The Strongest Sword
By Cassandra
*This story supposedly takes place in Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts,
however in order to understand the story, you must have read J.K.
Rowling's version of it.*
*Disclaimer*
*The amazing J.K. Rowling has copyrighted all but a few of the
characters mentioned in this story. In fact, it was her
incredible mind that inspired me to write this. All characters that
are not hers are mine, and I would appreciate you not using their
names. Thank you!*
Prologue
The forest was silent, the night seemingly robbed of its sound. The air was heavy with dread, which pleased the cloaked figure. It made it all the easier for him to carry out his job.
Birds took flight when they saw him, deer froze in their path, hoping he wouldn't notice them. He didn't.
A small light shone from deep inside the forest, and he walked more quickly. His hand drew his wand out of the cloak, and readied it for his next task.
He entered the clearing and watched as deer bounded in the darkness, followed the fluttering birds. He laughed.
A small light flickered inside the window of a small house that stood by the edge of the clearing.
Chapter 1
Her tears fell onto the ground unchecked, her misery rising and flowing out of her as though it would never stop. But as suddenly as the tears came, they left.
She brushed a lock of her blonde hair out of her face and looked through the window, into the starry sky.
The window was her only connection to the outside world. She wished she could fly out of the life she was in and into another, just as the birds outside flitted from tree to tree. But it wasn't that easy.
A knock brought her back to reality. She slipped on a cloak, the only thing left of her mother. The plum colored robes made her eyes look more purple than ever, but she felt no closer to her mother than she had fourteen years ago, at the time of her death.
But her mother was gone. And she had no time to grieve, but had to take action.
The girl held up her wand and inspected it carefully, then shouted, "Alohomora!"
The large doors burst open in front of the small man who stood trembling before them.
"The-the Master wishes to s-see you," the man stuttered.
"And why does he wish to see me, Pettigrew?" she asked calmly, her gaze shifting to his eyes. He blinked and looked away.
"H-he says he has a m-mission for y-you," he squeaked.
"I see. You may leave."
Pettigrew hurried out of the room as if he was escaping a dragon.
The girl waited a moment, and then disappeared from her room. She Apparated to the massive doors of a chamber, which flung open, engulfing her slender body into darkness.
Inside, the room was quite bare. There was a rug on the floor, masking the stones. A fire blazed in the stone fireplace that lay beyond a single chair. The person sitting in the chair seemed to vibrate with a dark sense, something that brought chills to his victims. A coldness filled the room, but it was replaced by anger.
"Do not play games, Lord Voldemort." Commanded the girl. "It is a waste of time. You and I both know what you want."
"Then what is it?" Voldemort hissed, his diabolic red eyes staring into the girl's defiant amethyst ones. The girl remained silent.
"Harry Potter vanquished me 14 years ago," he began, his voice giving away his hatred. "I have long since wished to...to dispose of him. To get him out of the way."
The girl stood as before, but the narrowing her eyes gave away the slightest trace of contempt.
"I have found a way to do that."
The Dark Lord looked expectantly at the girl, who stood as emotionless as before, if not more. He started again.
"Someone, a loyal follower, would go to Hogwarts."
The girl flinched.
"...And befriend Harry Potter. They would then do away with him as quickly as possible, perhaps in the Chamber of Secrets."
Silence overtook the room for a few moments.
"As you well know, only two have survived my curse...a small portion of my power is transferred to them when this happens. Only one other may enter the Chamber..."
The meaning of Voldemort's words sunk into the girl. She glared up at him.
"And I will do this because?"
"You will be generously rewarded," Lord Voldemort answered.
After a few moments, the girl answered. "I will not fail you, but you must keep your word."
"I would not think otherwise."
"You shouldn't. Potter and I are combined are a force that would be hard to overcome, Lord."
Voldemort seemed shocked, but quickly gained composure.
"You will live soon." He grunted.
The girl turned to leave.
"Do not fall short..." he warned. "...Cassandra."
Cassandra walked swiftly to the door, leaving a shower of purple sparks to mark her exit.
Chapter 2
Harry Potter pushed his cart towards Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters at King's cross station to board the scarlet Hogwarts Express.If you had seen him in the streets of London, you would think he was a normal person, aside form the lightning shaped scar on his forehead.
The truth was, Harry was a wizard. And so were his two friends that were running to catch up with him.
"Hello Harry!" said Ron Weasley, a wizard with bright red hair and freckles, as he tried to catch his breath.
"Dreadfully sorry we're late," Hermoine Granger, the witch who got exceptionally good grades, apologized. "You see, we were-"
"Is Harry Potter here?" asked a voice with a heavy American accent from the door.
"I'm Harry," he said, turning to her. For some reason, his scar hurt slightly...
The girl's face instantly broke into a smile. Harry couldn't help but notice she had beautiful amethyst eyes, something unusual.
"I'm Cassandra. I've been assigned to Gryffindor too, and since I just came from America I was told you would show me around..."
"Hermoine Granger," Hermoine said, eyeing the newcomer carefully.
"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron said cheerfully. "Care for a pasty?"
The four were munching on the treats and watching the countryside fly by, when the compartment door slid open.
"Well, well, well," sneered a voice. "The pauper, the know-it-all, the orphan, and their new friend: the freak."
Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, Harry's arch-enemies, stepped into the room.
Cassandra stood up right away, her wand clutched in one hand. Her orange tabby cat hissed behind her.
"I think freak here is looking for a fight!" Draco said maliciously. "She doesn't look especially tough."
Cassandra stepped on Malfoy's foot and stared into his face, a smile playing on her own.
"Looks can be deceiving," she whispered. Cassandra lifted her sleeve for an instant, and whatever she did then made Malfoy gape as she stepped back.
Cassandra raised her hand and the three intruders flew backwards and out the door of the compartment. Harry's scar burned and all three of them seemed to notice a strange sense of power within their new friend.
"I apologize for having to show you my mean streak so soon," she said, placing her wand into her sleeve and smiling warmly. "But I don't like him."
"You know him?" Ron asked.
"I know his father."
Ron left it at that.
Chapter 3
"Zyla, Ashley," Professor McGonagall called, the last name on the list of new students at Hogwarts.
The blonde haired girl tried on the hat and it yelled instantly, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Explain the Sorting Hat procedure!" Cassandra whispered to Harry, who sat next to her.
"Well, all of the new first-years try on the hat, and it tells them if they should be in Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, or Slytherin," Harry explained.
Cassandra looked like she was about to whisper something, but Professor Albus Dumbledore, the current headmaster, stood up to give his speech.
"The first things we should recognize are that we have a new student and a new teacher. Cassandra Tricks has arrived her for schooling from America. She is a fourth-year in Gryffindor."
The Gryffindor table broke into applause and Raini smiled at everyone. Malfoy looked enraged.
"Secondly, I would like to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Wimblewat."
The Gryffindor table burst into applause, with scarce enthusiasts from the other tables. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were whispering, no doubt trying to find some way they could sabotage his lessons.
"And as I can think of no more reasons to keep you from the delicious feast that awaits us, you may begin."
As soon as Dumbledore sat down, the golden plates on the table filled with the most extraordinary foods.
Cassandra's mouth dropped open in astonishment. Harry and Ron grinned at each other.
"Ham, Cassandra?" Harry asked.
As soon as the last note of the school song faded away, Dumbledore dismissed everyone to bed.
"The new password is Nimbledwit," a prefect by the name of Gina Dimwater announced from the head of the line.
"Oh no," moaned Neville Longbottom.
"Good night, Cassandra!" Ron and Harry said as they separated to go to their rooms.
"Good night" she said sweetly and climbed to her bedroom, the only one aware of her intentions.
***
Late that night, the fluttering of wings awakened Cassandra. An owl landed on her bed, dropping a note onto her lap. Cassandra opened it, her face paling.
Lord has sent me to help you. I will keep you on the right track.
~Professor Wimblewat
Chapter 4
"What do we have now?" Cassandra asked as the four friends met in the common room of Gryffindor.
"Potions," Ron moaned.
"Is it really that bad?" Cassandra asked.
"Snape is the worst teacher ever! He always picks on us, especially Neville," Harry said.
"And he acts like its all Harry's fault that he's famous," Hermoine said, her face clouded.
"Snape?" Cassandra asked. Her face wore the expression of disgust.
"Do you know him?" Ron asked. "Where?"
"Oh, just around...Diagon Alley," Cassandra groped. "Oh look! There's Neville!"
Cassandra had never been so happy to see Neville before. "Hello, Neville! How are you?" she asked.
"Um, okay," Neville mumbled, dropping his books.
After helping Neville pick up his books, Cassandra, Hermoine, Harry, and Ron walked slowly to Potions.
"Well, at least we have Transfiguration afterwards!" Hermoine said brightly.
"More homework," Ron grumbled. "Loads of fun."
"Oh, come on, Ron," Cassandra said. "Transfiguration is easy-y."
Ron didn't have a chance to answer before they turned into Snape's dungeon classroom.
The walls and floors were made of bleak gray stone. Shelves on the wall were stuffed full of jars containing odd substances. No one dared to guess what they were.
"You are five minutes late," Snape said, glaring at them.
"No we're not!" Harry protested. "Half the class isn't here!"
"Professor Snape," Cassandra began. "My schedule states that class starts in five minutes. So does yours, I may remind you," Cassandra finished pointing to Snape's schedule laying on his desk.
She met his glare with a calm stare, while everyone's eyes were upon them.
"Get to your seats," Snape glowered. "And five points from Gryffindor for your cheek."
Cassandra's cheeks flushed with anger as she dropped her things on her desk.
"He's like this all the time," Harry whispered. Cassandra narrowed her eyes.
"I don't like him at all," she whispered.
Once the rest of the class had filed in, with a look of doom on their faces, Snape started with the lesson.
"Today we will be making a somewhat complex sleeping potion," Snape said, glancing at Neville. Neville shrunk down into his seat. Only Cassandra sat erect.
Ron rolled his eyes in Harry's direction.
"If you would be so kind as to open your books, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, we could begin," Snape said, giving Harry and Ron the death look.
Ron and Harry, embarrassed, pulled out their books and looked to the appropriate page as Snape gathered ingredients in the front of the room. As Harry stood in line to receive his spotted mushrooms and fairy dust, he watched Cassandra stare dreamily at the door, lost in her thoughts. Suddenly, her face hardened into an expression of utmost fury. He followed her gaze and looked out the door. The black robes of a teacher swished by. Whose?
"Here, Potter," Snape sneered. "And pay attention to your recipe, if not me."
Harry made his way back to his cauldron, amid snickers from Slytherin's, and handed Cassandra her ingredients as well.
"Thanks," she said brightly, looking up at him.
Everyone worked in silence, occasionally chatting to their neighbors, when Malfoy spoke up.
"Why don't you roll up your sleeves, Cassandra?" he asked mockingly.
Cassandra didn't move.
"Are you too good for us to show your arms or something?"
Cassandra acted like she didn't hear him.
"Or are you just acting the part of Harry's intelligence?"
Cassandra looked up, her eyes blazing anger. "Don't you dare call Harry something of your level!" she snapped. "He doesn't mistreat his father's boss, now, does he?"
"He doesn't have a father!"
"You won't either, when I'm through with-"
"That will be enough," Snape's steely voice interrupted. "Another five points from Gryffindor. You had best learn to control your tongue."
"Malfoy made what you would call the opening remark, Professor," Cassandra muttred.
"I don't see him trailing potion everywhere."
The Slytherins laughed heartily as Snape stared at Cassandra's sleeves in distaste. "Why don't we test your potion, there is quite enough on your sleeves."
Cassandra opened her mouth to say something that, most likely, would cause Snape to give her detention when the magical clock spoke. "Class has ended, class has ended."
There was a mad scramble for things, while Snape went around collecting vials of the student's potions.
"Hold out your sleeves, Cassandra," Malfoy taunted.
Cassandra's mouth became a straight line.
"Ooh, when I get through with him he won't have so much as a shred of skin left!" she said under her breath.
"Well you should've rolled up your sleeves," Ron said. "They're drenched."
"They'll help me later," Cassandra muttered. "After break we have History of Magic."
Hermoine looked disapprovingly at Harry, Ron, and Cassandra as the burst into gales of laughter, as the lugged their cauldrons away.
Chapter 4
" So why wouldn't you roll up your sleeves?" Hermoine asked Cassandra.
Harry, Ron, Hermoine, and Cassandra were walking down the hall to the Common Room from Potions, Cassandra's sleeves drenched in the sleeping draught.
Before Cassandra had a chance to answer, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle appeared in front of them, blocking the staircase.
Malfoy reached out and shoved Cassandra, sending her books flying to the floor.
"We're going to teach you a lesson for trying to frighten us on the train," he sneered. "And for your nerve in potions."
"Hey, leave her alone!" Harry shouted.
"Yeah, she's our friend!" Ron said, Hermoine hanging on his and Harry's robes to stop them from fighting.
Malfoy smiled maliciously and aimed a punch at Cassandra's face.
Harry broke free of Hermoine and he and Malfoy turned into a whirl of fists.
Crabbe and Goyle ran to help, and Ron did his bit to stop them.
"Stop it!" shouted Hermoine hysterically.
Cassandra watched, a look of horror on her face. She was shaking her head. "Stop!" she said. "Stop!"
Cassandra drew her wand and started to mutter something when she was interrupted.
"What is going on here?" asked the stern voice of Professor McGonagall, who was furious at what was happening.
The five boys stared guiltily at the floor, none daring to look her straight in the eye.
"50 points from each your houses! Get back to your common rooms!" she shouted.
Cassandra and Hermoine helped two very bruised and bloody boys up to Gryffindor house.
"You didn't have to do that, you know," Cassandra told them.
"What are friends for?" Ron asked gruffly.
"The very opposite of what I am supposed to do," Cassandra said softly, thinking nobody could hear, and smiled sadly at them.
"It was nothing, Cass," Harry said.
"Cass?" Cassandra asked amusedly.
"Cassandra is a mouthful," Harry muttered, blushing.
"It is, isn't it?" Cassandra pondered. "Cass it is."
Hermoine stared at Cassandra, contemplating something.
Harry acting strange...Cassandra trying to stick up for him in potions...but they had only met days ago!
"Hermoine?" Ron asked, waving a hand in front of her face. "Do you want to go down and nick some food from the kitchens?"
"I guess," Hermoine answered. Everyone heard her mutter, "Slave labor," under her breath.
"Well, if you don't want to go," Harry started.
"I'm coming!" Hermoine said and rushed out the door after them.