Cassiopeia felt very confident when she had finished her exams in June and so did her friends, Neville had worried a lot but the gang helped him believe in himself a little more. There was still a few days left in the school year but no classes as the first year exams had all finished so it was very relaxed around the castle if you tuned out all the older students. Cassie was also trying her very best to ignore the fact that she had been having more episodes when she was around Quirrell or harry, it was almost like since she had the nightmare of Voldemort they had increased.
Cassie, Pansy and Blaise were sitting by the lake sharing some ice cream that had been kindly given to them by the house elves down in the hogwarts kitchen, Blaise had also be trying to teach Cassie how to skip rocks so far she had only managed to disturb the fish whilst Blaise skipped them perfectly.
"I've given up, how have I been defeated by rocks" cassie frowned as she threw herself to the floor next to Pansy who was making daisy chains in between spoonfuls of ice cream.
"If you want to be on the quidditch team next year your gonna need to do better than that" Blaise laughed as he waved behind the girls.
Cassie's eyes followed Blaises, Neville and Theo were both walking down from the castle towards them.
"Hitting a ball is not the same as throwing a rock so it bounces of the lake" cassie continued the conversation.
"So your set on being a beater?" Theo asked as he sat down next to her and stole the ice cream she was about to eat.
She hit him shoulder making him laugh and grin at her, "it's the position best suited to me, I'm good at hitting things" she shrugged.
"That's what your basing it off" Neville widened his eyes at the girl.
Cassie nodded, "I don't have the patience to be keeper or seeker they sit still too much, and to be honest chasers are just beaters without the fun" she smiled.
"The fun?" Blaise finally sat down with them.
"Mhm" she mumbled with ice cream in her mouth, "I get a bat" she grinned mischievously.
"I doubt snape would let you wield a bat, never mind his robes catching fire you'd aim a bludger straight at his head" Blaise laughed.
"You know I'm pretty sure it was hermione that set his robes on fire" Pansy said making Cassie gasp and swat her arm.
"Well your not wrong" Neville looked at Pansy and she smiled.
"I knew it, I heard her thinking about it" Pansy exclaimed then quickly turned to Cassie to stop her swatting her again, "that was way before you enforced your new rules"
"Fine I'll let you off" cassie sighed.
A while later draco found them and the six of them spent the rest of the day the way they had started it only going back up to the castle for lunch and dinner.
The next day Emmeline had invited Cassiopeia for dinner to say goodbye before the summer break so Pansy helped her pick a nice outfit rather than the usual workout attire she'd wear, a light green floral dress and a cardigan over it was what they settled on. She said goodbye to her friends in the common room and Draco and Theo walked her to Dumbledore's office, the headmaster gave her a warm smile when she made her way into the office.
"enjoy yourself and don't be back too late Miss Black" he chimed as he got the fireplace ready.
"Thank you professor, see you soon" she grinned as she stepped through the flames.
The second she came out the other side she was greeted by Emmaline who was sitting on the couch, "Cassie! i'm so glad you could make it" the older witch gave the younger a hug.
"Well six weeks is far longer than i'd like to go without a training session" Cassie told her truthfully.
"You'll be fine darling don't worry yourself" she lead cassie into the kitchen where another woman was cooking, "Cassie this is Amelia, my partner" she introduced her.
Amelia flicked her wand so the spoons continued to stir what was in the pan, "it's lovely to finally meet you, Em doesn't shut up about her little protégé" Her green eyes flashed with admiration as she looked over to Emmeline.
"it's a pleasure to meet you too" cassie smiled.
"Do you like italian food? I probably should have asked you beforehand" Emmeline half laughed as she set the table.
"Who doesn't?" Cassie followed suit and helped Emmeline with the cutlery.
It wasn't long before the three of them were sitting down at the table and Amelia starting serving out the food, they were having Caprese Chicken and if that was anything to go by Cassie could tell that Amelia was a good cook. Cassie told the two of them all about how school was going although a lot of things she'd already told Emmeline, she also told them about her exams and the two of them haven taken the exams themselves assured her that she'd do well. When dinner was over they listened to some muggle records on the red and gold record player while they talked some more, Cassiopeia loved hearing all about their time at hogwarts and their lives now. Amelia worked for the department of magical law enforcement and Cassie thought that it was an awfully interesting job.
"Well when you finish school you never know if your exam results are good enough you could become an auror pretty quickly considering the training i'm giving you is practically the same" Emmeline encouraged the girl.
"I'm not sure the ministry would be the right fit for me" Cassie shrugged, "when I finish school i'm hoping I can travel before I set my mind on a job"
"Really that's wonderful, where would you like to travel too?" Amelia asked.
"My friend Blaise is from paris and he's always talking about how amazing it was so that's definitely on my list, but i think i'd enjoy going further than Europe." she paused in thought, "Asia looks absolutely breathtaking from what i've seen in pictures"
"You have ambitions and that is the best thing a young witch like yourself can have" Amelia said as the clock chimed from behind where they were sitting in the living room.
"Good god is that the time!" Emmeline jumped up from the couch and started setting up the floo, "Best get you back before Dumbledore comes looking for you"
Cassie looked over at the clock that read nine pm. She finished her tea and said goodbye to both Emmeline and Amelia, promising Emmeline that she would write to her throughout the break. Quickly she hurried through the fireplace and emerged to see Professor Dumbledore working away at his desk.
"Good evening, i trust you had a pleasant time" the old man looked up at her and smiled.
"It was lovely, thank you for letting me go" She said as she started to rub the centre of her chest.
"You deserve it, now off to your common room before i get accused of playing favourites" he flicked his wand at the door and gave her another bright smile.
As Cassiopeia walked through the castle her chest was irritating her more and more, she had realised the second she came back through the floo that the stabbing pain in her chest wasn't nearly as bad while she was at Emmelines. She was rubbing at the same spot leaving a red mark, she tired to cover it up with her cardigan as she turned a corner but walked straight into the flimsy chest of Professor Quirrell. Almost instantly it was like the sharp pain had increased ten fold and she had to sit down on the floor to stop herself from fainting, Quirrell was looking up and down the corridors bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet.
"Miss Black are you- are you okay?" he bent slightly but too far away from her that she could barely hear him.
Cassie was trying to do the breathing exercises that Hermione had taught her but she couldn't catch her breath. Quirrell was utterly useless standing a few feet away from her nervously, Alls Cassie wanted was for someone to turn onto this corridor that could help. Anyone, anyone at all. Anyone but...
Severus Snape.
The girls head of house strode over to her and sent daggers over to Quirrell who had jumped even further away at his presence. Snape swooped down to her and took out his wand, he tapped it at the crown of Cassies head and a wave of cold washed over her and she finally caught her breath. She could breathe again, it would be okay. Her eyelids started to feel heavy and she looked up and saw Snape arguing with Quirrell quietly, she wanted to eavesdrop but her body took over and she finally passed out.
The little witches eyes fluttered open one by one and she could tell it was morning by the shade of green light that engulfed her dorm room from the water of the black lake. She turned around and jumped backwards as her face was met with a pair of feet, she shot up and frowned down at the bottom of her bed. Draco was lightly snoring away, she shook her head and looked over to Pansy who was also asleep with Holstein at her feet.
It must have been early considering Draco wasn't awake yet, not wanting to wake the two others in the bed she krept out and threw on a dressing gown to make her way to the common room. She was yawning the whole way there and her eyebrows raised when she saw the familiar figure of Theodore Nott asleep with a sketchbook on his knees. She smiled as she sat down next to him and summoned some tea. She was on her second cup before the boy next to her started to stir, his eyes looked shocked when he realised where he was and then he looked at cassie who was mid sip and his eyes looked calm again.
"How are you feeling?" He questioned his voice all rough from sleep.
"Good morning too you too" she smiled and poured him a cup.
"Do you remember what happened yesterday Cass?"
"Oh, erm." she thought for a second before looking back over to the boy, "Last thing i can remember was leaving Dumbledore's office" she shrugged.
"And you feel fine?" he pressed the back of his hand to her forehead.
"Yes Theo i feel fine" she remembered a funny sort of thing in her head, "i did have a very odd dream about flying around with a bat though" she frowned into her tea cup just as Theo burst out laughing sending tea out his nose.
"Cassie that wasn't a dream, though it wasn't a bat it was Professor Snape" he finished laughing before carrying on, "You passed out while you were walking back and Snape had to carry you back to the common room"
"Oh... bloody hell you'd think i'd remember passing out" she shook her head and kicked her feet out onto Theo's Lap. "Oh well, lets see what you've been drawing" she picked up his book and started to flick through it with him.
The minute Theo told her what had happened she no longer needed to question why he was asleep in the common room, whenever he was worried about Cassie he paced for hours and would eventually tire himself out. This wasn't the first time she'd found him here, in fact it was becoming quite a usual thing for him when Cassie had a particularly bad day beforehand.
At some point during the day when the rest of the group had assembled they all decided to go and sit by the lake again, it was a rather peaceful day and they were all tired on account of most of them being up half the night worrying about Cassie. Other than Neville who hadn't heard until this morning, he had been up half the night because Harry Potter kept waking him up because he was having nightmares, Neville assumed it was exam stress causing his nightmares but Cassie knew better.
At dinner Cassiopeia could feel both Professor Snape and Quirrell's eyes on her so she tried to look anywhere other than the teachers table, though she'd notice that Dumbledore was not up there. Her wandering gaze landed on the gryffindor table, at first she was just looking for Neville but then she noticed how jumpy Hermione, Harry and Ron were being so she closed her eyes and concentrated. It was difficult to waft through the mindless thoughts of hogwarts students to find what she was searching for and then Hermione's voice filled her head. She was thinking about Snape, Dumbledore, Harry, the philosopher's stone and then finally Voldemort. She was scared or worried, maybe both. Hermione looked over to the Slytherin table and gave Cassie a small smile which she returned.
That night when they had all returned to their common rooms Cassie could feel something in her stomach, like something was wrong and something bad was about to happen. She didn't want to worry her friends again so when they went to bed and she was sure Pansy was asleep, she quietly snuck out of the common room and was on her way to Dumbledore's office when she ran into Professor Snape. Great.
"Miss Black? what are you doing out of bed" he half scolded her but his body language led Cassie to believe he was being cautious.
"Sorry Professor it's urgent, i need to see the headmaster" she said as confidently as she could.
"That'll have to wait until morning, Dumbledore's had to go to london on a matter of ministry business" he nodded.
Cassie looked at her feet and groaned, she really didn't want to talk to anyone other than Dumbledore but if something bad was about to happen at least one member of staff should know, "Sir something is wrong" she looked up at him and stood straighter.
"Yes, that something is you being out of bed at these hours. Now come on i'll walk you back" he started to walk back the way Cassie had came.
"I wouldn't tell you of all people if this wasn't a serious matter Professor. Something bad is about to happen i can feel it and i don't know why!" her voice was raised though she didn't mean it.
"Cassiopeia I suggest you lower your voice" he raised a brow but took a step back from her, "what exactly is going to happen?"
"Well that's the problem, i don't know exactly." she swallowed the lump in her throat. "But i can feel it in my stomach, i think it might have something to do with the Philosopher's stone, and Voldemort" she watched as Snape's black eyes shot open at the mention of the dark lord.
"Your sure? if i wake the other Professors at this hour for a hoax and nothing is wrong you'll be in detention the whole of next year" he tried to mask the fear in his eyes.
"I'm certain" she stated.
The gloomy professor nodded and dug around in the pockets of his robes, "take these and wait in my office, either me or Professor Mcgonagall will come and get you if something happens. Lock the door and do not open it unless its one of us" he instructed as he handed her a set of keys.
Cassiopeia nodded her head silently and made her way to his office. Then she waited, and waited, and waited, the sharp pain in her chest was agonising and she'd taken to looking through Snape's potions supply for anything that could ease the pain. No luck. She thought about going to the Hospital wing but remembered that Snape said not too. She knew she wouldn't make it anyway, the pain was making her eyes haze and she had to sit in Snape's uncomfortable chair to steady herself.
A chill ran up her spine and another stab of pain hit her in the chest. Her eyes looked to the cuff on her wrist and she could see something almost leaking out of it, it was black and almost vapor like but then another jolt in her chest took over and she didn't notice that she had started to scream. Suddenly everything went cold and her body crumbled out of the chair onto the cobbled floor, Cassie tried with all her power to keep her eyes open. The pain would pass she told herself.
And then she heard it, a voice that felt familiar to her but it had changed and it wasn't clear. "kill him" the voice said over and over.
As her body was starting to give up on her she felt a cold hand run across her face gently, she remembered that touch. When Cassie reached her hand out to hold onto the hand on her face there was nothing there. Then there was nothing but darkness
This time when Cassiopeia opened her eyes she was still in Snape's dingy office on the cold floor, both Professor Snape and Mcgonagall were standing over her.
"Cassie, hon. Can you stand" Mcgonagall's voice rang through the room, softer than usual.
Cassie sat up slowly and nodded attempting to get to her feet and stumbling only to be caught by Mcgonagall.
"I'll take that as a no" Snape frowned in annoyance.
"Come on, i'll help you back to your dorm" she sent Snape a glare as she wrapped her arm around the younger girls waist.
Mcgonagall stayed in the room with Cassie until madam Pomfrey could get down to see her, apparently Cassies intuition was right and Harry Ron and Hermione were all in the hospital wing being seen too. Pomfrey assured everyone that Cassie would be fine after some well needed sleep so she gave the girl a vial of dreamless sleep potion, McGonagall was okay leaving her because the second she had been brought back to her dorm there was a small army waiting to see her outside. Pansy had been woken up when they brought her back so she was already in the room but the moment the door opened for the two adults to leave, Draco, Theo and Blaise all piled in.
They were all told to let her sleep so they did as they were told and they just sat on the bed with her, every so often one of them would go and get some food for them from the kitchens. On the fourth kitchen run when the sun was starting to set, Draco had returned with not only food but with Neville too. Neville told them all the gossip about what happened, he'd been put in a body bind curse by Harry Ron and Hermione who then proceeded to almost get themselves killed. Harry had quite literally been an inch from death because Voldemort, who was hidden inside Quirrells turban, had attacked him. Dumbledore pulled through and saved the day though and Voldemort had disappeared again.
When Cassiopeia had woken up from the potion and been informed of everything that had happened she locked herself in the bathroom and spelled the water so it was as cold as she could get it. The whole school year Voldemort had practically been right in front of her and he never once tried to contact her, comfort her or even tell her that he was still alive. Even if he was just imbedded to the back of someone's head, she could have helped him.
Her friends took turns waiting outside for her to come out but hours went by and eventually they got tired of wondering weather the girl had drowned herself. The logical thing for them to do would be to get a member of staff, but in Draco's case when it came to his aunt he lacked any sort of logic. He flicked his wand and spoke clearly "alohamora" the door was flung open.
Draco's heart practically broke when he walked through the door. Cassie was balled up rocking back and forth, her silent tears mixing with the ice cold water that was starting to tint her skin blue.
"Cass?" He said softly as he knelt at her side trying not to get wet.
She didn't respond and her eyes looked dead, staring at the water going down the drain on the floor. Draco rubbed at his temples, he took a deep breath and leant into her slowly cradling her head to his chest. It was like the minute she felt his contact she came back to reality and she looked up at her nephew, her lip quivering and her eyes blinking quickly trying to rid the tears.
"He was here" she trembled, "he was here the whole time and he- he didn't- he" she sobbed again and the mirrors in the bathroom all cracked as she did. Draco pulled her out of the water and closer to him. "He said he'd come back for me" she managed to get out.
"It's okay Cass, I'm here" he tried to soothe her, "everything's going to be fine" he rested his chin on top of her head.
When the more violent sobs had stopped Draco made an attempt to pick her up, given that they were the same size he struggled and shouted for Theo to help. Theo managed to help Draco get her back to her room where Blaise Pansy and Neville were all waiting, once she had been set down on the bed Draco turned to them all.
"I know we all want to help her, but right now she can't be overwhelmed" he tried to sound as grown up as he could so he took elements of things his mother had said to him when Cassie had episodes when she first came out of her coma. "She's going to be okay because she's the strongest girl I know, but for now I'm going to stay with her. That means everyone out, okay?" He put his hands behind his back And looked everyone in their eyes.
All of them nodded besides Pansy who just crossed her arms and stood her ground as everyone else started to leave. "This is my room I'm not going anywhere"
Draco rolled his eyes, "fine you can stay"
Pansy nodded and sat next to her bestfriend who was now passed out in their bed, "what if she's not okay" the dark haired girl turned to meet Draco's worried eyes.
"She will be. Besides we're going home tomorrow after the feast, my mum will know what to do if she's still like this" he nodded and sat on the other side of Cassie who was breathing in and out steadily.
Cassiopeia woke to Pansy and Draco leaning back to back at the end of the bed upright but asleep, she smiled and lifted herself up exhaustedly. She kicked her foot out and knocked them from eachother making them jump awake.
"Morning" Cassie spoke roughly.
"About time you woke up" Pansy gave a small smile.
"I feel like I've just been dragged ten miles behind a centaur" cassie rubbed her head.
"I thought you'd still be asleep and we'd have to carry you down to the train" Draco handed her a glass of water.
"We go home today?" Cassie looked to her friends in confusion.
"Mhm, the feast doesn't start for..." Pansy glanced at the clock on her bedside table, "an hour and a half, if your feeling up to it"
Cassie nodded, she didn't know wether it was the best idea but her stomach was grumbling and she'd have to face everyone sooner or later.
"You okay for visitors? I'm pretty sure there's a hole in the common room floor due to Theo's pacing" Draco groaned.
"Well I might aswell start small, go and get them" cassie let out a small laugh.
Draco quickly left the room and Pansy moved up the bed and hugged Cassie as tight as she could, when she pulled away she rested her forehead to Cassie's.
"You scared me" Pansy's voice was soft and calming.
"Sorry, I'm not very good at control" Cassie had to close her eyes on the last part.
"Don't apologise it's not your fault, and as for the control" Pansy finally pulled her head back, "you have me and the rest of the gang on your side, we'll support you" she smiled.
"What would I do without you" Cassie had a smile on her face as she took hold of Pansy's hand.
The bedroom door swung open and Neville and Blaise were the first in followed by Theo, through Theo had Holstein wrapped around his neck and he was frowning at the now fully grown cat.
"He's been like this all night. HE JUST WONT GET OFF!" Theo shouted at Holstein.
Holstein meowed loudly and rubbed his head into Theo's face before leaping from his shoulders and prancing over to his mum.
"Hello my little cow" Cassie stroked him and kissed the top of his head and he started to purr.
"Why is that cat of yours so insufferable Cass?" Theo complained as he gave her hug.
"You we're too busy trying to get him off your neck too pace" Blaise who was now sprawled out on the bed said. "Clearly little mischief man here had a plan and it worked" he grinned as he stroked Holstein's head.
"I hate it when you pace, obviously he knows that" Cassie smiled to Theo.
The group of them spent an hour doing hardly anything at all besides the last bits of packing, then they had to get ready for and go down for the end of year feast. Cassie's chest wasn't hurting as much as it had been, which she assumed was something to do with the fact the remnants of her former mentor was no longer sitting at the teachers table.
The feast was all in all quite boring for Cassie. Slytherin had almost won the house cup before Dumbledore started dishing out points left right and centre to the Gryffindor students, though Neville deserved far more than he had been given.
Once the student were all on there way down to the train station the realisation that they were going home set in and suddenly Cassie wouldn't let go of Pansy. She knew of course that Pansy would probably come over to the manor but she hated sleeping without Pansy, as much as she loved Draco he was not as good at cuddling.
Neville had arrived to the train with his fellow Gryffindor's but split off the second he saw the wave of green approaching the train, he got them a compartment and soon enough the six of them all got comfortable for the long ride back to London. Neville was the only one that Cassie would struggle to see during the summer holiday so she pushed Draco aside so she could sit next to him.
"It's only a few weeks guys can we all stop looking miserable" Blaise said as he shot green firework like sparks out of the end of his wand.
"If you set this compartment on fire we might not live to see second year" Draco gave a pointed look to Blaise's wand.
"If the events of this year are anything to go by then I think I'll take the fire" cassie giggled making everyone turn to her, "what... it was a joke come on" she huffed making everyone laugh.
"I'm sure next year will run smoother" Theo shook his head, "plus you can all try out for the quidditch team" he shrugged.
"Still don't want to try out with us then?" Blaise said as him Draco and Cassie all gave him pleading looks.
"Me, Theo and Neville are perfectly fine cheering you three on from the stands thank you very much" Pansy chimed in.
"Well boys we have six weeks to change their minds" Cassie spoke to Blaise and Draco.
The six off them carried on laughing as the hogwarts express edged closer and closer to platform nine and three quarters, all of them blissfully unaware of anything that was to come.