Arc Two: Delusional Reverie
Chapter Seven: Arifica
There is only darkness. It is all shrouded. A thick haze...
I am simply... nothing.
"But you are so much more than that."
Get out of my head.
...
My surroundings flooded back to me. Severus stood before me, mildly panting in exhaustion.
"You successfully repelled me. Well done." he congratulated as he caught his breath.
"It feels awful to do but if it's what has to be done to stop Ruberion then I guess I'll have to live with it..." I sighed reluctantly. "Maybe it'll be able to stop him altering my behaviour and mood now."
For the time being, I felt completely normal, minus the small ball of pride in me from actually being able to perform Occlumency successfully.
"Practice tonight and see if it improves your resistance against him." Severus advised. He began to rummage through some of the papers and bottles littered around before finding what he wanted. He pulled out two small potions filled with different coloured liquids.
"I took the liberty of brewing your Sleeping Draught earlier today." he spoke as he handed me the first bottle. "The other is a Draught of Peace. It will calm your anxiety should you reawaken startled." He then handed me the second.
"You went out of your way today, huh?" I said happily. "Thank you, Severus." I placed a quick peck on his cheek as my appreciation. He seemed momentarily flustered.
I had a look at the clock. It was roughly 2PM and I completely forgot I had Transfiguration with McGonagall in less than ten minutes. She would be furious if I was late. Thankfully, Classroom 1B was on the ground floor so it wasn't nearly as many steps as going to Trelawney...
Wait a minute.
Trelawney was right. There was something canine in my future: the Hound of Dreams. Although she was wrong about it being black (for it was actually a faint purple in the light), it almost did bring my doom. Maybe there is something to Divination... No, it had to have been pure chance that she was right. But... it wouldn't hurt to talk to her again.
"I should get going to Minerva's class. I'll see you at dinner, alright?" I said as I stored the potions in my pocket and picked up my book. It was always a little hard to separate from Severus but it had to be done.
"Be safe." he remarked as I smiled at him and left.
McGonagall's Transfiguration lesson went about as well as it could have done so for first years. By that, I mean it was an absolute disaster. It was one of their first practical lessons where they would be turning mice into snuffboxes. Not a single student was able to do it correctly; many ended up with a disturbing mouse-box hybrid. Boxes with whiskers and tail, or a mouse with a box for a backside...
At one point, I had snuck away to the back to see if I could do it myself. I was taught Transfiguration by the most exceptional wizards in the field but Ruberion was leaving me doubting my capabilities. Thankfully, I managed to transfigure the mouse first try and reverse it without any trouble. It would've been quite embarrassing otherwise...
Once we had all been dismissed, I stored the book Dumbledore gave me in my room and then made my way over to the North Tower where the Divination classroom was. The trapdoor to access the room was already open due to the students who recently left and the aroma from all of the incenses was pouring out. I always complained about how stuffy it was in the Dungeons but this was borderline suffocation.
The classroom was stained a deep red and the petite Trelawney was going from table to table clearing up the clutter. She picked up a teacup on one table and peered inside, her eyes went wide in shock and she let out a loud gasp.
"Goodness!" she yelled and began to mutter to herself incoherently. "This is not a good result at all, no, no." With every movement she made, the beads and ornaments attached to her clothing made an odd jangle.
"Uh, excuse me?" I calmly called out to grab her attention. She had been so focused that I startled her and she dropped the cup, causing it to smash to pieces once it hit the floor.
"Cassandra! I have been expecting you!" she said as her mystical facade was quickly restored.
Sure you were... The teacup said as much. Also, since when were we on a first-name basis?
"Sit, sit." She waved her hands towards me and then the chair. Even without her glasses magnifying her eyes, I could tell they were filled with excitement. Did she think we were friends just because I came here?
"Sybill, I'm in a bit of a rush so if we could just-" I tried to start but she shoved a clean teacup into my hands.
"When I saw you would be coming today, I was rather ecstatic. I just knew you would fulfil your promise to me." I did promise her that I would come back to do a tea leaf or palm reading last term, didn't I...? She was so happy that I didn't have it in me to put her down again.
"Now," she said as she grabbed a small teapot and began to pour its contents into my cup, "what do the leaves say?"
The darkened tea leaves began to settle in the bottom of the cup. Trelawney watched with vivid interest but as they settled, her face went pale and her posture stiffened.
"Is it bad?" I asked completely clueless as to what the image was.
"That is..." she began shakenly, "the Grim. Cassandra, it means you will die soon." She pointed one of her boney fingers and began to explain it was the shape of a spectral dog.
"I sense also... the signs of two becoming one. There is something ominous in the future. A tale of... calamity." She emphasised the last word. My mind wandered to the Cavity of Calamity. It did not feel coincidental anymore that she had chosen that word out of all the ones in her vast vocabulary.
I jumped to my feet in mild shock which caused my cup to fall to the floor and shatter among the one Sybill had dropped previously.
"Calamity? You're certain?" I asked, my throat feeling dry.
"I would heed the leaves with great caution. My Inner Eye tells me that this is a strong prophecy but, for your sake, I do hope it is mistaken." She was relatively sweet when she was acting attached.
"I see... Well... Thank you, Sybill."
"The pleasure is all mine." she said suddenly cheery again and grabbed my hand to shake it. As she did so, the clattering noise was as loud as ever. She was so happy to have a friend.
Maybe she isn't as bad as I had made myself believe. Sure, she was quite strange, over the top and undoubtedly a loner, but there wasn't anything in her that made her seem like a bad person. I think she just wanted a friend and companionship. It wouldn't be so criminal to give her the benefit of the doubt for once, right? But...
I'm not too sure what exactly I was expecting. A death omen was almost guaranteed based on what Severus and McGonagall had told me about Trelawney but her other words concerned me. If she was right, the Cavity of Calamity could be a good place for research.
"Good... Calamity is nigh..."
At dinner, I informed Severus of my meeting with Trelawney. Of course, he was sceptical but after I informed him that she was right with the Hound, a small piece of him began to have doubts. Though, he stayed strong and didn't let that doubt seep through for my benefit. Seeing him anxious would be the one thing to trigger me.
We discussed what our next plan could be since it was too late to practice Occlumancy and I said I wanted to research the book Dumbledore gave me. Trelawney had mentioned calamity was coming so this would be the best direction to go.
Severus and I arrived at my room and I opened the book as I sat down in the chair, Severus standing by my side. The pages were thin and flimsy. If they were pulled too hard, they would certainly shred to pieces. I found it somewhat hard to believe Dumbledore would trust me with such a precious and somewhat ancient tome but to have done so, he must have thought that there was something essential to know.
Carefully, I turned to the page titled "The Cavity of Calamity". As my eyes saw the words, I felt a slight penetration in my heart. It wasn't anxiety, no... it was excitement. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying my best to void my mind. The alien feeling began to fade. Severus placed a gentle hand on my shoulder and we returned to the text.
Chapter 26
"The Cavity of Calamity"
By Mariessa Fletcher
I would like to begin my contribution to this book with a warning: if you have any wisdom or wits to you, you will avoid seeking anything about the Cavity of Calamity. As one can assume by the name, should the caves become unlocked, they will destroy all. I write this chapter purely for the interests of scholars and their fascinations. Dare not attempt to find them.
I looked at Severus with eyes filled with worry.
"Ruberion may have stolen the Sword of Gryffindor to use as his token to destroy the seal. But..." I thought deeply. "I just don't understand why he would want to kill everyone. Most of the people who sent him to Azkaban fifty years ago have passed on or left Hogwarts. Plus, he surrendered himself!"
"Perhaps you should keep reading." Severus advised.
It is rumoured that the Calamity's power was unleashed once before in time. According to legends, there was once a kingdom in ancient times named Arifica. Arifica was under the rule of a king. The king was beloved by all and brought great pride to his land. The king also had a son. In the eyes of all villagers, the king's son was a mirror image of his father.
However, he was not as they believed. He was cruel, antagonistic, a sadist and craved power. He wished nothing more for the downfall of his father. One day, there was a failed attempted coup under his name. Upon the capture of the bandits, they claimed they answered to the king's son. The king and his nobles could not believe it but placed him under increased security.
The son grew more resentful. He lusted for the crown more than anything. That night, he sought a way to kill the king and punish the bandits who squealed like pigs of his name. In the very depths of the castle, he found the Cavity of Calamity. It spoke to him: "I will erase those who dared to bring you harm. Their betrayal will be their eradication. Break the seal with that those belove most with a soul blessed with clarity and the treasure they hold closest."
The prince had obtained his token, a beautiful bright blue jewel named the Gem of Arifica, but the kingdom was now suspicious of the son. He was no longer a soul blessed with clarity. It was tainted and unforgivable. Who would be able to do such a deed for him? He had the perfect subject to torment.
The prince was aware of a maid who he had caught the affections of. Naturally, the son would never fall for a lowly maid. He deserved only the most beautiful princess by his side. Though, to those who knew her, this maid could well have been a princess. She was beloved by nature and all those who had the pleasure to encounter her. Her voice was as soothing as a mother's lullaby and her touch was as soft as silk. She was perfect, but her only flaw was that she had chosen the damned to love.
He lured her to the Calamity and, as a test of her love, made her offer the Gem of Arifica to the seal. The seal vanished and Arifica was plunged into deep darkness. The prince wished only to sweep away his father's life and cause great suffering to the bandits but it led to much worse.
The Calamity destroyed all the prince had even slight displeasures against. It snuffed the life out of his father first, then the nobles who dared support his father, the bandits who turned against him and the villagers who he felt did not deserve him.
If the name Arifica sounds unheard to you, it would not be a mystery as to why. In only a few seconds, Arifica turned from a buzzing kingdom to a barren wasteland. The prince became the king but at a severe cost.
For what is a king without his kingdom?
It is unknown where the Calamity is now, nor what it truly is. Some interpretations believe the Calamity to be a metaphor for Death. Others believe it to be a piece of ancient magic that has been long lost to the ages. I do not believe we will ever understand.
For my final words, I reiterate: do not seek Calamity. It will bring far worse than even the most spiteful could wish for. The world needs not another Arifica.
The pages of that chapter ended there. Truth be told, I felt nauseous. How could the prince do such a thing? Did he not care about those who he could hurt? And the poor maid... she didn't do anything wrong.
"I believe I understand." Severus began to break the silence. "Should this Calamity be real, I do think that Ruberion is trying to unseal it."
"The Sword of Gryffindor could be the token, I reckon." I chipped in. "And perhaps if Ruberion understands the Calamity does far more damage than what we thought..." My blood ran cold. "He could be trying to kill everyone at Hogwarts."
I could only stare down at the floor. He had his token, his motive and he may know where the Calamity is. The only missing piece was... a soul blessed with clarity.
"Severus... what if..."
"It can't be." he interrupted abruptly.
"But there's nobody else who-" I tried to get out but once more, Severus pointed towards the contrary.
He got on one knee in front of me and gripped my frame firmly. "It is not you. I will not allow it."
He was trying to bring me some comfort but it simply wasn't working. Ruberion had stopped manipulating students and was only focusing on me. The reason why he was trying to get me to stay with him...
...was so that I could be the maid for his prince.
I had no reply to him. He eventually got up from the floor, took his cloak off and draped it over the knob of one of my wardrobes.
"I shall stay with you tonight." he said firmly. "Ruberion will not harm you."
"You don't need to do that, Severus, I'll be fine." I protested as I leapt to my feet and went to gently confront him. It wasn't that I didn't want him to stay, it's that... it was embarrassing... We had never shared a bed before...
Severus gazed into my eyes and my mind shut out of itself. He smiled softly.
"So you are paying attention. Still, until we know what Ruberion is planning, you should not be alone." he explained and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"B-But..." I stuttered as he sat there somewhat expectantly. "We've never- I mean- it's not like..."
"You did inherit your stammer from your father." he joked. "Politicians do it best."
"Hey!" My face grew red. "It's just... we've never... you know..."
"We are not children, Cassandra. It is no different than anything else we have done up to this point."
He had a point... It wasn't as if we hadn't hugged or kissed before. Sharing a bed felt like such a big step up in the eyes of relationship dynamics in my mind. I knew he wasn't going to budge. Reluctantly, I climbed under the sheets with him and the lights evaporated.
I could feel the warmth radiating from him. Despite my prior hesitation, I couldn't stop myself from snuggling towards him and being enveloped in his arms. This wasn't so bad...
"Goodnight, Cassandra." he spoke softly as he pressed a kiss to my forehead.
"Goodnight..." I muttered. I wanted to say those three words to him but I couldn't let them out. I was too scared to know.
I faded to sleep so quickly that I hadn't realised that, for the first time in so long, that I hadn't taken my sleeping draught...
"My, my, my, darling. You've certainly had a busy day, haven't you? And you did it all without me!" a voice I had not missed echoed in the distance.
Ruberion flaunted his way towards me with his typical jump and twirl. His once somewhat impressive movements now seemed over the top to the point of mild annoyance. He came to my side and ran his chilling fingers through my hair, bringing a few loose strands to his nose for a sniff. I flinched away instinctively.
"Oh? What has caused such repulsion in you, my love? You were such a good pet before." he asked with sadness in his eyes.
Ignore him... don't say a word...
"Cassandra..." he lulled. "You really shouldn't behave like this on the day your mother is coming to visit. She wouldn't be very happy."
"What?" I couldn't help let fall from my mouth. She died shortly after I was born. It can't be her...
"I know, I know. It took a lot to get this one but I do believe it'll be a delight."
I wanted to refuse but the moment I went to do so, the same energy that possessed me when the Hound took me to its lair infiltrated me.
"Show me." my lips moved against my will. The energy disappeared.
"That is all I needed to hear." he beamed and clapped his hands. The clouds faded away to reveal a gorgeous grassland park. In the short distance was a large manor and from it to us streamed a beautiful clear river. Birds were singing their songs and squirrels chasing each other to steal nuts.
Looking down the path was when I saw them. A woman who looked like a slightly older and more mature version of me stood there with Fudge.
"I planned this one for a long time, my princess. I do hope you'll enjoy it." With those words, he gave a push on my back and I proceeded towards them.
They had such big smiles on their faces. The woman opened her arms up wide and took me into a loving embrace.
"Look at how you've grown, Cassandra! Cornelius, look at her! Aren't you proud?" she beamed, her face lit up brightly.
"Quite, dear. I could not ask for a better daughter." It was such a shock to hear something positive from him that I thought I had misheard him entirely.
"Your father told me that you're seeing someone now... Is he here?" my mother asked as she looked around. She spotted Ruberion behind me and waved him over. For the first time, he walked like a normal human being. With pride, elegance and maturity. His silver hair swayed peacefully with every step.
"Mister and Mrs Fudge, an honour it is to finally make your acquaintance." He sounded entirely different to when he spoke to me. This Ruberion had no sort of jester-like pandering but felt more like a traditional gentleman. He shook their hands eagerly and wrapped a hand around my waist.
My mother laughed and whispered something to Fudge which caused him to give her a look.
"But... Mother, Ruberion isn't my-"
The world went grey and my mother and father froze. The birds stopped tweeting, the squirrels stop chasing and the river ceased to flow.
"I know what you will say..." Ruberion began with his voice back to how it originally sounded. "But let me explain." Swiftly, he moved away and indicated towards my mother who stood there motionless.
"What I have prepared for you is what I shall refer to as... a restoration of a great wrong. Your mother died when you were born, yes, and your father obviously resented you for such a thing. I sought to right what you lost. In this world, your mother lived. Your father was never filled with the hatred of having his wife deceased. You receive your loving parents back. All I ask is that..." His breath became tame as he whispered into my ear. "you stay with me forever."
For a time, I felt nothing but the agony in my heart. I could abandon all I had and live my life here in a world where anything was possible and I was eternally free of pain. I tried to think back to what I would be missing but... I came up empty. Was there anything back there?
"Still you hesitate? No matter, I will make it easier for you." he declared as he conjured up a copy of myself and him. "Just watch and see how it plays out..."
Colour was restored to the world. My mother appeared confused as the timeline continued right from where Ruberion had paused it.
The copy Cassandra looked at the fake Ruberion lovingly who returned with a gentleman's gaze. "Sorry, Mother, I misspoke. This is Ruberion Hollander, my partner."
That wasn't right. My heart was telling me there was something else but I couldn't think of anything... or anyone.
"It looks like you chose well! Look at that hair!" she gleamed in awe. "Your father's doesn't compare in the slightest!"
"Now now, darling." Fudge tried to calm her. "Let's not overwhelm the couple."
"We used to be like that, didn't we? How times have changed. Why don't you look at me like that anymore, Cornelius?" she teased. The way she spoke to him reminded me of someone... I was like that with them.
The fake Ruberion gave a light chuckle. "I believe I'm the one who is so fortunate to have such a beautiful woman at my side." he spoke as he pressed a gentle kiss to the fake Cassandra's cheek.
She looked so genuinely happy. It was difficult to believe that this was supposed to be me... This Cassandra knew not the horrors of my life. Her hands were clean and unmarked. She wasn't damaged like I was. I could have all of this... all I had to do was... accept him. Would such a thing be so bad? For happiness like that...
"Ruberion, please! You flatter me far too much." she squealed in her flustered state. "That makes me think, Father, Ruberion helped me to cast my Patronus!"
She took out her wand and cast her Patronus. I was expecting the swan that my true Patronus was but instead came forth a small hare. It circled around the four people and jumped around freely. Ruberion then cast his own and out came a large wolf that playfully chased after the hare.
The real Ruberion came close to my ear once more. "Look at how she smiles. Isn't it breathtaking? She could be you should you choose."
"I..."
Right as I was about to make my decision, a small grass snake slithered its way towards me. I thought I would be frightened but there was something about it that made me feel like I had found peace. I knelt and held out my hand. Ruberion watched me, uncertain if to intervene or not just yet. The snake's forked tongue brushed against my fingers lightly. It tickled a bit and made me giggle slightly. Then, the snake began to move on my hand and up my arm.
"He's so friendly." I remarked to myself.
"Put it down, my dear. You do not want it to bite you. And look, your parents are about to leave-" He grew increasingly panicked.
"Don't be so scared, Ruberion." I said while the snake sat up and licked my cheek. With my other hand, I gently stroked its scaly head.
"No, I said put it down." he said once more with a lot more force. He stared down upon me intimidatingly.
"I'm not going to do that-" I protested but Ruberion took out his wand and shot forward a curse. The snake went flying and slammed on the ground lifelessly.
I wanted to scream a name. That name... Severus...
Severus.
How could I have forgotten him? But why did such a small snake scare Ruberion? Was it Severus trying to talk to me?
I began to back away from Ruberion.
"I am truly sorry, my love. I did not mean to scare you. Could you ever forgive me?" he begged.
"Stay away from me. I'll never accept anything that you offer me! I know what you've been doing!"
"Do tell me." he encouraged smugly.
"You've been altering my memories! I-I would never forget Severus by choice! Everything you've been doing to me has been for Calamity, hasn't it!? You weren't doing any of this for me. You're a selfish ass!" I yelled at the top of my voice.
Ruberion said nothing and snapped his fingers. The scenery changed back to its grey clouds once more. Then, he closed his eyes momentarily before reopening them wild with fury. His hands flurried through his hair bringing it to a tangled mess.
"Well, well, well. You finally figured it out, did you?" His voice sounded almost demonic. The Ruberion hidden underneath that everyone had warned about finally came to the surface. "Here I thought I would have succeeded purely based on how naive and stupid you are!" He began to laugh maniacally. "I mean, me? Love you? That's hilarious! It hardly took much to trick you either! All this time, I've been playing you. Biding my time until I was strong enough to take control of you..."
[Artwork by JJsantos_on Twitter]
"I'm not scared of you, Ruberion." It was a lie but I tried my best to void my mind to not let him know.
"Merlin, you're more pathetic than I thought. I know how terrified you are." he taunted. "My dearest Cassandra, do me the honour and indulge me as to why you thought Occlumency would keep me at bay? I need not penetrate your mind when I've been living here quite happily the entire time. Nothing you've done has had any effect! It's quite amusing."
"You're wrong. I felt your power get weaker when I-"
"Bzzzt. False. Incorrect. That was what you thought but it did nothing to me. You can't lock out what is already here, fool." He flicked my forehead and I fell backwards to the floor. He bent down to look over me. There was only insanity in his eyes.
"It's such a shame, you know. I had fun with this act. Haven't done a charade like this in..." He counted quickly on his fingers. "Fifteen years, would it be? I lose track of time these days."
"You better explain..."
"Explain what? I owe you no explanation. I have won. You have lost. You obey me now." His words were venomous as he gripped my chin with his frozen hands and threw me towards the floor once more. "But you know what? It will be amazing to see the humiliation in your face so I'll do you one favour..."
"I'll tell you everything."