Cassandra leaned her elbow on the table, resting her chin in one hand as she gazed at Harry intently.
"I never really thought that things between us would develop like this," she said, absentmindedly stirring her teacup with a silver spoon, making a clinking sound. "Whether it was Grindelwald's sly cat, or the unexpected event of you returning a hundred years later, if it weren't for these accidents, perhaps..."
She suddenly trailed off.
"I'm sorry," Harry said apologetically.
"You don't need to apologize, Potter," Cassandra interrupted him. "Why are you apologizing? Because these girls have given so much because of you, so you... Haha, Saint Potter!"
Harry smacked his lips.
He always thought this line shouldn't come out of Cassandra's mouth—at least not from this Malfoy.
"Of course, I also have my reasons," Cassandra continued. "It's because I was too awkward that Grindelwald took advantage. If I could face my heart correctly, perhaps the outcome would have been different."
You? Correctly face your heart?
Harry couldn't help it; he felt like laughing but held it in.
He didn't want to provoke Cassandra and make her explode.
"But it's too late to say these words now, Harry," Cassandra put down the silver spoon and drank the tea in one go. "You're already in your sixth year, right? Around the same time when we were in sixth year before, Dad mentioned at home that after you graduate from Hogwarts, we should get married, and you should take over part of the family business."
"Mr. Septimus never mentioned this to me," Harry said somewhat surprised.
"Because you disappeared, and I was left behind due to you, abandoning my father and brother," Cassandra sighed. "Think about it, why would Dad bring this up to you again? Even if he has become just a portrait..."
Harry thought for a moment and reasoned that it made sense.
"So," Cassandra asked once more, "now that Dad and brother have passed away, I'm the only one who can bring this up. After you graduate, do you plan on marrying me?"
"Of course I do!" Harry stood tall and replied without hesitation.
"With Grindelwald? And Swedding, and Saru?" A hint of sarcasm flashed in Cassandra's eyes.
"With you," Harry said seriously. "I've thought about this long ago, Cassandra, but I've always... um... do you remember the Mirror of Erised?"
"The Mirror of Erised?" Cassandra asked. "I know of it; it's that mirror Grindelwald brought back, right? The one that shows what people desire in their hearts."
"I saw you in the mirror," Harry admitted honestly, though he omitted seeing another person.
"Really?" The mockery in Cassandra's eyes faded.
"Yes," Harry said earnestly. "Whether it was the first time I saw the mirror or during our first year, I saw you... Though during the first year, I also saw my parents."
Cassandra nodded slightly as if she understood.
When they were in Hogwarts in the previous century, Harry didn't know what his parents looked like, so it was normal not to see them in the Mirror of Erised.
This also indicated that Harry hadn't lied to her.
"What about Grindelwald?" Cassandra asked again. "She's now the Head of the Great German Ministry of Magic."
"Uh, soon to be the European Ministry of Magic," Harry shrugged. "She'll understand..."
"Heh." Cassandra chuckled and shook her head. "Don't be dreamy, Harry—if she knows about this, she might set the whole of London on fire. Never underestimate that woman's jealousy—do you remember Patricia Crouch?"
"I remember," Harry nodded. "When we were in the fifth year—uh, I should say, that was my first love letter, but I returned it."
"Poor Miss Crouch was forced by your Grindelwald to eat her love letter," the ridicule in Cassandra's eyes was apparent. "You know? It was in front of all the Slytherin classmates, poor Miss Crouch was in tears but still had to endure the humiliation and eat that love letter."
Harry shivered.
He had little doubt that this was definitely something Vivi had done.
Eh?
Why did he think that?
After all, Vivi was the hardcore person who wiped out the Mud Monster in the United Kingdom Region, so doing something like that wasn't surprising at all.
"So, do you plan to make me eat the wedding dress in front of you?" Cassandra tilted her head and asked.
"Don't worry, she won't," Harry smiled forcibly. "Why would she do such a thing? After all, you are her good friend."
Cassandra covered her lips with the back of her hand and laughed but said nothing more.
"However."
After a while, she spoke again, "I'm not trying to force you to separate from Grindelwald and the others. Having lived life all over again, I've come to terms with many things... it's just..."
Speaking to this point, her voice suddenly lowered.
"It's just that I don't want to share you with others during the most important moments of life."
Harry's heart skipped a beat.
It was the first time he saw Cassandra like this.
"Don't worry, Kathy," Harry hugged her and said softly, "I fully respect your opinion—any opinion."