Chapter 12
Harry Potter had been staring at the Great Hall's fireplace all through dinner. Not a single bite of food had been touched, and he sat on the table facing the fire, distant from the rest of the students who had stayed behind for the holidays. His expression was troubled, lost in thought.
Ron couldn't stop glancing at him, his eyes filled with concern. Cassidy noticed too.
"Ron, is that yours?" Fred Weasley suddenly asked, pointing to a piece of food in front of Ron. Ron didn't respond, still focused on Harry, his brow furrowed in worry.
"Ron?" Cassidy repeated, her voice soft but persistent.
Ron blinked, as though coming back to the present, and then muttered, "I'll be right back," before standing up and heading toward Harry.
Cassidy turned her attention to the twins, who were watching her with their usual mischievous grins.
"Don't tell me you're about to go all 'Sweet' on him," George said, his smirk wide as he nudged Fred with his elbow.
"Yeah, we can't have you taking on the 'mother hen' role now, can we?" Fred added, his tone playful, but Cassidy could tell they were teasing in the most lighthearted way.
Cassidy shot them a knowing grin, shaking her head. "You two are impossible. Just don't get into trouble while I'm not looking."
"You wound us, Cass!" Fred exclaimed, his hand over his heart in mock injury.
"Of course we'll behave," George said with a wink, both twins returning to their meals. But Cassidy didn't miss the worried glance they exchanged.
Just as quickly as he had left, Ron returned to the table, looking even more troubled than before.
Cassidy leaned in closer to him, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Is Harry alright?"
Ron sighed, poking at his food with little enthusiasm. "No. He's still fixated on that mirror we saw. He won't stop thinking about it, I'm sure of it. I've got a bad feeling about it, Cass. It's not right. It's pulling him in."
Cassidy's brow furrowed slightly, but she kept her tone calm. "Don't worry about it, Ron. He'll figure it out. You know he will."
Ron didn't seem convinced. "I hope so," he muttered, his eyes drifting back to Harry's distant form.
Cassidy, sensing his unease, glanced back at Harry, still seated by the fire, his gaze lost in the flames. Her necklace felt cool against her skin, a small comfort. She found herself no longer feeling all that hungry, her appetite waning as the weight of the situation lingered.
She turned back to her plate, determined not to let the worry creep in, but one last look at Harry's brooding figure confirmed that his visits to the mirror were far from over.
***
Later, as Cassidy lay awake in bed, she heard a shuffling of footsteps outside.
She knew it was Harry.
Jumping up from bed and silently opening her dorm room door, she padded down the stairs. Confirming her suspicions, she saw Harry slip through the painting. Determined to stop him, she waited a few moments before following.
"Caput Draconis," she whispered. The painting swung open, and she climbed out—only to find herself face-to-face with Albus Dumbledore.
"Ah!" she yelped, stumbling back.
The professor smiled kindly at her surprise and crouched slightly, his eyes twinkling. "Cassandra Sweet. How nice to finally meet you."
"P-Professor! I'm so sorry for sneaking out. I promise I was only trying to help—"
"Harry?" Dumbledore finished for her, his expression soft.
Cassidy's eyes widened. "H-how did you—?"
"I know many things, Cassandra. Things you've yet to learn but will, in time." His gaze shifted briefly to her necklace. "But let me tell you something now. You are far greater than you realize. Seeing Harry begin to lose himself in that Mirror and deciding to follow him shows the kind of friend you are—brave and selfless."
He stood, his eyes distant for a moment. "You both remind me of two students I once knew—brave, loyal, and full of potential. Much like yourselves."
Cassidy blinked up at him, unsure of what to say.
"Now," Dumbledore said with a small nod, "return to your room. I will speak to Harry. You need not worry."
Heart pounding, Cassidy climbed back through the hole and hurried to her bed. She buried herself under the blankets, her mind racing with questions she couldn't yet answer.
But one thing was certain—Harry was in good hands.
The new year was here, and so were the upcoming final exams. Cassidy and Hermione, after a long but joyful reunion, had settled into the Great Hall, studying fervently. Yet, despite Hermione's best efforts, Cassidy was struggling to remember even the simplest of things. The lack of progress on her necklace and the mystery of Nicolas Flamel didn't help her focus much either.
Harry's owl, Hedwig, had perched itself on their table, watching the group of students curiously.
"Hi, Hedwig." Harry said, smiling as he reached up to pet her.
"You're lucky to have a competent owl, Potter. Moony's always disappearing, and I can never find him when I need him." Cassidy groaned, her voice muffled from where she lay, head down on the table.
"Cassidy, focus!" Hermione chided, pointing her pencil at the page of her Potions book.
Cassidy groaned louder, rolling her forehead against the cool wood of the table. "I'm trying, but my brain's made of mush today."
Ron laughed from across the table, amused by her frustration.
Hermione, unamused, turned her attention to Ron. "Look at you, playing with your cards. Pathetic. We've got final exams coming soon."
"'Mione, leave him. He's hopeless." Cassidy muttered, her voice muffled even more by the table.
"I'm not hopeless, Sweet. I'm ready. Ask me anything," Ron said, looking smug as he flashed a grin in Hermione's direction.
"Alright then," Hermione replied, her eyebrow raised in challenge. "What are the three most crucial ingredients in a Forgetfulness Potion?"
Ron's face froze, the smugness quickly slipping away. "Uh... I forgot," he said, causing Cassidy to lift her head from the table, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"What're you gonna do if it comes up in the exam, then?!" Cassidy asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked at him.
Harry chuckled quietly, clearly enjoying the banter. Cassidy was relieved to see him looking better these days after the whole fiasco with Dumbledore.
"Copy off Hermione." Ron grinned.
Cassidy rolled her eyes before Hermione spoke. "No, you won't. Besides, according to Professor McGonagall, we're getting special quills, bewitched with an Anti-Cheating spell."
Cassidy groaned louder, drawing curious glances from other students. "I was hoping you'd let me copy, Hermione," she said dramatically.
"Don't be silly, Cassidy." Hermione smiled despite herself, shaking her head.
"That's insulting!" Ron exclaimed, his face a perfect mix of mock horror and amusement. "It's as if they don't trust us! Dumbledore again," he muttered, making a face.
Cassidy, unable to resist, threw a balled-up parchment at him. It bounced harmlessly off his head.
Suddenly, the sound of feet hopping caught their attention. They turned to see Neville Longbottom, his legs twisted and locked by what seemed to be a curse.
"Leg-Locker Curse?" Ron said in disbelief as Cassidy jumped up to help Neville.
"Malfoy," Harry said simply, an expression of annoyance crossing his face.
"Oh, Nev..." Cassidy said, gently guiding him toward their table, her voice filled with concern. "Don't worry, I've got you."
"You've got to start standing up to people, Neville," Ron added, glancing pityingly at Neville but looking at Cassidy's hand on Neville's arm.
"How?! I can barely stand... at all!" Neville replied, frustration clear in his voice. Cassidy tried to steady him again, doing her best to keep him from falling over.
Seamus Finnigan stood up from his seat suddenly, looking eager. "I know the counter-curse!" he exclaimed with a grin.
"Well, that's all I need. You to set my bloody kneecaps on fire!" Neville shot back in a frustrated tone.
Cassidy shook her head in exasperation, momentarily letting go of Neville to give him some space. "Neville! Don't be rude," she scolded lightly.
"I don't appreciate insinuations, Longbottom!" Seamus exclaimed, glaring at Neville before storming out of the Great Hall.
Cassidy's laughter bubbled up uncontrollably as she spotted Seamus's embarrassing bald spot at the back of his head.
Suddenly, Harry's face lit up as he stared down at a Chocolate Frog card.
"I found it!" he exclaimed, holding it up for everyone to see.
"What?" Cassidy asked, still holding onto Neville to make sure he didn't tip over again.
Ron leaned forward, squinting at the card Harry was holding. "Listen to this. 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, for returning an important pure-blood family's heirloom,'" Ron read aloud, stopping when something seemed to catch his attention. "And his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel!"
Cassidy's necklace flared, and a thrill of recognition surged through her. "Finally!" she said, throwing her arms up in excitement. She forgot to keep a hold of Neville, and he promptly collapsed to the floor with a loud thud.
"Oh, Nev! I'm so sorry!" Cassidy immediately helped him back up, though she couldn't help but chuckle at the situation. Neville, of course, didn't seem as amused.
"I knew the name sounded familiar," Harry said, his eyes bright. "I read it on the train that day."
Hermione's eyes sparkled with the thrill of the discovery, and she grabbed her bag quickly. "Follow me!" she said urgently, already halfway out of her seat.
The group quickly gathered their books, and Cassidy, caught up in the excitement, rushed to catch up with Hermione.
Neville, still struggling to regain his balance, yelled after them. "Hey! Wait! Where are you going? What about the counter-curse?!"
The sound of his voice faded as they ran off, and the first-years around Neville burst out laughing as he lay there, defeated.