The Clockwork Locket || SIRIUS BLACK

The Deal

The hand held firm over her mouth despite her muffled shouts and flailing limbs, and the cloth wrapped tightly over her eyes obscured her view completely, rendering her helpless as she was pushed along by multiple pairs of hands.

When she wasn't struggling, she could hear only the footsteps of the people holding on to her, and the sudden narrowness and cramped feeling she got told her that she was traveling through secret passageways, out of sight of the other students and staff.

The cloth was ripped free of her eyes and she was shoved onto a cold stone floor. She whirled around, preparing to demand what was going on before a voice said, "Silencio."

Cassie opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Three girls wearing Slytherin colors stood over her. The one in the center lowered her wand and smirked as Cassie's mouth flapped uselessly. Cassie recognized her as Peggy Sloane, the horrible girl from her Defense class who had laughed with the other Slytherins after Mulciber had given her that note. The other two looked younger, perhaps fourth-years. She didn't know their names.

Sloane snickered. "Look at her face." Her own face—which quite resembled that of a bulldog's—was lit with vicious amusement. "It looks like she's trying to comprehend her own stupidity."

Cassie wanted to point out that that made no sense at all, but she was still mute as she kneeled on the floor of what appeared to be an empty bathroom.

Sloane raised her wand again. "Now, Alderfair, if I lift the spell, are you gonna scream?"

Very slowly, she shook her head, and Sloane gave her a smug smile before muttering the counter-curse. The other two tensed, expecting her to cry out, but she remained silent, getting back to her feet and saying nothing, only meeting Sloane's beady eyes.

"What do you want?" she asked. She was surprised to hear her voice come out so even despite her racing heart and sweaty palms.

"We just got a few questions for you, Gryffindor, no big deal," Sloane said.

Cassie eyed her warily. "About what?"

"Your brother."

She froze, and Sloane noticed the motion like a shark sniffing blood in the water.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said as firmly as she could. "I haven't spoken to him in months."

"Word travels," Sloane said. "See, us Slytherins look out for each other; and when your brother decided to jump into the snake pit with the rest of us, we started keeping tabs on him, too. So, don't lie, Alderfair. We know about the Hogsmeade visit."

The blood drained from Cassie's face—if they knew about her meeting with Will, then did they know about the locket too?

"What of it?" she said with a slight waver to her voice. The Slytherins exchanged a meaningful look.

"He gave you something. A birthday present." Sloane gestured at her with her wand. "What was it?"

"A stupid bracelet, completely worthless," she said. "I threw it in the bin as soon as I got back."

The three exchanged another look. She could tell they weren't entirely convinced, and her mind hurried to think of something else.

"Why are you interested, anyway?" she asked. "Did Carlisle put you up to this?"

One of the girls' eyes widened, and she turned to Sloane fearfully. "She knows about Carlisle—"

"Shut up, Emma!" Sloane hissed, but Cassie grinned.

"What's Carlisle's game?" she said. "What does she want with me and my brother?"

"Nothing," Sloane snapped, but Cassie wasn't done.