The Girl Who Had No Escape [1]

Year 1-33

On the platform Hermione, Amelia, Draco, Blaise, Theo, Crabbe and Goyle waited for Cassiopeia. However, little did they know that she was delaying getting off of the train, hoping they would be gone. However, she was annoyed when she stepped off the train and her friends were there waiting. She attempted to walk past them but she didn't make it. The friends approached her and asked her what was wrong, she didn't answer and they all kept walking towards the carriages.

Professors Snape and McGonagall were walking behind the group, as they were the last students, and noticed Cassiopeia's strange behaviour. So, they looked to each other and nodded, as if to say 'keep watching her'.

As they approached the remaining carriage Cassiopeia stopped, while her friends jumped in the carriage. All her friends, along with the Professors, looked to Cassiopeia with worry. Their eyes followed Cassiopeia as she walked to the front of the carriage. There stood a large horse, which was like a black skeleton. She reached up and stoked it, most of her friends looked in confusion, however, Theo and the Professors looked in fear- as they realised what that meant.

The Professors approached Cassiopeia, Professor Snape was the first to break the silence. "Ms Reid, can you see it?"

"Yes. It's beautiful." Cassiopeia replied, not taking her eyes off of the strange horse while stroking it.

"What are you talking about? There's nothing there." Draco replied.

"Yes, there is." This comment came from Theo and everyone, except Cassiopeia, turned to him. "You just can't see it."

"Why? What's there?" Amelia asked, shocked at how two of her friends could see something that wasn't there.

"It is called a Thestral." Professor McGonagall replied, "It is a species of horse, however, not many people can see them. As you can only see them if you have witnessed death." They gasped at this, all wondering who Cassiopeia had seen die. Cassiopeia stopped stroking the thestral and cursed at herself inside, knowing that they would now ask who she had seen die.

"Ms Reid, do you mind me asking who you have seen die?" Professor Snape asked, watching the girl closely. He attempted to use legitimacy, but her walls were too strong.

Cassiopeia stood their shocked for a moment, all her friends and the Professors awaiting an answer, she didn't mean to but suddenly she felt tears running down her cheeks. She began to cry, everyone looked to her in shock, and as she began to hyperventilate, she seemed to remember that there were people there. She shocked everyone, by suddenly sprinting off into the direction of the Forbidden Forest- ignoring the calls from them.

Professor Snape ran after the girl, while Professor McGonagall stopped her friends from following.

"But Professor, she is running of alone into the dark woods struggling to breathe. She needs our help!" Draco pleaded.

"Mr Malfoy, I assure you that Professor Snape will find her and bring her back safely." Professor McGonagall then took a seat in the carriage, "Now, let's go eat." And with that the carriage moved and they went to the feast. All worried about Cassiopeia. When they got to the Great Hall Hermione went to the Gryffindor table while the rest went to the Slytherin.

As they sat down Harry and Ron noticed that Hermione had been crying, when she sat opposite them, they turn to her.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Harry asked.

"Not now." She replied.

Everyone's attention is then on Professor Dumbledore, who was currently listening to Professor McGonagall's whispers. He nodded to her and stood up, he walked to his stand and addressed the hall.

"Welcome back all! I want to remind you all that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds for everyone, along with the 3rd floor corridor on the right-hand side. And for a few of you that know who I'm talking about, I wanted to say that the student in question will be along shortly and that you shouldn't worry." Professor Dumbledore looked towards Hermione and then towards the group of Slytherin's. "Now let's eat." Everyone began to eat, but the Gryffindor's were confused and what he was talking about, as they noticed that he locked eyes with Hermione.

"What was that about?" Ron asked Hermione. The Gryffindors surrounding the trio (which involved the Weasleys, Neville, Seamus and Dean) listened, awaiting her response.

"It's not my place to tell you." She replied, looking to the table, keeping the tears in her eyes.

"Come on Hermione, what happened to Cassiopeia?" Harry replied, everyone looked to him in shock. "What?"

"Why'd you say Cassiopeia?" Fred asked.

"Because Dumbledore also looked to the Slytherin table, and if you look you can see that the people that are not eating are Cassiopeia's friends." With this all those who were listening turned and saw that he was right. "So, what happened?"

"Well, let's just say that she was acting strange the whole train journey. And then when we were on the platform she got upset, no, I won't tell you why. And then she began to cry and hyperventilate and she ran off in the direction of the Forbidden Forest." They all looked to her shocked.

"Alone?" Harry asked.

"Professor Snape ran after her."

"For some reason that doesn't make me feel better." Ron said, some of those who heard his comment chuckled. They went back to eating, however, all worried about Cassiopeia.

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Thanks for reading

-Zoe