Brand New Day

Sometime later Lucius dismissed the girl, he was holding his cane in his hand, which he had actually used to whack her somepoint through the time.

Lyssa walked back to her room, fighting back tears this time. She was getting tired of this happening, and plus her arm hurt too. She got to her room and walked in, stopping upon seeing Cassie.

Cassie got up and gingerly hugged her freind, not wanting to make anything hurt. "You are not okay," Cassie said softly. "And stop trying to tell me that you are."

"Cassie, I'm fine," Lyssa said, voice cracking a little.

"Lyssa you're on the verge of tears," Cassie said frustrated. "Your face is bruised. You are not fine."

"Yes, I am," Lyssa persisted, face falling into the expression people make when they are about to start bawling their eyes out.

"No you are not," Cassie said softly.

"Cassie, please," Lyssa said. "I am."

"No," Cassie said, refraining from snapping at her. "You are not. And I'm not going to sit by and pretend everything is going well."

Lyssa frowned, biting her lip to stop from crying. "And just what do you think isn't fine?"

"I don't know! But I'm not stupid Lyssa, you get called into fricken Lucius' office and you come out upset and with some sort of mark on you."

Lyssa looked down at her feet. "He's just...got a temper."

"And a hard hit by the looks of things," Cassie muttered.

Lyssa just shrugged in response.

"Lyssa, you can't let him just walk over you like that! You can't just let him abuse you. Stand up for yourself, dammit!"

A tear finally fell and Lyssa moved to wipe it away, wincing as she had moved her hurting arm and because it hurt to touch either cheek. "And what am I supposed to do, Cassie?"

"Stand up for yourself, don't let him act like that, fight back. Anything! Anything than just standing there and letting him get his way."

"Yes, because I can fight someone who's bigger, stronger, and better at magic."

"That's beside the point Lyssa!" Cassie said exasperated. "You don't fight because you like the odds and know you'll win. You fricken fight because it's worth fighting for, and because it proves that you are not going to let them get away with it. That you're not going to sit back and let them get away with it."

"Yeah, Cassie, I'll do that and just make it worse than it already is!"

"That's the point!" Cassie half shouted. "Because it shows that you're not scared of what they can do. Even if you fricken well are. Don't make his life fricken easier for him."

"Cassie! Look at me! If it gets worse imagine what will happen!"

"You can't let him get away with it Lyssa." Cassie said. "You're a Gryffindor, we're meant to stand up for things and screw what everyone else says. It's pathetic!" And she walked out of the room going into hers. For part of it, she was angry at Lucius. For what he was doing, and for hurting her best freind, and for hurting her when it was Cassie's fault. If he had a problem with her actions, then tell it to her. Keep Lyssa out of it.

Lyssa looked at the door as Cassie walked out, still trying not to cry. Then she went over, not to her bed, but to the corner and started to basically cry her eyes. The corner was chosen because she felt the need to have security around her at the moment. It was comforting.

Though instead of heading to her room Cassie headed towards Lucius' study, which was probably a stupid idea. But she didn't care, she was frustrated beyond belief. Outside the door she stopped, pondering whether to knock or just pull it open. She knocked. (Amazing right?) And then entered. Not waiting for a reply.