Cassiopeia Nott
After Harry and I's little run in in Honeydukes, we spent the rest of our trip to Hogsmede dragging our friends into stores the other was in to talk a little while pretending to look over the same item. Now we walk beside each other on the trail back to the castle. We both managed to convince our friends to go ahead so we could get some more time alone that isn't just in our dorms.
Our hands brushed one another's as we walked. "And you should have seen Ron's face." Harry laughed. "I wish I had taken a picture."
I laughed along with him. Hermione made a comment about her and Ron snogging and Ron apparently has mixed feelings about it. "They'd made quite the pair." I smiled.
"They will. Someday. Probably not for a good twenty years or the next life or death situation we get thrown into."
"One of the two." Our hands brushed again and this time, I laced my finger around his. A small smile formed on his face and he wrapped his the rest of the way so we were holding hands. The only people near us were two girls up ahead and I doubt they'll notice.
"Did Slughorn invite you to his dinner party?" I asked.
"Yeah. You?"
"And Theo. I'm not particularly excited but now that you're going it'll be slightly more bearable."
He turned his head to face mine. "If we even get to talk, that is."
I sighed. "Yeah, well. I'll try my best to sit next to you. Are you excited for it otherwise?"
"No, but Dumbledore wants me to get close to Slughorn so I suppose this is the way to do it."
"Why?"
"He may know how to destroy Voldemort."
My eyes went wide. "Really? Maybe I should try to get you next to Slughorn instead of me."
"Please don't." He laughed again. "I'd much rather sit next to you."
A blood curdling scream drew both of our attention to a few yards ahead of us. One of the two girls who had been walking was now on the ground, presumably unconscious. The other girl turned to us. She looked as if she might have just witnessed a murder. "I warned her. I warned her not to touch it!" She cried.
I dropped Harry's hand to rush towards the girl on the ground. Her body began to jerk back and forth and back and forth, and then she shot straight up into the air with her arms spread. Harry and the other girl rushed to my side. I looked to the ground where a gorgeous blue necklace lay. Beside it was the box it had come out of.
The girl in the air dropped to the ground. "Do not get any closer! Get back, all of you." Hagrid, the gameskeeper, called from behind us. He pushed past us to get to the girls body. She was still shaking, her eyes blinking open and closed.
Hagrid picked up the girl carefully. I kneeled down to the necklace in front of me. It seems familiar, but I can't for the life of me recall why. I reached out to pick it up.
"Do not touch that, except by the wrappings." Hagrid instructed. "Do you understand?"
I nodded and carefully picked up the edges of the wrapping paper surrounding the necklace. I placed it carefully back into the box and put the lid on it.
"Take that straight to Professor Mcgonagall."
~
Harry and I stood awkwardly aside one another in front of Mcganagall's large desk as she looks over the necklace. The girl, Leanne, who had been with the possessed girl, Katie, stood in front of us. She looked as if she were going to wet herself.
"You're sure Katie did not have this in her possession when she entered The Three Broomsticks?" Mcganagall asked Katie without looking up from the necklace.
"It's like I said. She left to go to the loo, and when she came back she had the package. She said it was important that she deliver it." Leanne answered shakily.
"Did she say to whom?"
"To Professor Dumbledore."
To Dumbledore? Why would someone give a necklace to Dumbledore? And through a student? Hey, I'm not going to judge the man for getting in touch with his feminine side.
Mcganagall sighed. "Very well, Leanne. You may go. Thank you." Leanne didn't hesitate on leaving. She walked straight out the door. Mcganagall turned to Harry and I. "Now, it's become routine that Mr. Potter finds himself in these ordeals, but you, Ms. Nott, I have to say I'm surprised."
"Wrong place, wrong time?" I merely answered with a shrug.
"Best not to make a habit of it." Mcgangall's eyes shot to something behind us. "Oh, Severus." She greeted. Snape made no attempt to greet her in return. He walked swiftly passed us and straight to the necklace. He lifted it with his wand and examined it over.
A faint shrieking noise left the necklace. "What do you think?" Mcganagall asked like the accessory didn't just scream.
"I'd say it's cursed." I said.
"Quiet, Nott." Snape snapped. He sent me a long glare before turning to Mcgangall. "I think Ms. Bell is lucky to be alive."
"It was cursed, wasn't it?" Harry asked. "I know Katie off the qudditch pitch, she wouldn't hurt a fly. If she was delivering that to Professor Dumbledore, she wasn't doing it knowingly."
"Yes, she was cursed." Snape confirmed.
I narrowed my eyes to get a better look at the necklace. I feel like I've seen it a million times before, yet I can't think of where. Maybe a shop window? No, definitely on someone. I bit down a gasp as I realized where I've seen that necklace so many times before.
It belongs to Narcissa Malfoy.
And in The Three Broomsticks, I could hear Draco talking to someone about a necklace. Draco did it. He cursed the necklace and he gave it to Katie to give to Dumbledore. But if it almost killed Katie, why would he give it to someone? Especially if that someone was Dumbledore?
I think Ms. Bell is very lucky to be alive. My face paled. Draco was trying to kill Dumbledore. That must be what he's been up to lately. The disappearing, odd mood swings, neglecting his school work. He's been trying to figure out how to assassinate our headmaster.
I think I'm going to be sick.
Snape raised an eyebrow at my shocked expression. "Something wrong, Ms. Nott?"
"It was Malfoy." Harry answered quickly as if it were an answer to the question being asked. He sent me a sympathetic glance. Not because of what he had said, but because he's going to continue to say it.
Mcganagall coughed, clearly surprised by Harry's outburst. "That is a very serious accusation, Potter."
"Indeed." Snape added in. He sent Harry a look so cold he might freeze on the spot. "Your evidence?"
"I just know."
I cringed slightly. He may be right, but I doubt that would be enough to convince anyone else. "You just....know." Snape repeated in a sort of mocking tone. "You astonish with your gifts, Potter. Gifts mere mortals can can only dream of possessing. How grand it must be to be the chosen one."
"Careful, Professor, you almost sound jealous." I cut in. I couldn't help it and by the way Mcganagall was looking at him, if I hadn't said it she would've. Harry was trying to suppress the smile that came along with my answer and was barely succeeding.
"Watch your tone, Ms. Nott. I don't know what's gotten into to you, perhaps it's your new found friendship with Mr. Potter, or perhaps you have an itch to be expelled." Snape warned. I swallowed any other harsh words I had. For the moment, at least.
Mcganagall cleared her throat to pull the attention back on her. "I suggest you both go back to your dormitories."
Harry and I wasted no time heading for the door. The tension in room was so thick I felt as if I were being suffocated. "Cass, are you ok?" Harry whispered to me as we walked.
I must not being hiding how ill I feel well. Could I just be jumping to conclusions? Surely Draco wouldn't want to kill someone. Right? "Fine." I answered, pushing open the large door to see two lines of people. People I would not expect to see together.
Well, I guess their not really together. On one side of the door, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron all anxiously wait for Harry and trying to avoid looking at Theo and Athena who are lined against the other side of the door.
A series of questions rang out from all sides. I could manage a few "What happened?"'s and "Are you in trouble?"'s before everything blended together and I was sure I really was going to be sick.
"I was worried!" Athena exclaimed as she wrapped me into a hug. She pulled away and looked me over. "God, I thought you were getting expelled or something! You can't leave me alone with your idiot brother and my idiot cousin."
"The idiot brother is literally standing right here, Athena." Theo said as he gestured to himself. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "You ok, Cassie?" He lightly poked my cheek. "You're looking a little green."
"Fine. I just need to lay down." I said as I swatted Athena's hand away from my face. She persisted in putting a hand to my forehead.
"What were you doing with her, anyway, Harry?" I could hear Hermione ask from their group's conversation. "You said you were going to look for a new quill."
The two conversations became one as Theo, Athena, and I shut up to listen. "Oh, we were just walking on the same path back from Hogsmede. That's where we saw Katie." He lied. The words slipped so easily from his mouth you'd think it had been practiced.
Ginny let out a sort of laugh. "I was wondering why you'd be with her."
I don't think Ginny was trying to sound as rude as he had, but Theo clearly didn't think the same way. "And what's wrong with being with my sister, Weasel?" He snapped.
"She didn't mean it like that-" Ron tried to cut in.
"No, I think I did." Ginny said with a glare. "I mean please, we all know what your father has done. Don't think for a second we don't suspect you want to do the same." If it were any other audience, Ginny would probably be getting a round of applause. Lucky for me, most people here were on my side.
Ron looked rather embarrassed by his sister's words. Hermione didn't look very approving of them either. Harry, however, was already jumping to my defense. "She's not her father-" I cut him off with my own response to Ginny. I'm not just going to sit back and let her say those awful things about me when she doesn't even know me and as much as I enjoy it, I don't need Harry to fight my battles for me.
"Not that it's any of your business, Weasel, but I am not like my father and I certainly don't intend to be. I am not a deatheater, nor will I ever be that either. So please, for the love of Merlin, stop assuming you know everything about me when I promise you, you don't even know a little."
"Couldn't have phrased it better myself." Athena said through gritted teeth. Ginny turned to her like she had forgotten she was there. "No, Thena, I didn't mean-"
"If that's an apology, I'm not the one you should be giving it too." Ginny winced at her harsh tone. She then turned to Harry as if she expected him to defend her. Then Hermione, then Ron, and when no one came to her defense. She turned face to me in a furious huff. "Everyone turns into their parents eventually whether they like it or not. You know I'm right about you, Nott."
She tried to catch Athena's eye before stomping off, but she was unsuccessful. Athena didn't even spare her a glance. Ron hurried off after Ginny. Hopefully to try and set her straight and make her see that I'm not a bloody deatheater.
Theo laughed. "Man, she is a bitch!"
I turned to face him. "So, I assume you've given up on her?"
"Completely." He ruffled my hair. "No one talks about my baby sister like that."
"Twin sister." I corrected.
"I'm older."
"By three minutes."
"Still olde-"
"I am not listening to you two have this argument for the millionth time. She looped her arm in mine and began to drag me off. "Come on. I'll get you some nice soup from the kitchen and you can spend the rest of the day in bed."
Theo followed us as we began our descent down the hall. I turned back to see Hermione had already left. Harry spared a glance back at me as he began to follow after her. He sent me a sympathetic smile to which I returned.
It isn't his fault his friend is a total ass.
And who could ever be mad at him?
~
Harry Potter
I watched Malfoy's name move across the marauders map. Down a hall, to the right, pass transfiguration, and then gone. Disappeared like it was never there.
I know he's responsible for the necklace. I think Cassie does too based on the way she was acting earlier today. And she said it herself, somethings up with him. I don't want to press her for information, but I think she may be my best shot at getting some proof Malfoy's a deatheater.
Either way, it's not important right now.
Right now, I just want to her to rest and to be able to sleep off whatever illness overtook her. Whether it was the realization her ex is a deatheater or food poison, I want her to get better.
"What do you suppose Dean sees in her?" Ron asked from his bed. "Ginny?"
"Well, what does she see in him?" I countered, not exactly wanting to have this discussion. Especially after the stunt Ginny pulled today. I can see her reasoning, but if she just sat down and got to know Cassie for even five minutes, she'd see how wrong she is.
"Dean? He's brilliant."
"You called him a slick git not five hours ago." I reminded as I thought back to earlier today when he wanted to leave The Three Broomsticks just to get Dean and Ginny out of his line of view.
"Yeah, well he was running his hands all over my sister, wasn't he? Something snaps and you've gotta hate him, you know? On principle."
"I suppose."
"So what is it he sees in her?"
"I don't know."
Ron turned to his side. "Well, what do you look for in a girl?"
"What?"
"I mean, you have your secret little girlfriend you refuse to talk about. What's she like?"
I rolled my eyes. "I see what you're trying to do, Ron."
"I'm not trying to do anything. I really want to know. And I want to know why you hide her from us. Is it my mom or something?"
"No, Ron, it's not your mom." We sat in silence for a moment. I set the map down on my night stand. I might as well give him something. I started slowly, unsure of what my answer even is. "I like her because she has so many reasons to hate the world and hate everyone in it because of how terribly she's been treated by them. And yet, she still always looks first at the good in people and I like the person she brings out in me."
"What kind of person does she bring out in you?" He asked, seeming genuinely curious.
I shrugged. "I don't know, really, but sometimes I feel like I am an awful person. Everyone around me, no matter how close, is somehow affected by my problems. So many people I have loved have died to protect me, too many. They don't deserve it and I don't deserve them if misery is all I can bring them. It'd be so easy to just give up and join Voldemort. To just not care about anyone at all." I paused. "But with her, I just want to be good. To continue to fight until I can go to bed at night and not have to worry about how Voldemort will try to kill me and the people I care about."
Ron gave me a light smile. "I'm happy for you, Harry."
"Does this mean you'll leave me alone about her?"
He laughed. "No bloody way. But if she makes you this happy, keep her around for a while."
I found myself smiling as well. "I plan to."
"Just as long as it's not my mom."
"It's not your mom, Ron, drop it."
"That's exactly what someone shagging my mom would say."
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(2847 Words - Published April 18, 2021)
IM SORRY POSTINGS SO SLOW I KEEP FORGETTING THAT I ACTUALLY ENJOY WRITING THIS DESPITE BEING TWO MONTHS OUT OF MY HARRY POTTER PHASE
ROon