The Sallow Saga - Vol. 2 - In the Shadows of Memories [A HL Fanfiction]

Chapter 18. Fear & Fate

Cassy stared as the bolt of bright green light launched out of the end of Marvolo's wand. Everything around her entered a state of slow motion. She looked to her right, there was Sebastian with a look of pure desperation, scrabbling to get to his feet and to her in time, Marvolo's spell had already bypassed him. To her left, Natty had screamed out 'Protego Maxima' even though she knew there was no defensive spell that could block such a curse. Looking over her shoulder, Cassy saw that Ominis had hurled Leander Prewitt to the ground and was reaching out to grab her shoulder, fear etched across his features. What could she do?

If I duck, she mused, Ominis would get the full force of the spell in the front. If I accept Sebastian's aid, he'll receive the blast in the back. Natty was in a duelling stance and there was no way Cassy was going to disrupt her old friend's defensive manner – it would be needed when she, Cassy – was lying dead on the ground. She closed her eyes peacefully, accepting her fate. She'd felt the last burst of the felix felicis slip away in her final moment of inspiration; her luck had run out. Cassy heard the screams around her, Sebastian yelling, Natty cast jinx after jinx; Ominis amidst the confusion, wrapped his arms around Cassy defensively, soothing and calming her. She heard the curse make contact, but it wasn't with her!

Cassy slowly opened her eyes and blanched in surprise to see Sharp, barely a hair's breadth away from her face. His face was a contorted in mix of remorse, sorrow, and pride. He reached out his hand for her shoulder, as he gasped; "you got him!" Closing his eyes slowly, Sharp crumbled to his knees before collapsing to the ground.
The room fell silent as Sebastian roared out in grief, grappling at the prone form of his former teacher turned mentor, and friend. Natty was as still as a statue, staring in mortified shock at what had occurred. Cassy could feel her breathing growing steadily ragged in her head. The only sound to break through the muffled confusion was Marvolo's cold, cruel laughter. It filled her heart with a burning hatred that she had never experienced in all her life.

Slowly, she raised her head and glared fiercely at the gleeful expression on Marvolo's face. He opened his mouth to taunt and jeer, with his lips stretched into a malevolent grin; but his voice was cut short. His face froze, wide eyed in fear.
"Cassy?" Sebastian's voice croaked near her knee.
Cassy snarled to the group, "grab Sharp and get... out...". She had no idea what was happening, but swirls of ancient magic emanated from her very being. Like a multitude of silver bangles and hoops, they span and whipped around her limbs and torso.
"You..." she growled fiercely, staring directly at Marvolo; as her friends gathered up Sharp's body and carried him out of the house.
"Cassandra, dear..." Marvolo mocked, in a sing-song tone; "don't lose your temper now, you'll only regret it!"
The ancient magic around her roared in her head, filling the room with its iridescent shine. Even Marvolo recoiled from its brightness, covering his eyes. The house shuddered under the weight of the magical force it found itself entertaining and started to crumble.
Cassy spoke slowly, the sound that passed her lips was not that of her own voice.
"Marvolo Gaunt. Lover of pain, torture, and grief – I curse you and your descendants. You and your sired offspring will never know true love or friendship. You will forever remain cast out from the wizarding world! All fortune and fame will leave a bitter, twisted taste in your mouth. No more will you taste the sweetness of all that life holds. Forever will you live a hollow, empty, shell of an existence! I curse you now, Marvolo Gaunt – now, and evermore!" With these final words, the surging energy around her burst from her being and slammed directly in Marvolo.

The force was such that the ceiling in the room collapsed. Cassy remained standing straight, staring at Marvolo who convulsed on the ground. Even when Tempest Thorne apparated amid the chaos and hastily reached for her leader, Cassy remained still and fierce. She watched as Marvolo's silky ebony hair turned bleached white from the power of her curse. The delicate waves and locks on his head, turned to tight, ringlet coils. His dark black eyes opened wide in horror at Cassy, and he pointed in fear at her, before Tempest grabbed his hand and disapparated them both away to safety.