Bold*- parstletongue

Italics - thoughts

"Normal"- speech and narrative

Chapter 53: Magpies And Ferrets

1/9/1994

~~~~~~~~~

As Cassandra entered the room of requirement she was met with stunningly fresh air and the calming smell of pine. A forest loomed above her and she wondered why on earth would Fred and George want to meet here.

She heard a flutter of wings and raised her head to see two magpies flying above her. What was curious, however, was the fact that both birds were not the usual black colour - they were ginger.

They landed in front of Cass and, suddenly, the magpies weren't there anymore. Instead, standing in front of her, was the Weasley twins: a huge grin on their faces.

She pounced on them, drawing them into a huge hug. "You did it! How? When? This is amazing! I'm so proud of you!!"

"Easy love, you're going to knock us over!"

She blushed, "sorry I'm just dead impressed! You guys are finally animagus's!!"

George smiled and nudged her shoulder, "hey, we couldn't have done it without your guidance! We practiced every day during the holidays and then we finally did it!"

"This is honestly amazing!"

Fred laughed, "well come on love what are we waiting for? Let's fly!"

He transformed and took of into the air, George grinned before joining him. Cassandra watched her friends flying above her and giggled.

She transformed into her own pitch black magpie form and the trio soared through the forest the room of requirement had provided, staying there until the early hours of the next morning.

———

2/9/1994

The storm was over now (though it was still extremely cloudy and grey) and it was breakfast in the castle. Cassandra was slumped against a blushing Theo, falling asleep from her late night fly with the twins.

Blaise was looking at their class schedule, "Today's not bad - Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws first, then it's Care of Magical Creatures, urgh - with the Gryffindor's."

Pansy looked over his shoulder, "great! We have double Divination this afternoon; so fun with Potter if Trelawney keeps predicting his death!"

The group laughed but Cass's head was now on the table and she was drifting off.

There was a sudden rustling noise above them, and a hundred owls came soaring through the open windows carrying the morning mail.

"Hello Artemis," Draco stated as his fathers owl landed on his shoulder carrying the usual; a supply of sweets and cakes from home. He looked over at his cousin and poked her in the arm. "Cass wake up! Hades is here waiting for you to take the stuff from your mother!"

Cassandra just groaned into her arms. Blaise chuckled, grabbing the things from the owl for her. Hades was a strange creature - he only let those of the Riddle, Black or Lestrange family take mail and yet, he allowed Blaise to un-attach it without a fuss.

Draco just glared at the owl, as he often did. His father was the same, as was Severus - they all had a grudge with the bird; which was quite amusing to everyone else.

Breakfast soon was over and Blaise lifted Cass up with the help of Gregory and they helped her to Transfiguration, stopping briefly for Cass to wish Malcom a good first day, sloppily slurring her words making the boy giggle.

———

After a long nap in Transfiguration, thankfully without McGonagall noticing, Cass was now wide awake and ready for Care Of Magical Creatures.

As they made their way to the groundskeepers hut they saw that the Gryffindor's were already there, glancing into huge crates that were around the hut.

As they got closer they could see that in the boxes were what looked like deformed, shell-less lobsters but pale and slimy-looking, with legs sticking out.

"On'y jus' hatched," they heard the oaf say proudly. Draco and Cass shared a look, "so yeh'll be able ter raise 'em yerselves! Thought we'd make a bit of a project of it!"

"And why would we want to raise them?"stated Cassandra, as they reached the group, with a cold voice.

Hagrid looked stumped at the question.

"I mean, what do they do?" asked Draco.

"What is the point of them?" Blaise continued.

"Tha's next lesson!" He stated after a long hard think about it. "Yer jus' feedin' 'em today. Now, yeh'll wan' ter try 'em on a few diff'rent things - I've never had 'em before, not sure what they'll go fer - I got ant eggs an' frog livers an' a bit o' grass snake - just try 'em out with a bit of each."

The Slytherins muttered death threats under their breath as they were made to pick up handfuls of frog liver and try to feed the creatures who didn't seem to have mouths.

"Daphne and Pansy are so lucky right now!" Stated Vince as one of the Blast-Ended Skrewts's behinds exploded.

The others nodded as they thought about the two girls who had a free period right now.

"Ouch!" yelled Dean Thomas from the other side of the crates after about ten minutes. "It got me."

The half-giant hurried over looking anxious.

As Thomas was explaining what happened Greg nudged Draco, "clearly doesn't want another Hippogriff debacle!"

Cassandra scowled as Draco laughed and he stopped almost instantly at the look on her face.

They zoned back into the lesson.

"Ah, some of 'em have got stings, I reckon they're the males. The females've got sorta sucker things on their bellies. I think they might be ter suck blood."

Cassandra made a face.

"Well, I can certainly see why we're trying to keep them alive," said Theo sarcastically. "Who wouldn't want pets that can burn, sting, and bite all at once? Not to mention they're extremely ugly and creepy!"

"Just because they're not very pretty, it doesn't mean they're not useful," Granger snapped. "Dragon blood's amazingly magical, but you wouldn't want a dragon for a pet, would you?"

Cass smirked, "well if you're asking Granger, as a matter of fact I would love a dragon - as would most of my friends. These, however, absolutely not!"

Everyone looked at her like she was crazy, but she just shrugged and went back to trying to feed the awful creatures.

———

"Hey C!" Stated Malcom coming up and sitting next to her.

She smiled as the boy began tucking into his lunch.

"Hey M, how's your first day going?"

"Great! We had Potions first with Professor Snape and he's so cool! We then had Herbology which was alright; but I just can't wait for my next Potions lesson!"

Cass grinned. "Well let me tell you a little secret," she leant her head down to his ear, "Professor Snape is my Godfather/Uncle!"

Malcom looked up to her with amazement, "really?"

Cassandra nodded and ruffled the boys hair as he continued eating his meal.

———

When the bell rang to signal the start of afternoon lessons, Cassandra said goodbye to Malcom and made her way up to the North Tower along with the others.

The familiar sweet perfume filled their lungs as they took their normal seats in the Divination classroom.

"Good day," said the misty voice of Professor Trelawney.

She turned instantly towards Potter, much to the joy of the Slytherins. "You are preoccupied, my dear. My inner eye sees past your brave face to the troubled soul within. And I regret to say that your worries are not baseless. I see difficult times ahead for you, alas...most difficult...I fear the thing you dread will indeed come to pass...and perhaps sooner than you think..."

Cassandra snorted as she caught eyes with Blaise who rolled his eyes dramatically.

The Professor seated herself in a large armchair facing the class. "My dears, it is time for us to consider the stars." She looked up at them 'mystically'.

"The movements of the planets and the mysterious portents they reveal only to those who understand the steps of the celestial dance. Human destiny may be deciphered by the planetary rays, which intermingle..."

Cassandra and Draco grinned each other - stars and planets, they were good at.

Trelawney then started talking to Potter again, but the boy didn't seem to be listening. Weasley nudged him, making him sit up straight asking "what?"

"I was saying, my dear, that you were clearly born under the baleful influence of Saturn,"

"Born under - what, sorry?"

"Saturn, dear, the planet Saturn!" said Professor Trelawney, sounding irritated. "I was saying that Saturn was surely in a position of power in the heavens at the moment of your birth...Your dark hair...your mean stature...tragic losses so young in life...I think I am right in saying, my dear, that you were born in midwinter?"

"No," said Potter, "I was born in July."

Some of the class laughed, covering them with coughs but Cassandra was deep in thought.

She knew of course that her father and the boy had a connection and he could enter his mind - but something wasn't right. Trelawney was a real seer and no matter what others thought some of her waffle actually meant something.

So her believing Potter was 'born mid-winter' was just too much of a coincidence, especially with the 'dark hair, mean stature and tragic losses so young in life'. There was something deeper here than anyone realised - for the woman had just described Cass's father.

It didn't make sense, especially as her father had no reason to be in Potters head right now.

Something was going on and Cassandra was going to figure it out and, at the end of the year, she would approach her father with all she knows - no matter how much or how little.

———

At the end of the lesson Draco pulled out a clipping of the Daily Prophet, they headed down the ladder and, just as Potter, Weasley and Granger were about to enter the Great Hall, he called out after them.

"Weasley! Hey, Weasley!"

The terrible trio turned around glaring at the group.

"What?"

"Your dad's in the paper, Weasley!" Stated Cass pointing to the Prophet in her cousin's hand, speaking very loudly, so that everyone in the packed entrance hall could hear.

Draco grinned at the attention she drew. "Listen to this!" He stated to the crowd.

"FURTHER MISTAKES AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

It seems as though the Ministry of Magic's troubles are not yet at an end, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Recently under fire for its poor crowd control at the Quidditch World Cup, and still unable to account for the disappearance of one of its witches, the Ministry was plunged into fresh embarrassment yesterday by the antics of Arnold Weasley, of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office."

Draco looked up at Cass's laugh. "Imagine them not even getting his name right, Weasley. It's almost as though he's a complete nonentity, isn't it?"

Everyone in the entrance hall was listening now. Cassandra took the paper from Draco and carried on reading:

"Arnold Weasley, who was charged with possession of a flying car two years ago, was yesterday involved in a tussle with several Muggle law-keepers ('policemen') over a number of highly aggressive dustbins. Mr. Weasley appears to have rushed to the aid of "Mad-Eye" Moody, the aged ex-Auror who retired from the Ministry when no longer able to tell the difference between a handshake and attempted murder. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Weasley found, upon arrival at Mr. Moody's heavily guarded house, that Mr. Moody had once again raised a false alarm. Mr. Weasley was forced to modify several memories before he could escape from the policemen, but refused to answer Daily Prophet questions about why he had involved the Ministry in such an undignified and potentially embarrassing scene."

"And there's a picture, Weasley!" Stated Draco taking the paper back from Cass and flipping the paper over, holding it up.

"A picture of your parents outside their house - if you can call it a house! Your mother could do with losing a bit of weight, couldn't she?"

Cassandra gave her cousin an annoyed look and shook her head slightly.

Weasley was shaking with fury. Everyone was staring at him.

"Get stuffed, Malfoy," said Potter. "C'mon, Ron..."

"Oh yeah, you were staying with them this summer, weren't you, Potter?" sneered Draco. Cassandra gave him another warning look but he didn't take it into account. "So tell me, is his mother really that porky, or is it just the picture?"

"Draco!" Stated Cassandra angrily, squeezing his arm tightly. She couldn't do any more as they were in public - but he would definitely be getting a talking to when they returned to the common room.

"You know your mother, Malfoy?" said Potter, him and Granger grabbing the back of Weasley's robes, "that expression she's got, like she's got dung under her nose? Has she always looked like that, or was it just because you were with her?"

Cassie's head whipped up. Draco went slightly pink.

"Don't you dare insult my Aunt, Potter!"

"This isn't about you Riddle keep your snakey evil bitch of a mouth shut!" said Potter, turning away.

Draco's face was red and angry now, he raised his wand, pointing it at the 'chosen one's' back. Cassandra had tears running down her face as she tried to pull her cousins wand arm down. He shook her off and she fell to the ground, only to be caught by Cedric; who was in the crowd.

BANG!

Several people screamed. Cassandra felt a wave of relief as the spell flew past Potters ear - as much as he deserved it, this was not the best idea.

As she looked at the scene she felt rage fill her. She so was mad at Draco: for body-shaming, not listening to her and throwing her to the ground without a second thought, just to fight Potter.

Speaking of Potter, he had just plunged his hand into his robes for his wand, but before he even drew it there was another loud BANG, and a roar that echoed through the entrance hall.

"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"

Cedric shielded Cass and, as the smoke cleared, she looked up.

Professor Moody was limping towards them. His wand was out and it was pointing right at a pure white ferret, which was sat on the stone-flagged floor, exactly where Draco had been standing.

There was a terrified silence in the entrance hall. Cassandra was staring down at the ferret in shock. Moody turned to look at Potter, his normal one anyway - the other one was pointing directly towards Cassandra.

"Did he get you? Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine," said Potter, "he missed."

Cass however couldn't help but feel Moody was asking her, which was extremely confusing. She just leant her head on Cedric's chest, watching the scene with curiosity.

"LEAVE IT!" Moody suddenly shouted, eye going to the back of his head.

"Leave what?" Potter stated, confused.

"Not you - her!"

Cassandra turned her attention to where ferret Draco was, Daphne looked to be about to pick him off the floor - a look of worry on her face.

As Professor Moody made his way towards Draco, the animal he took off. "I don't think so!" He roared, pointing his wand at the ferret again. It flew ten feet into the air, fell with a smack to the floor, and then bounced upward once more.

Cassandra flinched at the sound and, as more people joined to see the commotion, the Weasley twins joined Cedric by her side. Cass knew her cousin kind of deserved this, but it didn't mean it wasn't hard to watch.

"I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back's turned, or knocking over that poor girl," growled Moody as ferret Draco bounced higher and higher, squealing in pain. "Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do..."

"Professor Moody!" A shocked voice came through the crowd. It was Professor McGonagall.

"What - what are you doing?"

"Teaching," said Moody simply.

"Teach- is... is that a student?"

"Technically it's a ferret!"

Professor McGonagall quickly pulled out her wand and suddenly Draco was human again, he looked bruised, beaten and in no way is sleek self. He looked up to where Cass was stood next to Cedric and the twins, glaring.

Minerva was now giving Moody a stern talking to. "We never use Transfiguration as a punishment! Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?"

"He might've mentioned it, yeah."

As the deputy headmistress berated the teacher some more, and Draco got dragged down to Professor Snape, the students dispersed.

Followed by the Hufflepuff and twin Gryffindor's, Cassandra approached the laughing trio of lions in the corner of the entrance hall.

They glared as she approached.

"I am sorry that my cousin insulted your mother Weasley, I am also sorry for him drawing his wand on you Potter. You deserved it for insulting my Aunt Cissa but, alas, he shouldn't have done it. He was being a hypocrite. However you were too - becoming angry when he insulted Mrs Weasley and yet insulting his own mother in return."

She looked at Potter with fake pity. "Could you sink no lower? Now, no matter how much my cousin deserved that, he is greatly injured because of it, physically, mentally and emotionally - especially as I made no move to help him. I don't want to hear that any of you have spread this around and mocked him for it or things might be...unpleasant."

Cedric then led a shaking Cassandra into the Great Hall. Her, Fred and George joined him at the Hufflepuff table and ate their meal in silence to the confused looks from the other houses - especially the one they had joined.

The whole time Cass's mind was filled with one thought, why did Moody seem to care about her?