I. social casualty | blaise zabini ✔️

ARCH

CHAPTER 38

ARCH

*warning: chapter contains: death, torture, (a lot) of pain*

From what Lyra had heard, Cassiopeia was the strongest woman her father had ever met. With a hard expression and sharp smirk, she could make the world tremble. She was tough as nails, protecting her soft heart.

And for a second, when they first locked eyes, Lyra thought she could see that heart, see her mother for the teenager she had been. The teenager who rebelled against her family, protected her own, loved her husband. For a second Cassi was there.

It faded faster than it had appeared when she let out a loud cackle "Lyra, dear!"

She cringed at the words and tightened her grip on her wand. Behind her she could feel Ginny standing again. Lyra turned to her. "Get to the others. I'll meet you there."

"No way." Ginny said as Lyra shot a protection charm against her mother's first stunning jinx. "I'm not leaving."

"Go! I'll take care of this and meet you there. You have to find them." Lyra said casting back a disarming spell.

Ginny hesitated before shaking her head and standing by her, wand raised. "I'm staying."

Cassiopeia laughed, her thinned lips spreading to a painful smile, small drops of blood emerging from the chapped, dry skin. She then tutted and smiled mockingly at Ginny, "Stubborn little thing... Weasley, are you?"

Ginny didn't nod or move, just held her wand tighter, Lyra inches slightly forward, hoping to keep her mother's attention on her instead of her mother.

"Yes, I remember the Prewett twins." Her voice was far off and Lyra could see Ginny's face hardening at her late uncles' names.

"Great men. Strong, brave. But..." Cassiopeia's eyes hardened now and her wistful turned to a nasty smirk. "Very stubborn. I'd be careful, little Weasley. That trait that you share with them is what got them killed. We would hate for the same thing to happen to you. Stupefy!"

"Protego!" Lyra calls and a defensive barrier is around her and Ginny, who follows with her own stunning jinx that knocks Cassiopeia back a few steps.

She seems shocked for a moment, "Well, well. You do know your stuff don't you, dear... Expulso." A fallen cabinet next to the girls explodes and they dodged before the wood splinters, a few pieces nicking at Lyra's cheek and thigh.

She quickly jumps up again, "Expelliarmus!" and the wand is knocked from Cassiopeia's hand.

"I have to say dear," Cassiopeia panted slightly as her wand landed not far from her and she quickly levitated it back into her hand. "I'm proud."

Lyra snarled, "I don't need your pride."

"Aww, you wound me, honey. Stupefy!"

Ginny was knocked back and toppled over, her ankle twisting as she fell, "Protego!" Lyra blinked, guilty about having forgotten Ginny was there for a second, too captured in stopping her mother.

"Stupefy!" Lyra yells and Cassiopeia tumbles onto the floor giving her enough time to help Ginny up and pull her along, supporting most of her weight.

"So, that's your mom?" Ginny panted as she dodged a flying orb.

Lyra shrugged on the shoulder that wasn't supporting Ginny, "Guess so."

"I guess I shouldn't complain about mine."

"No," Lyra responded, almost bitterly, "No, you shouldn't