Chapter 15 Letters and Dreams
It took a good hour and a half to calm Draco down.
Then it took another half hour to shove all the letters into my bag so that I had a place to sleep.
"Where's Ariel?" Draco asked when I put the last letter into my bag.
"I left her with my dad." I told him.
"Why?" Draco asked.
"I - I don't trust Nagini to not eat my cat. And I wouldn't put it past the Dark Lord to order his pet to eat my pet if I did something wrong." I answered.
"Cassie, he wouldn't -" Draco started.
"He would." I interrupted my cousin. "He would and you know it." I stared at Draco hard.
He swallowed and nodded.
"Are you going to explain to me about the letters?" Draco gestured to my bag.
I looked at it and then at him.
"Do you really want to know?" I asked.
He took a moment and then shook his head.
"Good answer. I'm not sure what's going on either." I answered him and put my bag under my bed.
"You don't even know what's going on?!" Draco asked incredulously.
"Yup." I popped the 'p'.
"Oh my God woman." He whispered.
I smiled at him.
"I missed you." I told him.
He grinned back.
"I missed you too."
I opened my window so that Barnabus could fly in when he made it back to me, and also to air out my room as it was hot from the summer heat.
I pulled my bag out from under the bed and got comfortable, putting my hand out to pet the empty air for a second.
"Right. I left Ariel." I said to my empty room.
I opened the first letter.
'I have some vials of antidotes. Unfortunately, I don't know what antidote goes to what poison. They don't have them labeled.'
I looked into the bag with wide eyes.
"Well. I know they're in there." I shrugged and pulled out another letter.
Some letters were terrible.
Wanting to curse me when I got to school for being the reason Cassius was dead. Just wanting to curse me in general.
Others were helpful.
I got a detailed wand movement and pronunciation of a spell that was considered 'dark'.
I got one for a specific potion that was supposed to heavily influence a person, like the Imperius Curse, but longer lasting if it was ingested enough times. In an asterisk at the bottom of the letter was a line
'Will eventually kill the person if ingested more than the recommended amount.'
On the back side was an antidote for the potion. So I pulled out my pen and drew three stars on it.
'That's important enough to give to someone.' I told myself as I moved onto the next letter.
I fell asleep a little while late, exhausted from my week trip and finally feeling like I won't fight with anyone here.
"Cassie."
I turned to see Cassius, but he was looking sad.
"Cassius!" I cried out and went to run to him but something stopped me.
"Cassie." He said again.
I clenched my fists.
"Why didn't you tell me that you knew I was Seer?" I asked.
He didn't say anything.
"Why did you tell the Dark Lord? Why would you do that to me? Do you know what I'm going through?! I'm not at the mercy of the Dark Lord and he has tortured me for it already!"
He still didn't say anything.
"And now, I've been getting anonymous letters and I don't know what to do in this situation. I'm so lost. I don't - I don't know what I'm supposed to do next."
Cassius just kept looking sad, his striking blue eyes dull with regret.
"I'M IN DANGER BECAUSE OF YOU!" I shouted.
"I'M AFRAID EVERY DAY BECAUSE IT'S ONE DAY CLOSER TO POSSIBLY BEING TORTURED AGAIN! THIS IS NOT WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR WHEN WE STARTED TALKING!" I was starting to scream.
"AND THEN I WAS GOING TO GIVE YOU MY VIRGINITY! I WAS GOING TO SLEEP WITH YOU AND I WAS SO HAPPY! I WANTED YOU AND I WANTED TO BE HAPPY BUT IT'S RUINED! It's ruined." I sobbed.
Cassius didn't say anything.
"I'm lost - I'm in danger - I don't have anyone to turn to - Harry - Harry's going through something - that - that - that I don't understand and I don't know - know how to - to - to help." I was sobbing and wailing to Cassius.
"I need help too. I need help - understanding what's next. I need to know what's going on with the horcruxes. I need to know - who is sending me letters about what their parents are doing. I need - I need information!" I said, calming down.
I looked up at him and Cassius's face was no longer sad, but waiting.
"I need to know if I'm right about the locket being a horcrux." I said with clarity.
He grinned and the scene changed.
This time I wasn't tied to a chair, and I wasn't greeted by a shadowy figure. And three of the seven pedestals were uncovered.
I walked over to the one that was holding a familiar gold locket.
Harry was still standing on a pedestal, and the diary was next to him. The locket I managed to save from Molly's cleaning spree was next to the diary. Next to the locket, that pedestal wasn't covered in black tendrils. The shadows were clearer but I still couldn't make out what was on that one.
"Am I close to knowing what the fifth horcrux is?" I asked Cassius.
He didn't give any motion to answer my question.
"Reveal yourself!" I said to the pedestal.
It still didn't clear up.
"Damn it!" I angrily shook my hands over my head.
I turned to Cassius.
"I need to know what to do next." He nodded and held his hand out to me.
I took it and the scene changed to show the Slytherin common room from when I was in it last year.
I closed my eyes and let out a breath.
"So it is mostly Slytherin's who are writing to me." I said with my eyes closed.
Cassius still didn't say anything.
"Okay. So this one I have to figure out on my own…" I opened my eyes and was surprised to see Cassius shaking his head.
"Then do you know who can help me?" I asked him.
Draco's figure appeared behind the Slytherin couch.
My eyes widened.
"I can't ask this of him! It's too much!"
Cassius gave me a pointed look.
I sighed, "I know, it's too much for me too and if I ask Draco for help he'll give it to me."
Cassius nodded at that.
"Fine. I'll talk to him in the morning." I grumbled.
Cassius grinned and placed a kiss on my forehead.
"I do miss you." I told him.
"I miss you too." His voice was faint.
But I heard it.
I woke up to knocking on my door.
"Just a minute!" I called out through a yawn.
I climbed out of bed and put on the robe that was on my desk's chair.
I didn't want whoever was out there to see me in my pajamas, even though it was an oversized shirt and sweatpants.
"Yes?" I opened the door.
"The Dark Lord wants you to join him for breakfast." Mr. Malfoy said, as he was the one in front of my door.
"Oh, okay. Thank you, sir." I told him.
"Cassie, I would wear something flattering." He suggested.
I got icky chills down my spine.
"Y-yes sir." I closed the door.
"Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew." I said as I took off my robe and started going through my closet.
I had three nice dresses that felt too dressy for breakfast.
The black dress that had the Gryffindor emblem embroidered on the hem.
The red and gold dress Narcissa and I picked out for the Yule Ball.
And a dress that I was told I wasn't allowed to wear just yet because it was for an upcoming event.
It was emerald green, but I did look underneath it and it had a gold underlining to mask my Gryffindor colors. It was open backed and had a metal silver snake holding the back together with chains. I was looking forward to putting it on but I wasn't sure if I was going to like the event I was going to wear too.
There was another knock on my door.
"Who is it?" I called out, going to put my robe back on.
"It's Narcissa."
"Come in!" I was relieved.
"The Dark Lord wants you to join him for breakfast." She said as soon as she closed my door.
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy came and told me. I don't know what I'm supposed to wear though." I said, gesturing to my closet.
"That's why I brought you something to wear." She showed me a dress she had in her hands.
I was surprised by it.
It was light blue and striped. It also looked like it was just below the knees.
"Narcissa, that's so pretty!" I told her.
She nodded with a smile and handed it to me.
"Go try it on." She said,
I walked into the bathroom and changed into it quickly.
It covered my shoulders with a slight poof, and there were strings that tied up the back if it was too loose. And for me, it kind of was.
I made sure it was down before leaving the bathroom.
"I'll tie you up." Narcissa offered.
I turned around and she did up the string for me.
"Thank you. Should I also do my hair?" I asked, gesturing to my bed head.
"Yes." She said in a serious tone.
"Okay." I flushed.
'Right. Don't make a joke about appearances when it involves the Dark Lord.'
"Would you like to help?" I asked before I could take two steps to the bathroom.
"Are you sure?" She asked.
"It'll go by faster if you do it, I'm starting to get nervous." I admitted.
She sat me down at my desk and started to brush out my knots quickly.
Thankfully it didn't hurt too much.
"Do you know why he wants breakfast?" I asked, my voice quiet.
"I do not." Narcissa said and started to curl my hair in loose curls.
"Okay."
She was done curling my hair with her wand and I put on some eyeliner before turning to Narcissa.
"Do I need to do anything different?" I asked.
"Maybe your hair?" She suggested.
I turned to look at the mirror.
My hair was black so I quickly changed it to match the silver undertone in her hair.
"That's better." She nodded.
"Thank you, Aunt Narcissa." I gave her a hug and walked out of my room before I could let the shock of what I did stop me.
'I just called her aunt, and then I hugged her? What is wrong with me?' I asked as I walked past Mr. Malfoy.
He nodded in approval when I walked by him.
I nodded back to him but felt disgusted that he thinks I needed his approval for how I dressed.
I hurried down the stairs and knocked on the dining room door.
"Come in." Voldemort's voice hissed.
I opened the door and was greeted by Voldemort and Alexandra Warrington. Othello was nowhere in sight.
"Hello Cassie." Voldemort nodded to me and gestured for me to sit next to him.
"Good morning, my lord." I curtsied to him and then walked over to sit down.
"Good morning, Cassie." Alexandra greeted me.
"Good morning, Alexandra." I answered cautiously.
Breakfast was awkward.
Voldemort didn't eat anything and it was just Alexandra and I who ate together.
"Cassie, Alexandra has something to tell you." Voldemort said when I pushed my plate away.
"Yes, ma'am?" I looked up at her.
She pulled out a little box out of her robes and slid it over the table.
"This came in the mail a week before - well, a week before. I'm sure Cassius wanted to give it to you but -" She choked on her words.
I was overcome with guilt.
"Alexandra, he never talked about how he was going to join the Dark Lord's side. I know my apology won't bring him back. But if he had told me… Things would have been different."
My skin crawled.
'I'm manipulating the Dark Lord. Not her. I'm manipulating the Dark Lord. Not her.' I told myself.
She let out a sob and covered her mouth, pushing the gift box closer to me.
I gently took it and opened it slowly.
Inside was a beautiful ruby necklace, earrings, and a custom made lion head nose ring.
Tears welled up in my own eyes.
"Alexandra, I am so sorry." I whispered.
She nodded her head and got out of her seat.
"My lord." She curtsied to Voldemort and left the dining room.
I stared at the jewelry, trying to keep the tears at bay.
"He was a special boy, wasn't he?" Voldemort asked, his voice slippery.
"He was." I nodded.
"If he had told you, about where his loyalties originally were, would you have joined him?" He asked.
I thought carefully about my next answer.
"I don't know, my lord. We never talked about it. I like to think that I would have. In my first year, when you were trying to get the Philosopher's Stone, and I didn't know better -" I added quickly - "I tried walking through the black flames after Harry, not knowing that they were cursed. And Harry hasn't so much as apologized to me for it." I forced myself to sound bitter.
The Dark Lord nodded.
"I remember that, we heard your scream. I didn't know better either at the time." He said.
My heart froze for a second.
'Okay. This is good.' I told myself.
We sat together for a few more moments. Not sure of how to carry on the conversation.
"You may go." He said.
"Thank you, my lord." I stood up and curtsied to him.
I left as casually as I could and then ran up the stairs to see Draco sitting at my desk with yet another owl with a package for me.
"Cassie. What is going on?" He asked, petting the owl.
I sighed and grabbed a different set of clothes to wear.
"I'm going to change and then I'm going to tell you." I told him as I went into the bathroom.
"Good."
I changed and loosened the curls a little bit before I put it up in a bun.
I walked out and laid the dress on the bed and then reached under the bed to get my bag with the letters.
"I should warn you, when I tell you what's going on, you may be in danger." I told him.
He rolled his eyes.
"Don't. I'm being serious. I have a natural protection shield in my head because I'm a Seer. The Dark Lord is an Occlumens user and if he reads this in your head, we'll both be in some serious trouble." I explained.
He blinked.
"Then you should probably wait to tell me. I've been practicing but I'm not an expert yet." He said.
"Okay. I will wait to tell you, but I will tell you." I told him.
"Good. Now, how was your trip? How's Potter doing?" Draco asked as I sat down on my bed.
I blinked at the use of Harry's last name, but I wasn't going to mention it.
I'm not the only one that has to keep up appearances.
"He's traumatized. He's being kept in the dark about what's going on and he's very unhappy about it. He also doesn't understand why the Dark Lord won't make a move and I don't know how to explain to him why and how.
He was also angry that I made the decision to come back."
Draco held up his hand to stop me talking.
"You made the decision to come back?" He asked.
I nodded, "The dark lord wrote to me and said that I could stay for another week if I chose too."
"Why did you come back?" Draco asked.
"Because you're here. With him. And I don't want to leave you alone longer than I need to. Also, I was aware I was receiving letters and when I wasn't getting them over there I was worried if it was the Dark Lord taking care of them or you." I told him.
Something flashed across his face but I couldn't place what it was.
"You came back, for me?" He asked.
"Well, yeah? You're my family." I nodded.
He crossed my room and threw his arms around me and hugged me tightly.
Shout out to kAsS3695 for following this story!
Unfortunately I don't have anything prepared for Robbie Coltrane's passing. May he rest in peace.
