Chapter Six
Cassia awoke later that day in the Hospital Wing with James and Sirius on one side while Remus and Peter sat on the other. "What happened?" she asked as she sat up and looked at them.
"You got hit with a powerful Stupefy spell," Remus told her.
"By who?" she asked confused.
"Nobody knows for sure, other than that it was a Slytherin," Sirius told her.
"I didn't even see it coming. I was to focused on Serein," she admitted lying back on her bed, "that's pretty lame."
There came a bell and Sirius, Remus and Peter all stood, "it's time for dinner, we'll meet you in the common room later," Remus told her as the three left.
Sirius hesitated as he looked to James, "Prongs?"
"I'll catch up with you guys," James said quietly. Sirius nodded and left to catch up with Remus and Peter.
"James?" Cassia asked sitting up and looking at him questioningly.
"What were you thinking?" he shot at her, his eyes narrowing on her, "they're Slytherins! They could have done a spell much worse than just Stupefy and you could have been seriously injured." He took a deep breath, and let it out, "you don't know how to duel, Cassia. You can't just try to when you don't know how too."
"It just happened," explained Cassia. "Serein gets on my nerves and I thought that if I tried to be like you and Sirius that maybe I would be able too."
"Well the whole school is saying how you humiliated Serein in front of the whole class of Charms, so congratulations on that, but they're also saying how some Slytherin shot you on your blindside," he looked at her, "you do know what this means, right?"
"What does it mean, Mister Potter?" Cassia said with a smile, knowing all ready.
"Revenge, my sweet little Cassia," James grinned back. "Now, how about me and you go and get some grub in our stomachs?"
"Sounds like a fascinating plan," Cassia said as Madam Pomfrey came over and check on Cassia before dismissing her.
.:X:.
Cassia kept her eyes down at the table as she ate her breakfast in silence. The month had passed quickly, and who had attacked her had remained a mystery still, and talk had died down of that days excitement. Talk was now about this days events- the first Quidditch match. She had been attending practices, and the team believed in her, but she was still terrified of Keaira. She had decided that she had to do it and that there was no backing out, no matter how much she wanted too.
"You're awfully quiet," Sirius mused, "would you like to tell me how madly in love you are with me to make you feel any better?"
"Sirius, not today," Cassia sighed.
"You're going to be great, Cash, there's no doubt about it," Sirius told her as he looked around, "you do know James is more nervous than you can imagine. Remus and Peter had to stay in the dorm to calm him down."
"Why is he nervous?" Cassia asked Sirius.
"He's Captain, this is his first game as such. If he loses, then he'll fall into a depression and feel like a failure. Remus and Peter are just calming his nerves, and getting him pumped for the game," Sirius explained as Cassia looked up and sighed. "Stop that, it's not very becoming of a lady."
"Some lady I'll become," Cassia rolled her eyes, "I think I might head out to the pitch and get ready myself."
"Do you need any assistance?" Sirius purred, teasing her.
"No Sirius, I'll be fine." She laughed, "go and assist James."
Sirius stuck his tongue out at her as they both went separate directions.
Cassia made her way out to the pitch, and was glad to find it empty. She walked over to her posts where she would be positioned at during the game. The posts were high, and she could just picture herself falling by being hit by a bludger. She shuddered at the thought of being hit, and was thankful it wasn't Slytherin that they were playing today. Hufflepuff, she remembered James saying, easiest team to beat.
"You're not nervous, are you?" she could hear the amusement in his voice, "you are a Gryffindor, right?"
She spun around quickly, although she knew the voice, "what are you doing here?"
"I come here when I want to escape," he shrugged, his dark hair blowing in the small breeze that blew by, "what of yourself?"
"Why should I tell you? Cassia said defensively.
"Because I all ready told you why I came here," Regulus shrugged.
"That was your choice," Cassia stated, "I don't have to tell you mine if I don't want too."
"Well, that would be quite rude, especially coming from someone of the Aesalon clan," he said nonchalantly as he approached closer to her. He looked up at the Quidditch hoops, his hands in his pockets casually before he looked down at her, "are you really that nervous?"
"More than I've ever felt before," she admitted, "I'm going to fail- get hit by a bludger or something."
"I don't think so."
"What would you know?" She shot quickly.
"Rabastan and I come out here when you guys have your practices. You might actually stand a chance against us." He pulled his hands out from his pockets and folded them.
"Might?" Cassia nearly laughed, "I don't think there's that much of a challenge for us."
"You're right, we'll smother you in the final game," Regulus said as Cassia pushed him away from her, "were you even trying?"
She blushed a deep red and turned away from him, "just go away."
"It was Rabastan that did it," Regulus said in a serious tone, "attacked you from behind."
"What?" Cassia spun back to Regulus, looking at him confused.
"Last month, after Charms," he explained.
"I know what you're talking about, but I don't get why you're telling me," asked an astounded Cassia.
"I thought you should know. He thought he was a God for hitting you with the spell. A real Slytherin would have used an unforgivable," Regulus told her in an ice-like voice that appeared like venom. It made Cassia freeze in her place, "how would you have like to feel that?"
"Not so much," Cassia said rubbing her arms, "I should... I should go back to the castle. I need to speak to James."
She turned and made her way to the castle, but Regulus stopped her with one last sentence, "how much longer do you think you can pretend before everyone finds out?"
Cassia looked at him, lost for words. It took her a minute be able to form the sentence that she had thought of whenever someone would ask about it, "I don't know what you're talking about, Mr Black."
Cassia turned once more and left the Quidditch Pitch, leaving Regulus Black standing there with his arms crossed over his chest with a smug smirk on his lips.
.:X:.
"Welcome to the first Quidditch game of the year! Today we will be having the returning Champions of last year, GRYFFINDOR!" a seventh year Ravenclaw student shouted into the stadium, having used the sonorusspell. The whole Gryffindor section cheered, along with their friends in Ravenclaw. "And they're going to be facing against HUFFLEPUFF!" the Hufflepuff section cheered loudly, along with the Slytherins, who cheered for anyone opposing Gryffindor.
"For the Gryffindor team, we have captain and Chaser James Potter, along with fellow Chasers Margaret Blake, and George Corner," he paused while cheers erupted, "Beaters Theodore Boxer and Gretchen Farbanks," he paused again for the cheers, "Keeper, Cassia Aesalon-" cheers erupted as Cassia flew out and up to the posts, while the Chasers and Beaters circled around the Pitch, "and Seeker- Alya Darling!" the small third year girl flew out and circled around with the rest of the team before stopping before the three hoops.
"For the Hufflepuff team, we have captain and Chaser Fatima Greene, along with fellow Chasers Raven O'Mache and Chase Johnson," the stadium roared with cheers, "Beaters Wilson Wilkson, and Bobby Landings," another pause for cheers before continuing, "Keeper, Robert Juice, and Seeker-" he had paused for the cheers to die down, "Madeline Rocker!"
Fatima Greene and James Potter landed in the center and shook hands saying small words of "good luck" before flying back into the sky.
"And the game- BEGINS!" the Ravenclaw yelled as Ma'am Hooch blew her whistle while throwing the Quaffle into the air.
Fatima Greene had taken charge over the Quaffle as her teammates and herself charged through the Gryffindor team. Cassia could hear nothing as she watched for the Quaffle. Her insides were turning rapidly, and she wasn't sure if she was going to be sick or not. When Fatima Greene passed the Quaffle to Raven O'Mache, she wasted no time in trying to score.
Cassia swiftly hit the Quaffle away, and below to George Corner who was going to try and defend the goals with Cassia. George quickly passed it up to Margaret who was at the half way mark in the field. She dodged the Bludgers that came her way as she tossed it up to James who rushed into the area and scored ten points for Gryffindor.
"Gryffindor leads with ten to zero," the Ravenclaw explained to the crowd.
Robert Juice took the Quaffle and hit it up to their Seeker, Madelina Rocker, who carried it down towards Chase Johnson who took it to hit it to Fatima. Fatima barely even touched the Quaffle as she swung the backside of her broom around, and knocked it into the goal hoop before Cassia could reach it in time.
"It's tied up with ten each," the Ravenclaw announced.
The game progressed, and an hour later into it, the Ravenclaw announcer said, "Gryffindor lead for the seventh time this game, eighty to seventy! This is a really close match!
"It appears that Ayla Darling has spotted the Snitch as she dives down towards the ground!" he yelled seconds later, "whoever receives the Snitch will be the winner!"
Cassia swallowed hard as Fatima charged at her once more with the Quaffle, tossing it in the air, and giving it a solid hit, sending it towards the middle hoop. Cassia went and grabbed the Quaffle, barely maintaining on her broom before she hit it over to James who flew above her in that moment.
James carried it down the Pitch, watching as Ayla and Madelina fought for the Snitch near the ground. He drew his attention back to the hoops he was trying to throw the Quaffle into, and he hit it into the air.
"Ninty to seventy!" the Ravenclaw announcer yelled, "and Ayla Darling has caught the Snitch!"
The crowd erupted into screams and cheers while the Slytherins all gathered up to leave. The whole Gryffindor team landed, and Ayla was lifted off the ground by George and Theodore as she held the Snitch in her hands. Cassia landed on the ground and Gretchen and James made their way to her.
"You were fantastic, Cassia!" Gretchen congradulated her.
"I don't think so. I let seven Quaffles get by," Cassia sighed.
"That's better than what I would have been able to do," James told her honestly. "You were just nervous, love."
"Thanks," she rolled her eyes as Gretchen left with the rest of the team.
"Did you see her?" James asked as he walked with Cassia off the pitch.
"Who? Keaira? No, I didn't," Cassia shook her head, "but I couldn't see that well. Was she here?"
"No, Evans!" James said ecstatic, "I think she's starting to admit to herself that she's madly in love with me."
"I bet, what is there not to love?" Cassia laughed. She grinned at James who returned it.
"What's wrong Cash? You have the look that you want to tell me something," James asked her.
"Oh, well, I talked to Regulus earlier," she said quietly.
"Oh?" James asked, "what did you guys talk about?"
"Stuff," she was still quiet, "James, I know he hasn't told anyone about us-" she looked around quickly and saw no one around, "and he made me.... not as nervous earlier."
"How so?" James asked, perplexed with what she was telling him.
"I don't know, like it's not the first time he's done that, either."
"Made you not nervous?" James asked confused.
"No, like helped me with something," Cassia explained, "he does things and like, he makes himself sound like he's doing it for his benefit, but I can't help but wonder if he does it because of me." She was talking animated, her arms waving around, and pulling at her hair, "James, I'm scared."
"Of what?" asked James.
"If he keeps this up, I might actually start to like him," Cassia said like it was the worse thing ever.
"He's a Slytherin, you're not going to fall for a Slytherin," James brushed it off, and pulled her closer to him, "you're a Gryffindor. You actually have a heart. Don't let yourself get caught up with some Slytherin."
"Thanks James," Cassia sighed, knowing James was trying to help, but she wasn't to convinced.
She didn't know how to tell James that she had dreams about Regulus since the day he saved her in the forest. She didn't want to tell him about those. Nor did she want to reveal that she had been caught staring at him in class which has resulted in them being paired together, or her in detention. She especially didn't want Sirius to find out about any of it. It was his brother after all.
I am not JKR. =)
Two chapters in one day! YUSH! It's been so long. I'm sorry.
