𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐞 ‖ 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐬𝐢𝐱; 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

( November '97 )

A lot of time had passed. Time was precious and of the essence yet the four young Gryffindors were nowhere near figuring out how to get rid of the horcrux. Hermione had just told Harry and Cassandra about her theory involving the Sword of Godric Gryffindor, when the lights went out. The lights had come back on revealing an angry Ron.

"Yeah, I'm still here." Ron said. "But you three carry on. Don't let me spoil the fun."

"What's wrong?" Cassandra asked.

"Wrong?" Ron asked. "Nothing's wrong. Not according to you two anyways."

"Look, if you got something to say, don't be shy." Harry said, clenching his jaw. "Spit it out."

"Alright, I'll spit it out." Ron said. "But don't expect me to be grateful just because there's another damn thing we've got to find."

"I thought you knew what you signed up for." Cassandra said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, I thought I did too." Ron agreed.

"Well look, I'm sorry but I don't quite understand." Harry said. "What part of this isn't living up to your expectations? Did you think we were going to be staying in a five star hotel? Finding a horcrux every other day? You thought you'd be back with your mum by Christmas?"

"I just thought that after all this time, we would have actually achieved something." Ron said. "I thought you knew what you were doing. I thought Dumbledore would have told you something worthwhile. I thought you had a plan."

"We told you everything Dumbledore told us." Cassandra said. "And in case you haven't noticed, we have found a horcrux already."

"Yeah and we're about as close of getting rid of it as the rest of them, aren't we?" Ron said.

"Ron, please take the horcrux off." Hermione interjected. "You wouldn't be saying any of this if you hadn't been wearing it all day."

"Do you want to know why I listen to that radio every night?" Ron asked. "To make sure I don't hear Ginny's name. Or Fred. Or George. Or mum."

"You think I'm not listening too?" Harry asked. "You think I don't know how it feels?"

"No you don't know how it feels!" Ron yelled. "Your parents are dead, you have no family!"

Ron's words were like a punch to the gut.

Harry lunged forward and started pushing Ron. They tousled a little bit before Hermione yelled, causing them to break apart.

"Fine, then go!" Harry said. "Go then."

"Ron." Hermione said, as Ron gathered his things.

"And you?" Ron asked Hermione. "Are you coming or are you staying? Fine. I get it. I saw you two the other night."

"Ron, that's nothing!" Hermione said. "Ron!"

~~

Cassandra put her hand on the pole of the tent to steady herself. She felt like she was going to faint. She had just thrown up outside the tent, not being able to stop her crying for Ron. As her hand came in contact, she fell to the ground and blacked out.

She woke in a room – a room that looked too familiar to her. A boy was sitting on the bed, his back facing her.

"Draco?" came a woman's voice.

Cassandra whipped her head to see Narcissa Malfoy standing in the door frame.

"Yes, mother?" Draco quipped.

"They spotted her." Narcissa said. "At the Ministry. She escaped."

"Do they know where she is now?" Draco asked. "I've been in here for how long? How long is father going to keep me locked up in here?"

"I know it's been a long time, honey." Narcissa sat on the bed next to Draco. "This war will be over soon enough, I know it."

"Yeah but at what cost?" Draco said. "Her life? Harry's life? She admires that boy so much and if he were to die, I'd never get to see the Cassandra I know."

"It will all be okay, Draco." Narcissa said. "You can't think like that."

"I never even got the chance to tell her how I feel." Draco said. "Now the next chance I get might be at her grave."

"Draco Lucius Malfoy!" Narcissa said. "I do not want you to think like that honey. It is not good for you. You will get the chance to tell her how you feel, I promise. She has such a good support system behind her that will stop at nothing to make sure that she comes home safe. She has Sirius and his fiance Brooklyn. There are rumors that Cassandra is the next Scarlet Witch. That means she's more capable of defending herself than what you think she is."

"Wouldn't she be able to get inside my head if she is?" Draco asked.

"Who said she isn't right now?" Narcissa said.

"Cassandra!"

"Cassie!"

"C'mon wake up!"

Cassandra sat up and opened her eyes so fast she almost passed out again. She was laying in the grass staring at Hermione and Harry.

"Oh thank goodness." Hermione said, giving Cassandra a hug. "You were shaking and these – these red sparks were coming out of your hands. If I didn't know anything about the magical world, I would've thought you were having a seizure."

"I had a vision, I think." Cassandra said. "I was at Malfoy Manor but it seemed like it was a couple of months ago based on the conversation Draco and Narcissa were having."

"Was anything important mentioned about You-Know-Who?" Harry asked.

"No." Cassandra shook her head. "They were talking about me. I think Draco is in love with me."