Chapter 1
The summer sun was gleaming with ferociousness on the lush green garden of the Acestor Estate. Two pairs of small shoe-clad feet could be seen amidst the foliage of the great willow tree in the middle of it. The feet belonged to none other than the Acestor sisters.
Alcyone and Cassandra were both holding books in their hands, the former was reading from a Transfiguration textbook and the latter was reading a Potions book from the Manor's very own library. Both of them read in preparation for going to Hogwarts, while Alcyone was doing her summer homework, Cassandra was reading in order to be ready for her first year.
The two sisters could be mistaken for twins were it not for their different hair color. Tiny individual freckles could be seen on both the girls' noses and cheeks as they stood out on their ivory-coloured skin. Their eyes skimming the text in front of them were similar but distinctively different colours, both shades greatly matched with their respective hair colour. Cassandra's eyes were an electric blue while her hair was a platinum- almost white- blond and Alcyone's eyes were an icy grey paired with a head of warm chestnut.
Their peaceful silence was interrupted by the Acestor's elf, Tooky, popping into existence in front of the two sisters. Tooky was a small creature with big feet, big hands, big bat-like ears and even bigger round blue eyes. She wore a steel-grey satin pillowcase that was obviously well taken care of.
"Misses Alcyone and Cassandra, Mistress Elaine is asking for you in the drawing room," Tooky spoke in a high, squeaky voice.
"Thank you Tooky." The sisters spoke in unison.
Tooky just smiled at them and vanished with a pop.
The two girls slowly got to their feet taking their books with them and as they exited the willow's foliage, a gleam of mischievousness entered Alcyone's eyes. So she turned to her sister and challenged her.
"Race you to the lounge, dwarf"
"No, Alcyone, Mum said we shouldn't!" Cassandra refused
"Oh come on, if you win I'll give you my Transfiguration textbook so you can be ready for Professor McGonagall's lessons." Offered Alcyone while waving said textbook in the air knowing that Cassandra knew that Professor McGonagall was one of the harder-to-please professors at Hogwarts.
"Wait, that textbook? You don't even let me touch it!" she exclaimed while pointing towards the book
"Of course I don't let your grimy little hands touch my precious Transfiguration textbook, but I'll make an exception this time. That is only if you can beat me."
"Oh, you're on, lamp-post" Cassandra accepted the challenge,
On the count of three, the two sisters dashed through the manor's garden, weaving between the countless summer flowers, fruit trees and greenery. Cassandra couldn't help but be reminded of the bright green eyes that haunted her dreams for years now.
They were neck to neck until Alcyone switched gears and increased her pace leaving Cassandra behind. Cassandra also increased her pace, the thought of getting a head start on her sister's favourite subject in her mind, but sadly her small eleven-year-old legs couldn't match her sister's stride.
And so Alcyone reached the living room first with Cassandra being defeated.
"You, you long-legged git," Cassandra said while out of breath to her sister,
"Aww is someone feeling hurt that they lost?" Alcyone teased,
"I hate you so much"
"The feeling is mutual"
The girls were cut off by their mother appearing, letters with the widely recognized Hogwarts stamp could be seen in her hands. Once Elaine reached them, she scanned their appearance and shot them an unapproving look.
"What have I told you about running in the garden Alcyone?" her tone of voice serious, while smoothing Cassandra's wind-swept hair, instantly knowing to blame the older of the two siblings.
"That we could get hurt and shouldn't do it?" Alcyone asked sheepishly,
"Yes you could get hurt and I've said young ladies of your status should not engage in this kind of activities and you specifically shouldn't bait your sister into races. What did you offer as a prize this time? Another one of your old books? Elaine asked while looking at her eldest daughter.
"Yes, this time it was her Transfiguration textbook," Cassandra answered plainly, though a mischievous smile was present on her lips, thought of getting back at her sister made her smile.
"Ah, I see. Now before I give you your letters I want you to promise me no more races through the garden... or else. Do I make myself clear? Their mother said, her tone austere.
"Yes, Mother." The sisters chorused.
"Good. If this happens again consider your etiquette class started again, from the top." Elaine added.
The girls having heard their mother's threat immediately straightened up -fixing their posture- not wanting to incur her anger more than they already had and chorused another "Yes mother".
"Now, here are your letters," Elaine said as she handed her daughters their letters,
Cassandra was bubbling with excitement now that she finally had her first official Hogwarts letter in hand. She had waited for this her whole life, well, more like from the moment she learned about Hogwarts. Her hands were shaking from all the anticipation. She quickly tore the top of her letter and opened the folded paper inside.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Miss C.P. Acestor,
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Right behind it was the list with all the necessary things she would need for her first year at Hogwarts
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter coat (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags
SET BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set of brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.
After she scanned the letter Cassandra quickly turned to her mother,
"Mum, when are we going shopping for our things?", she asked gingerly wanting to get her textbooks and wand as soon as possible, at her question Alcyone also turned towards their mother, curious about their venture to Diagon Alley.
"We'll go with Aunt Cissy, Uncle Luce and Draco when he gets his letter-"
"But Mum, can't I go with Dad? He's here for the weekend, and you said he'll go to Gringotts for his job! Can I please go with him?" Alcyone interrupted
Elaine remained silent for a bit, contemplating her daughter's request, and finally, she answered, " Fine, only if your Dad agrees."
"Yes!! Thank you, Mother!" Alcyone thanked her mother profusely
"Speaking of Dad, where is he?" Cassandra inquired
"Oh, your father is with his new arrival at the sanctuary."
"What is it this time?" Alcyone asked enthusiastically
"I believe it's a three-headed dog," Elaine replied musingly
"Can we go see it, please?? We'll be on our best behaviour!" Cassandra reassured
Elaine looked at her daughters, her younger who was giving her the best puppy dog eyes she could muster, and her eldest who was openly mocking her sister with a similar expression. She internally laughed at their interactions, simply because they reminded her of her childhood with her twin brother. Her eyes softened and a sigh escaped from her mouth.
"Of course, you can go. After all, your dad will want to see you after being gone so long."
The girls cheered and they quickly hurried to the sanctuary but not before kissing their mother on each of her cheeks.
"DAD!!!!!" Alcyone and Cassandra shouted,
Hector Acestor, startled by his daughters' screams, jumped, out of fright and turned to look towards their direction. When he saw them his handsome, freckled, powerful-looking yet gentle face softened.
"My girls!!" He also shouted excitedly, and proceeded to hug both of the girls close to his chest,
"Welcome home Dad!!" Cassandra said though it sounded muffled as she was still buried in her father's arms,
"Mom said you have a three-headed dog here! Where is it? Can we see it??" Alcyone asked hurriedly as she was very eager to see not only the three-headed dog but all the animals her dad had in the sanctuary.
"Alcyone, my dear, he is right down next to the hippogriffs, he seems to like it there... Sadly he won't stay here for long, he is quite a sweetheart, I've discovered, if you sing to him... Anyways you can see him but only with adult supervision." Hector rambled a bit, something he usually did when he talked about the animals in his care.
"What sickness did he have?" Asked Cassandra, curious as to why the dog was there,
"Oh, nothing really just a checkup before I give him to his owner back. I reckon he'll be guarding something precious, especially where he'll end up!" Hector replied with a smile,
"Well, can we go see him?" Alcyone queried impatiently,
"Yes! Let's go Dad!" said Cassandra while taking Hector's hand, motioning towards the general direction of the hippogriff clearing,
Hector just laughed and started leading the way towards the three-headed dog. When they reached the clearing they were greeted with the sight of a sleeping three-headed dog.
Cassandra as soon as she saw him excitedly shouted while pointing at the -familiar to her- dog "Fluffy! That's Fluffy! Dad, how did you know?"
Her sister looked at her with visible confusion on her face, wondering what she meant while her father looked at her in alarm, surprised that she knew the dog's name.
Cassandra's shout woke up the aforementioned dog and he looked at the three of them with three pairs of calculating eyes. Alcyone seeing the awoken dog squealed in delight and Hector just sighed and went to calm the dog before it started barking at his daughters. He started whistling to the tune of one of Celestina Warbeck's songs, specifically Beat Back Those Bludgers, Boys, and Chuck That Quaffle Here, one of his favourites, Cassandra noted, her previous statement forgotten.
Fluffy, hearing the tune, calmed down and allowed Hector to get near him. Hector then motioned to his eldest daughter to come closer. Alcyone followed him without hesitation while Cassandra waited her turn. When Alcyone reached Fluffy she started cautiously petting him on his middle head and Hector followed right along, petting his left head.
A sort of rumble sounded from the big dog as he received his pets from the father-daughter duo. Cassandra laughed at the sound and went right over to also pet the dog's right head. It was quite a funny scene, three people petting one head each of the three-headed dog.
After a while of petting Fluffy started getting sleepy and eventually fell asleep once again. At this point the sun was starting to set, a warm glow had taken over the sanctuary and the once stark white clouds had turned golden, so the three of them started heading back to the Acestor manor.
Cassandra in all of her years of going to Diagon Alley could never stop wishing she had a second or even third set of eyes. Today, especially, was the most exciting visit to Diagon Alley of her life. Cassandra was over the moon, she'd finally be getting her wand! And let's not forget all the new books! She was distracted from her thoughts and ogling at the shops in the alley by her aunt.
"Now Draco, Cassandra, Elaine and I are going to buy your books while your father goes to look at wands for you. You two will go for your robes." Narcissa instructed her son and niece,
"And no detours," Elaine added seeing her nephew's gazing towards the racing broomsticks on the window next to them and shot the two kids her most austere look.
After the two women left the two cousins looked at each other and nodded, quite frightened by Cassandra's mother,
"Let's go get our robes," Draco said, taking her hand in his
"Yes, let's"
They skillfully made their way through the crowd and found themselves in front of Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.
They entered and a squat, smiling witch dressed in all mauve greeted them.
"Ah, the Malfoys, come children! Hogwarts?" Madam Malkin exclaimed,
Cassandra sighed at being mistaken as a Malfoy for the umpteenth time in her life but followed the witch without correcting her.
In the back of the shop, one out of the two stalls was empty and Madam Malkin motioned for her to stand on the footstool as Draco waited his turn. Then the older witch proceeded to slip a long robe over her head and began to pin it to the right length.
After a short while, Cassandra was freed from the stool and Draco took her place.
"Dear, I would advise you to stay outside to wait for your brother."
"Cousin, actually," Cassandra mumbled but once again obeyed the witch. Draco seeing the annoyed look on his cousin's face laughed with her, but deep down he wished she was actually his sister.
As she exited the shop, she collided with something hard but instead of falling on the ground, she fell on top of something soft.
Harry was so nervous to enter the store alone that he didn't notice the girl coming out and in a split second he was on the floor with a weight on top of him. He was enveloped with the scent of jasmines. As he turned his head to look at the person on top of him his eyes met her for the first time, a time he will always remember.
Bright blue eyes looked into his own forest green. Her eyes were so intense he could've sworn he was looking through a window at a clear summer sky and she could see a whole forest in his.
They stayed like this for what seemed like ages, in reality, it was only five seconds. Something akin to familiarity seemed to pass through the girl's eyes as she looked at him and she smiled like she was meeting a long-lost friend. She then got off of him and shook the dust off her skirt while he still sat on the ground.
Harry was starting to feel stupid and started to worry even more. He had messed up once again. She didn't seem to notice his turmoil and extended a hand towards him.
As Harry was about to start apologizing, she flashed him another smile that unbeknownst to him got him blushing.
"Hi there green eyes, nice to finally meet you!" My name is Cassandra!" the girl greeted in a melodious voice,
Harry, wanting to not look like an idiot, took her hand and lifted himself up, dusted of his oversized clothes and answered nervously, suddenly feeling self-conscious about his appearance.
"Um, sorry for that, it was all my fault... but um... I'm Harry... nice to meet you!"
"'Tis alright, it was bound to happen anyways," Cassandra said in a dreamy voice, her eyes gleaming with mirth,
Harry was confused but didn't question Cassandra's statement, he didn't want to offend the kind girl, thinking that all witches and wizards were like that. He would later see how wrong he was.
"You going to Hogwarts this year?" Cassandra cut his thoughts off,
"Yeah, you?"
"Of course! All my family has gone there for generations!"
"Oh... my parents went there as well." He simply said,
"Wicked!" Cassandra said as she took a step to the left opening up the doorway for him. "I'm sure you have to get your robes but I'll see you after you finish!"
"Yes! See you!" Harry smiled at the kind girl and waved at her as he finally entered the shop.
Madam Malkin greeted him, she was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.
"Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when Harry started to speak, "Got the lot here – another young man is being fitted up just now, in fact."
In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over his head and began to pin it to the right length.
The boy next to him greatly resembled the girl he just met. Both had the same face shape and hair colour but their eyes were two totally different colours. Cassandra's was a beautiful sky blue while this boy's was a steel grey. He assumed she was a relative of sorts to the boy next to him.
"Hullo", said the boy, "Hogwarts too?"
"Yes", said Harry,
"My mother and aunt are next door buying mine and my cousin's books while my Father's up the street looking at wands and my cousin is outside waiting for me." said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first-years can't have their own. I think I'll bully Father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow"
Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley. From the boy's words, Harry assumed the cousin he was talking about was Cassandra.
"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on
"No"
"Play Quidditch at all?"
"No", Harry said once again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.
"I do- Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"
"No", Harry said, feeling more stupid by the minute.
"Well, no one knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family has been, though I reckon my cousin will be in Ravenclaw – imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"
"Mmm," said Harry, wishing he could say something a bit more interesting.
"I say look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding towards the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing at two large ice creams to show that he couldn't come in.
"That's Hagrid," said Harry, pleased to know something the boy didn't. "He works at Hogwarts."
"Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"
"He's the gamekeeper." Harry said. He was liking the boy less and less every second.
"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage – lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic and ends up setting fire to his bed."
"I think he's brilliant." Said Harry coldly, wondering how could the kind and warm girl, Cassandra, be related to this rude and snobbish boy,
"Do you? Said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?"
"They're dead." Harry shortly replied. He didn't feel much like going into the matter with this boy.
"Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all. "But they were our kind, weren't they?
"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."
" I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname anyway?"
But before Harry could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dear" and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool.
"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose", said the drawling boy.
Harry went to the cashier, took his finished robes, paid for them and exited the shop. There a standing Cassandra was still there. She was speaking to Hagrid about something that Harry didn't quite catch.
"-ffy, he's taken good care of Mr Hagrid!" Cassandra enthusiastically said in her melodious voice,
"Ah, good ter know, dear. Tell yer father, me and Dumbledore are grateful!" Hagrid replied,
"Cassandra, Hagrid!" Harry said and both of them turned to him.
"Harry, yeh got yer robes then?" Hagrid asked
Harry nodded and Hagrid motioned him towards a bench so they can eat their ice cream in peace. Harry then turned his attention to Cassandra who was already looking at him and smiling.
Once their eyes met Cassandra's smile widened and she nodded to him and said "I will look for you at Hogwarts! See you then!"
"Yes, see you then!" Harry replied as Hagrid led the way to the bench.
After Harry and Hagrid left, Draco emerged from the store with their robes in hand.
"Dray!! I met the green eyes!!!" Cassandra said ecstatic to finally have met a person from her dreams.
"Wait, you mean the boy that was in with me?" Draco asked unimpressed,
"Yes! His name's Harry and he'll be in the same year as us!" Cassandra cheered, her eyes going unfocused and a white sheen covering them, Cassandra knew this was one of her so-called daydreams, well that was what her parents called them.
Cassandra hated when they called them that. They were more than just "daydreams" they were an important part of Cassandra's psyche, it hurt when her parents dismissed this part of her. She learnt at a young age to not discuss with them about her dreams. She only talked to people that she trusted like her sister and her cousin.
Draco seeing the start of a vision immediately shielded his cousin from view as flashes of moments passed before Cassandra's eyes.
A bright golden beam between two wands
A scarlet stone
A crystal ball swirling with mist
A werewolf howling in light of the full moon
A man falling off a tower
A giant snake circling an unconscious red-haired girl
A dead boy cradled in the arms of a man
After a solid three seconds, the gleam from Cassandra's eyes seem to dim and her eyes went back to normal.
"Cassie, what did you see?" Draco asked softly,
"Oh, this and that, you wouldn't want to know." She said cryptically, but secretly she was quite scared of the things she'd seen and a foreboding feeling settled in her heart.
An annoyed Draco just huffed at his cousin's usual reply but didn't fight her for an answer. Before they could continue their talk, their mothers found them.
"Cassandra, Draco, you have your robes?" Elaine asked the children.
Draco instead of answering showed the two robes in his arms, one for him and one for Cassandra.
"Great, now let's go find your Father, he's at Ollivanders looking for your wands," Narcissa said,
And so the lot of them took off towards the shop. Once they reached it Cassandra started bouncing in excitement. Her vision of the future forgotten. She had already seen years ago what wand she would get but nonetheless, she was happy to finally have it in her hands.
The shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.
Draco seeing the shop's appearance started complaining, which all three women promptly ignored.
Then Narcissa and Elaine told the children to go inside without them.
A tingling bell sounded as Cassandra and Draco entered the shop. Inside Lucius Malfoy stood regally talking to Mr. Ollivarder. The two of them seeing the two cousins entering smiled, while Lucious's smile was rather forced, Mr Ollivander's was eerie.
This seemed to spook Draco who silently gulped, all the while Cassandra was brightly smiling towards the two older men.
"Ah, yes." Said Mr Ollivander his silvery eyes gleaming amidst the gloom of the shop "Cassandra Acestor good to see you again. Draco Malfoy, yes I have been expecting you."
"Yes, they are here for their wands," Lucious said in a drawling voice, seemingly bored out of his mind.
"Ladies first." Draco simply said, Cassandra knew he was scared to go first and thus didn't say a word,
"Ms Acestor, you look so much like your mother but you have your father's eyes. It seems like yesterday they both came in to buy their first wand. English Oak with dragon heartstrings 10 inches, reasonably sturdy for your mother and apple wood with unicorn hair 13 inches, quite flexible for your father, correct?"
"Yes, sir," Cassandra replied absentmindedly, thinking back to the first time she entered the shop two years ago with Alcyone to buy her wand.
"Yes yes, now let me see." Said Mr Ollivander as he pulled a tape measure with silver markings from his pocket "Which is your wand arm?"
"The right sir."
He measured Cassandra from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and around her head. As he measured, he said, " I expect Ms Acestor, you will be as hard to find a match as your sister, chestnut wood with doxy wings and phoenix tail feather 10 ½ inches, springy, if I remember correctly. A rare combination of wand cores. One of my earliest wands, when I was experimenting with different cores, trying to find the best ones. These days I only use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers and the heartstrings of a dragon."
Cassandra suddenly realized that the tape measure was measuring between her nostrils on its own as Mr Ollivander was looking through selves for her wand.
"This will do." He said as the tape measure fell to the floor. " Right then Ms Acestor, try this one. Applewood and phoenix tail feather, nine inches surprisingly swishy."
Before Cassandra even gave it a wave it was snatched out of her hands. "No that won't do. Alder wood and dragon heartstring, ten inches, solid."
Cassandra took this wand into her hands and gave it a wave only for a vase on the cashier counter to break into pieces.
"Indeed a tricky customer. 'Tis alright I think I have the right one for you. Cedarwood and unicorn hair, eleven and three-fourths inches, slightly springy."
Cassandra gave it a wave but it was once again snatched from her hands.
"Almost almost." Said Ollivander.
"Perhaps a combination of cores would help Mr Ollivander." Said Cassandra a knowing gleam in her eyes.
"Ah, I see." Said Mr Ollivander "It seems to me you are right my dear once again, just like the time you came with your sister. Ah, I wonder perhaps... hornbeam with fairy wings and augurey tail feather 13 inches, slightly yielding."
Cassandra took the wand already knowing this was hers, that this wand had chosen her but alas she would only have it for a short while. Although that still didn't diminish its significance in Cassandra's eyes, after all, it's not every day that a witch gets her first wand.
A warmth filled her when the wand touched her hands. She gave it a wave and blue and white sparks filled the air around her and Draco and her uncle clapped at the sight, finally happy that she had a wand.
"Curious, curious... May I ask how you knew about the cores Ms. Acestor?" asked Mr. Ollivander.
"It came to me in a dream, sir, uhm... I mean daydream." She answered simply, correcting her mistake, but Mr Ollivander caught it and was not convinced by her coverup.
"Ah I see, that explains the combination of wand cores..."
"What do you mean Mr. Ollivander?" Lucius asked intrigued by his niece's answer.
This combination of cores makes for a light, airy but powerful wand, and is the absolute best for Charms and Divination. They also signify a connection to the mystic, so these wands, despite their relative rarity, are used by nearly half of known witches and wizards with the Sight." Mr Ollivander gravely said. "And it is complimented greatly by the hornbeam wood. My own wand is made of hornbeam, and so it is with all due modesty that I state that hornbeam selects for its life mate the talented witch or wizard with a single, pure passion, which some might call obsession, though I prefer the term 'vision', which will almost always be realised. You are destined to see great things, my dear."
Cassandra just smiled.
A month passed by with relative ease. Cassandra, with the supervision of her parents, had successfully cast many spells, with her brand new wand, that she would supposedly learn in her first year at Hogwarts. She was quite pleased with the fact that she was ahead of the majority of her year mates already.
Alcyone, as always, made fun of Cassandra's studious nature and called her a nerd but that did not deter Cassandra from continuing to devour her school textbooks.
But the 1st of September was upon them and Cassandra could not be happier. Alcyone and Cassandra had their trunks ready for weeks now and thankfully the morning of their leave from the manor was uneventful if you don't mention Alcyone's late awakening, which almost cost them their early arrival to the platform.
Cassandra and her family were one of the first ones there, along with other pureblood families and others she didn't recognize, she noted, all probably wanting to get the best compartments before the majority of the students arrive.
Cassandra looked at the scarlet steam engine that was the Hogwarts Express, smoke was drifting from the engine over their heads. After that, she scanned the families that had come. Cassandra spotted the Greengrasses, the Flints, the Zabinis, the Notts and the Parkinsons along with other families that she didn't recognize. The Malfoys, her family from her mother's side, strangely had not arrived quite yet.
Though one girl stood out in the crowd. A girl with bushy dark brown hair, slightly protruding teeth, brown eyes and a book clutched in her hands. Cassandra's eyes widened at the sight of the girl because once again she'd seen a person from her dreams. Dreams that had haunted her since her very early childhood. She almost rushed to the girl, wanting to know everything about her, but her mother caught her before she could.
"Now you two, you better behave yourselves at Hogwarts, Alcyone, yes, I'm talking about you." The girls' mother said as she hugged her eldest daughter. "Cassandra, darling, I expect you to write every week! And have fun at Hogwarts and make lots of friends! Oh and don't mention your "daydreams" to anyone!" Elaine continued as she then hugged her youngest.
"Yes, just as your mother said, I expect good grades and good behaviour at Hogwarts! Cassandra, I hope you enjoy Hogwarts as much as your mother and I did at your age!" Hector agreed with his wife while he also hugged his daughters.
"Moom, Daaad, why am I the only one getting warnings from you two? You know, Cassie could also turn out to be a troublemaker!" Alcyone complained,
Their parents just looked at Alcyone with a deadpan expression, to which the eldest Acestor sister replied with a sheepish look of her own. Both the parents and Alcyone knew that Cassandra was a rule follower through and through.
Cassandra laughed at her sister's shenanigans -chose to ignore her mother's mention of her"daydreams"- knowing that she was one of the biggest troublemakers in the school along with the Weasley twins. Letters upon letters were sent to Cassandra by her sister, detailing the epic pranks on Filch by the trouble trio. Letters that Cassandra immensely enjoyed.
Then the parents waved goodbye to the girls as they boarded the train. Inside, Cassandra and Alcyone went their ways in search of an empty compartment, Cassandra towards the front of the train while Alcyone towards the back.
Alcyone was obviously searching for a compartment for her friends. Cassandra on the other hand was on a mission to find the bushy-haired girl.
Thankfully she didn't have to look too hard as when she almost reached the prefect compartments, she saw the girl having trouble with her trunk. Cassandra quickly cast the levitation charm she learned over the summer to help her. The girl turned around in surprise.
"Oh thank you for the help! Is that the levitation charm? How did you learn it?" the bushy-haired girl asked,
Cassandra laughed at the onslaught of questions but still answered each one. "You're welcome! And yes it is! I learned over the summer!" Cassandra said as she and the girl moved into their chosen compartment.
"But how? You aren't supposed to do magic outside of Hogwarts! Wouldn't your trace go off?"
"I come from a family of wizards, so magic is always happening in our household, thus the trace is not activated when I do magic! But I obviously didn't cast spells without my parents present!"
"Oh! I see! That seems about right, speaking of families, I'm Hermione Granger! It's nice to meet you!"
Cassandra's eyes seemed to sparkle at the introduction and a wide smile bloomed on her face.
"I'm Cassandra, Cassandra Acestor! It's wonderful to finally meet you!" She greeted with mirth playing in her eyes.
"Oh goodness! You're an Acestor?" Hermione questioned ignoring the weird way Cassandra phrased her sentence, "Your family is one of the Sacred Twenty-Nine! And hadn't your family originated in Greece? Oh and wasn't the first Acestor friends with the Merlin?"
Cassandra was surprised by Hermione's accurate knowledge of her family. "Yes, you are correct! Where did you learn all of this?"
"In Ancient Magical History! I got a few extra books for background reading." Hermione replied
"Is my family really mentioned in there? What else did it say?" Cassandra asked curiously
"Well, it said that a lot of your ancestors were all masters of some skill, for example, Electra Acestor was a famous astrology professor at Hogwarts in the 16th century. She found the biggest of Jupiter's moons before Galileo Galilei!"
"Ah you mean Grandma Electra? We have her portrait at home. She helped me with my summer reading."
"What do you mean she helped you?" Hermione questioned looking quite alarmed.
"Magical portraits move and talk like the witch or wizard that is depicted in them. The portrait is able to use some of the subject's favourite phrases and imitate their general demeanour based on how the subject appeared to the painter; however, they were limited in what they could say or do." Cassandra explained, "We have a lot of portraits like that at home."
"Oh I think I understand, I'll have to research it a bit more though..." Hermione replied.
"Of course, after all, most of your time at Hogwarts will be spent in the library" Cassandra jokingly said,
After that the two talked about anything and everything and before they knew it was almost time for the train to leave. Before it could a round-faced boy with a short, chubby build and blond hair knocked on their compartment door.
"Um, hullo... Can I seat with you? Everywhere else is full..." the boy timidly said,
"Yes, you can. I'm Hermione Granger and this is Cassandra Acestor, a pleasure to meet you." Hermione replied to the boy with- in Cassandra's opinion- a bit of a haughty tone.
This seemed to scare the boy and he stuttered a bit while answering " I-I'm Neville Longbottom... erm nice to meet you. This is Trevor, my pet toad..." he motioned in his pocket where a large toad was peacefully snoozing.
"Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you, Neville! Come and sit!" Cassandra said and motioned for Neville to the seat next to her.
After that, the trio kept on talking until the train started and a little bit after that, that was when the compartment door opened and a smiling, dimpled woman was there with a trolley in her hands and she said "Anything of the trolley, dears?"
Cassandra and Neville leapt to their feet, both of them eager to buy sweets, Hermione muttered something about her parents not approving of sweets because they were dentists.
Cassandra bought a few cauldron cakes, a handful of Pumpkin Pasties and a Chocolate Frog. Neville favoured the Licorice wands and Drooble's Best Blowing Gum.
Then the two sat back down and ate their sweets in silence but after a bit, Hermione seemed bored so she said she'd go ask the operator of the train when they would arrive.
When she returned to their compartment Hermione said she and Cassandra should go change into their robes before they get to Hogwarts. Cassandra agreed and the two left, leaving Neville on his own.
After the two girls were done on their way to their compartment they found Neville asking around for his missing toad, apparently, Trevor had escaped from the compartment and was now lost.
"Hermione, Neville keep asking around, I'll go find a Prefect so he can summon Neville!" Cassandra suggested.
"Great idea! Come on Neville, let's go!" said Hermione.
Cassandra then went on her way and after a few minutes of walking, she reached the prefect compartment. She knocked on the door and a girl with long curly hair poked her head out and asked with a smile on her face.
"Hullo, how can I help you?"
"Another first year lost his toad... Perhaps one of you could use the summoning charm so we can find him?"
The girl seemed surprised by Cassandra's request and her knowledge of the spell specifically, but quickly gathered herself and nodded.
"What is the toad's name?"
"Trevor."
"Ok then. Accio Trevor the toad!" the older girl cast.
After a moment of silence, a yelp was heard from down the hall and a flying Trevor landed in the prefect's hands. The prefect smiled and she gave the toad to Cassandra.
"Here you go! I'll hope to see you in Ravenclaw, little smart one!"
Cassandra just smiled and went on her way back towards her compartment to leave the toad in there, so she could go and tell the others she found Trevor. She did in fact find them, she found them walking towards their compartment.
"Cassandra guess who we met?", Neville gave a subsided squeal.
"Let me guess, Merlin?" said Cassandra jokingly,
"No, we met Harry Potter!" Hermione exclaimed,
Cassandra's eyes widened. Her mind immediately went to her cousin, who had said that he wanted to befriend the wizarding world's saviour. Cassandra knew Draco wanted to do that because his father had told him so but alas Draco was one Daddy's boy, as the muggles said.
"Wow, that's nice." Cassandra finally said,
"Seriously, that's your reaction to the Harry Potter?" Hermione said in a snobbish tone,
"Yes, Hermione, he's just a kid, like the rest of us," Cassandra said a bit coldly not liking Hermione's tone. "Anyways, I'm going to search for my cousin, I didn't see him when we were boarding the train." And without another word Cassandra left.
While making her way down the train she came across two people outside a compartment. Cassandra identified the two as Grabbe and Goyle, two of Draco's... um... friends...
As she came closer she heard her cousin say.
"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?"
Bells started to ring in Cassandra's mind, it seemed her cousin had not made the best impression on whoever was in the compartment.
"Draco Lucius Malfoy." Cassandra coldly said when she reached the compartment.
Draco hearing his cousin froze where he was standing, by the tone of her voice he knew he was in trouble. In actuality, everyone- Grabbe, Goyle, Draco and unbeknownst to Cassandra, Ron and Harry- froze from how cold and angry the voice sounded.
"Oh no!" Draco muttered.
Three out of the five boys exited the compartment and faced Cassandra. This gave both Harry and Ron a view of who could have scared them so much, especially Draco.
Cassandra stood in all of her glory glaring daggers at the three boys who had obviously disturbed the ones inside the compartment.
Harry's eyes widened at seeing Cassandra, over the summer he had wondered if he would see her again. He strangely found himself wanting to see her almost every day and now that he was going to Hogwarts his wish would be coming true.
"Dray, what have we said about your manners? And more importantly, may I kindly remind you, you promised Aunt Cissy you wouldn't cause any trouble this year!" Cassandra said in an unnervingly sweet voice, a big shift compared to her previous tone.
Draco gulped again and said "Look Cassie, they made fun of my name-"
"No we didn't," said Harry bravely, not wanting to look like a bully in front of Cassandra. "He made fun of Ron's family for no particular reason!" Harry continued,
Cassandra who had turned towards Harry when he started speaking, turned once again towards Draco, her gaze turning even colder than before.
"Dray, I'll say this once and once only. If I catch you doing this again, I swear you're going to have a really bad time at Hogwarts..."
"Are you threatening me, Cassie? Whatever could you even do to me?"
"No, I'm not threatening you, I am making you a promise, and you forget who my sister is."
"No!" Draco shouted, "You wouldn't! Not after then!" his pale face paling even more.
"Yes, that is exactly what I'm referring to my dear cousin," Cassandra said sweetly in her melodious voice. A hidden meaning in her words that only she and Draco understood.
"My father will hear about this!" Draco threatened weakly
"Yes, I'm sure Uncle Luce will be delighted to hear how well you are treating your future classmates. Oh, and let's not forget how he'll love hearing how you made a fool of yourself in front of them, and especially the Harry Potter!" Cassandra delivered the finishing blow.
Draco's face and ears went red, something everyone noticed, making Draco even more embarrassed. He then turned around and left, Grabbe and Goyle following behind him.
A small pause settled over the three remaining kids but it was broken by Ron's snigger which turned into full-blown laughter. Harry not being able to contain himself laughed as well, Cassandra only smiled fondly at the two and did not laugh at her cousin's expense.
"That was awesome! I really hope we're in the same house! What's your name?" Ron asked while trying to stop his laughter,
"Her name's Cassandra!" Harry blurted out, but after he realized what he did, he turned a bit red.
Cassandra laughed with Harry's eagerness and properly introduced herself to the red-haired boy
"Yes, Harry, nice to see you again," she said as she looked towards Harry, "I'm Cassandra, Cassandra Acestor! You?" she continued looking at the other boy.
"I'm Ron Weasley! You are Alcyone's sister? You look just like her! Well, uhm... except for your hair colour," Ron said
"Nice to meet you Ron and, yes, Alcyone is my older sister."
"Oh! Wicked! That means you know Fred and George, right?"
"Yes, I know all of their adventures with my sister!" Cassandra laughed
"How come you two know each other?" Ron questioned while motioning towards Harry and her.
"Uhm... we sort of bumped into each other outside of Madam Malkin's..." Said Harry bashfully,
"Haha, more like, fell on top of you!" Cassandra laughed again
"Yeah, but I wasn't looking where I was going so-" Harry started saying.
"Yes but like I said, green eyes, it was meant to happen, so no more blaming yourself about it!" Cassandra said while overly pouting, which was obviously a way for her to make him laugh.
Harry seeing her over-exaggerated pout gave her a fond smile "Fine, as the blue-eyed lady commands." He said as jokingly bowed to Cassandra,
Then the three of them laughed but their laughter ceased when they heard footsteps approaching, thinking that Draco and his bodyguards were back, but to their surprise, Hermione Granger appeared at their compartment door.
"What has been going on? I saw three boys running from this compartment!" She said looking at them
Ron ignored Hermione and asked Harry "You've met Malfoy before?"
Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.
Before Ron could speak Cassandra almost shouted "He said what?!? I'm going to murder that git!" and at that, she went to leave the compartment but Hermione's voice stopped her,
"Cassandra we're almost at Hogwarts, there is no use going after your cousin! Plus you might get into trouble if you fight with him."
" Yes, there is and honestly who cares? He can't go around spewing shite like that! I swear Uncle Luce is getting more and more pushy about his views" Cassandra said angrily
"Cassandra, watch your language!"
"What are you, my mother?" Cassandra said coldly to Hermione
"Remind me not to mess with Cassandra when she's angry." Murmured Ron while he looked at Harry
"Look, guys, I swear Draco isn't usually like that. His father makes him say all that! Please give him a chance!" She said to Harry and Ron, calming down a bit.
"Yeah, no chance in hell! He insulted my family!" Ron exclaimed
Cassandra sighed, "Yeah, about that, I apologize on my family's behalf... I'll have a talk with him. I'll make him apologize as well."
"Cassandra you shouldn't apologize for him nor should you defend him, only he is responsible for his actions," Harry replied to Cassandra's promise,
"Yeah you are right Harry but I can't really help it... He's family after all..." Cassandra said sadly and left the compartment without another word.
"But I've heard of the Malfoys," Ron said darkly after Cassandra left, "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He said Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side. And it seems he's pushing his son to do the same, according to Cassandra. She and her sister are probably the only good people in the family." He then turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"
"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"
"Cassandra has been fighting, not us," Ron said scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"
"All right – I only came in here because people outside are acting very childishly, racing up and down the corridors." Said Hermione in a sniffy voice, "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?
Meanwhile, Cassandra stormed the train looking for her cousin once again. But as she was searching a voice echoed through the train, "We'll be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."
"Darn it" murmured Cassandra while walking and looking through compartments for Draco. As she was looking to her right and left Cassandra didn't notice a brown-haired boy walking down the corridor. He also didn't seem to notice her as he was concentrating on a charms textbook in his hand.
Naturally, they collided.
The textbook went flying in the air and both of them fell on their arses.
Cassandra looked at the boy in front of her, he was quite good-looking in her opinion. He had dark brown hair and very light brown- almost hazel- eyes. She didn't know who this was, her dreams not having warned her about this moment.
The boy's eyes then connected with the girl's. She had an aura of smooth moonlight. Her skin was fair, sprinkled with small freckles, features both refined and elegant, as if she was a piece of polished opal. The colour of her eyes was especially bright, like they were made of blue-colored glass, causing her gaze to be overly distant. Her expression held traces of frost and snow. She was an incomparable beauty who appeared once in a blue moon.
"Uhm... sorry about that." The boy somehow managed to speak after being stricken by Cassandra's beauty.
"Tis alright." She simply replied, her voice sounding like a wind chime in his ears.
He quickly got up and extended his hand towards her, "Here, let me help."
Cassandra took his hand and got up, "Thank you but I'm looking for someone, I'll see you later at the Great Hall." And she hastily left.
Leaving poor Terry Boot speechless in her wake.
Cassandra, in the end, did find her cousin just before he exited the train onto the small dark platform. Both of them shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students and a voice was heard shouting: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?
"What came to apologize, cousin?" Draco whisper-shouted at Cassandra as he followed Hagrid towards the path he was leading.
"No, I'm not because you deserved the humiliation after all the insulting of Ron's family! They did absolutely nothing to you! Oh, and I had to apologize on your behalf not only about that but also about all that blood purity shite you spewed to Harry at Madam Malkin's!" Cassandra whisper-shouted back.
"How do you know about that?" Draco said surprised while he paled at Cassandra's anger.
"Harry told us about your first encounter with him. But don't you dare try to change the subject! What have we said about muggle-borns?"
"That they are not inferior," said Draco in a sheepish voice,
"Good now you better remember that."
"Look Cassie, I'm sorry, but you know how Father is and how he gets when I disappoint him..." Draco tried to justify himself to Cassandra,
"No Dray I don't, not really, I think your mind will change once you see how capable some people from muggle families are. Please try to be open-minded, you know I can't always defend you when you act like that!" Cassandra pleaded to her dear cousin, "If you keep acting like that people are going to stop giving you chances to be their friend..."
"Fine, I'll try! But I'm only doing it for you!" said Draco while he was clearly embarrassed.
At this point, the group of first years had gathered and were now ready to follow Hagrid. Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down a steep, narrow path as at either side of it were thick tall trees.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' around this bend here."
There was a loud "Oooooh!".
The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.
"No more'n four to a boat" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Cassandra and Draco, who were walking hand in hand after they made up, were followed into the boat by two twin girls. Cassandra looked at her side and made eye contact with Harry, who was in a boat with Ron, Hermione and Neville, and he gave her a wave to which she responded with a smile.
"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself, "Right then – FORWARD!"
And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.
"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff, they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy which hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.
"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.
"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Cassandra shook her head, apparently the toad had once again escaped.
Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.
Then they walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around a huge, oak front door.
"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?
Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door. The door swung open at once. A tall black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Cassandra knew this was Professor McGonagall, also known as one of the harder-to-please professors at Hogwarts.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall", said Hagrid,
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
She pulled the door wide. The Entrance Hall was so big a whole muggle house could fit in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.
They followed Professor McGonagall into a small empty chamber off the hall. As they passed a giant door Cassandra heard the drone of hundreds of voices, so she assumed this was the Great Hall.
They crowded in and the older witch welcomed them to Hogwarts, at that Cassandra tuned her out already knowing the Professor's welcoming speech from Alcyone. Promptly after her speech the Professor left the chamber.
Cassandra wondered which house she would be sorted into. Her father was a Ravenclaw, her mother a Slytherin and her sister a Gryffindor. Maybe she should be in Hufflepuff so the family has all the houses, she thought and laughed to herself.
Draco, who was next to her, heard her laugh and turned to see what was going on with her. At their eye contact, she just smiled and shook her head, Draco in return gave a fond sigh to his cousin's weirdness.
Then something happened which made a lot of people scream. Cassandra who was looking into space, a white sheen covering her eyes, didn't notice what was happening around her. Draco immediately took action by taking Cassandra's hand in his own and guiding his cousin to the very front, simply because then no one could see Cassandra's dazed stare, after all, everyone was focused on the ghosts that had arrived behind them.
Draco was worried. Cassandra was having another one of her visions- as she preferred to call them, instead of the mocking name her parents used- and it was one of the many she had the same month.
The previous ones had been small things, according to Cassandra anyways, like how Father was going to buy him his dream broom in their second year or how she was going to be in a different house than him. But he could tell others were horrifying, like when they were having a sleepover in his room and Cassandra woke up crying and mumbling about the Slytherin Prince becoming the boy who had no choice. Draco had absolutely no idea what she was mumbling about but what he knew was how hard it was to calm down her down after that vision and that broke his heart.
His precious cousin, who was most like a sister honestly, was tormented by the future and he could do nothing about it.
The sheen left Cassandra's eyes and she turned to Draco with a face full of sadness. Seeing this Draco squeezed her hand that was still in his. He knew this was the only thing he could do to help her.
At that Professor McGonagall returned to the chamber and said to the first years, "Move along now. The Sorting Ceremony is about to begin. Form a line and follow me."
Cassandra and Draco were at the very front of the line walking hand in hand behind the Professor. The older woman shot them an unapproving look to which Cassandra responded with a small smile, to which Professor McGonagall just sighed and kept on walking somehow knowing she couldn't separate the two cousins.
The Great Hall was lit by thousands of candles which were floating in mid-air over four long tables that Cassandra recognized as the four Hogwarts Houses, where the rest students were seated. Cassandra's eyes fell onto the Gryffindor table and before long she spotted Alcyone in between George and Fred. Alcyone saw her sister and gave a wave and a thumbs up, Fred and George doing the same.
Then she scanned the long table at the top of the Hall, she awkwardly made eye contact with Professor Snape, Draco's godfather. It was awkward as Cassandra remembered the first time they met and looking at him only one word seemed to pass through her head: Lilies.
Professor Snape tensed up and tried nonchalantly to turn to speak to the professor next to him. Cassandra sighed at the broken eye contact like a pressure had lifted from her head.
Professor McGonagall led them up there, so they were facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. Cassandra heard Hermione speaking,
"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History."
Cassandra and Draco looked up at the bewitched ceiling. It truly looked like it opened up to the heavens.
Then Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years and on top of it she placed the famed Sorting Hat. It was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Cassandra was sure that her mother would be appalled if she saw it now.
A rip opened near the rim and it started singing.
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The whole Hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still once again. Then Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said, "Abbot, Hannah!"
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of the line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause...
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat,
The Hufflepuff table cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at it.
"Acestor, Cassandra!"
Cassandra managed to gracefully get out of the line, not before giving her cousin's hand a squeeze of reassurance.
She put on the hat and sat down on the four-legged stool. She then felt pressure on her head, a migraine-like pain but not of that magnitude.
"Ah, I see a sensitive one... Curious, I have only sorted a few of your kind..." a voice in her head said,
Cassandra was surprised by the voice in her head but nonetheless asked in her head "My kind...? What do you mean?"
"I'm sure you already know what I'm talking about..."
"Oh... You mean my visions, right?"
"That is correct my dear, I see the things you have already seen and applaud your bravery in withstanding the horrors of the future... You have a strong mind, yes... yes... You have a thirst for knowledge and to prove yourself, quite the combination! I see you're also quite loyal to your people, to your family especially and you will fiercely protect them. Hmm..."
Cassandra was once again surprised by the hat's assessment of her personality. She was honestly confused as to which house she was going to be sorted in. She, from the hat's words, fit into every single house! Her bravery- in Gryffindor, her thirst for knowledge- in Ravenclaw, her desire to prove herself- in Slytherin and her loyalty to her family and friends -in Hufflepuff!
She thought back to her remark about being in Hufflepuff just so her family would have all the Hogwarts Houses, but something about Hufflepuff didn't seem right to her. Then Slytherin slipped into her mind. Her cousin would surely be sorted there and thinking about it she wouldn't mind being in it but only going for the sake of Draco didn't sit well with her, after all, she knew she wouldn't be in the same house as him, courtesy of her visions. Then Gryffindor, again, she would be with her sister, another one of her loved ones, but Gryffindor didn't feel right as well, even if she knew her new friends would most likely be sorted there. It was just a feeling but her gut was always right, pair that with her visions, she was always right and that slightly got to her head sometimes but was another topic for another time. Finally, Ravenclaw came to her mind, but before she could even think about it the hat started talking again in her mind.
"It seems you have done my job for me, dear oracle!" it said voice full of mirth.
"It better be...
RAVENCLAW!"
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