Another Hogwarts Mystery

Chapter 5 - The Betrayal

The next morning, Casandra woke up with a strong headache. Damn it, she thought. She glanced at her watch. It was 6.30am. She got up and went to the bathroom. The cold shower did her good. When she came back to the dormitory, Beverly and Sabrina were up too. "Cassy, there you are!" Sabrina cried. She looked slightly worried. Beverly, however smiled at her "We thought that you fell asleep in the library". "No. I got back here at half past one" Casandra replied, still feeling slightly sick. "Half past one?!" Sabrina shouted in disbelief "Merlin's beard, Cassy! What kept you? How drunk were you?" Beverly agreed. It was as if last night's incidents just got back to Casandra's memory. She put her hands in front of her face and shook her head. "Fuck! I've almost forgotten." Casandra moaned. "Huh? What happened, Casandra?" Beverly and Sabrina said together.

Casandra told them everything. How she almost finished the whole bottle of Phoenix wine, thought about John and whether she was still in love with him, and how she knocked over the suit of armor. At that point, Beverly burst out laughing. "No way! Casandra, that's hilarious! I feel you though. Phoenix wine can make you damn drunk. I got so wasted once when—" "It wasn't actually that hilarious" Casandra retorted. "Why?" Sabrina asked curiously.

"When I knocked over the suit of armor, it made such a noise, that it obviously caught someone's attention" Casandra explained. "Shit! Please don't tell me that Filch caught you?" Beverly cried. "Nope, worse. When I heard someone coming, I was paralysed. Before I knew what was happening, Snape came around the corner and looked at me as if I was the Dark Lord himself". "Snape?! That's definitely worse than Filch" Beverly groaned. "Indeed," Casandra replied "I got detention: Friday at 8pm" she sighed. "Wait, on Friday?" Beverly asked surprised. "That means, John and you can't hang out?" "Yes indeed. Snape of course didn't mind that, though" Casandra snapped. "Of course, he didn't, that gleeful git!" Beverly hissed.

Sabrina looked at Casandra in wonderment, "Cassy, to be fair, you look relieved". "I dunno. I think I'm just not in the mood, you know" You're not in the mood for meeting your boyfriend?" Sabrina asked astonished. They looked at each other for a while. Casandra did not know what to say, because she actually did not know why she did not want to meet John. The only feeling she had was that something will happen soon. Something was coming. Like the storm Casandra saw approaching.

The rest of the week went well. Casandra got used to the talking of the students and even started to ignore it. She was in such a good mood towards the end of the week, that even Snape's comment could not throw her off track. Indeed, she thought that he was not mocking her, but rather teasing her when her robe got entangled and she almost knocked over her cauldron. "Careful, Miss Clark. We don't want to be clumsy again and create another mess, do we?" he asked with a smile that almost looked friendly. It made her body prickle as if it was full of sparks. She smiled at him. Snape fixed his eyes on her for a few seconds and stared in her eyes as if he was walking through them. What are you doing? Casandra thought confused. "Professor? Professor Snape, sir. We need help over here!" A Slytherin girl cried from the front. Snape shook his head slightly, wrested his look from Casandra's, and hurried to the front.

On Friday morning, Casandra had the bizarre feeling that something was odd. She had the morning off, so she went outside. The sky was deep blue, and the late summer sun was still pleasantly warm. Casandra sat down in the courtyard, opened her book, and began to read. After a while, she felt too hot in the blazing sun. The library would be almost empty, since everyone was in class, Casandra thought. She got up and walked towards the great doors of the castle. A cool breeze came from inside the castle and stroked Casandra's face softly as she entered. She was just about to take the stairs up to the library when she heard her name. "Casandra! Cassy, darling!" It was John. Casandra stopped dead and turned on her heel. John was in his early thirties and was indeed a very handsome wizard. He had bright blue eyes, dark blonde hair which was gelled back, and wore a crimson cloak which matched his grey suit. "John, how lovely" Casandra said in surprise. "I sent you a letter. I have an appointment with Dumbledore. Didn't you get it?" "Ah yes I did. Sorry I was so busy, you know it's though after—" Casandra sighed. "—no worries! So, do you want to have dinner tonight? I could ask Dumbledore whether he could grant exemption. I mean, you're with me, someone from the Ministry. You would be safe. I would love to spend time with you. I'm staying at the three Broomsticks, we could even have some private time" John interrupted her and gave her a wink. "Sounds like a lovely plan, Mr Willoby. Unfortunately, Miss Clark already has plans tonight" a deep and soft voice hissed from behind Casandra. She turned around and directly looked into Snape's dark eyes. "Professor Snape. Fancy meeting you here" John snapped arrogantly. The atmosphere chilled down abruptly. Snape faced John with such a cold and hateful look that it gave Casandra the creeps. "And what kind of plans would that be that you, professor, know more about than I do?" John said coolly with his eyes half closed and his right eyebrow raised. "Miss Clark has detention with me tonight, since she thought that wandering drunk around the castle at night and knocking over school property is a better option than staying in bed" Snape explained emotionless. John faced Casandra in shock. "You did what?". Casandra was perplexed. How did Snape find out that she was drunk that night? Did he find her hidey-hole? She was pretty sure that she did not seem that drunk. She only felt like it. Casandra did not know what to say. She stared at John. "Answer me!" he bellowed. "Yes, for god's sake. I was drunk. I sneaked out of bed and got drunk all by myself. If that's what you wanted to hear! I have difficulties to fall asleep since my brother died. But due to the fact that you rarely pay attention to what I'm saying, logically you don't know what I'm doing or how I'm feeling!" Casandra cried. She felt tears in her eyes. What an awkward situation this is, she thought. Snape and her boyfriend battling, John and her having a row in the middle of the entrance hall, and Snape being the trigger. Why did he have to do the dirty on her? She could not get rid of the thought that there was more to Snape's hate for John. "I have to leave. I'll be late for my class" Casandra lied. "Casandra, babe. I'm sorry. Please!" John called but Casandra left without looking back. Probably leaving John in this awkward scene alone with Snape.