A/N: Hey, I'm back and I'm in a really good mood. I've finally gotten the sixth Harry Potter book. Ok, so I'm only on the third chapter but I just got it last night and I had to work this morning. I had like no time to read. So far it is very interesting and that is all I'm going to say about the book.
Sorry about the long wait-well, not too long. I hope this chapter will make up for it.
Disclaimer: Wow, haven't done one of these things in a long time. I don't own any Harry Potter themed creations. I do own a few characters though.
Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to Saxifrage who is one of my best friends ever. She's also the best beta ever!
Chapter Eleven: Attack on Hogwarts
November at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizarding was pleasant and somewhat strange.
Helena stalked Jason Tai almost everywhere he went. Hermione stopped doing her homework right as it was assigned. Her attention seemed to drift to the guys around her. Cassandra had a basically normal life; she wrote to her mysterious friend often and was nice to almost everyone. But, thoughts of her "family" hung in her mind.
Harry was coming back into "normal Sirius" mood again but with strange designs on his arms; almost like he was tattooing himself with brown ink. Ron was his same red-headed self. And poor little Loofamin had starry eyes for a certain red, curly haired girl in his year.
Yes, November was indeed strange but December was… different…
Dawn sat staring at dinner in the Great Hall. Callia was next to her humming to herself as she ate her peas. On the other side of her was Cassandra, laughing at something Ron had said.
All around her students were making loud noises. Even the teachers were getting into the holiday cheer.
But none of this fazed the little red-headed girl. She was confused. Before school started she was happy as can be. That was until Cassandra had a complete meltdown.
Cassandra was sad, distant and angry. She didn't pay any attention to Dawn at all. She called Auntie Eve, Eve instead of mom or mother. And she called Uncle David, David instead of dad or father. She was rude to all the other children as well.
When school started, things improved. Dawn was so busy with school work and friends, she didn't even notice when Cassandra had a mood swing. But she did notice that Cassandra sometimes asked herself questions like "Where is my real family" or "Who am I?" Dawn just thought she was still very angry at her parents.
"Dawn?" A quiet little voice asked behind her. She twisted around in her seat so she could face the owner of the voice. It was Loofamin.
"Yes?"
"Dawn, I wanted…wanted…to know…if…youwantedtogoandsitbythelakewithmetheevening. Thatisifyoufinishedyourhomework. Andifyoudon'twanttoIcompletelyunderstand." He said slowly at first then sped it into high gear.
Dawn smiled sweetly at the blonde haired boy. Her green eyes sparkled and her heart skipped a beat or two. "Of course I would like to go and sit by the lake with you with evening. And in case you forgot, all the teachers, except Snape, gave us no homework."
Loofamin's smile was brighter than an August sun. "Great! Maybe we can go after you finish your dinner."
"Sure."
Loofamin beamed as he scampered off. More like danced off.
Dawn turned back to her food to find Callia, Cassandra, Harry, Helena, Ron and Hermione's eyes on her. "What?" the little girl shrugged and went back to eating.
Suddenly Helena burst…into tears that is. "You little kids are so adorable!"
"I agree. It will be a moonlit romance!" Cassandra smiled in a little daydream.
"I can see their wedding now: Enchanted forest theme! Dawn in a color changing gown and tiara! Birds singing! Trees hanging with streamers! Real flowers!" Hermione sighed happily.
"Don't forget your gigantic spiders, giants, werewolves, centaurs and dragons." Harry added. Ron and him did a weird hand shake thingy.
The three older girls shot them death glares. The two older boys cowered in fear.
"Guys, don't make such a big deal of it. I'm sure he only wants to talk." Dawn said, trying to calm them down.
"The Honeymoon will be in the Middle East." Ron said after a pause of silence.
"Why?" everyone else asked simultaneously.
"Because I bet no one has their honeymoon there."
"Gee, I wonder why." Helena said flatly.
"Whatever milks your cow, I'm going to go now." Dawn said as she got up. Helena and Cassandra pulled her arms. Both of them wore wicked grins. "Uh oh!"
"Run while you still can little Dawny!" Harry yelled.
"You're not going anywhere without your Date Survival Kit. It's also known as D.S.K. It could be pronounced like disk or spelled with the initials." Helena said, holding up a small purse.
"What's that?" Callia asked.
"This," she pointed, indicating the bag, "is a Date Survival Kit. It has everything you could ever need." She started pulling things out. "Lipstick, lip gloss, cover-up, blush, brushes, hair brush, comb, mints, gum, spare pantyhose, glue, watch, perfume, deodorant, pads—tell you when you're older, and basic things like that. There's a lot more but it would take me forever to take them out and put them back in." She started to put things back as she spoke.
"If you need anything at all just open the bag, whisper what you want and close it. Then open it again and what you needed will be on top. Anything else?"
Dawn and Callia were too entranced by the bag to do anything but nod.
Cassandra smiled. "Good. Now the fun really starts!"
Helena and Cassandra tackled the poor little girl with all assortments of make-up. Powers went flying. Perfumes fumed and gagged the boys. Hair clips clipped unsuspecting passer byers.
When they were down, Dawn looked the same except for a hint of purple eye shadow and a touch of lip gloss.
"Whew! That took a lot of work!" Cassandra said as she wiped her brow.
"I know what you mean, but it was worth it. Look at that babe!" Helena fanned herself.
"Can I go now?" Dawn asked in a frightened voice.
"Almost." Helena handed her the bag. "Now you can go."
Dawn, being afraid she would be grabbed again, took off like a rocket.
Cassandra draped an around Helena's shoulder, who in turn did the same.
"Lena?"
"Yeah Cass?"
"They grow up too fast."
"I know what you mean."
Cassandra smiled at what happened that day. It was near nine at night and she was sitting at a table in the common room "doing her homework" for Potions due the next day. Her little cousin—No! She's not my cousin. Not anymore. Actually, she never was my cousin but still! Ack! I'm so confused! Who's my real mother? Father? Do I have any brothers or sisters? Where do I belong? Who am I really?
Many more questions flooded her mind, leaving her with a massive headache.
A popping noise startled her. A note appeared on the table in front of her.
Hello! It read. How's it going?
She wrote in reply: Hell!
Why?
I'm trying to figure out who I really am. I'm not Cassandra Sanderson. I'm not even a Sanderson. My name's probably not Cassandra!
I'm sorry you're so confused. If it helps you look like Bellatrix Lestrange.
I also look like Blackwood. Sorry but no help. How do you know Bellatrix so well?
The note too a long time to come back.
I just do. You know papers and stuff. I've told you this before.
Cassandra thought who told her this before. Some one had. But it was in person and not in note.
Cassandra smiled as she figured out who her mysterious friend was.
So, how's it going?
Can't complain. Well, actually I can. My father isn't…here to support my family and my mother is a total nutcase at the moment. Oh and to answer you question about how I know what Bellatrix looks like. Here's a picture.
With the last note pop, a newspaper came with it. It was the Daily Prophet. It was dated a week ago. Cassandra read the headline.
Bellatrix is Back…
…In Azkaban that is!
She skipped the rest of the passage and looked at the picture. It looked like an older Cassandra.
She set down the paper carefully, as if not to fold any of the papers. Her breathing increased to a faster pace. A funny feeling overcame her like she knew this evil witch from somewhere.
Sluggishly, she scratched out a quick reply.
What the bloody hell. D, I'm scared.
You know who I am?
Kind of figured it out.
Wow. It took you long enough.
Well it's not like you were giving me big signs that say my name is…
I get it! I get it!
I pretty tired. Night!
Night.
Cassandra stared at the picture—eyes wide with new emotion. Suddenly she tossed it into the fireplace. She stood up, gathered her books and ran for her dorm.
Helena and Hermione were inside on Helena's bed huddled over a newspaper. Only Hermione looked up when Cassandra entered.
"Cassandra, come look at this." Hermione motioned her over. Cassandra did as she was asked.
"'Mass Break Out from Azkaban!'" Helena shirked as she read the paper. "'Many Death Eaters escape including Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange'. Is it just me or is Azkaban getting a little looser."
The other two nodded.
Hermione yawned suddenly. "No use loosing sleep over. Night." She kicked the other two off her bed. They grumbled to their own and pulled the curtains.
Soon the air was filled with Hermione's faint snoring and other noises of the night. All of it was soothing but Cassandra still had a very bad feeling in her gut.
Dawn giggled as Loofamin picked her a flower and placed it behind her ear. "Thanks."
Loofamin smiled. "What time is it?"
Dawn picked a watch out of her Date Survival kit. "Almost eleven. We should probably get back in."
"Yeah." Loofamin helped Dawn stand up. As they started walking, he didn't let go of her hand, just like he'd seen Harry do to Helena.
Dawn blushed but didn't remove her hand.
When they got back to the common room with only one close encounter with Mrs. Norris, both of them had a giggle fit.
"Well, goodnight." Dawn said shyly.
"Yeah, night." Loofamin said in the same matter of shyness.
Dawn turned to got but Loofamin wouldn't let go of her hand. To her surprise he kissed her—on the cheek.
Dawn blushed and giggled as she scurried up the stairs.
It was one in the morning when Cassandra first heard a loud thumping noise. Soon it was followed by more that were bigger and louder than the first. Soon screams and shouts mixed in.
At first, she thought she was dreaming, but then she heard McGonagall's voice boom from the door! "Wake up! Wake up! March right down to the common room this instant! Prefects, you keep them under control!"
Hermione, Lavender and Helena woke up at the professors shout.
"What's all the ruckus?" Helena half yawned.
McGonagall flung open Helena's curtains. Her face was weary with fatigue. "Don't question me! Just do as I say!" With that she marched off to the next dorm to awake the persons inside.
"I think we should do as she said." Lavender said in a shaking voice.
They all muttered their agreement and climbed out of their beds. The girls grabbed their wands and trooped down the stair to the common room. There was a mass of Gryffindors all in their pj's. The room was buzzing with scared and excited whispers.
Prefects were trying to calm the group down and line them up in an orderly fashion. They weren't having much success.
Hermione turned to Cassandra and Helena. "I suppose I should try to help them."
The other two girls shrugged as Hermione gave a quick smile and began to shout orders. Everyone quieted at the sound of her voice.
"Now, listen up. Get into a two lines. We are going to go down to the Great Hall quietly. I don't want anyone talking. Now move it!"
Everyone did as Hermione ordered and soon they were on their way to the Great Hall.
The castle looked different at night. It had an almost forbidding look to it. Everything was dark.
Cassandra told such to Helena who laughed.
"It's the same old castle." Helena insisted.
But Cassandra wasn't sure. Somewhere she thought she could hear distant screaming.
When they got there, they were ordered by the Head Girl and Boy to sit calmly at their House Table. Further instructions would soon be announced.
Lavender left her roommates for her friends. Helena, Hermione and Cassandra found Harry and Ron already seated next to Callia, Dawn, Loofamin, Milo and some brown haired chick.
That "some brown haired chick" was introduced as Milo's best friend, Rebecca Grey.
"What do you think is going on?" Hermione asked Rebecca sweetly.
"Well, I was sitting in my dorm reading Witch Weekly when I heard some weird noises. I was kind of scared 'cause my dorm mate Roxanne wasn't there. Just then she came back. Turns out she was coming back from Ravenclaw—don't ask me what she was doing—and she said that it was probably an attack. It would make sense because of that mass escape from Azkaban. All the Death Eaters were planning to attack Hogwarts because of most likely Harry. They were just waiting for the signal from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. When he gave it, kaboom! Utter chaos!" The girl talked so fast that it was almost impossible to make out exactly what she was saying.
Most of the gang had blank faces. Milo was the first on to speak.
"Isn't she so smart?" He beamed at his friend.
"Er….sure." was all Cassandra could say.
"Cassandra, I'm scared. What if they do attack? What will we do?" Dawn whispered.
"Don't worry about it Dawn," Cassandra said sweetly, stroking her cousin's head. "They won't get us."
"But, what if they do?" Dawn's eyes were as big as the moon and filled with fright.
"It'll be alright, squirt." Helena said with a nervous smile.
A crash boomed around them. Then all went silent except for the creaking noise of the Great Hall door being forced open.
Next everything stopped moving. The floating candles above extinguished. Barely anything could be seen save for a very, very large pack of dark figures in black robes and shining masks. Death Eaters.
A few gasps, cries of terror and whispers filled the silent air.
Slowly, almost as if time had slowed down, the Death Eaters began to approach each table.
Cassandra and a few others glanced about. Where were the teachers?
The Death Eaters walked downs the isles between the tables and stopped behind every couple of students and waited.
Suddenly, a very brave but very foolish Prefect from Hufflepuff pointed his wand and shouted "Avada Kedavra!" at a close by death Eater. He immediately fell to the ground.
The rest was a blur for all hell broke loose.
Death Eaters and students began to shout curses at random; pointing them at the enemy and shouting whatever curse came to mind first. The screams of pain, cries of sorrow, and the sound of objects being blasted apart filled the room. Smells of death, rotting flesh and fire clung in the air.
Cassandra cried out when she saw a first year boy go down in front of her. Her motherly instincts took over. She shoved Loofamin, Callia and Dawn underneath the table. Next she reached out a hand to grab Milo, but her hand was grabbed instead. She was pulled up and came face to face with the mask of death.
The mask of death pulled her by the arm. She couldn't see where she was going because her black hair was in her face. She kept tripping over things. She didn't even want to guess what those things were. She was glad she couldn't see.
Oh but the smell! Burning flesh, hair, wood and other things left an uneasy feeling in the stomach in Cassandra.
Suddenly the stopped and the Death Eater yanked her around so she would be face to face again with the mask of death.
A female voice came from behind it. "So, it is you. Well, hello there Cassandra. That's what their calling you these days, isn't it? Cassandra, Cassandra, Cassandra," the woman Death Eater said as if testing out the name. "It's a kind of boring name. Amaryllis or something more exotic would have suited you better."
Cassandra finally found her voice but her face was wide with fright. "What do you want with me?" The funny feeling came over her again.
The Death Eater laughed bitterly. "Why, to kill you like I would've done when you were a little, young and defenseless baby."
"What?" Cassandra's head spun with questions.
The Death Eater looked away as if thinking of another time.
It was then that Cassandra got her chance to make sure the funny feeling was right.
Quickly, her hand shot up, grabbed the mask, and tore it off her face. The metal burned a little so Cassandra dropped it. It landed with a loud clatter.
The Death Eater turned back just as the mask came off her face. She tried to seize her cover but the sixth year was too quick.
Cassandra gasped and put her hands to her mouth. She was staring at an older version of herself.
"Why you little bitch!" the curly black haired witch sneered.
"Bellatrix Lestrange. It can't be," Cassandra whispered.
Bellatrix smiled hellishly, showing her perfectly white teeth. "Of course it can, dear. Now I hate to make this little family reunion short, but," she raised her wand, "you know, places to go, people to kill, things to destroy."
Cassandra didn't move.
"Aren't afraid, dear? No you wouldn't be. You have your father's bravery and my stubborn chin. Too bad you weren't in Slytherin like me. You could've done great things."
"Yeah, like what? Kill people? No thanks." Cassandra spat.
"A smart mouth, eh? I don't think I like that in my daughter." Bellatrix—her mother—lowered her wand as another Death eater walked over. This one was also female. She took off her mask. The new Death Eater had long blonde hair and was in every way the lighter half of Bellatrix.
"Ah, Cissy, I'd like you to meet my daughter—and your niece—Cassandra Sanderson. Or should I say Cassandra Lestrange? Cassandra, this is you Aunt Narcissa. She's Draco's mother."
I'm related to Draco Malfoy! Cassandra thought in shock as Bellatrix put an arm around her.
Narcissa growled. "I thought you got rid of the brat. Why is she still here?"
"Believe me I've attempted to kill her many a time but she just won't die!" her sister answered, grasping Cassandra's shoulder's tighter.
Narcissa raised an eyebrow. "We'll have to fix that now won't we?"
"Indeed we do, sister." Bellatrix pushed Cassandra in front of her.
Cassandra, once again, was too frightened to do anything.
"I'd like you to meet your and your uncle but I believe there is no time left for you." Bellatrix grinned evilly. She and Narcissa took a menacing step forward, wands raised and pointed at Cassandra.
A/N: Hello! I hate to leave you with this cliff hanger but if I went on, you'd be sitting here all night reading this. As soon as I finish writing this author's note, I'll write chapter twelve. I'm that gung-ho!
Saxifrage: Oh you slay me! Let me guess, Lady Roania is a guy? Just kidding! Wow, I hope you liked this. I added Loofamin and Dawn in this chapter. Even some Callia too. Thanks for the muses. I was looking on the back cover of the sixth Harry Potter book and my guess is that that cute guy is Ron. Wow, that's the best picture I've seen of him! gets all excited and does some Irish jig It's that magical! There, did you guess who Cassandra's writer was? I hope so. This chapter took me one night to write it but for some odd reason it's my favorite. Thank you so much for your help on it! I LOVE YA LIKE A SISTER!
Oh, I took your suggestion about what Helena is going to say about Dawn when Loofamin dates him more. Or should he die?
Oh and Catts, I'm sorry but are so not incredibly sexy. That honor would go to Jimmy. Come on, you have to agree with me on that one.
Your mother yells at you a lot.
Maid of the Mer: Yay muffins! I had a poppy seed muffin for breakfast this morning. It was really tasty. Thanks for the review!
So long folks!
S.S.
