Disclaimer- Slowly decaying because the chances of owning Harry Potter is nonexistent
"I realized that bullies don't only seek pleasure for bullying or have a bad home where they're influenced, but they think that it's okay for them to bully others."
"That's so true, especially to Azalea."
Cassie watched as Harry walked by with a haunted look. She knew at the last night, Dumbledore comes and tells Harry not to go after the mirror. That moment is kind of a private moment with Harry and Dumbledore. It wasn't the fact that she didn't want to interfere, it was the fact that she would see Dumbledore for the first time, and Cassie was not ready for that.
The Mirror of Erised is probably one of the most dangerous things in Harry Potter. Showing your own greatest desire is maddening, you will sit for hours on end just looking at the ruddy mirror. To Cassie, the desires show something with a deeper meaning. Ron wants to prove himself that he can be great, Harry wants family love that he never got instead of just seeing his parents. Cassie has a similar story. She wants family love in the form of friendship. The war represents the hardships they go through, but in the end they are still together. In a way, she never exactly had family love in the form of family, or, to be more specific, motherly love.
She was around six or seven when her mother left. In that year, everything went spiraling down. It wasn't until someone saved her from the depression she felt. She thought families were stupid, even friends were stupid. Cassie let out a soft chuckle at this.
Azalea looked over at Cassie when she chuckled, saying, "Where were you these past few nights?" Azalea always noticed when Cassie left, Azalea always slept late. Time after time for three days she saw Cassie leave the dorms.
"Somewhere, very dangerous mind you, realized that at the second night." Cassie did realize this at the second night. The mirror makes a person go mad, mad with desire.
"What about the third?"
"In the Common Room, just thinking to clear my head." She would never admit that she was silently crying. Crying over the fact that her heart's greatest desire will never come true. They are both on separate sides, war will come, and they all think that Slytherins are the enemies.
Mary and Lina were sitting down eating breakfast. They chatted about almost anything really, until Jessie was brought up.
"She's been gone lately, hasn't she?" Lina questions. She was worried for Jessie, she was the first to befriend Jessie. Everybody in grade school would always make fun of her due to the fact she was new. She also made jokes that hardly made any sense, making people think she was weird. To have her gone worries her to no end. Lina knew their group was breaking, the thought alone scared her.
"Hey," someone says. Lina and Mary both turn around to find the one person they were talking about standing there. Her hands were twisted behind her back, her legs shifting their weight to either side. "Can we talk?" Seeing the whole Great Hall and all the students filled within, she continued, "Alone."
"Sure," Mary answered. They then got up and walked away, Jessie in tow.
Reaching an abandoned classroom, all of them entered. Each of them stood awkwardly, not knowing what to say.
"So…." Mary starts off.
"I just wanted to apologize. I know I haven't been hanging out with you guys, but I was in conflict." Mary and Lina raised their eyebrows at the word conflict. "I was in conflict on whether we're doing the right thing or not. We weren't exactly being thoughtful about the outcomes and I have concluded that we are doing things recklessly," finished Jessie. She finally reached the conclusion when she was being yelled at by Cassie. Her words triggered something for Jessie, something that needed to be seen.
"Recklessly," Mary scoffed. Mary could hardly believe that they were doing things recklessly. The thought simply put Mary's mind in a whirlpool. Mary was doing the right thing, she did things her way.
"Yes recklessly. Tell me, what would have happened if Harry didn't go to the supposed duel." Jessie paused giving Mary and Lina time to think.
Harry would have never found the three-headed dog and start questioning about the Sorcerer's Stone. Things would be normal, no wild adventures happening and Voldemort coming to power earlier. If Voldemort came to power earlier, then more people will die and Harry would be clueless on what to do.
"We are trying to protect people," Mary spat. Those thoughts didn't sway her enough, she still firmly believed that they are doing the right thing, whether it be with Jessie or not. Her way was the one thing very few people could change. The only known person was Cassie and she wasn't in the picture.
"Your decisions could cause more people's lives, Mary. Remember what Cassie said, rethink your decisions Mary." Jessie proceeded to walk out the door. Jessie knew her words didn't go through now, but they will later.
"You know what, we don't need you!" Mary shouts. Lina watched on, broken eyes staring at both of them. Her opinions were slowly falling with Jessie.
"Okay," Jessie retorted. She didn't even care anymore if people needed her or not, she could be her own self. She could be the hero in other people's eyes, like how people who hardly got any shine in the books, died in the end.
Jessie was on the armchair chatting with Sophie and Sally. She was hardly fazed by the glares Mary sent her way. She was content being in the background.
Harry climbed through the portrait hole, catching Mary's attention.
"Harry, what's wrong?" Mary asked. She was sitting right across from Lina who was concentrating. They were playing wizard's chess, Ron and Hermione right next to them playing against each other.
They all looked up seeing Harry's horrified face. He was still in his Quidditch robes, broom in hand.
Speaking quietly so that no one else would hear, Harry told the other two about Snape's sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee.
"Don't play," Hermione immediately says.
"Say you're ill," came from Mary. Although, both her and Lina knew Harry would eventually play. This whole scene was quite fuzzy in their mind.
"Break your leg," Lina pipes in.
"Really break your leg," said Ron.
Their conversation was cut short as Neville climbed through the portrait hole. It seemed as if his legs were snapped together, causing him to hop all the way to the Common Room. Everyone seemed to realize it was the Leg-Locker Curse, making him hop his way over. All the Gryffindors laughed except Hermione who performed the countercurse. His legs were sent free and Hermione asked, "What happened?"
"Malfoy," Neville shakily answered. Standing up he continued, "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on." At this point he was shaking, too caught up in the fact Malfoy did this to him. He didn't notice a blonde girl stand beside him.
"Neville, Malfoy just wants to make himself feel good, don't listen to him, you're brave," Jessie said, soothing Neville. Her hand was set on his shoulder where he tensed. His eyes looked as if tears were ready to explode.
"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," Harry said. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin." Harry gave Neville a chocolate frog where he weakly smiled. Grabbing the frog he handed Harry a card.
"You collect, right? Here." Neville extended his arm out. Harry grabbed the card out of his hand. Jessie went back with her group of friends and Mary and Lina sat back for this scene, knowing things would be canon.
They found Nicolas Flamel, the card saying,
ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS
Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and ten-pin bowling.
The golden trio finally found what they were looking for. Mary and Lina could only sigh in relief with the fact that they found out who Nicolas Flamel was.
The whole stands were screaming for the Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff. Amy was shouting just as loud next to her Hufflepuff friends. They were all wearing yellow, holding yellow flags. Amy sat next a boy named Wayne Hopkins and a girl named Megan Jones. They were both nice people and Amy suspected that they like each other. They were always finding an excuse to partner up or be left alone. They would never admit it, always blushing with embarrassment.
Megan was a shy girl that had mousy brown hair, her eyes were the richest green. Amy was jealous over her eyes that glimmered every time. Wayne was a lanky boy with black hair and hazel eyes. They both had an aura of happiness that followed them. Wayne was the more easy going one and Megan was the calmer one. They made their own little group that fit perfectly.
Amy was shy over the fact of making new friends, the thought scared her. She wanted the group to stay how it is, when they were happy in their own world. When she met Wayne and Megan, they instantly comforted her, letting out the words Amy needed to hear.
Wayne and Megan never judged Amy for hanging out with two Slytherins, Cassie and Azalea. That's what Amy loved about them. The rest of the Hufflepuffs, mostly Ernie Macmillan, tormented her to stop hanging out with "those Slytherin jerks." Amy was far too loyal to do that.
Cassie and Azalea have helped her through this; Cassie always helps Amy whenever she is confused on the wizarding world around her. Azalea simply made other people back off from bullying Amy, simply because she is a Hufflepuff. In a way, they were her guides.
Cassie and Azalea sat near most of the Gryffindors where Draco sat behind Ron, Neville, and Hermione. Mary and Lina sat right next Neville who sat next to Ron. Hermione was on the left of Ron's side her eyes watching the match that has just begun.
"Look, they're off-Ouch!"
Draco had purposely poked Ron in the back of his head very roughly. Ron was looking behind him and glaring at Draco. Mary and Lina also turned only to glare at Cassie and Azalea instead of Draco, Mary putting all her anger in the glare towards Cassie.
"Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there."
Malfoy grinned broadly at Crabbe and Goyle.
"Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"
Only nothing was said because George had gotten a penalty for aiming a bludger at Snape. Cassie could only chuckle at this and Mary noticed. She had a calm smile towards the pitch, she knew the game would end in about five minutes, give or take a few.
"What are you laughing at Rogue," Mary sneered. She was itching for a fight these past few days after talking with Jessie. Lina always calmed her down saying she would fight someone for no reason. Mary, however, could give multiple reasons to fight anyone, even Cassie.
"Oh the fact that Weasley over there is trying to hit the referee." Cassie knew Mary wanted to fight, she knew her before they were even friends. Cassie could see the glare from a mile away.
"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" said Draco loudly a few seconds later, as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all. "It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money - you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."
"Draco," Cassie warned. "Enough." Although Draco hardly payed attention to her choosing to stare at a bright red Neville that was now facing him.
"I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy," Neville stammered.
The Slytherins were hardly fazed as they burst into laughter, even Cassie and Azalea, but for different reasons. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were howling with laughter at Neville's poor attempt to defend himself. Cassie and Azalea were laughing at the fact that he looked like a small child trying to stand up to them. His voice sounded weak and small and he was far too red to even be serious. It was too sad to even watch.
"Tell them Neville," Mary shouted, rooting for both the match and Neville. Mary didn't dare look behind her knowing that she would explode by just looking at Cassie's face.
"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something." Draco and his cronies laughed at his own joke. Cassie could only scoff, Azalea was laughing with Draco. Azalea almost had the same sense of humor as Draco, so they got along splendidly.
"Oh my gosh Malfoy look behind you!" Mary shouted. She was pointing her finger directly behind Draco as if something was actually there. Draco turned around and looked back with a quizzed look. Mary was smirking at this point; She snapped.
"There's nothing behind me," Draco stupidly said.
"Oh shit, that was the last fuck I gave for this conversation." And Mary was done with the conversation.
"Oh really that was the last fuck you gave? Okay then, let's start a new conversation. How have you been holding up with Jessie?" Cassie crudely remarked. She knew what Jessie was doing. Jessie also talked with Amy in the midst of her not being involved. Amy, being loyal to Cassie, told everything to Cassie, her problems, who she hangs out with, her whole day even. It comes to great use at times.
Mary was on the verge of standing up to punch Cassie until Hermione suddenly said, "Mary!" Hermione was pointing at the spot where Harry was flying. "Harry-"
"What? Where?" Mary held off the fight she was about to start with Cassie.
Harry had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd. Hermione stood up, her crossed fingers in her mouth, as Harry streaked toward the ground like a bullet.
"You're in luck, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground! Maybe he'll give some to you, Weasley!" said Malfoy.
This time Ron snapped. Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Ron was on top of him, wrestling him to the ground. Mary then got up trying to pick a fight with Cassie, but Cassie only looked at Neville. He was trying to fight Crabbe and Goyle, key word trying.
"Come on, Harry!" Lina screamed, leaping onto her seat to watch as Harry sped straight at Snape. Hermione was also standing with Lina, they didn't even notice Malfoy and Ron rolling around under her seat, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Crabbe, and Goyle.
Azalea quickly stopped the fight between Crabbe, Goyle, and Neville, swiftly slamming her fist in Crabbe's face. Cassie also punched Goyle with equal force. They both lay on the ground, unconscious. Neville looked at them with wide, round eyes. They looked as if they were gaining tears at the edges.
Grabbing both Crabbe and Goyle, Azalea dragged them to the Hospital Wing. Neville stood looking at Cassie with fearful eyes. Cassie turned her menacing face into a soft look. Grabbing Neville's arm, she muttered, "Come on, we need to make sure you're okay." They both left, Lina and Hermione to engrossed in the match, Mary helping Ron pulverize Draco with poor attempts.
Neville looked at Cassie with a bewildered expression. His thoughts towards her were in a frenzy. She's just a Slytherin, Slytherins are evil. She bullies people, yet she helped him. As they were walking, Neville continued to stare at her, his arm was beginning to throb by Cassie's tight hold. He let out a small whimper in pain.
"What?" Cassie asked seeing Neville's pained expression. His face was twisted in pain, fat tears forming again.
They stood in the corridor towards the Hospital Wing, only a few steps away. Azalea was up ahead, heaving the fat lumps of Crabbe and Goyle, also grumbling in annoyance. "Why did I get stuck with them?"
"Your grip," Neville whimpered.
Letting his arm go Cassie replied, "Stop being a baby, no wonder people call you weak." Cassie almost always made rude replies when people are vulnerable. She couldn't help it; Cassie was simply making sure Neville didn't have second thoughts about her. Cassie then entered the Hospital Wing, a hurt Neville slowly coming in, head downcast to the floor. Sniffles were coming from his nose and Cassie turned with guilt overwhelming her. "Stop." Cassie monotonously said. Neville looked up, tears rolling down his face. Cassie walked over to him and wiped the tears from his face with her thumbs, then gave him a tissue from one of the tables. "It's okay to cry, but don't cry for stupid reasons."
Azalea was casually sitting on a spare bed, looking on with amusement at the little exchange they were having. She saw Neville look at Cassie with a new found look in his eye. Azalea chuckled with mirth, Neville blushing at a blank faced Cassie. Cassie had this thing where she unintentionally gives the best advice to people at the right time.
Crabbe and Goyle were still passed out, but now on the bed. Neville carefully climbed up the bed, his body shaking. He was still staring at Cassie as he laid down. Cassie looked at Neville with a small smile, pity shown on her face. His parents, driven to insanity, life is cruel, but Cassie understood how it must have felt for him. To visit, but have them never remember you, that is complete torture.
"Alright, let's go. We need to see how the match ends," Azalea said, noticing her friend thinking, but at that moment Ron came in with a bleeding nose and Draco with a black eye. Mary also came in with a busted lip. Cassie, forgetting her thoughts before, burst with laughter, hands on her knees for support, Azalea laughing alongside her. The match long forgotten, but Cassie could fill her in later.
