Thanks to all who reviewed! I'm not sure if I'll continue due to lack of
reviews but I'll see what I can do.
NOTE: I'm making Katie Bell a seventh year in this story due to the fact that I was stupid not to put a part in here where Harry find's out he's Quidditch captain. Plus I don't know if he's ready yet.
7. An Unusual Audition.
After the first two days back at Hogwarts the sixth years realized that their work load had tripled since fifth year. Ron complained about the absurd amount of homework Professor Trelawney had assigned him, Harry, and Cassandra. The three of them, including Hermione were in the Gryffindor common room trying to finish their homework. Harry, Ron and Cassandra sat around with their planet and star charts trying to predict the upcoming month. Ron had informed Cassandra that their old fraud of a divination professor loved death predictions and Cassandra seemed to be handling the situation fabulously.
"So let's see, next week I'll stumble into the Forbidden Forest and meet up with a troll who'll club me to death," Cassandra said as she wrote something down on her parchment. "Because my zodiac sign doesn't get along with Virgo and Jupiter has blocked out Mercury." Harry and Ron nodded while Hermione rolled her eyes as she busied herself with her Arithmancy homework.
"And I'll take a Bludger to the head and slip into a coma," Ron explained as he wrote furiously a great big smile coming across his face. What about you Harry?"
"I was going to use something with Quidditch. Oh! I'll be poisoned by an enemy," Harry said before he wrote it down next to a rather lopsided looking planet.
"Cassie should use that one seeing as Snape hates her guts already," Ron pointed out before the three of them laughed.
"What classes do we have tomorrow?" Cassandra inquired as she put away her Divination homework and pulled out a rather nasty looking Transfiguration essay.
"We finally have Defense Against the Dark Arts tomorrow. I'm extremely anxious to see who the new teacher is," Hermione exclaimed bursting in on their conversation. The three of them gave each other knowing looks as well as looks of excitement.
"Any teacher could be better than that old Umbridge prat," Ron said loudly as he also pulled out his Transfiguration homework.
"Is she coming back this year?" Cassandra asked as she began to write her essay about the steps it took to transfigure a rope to a snake.
"Everyone says the Defense Against the Dark Arts position is cursed. We've had a different one every year. One dead, two in St. Mungo's, one of them was a werewolf, and one was an imposter. The real professor was locked up in a trunk the whole school year." Hermione explained her voice rather low. "I've kept asking some of the other years who the teacher is but they won't tell me. Said it was some big secret."
"Well, I guess the secret's out tomorrow then. I'm heading up to bed; I'll finish this work in History of Magic tomorrow. I'm sure Binns won't mind," Cassandra explained stifling a yawn before she gathered her things and headed upstairs.
When Harry, Ron and Hermione gathered in the Great Hall the next day for breakfast they found that Cassandra was already there, gulping down pumpkin juice and some scrambled eggs, her Divination homework spread out in front of her. Many of the Gryffindors ignored her. Here was the person that set them in last place for the House Cup. Losing one hundred thirty points in one day was a new record. Not even Fred and George Weasly had lost that many points in a single day. Cassandra didn't seem to mind though. She was busy copying down another horrendous accident she would be having in the following month.
"This is why we don't procrastinate Cassandra," Hermione scolded as her pumpkin juice teetered dangerously over Cassandra's chart.
"Nonsense Hermione, procrastination is the American way!" Cassandra said with a laugh as she put the finishing touches on her perfect fortune telling chart. "At WillowBoil everyone was eating in the cafeteria and scrambling to finish their homework. It's quite a shock not to see it here. I would be off exploring the castle right about now if this were WillowBoil."
"But you wouldn't have it done before your class!" Hermione said amazed looking as if Cassandra were the spawn of something evil.
"So? I just do it in class before the bell rings. I usually get top points on it."
"But Hogwarts is different! This is the finest school to learn witchcraft and the teachers are lots harder! You'll start to slip off if you don't step up!" Hermione explained feverishly.
"I'll keep it in mind but I'm not worried about it Hermione. If worse comes to worse I'll just go back to WillowBoil." Cassandra said simply.
Harry and Ron looked at each other. Why did Cassandra leave WillowBoil to come to Hogwarts? If she was perfectly happy to go back to WillowBoil why didn't she just leave?
"Um. . . Cassie, what do your parents think about you coming to Hogwarts?" Harry asked giving her a questioning look.
"They don't think anything. Both my parents are dead." Cassandra explained before she packed up her things and pushed her plate away from her. Her appetite seemed to have vanished. "See you guys in Binns' class," she added before she left the Great Hall a grim smile set on her face.
"I think that was the wrong thing to say," Hermione pointed out as they watched her leave.
"Wow Hermione, what was your first clue?" Ron snapped before they started to eat their breakfast, each of them talking about schoolwork and the mysterious Dark Arts teacher.
When Harry, Hermione, and Ron arrived in Professor Binns class, they found Cassandra surrounded by the rest of the Gryffindor sixth years. They were all laughing at something they said, her face hidden. Then her face popped up and everyone burst out into hysterics. There she was black hair slicked back, a melon slice stuck to her nose and protruding out.
"Fifty points from Gryffindor Miss Brown! You too Mr. Thomas for staring at your cauldron instead of doing something to it!" Cassandra snapped in a perfect impression of Snape. The sixth years doubled over in laughter as Cassandra started to skip around the room singing a rather bawdy song. Ron laughed out loudly and joined the other sixth years. "ONE HUNDRED FIFTY POINTS WEASLY FOR HAVING RED HAIR LIKE THE REST OF YOUR FAMILY!" Cassandra bellowed and Ron couldn't help but laugh at her incessant antics.
Hermione let out a small scoff and she looked at Harry as if expecting him to scoff as well. But a small smile tweaked the sides of Harry's mouth before Professor Binns entered the room. The laughter died quickly and the melon fell off of Cassandra's nose as she took a seat between Dean Thomas and Seams Finnigan. Her hair fell across her face again as she pulled out some parchment and a quill ready to take notes.
Harry, Ron and Hermione took a seat close to the back so they could take notes and talk quietly without dying of boredom. "What has she got against Snape?" Hermione asked before she quickly took notes about the Vampire Ban of 1432. Harry shrugged as he moved his quill swiftly across his parchment.
"It's obvious isn't it? He took off one hundred thirty points because she spoke her mind in class."
"But she kind of deserved it Ron."
"So? I'm almost positive he'll be out for her blood next. He's going to take points off from her for her just having black hair or for being from America. Just wait you'll see." Ron countered and Hermione shook her head, muttering how stupid he was being before she went back to her notes.
Their class ended an hour later and Harry, Ron and Hermione headed back to the common room to put away their History of Magic text books and notes in their dormitories. They saw Cassandra ahead of them, putting her books into her bag but what she didn't see was Malfoy creeping up behind her, Crabbe and Goyle lumbering silently behind him. He pulled his wand out and placed it right behind her head. Harry and Hermione exchanged worried looks and Ron looked absolutely bewildered. There was nothing they could have done as Malfoy quickly pulled his wand back and bellowed his curse.
"Comarious!" The blinding white light flew the short distance from Malfoy's wand to the back of Cassandra's head. The light surrounded her before she was sent hurtling forward, not even uttering a cry of surprise. The entire hall stopped to watch in amazement as she continued to soar through the air and straight into the suit of armor across the hall. She landed with a crash, her books and parchment flaying out everywhere. The suit of armor fell apart and let out a resounding "Ow!" before all was silent in the hall except the laughter and jeers of Malfoy and his two thugs.
Harry, Ron and Hermione were the closest to the armor and Cassandra. They hurried forward and saw that she was knocked unconscious, a small cut forming on her forehead.
"What's going on here?" a voice asked from the top of the staircase. Harry looked up quickly and his mouth fell open as Remus Lupin walked down the stairs toward them, his wand wielded and a grim expression on his face.
"It was that boy over there," a first year explained pointing to Malfoy who didn't dare move, "he hexed the girl over there."
Lupin nodded his head to the little boy and walked over to Malfoy who was looking at Lupin as if he remembered him from somewhere. "Do you have an explanation for this?" Lupin asked Malfoy who looked at Crabbe and Goyle.
"Aren't you the professor from our third year? The one who was a werewolf?" Malfoy blurted out sending the hall into a frenzy with the exception of the older students.
"No, I am not. But perhaps you are talking about my twin brother Remus Lupin? Now, I will ask you again. Did you have an explanation for this?" Lupin's brother asked Malfoy as he pointed towards Cassandra who was still lying among the body armor.
"Well Professor Lupin," Malfoy began spitting out 'professor' as if it were a dirty name, "she attacked me first. I was merely protecting myself."
"Really now? What's your name and what is your house?" Professor Lupin asked his voice gravely serious.
"Draco Malfoy, Slytherin."
"Well Mr. Malfoy from Slytherin, if she did, in fact, attack you I am sure that all the students in this hall are witnesses to this attack and they will therefore back you up in your story." Lupin explained. He looked around at all the students and shrugged his shoulders. "Do any of you wish to defend Mr. Malfoy's statement?" No one came forward. Not even Crabbe and Goyle. "Well then Mr. Malfoy. I believe we'll take twenty points away from Slytherin and you'll serve detention with me a week from today. I'll see you in class." Professor Lupin explained before he turned his back to Malfoy and walked over to where Cassandra was still unconscious.
"Y-You're Remus Lupin's brother?" Harry asked incredulously as the man kneeled down to inspect Cassandra.
"You must be Harry! Yes I am Remus Lupin's brother. Romulus Lupin if you please," Romulus Lupin said sticking his hand out. Harry shook it vigorously and he then introduced him to Ron and Hermione. "Did you happen to hear the curse Mr. Malfoy used on Miss White?"
"He said something like 'Comarious' it sounds vaguely familiar but I just can't place it," Hermione explained her brow furrowing in confusion.
"I see. Well, lets get her to the Hospital Wing straight away. I believe she'll be unconscious for the next day or so," Professor Romulus Lupin began. He, along with Harry and Ron, began to move Cassandra off the armor. Hermione gasped in wonderment as Cassandra's eyes flew open and she jumped to her feet.
"Where the hell is that ruddy bastard? I'll curse him the damn fool!" she roared as she looked around for Malfoy, scaring some third year girls in the process.
"Relax Miss White. I have already taken points off from Mr. Malfoy and he will be serving a detention with me in a week's time. I suggest we take you to the hospital wing." Professor Lupin advised as Cassandra began to pick up her books.
"No. I'm fine. I don't need to go to the hospital wing," she said as she slammed her books into her bag. "But Malfoy will when I'm through with him!"
"I recommend that you do not go after Mr. Malfoy. After all, after your stint with Professor Snape yesterday I feel that you should steer clear of the Slytherins for a while," Professor Lupin explained giving her a look a scolding father would give a daughter.
"Fine Ro.Professor Lupin. Fine," Cassandra stammered before she headed towards the staircase. "Aren't you four coming? If I stand correct Professor Lupin you have a class to teach." Cassandra said with a tiny laugh. Professor Lupin smiled and he started up the stairs, Harry, Ron and Hermione following pursuit.
When the five entered the classroom many of the Gryffindors rushed forward to ask Cassandra about her attack.
"Did you feel anything when you ran into the armor?"
"Are you going to hex Malfoy?"
"Did you know he was behind you?"
Someone cleared their voice rather loudly and everyone stopped asking questions as they stared at their new professor, now sitting behind his desk. "If you all could take your seats, we can begin class."
Everyone scrambled to get a seat near the front as the professor rose to his feet and addressed the class. "My name is Professor Romulus Lupin and I will be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year. Many of you probably remember a particular wizard with the same surname as my own. If you haven't heard already, Remus Lupin is my twin brother."
Dean Thomas immediately raised his hand ready to impose a question. "Yes. . . Mr. Thomas?" Professor Lupin asked looking down at his roll call parchment.
"Um. . . Professor, sir. A-are you a."
"A werewolf?" Professor Lupin asked the same question burning in everyone's mind.
"Yes sir. Are you a werewolf?"
"No. I am not a werewolf. My brother was unfortunate enough to be bitten by a werewolf when he was young. But I was not inflicted whatsoever." Professor Lupin explained and Harry could hear everyone let out a breath of relief. "Now, as I understand your last teacher failed to teach you about the more advanced evil creatures last year due to the fact she was, how shall I put this, a bit of spy for the Ministry?" Everyone aside from Cassandra and Lupin smiled.
"I see. Well then, for the first month we'll review these dangerous creatures before we have a small exam over them. Then we'll get into the more advanced curses and hexes." Lupin explained before he magically distributed the books they were scheduled to get last year if it had not been for Professor Umbridge. "If you could open your books to page eight we will begin with Gobertails."
The sixth years spent the rest of the hour reading about Gobertails and learning the spells to draw the beasts away from them if they were ever attacked. Gobertails were like enormous crocodiles except they had the tail of an elephant, the body of a weasel, the long and winding neck of a giraffe, and finally a nearly six foot long crocodile head with two foot long teeth. They mostly lived in swamps and moors and would attract their prey with their unusual singing talents.
Near the end of the lesson, Professor Lupin brought out a large fifteen foot tank into the middle of the classroom, covered with a long cloth. The class watched in wonderment as he pulled off the cloak and there was a real life Gobertail swimming around in the tank. The Gobertail immediately started to sing its song and Harry realized that it didn't have any teeth before he felt like a wave of peacefulness covered him. He liked the Gobertail's song. He liked it so much he would have loved to join him and sing along.
"Gobtailquietous," a voice said calmly through the veil in Harry's mind. The singing stopped and Harry wanted to yell in protest. And then, almost as quickly as it had came, the veil slipped away from his mind and he was staring at the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. He saw that Neville Longbottom was trying to claw his way up to the tank and he saw Hermione carrying a chair to help her to get into the tank with the Gobertail. She blinked around stupidly, flushed pink from embarrassment before she put the chair back and sat down next to Ron.
"As you can see, the Gobertail's song is extremely powerful and can even attract a person to him even if he is an inch from going completely deaf. Twenty points to Gryffindor and an extra twenty to Miss White for not falling underneath the Gobertail's spell," Professor Lupin explained the Gryffindors looking extremely happy. Everyone looked around wildly to see where Cassandra was and they found her sitting quietly in her seat looking around absentmindedly. "Cassandra!" Professor Lupin barked and it was only when Cassandra looked at Professor Lupin and saw him addressing her did she raise her wand and point it to herself.
"Sorry Professor. Couldn't hear you. I went a bit deaf back there," she said with a big grin. Professor Lupin chuckled and covered the Gobertail up with the cloth. The students took their seats and Hermione looked over at Cassandra a jealous expression on her face. Harry smiled to himself before Lupin assigned their homework, (one parchment on what it felt like to be under the Gobertail's spell, with the exception of Cassandra) and they were on their way.
As they made their way back up to Gryffindor Tower, Hermione pulled Ron and Harry back, Cassandra hurrying up to the tower with Paravati and Lavender.
"I just remembered where I read about the Comarious Curse!" Hermione said in a happy voice.
"Oh . . . we can only hope that you would be here to save the day," Ron said sarcastically. Hermione shot him a disgusted look before she looked at them, her eyes growing serious.
"The Comarious Curse puts the person who was cursed into a deep sleep, almost like a coma. It can be treated though. If medicated, the person will wake up in a day or so. But if they aren't medicated there's no telling when they'll wake up."
"What's the point Hermione?" Ron said growing agitated.
"The point is," Hermione said dramatically, "the point is Cassandra wasn't even medicated and yet she woke up in less than five minutes. Don't you find that odd it was almost like she wasn't infected by it at all?"
"Maybe Malfoy just missed or something Hermione," Harry suggested, "And she didn't get the full blow of it."
"Miss? Miss? His wand was an inch away from her head when he caused that curse! He couldn't have missed her or I'm the thickest witch at Hogwarts," Hermione exclaimed as if he and Ron were daft. Harry and Ron, knowing full well that Hermione wasn't the dumbest witch at Hogwarts only nodded silently as they made their way through the portrait of the Fat Lady.
Once they were inside they heard someone give a shriek by the post board that announced all the social things happening in Hogwarts from the Hogsmeade visits to the Quidditch tryouts. Looking around the corner, Harry noticed it was Cassandra who had yelled loudly, gazing at a scarlet paper that hung in the middle of the post board.
"I'm going for it!" He heard her say before she headed up to the girls' dormitory. Harry and Ron hurried forward and looked at the announcement.
"QUIDDITCH TRYOUTS!"
"TO BE HELD ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 7TH!"
"Please write out position you will be trying out for"
Chasers: Ginny Weasly, Dean, Thomas, Seamus Finnigan.
Beaters: Cassandra White.
From your Quidditch Captain: Katie Bell.
Harry and Ron were ecstatic that they would actually have people trying out for their Quidditch team this year.
"But we only have one person signing up for a Beater!" Ron exclaimed but then he stopped short. "Oh. . .I don't ruddy believe it!"
And Harry saw the tiny writing that came before Cassandra's name. 'Neville Longbottom.'
In Harry's eyes, the seventh didn't seem to come quick enough. The teachers loaded the sixth year students down with homework and their first weekend back to Hogwarts wasn't the most enjoyable. Snape was exceptionally mean when the Gryffindors came into his classroom that Friday. He gave a satisfied grin when he saw their faces of complaint when he assigned them two pieces of parchment about the Polyjuice Potion, its dangers and some of its uses. Harry, Ron and Hermione saw this as not a problem since they had made the potion their second year to find out if Malfoy was the Heir of Slytherin.
But the day finally came and immediately after dinner, Harry and Ron made their way out to the Quidditch pitch to watch the tryouts and to play a small game to see the teamwork with each of the Gryffindor Team hopefuls.
Once they reached the pitch they saw that Ginny and Cassandra were already up in the air, Cassie beating a Quaffle to Ginny who caught it wonderfully and chucked it into one of the goal posts. Dean and Seamus were cheering loudly and Neville stood by a broom from the broom shed, a look of positive terror on his face.
Harry and Ron mounted their brooms and began to warm up a bit before Katie Bell, now in her seventh and final year at Hogwarts came out to begin the tryouts. Ron was in front of the goal posts, protecting them from Ginny, Dean, and Seamus who had now taken the field. Harry watched as Cassandra flew down to the ground to Neville. He watched as they talked for a bit before Neville finally mounted his broom and took off, wobbly at first, but he finally gained his balance and was soon smacking a second Quaffle back and forth with Cassandra.
"Pack it in people! We're starting the tryouts!" Katie Bell shouted from the ground. Everyone stopped what they were doing and flew to the ground, surrounding the Quidditch Captain. Neville gave Ginny a nervous look, but she looked collected as she and Cassandra laughed about a joke Dean had just told. Katie shot them a look before she began her speech.
"We're going to start with Chasers first. I'll go up with you. We'll play two against two and then I want to see how each of you deal up against Ron. Let's get to it," Katie said and then she blew into her whistle and she, Dean, Seamus and Ginny took up to the air, Ron handing Katie the Quaffle.
The grouped played for at least fifteen minutes. Ginny and Katie on one team, Seamus and Dean on the other. Harry couldn't help but marvel at Ginny and Dean's skills as they tried to get the Quaffle to either side of the pitch. Soon Katie called Ron up and each of the hopefuls tried to get the Quaffle through the hoops. Ginny and Seamus managed to get a few in while Dean only got about three. Katie called an end to the Chaser tryouts before she called up the Beaters.
"I'm going to send the Bludger up and I'll take the Quaffle, try to keep the bludger away from me. Harry watched Cassandra nod before Ron walked forward and unleashed the struggling bludger into the air.
The black ball headed straight for Katie and would have hit her if Cassandra hadn't flown in front of her, smacking the bludger with all her might in the opposite direction.
"Nice hit Cassandra," Katie complimented as she zoomed around in a circle waiting for the bludger to come back. "You hit this one next Neville." Neville gulped down the lump in his throat when he saw the bludger coming back for Katie. He teetered forward reluctantly but he wasn't teetering fast enough for the bludger because it went past Neville and went straight for Katie. Cassandra flew in its path again and smacked the bludger once more, sending it farther than she had hit it the first time. "Come on Neville, next time be there!" Katie exclaimed and Harry saw Neville turn pink. The third time the bludger came back, Neville flew in front of Katie at all times and when the bludger came toward him he hit it in a moderate tone and sent it at least five feet away from Katie. "God show Neville!" Katie said and if possible, Neville blushed even more. Soon they were playing a full game, four on four, Cassandra and Neville hitting around Quaffles that had been bewitched to float around so they didn't cause damage to any of the players.
"Wonderful scrimmage everybody! The positions will be posted in the common room tomorrow morning. Hit the showers," Katie said to her equally tired team members.
"That was so much fun! I hope I made it!" Cassandra exclaimed happily as she bounded up to the castle, the practice seemed didn't seem to take any energy out of her whatsoever.
"I wouldn't doubt it Cassie," Ron said, "You'd give Fred and George a run for their money."
"Fred and George?" Cassandra inquired.
"My twin older brothers. They were on the team before they left last year. Some of the best ruddy beaters Gryffindor ever had," Ron explained. "But I'm sure you'll get it."
And sure enough the following Monday morning a loud shriek penetrated through the common room. Harry and Ron hurried downstairs, fixing their robes quickly. They saw Cassandra and Ginny dancing around the common room singing at the top of their lungs.
"We got in! We got in! We got in!"
Harry and Ron went to inspect the new Gryffindor team and saw that Dean and Ginny were the two new chasers and Cassandra and to Harry's surprise, Neville were named as the new beaters.
"This is going to be an interesting season," Ron muttered to Harry.
NOTE: I'm making Katie Bell a seventh year in this story due to the fact that I was stupid not to put a part in here where Harry find's out he's Quidditch captain. Plus I don't know if he's ready yet.
7. An Unusual Audition.
After the first two days back at Hogwarts the sixth years realized that their work load had tripled since fifth year. Ron complained about the absurd amount of homework Professor Trelawney had assigned him, Harry, and Cassandra. The three of them, including Hermione were in the Gryffindor common room trying to finish their homework. Harry, Ron and Cassandra sat around with their planet and star charts trying to predict the upcoming month. Ron had informed Cassandra that their old fraud of a divination professor loved death predictions and Cassandra seemed to be handling the situation fabulously.
"So let's see, next week I'll stumble into the Forbidden Forest and meet up with a troll who'll club me to death," Cassandra said as she wrote something down on her parchment. "Because my zodiac sign doesn't get along with Virgo and Jupiter has blocked out Mercury." Harry and Ron nodded while Hermione rolled her eyes as she busied herself with her Arithmancy homework.
"And I'll take a Bludger to the head and slip into a coma," Ron explained as he wrote furiously a great big smile coming across his face. What about you Harry?"
"I was going to use something with Quidditch. Oh! I'll be poisoned by an enemy," Harry said before he wrote it down next to a rather lopsided looking planet.
"Cassie should use that one seeing as Snape hates her guts already," Ron pointed out before the three of them laughed.
"What classes do we have tomorrow?" Cassandra inquired as she put away her Divination homework and pulled out a rather nasty looking Transfiguration essay.
"We finally have Defense Against the Dark Arts tomorrow. I'm extremely anxious to see who the new teacher is," Hermione exclaimed bursting in on their conversation. The three of them gave each other knowing looks as well as looks of excitement.
"Any teacher could be better than that old Umbridge prat," Ron said loudly as he also pulled out his Transfiguration homework.
"Is she coming back this year?" Cassandra asked as she began to write her essay about the steps it took to transfigure a rope to a snake.
"Everyone says the Defense Against the Dark Arts position is cursed. We've had a different one every year. One dead, two in St. Mungo's, one of them was a werewolf, and one was an imposter. The real professor was locked up in a trunk the whole school year." Hermione explained her voice rather low. "I've kept asking some of the other years who the teacher is but they won't tell me. Said it was some big secret."
"Well, I guess the secret's out tomorrow then. I'm heading up to bed; I'll finish this work in History of Magic tomorrow. I'm sure Binns won't mind," Cassandra explained stifling a yawn before she gathered her things and headed upstairs.
When Harry, Ron and Hermione gathered in the Great Hall the next day for breakfast they found that Cassandra was already there, gulping down pumpkin juice and some scrambled eggs, her Divination homework spread out in front of her. Many of the Gryffindors ignored her. Here was the person that set them in last place for the House Cup. Losing one hundred thirty points in one day was a new record. Not even Fred and George Weasly had lost that many points in a single day. Cassandra didn't seem to mind though. She was busy copying down another horrendous accident she would be having in the following month.
"This is why we don't procrastinate Cassandra," Hermione scolded as her pumpkin juice teetered dangerously over Cassandra's chart.
"Nonsense Hermione, procrastination is the American way!" Cassandra said with a laugh as she put the finishing touches on her perfect fortune telling chart. "At WillowBoil everyone was eating in the cafeteria and scrambling to finish their homework. It's quite a shock not to see it here. I would be off exploring the castle right about now if this were WillowBoil."
"But you wouldn't have it done before your class!" Hermione said amazed looking as if Cassandra were the spawn of something evil.
"So? I just do it in class before the bell rings. I usually get top points on it."
"But Hogwarts is different! This is the finest school to learn witchcraft and the teachers are lots harder! You'll start to slip off if you don't step up!" Hermione explained feverishly.
"I'll keep it in mind but I'm not worried about it Hermione. If worse comes to worse I'll just go back to WillowBoil." Cassandra said simply.
Harry and Ron looked at each other. Why did Cassandra leave WillowBoil to come to Hogwarts? If she was perfectly happy to go back to WillowBoil why didn't she just leave?
"Um. . . Cassie, what do your parents think about you coming to Hogwarts?" Harry asked giving her a questioning look.
"They don't think anything. Both my parents are dead." Cassandra explained before she packed up her things and pushed her plate away from her. Her appetite seemed to have vanished. "See you guys in Binns' class," she added before she left the Great Hall a grim smile set on her face.
"I think that was the wrong thing to say," Hermione pointed out as they watched her leave.
"Wow Hermione, what was your first clue?" Ron snapped before they started to eat their breakfast, each of them talking about schoolwork and the mysterious Dark Arts teacher.
When Harry, Hermione, and Ron arrived in Professor Binns class, they found Cassandra surrounded by the rest of the Gryffindor sixth years. They were all laughing at something they said, her face hidden. Then her face popped up and everyone burst out into hysterics. There she was black hair slicked back, a melon slice stuck to her nose and protruding out.
"Fifty points from Gryffindor Miss Brown! You too Mr. Thomas for staring at your cauldron instead of doing something to it!" Cassandra snapped in a perfect impression of Snape. The sixth years doubled over in laughter as Cassandra started to skip around the room singing a rather bawdy song. Ron laughed out loudly and joined the other sixth years. "ONE HUNDRED FIFTY POINTS WEASLY FOR HAVING RED HAIR LIKE THE REST OF YOUR FAMILY!" Cassandra bellowed and Ron couldn't help but laugh at her incessant antics.
Hermione let out a small scoff and she looked at Harry as if expecting him to scoff as well. But a small smile tweaked the sides of Harry's mouth before Professor Binns entered the room. The laughter died quickly and the melon fell off of Cassandra's nose as she took a seat between Dean Thomas and Seams Finnigan. Her hair fell across her face again as she pulled out some parchment and a quill ready to take notes.
Harry, Ron and Hermione took a seat close to the back so they could take notes and talk quietly without dying of boredom. "What has she got against Snape?" Hermione asked before she quickly took notes about the Vampire Ban of 1432. Harry shrugged as he moved his quill swiftly across his parchment.
"It's obvious isn't it? He took off one hundred thirty points because she spoke her mind in class."
"But she kind of deserved it Ron."
"So? I'm almost positive he'll be out for her blood next. He's going to take points off from her for her just having black hair or for being from America. Just wait you'll see." Ron countered and Hermione shook her head, muttering how stupid he was being before she went back to her notes.
Their class ended an hour later and Harry, Ron and Hermione headed back to the common room to put away their History of Magic text books and notes in their dormitories. They saw Cassandra ahead of them, putting her books into her bag but what she didn't see was Malfoy creeping up behind her, Crabbe and Goyle lumbering silently behind him. He pulled his wand out and placed it right behind her head. Harry and Hermione exchanged worried looks and Ron looked absolutely bewildered. There was nothing they could have done as Malfoy quickly pulled his wand back and bellowed his curse.
"Comarious!" The blinding white light flew the short distance from Malfoy's wand to the back of Cassandra's head. The light surrounded her before she was sent hurtling forward, not even uttering a cry of surprise. The entire hall stopped to watch in amazement as she continued to soar through the air and straight into the suit of armor across the hall. She landed with a crash, her books and parchment flaying out everywhere. The suit of armor fell apart and let out a resounding "Ow!" before all was silent in the hall except the laughter and jeers of Malfoy and his two thugs.
Harry, Ron and Hermione were the closest to the armor and Cassandra. They hurried forward and saw that she was knocked unconscious, a small cut forming on her forehead.
"What's going on here?" a voice asked from the top of the staircase. Harry looked up quickly and his mouth fell open as Remus Lupin walked down the stairs toward them, his wand wielded and a grim expression on his face.
"It was that boy over there," a first year explained pointing to Malfoy who didn't dare move, "he hexed the girl over there."
Lupin nodded his head to the little boy and walked over to Malfoy who was looking at Lupin as if he remembered him from somewhere. "Do you have an explanation for this?" Lupin asked Malfoy who looked at Crabbe and Goyle.
"Aren't you the professor from our third year? The one who was a werewolf?" Malfoy blurted out sending the hall into a frenzy with the exception of the older students.
"No, I am not. But perhaps you are talking about my twin brother Remus Lupin? Now, I will ask you again. Did you have an explanation for this?" Lupin's brother asked Malfoy as he pointed towards Cassandra who was still lying among the body armor.
"Well Professor Lupin," Malfoy began spitting out 'professor' as if it were a dirty name, "she attacked me first. I was merely protecting myself."
"Really now? What's your name and what is your house?" Professor Lupin asked his voice gravely serious.
"Draco Malfoy, Slytherin."
"Well Mr. Malfoy from Slytherin, if she did, in fact, attack you I am sure that all the students in this hall are witnesses to this attack and they will therefore back you up in your story." Lupin explained. He looked around at all the students and shrugged his shoulders. "Do any of you wish to defend Mr. Malfoy's statement?" No one came forward. Not even Crabbe and Goyle. "Well then Mr. Malfoy. I believe we'll take twenty points away from Slytherin and you'll serve detention with me a week from today. I'll see you in class." Professor Lupin explained before he turned his back to Malfoy and walked over to where Cassandra was still unconscious.
"Y-You're Remus Lupin's brother?" Harry asked incredulously as the man kneeled down to inspect Cassandra.
"You must be Harry! Yes I am Remus Lupin's brother. Romulus Lupin if you please," Romulus Lupin said sticking his hand out. Harry shook it vigorously and he then introduced him to Ron and Hermione. "Did you happen to hear the curse Mr. Malfoy used on Miss White?"
"He said something like 'Comarious' it sounds vaguely familiar but I just can't place it," Hermione explained her brow furrowing in confusion.
"I see. Well, lets get her to the Hospital Wing straight away. I believe she'll be unconscious for the next day or so," Professor Romulus Lupin began. He, along with Harry and Ron, began to move Cassandra off the armor. Hermione gasped in wonderment as Cassandra's eyes flew open and she jumped to her feet.
"Where the hell is that ruddy bastard? I'll curse him the damn fool!" she roared as she looked around for Malfoy, scaring some third year girls in the process.
"Relax Miss White. I have already taken points off from Mr. Malfoy and he will be serving a detention with me in a week's time. I suggest we take you to the hospital wing." Professor Lupin advised as Cassandra began to pick up her books.
"No. I'm fine. I don't need to go to the hospital wing," she said as she slammed her books into her bag. "But Malfoy will when I'm through with him!"
"I recommend that you do not go after Mr. Malfoy. After all, after your stint with Professor Snape yesterday I feel that you should steer clear of the Slytherins for a while," Professor Lupin explained giving her a look a scolding father would give a daughter.
"Fine Ro.Professor Lupin. Fine," Cassandra stammered before she headed towards the staircase. "Aren't you four coming? If I stand correct Professor Lupin you have a class to teach." Cassandra said with a tiny laugh. Professor Lupin smiled and he started up the stairs, Harry, Ron and Hermione following pursuit.
When the five entered the classroom many of the Gryffindors rushed forward to ask Cassandra about her attack.
"Did you feel anything when you ran into the armor?"
"Are you going to hex Malfoy?"
"Did you know he was behind you?"
Someone cleared their voice rather loudly and everyone stopped asking questions as they stared at their new professor, now sitting behind his desk. "If you all could take your seats, we can begin class."
Everyone scrambled to get a seat near the front as the professor rose to his feet and addressed the class. "My name is Professor Romulus Lupin and I will be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year. Many of you probably remember a particular wizard with the same surname as my own. If you haven't heard already, Remus Lupin is my twin brother."
Dean Thomas immediately raised his hand ready to impose a question. "Yes. . . Mr. Thomas?" Professor Lupin asked looking down at his roll call parchment.
"Um. . . Professor, sir. A-are you a."
"A werewolf?" Professor Lupin asked the same question burning in everyone's mind.
"Yes sir. Are you a werewolf?"
"No. I am not a werewolf. My brother was unfortunate enough to be bitten by a werewolf when he was young. But I was not inflicted whatsoever." Professor Lupin explained and Harry could hear everyone let out a breath of relief. "Now, as I understand your last teacher failed to teach you about the more advanced evil creatures last year due to the fact she was, how shall I put this, a bit of spy for the Ministry?" Everyone aside from Cassandra and Lupin smiled.
"I see. Well then, for the first month we'll review these dangerous creatures before we have a small exam over them. Then we'll get into the more advanced curses and hexes." Lupin explained before he magically distributed the books they were scheduled to get last year if it had not been for Professor Umbridge. "If you could open your books to page eight we will begin with Gobertails."
The sixth years spent the rest of the hour reading about Gobertails and learning the spells to draw the beasts away from them if they were ever attacked. Gobertails were like enormous crocodiles except they had the tail of an elephant, the body of a weasel, the long and winding neck of a giraffe, and finally a nearly six foot long crocodile head with two foot long teeth. They mostly lived in swamps and moors and would attract their prey with their unusual singing talents.
Near the end of the lesson, Professor Lupin brought out a large fifteen foot tank into the middle of the classroom, covered with a long cloth. The class watched in wonderment as he pulled off the cloak and there was a real life Gobertail swimming around in the tank. The Gobertail immediately started to sing its song and Harry realized that it didn't have any teeth before he felt like a wave of peacefulness covered him. He liked the Gobertail's song. He liked it so much he would have loved to join him and sing along.
"Gobtailquietous," a voice said calmly through the veil in Harry's mind. The singing stopped and Harry wanted to yell in protest. And then, almost as quickly as it had came, the veil slipped away from his mind and he was staring at the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. He saw that Neville Longbottom was trying to claw his way up to the tank and he saw Hermione carrying a chair to help her to get into the tank with the Gobertail. She blinked around stupidly, flushed pink from embarrassment before she put the chair back and sat down next to Ron.
"As you can see, the Gobertail's song is extremely powerful and can even attract a person to him even if he is an inch from going completely deaf. Twenty points to Gryffindor and an extra twenty to Miss White for not falling underneath the Gobertail's spell," Professor Lupin explained the Gryffindors looking extremely happy. Everyone looked around wildly to see where Cassandra was and they found her sitting quietly in her seat looking around absentmindedly. "Cassandra!" Professor Lupin barked and it was only when Cassandra looked at Professor Lupin and saw him addressing her did she raise her wand and point it to herself.
"Sorry Professor. Couldn't hear you. I went a bit deaf back there," she said with a big grin. Professor Lupin chuckled and covered the Gobertail up with the cloth. The students took their seats and Hermione looked over at Cassandra a jealous expression on her face. Harry smiled to himself before Lupin assigned their homework, (one parchment on what it felt like to be under the Gobertail's spell, with the exception of Cassandra) and they were on their way.
As they made their way back up to Gryffindor Tower, Hermione pulled Ron and Harry back, Cassandra hurrying up to the tower with Paravati and Lavender.
"I just remembered where I read about the Comarious Curse!" Hermione said in a happy voice.
"Oh . . . we can only hope that you would be here to save the day," Ron said sarcastically. Hermione shot him a disgusted look before she looked at them, her eyes growing serious.
"The Comarious Curse puts the person who was cursed into a deep sleep, almost like a coma. It can be treated though. If medicated, the person will wake up in a day or so. But if they aren't medicated there's no telling when they'll wake up."
"What's the point Hermione?" Ron said growing agitated.
"The point is," Hermione said dramatically, "the point is Cassandra wasn't even medicated and yet she woke up in less than five minutes. Don't you find that odd it was almost like she wasn't infected by it at all?"
"Maybe Malfoy just missed or something Hermione," Harry suggested, "And she didn't get the full blow of it."
"Miss? Miss? His wand was an inch away from her head when he caused that curse! He couldn't have missed her or I'm the thickest witch at Hogwarts," Hermione exclaimed as if he and Ron were daft. Harry and Ron, knowing full well that Hermione wasn't the dumbest witch at Hogwarts only nodded silently as they made their way through the portrait of the Fat Lady.
Once they were inside they heard someone give a shriek by the post board that announced all the social things happening in Hogwarts from the Hogsmeade visits to the Quidditch tryouts. Looking around the corner, Harry noticed it was Cassandra who had yelled loudly, gazing at a scarlet paper that hung in the middle of the post board.
"I'm going for it!" He heard her say before she headed up to the girls' dormitory. Harry and Ron hurried forward and looked at the announcement.
"QUIDDITCH TRYOUTS!"
"TO BE HELD ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 7TH!"
"Please write out position you will be trying out for"
Chasers: Ginny Weasly, Dean, Thomas, Seamus Finnigan.
Beaters: Cassandra White.
From your Quidditch Captain: Katie Bell.
Harry and Ron were ecstatic that they would actually have people trying out for their Quidditch team this year.
"But we only have one person signing up for a Beater!" Ron exclaimed but then he stopped short. "Oh. . .I don't ruddy believe it!"
And Harry saw the tiny writing that came before Cassandra's name. 'Neville Longbottom.'
In Harry's eyes, the seventh didn't seem to come quick enough. The teachers loaded the sixth year students down with homework and their first weekend back to Hogwarts wasn't the most enjoyable. Snape was exceptionally mean when the Gryffindors came into his classroom that Friday. He gave a satisfied grin when he saw their faces of complaint when he assigned them two pieces of parchment about the Polyjuice Potion, its dangers and some of its uses. Harry, Ron and Hermione saw this as not a problem since they had made the potion their second year to find out if Malfoy was the Heir of Slytherin.
But the day finally came and immediately after dinner, Harry and Ron made their way out to the Quidditch pitch to watch the tryouts and to play a small game to see the teamwork with each of the Gryffindor Team hopefuls.
Once they reached the pitch they saw that Ginny and Cassandra were already up in the air, Cassie beating a Quaffle to Ginny who caught it wonderfully and chucked it into one of the goal posts. Dean and Seamus were cheering loudly and Neville stood by a broom from the broom shed, a look of positive terror on his face.
Harry and Ron mounted their brooms and began to warm up a bit before Katie Bell, now in her seventh and final year at Hogwarts came out to begin the tryouts. Ron was in front of the goal posts, protecting them from Ginny, Dean, and Seamus who had now taken the field. Harry watched as Cassandra flew down to the ground to Neville. He watched as they talked for a bit before Neville finally mounted his broom and took off, wobbly at first, but he finally gained his balance and was soon smacking a second Quaffle back and forth with Cassandra.
"Pack it in people! We're starting the tryouts!" Katie Bell shouted from the ground. Everyone stopped what they were doing and flew to the ground, surrounding the Quidditch Captain. Neville gave Ginny a nervous look, but she looked collected as she and Cassandra laughed about a joke Dean had just told. Katie shot them a look before she began her speech.
"We're going to start with Chasers first. I'll go up with you. We'll play two against two and then I want to see how each of you deal up against Ron. Let's get to it," Katie said and then she blew into her whistle and she, Dean, Seamus and Ginny took up to the air, Ron handing Katie the Quaffle.
The grouped played for at least fifteen minutes. Ginny and Katie on one team, Seamus and Dean on the other. Harry couldn't help but marvel at Ginny and Dean's skills as they tried to get the Quaffle to either side of the pitch. Soon Katie called Ron up and each of the hopefuls tried to get the Quaffle through the hoops. Ginny and Seamus managed to get a few in while Dean only got about three. Katie called an end to the Chaser tryouts before she called up the Beaters.
"I'm going to send the Bludger up and I'll take the Quaffle, try to keep the bludger away from me. Harry watched Cassandra nod before Ron walked forward and unleashed the struggling bludger into the air.
The black ball headed straight for Katie and would have hit her if Cassandra hadn't flown in front of her, smacking the bludger with all her might in the opposite direction.
"Nice hit Cassandra," Katie complimented as she zoomed around in a circle waiting for the bludger to come back. "You hit this one next Neville." Neville gulped down the lump in his throat when he saw the bludger coming back for Katie. He teetered forward reluctantly but he wasn't teetering fast enough for the bludger because it went past Neville and went straight for Katie. Cassandra flew in its path again and smacked the bludger once more, sending it farther than she had hit it the first time. "Come on Neville, next time be there!" Katie exclaimed and Harry saw Neville turn pink. The third time the bludger came back, Neville flew in front of Katie at all times and when the bludger came toward him he hit it in a moderate tone and sent it at least five feet away from Katie. "God show Neville!" Katie said and if possible, Neville blushed even more. Soon they were playing a full game, four on four, Cassandra and Neville hitting around Quaffles that had been bewitched to float around so they didn't cause damage to any of the players.
"Wonderful scrimmage everybody! The positions will be posted in the common room tomorrow morning. Hit the showers," Katie said to her equally tired team members.
"That was so much fun! I hope I made it!" Cassandra exclaimed happily as she bounded up to the castle, the practice seemed didn't seem to take any energy out of her whatsoever.
"I wouldn't doubt it Cassie," Ron said, "You'd give Fred and George a run for their money."
"Fred and George?" Cassandra inquired.
"My twin older brothers. They were on the team before they left last year. Some of the best ruddy beaters Gryffindor ever had," Ron explained. "But I'm sure you'll get it."
And sure enough the following Monday morning a loud shriek penetrated through the common room. Harry and Ron hurried downstairs, fixing their robes quickly. They saw Cassandra and Ginny dancing around the common room singing at the top of their lungs.
"We got in! We got in! We got in!"
Harry and Ron went to inspect the new Gryffindor team and saw that Dean and Ginny were the two new chasers and Cassandra and to Harry's surprise, Neville were named as the new beaters.
"This is going to be an interesting season," Ron muttered to Harry.