𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒇𝒐𝒚 || h.potter

THIRTY-FOUR | year 6

THE TASK

Cassiopeia lets out a small gasp as she took a step back, letting go of Voldemort's hand.

Voldemort tilted his head, "well?"

"I saw that you turned into dust after fighting Potter," said Cassiopeia, her eyebrows creased, "he defeated you because he found these things called...umm...horcruxes? I have no idea what they are---"

"Did you see how I could destroy Potter?" sneered Voldemort.

"You used the Elder Wand, my lord," Cassiopeia spoke in a low voice, "one of the reasons why you couldn't defeat Potter back in the graveyard was because of that, you two have the same wands from the same Phoenix feather core...apparently that's what I saw,"

Voldemort looked at her with understanding in his eyes, his slit like nose flaring. He took a step forward, only two feet away from Cassiopeia.

"You are much more useful than I thought," said Voldemort, "but do not think I will let you off so quickly,"

Cassiopeia frowned before her eyes landed on Snape behind Voldemort, his eyes were emotionless, but he nodded at Cassiopeia.

Voldemort held his wand out before muttering: "Crucio."

At that moment, Cassiopeia lets out a yell of pain. She fell on the floor, shrieking. It felt as if knives was piercing through her body, slowly and painfully. It felt like her head was going to burst with pain; she screamed more loudly than she ever screamed in her entire life. Her throat was becoming dry, and her screams started to sound hoarse. And just like that, with the flick of Voldemort's wand, the pain stopped instantly.

She laid on the floor, out of breath and her body aching.

"Severus, call the Malfoys back inside the room, I need to have a word with them," said Voldemort, turning away from Cassiopeia and to Snape, who tore his gaze from the girl and nodded.

He left quickly, and he walked into the drawing room. Draco had his hands in his ears, his eyes shut tightly. Narcissa sat on one of the sofa, Lucius sitting beside her as Narcissa buried her face in her hands. Lucius sat there fidgeting with his robes.

"The dark lord wants to see you," said Snape before walking back into the office. The Malfoy's stood up fast, Narcissa and Draco hurriedly walking first, they both entered the office, Narcissa lets out a gasp as she tried to help Cassiopeia off the ground, Draco just stood there unable to do anything.

Lucius came through the door, he looked at Cassiopeia before looking away when he noticed that she was glaring daggers at him. If looks could kill, he'd be dead.

Voldemort stood in front of the fire, Nagini circling around him hissing.

Narcissa held Cassiopeia's arm, helped her up after surveying her face. The pained look on Cassiopeia's face was enough to make Narcissa almost cry. She muttered some comforting words to her daughter as Cassiopeia held onto her mother's arm for support.

"You called, my lord?" said Lucius, biting the insides of his cheeks.

"Indeed," said Voldemort, he turned around, his eyes falling to Draco, then to Cassiopeia. "I will not kill your daughter, Lucius. Instead, I have another task,"

"Of course, m-my lord!" said Lucius, "I will be happy to do whatever, I will not fail you---"

"Shut up, you idiot," sneered Voldemort, "it is not for you, but for your two children here."

Cassiopeia's eyes widened, and she looked at Draco who had the same expression of shock.

Voldemort continued, "I want the both of you to kill Albus Dumbledore by the end of your school year, then I want you to find a way for my Death Eaters to get inside the Hogwarts Castle. If you fail, I will not give mercy and I will kill all of you. Have I made myself clear?"

Draco and Cassiopeia nodded, "Yes, my lord," they said in unison.

"Good," he nodded, as he approached the twins, "Give me your arm," he said to Cassiopeia.

Cassiopeia gulped, handing him her right arm, "the other one," he hissed, Cassiopeia lifted the sleeve of her left forearm. Voldemort took out his wand, and he placed it on her forearm.

Cassiopeia lets out a gasp of pain as black ink started to appear on her arm, it was painful. It felt like hot wax was being poured on her skin. She closed her fist, wincing at the pain as she saw that the black ink had turned into a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth.

She stared at it with fear. Unable to move, shocked. She has the Dark Mark on her skin now...the very mark that she saw in her Boggart.

Her arm trembled as the tip of Voldemort's wand was taken away, he then turned to Draco, who watched as his mark was on his arm.

Cassiopeia wanted to chop her arm off right now, she didn't want it. She wanted to run off right now, away from this family. Away from this stupid place.

She stared horrified at her arm.

"That is all," said Voldemort, snapping Cassiopeia out of her thoughts, "do not fail me,"

And with that, Voldemort disaparated along with his snake. Lucius lets out a sigh of relief, Wormtail walking away muttering to himself, Snape standing there with a glass on his hand, Draco staring at his Mark with slight happiness in his eyes, and Cassiopeia lowering her sleeve.

Lucius turned to the twins, "I expect both of you to do this task, our lives at risk,"

"It wouldn't be if you weren't stupid!" yelled Cassiopeia, letting go of her mothers arm and pointing an angry finger at her father.

"What did you say?" sneered Lucius.

"I said what I said. You did not even care that the Dark Lord was about to murder me because of your mistake!" She yelled, her face turning red as tears started to form in her eyes, "you don't care that your child was going to die as long as you live! Because you are a selfish coward!"

"Don't you dare speak to me that way!" Lucius snapped.

"Well, guess what now! Draco and I are paying for the mistake you made!" She growled, angrily wiping away her tears because she didn't want to look vulnerable.

SMACK--! His hand met Cassiopeia's face, she held her painful cheek as she stared at him.

"Get out of my house if that's what you want! As I said before, I don't care about you!" shouted Lucius, walking away.

But before he could reach the door, Cassiopeia shouted back: "That's too late now, isn't it?!"

Her mother tried to say something to Cassiopeia, but she too had walked away. Snape watched the entire thing, looking down and for a second, his usual emotionless look on his face had disappeared. He knows someone who had gone through the same.

After Cassiopeia stomped off angrily, she wipes away the tears that left her eyes. She shut the door so loud that she was sure it could be heard from the drawing room.

She laid on her bed, bringing her knees up to her chest as silent tears fall from her eyes. She stared at the Dark Mark on her left forearm, the one that she feared to have for so long.

What would Harry think if he sees her with that mark?

She decided she didn't want to think about that now, she will just try to hide it. Maybe she should wear very tight long sleeved shirts under her uniform just in case?

But that is not what she is thinking about right now. Cassiopeia had to kill Dumbledore. She needs to kill her Headmaster, and the man that trusts her. Perhaps she should just tell Dumbledore about it so that he could flee??

Also, how will she sneak the Death Eaters inside the Castle? Everyone knows they cannot aparate.

Those questions filled her mind all night as she laid in bed, face emotionless.

What did she get herself into?