Tʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ Lᴏʀᴅ's Aɴɢᴇʟ | Tom Riddle √

18: Unexpected Encounter

Cassiopeia had chosen to forgo dinner and make her way down the corridor to Dumbledore's office. She carried a weighty question on her mind, one she felt compelled to ask the wise headmaster. Her steps took her to the office door, but before she could knock or announce her presence, she encountered Harry leaving.

Their gazes locked for a moment, both seeming unsure of how to break the strange tension that had formed between them over the years. What had been a solid friendship in their early years at Hogwarts had grown strained as Cassiopeia withdrew from her peers, preferring the solace of her dreams, now recognized as her past memories. The knowledge that Tom Riddle was no longer a part of her life weighed heavily on her.

"Hey, Harry," she greeted with a warm smile, pushing past the awkwardness that had come to define their interactions. "Congratulations on your achievement. I always knew you'd make it."

She silently thanked Pansy for providing her with the perfect icebreaker by updating her about the Triwizard champions. Otherwise, she might have been utterly lost in how to initiate a conversation with Harry. Draco's silence in the library about the second task made sense now.

Harry stammered his thanks, his eyes still avoiding hers, and he started walking down the corridor. Cassiopeia fell into step beside him, determined to bring a sense of normalcy back to their friendship.

"You okay?" she asked, noting the tension in his face.

"Yeah," Harry replied, but he still couldn't meet her gaze. Before she could inquire further, voices pierced the silence of the empty corridor.

"It's a sign, Severus. You know what it means as well as I do."

Both Cassiopeia and Harry halted at the entrance to Snape's potion store. Igor Karkaroff had rolled up his sleeve to reveal a black tattoo on his forearm, but before she could scrutinize it further, both men turned their attention to her and Harry, casting death glares, and then Karkaroff left.

"What was that?" Cassiopeia whispered to Harry, but he could only shrug. His uncharacteristic silence added to the growing mystery.

"Potter! Black!" Snape's voice rang out, drawing their attention. They approached him, and he regarded them with an inscrutable expression.

"Congratulations, your performance in the Black Lake was inspiring," Snape remarked, his words lacking any trace of praise or happiness.

He turned his attention to Harry. "Gillyweed, am I correct?"

"Yes, sir," Harry answered innocently, leaving Cassiopeia somewhat baffled. She wasn't quite sure what was happening.

"Ingenious," Snape responded and then turned his gaze to Cassiopeia. "I assume you were daydreaming rather than observing your friend's performance."

Cassiopeia swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Snape's words. He looked back at Harry and then ascended the steps of his ladder, resuming his conversation.

"A rather rare herb, gillyweed, not something found in your everyday garden," Snape said before reaching for a bottle on his shelf. "Nor is this."

He quickly descended the ladder and stood before them, holding a small bottle filled with clear liquid.

"Do you know what this is?" he asked, directing his gaze at both Cassiopeia and Harry. It was Veritaserum.

"Bubble juice, sir?" Harry answered, receiving an elbow to the side from Cassiopeia, making him wince.

"Veritaserum," Cassiopeia whispered, realizing the gravity of the situation as Snape continued to gaze at them, his expression unchanging.

"Veritaserum," Snape confirmed, then lowered his head slightly, focusing on Harry. "Three drops of this, and You-Know-Who himself would divulge his darkest secrets. Unfortunately, its use on a student is forbidden. However—"