Seren and Amos Diggory had had the last straw with Cass's persistent detentions and the two owls they'd received from the school warning her about her persistently bad behaviour.
Seren was the most angry, sending an exceptionally angry stream of letters to her youngest child, which even the Weasley Twins had been impressed by, Molly Weasley rarely got THAT annoyed with them.
The long and the short of it was that neither Seren nor Amos had actually granted permission for Cass to go to Hogsmeade. They'd held the signed consent form random to her good behaviour over the first few weeks of term. Seeing as she'd hexed Crabbe and Goyle only a few weeks before, they had yet to send her the forms.
Harry was looking glum at breakfast on Saturday morning and sat next to Cass, who had her head rested on her crossed arms, looking moody. 'Cass, have your parents sent the forms up?'. She gave Harry an unimpressed look
'what do you think? McGonnagal told them about Crabbe and Goyle. To be fair Dad found it pretty funny, the annoying thing with having a mum who's a healer is that she spent three pages of parchment telling me how badly wrong my hexes could have gone. So no, looks like I'm hanging out here all day'.
The twins gave her a sympathetic look and Fred muttered under his breath into her ear 'the tunnels are always there'. Cass grinned devilishly and shrugged 'it's not like I can get in any MORE trouble is it?'.
Fred snorted loudly with laughter and Hermione looked up sharply 'what are you three planning? I don't think Cass can afford to get in any more trouble!'. Fred, George and Cass all rolled their eyes in unison, Hermione looking unimpressed.
A few hours later, Harry passed Cass on the stairs from the common room, muttering into his ear 'I'm sure if you wrap up warm in a cloak, you'll still have a good enough day'. Harry looked vacant 'what are you on about?'. She rolled her eyes 'use your head Potter'. After a second his mouth cracked into a smile, realising she meant the invisibility cloak in his trunk.
Cass had decided to leave when everyone was already out, to draw less suspicion to her absence. instead she decided to amble around the castle as everyone assembled in the snowy courtyard, heading out into another courtyard area, where no one was.
It was her and Neville's spot as far as she knew, they'd never seen anyone else out there but the ghosts. Neville had gone with the main group of the students so as not to attract attention.
She was sitting there watching the snow fall around her for ten minutes before she heard approaching footsteps and turned, seeing Snape.
'Uh, professor, what are you doing out here?'. Snape looked over the willowy girl with a raised eyebrow 'well there are certain herbs and flowers growing around this part of the castle that I need for potions, why are you not with the other over excitable third years in the main courtyard?'.
Cass shrugged 'Mum and Dad found out about all the detentions, let's just say they weren't impressed'.
Snape raised an eyebrow 'well I can hardly blame them. Inherently they only want to keep you in School, and Cedric is only trying to keep you safe from...well you know what I'm talking about'. Cass nodded, not wanting to discuss the topic any further.
Snape nodded slightly, his voice softening 'you need to keep ahead, you know how bad things could be about to get when everything comes to a head. Keep your head in place Cass'.
He simply nodded again and started to walk away, leaving her looking dazedly after him.
Inside, she was terrified. If Snape had taken the time to tell her to stay safe, she must be in even more danger than she had realised.