Tʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ Lᴏʀᴅ's Aɴɢᴇʟ | Tom Riddle √

31: The Connection

"I know why you were shocked on that day," Harry stated, standing in the doorway of Regulas' room. She had found an old wooden box to store her important items, including Salazar Slytherin's locket. Cassiopeia quickly put the locket into the nightstand's locker before turning around.

"Wah—what?" She stuttered, taken by surprise by Harry's sudden appearance.

"Can I come in?" Harry asked nervously. She smiled and gave a nod, sitting up on the bed and gesturing for him to do the same.

"You healed my scratches, wasn't it?" Harry got straight to the point. Cassiopeia sighed, her fingers interlocking as she avoided meeting his eyes.

"Actually, I have no idea, but Dumbledore mentioned that it's a rare gift that some people possess," she replied. She knew that every time she explained something to her friends, there was a hidden truth she was keeping from them, even with Draco. However, Cassiopeia felt a sense of relief knowing that she had shared everything with Kreacher, who would be her guardian as per her father's command.

"I need a favor from you, but I don't know if it will work," Harry said, sighing heavily. He revealed the lightning bolt scar left by Voldemort. "I'm just wondering if you can heal it too, because it's painful sometimes."

"I think—" Cassiopeia paused, considering whether she could do what he was asking. This was a sign of a curse, and she wasn't sure if her abilities extended to such a task. "Uh, turn around, so I can examine the mark."

Harry quickly shifted his position, giving her a clear view of his face. Cassiopeia did the same and moved his hair to the side, exposing the scar.

"Actually, I can't guarantee that this will work, but we'll give it a try, okay?" She mumbled, tracing her index finger along the scar.

As she traced the scar for the third time, she felt something unfamiliar—a sensation that was akin to burning or an electric shock. Cassiopeia couldn't put it into words, but it kept her finger glued to the scar.

Suddenly, she saw something that wasn't in the room, on Harry, or on her finger touching his scar. It was someone from her past, someone she had missed in her dreams.

Tom was exiting the girls' lavatory, clutching the diary in his hand. He walked through the dungeons and entered the Slytherin Common room. Scanning the room, he quickly headed for the girls' dormitories. He stopped at Cassiopeia's door, knocking once or twice.

"Cassie, I'm sorry. Please let me explain," he pleaded, but there was no response. Her dorm mate opened the door, half asleep.

"Oh, Merlin, she still didn't come."

"What? Really?" Tom's brows furrowed, and he rushed back to his dorm. But Braxton was deep in slumber, snoring loudly. Tom rubbed his temples in frustration, then proceeded to wander through the corridors, searching for Cassiopeia. Finally, he left the castle, walking toward the Forbidden Forest.

He ventured a few feet into the forest, illuminating his wand, until he stumbled upon something solid. Looking down, he saw it wasn't an object but a person lying face down on the ground. It was Cassiopeia, frozen and with her eyes wide open.

"Cass," Tom exclaimed, shaking her gently and patting her cheek. "You're cold, Cassie. What—"

Understanding washed over him, and he recoiled from her body, tears welling up in his eyes.

Cassiopeia gasped as Harry grabbed her wrist, pulling her finger away from him. She looked at him, almost in shock.

"What happened, Cassiopeia?" Harry asked, concerned. "Are you alright?"