I had been in the hospital wing for another full week and despite the twins daily visits and Snapes company I felt alone. Empty. I had been keeping up on my school work (occasionally worming some tips from Snape), but it just wasn't enough. Before when I had done nothing I was plagued with my own thoughts but now I was just empty. My thoughts flew by but I didn't pay attention to them, I was simply there.
I think that Snape had noticed how quiet I was now but if he did he didn't say anything. He would sometimes help me adjust my pillows or help move my leg to another position but he didn't say what he thought aloud, and I was grateful for it.
"Its Halloween." He said simply one morning, standing beside my bed.
"Is that your reason for waking me up then?"
"You weren't asleep."
I sighed, I rarely slept.
"So whats up? Would you like to dress up as a sulky potions master and I dress up as your pissed off student? I bet the other teachers would think that that would be a real hoot." I said and I saw the corner of his mouth twitch.
"No you're required to go to feast." He answered and I groaned.
"How am I supposed to go?" I asked, irritated, "I can't walk."
"I'm taking you down in a wheelchair." He said and I shot to attention.
"No. I'm not going to the feast looking like a bloody fool while you push me. Anyways isn't McGonagall my head of house? Shouldn't she be taking me?"
"You know as well as I do that Professor McGonagall is still recovering."
"I'm not going."
"I'll be back in ten minutes you better be ready."
I was about to shout an angry "OR WHAT?!" but he left the room. Grumpily and rather difficulty I got dressed and waited for him. He opened the door and walked in, wheeling a wheelchair and this time brought Charlie, Fred, and George.
"What-"
"Hullo Casper we are your new entourage for the Feast." George said and I looked up at Snape who was sporting a rather annoyed look on his face.
"Yes my dear Casper it seems that you've been rather depressed lately and we have come to change that." Fred added and I only looked on numbly as Charlie picked me up and put me in the wheelchair.
"It'll be fun." He said and began pushing me out the door. I looked at Snape helplessly and he smirked, passing us on his way to the Great Hall.
"Guys I really don't wanna do this." I said just as we were about to go in.
"Aw c'mon Cas it'll be fine." Charlie encouraged me and he pushed me into the Hall.
I looked around, wishing I was anywhere other than here. Everyone stopped what they were doing and the teachers were all smiling broadly, all except Snape who was giving a nasty smirk.
"Oh god." I whispered and hid my face in my hands.
Fred and George were standing around me, creating streamers from their wand and Charlie laughed, rolling me over to the far end of the Gryffindor table, closest to the teachers. I wanted to curl up in a ball. I wanted everyone to stop looking at me so I could curl up and die.
I looked at the table numbly, feeling rather claustrophobic. Food appeared in front of me but I just stared at it, the thought of food making me sick.
"You should eat." Charlie said and I blinked at him.
"I'm not hungry." I muttered, and put my head back in my hands.
The feast was dragging on with both students and teachers alike coming up to see how I was doing. Each time I told them that I was doing better and gave them a half smile.
"Yer not foolin me with that nonsense." Hagrid growled and I could feel my annoyance bubble over the top.
"What would you like me to tell you? That I'm taking up space and air and I would be better off buried under ground? That I'm so useless I can't do anything without help? That I'm feeling so utterly horrible that I think about what would've happened if I was killed? No you don't so I'll tell you whatever bloody lie I want to make you feel better about yourself." I answered and all Fred, George, Hagrid, Charlie, and most of the teachers table looked at me, wide eyed. "So if you'll excuse me I'm going to leave now."
I rolled myself out of the Great Hall, and out onto the lawn, and down besides the lake. I pushed myself out of my chair and sat by the lake, my hair blowing in the crisp breeze.
"You don't want me dead." I said looking at my mark. "I'm apart of you as much as your apart of me. So why are you making me want to die. You need me. So this stops now. This little game, it's over."
I put my finger on my mark and felt the pain take me agian but this time I was in control. My leg fixed itself and I felt power rush into me. "Power" flickered into view, a smirk on her face.
"Round of applause Cas you figured it out. Well done only took you a couple weeks." She said, clapping slowly, sarcastically.
"You need to stop, I need my life back."
She stopped rather abruptly and kneeled in front of me.
"Cas this is your life. I get to have my little fun and you get to deal with it. It's how the power works." She said and I shook my head.
"No. No thats not my life thats not going to happen anymore." I answered and she looked at me sadly.
"You can't stop me."
"Can't I?"
In a white spark she flew away from me, landing on the edge of the lake. We both stood up and I was surprised to see a look of fear on her face.
"H...how did you do that?" She stuttered and I smiled.
"You're not the only one with power." I answered and Power sent a white spark that threw me off my feet.
"No I am. Your little party tricks are nothing compared to me." She countered and we both sent out white sparks. They met in the middle and exploded, Power disappearing with a scream and me taking the full blast.
I fell to the ground, completely taken over by pain as the darkness pulled me into unconsciousness.
Authors Note- So... I just finished my first game of the tournament and we won like 10-0 and I'm in a really good mood so I thought I'd slip in a chapter for you guys. Also, I might not post tomorrow being my birthday, another tournament day, and yeah... Till next time!