Chapter 14
Cassidy was eating breakfast with her friends, and chatting to Neville about how much she struggled with Herbology.
"I just don't get it," she fumed, frustrated. "Why doesn't it work for me? I've tried everything, and it still feels like I'm messing up every single time. It's like I'm cursed to fail in this class!"
Neville, sitting beside her, frowned in concern. "Maybe... maybe it's not about getting everything right at first? Herbology can be tricky. It's just about practice, really."
Cassidy groaned, shoving her book aside. "It's not that simple, Nev. You don't see me struggling with anything else as much, but this class is just... ugh! Every plant hates me, and I hate them back!" She was being dramatic, she knew.
Neville looked at her, trying to be encouraging, though his voice was soft and hesitant. "I know you can get it, though. You're brilliant at so many other things."
"Yeah, well, it's still frustrating." Cassidy mumbled, though not unkindly. She sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Maybe I'm just not cut out for it."
Before Neville could respond, a large, sleek silver owl swooped down, landing right next to Cassidy. She blinked in surprise as the owl extended its leg, where a neatly folded envelope was attached.
"Moony?" She said, and her owl hooted cheerily in response.
Cassidy's stomach flipped as she reached for the letter and untied it from Moony's leg, and he flew away. Her mind was already racing with what it might contain. She recognized the handwriting immediately—it was her father's.
"Hey, that's—" Harry started, but Cassidy was already opening the envelope, her fingers trembling slightly.
The others went quiet as she unfolded the letter and began to read aloud in a quiet, almost reverent voice:
"Cassidy," she began, her eyes skimming the words. "I know you're eager to understand more about our family's past, but some things are better left undisturbed. There's no need to dig into what's been forgotten. Focus on your studies and your future. There's nothing more to know right now."
Cassidy's voice faltered as she read the last line, her heart sinking with the same weight of finality she had sensed in her father's tone. She set the letter down in front of her, staring at it in stunned silence.
Hermione, her brow furrowed, leaned forward. "What's it say?"
Cassidy let out a shaky breath, trying to collect her thoughts. "He... He says there's nothing more to know about my family. He says I should stop looking into it. He doesn't even explain anything... just tells me to focus on my studies and forget about it."
Ron raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound like the answer you were hoping for."
Cassidy shook her head, frustration flaring up again. "It's like he's hiding something—like he's trying to keep me away from it on purpose. I don't understand why he won't just tell me the truth." She let out a breath, running a hand through her hair. "It's so vague. So... final."
Harry glanced at her with a thoughtful expression. "Maybe he's worried it's something dangerous. But if it's that important, maybe you'll find out when you're ready."
Cassidy looked down at the letter again, her mind racing. "Yeah... maybe. But I can't just let it go. I don't know why, but something in me tells me there's more. Like... like I need to know."
The group was silent for a moment, all of them processing Cassidy's words, when Ron finally broke the tension with a light chuckle. "Well, if you ever do find out anything interesting, you've got to tell us. I'm dying to know what your family's hiding."
Cassidy smirked at him, her usual playful expression returning, though her mind was still reeling from the letter. "I'll let you know, Ron. But only if you promise to stop eating like a dog at every meal."
He grinned. "Deal."
Cassidy's gaze wandered back to the letter, her thoughts drifting again to the mysterious history her father had so adamantly warned her away from. She wasn't ready to stop looking—not yet.
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"Gather round!" The booming voice of Gilderoy Lockhart rang out throughout the hall, and students giggled as they came closer to the stage he strode across.
They were at Gilderoy's Dueling Club, which Cassidy had only come to so she could see if Gilderoy would make a fool out of himself.
"Can everybody see me?" He asked.
"Of course we can! Look at how big your head is!" Cassidy yelled, hiding when people turned to see who had shouted that insult. Harry and Ron doubled over in laughter, while Hermione shook her head silently.
Ignoring the insult, Lockhart continued, blonde hair shining in the light.
"Can you all hear me? Excellent." He said. Cassidy rolled her eyes. "In the light of the dark events of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Dueling Club."
Someone pushed Cassidy to the side, trying to get a better look, and she stumbled into Ron, holding on to his shoulders in order not to fall. The smell of shea butter and sugar filled his nose as she looked up at him.
"Oh, sorry Ron." She whispered apologetically, steadying herself and looking back at Gilderoy. Ron didn't reply. His face had turned a deep shade of red.
"...as I myself have done on countless occasions. For full details, see my published works." Lockhart threw his cloak into the crowd, which Angelina Johnson caught enthusiastically. "Let me introduce my assistant. Professor Snape!"
Everyone looked to the side, and saw the tall, dark figure of Severus Snape approach the stage, his expression brooding.
"He has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry. You'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him. Never fear."
Cassidy's gaze flicked to Professor Snape, whose eye twitched ever so subtly in annoyance.
"Oh, he's going to beat his arse." Cassidy whispered, almost sorry for Lockhart.
The two men stepped towards each other and whipped out their wands, bowing politely as one did before a duel. They then turned their backs to each other and walked away, before turning around abruptly and choosing their fighting stance.
"One. Two. Three." Gilderoy counted.
"Expelliarmus!" Snape yelled, a bright light coming from his wand and hitting Gilderoy, throwing him violently while he screamed.
Cassidy laughed with the other students as he lay on the ground, groaning. Hermione was distraught.
"Do you think he's alright?" She asked, worried.
"Who cares?" Ron said, looking on in amusement with Harry.
"I hope not." Cassidy admitted jokingly, checking her nails.
Slowly, Gilderoy got up, ego obviously bruised, and started striding towards Snape.
"An excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind me saying, it was pretty obvious, uh, what you were about to do. And if I had wanted to stop you, it could've been only too easy." Gilderoy said, his usual smug smile quite strained.
"He's lying through his teeth." Cassidy deadpanned, making a nearby Gryffindor snort.
"Perhaps it would be prudent to first teach the students how to block an unfriendly spell, Professor." Snape replied. Then he did something unbelievable.
He smiled.
"Am I the only one who saw that?" Cassidy said, whipping her head around to her friends, who were slightly openmouthed.
"No." Harry breathed. "No Cassidy, you weren't."
On the stage, Gilderoy faltered, but soon resumed his confident demeanor.
"An excellent suggestion, Professor!" He declared, beaming. "Uh, let's have a volunteer pair, uh... Potter, Sweet! No....Weasley!" Gilderoy said.
"Weasley is the one to cause devastation with the simplest of spells," Snape said in disapproval. Ron scowled at him. "We'll be sending Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox."
Cassidy patted Ron's shoulder in sympathy.
"Might I suggest someone from my own house?" Snape said innocently.
"It's gonna be Draco, isn't it?" Cassidy grumbled, while Fred and George shook their heads behind her slowly in disbelief.
"Malfoy, perhaps?" Snape said, shrugging his shoulders before aggressively motioning for Draco to get up here, now.
Draco hopped onto the stage eagerly, silvery blonde hair gleaming.
Harry kept his eyes locked on Malfoy as he sneered back at him, and they whipped out their wands.
"Scared, Potter?" Said Draco.
"You wish." Harry retorted, getting nods from the Gryffindors.
"Go, Harry!" Cassidy whispered encouragingly.
"At the count of three, use charms to disarm your opponents only."
"They are not listening to that." Cassidy said, looking between the two boys.
"We don't want any accidents here." Gilderoy continued. "One. Two."
"I think I'm gonna be sick." Cassidy shuddered.
Suddenly, before Gilderoy got to three, Draco yelled out a spell, sending Harry flying. The Gryffindors gasped, and Hermione's hand flew to her mouth as Ron looked on in concern.
"Malfoy, you dirty git, thats totally unfair!" Cassidy yelled as the Slytherins laughed.
"Silence, Miss Sweet!" Snape held up a hand, eyes never leaving the two boys.
Draco smirked at her before his eyes flicked back to Harry, who was getting up. Vengeance was in his eyes. Draco's smirk quickly vanished.
"Rictusemptra!" Harry yelled, causing Malfoy to fly back and land on his bottom. Cassidy grinned, while the Gryffindors around her burst into laughter.
Draco looked up at Professor Snape, and for a moment, Cassidy's grin faltered. She noticed that Malfoy looked...scared?
Like he didn't want to do it.
She shook the thought out of her mind as Snape grabbed the boy up by the collar and shoved him back into the duel.
"I said, disarm only!" Gilderoy cried out helplessly. The two young wizards didn't listen, rage in their eyes.
"Serpensortia!" Draco yelled, and a snake sprang from his wand. A slight thrum of warmth came from Cassidy's necklace, which was hidden beneath her robes.
"Hermione." She said, never taking her eyes off the duel in front of them.
"What?" She said, turning to Cassidy.
"Something bad is about to happen." she replied shakily, watching the serpent slither toward Harry.
"Is it the ne-" Ron started, but before he could finish his sentence, Snape spoke up, striding toward the snake.
"Don't worry, Potter. I'll get rid of it for you-"
"Allow me, Professor Snape." Lockhart interrupted. "Alarte Ascendare!"
Suddenly, there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack.
"That spell's just used for throwing stuff in the air!" Cassidy exclaimed, frustrated. "Who hired this git?"
The snake arose again, hissing at everyone watching. Cassidy looked back to Harry, and her necklace got hotter as he got this glazed look in his eyes.
He walked toward the snake, and a language Cassidy thought she'd never had to hear in real life sprouted from his mouth.
Parseltongue.
Her necklace was glowing green again, and it was a miracle people were either too focused on or too afraid of Harry to notice.
The snake slithered towards Cassidy, rising as if to strike. She was frozen in fear, as the rest of the students around her stepped back. Ron and Hermione dragged her backward, but her eyes were still locked on the snake's in fear. Her necklace was burning now.
Cassidy's gaze never left the snake, though she felt an uncomfortable weight in her stomach, something dark stirring within her. The air around her seemed to thicken, and she swore the temperature had dropped a few degrees. Her necklace, usually a silent presence against her skin, now felt like it was pressing down on her, as though urging her to do something, though she didn't understand what. The snake's movements were deliberate, as though it was aware of the fear it was causing. Every inch it took seemed to draw Cassidy deeper into its trance. It wasn't just the snake that had her attention—it was the feeling inside her, the pull of something ancient and powerful.
Harry spoke the Parseltongue again, staring at the snake. It turned to him, and stopped hissing for a moment, staring at him.
"Vipera Evanesca." Snape said, swishing his wand. The snake disappeared in a puff of black smoke, and the place was silent. Harry blinked, out of his trance.
"Harry...?" Cassidy looked up at him in fear, confused.
"What are you playing at?!" A Gryffindor boy standing next to her yelled at him. Cassidy looked around, and people were staring at Harry like he'd grown two heads. Even the professors were afraid.
"What...what the Godric was that?" Cassidy said.