The Girl Who Had No Escape [1]

Year 1 - 47

Cassiopeia awoke, feeling a lot of pain, she laid still for a moment, trying to remember what happened. Then the nights' events flashed through her mind; Fluffy, Devil's Snare, Keys, Chess, Stone, Mirror, Quirrell, Voldemort, Harry. Harry. She then began to panic, not know what happened to him. She shot up in her bed and frantically searched for her friend. She looked around to find him, and there on the bed next to her was Harry, talking to Professor Dumbledore.

"Harry!" She called, they turned to her "You're okay!"

"I'm okay! Are you okay?!" He said in return.

"Define okay for me" She replied.

"Alive?" He replied.

"Then yes, I'm okay." She said with a laugh. "Professor, what happened with the stone and Voldemort and Hermione and Ron and all that jazz?" Both of them sent an amused look at Cassiopeia.

"The stone is being destroyed, Harry destroyed Quirrell- therefore Voldemort's temporary life source- so he left the dungeon as a sort of spirit, Hermione and Ron are both fine, and my favourite piece of jazz is 'What a wonderful world by Louis Armstrong'." Professor Dumbledore replied, his eyes twinkling as he made the final joke. Harry and Cassiopeia laughed.

"Sorry about Nicholas, sir. I'm sure he's a great man." Cassiopeia replied, knowing that without the stone Nicholas Flamel would die.

"As am I, but he has enough elixir to set his affairs in order. When you've lived as long as he has, you would also see peace in the idea of passing from this life." The professor replied. He then turned to walk away when he looked at the sweets on Harry's table, it was at that point that Cassiopeia then noticed the sweets on her table also. "Ah, Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans. I was most unfortunate, in my youth, to come across a vomit flavoured one and since then I have lost my liking for them. But perhaps I could be safe with a nice toffee?" He asked, taking out a jellybean and placing it in his mouth. "Alas! Earwax." He commented, and then walked out. Cassiopeia and Harry sent each other amused looks.

Madame Pomfrey then came out with potions and medicines and all sorts, she supplied Harry and Cassiopeia with the correct potions and said that they could go to the feast. They both changed into their robes and walked out the infirmary. On the way to the great hall Harry and Cassiopeia spotted Hermione and Ron talking at the top of some stairs, they looked to each other.

"You alright there, Ron?" Harry asked Ron.

"Alright. You two?" He replied.

Harry and Cassiopeia shrugged in response. "Alright. Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Never better." She replied.

Together they walked to the great hall and when they entered all attention was on them, Cassiopeia split off from the trio and walked to the Slytherin table. When she got to her friends she was instantly pulled into a hug by Amelia. They hugged for a while and then Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Theo and Blaise entered the hug. When they pulled apart Cassiopeia felt someone else hug her, and she turned around to see the face of Marcus smiling down at her. She pulled him into a hug and then they went back to their seats.

"Draco," Cassiopeia said, he turned to her. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" He asked her.

"I missed your birthday." She told him, as she had realised that she unconscious in the hospital wing for it.

"It doesn't matter, as long as you're alright." He said.

"I have your present in my room, I'll give it to you later." She told him.

"You don't have to." He said.

"No, I don't, but I want to." She said, he smiled at her and nodded.

"Will you tell me when your birthday is now?" He asked her, as she had previously refused.

"Nope." She replied.

"Why?" Theo asked, joining the conversation.

"Because I don't like getting spoiled for a day." She told them.

"Please." Theo begged.

"Please." Draco added with a smirk.

"Please." Blaise followed suit.

"Please." Amelia followed.

"Please." Goyle followed.

"Plea-" Crabbe started, but was cut off by Cassiopeia.

"Why do you guys want to know so badly?" She asked them.

"Because you know our birthdays and have gotten us each a present for them, and we want to return the favour." Draco told her.

"Fine." She said, rolling her eyes. Her friends smirked in success. "1st January."

"We missed it this year?" Theo asked. Cassiopeia nodded. "Then we'll make up for it, next year." He replied, earning a groan from Cassiopeia. They all chuckled and went back to talking and eating.

After eating dinner, Professor Dumbledore stood up to address the students. A silence fell across the hall as he began to speak.

"Another year, gone. And now as I understand the house cup needs awarding. The points stand as thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with 312 points." There was a small clap for Gryffindor house. "In third place, Hufflepuff, with 352 points." There was another small clap. "In second place, Ravenclaw, with 426 points." Another small clap. "And in first place, with 472 points, Slytherin house." There was a large amount of cheering from the Slytherin table, and Malfoy looked over and sent a smirk in the direction of Ron and Harry. While Cassiopeia and Amelia looked over to them with an apologetic expression.

"Yes, well done Slytherin, well done Slytherin. However, a few recent events need to be taken into consideration, and I have a few last-minute points to award." Professor Dumbledore said, silence hung in the hall as all looked to Harry, Professor Snape's happy, well as happy as he can get, expression fell. "To Miss Hermione Granger, for cool use of intellect while others were in grave peril, 50 points." The Gryffindor table clapped the loudest, along with some Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, the Slytherins weren't clapping, apart from Cassiopeia and Amelia. Draco sent them both a glare, but they ignored it. "Next, to Mr Ronald Weasley, for the best game of chess Hogwarts has seen for many years, 50 points." Another loud clapping from the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuff, Amelia and Cassiopeia followed. "Next, to Mr Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house 60 points." Another loud clapping came from the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, Amelia and Cassiopeia, it was at this moment that everyone in the room began to realise that Slytherin and Gryffindor were drawing. Cassiopeia looked to Professor Snape and saw an angered expression on his face. "Next, it takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends, I award 10 points to Neville Longbottom." There were enormous waves of clapping as the Gryffindor's realised this look them into the lead. The Slytherin's looked heart broken, well most of them, while Amelia and Cassiopeia clapped for her friends. However, then Dumbledore began to speak again. "And finally, it takes a lot of strength to fight beside those who may have seen you as different in the past, or perhaps still do. It takes a lot to forget the division between the houses of Hogwarts and stand together with one another as equals. And for this and her bravery, I award 60 points to Cassiopeia Reid."

At this the Slytherin table erupted in cheers and happiness, many coming and hugging Cassiopeia. The rest of the hall wasn't as happy, but the Gryffindor trio couldn't help but feel happy for their Slytherin friend. Harry stood up and clapped for Cassiopeia, the only one on the Gryffindor table clapping, and Hermione and Ron followed suit. Cassiopeia looked over to them and smiled at them, and then everyone threw their hats into the air and celebrated the end of their year at Hogwarts.

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Sorry, I thought I would change the outcome. I wasn't impressed when Professor Dumbledore added all the points to Gryffindor. But that's just my opinion.

Thanks for reading

-Zoe