Chapter 68:
THE FAILED ATTEMPT TO STEAL

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.•°★ THE  cold winds of late autumn whipped through the corridors of Hogwarts, carrying the scent of decaying leaves and the promise of approaching winter. The girl felt a gnawing worry deep in her chest. Weeks had passed without any leads on the trio’s whereabouts. Every night, she lay awake, her mind racing with possibilities, her dreams plagued by visions of destruction and loss.

She had just finished a tense meeting with the Carrow siblings alongside Snape. Their conversations had been punctuated by sneers and disdainful remarks, the Carrows’ sadistic glee evident in their every word. Cassiopeia found their company repulsive but kept her feelings hidden beneath a mask of cold indifference.

As she and Snape ascended the grand staircase towards his office, their footsteps echoing in the silence, they were abruptly halted by a surprising sight. Standing at the top of the stairs were Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and Ginny Weasley, clutching the gleaming Sword of Gryffindor between them.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Cassiopeia’s heart skipped a beat as she took in the defiant expressions on their faces. Her hand instinctively reached for her wand, but she hesitated, her mind racing.

"What do you think you're doing?" Snape's voice cut through the tension, cold and commanding.

Ginny, her fiery red hair framing her determined face, stepped forward. "We’re taking back what’s rightfully ours."

Cassiopeia could see the fear in their eyes, mingled with fierce determination. She knew what this meant to them, the symbolism of the sword, but they were standing on dangerous ground.

"You are out of your depth," Snape said, his wand already in his hand. "Hand over the sword, and no one needs to get hurt."

Neville’s grip on the sword tightened. "We’re not afraid of you."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Bravery is commendable, Longbottom, but foolishness will get you nowhere."

The three students exchanged a glance and, as if on an unspoken cue, lunged forward. Cassiopeia’s reflexes took over, and she raised her wand, casting a silent Shield Charm to deflect a Stunner from Ginny.

Snape's spell disarmed Luna, sending her wand flying across the corridor.

Cassiopeia moved swiftly, her movements precise and controlled. She cast a nonverbal spell that sent Neville’s legs locking together, causing him to stumble and fall. Ginny made a final desperate attempt, swinging the sword wildly, but Snape disarmed her with a flick of his wrist.

"Stop this now," Cassiopeia said, her voice low but firm. "You’re only going to get yourselves hurt."

Ginny glared at her, her chest heaving with exertion. "We won’t stop fighting. Not ever."

Cassiopeia felt a pang of guilt but steeled herself. "And we don’t want to harm you. But you need to be smarter about this."

Snape gestured for the sword, and reluctantly, Ginny handed it over. "This belongs to Gryffindor," she said through gritted teeth.

"It belongs to Hogwarts," Snape corrected, his tone icy. "And you will not jeopardize your safety or that of others by acting recklessly."

Luna, still on the ground, looked up at Cassiopeia with wide, sad eyes. "Why are you doing this?"

Cassiopeia’s heart ached at the question, but she kept her expression neutral. "Because I have to," she replied softly, before adding more firmly, "because there’s more at stake than you know."

Neville struggled to his feet, his legs still bound. "We’ll never stop fighting," he repeated, his voice resolute.

"All of you are foolish," sneered Cassiopeia. With a wave of her wand, she released Neville from the binding spell. The trio stood, their defiance undiminished despite their defeat.

"I believe a punishment is to be bestowed upon you three," sneered Snape. He grabbed them, and Cassiopeia took their wands, it us to be returned after their punishment.

Snape had gone away with the trio, his wand at a ready, in case anything happened. Cassiopeia on the other hand, stayed in the office, grabbing the sword and placing it back in the shelf. Maybe placing it in a vault a Gringotts would be better than keeping it here. Even though Cassiopeia knew it is a fake.

Phineas Nigellus laughed silently in his portrait, and Cassiopeia sent him a glare. "Don't laugh as if you could so anything," said Cassiopeia, shutting the glass cabinet.

"Oh no, my dear, you are quite the trouble..." he said, narrowing his eyes. He hadn't once tried to annoy Cassiopeia after all, she is part of the Black family, and Phineas is a Black.

Snape had arrived, a sneer on his face as he glanced at the sword. Once inside, Cassiopeia was already collapsed into a chair, running a hand through her hair. "We can't keep doing this," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Snape closed the door and turned to face her. "We must," he replied simply. "For now."

She looked up at him, searching his face for any sign of doubt or regret. But as always, his expression was unreadable, his resolve unshaken.

"We need to find Harry," she said, trying to shift her focus. "Before it’s too late."

Snape nodded. "We will. But for now, we maintain our cover and our control. It's the only way to ensure their safety in the end."

Dumbledore nodded his head, and Phineas scoffed, as he stared down at them. Cassiopeia sighed, knowing he was right. She stood up, and walked towards the window, her eyes examining the evening sky.

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Snape had implimented the same decree that Dolores Umbridge put up in their fifth year. There would be no more groups forming, since Snape had a hunch that the Dumbledore's Army is starting to form under their noses.

Cassiopeia was hated by the Gryffindors so much that when she passed by their table, she could feel their eyes glaring at her. She ignored them, as she sat down in the Great Hall, grabbing a toast.

Cassiopeia looked up at the table in the front of the Great Hall, and she noticed that Professor McGonagall looked thinner than usual. The Carrows sat next to each other, in conversation. Professor Slughorn was silent, Professor Flitwick played with his food.

Cassiopeia lets out a breath as she shoved the toast away.

"Um...Miss Malfoy," said a voice, Cassiopeia's head turned to see a first year boy, looking quite afraid.

"What do you want?" Cassiopeia asked, watching as the boy played with a string on his robes.

"The Headmaster asked to see you, he said it is urgent," said the boy, before nodding and hurridly walking away. Cassiopeia inwardly groaned, and she stood up, abandoning her breakfast and walking up at the Headmasters office once again.

a/n:
I forgot to say thank you to you guys' sweet comments on some of the chapters,,, I appreciate the kind words 🫂💗💗💗 LOVE U GUYSSSS