The Slytherin Princess

Chapter 35

ᶜʰᵃᵖᵗᵉʳ ³⁵⁻ "ᵂʰⁱᶜʰ ˢⁱᵈᵉ ᵃʳᵉ ʸᵒᵘ ᵒⁿ?"

It was the morning of the third task.

Yet again, Potter won the second challenge, just by being the golden boy. Instead of Diggory or Krum who had actually studied and found brilliant spells and charms for the task, Potter got awarded second place by none other than Dumbledore himself.

However, Barty Crouch being dead was not the only news that we had been aware of that week. My friends and I had all received suspicious letters from all our parents saying they were attending the last task just one day before the task.

We were all discussing the letters the next day at breakfast. I was sitting next to Daphne, Theo and Blaise instead of my usual place with Pansy, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle.

"My father wrote to me," Theo whispered. "He doesn't even wish me on my birthday when I am next to him in the house"

Daphne held his hand in a show of support and comfort. "My parents are coming here all the way from Greece," she spoke in a hushed tone. "Something is definitely wrong"

Pansy hummed in agreement. "Something has to be. I mean, why would all of them come to a meaningless event unless they were-" she trailed off, unable to choose the words after her sentence. All of us fell silent after that. Everyone was thinking the same thing but nobody was brave enough to say it out loud.

"What if... he is going to attack?" I decided to speak up. All of us were thinking of the same thing after all. We were all too proud to accept the simple fact that we were scared.

We did not want a war, and we all knew if he would return, there would be a war. A war we would be dragged in.

Nobody was willing to answer. Nobody was ready to face the possibility of him being back. Of our lives turning into ones like our parents or worse.

I could see Theo tightening his grip on Daphne's hand. I could sense Pansy being worried and Crabbe and Goyle gulp nervously. Malfoy had been stiff since the beginning of the conversation and eerily quiet.

Blaise cleared his throat and held my hand. "Well," he spoke. "Then we slither our way out of the mess. We always do"

--

After breakfast, we met our parents sitting in the stands. The first to run up to me and hug me was my aunt. She was followed by Narcissa and Lucius and my father. I then exchanged hellos with Daphne's parents, Theo's parents and Pansy's parents. After them, the one to shower me with kisses the second she laid eyes on me was Nora Zabini.

The band started playing and loud cheers filled the arena when the champions entered. We all decided to take our seats.

The entire quidditch pitch had been disfigured and turned into a stupid maze and for what? For an illogical tournament, the ministry lures kids in, in the name of 'eternal glory' for entertainment. It was all incredibly meaningless to me.

When Diggory's name was announced, his father cheerfully put his son's hand up in a show of appreciation. The Diggory boy was obviously embarrassed but I thought it was sweet.

I could only dream of such support, appreciation and love from my father. But then again, my aunt provided me with all those things and more.

The canon was shot and Diggory and Potter entered the maze. They were followed by Krum and then the French girl.

This task was especially stupid because none of us could see anything. All we hear was the band and some cheers here and there. Once in a while, there would be a scream but that was it. And we had the best seats in the entire arena.

Some time passed and I saw all our fathers get up after they'd checked their wrists. They bid their wives goodbye and gave them a sorrowful look. That was when I knew something was about to happen. I became more aware. Ready for whatever was to come.

A couple of minutes later, Potter came back with someone in his arms. Everyone started cheering until they realised, he was holding the motionless body of Cedric Diggory. "He's back," the Potter boy shrieked. "Voldemort's back"

Why did it have to be Diggory? How is it that every time Potter is included in a situation, an innocent life is lost? What sin had Diggory done to have been dragged in this circumstance? Even though I had never spoken to the Hufflepuff, every time I had seen him, he always had a bright smile spread across that handsome face of his. It was disturbing to know nobody would ever see it again.

The antagonising cries of Diggory's father left a scar on me. It reminded me if he is indeed back, there would be several parents mourning the loss of their innocent sons or daughters. Maybe, one of the cries may belong to my parents or my friends' parents.

I knew I would do everything in my power to avoid that.

The next morning, Dumbledore gave out a speech in the Great Hall. The bimbo went on and on about how Cedric Diggory had been murdered and how Voldemort had returned.

It was incredibly foolish and selfish of the oaf to use the death of his own student to create an army of children. He was blabbering about such gruesome things in front of eleven-year-old children in the name of honesty. How distraught the youngsters must've been is something I can only imagine.

--

I was walking out with my friends when we were supposed to leave. Everyone was exchanging their plans for the summer. Daphne, Pansy and I were being sent far away from home and it didn't take a genius to figure out why.

On the way, I was pulled behind by Malfoy while Blaise was telling us about the new coat he had bought. Malfoy made sure nobody was around us and then began speaking. "I- Can we talk?"

"Can it not wait?" I looked up to meet his eyes. "We have the entire train ride and the summer"

"Yes, it's bloody important, Cassie!" he whisper-shouted as he covered his face in frustration. "Things are about to change. Very soon"

"What do you mean change?" I scanned his body language. "Do you know something, Malfoy?"

He was about to answer when I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned around to see Potter gawkily standing behind me. He gave me an awkward smile.

"I- I need to talk to you," the Gryffindor stated. He had some nerve to ask for me when I was in the middle of a conversation with Malfoy.

"Actually, Potter we're in the middle-" Malfoy gritted through his teeth but was interrupted by me.

"Sure" I chimed. "Let's walk"

The both of us began to strut down the hallway and I spoke after we were far away from Malfoy. "What?" I rolled my eyes.

"Which side are you on?"

He was incredibly direct than usual. He had to have known my answer, but maybe he was trying to persuade me to change my mind or wanted to hear me say it out loud.

"I'm not on any 'side' Potter" I answered. "I just want what's best for my family and I will protect them, whatever means necessary. And if I am given a choice, I will choose the side that had accepted me and not labelled me as 'evil' or as 'the enemy'"

"I don't think you're evil Cassie," the boy whispered.

"But the people who stand behind you do," I scoffed. "It hasn't even been a day since the return of Voldemort and everyone has started hexing and cursing us already. We protect our own, and I am no exception"

I saw Weasley and Granger waiting for Potter near a balcony. Granger was giving me a disapproving look and Weasley was too busy eating.

"So, you believe me?" Potter questioned. "You believe Voldemort is back?"

I knew I shouldn't answer him, not in front of his two servants anyway. I rolled my eyes and chose to ignore that question. Especially since I wasn't one hundred per cent sure either.

"I will see you next year, Potter"