Life Is Like A Box Of Chocolates

by Munsje

A daughter of a Death Eater and the niece of Professor Umbridge are both in for a lot of trouble and adventure as they enter their first year at Hogwarts. RR please

1. Grandmothers And Sorting

Life is like a box of chocolates
Written by Munsje

A/N: I should warn you; there spoilers in here for the fifth book! This was just a little idea I got after reading it. It takes place within the fifth book, but it does not involve Harry, Ron or Hermione, not even the Order of Phoenix. It's about a group of young girls going to their first year to Hogwarts. One of them is related to the Death Eater Avery, and one of them is related to none other than professor Umbridge. So, sit back and enjoy ;)

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Chapter 1 - Grandmothers and Sorting

"Mummy?" asked a young girl, while her mother was putting on her pajama's, "where's daddy?"
The woman froze. "What do you mean?" she demanded.
"My friends asked me if I had a daddy..."
"And what did you tell them?" the woman asked, trying to sound friendly, but failing miserably.
"I told 'm I didn't have one," the girl looked at her mother. "And they said they all had one."
She knew that her daughter now wanted an explanation, but decided against it, "you know, Cassie, not all children have fathers. And unfortunately, your one of them." She patted Cassie on the back, "now, it's time for you to go to sleep."

Now eight years later, at the age of eleven, Cassie was sitting in the train to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, where she was about to start her first year. She yawned, resting her head against the window and once again wondered why her mother had never wanted to tell her about her father, he couldn't have bin that bad - right? She looked at her reflection in the mirror, she didn't look like her mother at all, with her curly, dark-brown hair that reached to her shoulders, her cold grey eyes and long, pointy nose. Maybe she took after her dad...
"Can I sit here?" someone asked. Cassie looked up, a girl of about her age was standing in the open doorway to her compartment, and without waiting for an answer, she sat down across Cassie. She had short, blond hair, big, blue eyes and her nose was slightly crooked. She sighed heavily, "I swear I'll kill my mother someday."
Cassie raised her eyebrows and decided not to reply.
"I mean, come on! I warned her last night, too. 'Mum, don't forget I've got to be at Kings Cross at eleven o'clock', and no she wouldn't forget, of course she wouldn't!" The girl said sarcastically, and rolled her eyes, "Parents... Anyways, I'm Terry." She held out her hand, "Terry Umbridge."
"Cassandra Avery," Cassie said, shaking Terry's hand. "So... are you also in your first year?"
Terry nodded and grinned excitedly when the train started to move, "I can't wait to get there! I was so surprised when the letter arrived, I never knew I was a witch, you know. I knew there was a possibility, 'cause my grandmother on my mother's side was one, but both of my parents are Muggles, so I always assumed I was one too. What about your parents?" She added eagerly.
"My mum's a witch," Cassie said and left it at that. She was glad that Terry did not ask her if her father was a wizard.
"D'you know about Quidditch?" Terry said, and her grin broadened.
"Yeah," Cassie said dryly, she didn't care much about Quidditch, as a matter of fact; she found it boring. A couple of people on broomsticks trying to get a ball to a hoop, being molested by some kind of iron ball... she really didn't understand what everyone found so interesting about it.
"My grandmother was the chaser of Hufflepuff," Terry said proudly.
"Really?" Cassie asked, not at all impressed. Unfortunately, Terry didn't seem to notice and started to tell a whole lot about her grandmother and her time at Hogwarts, that she was even asked to play at Wimbourne Wasps but turned the offer down to marry with her grandfather, that she still played Quidditch every once in a while in some kind of senior-team and a whole lot more.
"... And my aunt - Dolores Umbridge," Terry said enthusiastically, "is going to teach us Defense Against The Dark Arts this year. Grandma was so proud when she heard that Aunt Dolores would be a teacher at Hogwarts and was finally leaving the Ministry. She says that the Ministry..."
Cassie politely nodded every now and than, but truthfully she wasn't paying any attention to what the girl across her was saying. An hour past, and still Terry was talking on and on about her family. And finally, Cassie decided that she had enough. "Do you know," she said, when Terry was catching her breath, "which House you're going to be in?"
"Oh no," Terry said, shaking her head, "of course I don't! Only the Sorting Hat..."
"Come on," Cassie urged, "you must have an idea."
"Well... Tom - you know, my older brother that I was just telling about - is in Gryffindor, so I might be placed in the same house. But than again, my grandmother was in Hufflepuff, so that..."
"I think I'll be in Ravenclaw," Cassie said quickly, before Terry would start an entirely new story about her grandmother.
"Ravenclaw?" Terry frowned, "who knows, who knows..."

"... Now, my grandmother always said that aunt Dolores was a bit power-hungry," Terry said, while biting the head of the Chocolate Frog that she just bought. "You know, always trying to boss everyone around. She had - and still has, mind you - very few friends, but Dolores always says that friends are only good to get in your way. Says they distract you of your work. Grandma says that this is exactly the reason while she's still single, that and because she looks like grandpa."
"And what's wrong with that?" Cassie asked, with raised eyebrows.
"You see, grandma only married him because he's rich," Terry said simply, "she was really poor herself, having a lousy job at some kind of shop in Diagon Alley that closed years ago, because it didn't make enough money. Anyways, she met him once at some kind of dance of her parents, who were Muggles and were a good friend of grandpa's father. He was funny and charming and, as she said it, she wasn't getting any younger either and it was time for her to start a family. So three weeks later, they were married."
"But if he was charming and funny..."
"My grandmother always says 'If you haven't got the looks, you've got to have the personality'." Terry explained, "Grandpa was really nice, well, at least, that's what I've heard, I've never met him, because he died two months before I was born. But anyways, he wasn't pretty. He always reminded grandma of a toad." She smiled shortly, "grandma, as she said it, had the looks. She never had to be friendly, or nice, because everyone would except her anyway. Aunt Dolores always worshipped her, so naturally, she started to act just like her."
"So in other words," Cassie said slowly, "we're going to have a teacher who looks like a toad and is going to boss us around for the entire year?"
"Exactly," Terry said with a grin.
Cassie sighed heavily, great. Just great. She just couldn't wait to get to Hogwarts...
"But she's really not that bad. She's nice, if you get to know her... in a strange, twisted kind of way."

The train started to slow down and Terry immediately jumped of her seat, "we're here, we're here!"
Cassie grinned broadly, and like Terry she couldn't wait to get off the train and to see Hogwarts with her own eyes. Her mother told about it so many times, and Jane always got home with wild stories about students fighting with dragons, Hippogriffs disappearing into thin air, dementors that would guard the school for an unknown reason and more of the like.
"Life at Hogwarts," she once said, "is never boring."
She was dragged out of the train by an overexcited Terry.
"First years here, first years over here," someone shouted. "First years over here!"
"There," Terry whispered, pointing at a woman not to far away and they made their way across the platform. A few minutes later, a large group of first-years had gathered around the woman who introduced herself as professor Grubbly-Plank. "I teach Care Of Magical Creatures," she told Cassie, when she asked. "But you won't start that subject until you're in your third year, and with any luck, Hagrid will be back by than, so you probably won't see me around anymore." She turned to the rest of the group and pointed at some boats, "everyone get in a boat with three to four people. This will transport you to Hogwarts, where you will be awaited by Professor McGonnagal."
She got into one of the boats to set an example. Cassie and Terry entered a boat next to hers, accompanied by two other girls who had introduced themselves as Medusa Faith Rivers ("Call me Faith," she had immediately said afterwards) and Hera Twain. Faith was tanned, had long, dark-brown hair reaching to her middle and wore sunglasses. ("She thinks it looks cool," Hera had whispered to Cassie with a grin.) Hera had braided hair and deep brown eyes, almost as dark as her pupils. While the boat took them to Hogwarts, Hera and Faith told them that they had known each other their entire lives and that they were best friends since they could think and talk.
"Our parents opened a pub in Diagon Alley," Hera explained, "that's how we met."
"In a few moments," Grubbly-Plank voice boomed over the lake, "you'll have your first view of Hogwarts, so take a good look."
Terry pinched Cassie hard in the arm, who returned her the favor and they ended up in a whispered argument about whether or not Terry had started, but immediately dropped the issue when a large castle came into view. Cassie didn't know she was holding her breath until Terry cast her a concerned glance and asked her if she considered it wise to start breathing again, because she was turning blue. If looks could have killed; it would've bin the last thing that Terry had ever said.
Shortly after that, the group of first year was standing in the Entrance Hall, all turning slightly pale with excitement.
"They said that we're gonna have to face a boggart," Faith said, looking worried. "So that they'll know what our worst fear is and if we're brave enough to face 'm."
"Don't be ridiculous," Hera said, but she didn't sound too convincing, "they're not going to let us face a boggart... we don't even know how to -" She got cut off by an elderly-looking witch, "Welcome to Hogwarts. My name is Professor McGonnagal. In a few moments, you will pass through these doors, where you will await to be sorted." She gave them all an encouraging smile, "I wish you all the best of luck... Follow me, please." She turned around and opened two large doors, where all the elder students seemed to have bin waiting for the first years to arrive.
"Oh no," Terry moaned, looking at the large crowd, "they can't be serious."
"I'm afraid they are," Cassie whispered, trying to spot her sister.
"What's that?" Terry asked, pointing at an old, battered had, which was placed on a stool, but before Cassie had the time to reply, the hat suddenly started talking, to Cassie's great shock and surprise, her mother had told her about this, but still, it was strange to see a hat talking. It started with four men, who founded Hogwarts; Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Slytherin. They all started a house, within the school, where they would sort the students to their own likings. It started of welcoming enough, but slowly the Sorting Hat's song became more depressing, the friendships between the four houses were ruined, and eventually Slytherin left. The Sorting Hat ended with a warning; that all the Houses should unite, to stand strong together, because times of great peril were coming.
At first, Cassie just thought that the Sorting Hat was a pessimist and that he did this every year, to scare off the first years perhaps, have a little fun with them. But when the elder students started to murmur, Cassie realized that this was far from the truth. 'Great,' she thought, 'couldn't the terror wait till after I was graduated?'
Professor started to call of names and one by one the first years stepped forward to be sorted by the Hat. Cassie was, unfortunately, one of the first to be sorted. And when McGonnagal called out "Avery, Cassandra Elizabeth" she walked to the stool with a blush creeping on her face.
She sat down and put on the Sorting Hat, hoping that this would all be over soon.
"Interesting, interesting," she heard a soft whisper, she froze for a moment with fear, but than realized it was the Sorting Hat who had bin talking, so slowly she started to relax. "You're very smart, so I'd almost immediately say Ravenclaw, yet your background makes me think."
Her background? Her mother had bin in Ravenclaw as well, so if that was what he meant than -
"No, no no, that's not what I meant," the Sorting Hat replied, "Your father was in Slytherin when he attended Hogwarts, and your sister - Jane - is in Slytherin as well. You've got some of your sister's qualities, but still, you're not Slytherin-material. I think I'll put you in... RAVENCLAW." The last word was shouted out loud, which made Cassie jump with shock. She softly swore under her breath when she placed the hat back on the stool. He had not given her time to ask about her father, if he would have just given her a minute...

Terry, Hera and Faith also got sorted in Ravenclaw, and the four of them shared a room.
They were all extremely tired when they reached their bedroom, even Terry didn't seem to have the strength to quote her grandmother. Cassie felt like she could collapse any second, so she changed into her pajama's and just as she was about to go to sleep, her mind wondered back to the Sorting Ceremony. The Hat had known who her father was, but how was that possible if she didn't even know herself? She frowned, if she'd just figure out where they kept it, she might be able to ask him some more questions about her father, she might find out who he was, if he was still OK.
Or she could just write a letter to her mother, telling that her secrecy had endured long enough, that she was already eleven years old and had the right to know the truth. She sighed heavily, yeah, that would work. If she wanted to get a howler back, that was.

"Terry!" Faith roared, "it's five o'clock in the morning! What the hell do you think you're doing!"
"My grandmother always says starting early clears your mind," Terry said innocently, looking quite shaken by the sudden outburst of Faith.
Cassie stared at the ceiling - now where was she again? Oh, Hogwarts, of course. She still felt drowsy and when she got up, she immediately sat back down, the sun wasn't even up yet!
"Look," Faith said, calming down, "I understand if you want to start early - be my guest, but do not wake up the rest of us. We don't need our minds to be clear, we just want a good night sleep, OK?"
Hera was still snoring at the far end of the room, not giving any intention that she had bin bothered by Terry, who had bin singing in the bath room and had switched on all the lights. "That girl," Faith said, annoyed, "sleeps through everything."
Cassie yawned loudly and managed to drag herself to the bathroom, where she changed into her school robes and wondered when exactly she had fallen asleep, it had happened very sudden, that was for sure. One moment she was trying to spot the fly that zoomed annoyingly through the room, and the next moment, everything was black.
"When do we get our schedule anyway?" Faith asked, from the bedroom.
"I dwunno, at bweakfwast or swomwing?" Cassie replied, who was momentarily brushing her teeth.

Horrible, horrible, horrible. Cassie was feeling sorry that she had agreed with Terry so share a room. The rest of the time that the three girls had waited for Hera to wake up and for breakfast to start, Terry had bin singing all sorts of stupid songs, which she said were huge hits in the Muggle world. Than Faith had said that either she really couldn't sing, or Muggles were horrible at making music and that had started a whole fight about whether or not that was discrimination against Muggles and they ended up screaming so loud at each other, that a prefect had to come down to shut them up.
Still, Hera had not woken up. Cassie had bin slightly worried by than, what if she slept through the entire day? But Faith had ensured her that she'd be up at seven o'clock sharp. And so she did.
Now they were all sitting at breakfast, and Cassie didn't feel clear-minded at all, she wanted to ask Terry how her grandmother ever got to that theory, but not wanting to start another useless fight, she decided against it. They got their schedules that morning as well. They started with History of Magic, Defense Against The Dark Arts, Transfiguration and Herbology.
"Defense Against The Dark Arts sounds good," Terry said, looking at her schedule. Cassie snorted, she probably only thought it was good because her aunt was teaching it. She glanced up at the Staff Table, trying to find Professor Umbridge between the other teachers; she already knew who she was. Last night, Umbridge had interrupted the speech of professor Dumbledore - the Headmaster - and by the reaction of the elder students, it was something that you were not supposed to do. Umbridge was sitting comfortably at the staff table, eating her breakfast and every once in a while looked around the Great Hall. Though Terry had waved at her when Umbridge's eyes had rested on the Ravenclaw table, she hadn't given any indication that she had recognized her niece among the other students.
"Probably because she didn't see me," Terry had told Cassie, but she hadn't sound very convincing.
"Sounds good?" Hera said, "it doesn't just sound good, Terry, it is good. We probably get to practice loads of spells and jinxes there - I can hardly wait!"

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A/N: Did you like it?