FAGEtastic Four

Title: October

Written For: Aurelle Angelus

Written By: BeMyHeroSeverrus

Rating: T

Summery/Prompt Used: A forest to end it all will also begin it all for Zinnia. The Dark Stranger has come and took the breath out of Zinnia. He has his secrets and she has hers. will their secrets bring them together or tear them apart.

Chapter Eight: Red October

Another Halloween was upon Zinnia. The day was darkly grey and cloudy; lighting flashed across the sky. Rain would no doubt fall before the night was out. To Zinnia it seemed to describe her moody perfectly. Since Friday, she had spent her time locked in her house. The strange siblings were no where to be seen, but her stomach had been in knots since she first met them.

Echo laid curled by the fire, while Zinnia sat on the couch. She sat with her knees to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. Her stomach was still flipping. Her nerves were on end and bile rested in the middle of her throat. Night had finally fallen over the town.

Quite suddenly a noise broke through the silence. Zinnia was up and rolled across the floor as a green stream of light passed her. Echo barked madly. Zinnia crawled over to him quickly as red streams passed overhead.

"Echo! Echo! Quiet!" She grabbed his face. "Echo listen, hide! Go hide boy. Just like we practiced. Hide now."

Echo whined but ran up the stairs. Isis came stalking up to Zinnia. "Isis, go send the paw, quickly."

The lights stopped and wheezy laughs filled the room.

"Come out, come out, yeh dirty lil' muggle." A womans voice spoke.

Zinnia recognized it. She had been right, the woman, Amy, had altered her voice. This was no doubt her real voice; more wheezy then before.

"What the hell do you want?" Zinnia yelled and quickly moved from her spot.

"We want your lil' lover boy! Where is he?"

She had worked out that much. Though she had to admit Tobias being a wizard was definitely shocking. She was postitive these two were a witch and wizard, if they wanted Tobias it had to be because he was one as well. She should have realized there was something magical about him.

"I told you I don't know. He left me!"

"Had no business with a muggle anway." This time the man spoke, his voice just as wheezy as his sister. "Though he did always have a thing for that Mudblood."

Zinnia crawled closely to the door. A red light flashed passed her face. As she looked up the woman was above her. She rolled to the side and jumped up on her feet.

"Found yeh." The woman leered.

"Yeah well you have to catch me first!" Zinna threw open her sliding glass door and ran out into the rain towards the forest. They would have to catch her first and Zinnia knew this forest better then them. She ran for ten minutes, with nothing but the sound of rain behind her.

Clutching a stitch in her side, she stopped to catch her breath. Just a minute though, they had magic and wands while she was just a muggle. She hadn't been lying when she told Tobias she believed in magic. Yes, she knew about the witches and wizards. She had experience magic first hand. Unfortunately she had been caught in the middle during the war. While she escaped without a scratch, her parents had paid the highest price; death. 19 years ago on Halloween, the night the most feared wizard vanished, her parents were killed by Death Eaters.

A noise caused Zinnia to moved before a flash of purple passed by, narrowly missing her ear.

"Yeh can't hide from us yeh dirty lil animal." The mans leering voice came.

"What the hell do you want!" Zinnia zigzag through the forest, the siblings behind her.

"SNAPE! Where is he?"

Snape? Who the hell was that? Zinnia didn't...oh course. A sinking feeling hit her. Her foot caught on a rock. She fell, rolled and got up again. Tobias couldn't very well be his real name. Damn! How could she be so stupid?

"I DONT KNOW WHERE HE IS!"

"DON'T LIE!"

Lights constantly passed Zinnia, who didn't stop. Her side had hit the rock, she at the very least had bruised her rib. Twigs tore and scratched her cloths and skin. For a fleeting moment she wasn't sure she was going to survive the night. Did it matter anyway? This wasn't a scary movie, where the monsters disappeared at sunrise. She needed help and fast.

A stream of curses flew her mouth. Heavy rain fell, she could barely see in front of her but she ran nonetheless. Mud thicken the forest floor, making it harder to run. Zinnia slipped and slide down the a small incline. She was doomed. She couldn't get up from the mud. As she looked up the siblings were standing there, their wands held in their hands and identical twisted smiles on their face.

"Found yeh."

Zinnia's heart race so face she was sure she was going to die. This was it. She would meet the same fate as her parents; dead in a flash of green.

"Crucio."

Hot searing pain filled Zinnia. Everything hurt so much she wished she was dead. Even as the curse was lifted her body twitched uncontrollably, her thoat was sore from screaming; screaming she didn't know she had done.

"Don't think we'll kill yeh. That'd be too easy."

Zinnia could barely see the womans jeering face. This wouldn't be over fast. For a moment she actually wished for the sweet release of death.

The man raised his wand this time, "Cruci-"

A purple flashed grazed the mans cheek. Blood fell down, a large gash had appeared on his cheek. He fell back with a grunt.

"Amycus?" The woman asked.

"Alecto, where did that come from?"

The both stood silently with their wands out.

"Show yourself!" The woman, Alecto, yelled.

"As you wish." a low deep voice spoke. One Zinnia recognized at once.

Tobias- Snape?- whoever he was, he stepped out from the shadows. His own black wand held tightly in his hand. Zinnia felt her breath catch in her throat. It had seemed liked years since she last saw him. he hadn't changed at all. He had only been gone for five months, so she shouldn't be that surprised. Still, it was good to see him again; even if he did break her heart.

"Snape."

"Ah, the Carrows. I should have known you two escaped a sentace in Azkaban. No doubt you have been behind the Muggle killings."

The gave wheezy laughs, Alecto answered, "We hoped it would bring you out of your lil' hole. Since you're good now." she spat on the floor.

"Ah yes, I seen. Have you come to avenge the Dark Lord, surly you don't think he's still alive."

"He came back last time." Amycus spoke.

"Enough, I will not reason with you dunderhead."

In a flash of waves they were in a duel, lights flashed and tress split. Zinnia watched half amazed and terrified. it seemed to go on forever, but in a flash of red the siblings were out cold and in a net. Tobi- no Snape- turned and look at her.

His features soften slightly at the sight of her. "are you okay?"

"I'm stuck." she said somewhat lamely. But she was so shocked, not much seemed to want to come out. Her brain was going so fast from all the new information.

He waved his wand and she felt herself come free. He approached her slowly, "Are you frightened by me?" his voice was low and an underlying of disappointment was laid beneath.

"No, I am not afraid of you. Can you just take me home, Tob- er Snape?"

A pain expression flashed over his face but he picked her up nonetheless and carried her to her house. Once it came with view Echo came bounding out. "Shh, I'm okay. Come inside."

Snape placed Zinnia gently on the couch. "Are you hurt?"

"Yes, my ribs."

"Do you mind?"

Zinnia shook her head and Snape gently picked up her blouse. A large nasty purple bruise graced her skin, below her breath. But Snape wasn't looking at that. Below her other breast, black ink graced her skin. A picture of a Doewas etched into her skin

"What- what is that."

"Um, my tattoo. I told you magic saved me. A silver Doe rescued me 19 years ago today."

"Zinnia, you should know the truth..."

Oh my whats going to happen? Okay well I'm going to be late for work Ill finish this when I get home.