The Boy Who Had a Choice (D.M)

Part 17

"Again Olivia," McGonagall said to me. I huffed as I slouched back in my chair, rolling my eyes at her. It was the second week back at school for my seventh year and she was already teaching my extra spells to push me further. I was so mentally and physically drained that I wasn't in the right mood to focus and kept messing it all up. I had gone numb, the only emotion I ever felt was these random bursts of anger that would overwhelm me, causing me to lash out at my parents or anyone who got close to me. I could barely remember anything from the end of last year, except for Draco and him turning against me, the rest was just a blur.

Now that Snape has become Headmaster, the school was a mess. I couldn't stand to look at the man knowing what he'd done. Or Draco. Every time I saw him, we ended up having a screaming match, it was like being back in 5th year with him again. Instead of trying to prove that he wasn't a horrible person, he seemed to be doing the complete opposite and playing along with what people thought of him, giving them even more to talk about. I couldn't decide who I hated more: him or myself for ever loving him.

Alecto Carrow has been appointed as the new 'Muggle Studies' teacher, and her brother Amycus is the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher - both also now Deputy Headmasters under Snape. It infuriated me to be around any of them, Muggle Studies was now a required class and it comes straight from the Ministry's anti-Muggle propaganda, teaching us about how Muggles are "like animals, stupid and dirty" which is a load of bullshit.

I balled my hands into fists at my sides, my breathing heavy. "It's just not fair! This whole thing, it's just so..." I stumbled over my words, trying not to swear in front of McGonagall a she stared at me with her lips pursed. She was used to my little outbursts by now but still gave me a horrible look of disappointment when I swore or when she had to drag me away from yet another fight. No Muggle-borns were able to attend the school, and only half-bloods with proof of their magical heritage are able to attend, which meant our classes were tiny and half of my friends had been forced to go on the run. It broke my heart that there was nothing I could do to help them, and I was forced to attend these stupid classes, just watching as things got worse and worse.

"That will do for today, get some sleep and try to stay out of trouble tonight please" I smiled at her innocently before storming out of the classroom into the Slytherin common room.

I noticed something was off as soon as I walked through the door. Seamus was sat on one of the sofas, Lola crying in his arms.

"It was Draco," he said turning to look at me, "she got detention for standing up for me and Draco was the one who did it"

"Did what?" I asked, already planning out about 100 different ways to kill Draco for whatever he had done.

"He... He used the Cruciatus curse on me" Lola mumbled through broken sobs. My stomach lurched.

The Carrows are also in charge of punishment of students here now. The punishments they gave out were cruel and varied. It was rumoured that they had been chaining students in the Great Hall, giving physical punishment with beatings and knives, I'd been on the receiving end of it twice already. But students casting the Cruciatus Curse? That was a whole new level of fucked up. My heavy boots echoed down the corridor as I stormed down to the dungeons, wand ready in hand. Fury tore through me; all I could see was red. The other students smartly dodged out of my way, avoiding getting in my path as I planned out all the different ways, I was going to hurt Draco.

"Move." I demanded to the two minions who were stood guarding the door. They both sniggered at one another as they opened the door and I slipped inside. I let myself settle into my anger and swiped up a set of knifes that were sitting on one of the tables, aiming carefully as I threw one straight at Draco's head. It hit the wall just centimetres from where he was stood across the room from me, I didn't even give him chance to respond as I threw another one straight at him. This one caught the sleeve of his jacket, slicing it open and I saw a trickle of blood escape his porcelain skin. I grinned as I stalked towards him, weighing up the last knife in my hand.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" He hissed, wiping the blood away from his arm. I hadn't even gotten started yet.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't cast the Cruciatus curse on you like you did to Lola?" I spat at him.

"That wasn't my fault," he spat back, "they told me that I had to. I didn't have a choice!"

"You always have a fucking choice Draco! You just keep choosing to be an absolute dick!" I seethed, my lip curling.

"Watch your mouth you little bitch" he shouted, pointing his wand right at me. "Otherwise it'll be you next."

"Expelliarmus" I chanted, disarming him. His wand flew out of his hands and I lunged for him before he had chance to go after it, tackling him to the floor.

He smirked up at me, noting the way I had him pinned down to the floor. "Been a while since we've been like this isn't it, Olivia? You know, if you really missed me that much you could've just come to my room, you didn't need to make a whole scene about it." I raised my fist ready to punch him, but he flipped me over and pinned me down, nails digging into my shoulders. I clawed at his face, he moved his arm to shield his face and his elbow smacked hard into the side of my head. "Stop fucking fighting me, Olive!" 

"I am going to fucking kill you!" I spat in his face and shoved him in the chest, pushing him off me. I threw every spell I knew at him, but he held up a strong shield charm to absorb every hit. I lunged for him again, but he saw me coming and held me against the wall by my throat, my head slamming against the brick. I felt the warmth of my blood drip down my chin from my now split lip. I kicked and scratched at him, trying to get free from his grip but he was so god damn strong.

"Calm down," he hissed; blood was dripping from his own face where I'd scratched him. "Just calm down and breathe!" I stared at him, nostrils flaring but I was too fucking exhausted to keep fighting him.

My brain turned into a haze again, I was vaguely aware of McGonagall coming and breaking us apart and shouting at us both. I just stood there, not paying attention, not even when she dragged us both back to the Slytherin common room by our robes. My arms hung limp at my sides as I autonomously walked to my room and curled up next to a still weepy Lola, stroking her head until she fell asleep in my arms. Despite my exhaustion, sleep felt a million miles away as I stared at the ceiling all night. I was so fed up. I just wanted to fall asleep and never wake up again.