Me: [ut me Valentina!]
A bright flash dissipates just in time for me to see Valentina being stabbed.
Me: [mors maledictio!]
A black, smoke-like substance, blasts from the end of my wand and impacts the attacker sending her now lifeless corpse crashing into the wall just off the edges of the bed.
Me: Valentina!
Rushing to her side, I reach for the location on her abdomen where the weapon pierced but find she's already healed from any damages caused.
Me: Are you hurting?
Valentina breaks into tears in my arms. Pulling her closer, I allow her to cry on my shoulder all the while trying to comfort her. It takes a moment but eventually, she calms down enough to speak.
Valentina: I-I-I'm sorry.
Me: Shhh!
Valentina: I should have listened. I-
Me: Shhhh...it's okay.
Valentina: But everyone'll hate-
Me: Then let them hate. We've been on our own before.
She leans back into my embrace at that, however, I know we can't stay here. If we are found with the dead maid people will assume we killed her and while I did technically kill her, appearances are still of particular value for our current future within this new world of ours.
Me: We have to go. Can you stand?
Valentina: I think so.
Me: Great, then let's go.
With my assistance, she manages to stand but we've barely taken a single step when a loud whirring sound fills the air. Blue and red lights flash through the windows as men point artefacts I'm certain are guns, toward the room.
????: We have you surrounded! Step out with your hands behind your-
Me: How about we have some fun?
Valentina: Huh?
Me: Something to cheer you up, come on!
Valentina: But-
Me: We'll get in trouble, right?
She looks away but I can tell just from her body language that she's still rattled by the near-death experience she just underwent. I contemplate merely taking us back to the Estate but after some thought, I decide against it.
If one of the maids turned against us for seemingly no reason then there's no telling how much of the remaining staff is likewise compromised. At the same time, we can't exactly stay here...
Me: Stay here.
Valentina: What are you...
Tuning out the sound of her voice, I make my way towards the door. Even without using magic, I can sense the presence of others gathering on the other side and know they'll burst through at any moment.
Me: Fools.
Taking out my wand, I point it straight at the door before uttering a single spell.
Me: con-FRING-go!
An explosion sends the door and accompanying wall flying in all directions. Quickly putting up a shield, I just about manage to prevent myself and Valentina from being blown away as well but the blast rips a hole in the ground causing us to plummet down to the first floor.
Loud cracking sounds follow as flashes of light bounce off the shield still surrounding us. I can't see who's attacking but, assuming that there were more enemies outside, I fire off the same spell again before grabbing Valentina and pulling her to her feet.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The explosion is much larger than I'd expected. I must've hit something flammable. No matter, it should prove a good enough distraction for us to escape.
Me: Hogwarts...
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Me: oh-BLI-vee-ate!
Everything happens in a blur. From me seeking to return to Hogwarts to us using Apparition and starting to twist inside out to me feeling something pierce me from behind to the flash of green caused by the Memory Charm, I shout at the last minute. It all happens so fast that I'm on the ground inside Hogwart's Hospital Wing before I even feel the pain ripping through my body.
Curling up in agony, I can't even manage to so much as make a sound before all fades away.
Valentina's POV:
Me: Cassandra!
Rushing to her side, I try to wake her but find that as I pull away my hands, they're covered in blood. Terror consumes me as I scream for someone, anyone to help but no one comes.
Me: Please...don't die! I-
Madam Pomfrey: What in-
Looking up, tears already dimming my vision, I barely make out the form of Madam Pomfrey as she rushes towards me.
Madam Pomfrey: Help me get her onto her side child!
Despite myself, I somehow manage to assist her in shifting Cassandra whose clothing she immediately rips to identify the wound. When I see the blood, my heart sinks. I should have known from the fact that blood had begun pooling around her body but she's already lost a lot of blood. Any more and she'll...she'll-
Fresh tears spill down my cheeks, even as Madam Pomfrey uses magic to move her off the ground.
Madam Pomfrey: Now's no time for crying, dear.
Valentina: I-I'm sorry.
Her hardened expression softens just a bit as she caresses my cheek.
Madam Pomfrey: She'll be just fine.
YOU ARE READING
The Rightful Heir of Slytherin (Year 6 - Book 1)
FanfictionWhat if Salazar Slytherin had another child that no one knew about? What if she'd been asleep all this time? What if the world suddenly found out about her existence? Well, he did and Cassandra Slytherin is her name.
