What 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.
It's late at night, midnight to be precise, and yet the entire house of Slytherin is wide awake. With us is Professor Snape who suspiciously leads the entire group further and further from the school with each step.
Snape: Remember yourselves when you enter.
Valentina: Where are we going, Professor?
Snape sneers but doesn't respond. It feels like an eternity before a reply comes.
Snape: Pay attention, lose focus in the Dark Forest and you'll die.
A wicked smile runs across his lips.
Snape: Not that that would be the worse outcome...
We're close to the treeline now, black shadows towering above us in the night sky. There's a man with a crossbow there alongside a black dog. I can't recall ever seeing him before but Fiona seems to know who he is.
Snape: Gamekeeper...
Fiona: Mr Hagrid!
Hagrid: Professor, Fiona...and the rest of Slytherin I see. Very well, after me.
Following their instruction, we file down to 3 lines of students. I'm somewhere in the middle, walking along when the ground beneath me lights up. Ancient markings, imbued with magic, make themselves known. Before anyone can react, there's a flash of light and by the time it clears, I'm all alone.
It's dark. I can't see a thing but rather than use magic to light my path, I instead close my eyes and wait on the glare from the bright light to go away. Once it does, I open my eyes again and this time, the moonlight provides some lighting, enough for me to see where I am going and confirm that I'm not where I once was before.
Sigh
I can hear Professor Snape already, barking at me for being an "incompetent"...I should focus on getting myself out of this situation first. I can worry about the consequences later.
Walking forward, I stumble and almost fall a couple of times but the more I travel, the less familiar my surroundings feel. I've never been here before but it's as though my instincts are screaming at me to turn around. I keep pressing on until the trees open to a wider pathway.
????: Who goes there...
Instinctively, I draw closer to the nearest tree, just in case I need to hide behind it. As I stare ahead of my, however, I find many eyes staring right back at me.
????: I see you...
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I'm not sure what to make of my potential foe. The longer I stare at her, the less human she seems. Is she an owl pretending to be a human or a human that tried changing into an owl? Furthermore, what's with all these other owls all around her? The way their staring at me...it's weird.
????: Leave this place.
Me: Believe you me, if I could, I would but quite frankly I'm lost. You wouldn't happen to know the way back to my friends, would you?
She doesn't respond but all the owls close their eyes in unison. After some time passes, they all reopen their eyes and she speaks while pointing off to her right.
????: That way...
Me: Thank you...forgive me but I don't believe I had the pleasure of making your acquaintance. I am Cassandra Slytherin-
????: Slytherin!
The girl jumps down and I'm left sinking my nails into my palms to prevent my hands from flying up and blasting her with magic.
????: So you're a proper witch and not just some student at that fortress pretending to be a school?
Me: I guess the truth would lie somewhere between the two. I am a "witch" but I am also a student at the school.
She studies me for a while before responding.
????: You were forced there...
Me: I-
????: I can tell from your aroma. You've spent more times outdoor than most. You're happiest alone or with close friends. This school thing is a recent...you're old!
She jumps back in surprise, but by the time she recovers her composure, I'm fuming.
Me: Rude.
????: Forgive me. I never meant it as an insult. It's just that...you seem so young but your scent...you're an anomaly to me.
Me: What's your name?
????: My name? Yes, I had one once.
The hood falls to her shoulders and for the first time I notice that she's genuinely part owl. Her face, while still maintaining most human features, house owl eyes and feathers protruding from the top of her head. Now that she's closer, she definitely has wings as well but likewise has hands and feet. Still, she's stunning. Even in the nightlight, she's mesmerisingly beautiful.
????: It doesn't matter now. I'll soon disappear.
Me: You're leaving?
????: In a matter of speaking.
She gestures to her face.
????: Surely you've noticed by now that I'm not...normal.
Me: Is it a curse?
????: Something like that. I only have a short while left before I'm nothing more than a regular owl.
She seems like a nice girl so I can't just leave her here to effectively die on her own. Besides she helped me so its the least I can do.
Me: Why not go to the Headmaster or the Ministry?
????: They don't care much for people with my...condition.
Me: I could speak on your behalf.
????: Thank you but...its fine. I've already accepted my fate.
Me: Well, I haven't.
I've raised my voice and the owls seem agitated by it but she remains silent, even as I hold out my hand to her.
Me: I might be unable to promise whether others will help you but I can promise you my aid, if you're willing.
????: Why would you help me?
Me: I have a thing for broken girls apparently.
A pink hue covers her face in the moonlight before she turns away.
????: What are you saying?
Me: Come with me...I'll protect you.
????: I...I wouldn't be welcome.
Me: I would like to see them try and stop me.
Holding out my hand again, I offer her a gentle smile. I have some ideas on how to help her at the very least stop the effects of the curse but I think it'll still be fruitful to speak with Dumbledore and mother first. If nothing else, they should be able to provide more information on how her curse works.
Me: Well?
She glances around at the owls now surrounding us and each bows its head as her gaze passes by.
