Blood Magic ✤ George Weasley ✓

32 - Anywhere But Home

musical mood: anywhere but home- seulgi

Cass wasn't sure how long she'd been running. She'd never been athletic, she'd always been picked last in primary school for sports, yet she'd sprinted several miles from her home without breaking a sweat. Though if she was sweating, it would be impossible to tell through the thick, heavy rain pouring down from the grey sky.

When she finally slowed into a stop, outside of Stromness's only diner, at the far side of town, furthest away from her house, her stomach was churning so much she thought she would throw up. She was crying, though the rain pouring onto her face concealed it. Her breaths were shallow and heavy at the same time, shaky and desperate, as her mind was wrecked with anxiety.

How had she not realised it? How had she gone thirteen years without knowing her 'dead' brother was living in the same house as her? How didn't she recognize the letter's handwriting earlier? How many other times had he subtly messed with her mind?

She leaned over and threw up on the sidewalk, gasping and choking for air. The adrenaline that had helped her run so far had ran out, and her muscles felt like goo. She wasn't sure how much further she could go. Where would she go?

She had to flee Stromness, that was for sure. She couldn't go back to that place, not now, not ever. But it was so isolated, the nearest town was miles into the mainland. She'd be walking for hours, and by the state of her body, as she leaned, hunched over, resting her hands on her knees and throwing up, she wasn't sure she could move another inch. But if she didn't leave, her father could easily find her. Her brother could find her.

All Cass had on her was her wand, and as many galleons as she could fit into her pockets - which wasn't much. Did she even know anyone in Scotland? She'd have to go to England if she wanted to stay with someone, or even Wales.

Maybe she could go to France, and track down her grandparents. Would they accept her? It's been over thirty years since Bartemius had been disowned, maybe they'd have regretted it by now. Chances are, they didn't even know she existed, though...

Did Diana have any family? They'd be muggles, but they might take her in, at least temporarily. Maybe it would be easier to hide among muggles. How would she explain the situation, though? Not for the first time, Cass grew frustrated by the lack of information she had on her mother.

It didn't matter where she went, in the end. As long as she was away from here. She'd sleep on the streets for all she cared.

"Cass?"

She whipped around, heart pounding, and half expecting to see Barty approaching her, ready to kill. But no, it was just Connor's older brother Brian, stepping out of the diner in a servers outfit. Did he work there?

"Hey, Brian."

"You alright?"

She shook her head, the motion making her nauseous once again. She didn't have the energy to lie.

"Do you need a ride home? My shift just ended."

"No!" She said a bit too aggressively, and added, "Thanks."

He eyed her up and down, a mixture of concern and confusion in his face. Brian looked like Connor - not as much as Fionn had, but they were still unmistakably brothers.

"You sure? I don't mind - I'm not due in Fort William for hours."

"You're going to Fort William?" She perked up at this, stiffening her posture.

Fort William was perhaps the biggest city within two hours of Stromness. Far enough into the mainland to hide, if just for a while. The endgame was to get out of the Highlands all together, maybe even Great Britain, if possible, but she knew she couldn't do that for a while.