Chapter 26
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬
Part Three
━━ 𓆙 𓆙 𓆙 ━━
"Fawkes?" Harry breathed, looking at the phoenix in awe. Cassidy recognized him, she'd seen Fawkes in Dumbledore's office when he called her there not too long ago. But Fawkes didn't look nearly as healthy back then.
"Merlin, thank you for this bird." She said, grinning as Fawkes dropped a bundle into Harry's hands. Flying around the group gracefully, Fawkes glided out of the Chamber once more, squawking grandly.
"Harry, what is it?!" Cassidy asked excitedly, before turning to Riddle with a smirk. "You just wait, it's over for you-"
Harry unwrapped it, only for it to be the Sorting Hat. Cassidy's face fell when she saw it.
"So this is what Dumbledore sends his great defenders." Tom sneered. "A songbird, and an old ha-"
Cassidy snatched the Sorting Hat from Harry and started to hit Tom over the head with it.
"Agh! Stop it!" Tom said, indignant.
"You. Shut. Your. Slimy. Mouth!" She said with each hit. Harry dragged her back, her arms still flailing.
"Let me go!" She screamed, trying to get back at Riddle, who was walking towards the face of Salazar Slytherin.
"Cassidy, stop! You'll only make it worse!" Harry said, quite surprised. Cassidy was about to reply, but stopped immediately at the sound of Parseltongue.
Tom Riddle was in front of Salazar's mouth, hand outstretched while he made an unknown incantation. Like before with Harry, it sent chills up Cassidy's spine, and she shuddered as Harry slowly let her go.
When Riddle finished the incantation, he turned to both of them. Salazar's mouth opened behind him. He smirked.
"Let's match the power of Lord Voldemort, heir of Salazar Slytherin, against the famous Harry Potter."
A deep growling and hissing came from the mouth of Salazar, and the two didn't need to be told that it was the Basilisk.
Cassidy's necklace thrummed with warmth as she grabbed Harry's hand, and they turned to run, tossing the Sorting Hat to the ground.
"Parseltongue won't save you now, Potter! It only obeys me." Tom called after both of them. Tears streamed down Cassidy's face, and her heart pounded. If she looked at the Basilisk now, she'd die. She'd die, and she'd roam the world as a wisp of air, never finding peace, always wanting revenge.
For a minute, Cassidy faltered, but Harry pulled her along.
"Cassidy, come on! Keep running!" And so she did. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, she ran away from the Basilisk with Harry Potter by her side, and if you'd told her she'd be in this predicament one year ago, she'd have called you mad.
Just then, Harry tripped, and Cassidy fell with him to the floor, his glasses clattering to the side. She heard the growls of the Basilisk behind her, and she squeezed her eyes shut. Harry couldn't find his glasses, and this was it. This was the end.
But it didn't have to be for Harry.
Cassidy remembered what Harry had told her last year, how the necklace had blown back Professor Quirrell, how it had helped him... she knew there was a strong chance she'd die. But it was worth a try.
Cassidy's chest tightened, her heart pounding, and for a moment, the weight of what she was about to do settled over her like a dark cloud. But then, she smiled faintly, the decision clear in her mind.
"Harry!" Cassidy shouted. "I'm going to look at it! At the Basilisk! My necklace will react, it'll push it away!"
Harry still couldn't find his glasses, but he whirled towards her in horror.
"What?! No, Cassidy, you can't!" He shouted. But Cassidy wouldn't listen. She merely smiled, but her lips trembled in fear.
"You're the Boy Who Lived, Harry. Let's keep it that way." She repeated the same words she'd told him first year, the words that had saved him when he was about to be overpowered by Quirrell.
"Tell 'Mione and Ron I love 'em, okay?" Cassidy said. "And tell my parents I'm sorry. Looks like I'll have to share Myrtle's toilet." She quipped weakly.
"CASSIDY, NO!" Harry screamed, but it was too late.
Cassidy whirled to face the Basilisk.
Suddenly, a bright, golden light shone from her necklace, temporarily blinding her and Harry, but it didn't stop her from glimpsing a fraction of the Basilisk's eyes. A sharp pain ran through Cassidy's head, and she squinted her eyes shut as Fawkes came gliding in again. Harry had found his glasses, finally, and stared at Cassidy as Fawkes started to attack the Basilisk.
"Are you stupid!" Harry yelled at her. "You could've died!"
"And I would've died saving one of my best friends!" Cassidy replied firmly, blood running down her nose and dirt all over her face. "I'd do it for any of you, because I care. And I'm sorry, Harry. But I'd do it again."
He said nothing, staring at her with a glimmer of admiration in his eyes, and she stared back at him, determination in hers.
Harry Potter knew then and there that they'd be friends for the rest of their lives, no matter how short that may be.
He wasn't angry anymore.
"Alright, then." He whispered, and Cassidy's face broke into a smile.
And with that, she lay there with Harry, watching the shadows of the two creatures on the ceiling. Fawkes clawed at the Basilisk's eyes. It slithered and writhed in pain, trying to avoid the phoenix's strikes.
"No!" Tom shouted in despair. "Your bird may have bonded the Basilisk, but it can still hear you." He seethed, and the two finally looked back towards the Basilisk.
Fawkes had clawed out its eyes, and it was completely blind. Cassidy tugged Harry to his feet, and the two stepped back slowly.
The basilisk immediately stopped writhing, dead eyes locked on the two.
"Harry, run! I'll distract it!" Cassidy yelled. Harry turned and ran into one of the other tunnels, and Cassidy swung her wand towards the basilisk. She knew she was no match. She knew it wouldn't work.
But she tried.
"STUPEFY!" Cassidy screamed, and a blast of light that was much stronger than usual sprung from her wand, throwing the basilisk to the side.
Cassidy gasped, looking down at her wand. She was a twelve-year-old witch. She hadn't even expected the spell to do much apart from annoy the Basilisk, or put its attention on her. Then she saw her necklace pulsing... it must've been strengthening her magic.
Before Cassidy could think any further, the snake seemed to regain its consciousness, hissing. Cassidy ran after Harry, stumbling on her way. The snake was in hot pursuit almost immediately, slithering madly after the two.
"HARRY, KEEP RUNNING!" She screamed, catching up to Harry in the tunnel. They ran together, dodging the Basilisk's snaps and lunges. They were in the pipes, and Harry turned, just to see...
"A dead end?!" Cassidy said, breathless. She tugged frantically at the netting that was blocking her and Harry from going any further, but it was no use. They were trapped.
Just then, the Basilisk appeared, listening out for any sound. Harry clamped his hand over Cassidy's mouth, silent as a mouse.
She closed her eyes, shaking silently, while Harry stared at the Basilisk. Its head turned their way, it huffed predatorily... slithering closer...closer...
It opened its great mouth, sharp fangs shining with saliva. Cassidy opened her eyes, and fought not to scream at the sight.
Harry picked up a stone, and threw it outside the corner they were trapped in. The snake turned its face away from the two, slithering away.