way to go, tiger | Lorenzo Berkshire

࣪𖤐 Y6 | 17 . The Battle of the Astronomy Tower

➵EAT YOUR YOUNG — HOZIER
'Seven new ways that you can eat your young.'

"You mean to say you're going with him?" Hermione exclaims. The group are in the empty courtyard the following morning. It's a Sunday morning, no students are awake this early. Harry explained all Dumbledore told him, and what the memory entailed. Cassie doesn't know how to feel.

Seven pieces.

Seven pieces of his soul could be anywhere.

And Dumbledore is asking for Harry's help to find one.

"You don't understand, I have to—" Harry protests.

"No you don't, Harry. By the sounds of it, this is very dangerous. Do you even know what he needs your help for?" Hermione asks.

"No, but I don't need to. He's asked for my help and I have to give him that. I owe it to him."

"You don't owe him anything, mate." Ron says, plainly.

"I owe him my life, Ron."

"No, you owe your life to your mother. Dumbledore's done fuck all for you." Enzo shrugs. "Why should you help him?"

"Because if we want any shot of destroying Voldemort—"

Cassie stands up and paces, shaking her head. "He asks too much of you, Harry. He's taking advantage of you and you know it. Dumbledore doesn't need you, he can easily ask Snape or Minnie to help him. He's asking you because you're young and willing to help. He's making you a soldier, not a helping hand, and you're blinded by martyrdom."

"That's not true—" Harry starts.

"She's right, Harry." Hermione sighs.

"Alright, it's better I do this on my own, anyway." Harry shrugs, sitting down with defeat.

"You're not on your own, Harry, that's not what we're getting at whatsoever. I'm just making you aware of the fact he's using your bravery and willingness for his own good. He's been making you interrogate Slughorn for months. You're a puppet on his strings and I don't trust him." Cassie raises her shoulders in defence. "But that's not to say I don't trust you. Whatever you decide to do, we'll follow, but I need you to consider all of your options before you go ahead with this. If you haven't realised by now, Harry, you mean a lot to us."

Harry looks Cassie in the eye and she frowns. He then looks to Hermione, and Ron, then Enzo. With a deep sigh, he shakes his head. "I'm helping him whether you like it or not. I'd appreciate your support, but I won't ask that of you if you don't want to. It's my fight at the end of the day."

"When will you ever realise we're not leaving your side, Harry?" Hermione sighs.

"Alright. It's decided, then. I'll go— but I want you to do something for me."

"Anything." Ron states.

Harry hands out four vials of liquid luck to each of them. "Take these before I go. It's all I have left."

—

A few hours later, Cassie finds herself on the Quidditch pitch with her team. She called a last minute training session when Hooch delivered the mid-season stats. Gryffindor are at 976 points, Hufflepuff are at 703, Ravenclaw are at 599.