Hateful Love

Chapter Thirty-Two

NOTE: I do not own any of the ideas or characters expressed in this story (except Cassie Jackson). All of these belong to J.K. Rowling.

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Cassie P.O.V.

          When I burst into my dormitory a half hour later, pale and hyperventilating slightly, Katherine looks surprised to say the least.

          “What the hell happened to you?” she asks immediately, looking at my shaky figure with worry as she rises off the bed.

          I wring my hands in front of me, my mind still reeling from what had happened in Trelawney’s room. Katherine takes my trembling fingers in her own hands and leads me to the bed gently.

          As soon as we’re both seated on the navy blue and silver comforter, Katherine pats my knee kindly and says softly, “Tell me what happened. Was it the Carrows?”

          I shake my head biting my lip nervously. “No, it wasn’t. I just—I don’t know what happened, I—“ Taking a deep breath, I focus my gaze on the hardwood flooring and continue shakily, “I went to the Divination classroom, you know, for the essay. And Trelawney—she just lost it.”

          “Well, she’s always been a bit mental, Cassie.”

          “No, it was different this time!” I cry, my voice rising slightly as I start to panic. “It was so scary, she started saying all these weird things…but it was like she had more than one voice.”

          Katherine regards me suspiciously, but I can’t blame her. I know how crazy I sound right now.

          “Okay,” she replies slowly, still eyeing me oddly. “What did she say?”

          I blink, trying desperately to remember. It’s all become a blur over such a short amount of time, as though my mind’s already attempting to erase it from my memory. “I—I don’t remember the exact words. But…she was talking about how someone close to me is going to turn evil…and ‘rein terror’ over Hogwarts.”

          “…rein terror?” Katherine asks after a moment, staring at me as though she’s actually starting to believe me. “What does that mean? You don’t think she made a real prediction, do you?”

          “I hope not,” I whisper, my voice shaky. “She told me someone I care about is going to die.”

          Katherine is quiet for a long moment, which scares me more than anything. Nervously, I give a shaky smile and say unconvincingly, “But she’s just making it up. Right?”

          She shakes her head and doesn’t meet my gaze. “I don’t know…this sounds like it was real. I mean, nothing like this has ever happened before; it must be important.”

          I decide to ignore her words, mostly because I don’t want to believe them. I take a handful of the comforter and ask quietly, “Who do you think she’s talking about, the person who turns evil? I don’t know who could possibly ‘rein terror’…”

          “Well, it could be…no,” she stops, shaking her head again and diverting her eyes. “Never mind.”

          “No, tell me,” I say quickly, really wanting to know. I’m clueless as to which person I’m close to would do anything like that.

          Katherine stares at the floor and whispers, “She could mean Draco.”

          My mind goes blank, and I don’t say anything for a moment. As my mouth hangs open in shock, I try desperately to think of what to say. How can Katherine even think that? The anger balls up inside me and I snap harshly, “Shut up, okay? You don’t know him like I do.”