Chapter 28
Harry, Cassidy and Ron stood before Professor Albus Dumbledore, silent.
The various trinkets and machines in his office whirred noisily, but Cassidy didn't look at any of them, because her head was hung in shame.
"You do realize of course, over the past few hours, you've broken a dozen school rules?!" Dumbledore scolded the three.
"Yes, sir." They all muttered shamefully.
"With sufficient evidence, I could have you all expelled!"
"Yes, sir." They mumbled again. Cassidy's heart sank. She wasn't sure she was ready to be transferred to the school her mother had gone to, Uagadou. That's if they would even take her.
"Therefore, it is only fitting, that you all receive... special awards for services to the school."
Cassidy looked up, eyes wide. She looked to the other two, whose eyes had brightened considerably.
"Thanks, sir." Ron breathed, grinning.
"Oh, thank you so much, Headmaster!" Cassidy beamed, bouncing on her feet as her eyes sparkled.
"And now, Mr Weasley and Miss Sweet, if you would.." Dumbledore got up, a bundle of papers in hand. "Have an owl deliver these release papers to Azkaban. We need our gamekeeper back." Dumbledore handed the papers to Ron, who took them, excitedly took them and went towards the door. When Cassidy didn't follow, he turned to her and raised an eyebrow in a silent question.
"I'll be with you in a moment." She said, nodding at Ron. He nodded back, and left the office. As soon as he did, Cassidy turned to Dumbledore.
"Headmaster, it was Lucius Malfoy, he-"
"It is alright, Cassandra," Dumbledore replied calmly, cutting Cassidy off. "I already know."
Cassidy's eyes widened. "You do?"
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he put his hand on Cassidy's shoulder. "Yes, Cassandra, I do. I also know that you risked your life for dear Harry here, by trying to face a Basilisk. A feat many wizards and witches would've hesitated to do, you did instantly. Perhaps foolishly, but instantly." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he gestured to Harry, who grinned at Cassidy widely. She smiled sheepishly, looking away.
"You have the makings of a true Gryffindor," Dumbledore said, his hand dropping from Cassidy's shoulder. "And I cannot wait to see what you do next."
"Thank you, Professor." Cassidy replied, smiling.
And with that, Cassidy Sweet nodded at both Dumbledore and Harry, before turning to leave the office.
As Cassidy stepped out of Dumbledore's office, the cool corridor air hit her, a sharp contrast to the warmth inside. The adrenaline from the night's events had long faded, leaving behind a dull ache in her limbs. She wasn't sure how she was still standing, but she figured the exhaustion would catch up to her eventually.
Ron was waiting a few feet away, pacing slightly, the release papers still clutched in his hands. He looked up the second he heard the door creak open, his expression shifting from impatient curiosity to something else—something more concerned.
"You alright?" he asked immediately. This was the second time Ron had asked in the span of an hour.
Cassidy blinked, caught off guard. "Yeah," she said automatically. "Why?"
Ron snorted, giving her a look. "Oh, I dunno, Cass. Maybe 'cause you threw yourself at a Basilisk like a bloody lunatic?"
Cassidy rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smirk that tugged at her lips. "It wasn't that bad."
Ron scoffed. "You almost died, Cassidy. You were ready to die, Cassidy. And you're acting like that's a normal thing to do—" He cut himself off, running a hand through his messy red hair. "You just—" He exhaled sharply. "You scared me, alright?"
Cassidy blinked again, taken aback by the admission. Ron wasn't usually this open about his feelings—especially not when it came to her. She expected teasing, maybe a dramatic retelling of her near-death experience, but not this.
Before she could figure out what to say, Ron did something that completely surprised her.
He reached out and lightly grabbed her wrist, his grip warm but hesitant. Just for a second. Barely anything. But enough.
"Don't do that again," he muttered, not quite looking at her. "Just... be more careful next time, yeah?"
Cassidy stared at him, her heartbeat stuttering slightly. For once, she didn't have a quick remark or a joke to brush it off.
"...Yeah," she said softly, offering a small smile. "I will."
Ron held her gaze for a moment longer, then nodded, dropping her wrist as if realizing he was still holding it. He cleared his throat, shifting awkwardly.
"Right. Um. We should—should probably get this to an owl, then," he said, holding up the papers as if that had been the only reason he was waiting.
Cassidy exhaled a quiet laugh, deciding to let him off the hook. "Yeah. Let's go."
And as they walked side by side down the corridor, she felt something subtle settle between them—something she couldn't quite name yet.
✺⋆⋆✷⋆⋆✧⋆✺⋆✧⋆⋆✺⋆⋆✷⋆✧
Though she looked fine to anyone else, Cassidy was anxiously awaiting Hermione's return. The Great Hall bustled around her, but she barely noticed, lost in thought. Nearly Headless Nick, finally freed from his Petrified state, drifted by looking rather pleased with himself.
"Hello, Sir Nicholas!" Cassidy called, waving kindly. The ghost beamed at her, nodding in return.
A few chairs away, Neville Longbottom sat with Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, staring at Cassidy in awe as she turned to talk to Ron animatedly. He'd heard about what had happened in the Chamber, just like most other people had, and seemed more enamored with her than ever. Cassidy noticed Neville looking and started smiling and waving at him. Ron followed her line of vision and scowled at Neville as he waved back.
Suddenly, Cassidy thought she'd heard Hermione's name. She whirled to face the Great Hall's entrance, and saw her there.
Hermione.
And as if she sensed her gaze, Hermione's eyes locked onto Cassidy's.
"Harry! Cassidy! It's Hermione!" Neville said cheerfully, and Cassidy almost fell over to see if it was really her, was really her best friend.
Hermione grinned at them all, and started to run across the hall. Before any of the boys could get up, Cassidy sprung up to run towards her as well.
"'Mione!" Cassidy yelled happily.
"Cass!" She yelled back, laughing.
The two girls finally crashed together in a tight, giggly hug, holding on to each other as if the other was afraid to let go. Cassidy drew back, allowing Harry to hug Hermione as well. Hermione made to hug Ron as well, but the two paused awkwardly.
"U-um.." Ron stammered. Cassidy rolled her eyes and pushed the two into a hug, and they patted each other's backs awkwardly before quickly drawing back, shaking hands.
"Well, welcome back, Hermione." Ron said.
"It's good to be back." She said excitedly, looking between the three. "Congratulations, I can't believe you solved it!"
"Well, we had loads of help from you," Harry said, while the other two nodded. Cassidy was still grinning like she'd won the lottery. "We couldn't have done it without you."
"Thanks." Hermione smiled, before linking arms with Cassidy.
"Now, you've got to tell me everything that happened down there." Hermione whispered to Cassidy conspiratorially, as the group made to sit down. Cassidy barely had time to answer before Professor McGonagall's voice rang through the Hall, calling everyone to attention.
Dumbledore rose from his seat at the teachers' dining table, glittering eyes sweeping over the Great Hall.
"Before we begin the Feast, let us have a round of applause for Professor Sprout, Madam Pomfrey, whose Mandrake juice has been so successfully administered to all who had been Petrified."
The hall erupted into applause, Cassidy whistling for added effect. It could be noted that some Slytherins did not clap, most notably Draco Malfoy and his cronies.
"Also, in light of recent events, as a school treat, all exams have been cancelled!"
Yet again, the Hall burst into applause, Cassidy jumping up and shouting 'YES!' before a stern look from McGonagall sat her back down. Hermione looked devastated.
"Oh, 'Mione, don't worry. Look on the bright side, you missed a lot, didn't you?" Cassidy said, rubbing her shoulder affectionately and trying not to grin too widely. "You'd not do very well with being left behind, would you?"
"I'm never behind," she answered, sulking. "I've already studied and memorized everything for this year."
Cassidy stared at her, mouth agape in shock.
Just then, the Great Hall's doors opened, and in came Hagrid, the school's gamekeeper and the group's good friend. He looked around, his presence filling the doorway.
"Sorry I'm late." He said sheepishly. Cassidy smiled as he started to walk into the Hall.
"The owl that delivered my release papers got all lost and confused," Hagrid explained, as students stared up at him silently. "Some ruddy bird called Errol." A bunch of students giggled, and Ron turned red, looking at Dumbledore apologetically.
Cassidy didn't say anything, but she reckoned Errol being late also had something to do with Ron's confrontation in the school hallway outside Dumbledore's office. Him holding her wrist, speaking to her like he cared more than he let on. An unfamiliar heat rose to Cassidy's cheeks, and she pushed the thought away as Hagrid got closer to where their group sat.
He stood in front of them, towering above the table and looking down at them all. They looked back up at him, grinning.
"I'd just like to say, that uh... if it hadn't been for you, Harry, Ron, Cassie... and Hermione, of course," Hermione smirked up at Hagrid. "I would, uh...I'd still be You-Know-Where, so I, I'd just like to say... thanks."
Harry stood up, beaming at Hagrid.
"It's not Hogwarts without you, Hagrid." He said.
Harry stepped forward and hugged him, right there, in front of the whole school. Hagrid's eyes shone with unshed tears, and his big arms wrapped around Harry as he hugged him back.
Dumbledore stood, and started to clap, everyone soon following with cheers and applause of their own. Even Crabbe stood to clap, but Malfoy quickly dragged him to sit back down.
Cassidy stood and leaned onto Hagrid as she clapped, and he patted her shoulder affectionately as students rushed towards him and congratulated him. The giant had surely never felt so loved before as he did just then, the entirety of Hogwarts clapping and cheering, just for him.
"Don't let this get to your head, your cooking's still dreadful." Cassidy teased, before Hagrid gently lifted her in the air, setting her on his shoulder. She laughed gleefully, delighted at being up so high.
"What'd I tell you about that sass, Cassie?" He replied gruffly, though there was still a twinkle in his eyes as she cheered even louder, and the students looked at him like he was one of their greatest heroes.
Because in an odd way, he was.
✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: 𝑇𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛... :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧*
𝒫𝓇𝒾𝓈𝑜𝓃𝑒𝓇 𝑜𝒻 𝒜𝓏𝓀𝒶𝒷𝒶𝓃
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....where the real drama starts.