AN: This is a GoF AU so everything up to Goblet of Fire is unchanged. The idea for this AU isn't my own but one that I saw on Tumblr and needed to make happen so much that I started writing it. If you haven't seen the really long and beautiful post that started all this, I cannot recommend enough that you google "cassius warrington tumblr" and click on the first link because you won't regret a second you spend reading it. I'm going to do my best to do that post justice and write it quickly but no promises because my muse is a fickle and sadistic beast. So please don't bring out the pitchforks if it takes a while because this is a monster of a fic and is looking to be the longest story I've written. Wish me luck!
Disclaimer: I double checked in the mirror but I'm definitely not Rowling so I can't claim to own Harry Potter. As stated above, the original idea for the AU isn't mine either. The only thing that is mine is my specific version of this AU and Cassius himself. Not my toys or my sandbox, just my execution!
Cassius realized afterwards that he had been focusing so hard on hiding the slight trembling from his hands that he hadn't even had time to second-guess entering the Triwizard Tournament until after it was already done. He couldn't decide if it was a good or bad thing and it didn't really matter in the long run anyway. The only thing that could combat his desire to play it safe was the one desire so important and almost treasonous in his house that he could never dare speak it aloud: he wanted to be part of the Sacred 28. That's not to say he wasn't proud of his heritage. The Warrington's were as proud a Pureblood family as any other, but there was a wealth of power in being on that list that just couldn't be compensated for in any other way in society. And power was what he needed.
He was a Slytherin in his 6th year at Hogwarts and, in Slytherin house, power is the only real coin worth having. You would think that as a 6th year Quidditch player he'd be near the top of the pyramid in his house (only under the 7th years of course, though they were so busy with NEWTs that it hardly counted). Unfortunately, while that may be true in other houses, Slytherin operated differently. This was, in large part, due to the appearance of the "Prince" of Slytherin four years ago. Draco Malfoy was the most obnoxious student Cassius had ever had the misfortune of dealing with because he could never just tell the prat to shut up! The kid was the pinnacle of pureblood society and Cassius, well Cassius wasn't even *on* the Sacred 28. Unfortunately, that meant a certain level of deference had to be paid, no matter how much of a brat Malfoy was. Four years of this had begun to wear on Cassius' patience and he was tired enough of it that even risking his neck in this tournament was worth a chance to gain enough power to change how people in his house, especially Malfoy, treated him.
Renewed in his decision, he put on his best air of confidence as he strode away from the Goblet of Fire. It was early enough that he could thankfully avoid most of the crowd, but it was never safe to let your guard down. At Hogwarts, someone was always around, and it wasn't good form to let them say that they'd seen him looking anything less than smugly assured that it would be *his* name coming out of that goblet. Perception is everything and, if he was confident enough, it would dissuade the weaker students from entering at all and less competition was always a good thing. Along that same thought, he headed off to the Great Hall for breakfast, despite the fact he wasn't sure his stomach could handle anything right now. A poised and collected appearance was an armor he was more than familiar with and it slid into place with little effort between one breath and the next as usual.
It was easy to spot exactly when everyone heard that he'd placed his name in the goblet. He could feel the ugly and disbelieving looks turning his way as he calmly ate his breakfast. It wasn't anything new to him by now; after six years of receiving those looks anytime he did anything of particular note, mostly Quidditch, he was basically immune to all manner of scathing glares. Of course, being Slytherin, most didn't care to keep their gossip quiet enough to go unheard by Cassius, even from several tables away. Indeed, many of the Gryffindors would purposely speak just loudly enough for him to hear them and briefly meet his eye before going back to their discussion. He knew they would dismiss him as having no chance at being selected at the tournament as soon as "slytherin" came into play.
Luckily, the champion wasn't picked by popularity or he would have known better than to enter at all. The goblet would pick him based on his power and skills alone and the school would just have to cope. Oh of course the Gryffindors would accuse him of cheating because *obviously* a slytherin couldn't be picked as the champion without cheating being involved. The Hufflepuffs would fret about him being "mean" and giving the school a bad reputation. The Ravenclaws would be less interested in the whole tournament but would secretly think that one of their own could do every task better than him no matter what he did. Well who needed the support of those lesser houses?
Deciding he'd eaten enough to prove his relaxed mental state, Cassius resolved to prepare for his morning classes. After all, when he was chosen as champion he would need these lessons to improve his repertoire for the tasks ahead. Slytherins, and Warringtons in particular, know that failure is not an option, especially in a competition known for its risks. He would be ready to fight for not only his survival, but for the power that would await him as Triwizard Champion.