Chapter 54 Seeds of War

The following morning, Harry and I were sitting across from the Warrington's.

It was awkward at first, since we all knew why Cassius was dead.

"He suffered very little then," Alexandra said after Harry got done telling her what happened. "And after all, Othello… he died making his own decision. We should be proud of him."

But Othello was staring at me, emotionless.

"You are the reason he is dead." Othello said.

I flinched.

"Othello, darling, not here." Alexandra put her hand on his arm.

It was twitching and I knew it was taking all of his might to not pull out his wand on me.

Harry seized the sack of gold on the bedside table.

"You take this," Harry muttered. "It should've been Cassius', he got there first, you take it -" Trying to hand it to Alexandra.

"Oh no, it's yours dear, I couldn't… You keep it." Alexandra said.

She led Othello out of the Hospital Wing and I clenched my fists.

"It's not your fault." Harry said to me.

"It is though. Cassius must've been trying to use me to get to you. Try to turn me double agent or something like that," I said bitterly, "and if he and I hadn't met then maybe he would still be alive."

"But I would be dead." Harry said softly.

I didn't know how to respond to that.

He seemed to understand that I didn't have a response, because he put his arm around my shoulder and let me cry.

The next evening, Harry and I returned to Gryffindor Tower. I could have gone back the next day, but I couldn't do it.

But Harry and I noticed that everyone was avoiding us in the hallways. People were whispering behind their hands as we passed.

"They probably believe what Rita Skeeter's article says." Harry muttered to me.

"Probably." I agreed.

Ron told us that Dumbledore told the school to leave Harry alone, not to ask him questions about that night. And I was avoiding the Slytherins.

The rest of the time, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I kept an unspoken agreement. There was no need to talk about what was happening outside of Hogwarts. We'll hear about it sooner or later.

The only time the subject was touched upon was when Ron told Harry about a meeting Molly had with Dumbledore.

"She went to ask him if you could come straight to us this summer, but he wants you to go back to the Dursleys, at least at first." Ron said.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"She said Dumbledore's got his reasons," said Ron, shaking his head darkly. "I suppose we've got to trust him, haven't we?"

I nodded my agreement.

The only other person Harry would talk to was Hagrid, and since we no longer have a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, we had those lessons free.

Draco managed to catch me when I was coming out of the girls bathroom without Hermione.

"I haven't seen you in a while." Draco said, maneuvering my hand into his elbow.

"I've been avoiding you." I admitted to him.

"Just me?" He asked.

"All of Slytherin."

"Well, don't hate me." He started.

"Am I?" I asked him, dread filling up my stomach.

He pulled me into an unused classroom.

Astrid Hexum was standing there, her arms crossed.

I didn't know what to say, but I paled when I saw her.

"We need to talk." She said.

I nodded, not sure what she wanted me to say.

"Cassius knew you were a Seer."

My hair color changed to white.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I shrugged my shoulders.

"It's in the Zwart lineage. It's only passed through the women. He found the book last year before we left for summer break. He told his parents over the summer, that's why he was getting close to you. The Dark Lord would think you're a valuable asset to his cause." Astrid explained.

I blinked at her.

"What's in it for you?" I asked her.

Her brown eyes hardened.

"You changed him. You had somehow managed to change his mind. That's why he's dead. He was supposed to come back when the Dark Lord made his appearance known to the Wizarding World, but he came back dead. Something happened between you and Cassius and I need to know why."

I looked at her.

I could see it.

The shadows under her eyes, the look of someone who is losing sleep. She wasn't eating as much either, but that I noticed during mealtimes.

"I don't know what I said or did exactly. All I know is that when we would talk, we would talk about how no one lives in fear. And if someone ruined that, everyone would live in fear of a greater evil." I told her.

"That's bloody bullshit!" She screamed all of a sudden.

She threw the wooden chair near her against the wall, breaking the chair.

Draco pulled me away as she threw another chair.

When she took a moment to breath I spoke up again.

"I don't know what I did! I only know the conversations we had! And they meant something different to me than they did to him!" My voice cracked.

Astrid picked up another chair and threw that one too.

I did notice that she didn't come after me though, just the chairs.

I also saw that she was crying.

"What was so special about you that he changed?" She shouted, throwing another chair.

'There are a lot of chairs in here.' I looked around.

"I don't know!" I shouted back.

She struggled to pick up her fifth chair, and when she threw it, it didn't break.

"Why would he go against The Plan?" Astrid's voice wasn't as loud, and she was starting to sound exhausted.

"I don't know." I repeated myself, grateful that Draco was with me.

Astrid collapsed on the ground, and started to sob.

I walked over to her, and put my hand on her back.

"Don't touch me!" She snarled at me and swatted my hand away.

I sat down next to her, but I didn't make a move to touch her.

We sat there for a few moments, her openly crying and me feeling the tingle of the tears.

"Cassius is dead, because he defied Voldemort." I started.

Both Astrid and Draco flinched.

"Voldemort clearly didn't like what Cassius had decided in the end. Cassius was killed for it. Cassius, who was on his way to being a Death Eater, from what I am guessing." I told Draco when I saw his face flash with concern. "He killed one of his own, because he was defied. Is that really someone you want to fight for?" I asked Astrid.

Her sobs stopped for a second and then they got harder.

I sat with her a few moments longer before I got up and left to find Harry.

"Thank you." I told Draco as he walked out with me.

"For what?" He asked.

"She's going to spread the word, and maybe, Voldemort won't have as many loyal followers as he thinks he does."

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