Tʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ Lᴏʀᴅ's Aɴɢᴇʟ | Tom Riddle √

22: Unwanted Arrangement

As Cassiopeia walked to her next class, Potions, she heard her brother's voice calling her name, almost gasping for breath. She halted and turned to find Braxton, who looked as though he had been running to catch up with her.

"Cassie, wait!" he implored.

Curiosity etched across her face, she waited for him to catch his breath. Whatever was so urgent that it required him to chase her down had her intrigued.

After a few moments, he straightened up and finally began to speak. "Did you get a letter from our mother?"

Cassiopeia shook her head in response. "No. What's going on, Brax?"

He sighed, holding out a piece of parchment for her to see. "They've arranged a marriage."

Her initial delight, thinking her brother had found happiness, was swiftly replaced by surprise when she realized the truth. "Bilmey," she rejoiced, hugging him. "I'm really happy for you, congratulations, Brax."

His response, however, shattered her joy. "Cassie, it's not for me, but you."

Her happiness turned to disbelief, her smile vanishing in an instant. "For me?" She stammered, incredulous. She took a step back, her heart racing, unsure of how to respond.

Braxton confirmed, "Yes," and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, but this is going to be difficult."

Cassiopeia acknowledged, "Of course, yes," considering Tom's likely reaction. She had always dreamt of spending her life with him, and now she was being forced into a marriage with someone she had never met.

"They've arranged it with Abraxas," Braxton explained, and Cassiopeia was dumbfounded. Abraxas Malfoy, of all people? The Malfoys' obsession with blood purity had made her wary of them from the beginning.

"No, I'll never agree to this," she declared, her voice strained. "I love someone else."

But Cassiopeia knew that the Malfoys were not easily dissuaded. Braxton tried to reassure her, "We'll find a way to—"

"How, Brax?" she interrupted, tears forming in her eyes. "You know them. We can't do anything. They'll never agree if I say no."

"Listen, Cassie," Braxton began, trying to comfort her, wiping away her tears with his thumbs. "We'll find a way, alright?"

Cassiopeia nodded through her tears, feeling utterly overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events. She wished she had been the first to know about the arranged marriage; after all, it was her life that was being decided.

She entered the Potions classroom, taking a seat in the front. The room slowly filled with students, and Professor Slughorn welcomed her with a warm smile as she tried to return it, though it felt forced.

"Miss. Lestrange, where is your brother?" Slughorn inquired, scanning the class.

"He'll be here soon, sir," she assured him with a forced smile before she returned her attention to the cauldron on her desk.

Cassiopeia's mind swirled with thoughts about the arranged marriage as she waited. She couldn't help but wonder how Tom would react when he learned of it.

Then, he arrived and sat down next to her. He noticed her distant demeanor.

"Hey," he greeted, studying her.

"Hey," she replied, avoiding eye contact, which piqued his concern.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Cassiopeia hummed in response but kept her gaze averted, her thoughts consumed by the unwanted arrangement.

In the Potions class that day, Professor Slughorn had a special assignment for his students. He announced it with an air of excitement, capturing the attention of the class.

"Today, we are going to brew a powerful love potion," Slughorn began, his eyes twinkling with enthusiasm. He wrote 'AMORTENTIA' on the chalkboard and turned to address the class. "I'm sure you're all familiar with this potion. Today, we're going to brew it in class."

He clasped his hands together, a wide smile on his face. "Pair up with the person next to you and start. I'll reward the best brew."

He held up a bottle of liquid, emphasizing its significance. "This is Veritaserum, forbidden for student use. But the successful brewer will receive it. Begin now."

Students bustled about, gathering the necessary ingredients for the love potion. Tom prepared to stand up, but Cassiopeia acted faster.

"I'll fetch them," she offered with a slight smile and walked off to gather the ingredients. With efficient grace, she collected everything into a bowl and turned to return to their workspace.

But Abraxas Malfoy, wearing a wicked smile, blocked her path. Cassiopeia's hands tightened around the bowl as she recalled their previous encounters.

"Hello, Cassie," Malfoy greeted, stopping her in her tracks. "I've heard about it. Mrs. Lestrange told my mother she would send an owl to you—"

"I'm not interested, Malfoy," Cassiopeia interrupted, attempting to move past him. He, however, had other intentions and blocked her way, prompting a frown.

"Let me pass," she hissed, but Malfoy seemed undeterred.

"Malfoy, I belong to someone else," she warned, her tone icy. Her heart ached with the implications of her parents' plans, but she wouldn't let Malfoy intimidate her.

"But you'll belong to me soon, and nothing can stop it," he sneered.

Cassiopeia retorted, "I belong to someone who means more to me than you could ever understand."

Her unwelcome conversation with Malfoy ended abruptly when Tom called her name from behind the Slytherin. Tom's presence provided her an escape from the unwanted conversation.

"Y-yeah," Cassiopeia stammered in response to Tom's inquiry about the potion ingredients. Without meeting Malfoy's eyes, she moved away and joined Tom to begin their potion. With their shared aptitude for potions, the task proved relatively easy.

Once Cassiopeia stirred the mixture in their cauldron, spirals of steam began to rise, indicating a successful brew. Tom turned to her, his dark eyes filled with concern.

"Are you alright?" he asked, startled by her distracted demeanor.

She tried to reassure him, replying, "Y-yeah, I-I'm alright." But her stuttered response did not go unnoticed.

"Why are you stuttering, then?" Tom inquired, his brow furrowed as he sought to understand her.

Cassiopeia looked away, tapping her fingers on the table. "Just... I'm alright," she said, her voice unconvincing. Before Tom could delve further, Professor Slughorn approached their table to inspect their potion. Their classmates gathered around, and Slughorn declared theirs to be the best.

Slughorn explained, "My most outstanding students." He created a space between Cassiopeia and Tom, attracting the attention of the entire class. "I think you can smell this potion and tell me what you perceive."

As the students began sharing their olfactory experiences, Cassiopeia remained preoccupied with thoughts of her parents' decision. She felt distant and overwhelmed, unable to fully engage in the class.

"We should talk, after the class," he whispered, and she nodded.

With the conclusion of the lesson, Tom led her to an empty corridor and apparated them to his dormitory. He held her hand firmly, his concern evident.

"What's wrong, Cassie?" he inquired, peering into her eyes expectantly.

Cassiopeia could only nuzzle her head into his chest, overcome by her emotions. She clung to his robes and cried, her distress pouring out like a river. Tom enveloped her in a comforting embrace.

"Darling, what happened really?" Tom asked softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. When she couldn't find the words to respond, he wiped away her tears and kissed her head.

Cassiopeia pulled back slightly, her teary eyes searching his. His eyes bore into her, full of concern and curiosity. She struggled to compose herself but ultimately spoke, recounting everything that had transpired.