Ascendancy - Book I of the 𝔅𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔨 𝔖𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔰

XV. 28th December 1931 - the assembly (2/3)

"Because I said so."

Hector Fawley had risen from the top of the bleachers, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore. He was challenging him with his eyes, silently testing him, as if to say, 'If you dare to contradict me, you will regret it'. Cassiopeia grinned widely.

"What a nice surprise!" she exclaimed. "I was a little disappointed that you didn't come, Professor."

"I didn't come to get on the list, I came to put things right."

"I'm the one who's putting things right, Albus," the Minister of Magic cut him off. "I gave the list to my first advisor, Regulus Black, because I wanted to."

The Professor turned to the man concerned. The young man sat with dignity at his sister's side, his robes adorned with jewels featuring the Black emblem. A slight smile publicly provoked his rival. He had succeeded, and he was proud of it. Dumbledore was no longer of any use in this matter.

"Are you sure you haven't come to ask for your place among us?"

"Miss Black, believe me, I have no interest in this."

"You don't?"

She approached him, her pupils filled with buried madness. She had already calculated her move. Cassiopeia was growing up, and her lust for power was only getting more dangerous as time went on. She knew the weak points of her enemies and dug a hole in them, in order to control them at will. Her talent for Legilimency helped her greatly. Dumbledore had already seen the girl at Hogwarts, and she was quite controlled there. Here... she was in a position of strength. Nothing would stop her now. So when she brought her face close to his ear, he tried to keep an apparent calm, but inwardly, he expected an affront without impunity.

"Because entering the circle of purebloods means entering the dark secrets of magical society," she whispered against his earlobe. "It means knowing in advance the arrival of any threat."

She put her gloved hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes. Albus watched as the fire in her eyes flared, the determination that gripped her and held her tight, tight, tight. Cassiopeia would eventually suffocate. She would fall from her throne soon enough, when she realised that the world did not belong to her. But for now, she wore her crown with her chin up, ready to do anything to get what she wanted.

"It's a shame to stay out of it. Because when Grindelwald will come here, you won't have idea what he's going to do."

Dumbledore's features broke down. The very name brought back a flood of memories too painful to be endured so easily.

"And believe me, Professor, this time your wise words will not save you."

She smiled broadly and turned away from him to return to her cousin. The worst about it was that she was right. The smartest thing would have been to ask for her place in the Sacred Twenty-Eight to catch Grindelwald by surprise. And Cassiopeia knew it. Now to petition would be to stoop to her feet and declare her the winner. Albus's honour forbade it. He would find another way to stop his former schoolmate. Yes, he would.

"Anything else to say, Professor?" asked Callidora innocently.

There was a short silence in the theatre. Fawley was waiting for the resistance, ready to confront him if necessary. Regulus was also preparing himself, having all the arguments necessary to crush him. Adonis Rosier, whose job it was to protect and support the Prime Minister, had his hand on his wand, ready to be drawn at any moment. Albus Dumbledore was not stupid enough to attack now.

"Study hard, Miss Black. We'll meet again at the beginning of the school year."

Callidora nodded sagely as Cassiopeia hid her laughter. Dumbledore left as quickly as he had come, sending the theatre into a frenzy of excitement.