I'm running late, but I'll give an update on the entire story today.
(...)
It was the Potter Observatory that alerted her, a transmission breaking the silence of the small, turned-off radio, causing Cassiopeia to start in surprise. "The lightning struck, the lightning struck at Hogwarts," the voice repeated, and finally a relieved sigh escaped Cassiopeia's lips.
Harry was safe, for now. However, an unsettling premonition invaded her thoughts. If she knew the scarhead well enough, he was on his way to Hogwarts, searching for the final Horcrux.
The magical coin she carried against her skin burned insistently, until she pulled it out to examine it. A single phrase was engraved on it: "Hog's Head." It was a summons, a plea for help.
Voldemort had sent his Death Eaters in large numbers to patrol Hogsmeade, aware that Harry would be going after the Horcrux. He was vulnerable, Cassi recalled the Dark Lord's words during the Goblin massacre.
Harry needed to find the Horcrux, but she knew he would never ask for help, as foolish as he could be. It was then that the coin in her pocket grew warm, and acting on instinct, she sent an urgent Patronus to Dora and Lupin.
(...)
In the shelter of the living room, Narcissa looked at Cassiopeia with trembling eyes, her voice carrying concern. "My love, are you absolutely sure about this?"
"Yes," Cassi replied with a sigh. "It's our last chance, Cissa. If we succeed. If Harry finds the last Horcrux, only Nagini will remain, and then..."
Narcissa's voice completed itself with a sigh heavy with sorrow as she whispered, "Then everything will come to an end." Her hands intertwined with Cassi's, and silent tears traced their path down her cheeks as she gazed intensely into Cassi's eyes.
"Promise me you'll take care of Draco, promise you won't get hurt, promise me!" Narcissa pleaded, her hands gripping Cassi's cloak tightly.
Cassiopeia smiled sarcastically. "I'll try not to indulge in the luxury of dying." But the exchanged gaze with Narcissa made the joke fade away as she attentively observed every detail of her face.
This could possibly be the last time they would see each other. Cassi knew a battle was approaching, and if she didn't have the chance to return, she wanted to etch every detail of Narcissa's face into her mind.
"Don't think like that," Narcissa scolded in a tearful sob, tears she could barely contain streaming down her cheeks.
She smiled tenderly before whispering, "I love you." Her words echoed in the air, laden with emotion, and the ensuing kiss was deep and emotional, like an inevitable farewell. When they finally parted, their hands remained intertwined, a firm grasp trying to prolong the inevitable. It was only when the moment forced them to separate that the words sprung from Narcissa's lips, like a silent goodbye. "I love you, my beautiful girl" she murmured, allowing Cassi to depart.
(...)
The interior of the bar was shrouded in shadows denser than Cassiopeia's memory. Dim lanterns cast flickering light as she cautiously explored the surroundings. A nearby crack caught her attention. "Shackbolt?!" Cassi exclaimed, somewhat puzzled, but her surprise quickly turned into a warm embrace.
"Hello, Mrs. Gaunt," Shackbolt greeted with a friendly smile. Before she could respond, another crack disrupted the moment. Now emerging from the shadows before her were Lupin and Dora. "Greetings to both," Cassi said with a smile.
"Whotchar Cassie . They might think you're an enemy," Dora teased, gesturing to Cassiopeia's attire, leather and black.
Chuckling, Cassiopeia replied, "Oh, indeed... But they might mistake you for a homeless wanderer." The playful shove was followed by a heartfelt hug with her friend.
"How's my godson? And why did you come?" Cassi asked with a stern look.
"He's with my mum," confessed Dora, her nervousness evident. "He'll be alright, but I couldn't just stand by while Lupin put himself in danger."
"I tried to dissuade her, but stubbornness seems to be a family trait," Lupin grumbled with a tinge of concern.
Once again, a crack shattered the silence, and a man resembling Dumbledore appeared, summoning them to the back of the bar. Irritated, he muttered something like "Just wanted to sleep, and now a mob of wizards is invading my blasted house." Dumbledore's brother, it seemed, had one of the passages leading directly from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts. He asked a woman in a painting to alert the other side and opened the passage.
They waited anxiously as a blonde figure approached with the girl.
When the passage in the portrait opened, Cassi beamed a wide smile.
"Ferret!"
"Hey there, fox," Draco chuckled as he descended and gave her a hug. "You're late. You-Know-Who heard that Harry's at Hogwarts and sent the Carrows after him."
"Malfoy?" Lupin was wide-eyed, looking at Draco as if expecting him to pull out his wand or something.
"You two are always so surprised. Guess it's my own fault," Draco muttered, then extended his hand. "Good to see you, professor. Hello to you too, cousin. How's your baby and my aunt?"
Dora hugged him tightly. "They're fine. You'll meet him once this is all over."
Lupin blinked a few times before responding. "Good to have you with us, lad," he said, patting Draco's shoulder.
"Alright, let's help Scarhead," he said, heading back to the passage, the trio following closely behind.
"How's it been here?" Dora asked.
"It's been... well, doesn't really feel like Hogwarts anymore," Draco sighed.
"The Carrows have done more than just teach. They're in charge of discipline and enjoy punishing. Amycus likes to make us practice the Cruciatus Curse on students who get detention. It's barbaric."
He shuddered. "Neville's their public enemy number one, I swear! He's worse than Potter, openly defies them to give others hope. He's brave, just a bit daft."
Cassiopeia widened her eyes, but then felt a smile forming as Draco pulled out the coin.
"The Carrows never figured out how we communicated and it drove them mad. We used to sneak out at night and graffiti the walls: 'Dumbledore's Army: Still Recruiting,' and such, Snape hated it. But then they started punishing other students, and we stopped being so reckless."
"Neville ran away because the Carrows are trying to kill him. He really gave those two a trauma."
He paused as they approached the door. Draco opened it and ascended the stairs. As Cassi followed, she observed the room - colorful things hung in a jumble, along with lanterns.
She didn't recognize the place. It was vast, resembling the interior of a grand treehouse or perhaps the inside of a ship's cabin on a gigantic scale. Multicolored hammocks hung from the ceiling, extending to a gallery that circled the room. The windowless walls were adorned with dark wood panels and vibrant tapestries in various colors.
The black badger of Hufflepuff against a yellow background was depicted, as was the bronze eagle of Ravenclaw against a blue background.
Her eyes scanned the room, searching for something representing her own house, and then she broke into a radiant smile, moved by the sight of the green and silver serpent next to Gryffindor: the proud golden lion hanging on a red background.
"There aren't many Slytherins, but still," Draco explained upon seeing her expression.
Overflowing shelves, some broomsticks leaned against the walls, and in one corner, a large wooden-cased radio.
"Where are we?" Tonks inquired, looking around.
"The Room of Requirement," Draco grinned.
Cassiopeia stepped forward, examining the radio and transmission equipment. "The wireless!"
"Yes," Draco grinned, then laughed. "It was Neville who requested this room - a place where the Carrows couldn't enter. I'm telling you, he surprised me. He's actually more talented than he's shown all these years."
Cassi smiled softly, Neville truly was a force to be reckoned with. She was also so proud of Draco for helping, even putting himself at risk.
"Come on, let's go. You-Know-Who found out Potter's location and summoned the Death Eaters," Draco urged, showing the dark mark on his arm that pulsed ominously. "I think we need more people."
"I'll go ahead. You two gather as many as you can to help."
"Are you sure?" Draco questioned, uncertain.
"Absolutely. Go," Cassiopeia left the Room of Requirement and dashed through the corridors, bumping into some former classmates along the way. It seemed that the heads of each house were gathering everyone in the Great Hall.
Turning left, Cassiopeia came face to face with Minerva, Harry, and Luna.
"Finally," she gasped, rushing to her godmother and hugging her tightly. "I've missed you so much."
"Oh, Kitty," Minerva cried, looking at her with wide eyes of both fear and concern. "What are you doing here? Are you out of your mind? This is extremely dangerous!"
"I came to fight," Cassiopeia smiled and turned to Harry. "Did you really think I'd let you leave me behind again?"
Harry sighed and hugged her tightly. "I saw the chandelier fall on you, I was worried."
"I'm fine. What's the plan?" she asked, quickly discarding any sentimentality.
"He's here, in the castle, but I don't know where exactly."
"Alright. Have you destroyed the locket and the cup that was in Bellatrix's vault?" Cassiopeia asked hopefully.
"We haven't destroyed the cup yet. But the locket has been taken care of."
"I want to destroy the cup," Cassi asserted, not accepting objections. "I couldn't destroy the locket, please, Harry."
He nodded, understanding what she wanted to express. His father sacrificed himself to destroy a Horcrux, and Cassiopeia felt it was her responsibility to help destroy another to honor him.
"It's with Hermione. Find her, we managed to destroy the others using the basilisk venom."
"The basilisk is still in the Chamber," Cassiopeia nodded. "Great, I can open it and find my family's pet dead, all thanks to you, Harry. Honestly, a born-Muggle treat would have sufficed."
She was glad to coax a smile out of him.
"Any idea where the next one might be? Any hints?"
"We searched the Ravenclaw common room," Luna clarified. "But Alecto appeared and then Amycus came. He spat at Professor McGonagall!"
Cassiopeia scowled in fury. "Don't worry, I used Crucio on him," Harry affirmed with a grin. "And the professor used Imperius afterward." He defended himself, seeing Minerva's disapproving gaze.
"Now, you two," Minerva declared firmly, "Potter, Miss Lovegood, it's best you return to your friends and bring them to the Great Hall; I'll wake up the Gryffindor students."
At the top of the next staircase, they split up: Cassi, Harry, and Luna rushed back to the hidden entrance of the Room of Requirement. On the way, they encountered large groups of students, most wearing travel cloaks over their pajamas, escorted by professors and prefects toward the Great Hall.
"That was Potter!"
"I think I saw Gaunt!"
"Harry Potter!"
"That was him, I swear! Just saw Harry!"
"Isn't that Cassie and Harry??!"
But they didn't look back and kept on running.
When they reached the top, the enchanted wall opened to admit them, and they hurriedly descended upon seeing the room.
It was packed, a stark contrast to the empty chamber before.
Kingsley, Lupin, and Tonks were still present, but now there were many more people, such as Oliver Wood, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, and Alicia Spinnet, Bill and Fleur, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.
"Harry, what's happened?" Lupin inquired, approaching him at the bottom of the stairs.
"Voldemort's on his way, they're barricading the school... Snape's fled... and what are you all doing here? How did you know?"
"We sent messages to all the members of Dumbledore's Army," Draco explained, somewhat sullen in the corner. "You didn't expect them to miss the party, scar-head. I got Cassie and the rest of the old D.A.; she alerted Tonks, who spread the word to all her buddies."
"Malfoy?" Harry looked perplexed.
"Surprised, Potter?" Draco mocked, flashing a smile.
Harry didn't reply, but he returned the smile.
"Who's up first, Harry?" George asked.
"What's going on?" Fred questioned.
"They're evacuating the younger students, and everyone's gathering in the Great Hall to organize. We're going to fight," Harry explained.
A surge of people came down the stairs, wands raised, nearly knocking them over in the process.
Fred mentioned he overheard Ron muttering something about 'bathroom' and 'passageway.' They were heading to the Chamber of Secrets, so she hurried to the restroom.
When she arrived, she sighed in relief upon finding Ron and Hermione examining the sink.
"Having fun on your own?" she quipped, leaning against the door.
"Cassie!" Hermione cried, rushing to embrace her enthusiastically.
"Bloodhell, you're okay." Ron approached, checking for any visible injuries.
"All good, but please, no more chandeliers falling on me," Cassiopeia joked wryly.
Ron shuddered.
"So, is this the passageway?" She asked, stepping closer.
"Yes, but apparently you need to speak in Parseltongue," Hermione sighed irritably.
"Lucky I'm a Parselmouth, isn't it?" Cassi taunted, and the girl slapped her own forehead.
"Sayasas," Cassiopeia whispered, and the small snake carved into the faucet came to life, causing the sink to spin and reveal a staircase.
(...)
Hermione handed the cup to Cassiopeia after her friend had removed all possible fangs from the Basilisk. She had kept a few extra fangs as a precaution.
Kneeling before the cup, Cassi held one of the fangs firmly. She cast a final glance at her friends before driving the object into the cup.
It was as if something was being drained. A terrible rumble echoed, and from all the snake heads in the chamber, water began to gush in powerful waves.
Ron held Hermione's hand, who in turn held Cassi's hand as they tried to run.
But it was no use. They were engulfed by a overwhelming wave that resembled Voldemort.
Cassi fell from the impact, slightly dazed. She looked at her friends and saw them kissing.
When they pulled apart, she shouted, "FINALLY! YOU TWO ARE SO DENSE!"
It was Ron who laughed first, his cheeks as red as his hair. Hermione helped Cassi to her feet, and the three of them quickly left that place.
(...)
In the Great Hall, the four long tables were occupied by disheveled students, some wearing travel cloaks and others their robes. Here and there, the pearly figures of the school ghosts glowed discreetly. All eyes, whether of the living or the dead, were fixed on Minerva, who was delivering a speech from a platform at the back of the hall. Behind her, standing, were the other professors, including the bay centaur, Firenze, and the members of the Order of the Phoenix who had joined the fight. Cassi stood beside Hermione and Ron at the entrance, avoiding interrupting Minerva's speech.
"The evacuation will be overseen by Mr. Filch and Madam Pomfrey. Prefects, when I give the order, you will organize the students of your Houses and lead them, in a line, to the evacuation point." Many students looked petrified. Ernie Macmillan stood up at the Hufflepuff table and asked, "And what if I want to stay and fight?" Brief applause echoed.
"If you are of legal age, you may stay," McGonagall stated.
"And our things?" a girl from the Ravenclaw table asked. "Our trunks, our owls?"
"We don't have time to collect belongings," came the simple reply. "The important thing is to get out of here safely."
"Where is Professor Snape?" Daphne Greenglass shouted from the Slytherin table.
"To use a vulgar expression, he fled," Minerva clarified, prompting cheers from the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw tables.
"We have already put protections around the castle, but they are unlikely to last long unless we reinforce them. Therefore, I ask everyone to quickly and orderly follow the instructions of their prefects..."
However, her final words were drowned out by another voice that echoed through the hall. High-pitched, clear, and icy, the origin of the voice could not be identified; it seemed to emerge from the very walls. Just like the monster she had controlled in the past, it might have lain dormant there for centuries.
"I know you are preparing to fight," cries were heard among the students, some hugging each other in terror as they searched for the source of the sound around them.
"Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not wish to kill any of you. I hold great respect for the professors of Hogwarts. I do not wish to spill magical blood." Silence settled in the hall, a kind of silence that felt like it crushed one's ears, that seemed too vast to fit within the walls.
"Hand over Harry Potter to me," Voldemort's voice echoed, "and no one will be harmed. Hand over Harry Potter, and the school will remain intact. Hand over Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight." Silence enveloped them once again. All heads turned, all gazes in the hall seemed to have found Harry, anchoring him in the light of a thousand invisible rays.
Then, a figure rose at the Slytherin table, and it was Pansy. The moment she stretched a trembling arm upward and cried out:
"But he's there! Potter is there! Get him!"
Before Cassiopeia could intervene, a massive movement erupted. Gryffindor students stood up in front of Harry and faced their Slytherin counterparts. Then, Hufflepuff students also rose, almost simultaneously with those of Ravenclaw. Everyone turned their backs on Harry, protecting him, their gazes fixed on Pansy, wands emerging from all sides, drawn from robes and sleeves.
Minerva seemed about to speak when Cassi quickly walked through the hall and gently touched her shoulder. She went to the front of her house's table and directed her gaze at all of them. Pansy looked at her imploringly before hugging her, murmuring, "Cassie, I'm scared. He's going to kill us. We're all going to die!"
Her friends exchanged frightened glances. All Slytherins joined hands in a gesture of support. Many may not know, but one of the house's mottos is: "We protect our own." Many might not understand, but Slytherins do everything for their own, and at that moment, many had relatives on the other side of the walls. How could they fight against their own parents?
"Describe Hogwarts in one word," Cassi gently asked Pansy.
"Home," the answer came quickly and without hesitation.
Her peers exchanged glances before nodding. However, Crabbe and Goyle stood up angrily. Crabbe raised his wand, but Pansy stepped forward and extended her own wand.
"No!"
"She's right! Hogwarts is our second home," Blaze lamented, looking sadly at the group protecting Harry. "We were supposed to be a family, and we're fighting as if we're all enemies."
He walked slowly to Harry and extended his hand.
"Truce."
Harry extended his hand, shocked, accepting the handshake. Daphne followed right behind. Some Slytherins got up to join the others. On the other hand, Crabbe remained irritated, shooting angry glances between them, as did Goyle and a few whose parents were first-row Death Eaters. Draco was nowhere to be found, and Cassiopeia looked around for her friend.
"Any Slytherin who wants to leave with the others, we won't stop them. But if any of you try to sabotage our resistance or attack us within this castle, we will duel to the death," Minerva shouted loudly throughout the hall.
Some looked shocked but nodded. Crabbe stood up and left, visibly furious, followed by three other students who left with their heads down. They also had Death Eater parents who would be on the other side. All underage students left with the others.
"I can't," Pansy lamented sadly.
"I understand. It's okay," Cassiopeia hugged her and gently pushed her to leave. Pansy ran through the corridors. Before disappearing from view, she turned reluctantly to Harry and murmured a simple, "Good luck, scarhead."
"Ravenclaw students, now it's your turn!" Minerva shouted, and slowly the four tables began to empty. The Slytherin table had a considerable group of students, although noticeably smaller in comparison to the others.
Everyone looked very nervous, glancing around in a mix of fear and determination. The older Ravenclaws remained seated after the younger students left: an even larger number of Hufflepuffs stayed behind, and half of Gryffindor didn't leave their seats, prompting Minerva to step off the platform to get the underage students to leave.
"Absolutely not, Creevey, go! And you, Peakes!"
Hermione and Ron went to Harry. Cassi followed right after.
"Where have you been?" He asked irritably. "I looked for you everywhere."
"We destroyed it," Cassi smiled.
Harry looked at her, astonished. "You did it?"
"Only one remains," she said with a sigh.
Harry held her shoulder in relief. "Just one more," he said to himself.
He stopped, however, from speaking further. Kingsley had stepped forward on the platform to address those who had remained. Cassiopeia looked around for Draco but didn't see him anywhere.
"We have only half an hour until midnight, so we need to act quickly! The professors of Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix have agreed on a battle plan. Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and McGonagall will lead groups of fighters to the tops of the three tallest towers: Ravenclaw, Astronomy, and Gryffindor. From there, they'll have a comprehensive view and excellent positions to cast their spells. In the meantime, Remus," he indicated Lupin, "Arthur," he pointed to Mr. Weasley, seated at the Gryffindor table, "and I will lead groups to the grounds. We will need someone to organize the defense of the entrances to the passages into the school..."
"Sounds like a job for us," Fred spoke up loudly, indicating himself and George, and Kingsley approved with a nod.
"Very well, leaders, come up here so we can divide the troops!"
Groups spread throughout the castle. Harry dashed off without even informing anyone, and Hermione looked at him dumbfounded.
"He drives me crazy."
"I know!" Cassiopeia sighed in irritation.