Lustful Alchemy

24. CASSANDRA

What must be going through someone's mind to kiss a person and then ignore them the following week? I've been wondering about it for days, ever since Aesop has acted as if he's never touched me in his life. Simply put, since he returned from the Ministry, he decided to ignore me. I would be foolish to say I'm not suffering: I'm coming to terms with my feelings and I know perfectly well that I've fallen in love with him. It's true, he's elusive, and he was arrogant and definitely unapproachable during the early days of our forced cohabitation, but no matter how hard he tries, he can't lie with his eyes. I don't have the certainty that he reciprocates my feelings (or that he ever did), but I bet there was even the tiniest moment when he might have wavered.

For example, when we kissed: a romantic kiss under the mistletoe, like in the most beautiful novels. A kiss that seemed like it would never end, with his lips so welcoming, moving gently yet decisively over mine... Just the thought of it makes me melt like chocolate in the sun. And I can't allow that anymore. I have to be resolute and ignore him in turn, stop trying to catch his attention: treat him the way he treats me, in short. If only it were simple...

«Cassandra, can you open the window for the owl, please?», Matilda asks, rousing me from my thoughts. We're in the Faculty Lounge, and indeed outside the window, in the cold January wind, there's a post owl, its feathers all ruffled.

I nod and do as asked, stroking the owl, probably docile because the cold prevents it from dodging or biting me, so stiff is it from the biting cold that lashes at my exposed hand. «Do you want to come in and warm up?», I ask, as if it could ever answer me. It hoots softly, and I take it as a yes.

The owl perches near the lit fireplace, spreading its wings to let the heat caress all its feathers, while I sort through the mail. There's even something for me: a bulky package that seems to contain a newspaper.

«Who's writing to you?», Ominis asks, hearing the rustling of paper in my hands as I sit back down next to him.

«Kevinus Morrisons, once my colleague at The Daily Prophet and now my liaison for news between the Muggle world and ours», I reply, opening the package. I dare to look up for a moment towards Aesop, as if to check his reaction upon hearing another man's name, but he continues to be absorbed in grading Potions homework. It shouldn't, but it annoys me.

I go back to focusing on the package and, as I had guessed, inside there's a Muggle newspaper and a note that says: "Go to page 13, Local News and Events section. K." I give a quick glance at the major headlines and then do as my former colleague suggested. I skim the page with my eyes and there it is, what Kevinus wanted me to see.

«A women's march in London on Saturday!», I exclaim, full of enthusiasm. As if the owl had understood that I'd read the newspaper, it takes off and lands next to the window, ready to be let out and return where it came from. I rummage in my bag for coins to pay for the delivery, which I place in the small pouch attached to its leg, and finally, I open the window, watching it take flight.

I turn to the teachers' table: «Matilda, I won't be available this weekend», I say, almost gloating at the prospect of immersing myself in the atmosphere of the march, of walking alongside other women to claim what are our rights.

The Deputy Headmistress looks at me over her glasses: «Cassandra, I'll be happy to grant you permission, but I need to know how many days you'll be away, to organize the trip and possibly the classes», she says, glancing at Aesop who in response seems neither to listen nor care about the matter. How this attitude of his annoys me!

«There's no need: I'll leave on Saturday itself and be back on Sunday... with Floo Powder», I reply, reluctant at the mere thought of having to travel this way just to reach London quickly so as not to miss school days. And I could swear I noticed Aesop's lips move imperceptibly in that damned cheeky smile of his that I'd remove with a good slap... and kisses.