Year 6-7 POV Cas

There's a reason I never wear dresses- you can't run for shit in them. Sure, you can spin and everyone will ooh and ahh at you, but that's not worth it. The center of attention has never been my scene. That aside, it's really the running that pisses me off. I worked harder than I care to admit picking out Ball dresses for me and Jo, and I did a damn good job. Jo was a smash in hers- it was the perfect mix of formal and spunky, and people noticed. It fit her body and her personality from tip to toe. George noticed.

My dress, I put just as much time into. I wanted to be, well, beautiful. Who doesn't want to be? It was set to be the perfect night, but it didn't end quite the way I'd hoped. It didn't begin as expected either…

There was a letter waiting for me in the owlry. I had gone to send my Christmas letters, and there was an owl with a note folded up with my name on it. I recognized the script. Miles.

I'll be blunt: I'm hoping you've gotten this schooling thing out of your system. It's Christmas, and I had hoped to be spending it with you by my side. I've seen it, Cassidy. Our army is growing by the day and I can't see why you're still not here. I can pick you up tonight. Leave this foolish life behind. The war can't be long off. Something is coming. I'll pick you up when you're ready. I miss my Cassidy. –Miles

I didn't know what to do. He could have picked me up that night. I could have left the dress in my wardrobe next to my robes, grabbed my wand, and disappeared. It really was that simple. I thought about it; I really did. School isn't challenging me, and isn't going back to Miles my plan anyway? So why not last night?

Part of it really was the dress. I saw the damn thing and thought it'd be a sin if I never got to wear it. So I put it on and did my make-up and hair and got ready like all the other girls. I was ready to go when all the others left. I was sitting on my bed strapping the damn heels on when they started shuffling out. Then I couldn't physically get myself to move. Fred was waiting in the Great Hall. Miles was waiting just beyond the castle grounds, I assumed. What was I supposed to do? For awhile I just sat contemplating. Then I got frustrated, tore the dress off and nearly turned. I calmed myself down, put the dress back on, and heard the bells toll. I was late, and Fred and Jo and George were expecting me. I had told Miles I was waiting another year, so another year we would both have to wait.

I got to the stairs and saw everyone dancing and laughing and having fun, and I nearly turned around. I hate noise and crowds and frivolity. But pushed myself ahead, and finally saw Jo and the twins, and there was no going back. Fred nearly leapt on my when I finally got there. I gave him a hug and apologized over and over, even once he pulled me onto the dance floor and started spinning me around. It was a nice dance, I guess. I had fun, even though I spent the entire night with a pit in my stomach. I kept seeing a shadow in the corner of my eye, and I kept thinking it was Miles. I could see him standing there in the cold and dark, expecting an owl to let him know I was ready.

After a few hours of dancing I was finally able to put him out of my mind and focus on the people who were actually with me. Fred didn't once want to leave the dance floor, but the rest of us didn't share his perseverance. I tried, for his sake, but I needed a break or two through the night. I danced with Lee too, and at one point when we went to get drinks we were able to catch up- we both missed our time together in the commentator's box at Quidditch matches. We made plans to meet up once in awhile.

That's around the time when the music slowed down. I had missed all the previous slow dances, but apparently there was one last one. I hate slow music. It makes me sad; like it's trying to get your whole world to slow down just to make you dwell on all those things you're trying to keep yourself busy to avoid. I know I've got a lot of those things. But the music slowed down, and Fred popped up. He didn't let me protest, just grabbed my hand and dragged me onto the floor. I saw Jo and George swaying in each other's arms. She had her head on his shoulder and he had his head resting on hers. It would have been sweet if it weren't so sappy.

Fred had me held tight, tighter than I was comfortable with, so I made a little distance. His eyes were boring into me, and I knew he wanted me to look at him. I wanted to- I wanted to just wrap my arms around him like Jo was doing, but I couldn't. That shadow in the corner of my eye was back, and so was the pit in my stomach. I did my best to keep the rhythm, but even that was becoming difficult. I felt Fred's mood change.

"What's the matter, Cas?" I jerked my neck and looked him dead in the eyes, a smile popping on my face to hide where my thoughts had been.

"Nothing's wrong!" He didn't smile back and I felt myself paling and panicking.

"Cas, come on. I want this to be a special night. What is it?"

"Just talk to me, my mind's drifting, that's all."

"Well, actually I did want to talk to you," he said, and that certainly got my attention. He sounded serious the way people sound serious right before they ruin everything.

"Cas, I really- li-"

"Don't!" I gasped. The music had changed, to another slow song. God damn. I wasn't swaying anymore. "Don't say it, Fred. You can't do that. Not now." I told him. A little bit of light left his eyes.

"Why not? Cas, I need to say this now-" I saw my chance and took it- I broke off and twirled myself into Lee's arms. He was shocked, but smooth as ever, and we danced. Fred was hovering, I could see. I kept trying to find where Jo and George went, but they weren't on the floor, and I didn't see them on the fringes, and I couldn't make them out by the snacks or drinks. The song ended and Lee gave me proper little bow and a kiss on the back of my hand, and the music picked up and the floor was swarmed. I jumped from group to group for an hour, avoiding Fred and trying to find Jo. When I concluded Jo just wasn't dancing, I broke free from the crowd. I started asking around, but no one could help. My heart was racing- I was scared. I was panicking.

"Cassidy Walker!" Fred snapped, grabbing me by my shoulder and spinning me to look at him. He grabbed me by both shoulders and leaned in and I knew he was trying to kiss me. I shut my eyes and pushed him away. When I opened my eyes, I saw something I never thought I'd see- Fred was angry.

"Don't you dare, Cas! Don't you push me away! You feel it too, I know you do. And for some fucking reason you try to shut me out, but you can't. You can't ignore what we have, and for fuck's sake I will not let you run away from this," He grabbed my arms and I couldn't pull away, and he leaned in again to kiss me. I turned my head away and shut my eyes, braced against him. He couldn't be seriously doing this, not now. Not tonight. Miles might be right outside. Miles could be watching- what would he say? He'd drag me away into the night to fight in the war tomorrow. He'd probably kill Fred first.

"Oi!" Some gruff voice barked, and Fred was pried off of me. My heart stopped. Miles? I opened my eyes to see some guy standing between me and Fred. It took me a second to realize it was Viktor Krum, one of the Champions. He pushed Fred away. There was a small circle of people watching the drama.

"The lady said no," Krum barked at Fred. "Are you okay, my lady?" He asked, turning to me. I looked back and forth at the two boys with eyes intent on me. I finally landed on Krum and nodded silently, letting him take my arm and lead me away. I walked away from Fred, confused and frustrated.

"My date has abandoned me, it seems. Will we dance?" Krum asked. I looked into his cold eyes and nodded again. He smiles and pulled a flask out from his robe, taking a sip and offering it to me. I took it gladly. We danced for awhile, Viktor talking and me only half-listening. We emptied his flask and danced closer and closer as the music sped up. People had been leaving the Hall for a long time. Not many of us were left, and I was done dancing.

"I think I'm going to go, Viktor," I finally said. They were my first words to him all night. He nodded and walked me out of the Hall.

"Thank you for…helping me, earlier. I'm sorry your date left you so soon, but in some ways I guess I owe her my gratitude," I said, bowing my head. Viktor laughed.

"I am also sorry she left, but I am glad I found you. There are some of us going to…continue the party, if you would like to be my date a little longer?" He asked. I knew the look in his eye, and part of me wanted to say fuck it, yes, let's go Quidditch boy. It wasn't a particularly small part either. But it wasn't big enough. I smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"Not tonight, Viktor. I'll see you at your next challenge," I told him. He smiled and shrugged, and we parted ways. It was late- very late, and I realized I still didn't know where Jo was, but had a desperate need to talk to her. So I started searching.

I'm still searching. I scoured the halls, went to the Fat Lady and everything. No one's seen her- George either. I have no idea where they are, and dawn is breaking. I haven't slept and I'm sick with worry and anxiety and the beginning stages of hangover. The idea hits me- they went out, to the clearly to play Quidditch or stage a tournament. Plenty of Gryffindors are missing, where else would they go if not the common room?

I stumble out onto the grounds, still in my dress and heels. The cold morning air wakes me up a bit, but quickly it's too much for me and I'm shivering. I stumble my way to the entrance to the Forest, where I finally claw the damn shoes off my feel and continue on bear foot. I know the Forest like the back of my hands at this point, and I go to the clearly where we held all the gambling events. Nothing. Now I'm really getting scared. I start wandering at random, yelling Jo's name. Where the fuck is she? Answer me! Jo? Jo? Jo?

I see it. Red fabric torn on a bush. I trip as I run to it, but get there panting to find the dress cold and empty. No Jo. I look up and around the bush and see something that nearly makes me vomit. It's A basset hound curled up, and ferret curled right alongside it. I see a tuxedo jacket, shirt, trousers, bra, pants, and panties thrown everywhere. No…

I hear my growls curling in the back of my throat, and the change tears through me like fire. Once I'm a wolf my instincts kick in and in two seconds I've got George by his little doggy throat between my teeth. He's yipping and whining, and Jo's awake. She chatters for a second before chaging into herself, but seeing her naked doesn't calm me any; in fact, I bite harder into George and may or may not taste the metallic tang of animal blood. Jo is screaming at me, covering herself with George's formalwear. She's yelling at me to stop, but I just growl more, and shake the little hound for good measure. Murder if definitely on my mind, and they both know it. I turn and am about to run off when there's another shout, and I'm ambushed.

Fred hits me over the nose with his wand. It smarts, and I snarl at him. He hits me again and again.

"No! Bad Cas! Put him down!" He snaps with each whip of his wand. Finally it's too much and I let George drop to the ground, and he scampers off to Jo, who picks him up and holds and snuggles him, checking his neck to see if he's hurt. I hope he is. Fred is glowering at me, still keeping me at wand-point, but this time I don't think he's just threatening me with a little tap on the nose. He's got anger in his eyes like last night. Good. I'm angry too.

Fred and I don't take our eyes off each other as George changes back, and he and Jo scramble to dress themselves. Fred then threatens me if I don't change back, so I do. He lowers his wand, and George and Jo approach, half-dressed and gripping what they couldn't get back on. I'm gripped by a new experience- my wolf-instincts. In a snap I leap onto George, knocking him over, and I hit him over and over. Admittedly they're not the most effective blows, but I'm emotional and back in my frailer form, so it's the best I can do.

"How could you?!" I shout, "She's a child for fuck's sake! How could you, you pervert, you mother-fucker!" I scream as I land blow after blow. Fred finally picks me up with embarrassing ease, and Jo brings George to his feet. I'm writing and struggling, but I can't get out of Fred's grip. He puts me down finally, and I get my breath and most of my composure.

"It was my choice, you moron," Jo says, rolling her eyes at me and clinging to George. "And he- this wasn't my first time," she added, and that shocked both me and Fred. George doesn't seem fazed. That means her and Wood…

I don't know why, but that is the final straw, and I feel my eyes start spilling tears and a knot swell up in my throat, so I whimper and change back into a wolf, and tear away from them all. I run and run until I can't hear their voices. I turn back into myself, still in the stupid dress but without the shoes, so I fall to the ground and just start crying. One thought echoes in my mind.

It's not too late. I can still choose Miles.