Fred spent his Herbology watching his brother as George sent not-so-covert looks in Cass' direction. He had honestly never known that Cass was so annoyed by him and George, though he assumed he shouldn't be surprised, let's just say that being set on fire wasn't the worst backfire yet. Still, he couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't come over and apologised, or if she was really mad enough that it didn't matter if they weren't friends anymore. He didn't exactly have much time to think about it though, because he spent a good 99% of the hour being attacked by a plant.
Apology came in the form of cupcakes, his favourite form. She bent across the table to drop it next to his plate then set one next to his brother as she sat back into her chair.
"Should I take this as an apology?" asked Fred, eyeing the small finger-sized smudge in the heaping pile of chocolate frosting atop the cupcake, which was a neutral yellow colour.
Cass looked at George as she replied, "Yeah, I'm sorry; I shouldn't have said any of that."
Fred was willing to accept her apology in an instant, knowing that everyone said things. And his idiot brother did set her on fire. But one look at said brother gave him second thoughts. "Whuddo you think, Georgie? Think we should make her sweat? My cupcake is missing a piece."
"You weren't supposed to notice that! I just got a tad hungry on my way up. It's barely even a piece!" Cass almost shouted.
"It is more of a smudge," Fred said reasonably, scrunching up his forehead, and contemplating his cupcake. "Did it at least taste alright?"
"Yes, those house-elves are geniuses; I only wish I could get them to do my homework for me."
"They probably would if you asked," Stacey reasoned.
"So forgiven?" Fred opened his mouth to respond, and then realized that Cass wasn't asking him, he was asking his brother.
"Yeah."
"Good," said Stacey, as though nothing had even happened. "Now to the party plans." And Stacey's tone seemed to convince everyone else that her outburst had been no big deal.
Cass ate quickly then hurried out of the Great Hall and towards her the art tower. She had left the table while Stacey shouted at her to remember to ask Jason about using the tower. And no matter how exciting the plans for their party were, she was glad to have an excuse to leave. After fifteen minutes of George's uncertain looks, and Lee's monologues on how he was going to get the hot seventh year Ravenclaw to hook up with him at the party, she was desperate for a few quiet moments with Jason.
Cass walked quickly as she left their table behind her and headed toward the art tower. It was a small tower, not nearly as large as the one which housed Gryffindor. Very few even knew it existed. Most simply accepted it as more empty space in the cavernous Hogwarts Castle. The tower had no trap door, or portrait to hide it, but it had a door in the arched shape of the other windows in the corridor, and it had been painted to look like the grounds which lay beyond the tower. The only problem was that the grounds in the painting were patched with dirty snow, which was inexistent this early in the year.
Cass arrived early as she had to. Jason was a brilliant artist, but she found the brilliant artist passed out, snoring on top of one of a paint-spattered work table. She shook her head, and shut the door behind her a loudly as she could. Jason sat up in alarm, "wazzat?" he asked.
"Your brain, it's telling you to get up and set up."
"Well then, sir brain, tell me what I should set up for," he swung his legs over the edge of the table and turned to face her.
Cass rolled her eyes, "okay," she stood in front of the wall of drawers and closets which held their supplies. "Clean or messy?"
"Messy, let the new recruits have their fun."
"Cheap or expensive?"
"Cheap, we don't want the one-timers using up all the good stuff, but we do need to put out some of the color-changers and the glow paints to keep them interested."
"So you want paints?"
"Yeah, it gives them the most options."
"Okay, but some of the Freshies will want instruction, anything in particular you want them to do?"
"You're the brain."
"Fine." Luckily Cass had already thought of an activity. "we'll do name-art. Its cliché, but it's a good way to get to know everyone, and what they can do."
"You know what brain?"
"What?"
"You are a creative genius, no wonder you're in my head."
Cass rolled her eyes. "I should have your job."
"You probably should, but I rather like it for myself, thanks, I get to use the special prefect's bathroom and everything."
Cass shook her head, "that's what you're in it for, the bathroom?"
"Yup."
Cass laughed. Then there was silence as the two set up by taking out all the supplies they were going to use, and pulling it up the stairs then lining it up on the long, thin table which lined the walls. Then they climbed the spiral staircase to the top floor of the tower, and sat of the cushy couch provided.
There were four levels of the art tower. The first was all boxes and drawers for supplies. The second was full of tables for work, and the third with relatively cleaner tables. The fourth was a bright room, with windows all around. It housed the couch which Cass and Jason shared, and the circular windows were lined with easels, which could be unhinged and lowered into small tables the size of desks. It was Cass' favourite room in all of Hogwarts. It was always bright with natural light, and the couch was softer than any in the Gryffindor common room. It was also huge. All the rooms in the tower were huge, and only the fact that there were just four of them made the tower smaller than the rest.
They sat in their usual positions, Jason in the normal sitting position, with his arm on the armrest to his right, a position which Cass had never been able to find comfortable. Cass sat with the left armrest supporting her back, and her legs bent slightly. Her arms were stretched behind her head, which was her favourite way to sit. And there was silence. Perfect, sweet silence. Then Cass remembered
She shot up excitedly, "I had to ask you something."
"Yeah?" he asked patiently.
"We want to have the Back to School party in this tower."
Whatever Jason had been expecting her to ask, this was not it. "A party."
"Yeah, it would be perfect!"
He thought for a moment.
"Come on, please," Cass knew that the worst mistake she could make was let him think about it.
"Cass, if we're caught, I could get in a lot of trouble," too late.
"But we'll muffliato all around the tower, and anyone who would be invited would have done it before, so they know how to avoid teachers."
He just looked at her.
"And even if we do get caught, which won't happen, you can say that you gave me the key because I was walking back with you and I forgot my jacket or something like that. Then I'll be the one getting in trouble, and the only thing they can accuse you of being is too trusting."
"I still don't know, Cass."
"Come on, it'll be fun, it's the perfect place, and we can lock up all the supplies, and push aside the tables, just imagine it."
Jason looked at her for another moment, and Cass bent down her bottom lip, pouting in a way which she knew didn't look cute at all, so she hoped her pleading eyes worked that for her.
"Fine, but only 'cause you're so cute."
Cass grinned a little too widely at this.
Okay, I really want to know what you guys think on whether or not its moving too slowly, because so far you guys haven't gotten to read any of the really fun stuff, and it does get a lot better, and a lot less innocent. I'd really like to know what you guys want to read.
