chosen - harry potter

Chapter 3 - Back to Hogwarts

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

The morning following the World Cup, the group tiredly returned to the Burrow. Cassia felt sore on her entire body. She hadn't slept very much, and she had laid in her bed shaking and replaying the bloody scene for many hours. She hadn't hurt anyone to that degree in her entire life, and the thought of a wand in someone's eye made her stomach turn. She had tried to identify the man, perhaps leading to a trial, but she realized she hadn't even seen his face. It was too dark and the last thing she had been thinking about at the time was staying longer to look at his face.

Cassia was grateful for the orange and pink sky falling over the Burrow as they approached. They had taken the first portkey out, so it was still rather early in the morning. Once they got inside, Molly showered everyone with love, apologizing profusely to Fred and George for a fight they had before they left.

"Cassia!" she cried. "I heard about what happened. Our brave girl!"

She wrapped her in a hug but pulled back slowly.

"Cassia?" she asked confusedly, pointing at a spot on her neck. "What's this?"

"I don't know," Cassia said slowly. 

Molly conjured a mirror, holding it up to her. There was a small, dark purple bruise on the side of her neck.

"Oh!" Cassia realized. "That's where the Death Eater's wand was - pressed into my neck."

"Right," Molly sighed, relieved. "That makes much more sense than...well...Never mind!"

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

The quartet sat in Ron's room, the hazy summer sun streaming through his window. Harry told them he had something to tell them, and Cassia figured it was as good a time as any to tell them about her aunt in Azkaban. 

"There's something I haven't told you," Harry said. "On Saturday morning, I woke up with my scar hurting again. I had a dream about - him. He and Peter. I can't remember all of it now, but they were plotting to kill...someone."

"It was only a dream," Ron said unconvincingly. "Just a nightmare."

"Yeah, but was it?" Harry said. "It's weird, isn't it? My scar hurts, and three days later the Death Eaters are on the march, and Voldemort's sign's up in the sky again."

"Surely it's not a coincidence," Cassia sighed. "I have something to tell you guys, as well. Winona Blair is - she's my aunt."

Ron and Hermione looked at her with a stunned expression. Harry tilted his head in confusion.

"Winona Blair?" Ron repeated. "As in Damien Blair's wife? You're related to Damien Blair?"

"Well, only through marriage. Winona is my mum's sister."

"Who are these people?" Harry asked confusedly.

"They were Voldemort's number one supporters," Cassia expressed. "Especially Damien. He was known for practically being his right-hand man. They're both in Azkaban now. But...my mum said that because Will and I are related to them, Death Eaters may be after us more than other people. Especially me, because I'm an Untrackable and all that."

"Bloody hell," Ron whispered. "Do you think that's why that Death Eater grabbed you?"

"Most likely," Cassia said. "And between your scar hurting," she looked at Harry, "and Death Eaters attacking the Cup. I think they're expecting a return to power."

"What do we do?" Hermione said worriedly.

"I doubt there's anything we can do," Cassia sighed, leaning back onto her hands. "Except be prepared for when it happens."