Tʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ Lᴏʀᴅ's Aɴɢᴇʟ | Tom Riddle √

55: A Surprise Visit from Myrtle

Cassiopeia found herself in high spirits as she recalled the day when the mischievous Weasley twins disrupted the OWL exam with their fireworks. The Great Hall had been plunged into chaos, and she couldn't help but laugh at the bewildered expressions on her fellow students' faces, especially Crabbe and Goyle. Even Draco, usually composed and collected, had displayed a rare look of horror as the fireworks played havoc in the room.

One of the most amusing sights was undoubtedly Professor Umbridge's reaction to the fire dragon conjured by the twins. She fled the Great Hall as if her life were in grave danger, an image that Cassiopeia cherished and stored in her memory as a source of endless amusement.

After enduring several nights of breakdowns and emotional turmoil, Cassiopeia was finally enjoying a moment of tranquility. She relished the solitary company she found in her sketches, which adorned the book that Sirius had recently owl-posted to her. The very first sketch she made was of Sirius himself, a cherished memory preserved in her art.

Now, she stood at the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, a place she had ventured into just weeks ago. The towering white pillars that framed the entrance reminded her of Tom. She couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if he were still there. At times, she longed for someone who would truly understand her feelings.

Lately, she had made an effort not to write in the mysterious diary, respecting Tom's wishes. However, her emotions had been tumultuous over the past few days, leading to secret cries in the Astronomy Tower late at night, well beyond curfew hours. Detentions under Umbridge's supervision, tasked with writing lines, had taken their toll on her hand. The back of her hand bore scars from the repetitive writing, which occasionally stung painfully.

In the midst of her contemplation, a soft, echoing voice broke the silence. "Hello, Cassie."

Cassiopeia gasped in surprise, her hand flying to her chest. "Oh, Myrtle, you nearly gave me a heart attack."

Myrtle giggled and floated closer, her ghostly form shimmering. "Long time, no see, Cassie."

She offered a forced smile in return, relieved that she hadn't been tempted to open the Chamber again. "Ye—yeah, you did scare me, for sure."

Myrtle continued to smile, her translucent presence seemingly unfazed. "You've become so pretty in the last four years."

Cassiopeia tried to mask her unease, riddled with guilt for falling so deeply for the man who had taken Myrtle's life in his pursuit of insane immortality.

Feeling compelled to apologize, she stammered, "I'm sorry."

Myrtle looked puzzled. "Why?"

Cassiopeia hastily brushed it off, waving her hand in dismissal. "No, it's nothing. Forget it."

Changing the subject, she couldn't help but tease Myrtle. "So, Myrtle, have you found another boy to fixate on since Harry?"

Myrtle's eyes twinkled with a dreamy expression. "Oh, Cassie, I really like your cousin. He's so handsome—his lips, his body, God, he's so HANDSOME."

With that exclamation, Myrtle nearly shrieked, causing Cassiopeia's eardrums to vibrate.

Cassiopeia couldn't help but facepalm in response to Myrtle's whimsical behavior. The ghostly girl's actions and words seemed so silly that it almost defied explanation. She observed Myrtle's antics for a moment, then decided to return to her own thoughts. However, Myrtle's next words caught her attention.

"Why do I see you so familiar, Cassie?" Myrtle inquired, leaving Cassiopeia perplexed. Could it be that Myrtle remembered something significant?

She tried to dismiss Myrtle's comment, saying, "I've been at Hogwarts for four years, silly, and now I'm in my fifth year. That's probably why you—"

Myrtle cut her off with an insistent tone. "No, no. There was a girl who dated our head boy back then." She continued to recall the past. "I still couldn't believe it, she dated that murderer."

Cassiopeia's heart raced as she listened to Myrtle's words. She had to maintain her façade.

Myrtle shared more of her memories. "She entered the Chamber with him."

Cassiopeia's eyes widened at the revelation. Myrtle had been a witness to those events. "Oh, didn't you tell anyone, though?" Cassiopeia inquired with feigned curiosity.

Myrtle's voice took on a more somber tone as she shared the final piece of information. "I wanted to, but I couldn't. She's a really angelic girl who sorted into that selfish Slytherin house. She could be a Hufflepuff. The day she came out from the Chamber crying was the day she was killed."

Cassiopeia was taken aback by this revelation. Myrtle had witnessed her previous self's fate.

"Seriously? Didn't you see how she was killed?" Cassiopeia inquired, trying to glean more information from Myrtle.

Myrtle sighed, looking saddened. "I was trying to follow after her, but her boyfriend came out from the Chamber running. The first time I've seen that boy had an emotional state."

Cassiopeia nodded and played along, not revealing her true identity. "How tragic."

Before the conversation could continue, Crabbe rudely interrupted, entering the lavatory. Cassiopeia turned to face him, irritated by his presence.

"Oh, blood traitor talking with a ghost," he mocked. "I think no one is there to see you cry but an awful soul, yeah?"

Cassiopeia snapped at him, telling him to stay away, but she couldn't resist shooting a defiant look at Myrtle. "See you later, Myrtle."

As she walked away, she gave Crabbe a forceful shoulder bump and continued down the corridor. However, she only took a few steps before her wrist was seized, and her arm was painfully restrained behind her.

"Our headmistress wants to see ya," Crabbe hissed into her ear as she struggled to break free. "Let me go, you idiot," she yelled, refusing to comply with his demands. "What the hell are you doing?"

Crabbe paid no heed to her protests and dragged her down the empty corridor. His breath sent a shiver down her spine as he whispered, "So, how are you, pretty?"

"Let me go, Crabbe!" she fumed, her anger rising, but he only chuckled and continued to drag her away. It seemed like he had more sinister intentions in mind.

Before things could escalate further, Filch suddenly appeared in front of them. "You found her," he grumbled to Crabbe. "Take her away; she was waiting for rule-breakers."

Cassiopeia felt a wave of relief wash over her as Filch's appearance saved her from the clutches of Crabbe. She couldn't help but smirk at the turn of events. "Shit!" she heard Crabbe curse under his breath as she walked away, escorted by Filch.