RUNNING FROM EVIL ➼ Lucius Malfoy

𝟐. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩

Lucius wasn't going to give up on finding Cassie. He was baffled at how easy it was for her to just disappear. She had just upped and left. He was angry. He wanted her to pay.

Lucius knew that it was the first day of the new year at Hogwarts. He was taking Draco to the station. Hoping that he would see Cassie. But he didn't think he would. He knew she wasn't stupid enough to be seen on the platform.

Draco walked into the dining room. He smiled. "Good morning father. What time are we leaving?" He asked as he sat down and helped himself to breakfast.

"10:55. Draco, should you see Cassie around, do let me know. I'm not angry at her. I just want to talk," Lucius said.

Draco looked to his father. He knew that Narcissa had told him to not tell Lucius where she was. And Draco knew that Lucius didn't want to talk to Cassie. He wanted to make her pay.

****

Cassie was sitting on her bed. She had been getting letter after letter from Lucius. Each of them worse than the last. Cassie knew she was in danger.

She couldn't even go into Hogsmeade on the off chance that Lucius would find her. She felt like her life had been ruined. And all because she had enough of being treated like garbage by the man who was supposed to love her.

There was a knock at her chamber portrait. She felt scared. "Cassie. It's Minerva."

Cassie sighed in relief as she opened the door. She saw Minerva there smiling. "Albus has asked me to ask if you wish to attend the start of term feast?"

"I-Is that wise? What if Lucius is there?" Cassie asked. She knew how badly she wanted to go. But she couldn't. She couldn't risk it.

Minerva smiled. "Albus is making sure that no governors come here today. Narcissa has been here too. She knows you're here. But she is on your side."

Cassie nodded. "It was Cissy who told me to get away. She saved me. But Draco... we all know how Lucius controls his son."

"Narcissa assures me that Draco wont be telling Lucius anything. And that's a promise. You will be perfectly safe. We have a plan in motion. Should Lucius turn up," Minerva said.

Cassie sighed but nodded. She knew how she wanted to see Harry again. She knew she wanted to experience being in the great hall again. "O-Okay."

"Wonderful!"

****

Lucius stood on the platform with Draco. Narcissa walked towards them. "Hello my dear boy."

"Hello mother. How are you?" Draco asked as he hugged his mother.

Narcissa smiled. She turned to look at Lucius. "Hello Lucius."

"Narcissa. I trust you haven't heard from Cassie? Especially as it's impossible to just disappear," Lucius said as he looked to his ex wife.

"She did the right thing. You were vile to her. You're a monster. And she's definitely better off away from you," Narcissa said. She turned to Draco. "I'll write to you soon my boy."

Narcissa turned and walked off. Not wanting to be around Lucius. He made her physically sick. Especially with how he had manipulated and bullied a young girl.

****

Severus looked up as Cassie walked into his classroom. He saw the look on her face. She was looking fragile and broken. "How are you?" He asked.

Cassie shrugged. "On edge. I'm constantly looking around to make sure Lucius isn't here. Or he isn't lurking around. I'm twenty-three. My life shouldn't be like this. I should be settling down. I should be finding someone who loves me. Well... I thought I had found that. I was wrong."

Severus sighed as he looked to her. "Lucius has always been that way. He only divorced Narcissa as she wouldn't let him break her. You shouldn't either."

"But he has Severus. I'm twenty-three. I'm in hiding from him. He's ruined my life. And nothing is going to be the same again. I can't leave here now. Because if I do, then he could see me. He could drag me back to the manor. And I don't want that. I don't want to be his plaything. Not anymore. I want more," Cassie said.

****

Harry Potter walked into the great hall with Ron and Hermione. He saw his aunt Cassie there. "Harry... look," Ron said as he looked to Harry.

Harry nodded. "I know. The last I heard, she was still with Lucius," he told his friends.

Hermione frowned. She looked to Cassie and then back to Harry. "I wonder what happened. Haven't you noticed? Snape and McGonagall are on either side of her. Like they're keeping her safe."

Ron looked to his friends. "You don't think Malfoy senior has hurt her? Why else does she look like she went ten rounds with Bellatrix LeStrange?"

"I don't know. But I'm going to find out," Harry said with determination. He wanted to know just why his aunt was back. And why she was looking broken.

****

During the feast, Cassie noticed how Draco was looking at her. She sighed and turned to Severus. "Do you think he's going to tell Lucius I'm here?" She asked.

"No. As Narcissa has said, Draco cares about you. He won't say anything. And neither will she," Severus told her.

Cassie nodded. But she wasn't convinced. She knew that too much had happened. And she was scared. Scared that her running to Hogwarts was going to be for nothing.

****

Lucius sat in his study. He was looking over the letter that he had received. He smirked as he read it over;

SHE'S AT HOGWARTS

Lucius stood up and looked out the window into the gardens. He now knew where she was. But he couldn't just turn up there. He would have to bide his time.

He wanted to make her feel safe once more before he stormed in and took her back. He had to play it right this time.

But just who had told Lucius where he could find Cassie?