𝑨𝒎𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒕 - ʜᴊᴘ x ᴏᴄ [𝐌𝐀𝐉𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆&𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆]

𝟑𝟕

   ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

ʜᴇɪʀ ᴏꜰ ꜱʟʏᴛʜᴇʀɪɴ

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Professor McGonagall stood at the front of the classroom, her sharp eyes surveying the students as she flicked her wand.

"Today, we will be transforming animals into water goblets," she said crisply. "Like so—one, two, three, Vera Verto."

With a small flash of light, the bird on her desk morphed into a gleaming silver goblet. She turned to the class. "Now, it's your turn. Who would like to go first? Ah, Mr. Weasley, one, two, three—Vera Verto."

Ron pointed his wand at Scabbers and muttered the incantation. The rat twitched, then contorted unpleasantly before settling into an abomination—somewhere between a goblet and a very confused rodent.

Cassie bit back a snicker as Seamus choked on his laughter.

Ron groaned. "Bloody brilliant."

Before McGonagall could respond, Hermione's hand shot into the air.

"Professor," she said, her tone careful but insistent. "I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets?"

Silence spread through the room like a slow-moving curse.

Cassie felt it immediately—the shift in the air. A second ago, everyone had been distracted by Ron's transfiguration mishap. Now, suddenly, every pair of eyes flicked toward her.

Her grip on her wand tightened. She knew why.

Professor McGonagall exhaled through her nose, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"Very well," she said. "You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age—Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin."

Cassie shifted in her seat. She already knew this story—every Slytherin did. But she had a feeling McGonagall wasn't going to give the proud founder of Slytherin House version.

"Three of the founders coexisted quite harmoniously," McGonagall continued, "but one did not. Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. In other words—pure-bloods."

Cassie didn't miss the way some of the Gryffindors shot her a glance, as if waiting for her to stand up and start chanting "purity of blood" like a lunatic.

"Unable to sway the others, Slytherin left the school," McGonagall said, her expression grave. "But, according to legend, before he departed, he built a hidden chamber within this castle—the Chamber of Secrets. He sealed it until the time his true heir returned to Hogwarts. Only the heir would be able to open the Chamber and unleash the horror within. And by doing so—" her gaze swept over the class, "—purge the school of those Slytherin deemed unworthy to study magic."

Cassie felt the air grow heavier.

And then, like clockwork, the stares intensified.

It wasn't just because she was a Slytherin. It wasn't even just because she was a Black.

It was because her mother had been a Gaunt.

The whispers started almost immediately.

Her mother's side goes all the way back to Slytherin, right?

The Gaunts are the only known descendants—what if she really is the Heir?

Cassie clenched her jaw. It didn't matter that she despised her grandparents' obsession with blood purity. It didn't matter that she was closer to her father's Black heritage. None of it mattered, not when they saw Gaunt and decided it was proof enough.

Professor McGonagall noticed the change in atmosphere. Her lips thinned. "The school has been searched many times. No such chamber has ever been found."

Hermione hesitated, then asked, "Professor, what exactly does the legend say is inside the Chamber?"

"The Chamber is said to be home to something that only the Heir of Slytherin can control," McGonagall answered grimly. "It is said to be the home of a monster."

The murmurs grew louder. Cassie could feel them pressing in on her.

Her hands curled into fists beneath the desk, her patience wearing thin.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," she drawled, her voice slicing through the whispers. "Am I supposed to start hissing and summon a giant snake right here in class? Should I be offended that you lot think I opened the Chamber of Secrets, or flattered?"

A few Gryffindors had the audacity to flinch.

Even Ron and Harry weren't meeting her gaze.

McGonagall's eyes flicked toward her, sharp but unreadable.

Class ended shortly after, but the damage was done.

As she strode into the hallway, people parted like she was carrying the plague. Some Slytherins clapped her on the back like she should be proud of the accusation. Others gave her looks that were harder to read.

The Gryffindors?

Harry and Ron wouldn't even look at her.

She stopped in front of them, arms crossed. "You two going to start avoiding me now?"

Ron shifted awkwardly. "It's not—"

Harry sighed. "It's just... it's a little weird, Cassie. Your mum was a Gaunt, and—"

Cassie felt something cold settle in her chest.

"And that's enough proof, is it?" she said quietly. "Never mind that I've been in the same classes as you for years. Never mind that McGonagall—who likes me, by the way—doesn't think I'm opening any bloody chamber. You hear 'Gaunt' and suddenly I'm guilty?"

Ron looked like he wanted to argue but thought better of it.

Cassie exhaled sharply, then rolled her eyes. "Hate to break it to you, Potter, but the real Dark Lord was a Hatstall for Gryffindor."

Ron blinked. "Wait, what?"

Cassie smirked, enjoying the way that shut them up. "Look it up, Weasley."

And with that, she turned on her heel and walked off, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

If they wanted to be dramatic, they could do it without her.