Cassandra's smile also stopped.
However, it was dark here, and Harry couldn't see the change in her expression.
But intuition told Harry that Cassandra was definitely not happy now.
"So, your happiness ended abruptly after seeing me, right?"
Cassandra's voice was light but enough for Harry to understand her mood wasn't beautiful.
Actually, Harry felt quite awkward, to be honest—the fact was indeed so.
Anyone chatting happily with a newly acquainted good brother would find it annoying when a haughty girl suddenly appears wanting to make him her sidekick.
Now, looking back, maybe Harry found Cassandra quite nice, but back then he indeed couldn't quite... accept it.
"I was very young then, Cassandra," Harry explained.
"That's your subconscious, Potter, no need to explain," Cassandra snorted.
Even in the dark, Harry could imagine Cassandra standing with her arms crossed, looking down on him.
"Subconscious?" Harry asked, puzzled.
Before Cassandra could answer, a dizzying sensation appeared.
He found himself in a nighttime scene.
"Where is this?" Harry looked up at the sky.
The night sky was cloudless, with only a full moon hanging above.
Snow covered the ground, and the distant forest was blanketed in white, its branches bending under the weight, seemingly overwhelmed.
"Wait, here..."
Cassandra's eyes flickered.
Is it Black Lake?
"Maybe it's Hogwarts," Harry said, sitting down nearby, intending to see Cassandra's happiest memory.
He remembered that year at Hogwarts, it was his first year, and even the snow after winter was much heavier than in previous years.
He'd never seen such a heavy snowfall.
"Why Black Lake?" Cassandra slightly raised her head, seeming a bit unable to accept it.
No way...
Harry shrugged, not responding.
Soon, Cassandra saw little Harry carrying a box coming over.
"I remember!" Harry stood up, looking at Cassandra, "This is the Christmas of the first year, you..."
"We set off fireworks together," Cassandra's gaze softened.
Not looking at Harry, but at little Harry with the box.
She walked over to little Harry.
"So heavy, what exactly is this, Miss Malfoy?" little Harry looked up and asked Cassandra.
"It's fireworks," Cassandra said as she did back then, "A Muggle family like yours must have never seen fireworks, how pitiful... Fortunately, you met me—surely you can't expect me to do this fireworks job, can you?"
"Okay, Miss Malfoy." Little Harry obediently put down the box and stood awkwardly by.
"Open the box, I'll teach you how to set off fireworks," Cassandra instructed.
Harry followed the steps Cassandra taught him, arranging a row of magical fireworks on the ground and lighting them with magic.
In an instant, colorful sparks shot out, blossoming into thousands of clusters of flaming trees and silver flowers in the sky.
More fell, like stars raining down.
Little Harry had never seen such a scene; he cheered and jumped, reaching out with both hands as if wanting to catch those sparkling stars.
"Is it beautiful?"
Hearing Cassandra's voice, little Harry thought she was angry and shrank back.
After a while, he timidly said, "Sorry, Miss Malfoy, my uncle never lets me..."
"If you like it, I'll ask my dad to buy more and send them over, hah, such a Muggle..."
Little Harry's eyes reddened.
"Thank you, thank you, Miss Malfoy."
"Hmph..." Cassandra snorted lightly, "Quickly continue watching, or the fireworks will be gone. I don't want you crying because you missed the fireworks and feel like I've bullied you again."
Little Harry nodded and looked back up at the sky.
In Cassandra's eyes, those pair of emerald eyes mirrored the fireworks in the sky.
How wonderful, she thought.
The most beautiful fireworks of winter I've seen were the sparks falling in your eyes by the Black Lake in childhood.
Harry sat quietly by, watching everything from back then.
He never imagined this would be Cassandra's happiest memory.
As the two were immersed in their memories, the fireworks in the sky suddenly vanished, and at the same time, little Harry disappeared from Cassandra's sight.
"Potter!"
Cassandra instinctively called out, even Harry heard a trace of urgency in her voice.
"I'm here," Harry replied.
Hearing Harry's response, Cassandra paused for a moment, then looked at him with disdain.
"What's happening?" Harry asked, "Why didn't we fall into darkness this time after the memory ended, but remain..."
He pointed to the Forbidden Forest and then to Black Lake: "Like this."
"I don't know," Cassandra shook her head.
"Let's walk ahead, Cassandra." Harry stood up and said, "Look, maybe we should check the castle, perhaps the key to awaken you lies in the castle?"
"Alright," Cassandra nodded.
The two walked one after the other, Cassandra in front, Harry behind, stepping through snow, entering a bright summer.
When they entered the castle, they found the scene suddenly changed into a narrow and cramped space.