Chapter Fourteen

Cassie

Mia couldn't believe how fast her first year at Hogwarts was going. Before too long, it was April, Easter holidays and then exams were looming, and Gryffindor and Slytherin were almost neck in neck for the Quidditch cup.

Sat in Potions one day, about a week before the penultimate Quidditch match of the season, Lily demanded of Cassie and Zoe whether they were supporting Gryffindor.

"Nope, we're supporting Ravenclaw," Zoe said.

"Why?" Lily demanded.

"Because if Ravenclaw beat Gryffindor, and then Hufflepuff beat Slytherin by a wide enough margin, then we might still win the cup," Cassie explained.

"Yeah, but Ravenclaw won't beat us," Lily reasoned. "They're rubbish."

"Anyway, I guess it doesn't really matter who we support," Zoe said. "It's not like we're going to change the score, just by cheering."

"You might..." Lily said.

"Girls, as fascinating as all this is, and as much as I too would like Hufflepuff to win the Quidditch cup, would you please concentrate on your potions?"

"Sorry, Professor," Zoe said sheepishly. Professor Cooke was head of Hufflepuff.

The four of them turned back to their potions. Lily stirred hers thoughtfully, apparently not noticing that it was rapidly turning green, rather than the required indigo blue.

"Mia, please could you read me the... um... fifth line on the board? I can't quite see from here without my glasses," Cassie said, squinting at the blackboard.

"You wear glasses?" Mia asked. After seven months of seeing her every day in either Potions, Defence Against the Dark Arts, or both, she couldn't recall ever once seeing Cassie wearing glasses.

"Well... no..." Cassie said sheepishly. "I'm supposed to, but..."

Mia grinned. She remembered how she was supposed to wear a retainer all of last year, but had decided not to because she thought it made her look uncool.

"It says 'add five Billywig stings, and stir counter clockwise until the potion turns pale pink'," Mia read for her.

"Thanks," Cassie said, counting out the Billywig stings.

Mia didn't really think about Cassie and her glasses for the rest of the day – she was too busy trying to keep Lily away from Ilonka in Herbology – until Lily came into the house common room that evening, declaring that she'd just overheard Zoe and Cassie arguing.

"Cassie?" Louis said. "But she's really quiet."

"What were they arguing about?" Mia asked.

Lily shrugged. "Zoe was just saying 'You need to tell someone', and Cassie was saying 'no I don't'."

Just then, Zoe and Cassie came into the house common room and walked over to join 'the gang'."

"Hey, are you guys alright?" Lily asked.

"Yeah," Cassie said.

"Lily heard you arguing earlier," Mac said.

Lily glared at him. "Subtle," she said.

"Well you're hardly the Queen of subtlety," Mac retorted.

"Cassie..." Zoe said.

"Shut up Zoe," Cassie said. Mia wondered what they could be arguing about – Cassie was usually so quiet and friendly.

"You have to tell someone," Zoe said.

"I don't have to tell anyone anything," Cassie said.

"But we can help y-"

"I don't need any help!" Cassie exploded. "Why can't everyone just leave me alone?"

"Because we're your friends, and we care about you, you idiot!" Zoe yelled back.

Cassie sat there, stony-faced, saying nothing.

"It can't be that bad," Louis reasoned. "Whatever it is. Maybe if you just told us..."

"I can't read," Cassie said viciously. "There. I can't read." She turned to Zoe. "Happy now?"

"You... what?" Lily said. "You can't read?"

"Or write," Cassie said quietly, suddenly realising the whole gang were watching her.

"But... in lessons and stuff... how have you done your homework... written essays...?" Hugo asked.

"I've been helping her," Zoe said. "I read the instructions in class, and if we have reading homework, I read it aloud for both of us."
"What about essays?" Mia asked.

"I have a dictaquill," Cassie said.

"A what-quill?" Lily demanded.

"Dictaquill," Cassie repeated. "I dictate, it writes. I know what to say – I just don't know how to say it... but exams are coming up, and Zoe won't be allowed to read me the questions, and I won't be able to use the dictaquill. I'm going to fail, and then they'll kick me out, and I'll have to become a muggle, and..."

Mia could see that Cassie was working herself up into a state, and moved to put her arm around her. "It'll be okay," she said. "You can talk to Professor Cooke or something, and they'll work something out."

"But she'll be mad at me for hiding the fact that I can't read all year," Cassie sobbed.

"Nah she won't," Mac said. "She's really nice. I guess if anyone else was my head of house I'd've been kicked out by now, but..." he shrugged. "Seriously. Cooky's sweet. But how come you can't read?"

"I... don't know," Cassie said. "I guess no one ever really taught me properly, and then I got fed up of trying to learn, so I just pretended I could..."

"I could teach you."

Several people looked around – they hadn't realised Al'd been sitting there on a table on the edge of the group, watching Rose and Scorp working across the room.

"You could teach me to read?" Cassie asked.

"Probably," Al shrugged. "I mean, I taught a couple of little kids to read last summer, and I expect it'd be easier for you, because I guess you already recognise some letters and words."

"Yeah, Al's a born teacher," Lily said. "Let him teach you, Cassie."

"We could both stay here over Easter, and I'll teach you," Al offered.

"You'd do that for me?" Cassie asked.

"Sure," Al nodded. "Anyway, I'm sure Mum and Dad'd be happy to have me here to keep an eye on James and make sure he actually does some work over the holidays. So, what'd you say?"

"Okay," Cassie said. "Thanks."

"Come on," Mia said. "Why don't we go and talk to Professor Cooke?"

"Yeah, I'll come too," Zoe said. "Part of this is my fault – I should've told you to tell her sooner."

The three of them left the common room just as Rose started yelling at Scorp for touching her knee whilst she was trying to work.

The following Friday in the Gryffindor common room, everyone was gearing up for the Gryffindor v. Ravenclaw match. Roxanne's friend Lottie was making a banner with a huge Gryffindor lion on it, a sixth year was taking bets on the outcome, and Samuel Wood was playing with a snitch.

Hugo nudged Mia. "Danielle doesn't look happy," he muttered.

Mia looked up. Sure enough, the Gryffindor captain had just come through the portrait hole, and she looked furious.

"Someone's for it..." Mia muttered back.

Danielle stormed over to where James, Fred and Chris were sitting in a corner, which was odd for them now Mia came to think of it – they were usually the centre of attention.

"What the hell do you think you were playing at?" Danielle demanded, and the room fell silent to listen. "What were you thinking, getting detention for tomorrow?"

"We didn't ask for it!" James retorted.

"By the sounds of things you as good as did!" Danielle shouted. "Putting nifflers in Professor Duncan's office!"

Chris grinned, and Danielle rounded on her brother.

"And I don't know why you're so happy about all this!" she yelled. "I thought you at least would have some brains, but now I'm missing two Chasers for the Ravenclaw match tomorrow!"

"Ravenclaw are rubbish – you'll beat 'em easy," James said.

"Not with only one chaser we won't!" Danielle retorted.

"You can use substitutes," Fred suggested.

"Yes, and that'll go fantastically with absolutely no practices," Danielle said venomously. "You guys are so stupid sometimes. Don't you even care about the Quidditch cup?"

"Of course we care!" James said indignantly. "We just didn't think. I'm sorry, Danielle."

"Yeah, I'm sorry too," Fred said.

"Sorry's not going to bring my chasers back, though, is it?" Danielle asked, walking away.

Lily got to her feet. "James and Fred are such idiots!" she said emphatically. "I'm going to go tell them it's all their fault if we lose the Quidditch cup now!"

Hugo grabbed her arm. "I guess they feel bad enough about it already," he said. "They don't need you rubbing it in."

Lily said down again. "Sometimes I really hate James," she sighed.