◣ 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗧 ◥

𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗗𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗖𝗨𝗣

—"THAT WAS AWESOME!" EXCLAIMED NATALIA AFTER THE GAME IN EXCITEMENT. "Did you see the way the seekers crashed into each other?! Or the way that—" she kept rambling, but Cassandra tuned her out as soon as she saw Amelia Turpin there. She stopped walking, catching Natalia's attention. "Cassie? What's wro— oh."

"What's she doing here?" Cassandra muttered, making eye contact with the girl.

"Watching the world cup, I reckon."

The young Slytherin-Malfoy rolled her eyes at the answer, noticing the way Amelia looked at Alexandria with unconcealed hatred.

"She doesn't hate me because I'm Cassandra Slytherin-Malfoy." Cassandra said as she realized something. "She hates me because I'm Alexandria Slytherin's daughter."

"That's not true." Natalia frowned. "Why would she hate her? She's not light."

"Don't stop," said Draco sternly as he turned around and noticed the two. "Come on."

"Sorry." Natalia immediately said and rushed over, Cassandra not too far behind her.

"Dad? Are the Turpins light?" Cassandra asked her father when she caught up to them.

Draco shook his head. "Any people with light cores get killed. You know this, Cassie."

"I know, but how would one be sure that they're not light?"

"Everyone does a blood sheet testing. Everyone has done it. People do the test as soon as they're born. And the dark lord has records of everyone. Whoever hasn't done the test will be sent to Azkaban."

"Can't a family be in hiding for years and not do it?"

"No. The dark lord has thought of everything already, Cassie."

Cassandra seemed unconvinced. "Have you ever heard of the Turpins?"

"Yes. They're neutral. You can even ask your grandfather next time you visit." Draco answered, glancing at her. "Why all these questions?"

"No reason," she quickly replied, looking like she was in thought.

♡

Cassandra sighed when there was no more water left. "Where are mum and dad?"

"They went to take a walk with my parents," replied Natalia as she bit into a sandwich. "Didn't you see them leave?"

"There's no water left." Cassandra pointed out and stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"To get more water."

"We're not allowed to leave without an adult!" Natalia exclaimed in astonishment. "You could get in huge trouble if they find out."

"So I'll be back before that happens." Cassandra shrugged as if it was obvious. "You can come with me if you're so worried."

"Who would take care of Scorpius?" Her cousin said with a sigh. "I'll go, Cassie. You stay with your brother."

"No way." Cassandra grabbed the bucket and walked out of the tent. "I'll be back soon. Don't worry about me."

♡

Cassandra waited as the bucket filled up with water, tapping her foot restlessly.

She suddenly felt goosebumps all over her arms when she felt someone watching her. She stopped tapping her foot immediately and slowly looked around, furrowing her brows when she realized nobody was near.

The place was quiet, though. Too quiet.

She looked back at the camp that was filled with people celebrating and filled with energy.

She looked at the half-filled bucket and grabbed it, not wanting to wait for it to be full anymore.

Someone was watching her. She was sure of it.

Her thoughts were confirmed when she heard leaves crunch. Her head snapped to the side, where she heard the sound.

Her breathing quickened and so did her heartbeat. "Who's there?" She asked, trying not to show the fear she felt.

Her head snapped to the other side when she heard crunching leaves again.

She was wrong about one thing; someone wasn't watching her. Two people were.

Her head snapped to the back when she heard another crunching of leaves.

Wrong again. Three people were there.

Cassandra immediately started running towards the camp, but was stopped when someone shouted, "Petrificus Totalus!"

She was paralyzed. She couldn't move her limbs.

The bucket fell to the floor, the water spilling everywhere.

"Took long enough." She heard a man's voice say.

"Now, Adam. We've had patience for years. We should have it for a few more days. Our sister should have fun with her first before killing her. We'll torture her for days," a woman was saying, "and we will make her feel the pain. Then, we will kill her."

Cassandra felt faint.

This was it. She was going to die.

She tried to move, tried to talk. But couldn't.

She let out a shaky breath when she felt a hand pull her hair. "We should cut off this pretty hair of hers first." The woman continued. "Oh, she looks exactly like her mother."

Cassandra tried talking— heck, she tried screaming— but no sound came out of her mouth.

She was powerless.