not afraid to tell."

Her exclamation only serves to make Avery snicker. A smile appears across Mulciber's face and the Mudblood knows that it doesn't matter – they will do whatever they want.

Avery raises his wand to cast a silencing charm around them, because he doesn't want any intruders. Once he's done that, he turns his wand towards his victim. "What shall we do to the Mudblood, Mulciber?" Avery asks. A twisted smile crosses his face at the prospects of the curses they could do to the fourth Gryffindor girl standing in front of them.

She's two years younger than him, but her eyes flicker with defiance. The defiance only serves to make Avery's smile grow. He'll wipe that look completely off her face all in due time.

Mulciber just grins again. "It's been ages since I've had any fun," he says. "I seem to be a little rusty on my curses." Leaning toward the girl once more, Mulciber whispers in her ear loud enough for Avery to hear. "And I'd love to make you dance."

The girl still doesn't flinch. She still has a rebellious look in her eyes. But Avery can smell the fear pouring off her, even though she doesn't show it. Oh, yes, he thinks, this will be fun. And without another thought, he casts the Cruciatus curse on her.

She bites her lip to refuse them her screams of agony, and Avery can expect no less from a Gryffindor. They always do have to be brave and strong. Avery is rather bored with her refusing to scream for him. He nods towards Mulciber and suddenly, his ears are graced with her screams.

Falling to the ground, she just lets the curses overtake her. And it pleases Avery. He's always enjoyed the rush of emotions he feels when he casts the Cruciatus curse on someone. It's overwhelming and pleasurable, and just a little bit intoxicating. But he doesn't want to kill her. Oh no, that would be too easy. So he lifts the curse and allows her time to get her breathing back.

"Now, I don't expect you to run off and tell anyone about the fun we're having," Avery says off-handedly. "Because the consequences would be grave indeed, and a lot worse than this."

The girl just nods mutely and stands on shaky legs. A couple of seconds later, another girl comes rounding the corner. Avery vaguely recognizes her as the girl that Severus hangs out with. He doesn't want to cause tension between himself and Severus because the kid will come in useful later, so he pockets his wand.

"Oh, Mary! There you are," Severus' friend calls out. As she gets closer, she takes in her friend's shaking appearance and eyes Avery and Mulciber suspiciously. "You weren't hurt, were you?"

The girl shakes her head. "I'm fine, Lily. Let's get out of here. I have a bunch of studying to do," she replies to her friend. Her voice is a little rough from her screams and it just serves to anger Lily. As the red-headed girl walks away, she throws a glare over her shoulder.

"A shame our fun ended so soon," Mulciber says, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Avery watches until the two girls have turned down a different hallway. "A shame indeed."