The Final Wall is Breaking Down

Lyssa had been reading, when she heard the door to the room open. Swearing lightly to herself she hurried to pull her sweater on. Once she was finished she looked at Cassie, who was looking at her and frowning. "Cassie?" she said, voicing it like a question.

Cassie blinked. Opened her mouth to say something, shut it and blinked again. "What?" She said looking at Lyssa's arm which was now hidden by a sweater. "Lyssa.." Cassie said again. "What was that?"

Lyssa's eyes momentarily got wider. Crap, she'd seen. "It was er..." Lyssa stuttered out, biting her lip lightly. "It was nothing." Which both she and probably Cassie knew plenty well was a lie, but she wasn't just going to up and say it.

Cassie raised an eyebrow at Lyssa. "Lyssa, it is not nothing. When peoplesay that it is obviously something."

Lyssa frowned. "Cassie, drop it," she said, giving her friend a look that bordered pleading. "Please, just drop it. I'll....I'll tell you later. Tonight. Promise."

Cassie frowned slight.y "FIne," She said givin but she gave Lyssa a look that said that she better tell her later. "Liz just wanted to know if you were sure about not wanting to come but," Cassie shrugged turning to leave the room.

The rest of the day passed by, and Lyssa found herself sitting on her bed, waiting for Cassie to get back from brushing her teeth. Lyssa herself was already changed in her pajamas and teeth brushed. She ran her hand through her hair as she waited, intent on fufilling her promise, but nervous about it as well.

Cassie came back from brushing her teeth and entered the bedroom shutting the door beijnd her. She yawned sligthly sitting down on her bed cross legged and looking at Lyssa.

Lyssa fidgeted under Cassie's scrutinizing gaze. She had no clue how to go about doing this. "If I just show you what it was, do you promise not to spaz on me? At least not until after I've told you what happened?"

Cassie nodded at Lyssa, she was wondering what it was that Lyssa had been trying to hide from her, what it was that made Lyssa think that Cassie wouldn't be understanding or whatever about whatever it was.

Slowly, Lyssa started to pull the sweater she had on over her head, leaving her in a cami, stopping when just the arms were left on. She was incredibly scared to be doing this, even though she had already played out how it was going to go in her head. Then slowly she started to remove the sweater the rest of the way, soon leaving the dark, ugly Mark bearing out for the world to see. Lyssa looked up from her arm to Cassie, trying to see what the other girl was thinking.

Cassie blinked, her mind was reeling. Some part of her wanted to shout but the greater part was shocked and unable to think of something to say. "Ly-what-what?"Cassie babbled finding her tongue. She had never ever, ever expected that thing to be on her arm. "Ly-what-ka-wh-the-what?"

Lyssa curled her arm up to her chest, hiding the inner part of it, a moment later. "Yesterday, aunt Bella knocked on my door and said that Voldemort wanted to see me. I laughed at her and went to shut my door back, but she grabbed me and forced me downstairs where he was waiting," she stopped here, getting ready to tell the next part. "He said...he said that since Draco had failed him that he was going to take the person dearest to Draco and make them his. I told him that I would never be on his side, but he didn't care. He said the Mark would make people think I was. And so he put it there. Right then, I knew I couldn't stay at my house any longer, and so wrote the letter to you, and you know the rest."

"Oh wow," Cassie said getting off of her bed and sitting down next to Lyssa and hugging her. "I'm sorry." She said, wondering what it would be like. (not that she wanted to know) to be branded as a Death Eater when she was against the cause. Cassie was not sure what else to say, but hugged her freind tightly.

"It scares me," Lyssa whispered as Cassie hugged her. "I try not to think about it, but it terrifies me, thinking of what he could make me do." When Cassie let go of the hug and went back to her bed, Lyssa asked, "Can I put my sweater back on now, without getting anymore grief about it?"

Cassie nodded at her. "Sorry for being persistent." She said quietly, she had that habit. She was persistent till someone told her what was up and then she wished that she hadn't pressed so hard to figure out what it was.

Lyssa gave Cassie a small smile and attempted to right her sweater again, slipping it on quickly once it was right. Then she tugged down the sleeves til they were being held by her hands. "Do you think....I mean I think I should tell the rest of your family, so that they won't harass me about my sweaters anymore."

Cassie frowned for a moment but then nodded. "I think that would be a good idea, or to tell mum at least cause then she could tell the others without actually having to tell them exactly."

Lyssa nodded. "Yeah. I don't think I want to explain Voldemort to your dad and sister. That would be odd." Then she thought for a moment. "Is your mum still up? So that I can get this over with?"

"That would be odd," Cassie agreed. Shenodded. "She should be." The two girls got up and headed towards her Mum's bedroom. "Mum," Cassie said opening the door. Her mother was sitting on the bed watching the t.v. "What it it girls?" She asked hitting the mute button and looking at them.

Lyssa looked at the carpet, fidgeting and playing with her sleeves. "Well, er..." she muttered, still looking down. "I've come to tell you exactly why I've been wearing sweaters and long sleeves. I don't like lying to you all."

Sam looked at the girls, and nodded to show that she was listening. She had been wondering why the girl was wearing sweaters and long sleeves in the heat. It was far too hot for long sleeves.

"Well you see....yesterday before I got here..." Lyssa tried her best to explain, but it was one thing telling your best friend, and another telling your best friend's mum. "Voldemort decided to....punish my brother for failing at something he was meant to do....and so he...." She stopped here, tears having gathered in her eyes and her voice wavering. She was terrified of Sam's reaction, not knowing her as well as she did Cassie. Instead of continuing with her story, Lyssa then pushed up her sleeve to show Sam.

Cassie was watching her mother nervously, wondering how she would react. Sam's eyes widened as she looked at the mark on Lyssa's arm and she seemed at a loss at what to say. She got up off of the bed and hugged Lyssa. Though Cassie could see the anxiousness in her eyes, though it was probably directed at what had happened to Lyssa not at Lyssa.

Lyssa wiped at her eyes after Sam ended the hug, tears having started to fall. She sniffled a couple of times, rolling back down her sleeve that was still up. She felt as though she should say something like 'and now you know', but that seemed inappropriate, so she waited for Sam or Cassie to say something.