Bold*- parstletounge

Italics - thoughts

"Normal"- speech and narrative

Chapter 34: Attack On A Bookworm

8/5/1993

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It was now about four months ago since Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had been petrified, Cassandra had been extremely busy with quidditch, school work and choosing her options for third year that she hadn't been able to open the chamber again. That would usually be where it fell to the Weasley girl, but she no longer had the diary - Potter did, and that was worrying.

Nearly everybody seemed to think that the attacker had retired for good. Peeves had even stopped singing "Oh, Potter, you rotter" as, to the poltergeists dismay, no one seemed to be as afraid of Harry anymore, or of what would happen if they went out alone.

Cass felt like such a failure and had to do extra work because she kept zoning out in class from worrying, luckily her friends gave her their notes.

Ever since she fainted on Valentines day they and her Uncle had been keeping a close eye on her. They didn't want it to happen again. Severus believed it was to do with all the emotions she felt, but because they were powered by rage it took its toll on her.

She was told she needed to learn to control it or things would get much worse then just fainting. So she tried to meditate every night - not that she could clear her mind well enough with everything going on.

In March Professor Sprout had stated that the mandrakes were close to being mature, meaning the people petrified would soon be returned.

The second years then were given something new to think about during their Easter holidays. The time had come to choose their subjects for the third year, a quite difficult decision to make with other things on her mind.

She ended up choosing Care Of Magical Creatures (shared with Draco, Vince, Greg, Blaise and Theo), Divination (shared with everyone) and Ancient Runes (shared with Theo, Daphne and Blaise). Pansy and Blaise had been the only ones to also chose Arithmancy. No one, of course, chose muggle studies.

Back to today - it was Gryffindor Vs Hufflepuff on the quidditch pitch. The Slytherins were obviously going to be cheering for Hufflepuff. They were laughing and giggling whilst eating the morning of the game, they all had badger whiskers spelled onto there faces - they even twitched!

The girls had painted their, and the boys', nails black and yellow alternate and Cassandra had charmed their slytherin scarfs to flash yellow stating 'go Puff's' everytime a quidditch player from that house passed near them or would score in the match.

The group was currently laughing their arses off over the fact they had walked through the whole Hufflepuff quidditch team, who nearly had a heart attack at seeing the rulers of Slytherin's scarfs flashing in support.

They were just about to go down to the pitch when Cassandra heard something that quenched all her worries.

"Kill this time... let me rip... tear..."

She grinned and whispered it to Theo who was on her right, and to Blaise who was on her left. They passed it around and soon the whole group was smirking as they walked down to the pitch.

The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause. Cassandra was cheering loudly for the Hufflepuffs and booing tremendously for their opponents.

The balls were released, the badgers were strategising quickly and the Gryffindor's were starting to mount their brooms.

"Who's that?" Stated Vincent pointing at a figure that was half running, half marching, onto the pitch.

Cassandra squinted, "Salazar! It's Professor McGonagall!"

"This match has been cancelled," Professor McGonagall called through the megaphone she was holding, addressing the packed stadium. Cass shared a quick glance with her friends before joining in with the boos and shouts all over the stadium.

"All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"

Then she lowered the megaphone and beckoned Potter over to her, Weasley following.

Cassandra just sighed and went with the crowd, heading to her dormitory.

Some of the students swarming around them were grumbling about the match being canceled; others looked worried.

It was pandemonium and Cass was finding it extremely hard to try and not to get jostled. She lost the others in the crowd and was getting pushed to the back, then suddenly, SLAM!

She slammed straight into someone. By the way her scarf flashed yellow it was someone off the Hufflepuff quidditch team.

"I'm dreadfully sorry!" She found herself saying as the crowd died down around them. They were now the only two left outside.

"No worries darling, no harm done!" The boy said smiling. "Are you hurt? You looked like you got jostled a bit."

Cassandra looked up at the handsome boy, who she believed was in the twins' year, and grinned, "I'm fine 'darling' just a bit ruffled that's all! I better be going to my common room now as my Un- my head of house will be wondering where I am."

The boy laughed at her mocking him and then suggested he walk her to the common room as it wasn't safe for her to walk on her own.

She could have said no, could have said she was fine because she was a pureblood but there was something about this boy that made her feel safe for some reason. Therefore she let him walk her to the dungeons, a comfortable silence emitting.

"See you later then darling" he stated when they reached the destination.

"Bye Hufflepuff!"

"My name's-" he started.

"I know!" Cassandra winked and entered the common room. The moment the doors shut behind her she got attacked in a hug by Blaise, followed quickly by Daphne, Pansy and even Astoria. She saw a wave of relief pass over her godfathers face and once she was seated, Astoria curled up in her lap, he began to speak.

"Now that we are all here. It is my duty to inform you that both Miss Granger and Miss Clearwater have been attacked. Therefore a new set of rules have been put in place."

He pulled out a scroll and began to read. "All students will return to their House common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities"

A series of groans were given from the Slytherin quidditch team as Severus rolled the scroll back up. He then beckoned to Cassandra to follow him to a secluded corner of the room. She picked Astoria up and carried her with her as the poor girl had been so frightened when Cassandra had not returned to the common room with her friends.

Of course the young Greengrass knew she could not be harmed by the basilisk but she thought perhaps she had been caught.

Severus didn't say anything as his goddaughter carried the young girl towards him, just smiled gently. His face then turned stern as he realised why they were there. "Where were you?! We were all worried sick! When the others arrived and you did not they were worried enough! But then you of course had to take your time walking back! What happened?!!"

"The crowd jostled me around and I couldn't move. I then fell slap bang into a Hufflepuff and he made sure i was okay and then stated it was to dangerous for me to walk back on my own so he walked me to the common room. I was absolutely fine! And even if he wasn't there Gem wouldn't attack me and I'm too smart to get caught when Weasley girl is the one who's opened the chamber!"

Sev pinched the bridge of his nose, "fine but make sure it doesn't happen again. By the way, Lucius is in my office and needs your help," he gave her a pointed look and she rolled her eyes.

"He needs to bloody do it himself!"

Her Uncle sighed, "I know but he prefers when you do it, plus it's for a special occasion - Hagrid's getting arrested and Dumbledore is being suspended!"

"Fine! I'll do it! But only because it's a special occasion!"

She put a reluctant Astoria down and followed Severus to his office. Lucius was sat on the potions masters desk, hair long and matted, a panic stricken look on his face.

"There you are Cassandra!" He said shoving something into her hands and facing away from her, "I'm going to have to be a bit late now but I don't care, this is important!"

She started swooshing her arms about, concentrating in her minds eye. Wandlessly and wordlessly Lucius' hair straightened, the knots untied individually and the frizz was gone. After 10 minutes Cassandra reached for the item her Uncle Lu had given her at the beginning of the process.

She weaved the black ribbon around his hair and tied it in a perfect bow. Lucius Malfoy was now ready to crush some spirits - ponytail in a bow included for creating jealousy!

Cass just grinned at Sev as Lucius swayed out of the room, flicking his ponytail as he went.

Severus shook his head, "you'd think a grown man would want to do his own hair!"

"Yes," she laughed, "yes you would! Don't tell him I said this but I actually find it kinda fun. It's like when Uncle Barty let me play with his hair and always made me try to plait it even though it was too short..." her face fell.

Her Uncle had died a few weeks ago in Azkaban and she was still hurting from it. She loved him so much, he was the one who was not afraid to goof around with her even if it made him look stupid, the one who knew what to say when she was upset, he was her best friend - and now he was gone..

Severus, seeing the sudden change in the girl, lifted her up into his arms. She wrapped herself around him and buried her face in his shoulder crying. "Why did he have to go Uncle Sev!"

He just stroked her hair and muttered comforting words. They stayed like that for a while until she fell asleep in his arms. Severus carried her to her dorm and tucked her in with a kiss on the forehead, making sure of course he wasn't seen, he then went back to his office to await Lucius who would tell him what happened with the headmaster.