The Girl Who Had No Escape [1]

Year 2 - 18

Cassiopeia made her way back to the Slytherin common room, when she entered, she looked to see it was empty. Cassiopeia went to change into some new robes. She realised that she had missed most of her first class, and the second would start in fifteen minutes. She sighed and sat down on her bed, she put her hand on either side of her head and then just started to cry. She cried for Mrs Norris. She cried for Colin. She cried for the next five victims left. She didn't know who they were, but she was determined to find out. She knew that the next one was a double attack, the ghost and the second year Hufflepuff. She then realised that the last attack was after another, with the fact that the Basilisk said that the Slytherin wasn't meant to be there, meaning the snake must have been there to attack someone else. One from the fifth or sixth. Unless it was a triple attack? But she knew she would have to wait until the next attack happened before she would see the last one in her mind.

She looked to see she had five minutes to get to her potions lesson, she grabbed the things she needed and made her way to the classroom.

~*~

Later that week there was an announcement on the board, there was going to be a dueling club. Amelia looked excited at Cassiopeia, making her smile. Her first smile in the week. That night, Amelia dragged Cassiopeia to the Great hall. When they got there, they noticed that rather than the four house tables, there was only a long stage in the middle of the room. Amelia and Cassiopeia stood with the Golden Trio on one side of the room, Cassiopeia looked at Draco on the other side and waved. He returned the wave.

"Gather round! Gather round!" Professor Lockhart said, coming onto the stage. Cassiopeia locked eyes with Draco and rolled them. He smiled. "Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent. In light of dark events of recent times, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club to train you all up, in case you ever need to defend yourselves. As I, myself, have done on countless occasions, for full details see my published works." He then took his cloak off and threw it into the audience, some girls faffed over it and one actually stroked it in her arms. "Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape." Professor Snape walked onto the stage, looking completely annoyed that he was the assistant. "He has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration. Now I don't want any of you youngsters to be worried about their potions master-"

"We're not!" Cassiopeia interrupted. Making all the Slytherins clap for their head of house, and Professor Lockhart's cheery smile fall a little.

"Never fear." He said. Cassiopeia looked to her godfather to see him smiling at her. She winked- telling him to kick Professor Lockhart's butt. The pair then went to the middle and bowed to each other, they then walked apart. They turned back to face each other and got their wands in position.

"One, two, three." Professor Lockhart started.

"Expelliarmus!" Professor Snape incanted, with a flash from his wand. Professor Lockhart went flying and landed at the other end of the stage. The Slytherins cheered, especially Cassiopeia.

"Do you think he's alright?" Hermione asked.

"Who cares." Ron and Cassiopeia replied in unison. They smiled to each other.

"Excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape. But if you don't mind me saying, that was pretty obvious what you was going to do. It would have been easy for me to stop you." Professor Lockhart said, walking back over to Professor Snape.

"Why didn't you then?" Cassiopeia asked. Both professors turned to her. "Surely it would be more effective for us students to learn how to block the spells, or indeed see you block a spell, rather than just watch you fall flat on your arse?"