Cassia wasn't sure how long she'd been in that room.

It had been a few days, at least.

She thought she was going crazy. She got food and water, of course, but she wasn't even sure where in the castle she was.

She spent most of her time thinking about Harry, or crying. Time spent thinking about Harry was just wanting him here, beside her. She was just begging for him to somehow appear here, beside her.

She'd spoken to him a few times in that room. The version of him in her head, of course. He was sitting right beside her, his arm round her shoulders, speaking to her with that comforting, warm voice of his.

"I can't do this for much longer," Cassia was crying, wiping her eyes.

"Do it for me, Cass," Harry murmured to her, his mouth close to her ear. "Imagine how I'd feel if you gave up."

"You're not even here," Cassia shook her head, sobbing. "You're not even real!"

"I am real, Cass," Harry told her. "I'm right here and I'm real and I love you. I need you to continue fighting."

"There's no fight left in me, Potter," Cassia said, looking at him, her eyes shining with tears. "I'm feeling like giving up."

"No you're not," Harry shook his head. "Cassia, I love you, and I need you to fight. I don't care if you don't do it for yourself, do it for me, Cass. For me."

And all these conversations would end with Cassia leaning in for a kiss, only to find that the lips hers were reaching for didn't exist. And then she found that he didn't exist, her heart breaking anymore.

Her friends on the outside, meanwhile, had been informed of her punishment. Not the full details, but they'd been told they wouldn't see her for a few days.

A few days stretched into half a dozen. And soon, it'd been six days since anyone had seen Cassia.

Cassia, meanwhile, was close to giving up. She had no idea what 'giving up' actually meant, but she did know that she was going to be a different person when she got out of this room.

Her spark needed reignited.

And it didn't look like anything was coming to light it back up.

❦︎❦︎❦︎

Cassia was lying in a heap in the corner when Amycus entered. She didn't know what time it was, what day it was. She didn't know whether he was actually there, to be honest. She'd been imagining Harry for so long, she could be imagining him, as well.

"Get up!"

However, when he grabbed the front of her robes and hauled her upwards, she realised he was real, and touching her.

"I said, get the hell up!"

But Cassia was weak, and frail, and she didn't really understand what was going on.

Well, until his lips attached themselves to her neck.

She jolted awake. Just like that, it was like the past however long she had been in this room didn't matter, because Amycus was here and he was kissing her neck.

"What are y-? Get off me!" She yelled, shoving at him, trying to maneuver her way out and not managing it.

"All you had to do was be a good girl..." Amycus hissed to her, still kissing her, still assaulting her. "All you had to do was be good, and this wouldn't be happening..."

"Get off!" Cassia screamed, tears streaming down her face. "PLEASE!"

"Be a good girl for once, Cassia..." Amycus said, his hands now on her body, touching her, claiming her as his- "Be good, accept this..."

He kissed her collarbone, going lower, his hands slipping under her robes, cold hands touching her skin-

"NO!"

Cassia was shaking, crying, and she could feel him on her. However, she didn't hesitate to full on sprint out the room, her chest heaving, her face tear stained.

The lights from whatever corridor she was in blinded her as she ran out, knowing Amycus was behind her, knowing she needed to run-

THUMP!

"Miss Malfoy, whatever is going o-?"

Professor McGonagall stopped talking as soon as she saw the face of the girl who she hadn't seen in almost week. She'd been told by the Carrows that Cassia had been seeing her family, but seeing her now... she didn't believe it.

"Cassia, are you okay?"

McGonagall's voice was comforting, but it did nothing to calm Cassia down. Her whole body was shaking, her head spinning and her ears ringing. Her chest was heaving, her lungs feeling too small, and her legs felt wobbly.

"I- I can't breathe-" she said, as McGonagall held her.

"Cassia, what's happened to you?"

Somewhere in the back of Cassia's fear warped brain wanted to tell her what had happened.

But also, if Amycus found out, he'd kill her. Worse than kill. He'd torture her until she couldn't speak, couldn't walk, couldn't think.

But Cassia didn't have to say anything in that moment.

Because next thing she knew, the black spots were growing bigger and bigger, and she was blacking out.

❦︎❦︎❦︎

"Cassia? Cassia!"

When Cassia's eyes fluttered open, Poppy was hugging her. When they opened up fully, she saw Neville, Ginny and McGonagall all sat around her, and Madam Pomfrey bustling about across from her.

"W-what?" She asked, her voice croaky. "Wh... what's going on?"

"You're in the hospital wing, Miss Malfoy," McGonagall said gently. "You passed out."

Cassia's eyes went teary at that sentence, because everything came rushing back. Amycus' hands on her body, his lips on her neck. He'd assauted her. And he would've gone further, had she not escaped.

"Oh," was all she said, before a tear was falling down her cheek.

"Cass..." Poppy hugged her again tightly, gently wiping a tear off her cheek as she moved away. "Where have you been? What's gone on?"

"I take it you have not been with family this week, Miss Malfoy?" McGonagall said, a tone of sarcasm dripped in, but also sympathy.

"Family, what?" Cassia frowned.

"That was the reason Professor Carrow gave me for your absence," McGonagall told her.

"No, she wasn't," Poppy said firmly, grabbing Cassia's hand. "Of course she wasn't."

"I... I don't know if you know, but she performed the cruciatus curse on Amycus, in front of a class, when he asked her to curse a first year," Neville said slowly.

"Well, the reason I've been gone for a week is because I was facing my punishment," Cassia's voice was already sporting sarcasm. "I was locked in a room for a week."

Ginny's, Neville's, Poppy's and McGonagall's eyes all widened.

"Miss Malfoy, are you serious?" The professor asked.

"Yeah," Cassia nodded. "I mean, I know you can't do anything, Professor McGonagall, but... that's who they are. They're ruthless, and they do stuff like that."

"They're fucking awful," Ginny rolled her eyes. Then she added. "Sorry, professor."

"Miss Weasley, in this case, I can only say I agree with you," McGonagall said, her lips twitching. She looked at Cassia. "I understand if you are not ready to be asked this, Miss Malfoy, but... I have to ask, what happened today? Why did you pass out?"

Cassia bit her lip.

On one hand, she could tell them the truth. She could tell them that Amycus had assaulted her, and that her life was terrible, and that she wanted him to die, and that she could still feel him.

On the other hand, she could lie. She could cover her back, save herself should Amycus manage to overpower McGonagall and come back at her.

And Cassia Malfoy had always been good at lying.

"I- I was just panicked," she told them. "I had just been in that room so long, and I just... I didn't wanna go back. But I... I'm okay now."

McGonagall smiled slightly, nodding. "Very well, I'll leave this lot to take care of you, then."

She got up, walking down the hospital wing. Then, at the end, she turned.

"You should know I'm always here if you need me," she told them. "If any of you need anything, come to me. I promise I'll try and help."

As she left, Cassia tried to smile.

Tried being the operative word.

❦︎❦︎❦︎

It wasn't until later, in the dorm, that she told Poppy.

They were sat on her bed, Poppy holding Cassia's hands and squeezing them. She was looking her straight in the eye.

"I know something happened," she said. "You're not obligated to tell me, but I know something happened."

Cassia shook her head, looking down.

"You don't understand," she muttered, tears filling her eyes. "You- you don't. I- I can still feel his hands on me."

"Cass..." Poppy hugged her tightly. "What happened?"

"I was left alone for ages," Cassia bit her lip. "So when I, um- I saw Amycus coming through the door, I didn't even know if he was real."

She took a deep breath.

"Well, I didn't know if he was real until he was kissing my neck and touching my body."

Poppy was shaking her head, tears springing to her eyes.

"Cassia," she said, her voice wavering. "Did he-?"

"He didn't rape me," Cassia shook her head, biting her lip hard. "But he probably would've, if I hadn't got away."

"Cassia, you should've told McGonagall," Poppy said honestly.

"I couldn't," Cassia shook her head. "Because if she goes to Amycus and he overpowers her, I'm getting tortured until I can't speak, can't walk, can't breathe."

Cassia took a shaky breath as Poppy engulfed her in a hug.

"Easter's in two weeks," Poppy murmured into her ear. "Can you last that long looking at him without a break?"

"I think so," Cassia murmured back. "But I don't know."

Then she realised someone she hadn't even thought about in this whole thing.

"Is Sophia okay?"

Poppy nodded, drawing back. "She's okay. She, er... Amycus did crucio her in the end, but... she said she was fine. She said I should tell you not to worry."

"I've got to speak to her," Cassia murmured, looking down and playing with her fingers.

"Well, you can," said Poppy. "She'll be around."

Cassia pressed her lips together.

It wasn't exactly the type of thing she'd wanted to give her a spark, but it would help.

She needed to show Amycus that she hadn't been affected. That it didn't matter if he assaulted her, that she wouldn't be got down for long. That she was actually as brave as people said she was. That she would fight as long as she could, because he was horrible and deserved to be fought against.

She was going to show him he was wrong.

And she honestly wouldn't want to do it with anyone else.

❦︎❦︎❦︎

Cassia had sworn to herself she wasn't going to cry when talking to Sophia. She had sworn.

But when she started speaking, the tears instantly came, and she couldn't hold them back.

"I'm so sorry that that happened to you," Cassia told the young girl, her eyes sparkling with tears. "You don't deserve that, Sophia. You're such an amazing girl."

"T-thank you," Sophia was crying too, looking up at Cassia.

"This isn't how Hogwarts should be," Cassia shook her head. "Hogwarts, it- it used to be amazing, it used to be home."

"It's okay, Cassia, that isn't your fault," Sophia said earnestly. "You're so brave, Cassia."

"There's a thin line between brave and stupid, my boyfriend would tell me," Cassia said, her lips pressing into a thin smile. "But what do boys know, right?"

Sophia giggled slightly.

"Maybe I am stupid, though," Cassia sighed, shrugging and trying to make light of it.

"No, you're not," Sophia said firmly. "Seriously, you're giving everyone hope. You're keeping us going, Cass, you really are."

Cassia took this statement with a smile.

They sat in silence for a few seconds. Cassia was deciding whether or not to tell Sophia what she really, really wanted to.

"Can I tell you a secret?" She eventually said.

"Yeah?" Sophia frowned, nodding anyway.

"Er... you know the grafitti that's been going up around the school?" Cassia asked. Sophia nodded. "Well, the group that's painting that grafitti is called Dumbledore's Army, which you probably know. And I happen to know that Dumbledore's Army meets in the Room of Requirement. It's on the seventh floor, just past the suit of armour, and to open the door you just have to envision the room you're looking for in your head."

Sophia took all this in, raising her eyebrows. "And you're telling me this because...?"

"Well, it's a place you can go," Cassia shrugged. "My best friend Poppy, Neville who you saw in the class, they're both part of it. And just in case you ever get so sick of the Carrows you're screaming into your pillow, ask me or them when the next meeting is. You don't have to do anything with this, but... just in case."

Sophia smiled at her. "Thanks, Cassia."

Cassia hugged her tightly. "You're welcome, Sophia."

And no, she hadn't told the truth about what had happened with Amycus.

But as long as nothing happened to anymore first years, she hopefully wouldn't have to.

❦︎❦︎❦︎

Two weeks flew by, and even being taught by Amycus was difficult. Cassia hadn't actually been called up to do anything in his class, however, and boys had started appearing as well, it wasn't just girls.

The screams harmed Cassia, and cut her down, but she knew she had to stay strong. Easter holidays were now a day away, and the DA had met that night.

Cassia was originally going to be wary of what she said to everyone, but she soon realised she didn't care. She wasn't going to mention Amycus, but apart from that, she was going to lay all her cards on the table.

So that night, Cassia laid out her plan. She informed everyone of the fact that she'd told Sophia about the DA, and told her not to tell anyone that wasn't trusted. She told everyone in the room that if they ever did show up, to treat them with kindness and caring.

Then she moved on.

"After the Easter holidays, I'm rebelling," she announced to everyone. "I can do it. I know I can do it. I have nothing to lose. They've tortured me, they've imprisoned me for a week, I know I can do it."

"What do you mean, 'rebelling'?" Seamus asked.

"I'm not taking anything anymore," Cassia announced. "I'm not taking Alecto's bullshit classes, I'm not taking Amycus' torturing literal kids. I'm not doing it."

"We'll do it with you, Cassia," Neville said bravely. "We're not afraid."

"Thank you," Cassia said, with a twitch of her lips. She took a deep breath, the tears coming again. "I- erm... I've been told this whole time that I need to understand I'm not on my own, and... I think I finally am. As long as you all understand how hard this'll be, and how much of an undertaking it is... feel free to join me."

That night, there was a lot of claps and cheers in the Room of Requirement.

Cassia was part of them, grinning round at everyone in the room, feeling, for once, optimistic about the days to come.

She didn't know what was about to happen.

She didn't know what would happen during the holidays, or what would happen when she got back.

(Little did she know, she wasn't even going back).

But for now, Cassia took a glass of butterbeer that the Room of Requirement had provided for them, and celebrated with her closest friends.

She didn't waste time wishing Harry was here this time.

She'd longsince learned she wasn't going to see him anytime soon.

(Little did she know 'anytime soon' was actually, in fact, very soon).

(Very soon indeed).