A.N. - Sorry it took so long. I hate typing. Ugh! I'm going to try and update at least once a month.

Chapter Eight

At the Slytherin table during breakfast, Cassian had been weirded out when a few of his year mates actually sat by him. Trying to ignore the sense of claustrophobia, he went over his Astronomy homework until a commotion at the Gryffindore table caught everyone's attention. The boy who'd attacked Cassian had received a red envelope from his owl and it was smoking. The fifth year grabbed it and ran while the Slytherins laughed. Even from outside the Great Hall the sound of the teen's parents shouting at him could be heard by those eating breakfast.

"He got a Howler," Draco laughed along with the others. Then as his eagle owl landed in front of him, he sobered up. Handing Cassian one of the letters attached, he looked at him. Taking the letter Cassian opened it and as his eyes moved across the paper, his face didn't change expression, but Harry knew Cassian was angry. Once again, he crumpled the letter and left it on his plate.

Draco watched him leave then just as he had last time, reached over and unwrinkled the letter and read it. He wanted to know what his father had written. Draco had written to his father about Cassian's actions in Potions, attacking him, and what Cassian said referring to his mother. He also wrote about the duel with the Gryffindore though he was sure Dumbledore had done the same.

Lucius had wrote back to Cassian telling him that he wasn't happy to be written to the first week in the school term. He practically claimed that Cassian had disgraced the Malfoy name and that his use of Muggle force against Draco was unacceptable. Knowing his father the way he did, Draco knew how to read between the lines to see that his father was practically yelling at Cassian for disobeying him when he specifically told him to keep his head down and not draw attention to himself.

Draco winced as he read the cold angry letter. Frowning, he placed it in his satchel just as he had with the other letter. His own letter from his father was just a continued warning to not draw attention blah, blah, blah. There was also a part that caught his attention however. His father wanted him to keep an eye on Cassian and send word of any and all odd behavior. He was also told to try and reconcile his friendship with his cousin.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Cassian went to the library and wasn't surprised to see Hermione was there. It had only been a week almost since classes started and only a few days since he met the girl, but he was sure she spent a lot of time in the library. With her was the Hufflepuff boy Dudley, and Neville was with them. Surprisingly Neville's fellow Gryffindore Ron was there as well. Cassian was going to ignore them and bypass their table but Neville saw him and waved him over.

Taking a seat next to Dudley and across from Hermione he saw Ron frown. Hermione was giving him a scrutinizing look while Dudley smiled in a friendly manner completely relaxed. Neville smiled at him in shyness as well as nervousness.

"What happened yesterday?" Neville asked and looked self-conscious and downcast.

Cassian gave him a blank look at first until he remembered. He was supposed to meet with Neville yesterday to go over ways to help the boy. "Sorry, I forgot."

Neville slumped downcast but looked up when the other boy continued.

"I had an appointment with Madame Pomfrey then something occurred that I completely spaced on meeting you. Sorry."

Neville wondered if the appointment had anything to do with his being at St. Mungo's. A check up perhaps? He knew that if it was him, he'd probably be distracted and forget too. Then again, it could have been his confrontation with Draco. Hermione and Dudley had been in the courtyard when it had happened. They told Neville about it later. About how Draco had joined the Slytherin Quidditch team, Snape giving Flint permission for the Quidditch pitch, even though the Gryffindore's had it booked for Seeker tryouts. Draco insulting Hermione and Dudley by calling them Mudbloods. How before anyone on the Gryffindore could do anything, mainly Fred and George Weasley, Cassian had hit Malfoy and threatened him at wand point.

Neville had heard later from his fellow dorm mates Seamus and Dean, about the duel in the hallways between a fifth year and Cassian. Everyone had expected both to be expelled. The Gryffindore's were upset they lost one hundred points and Wood had been determined to make the difference in the first Quidditch match.

With all that, Neville could see how the other boy had forgotten to meet him in the library yesterday.

"What meeting?" Ron asked curiously.

"I told you already, Ronald."

Ron frowned at Hermione using his full name. She sounded like his mother when she scolded him.

"Neville, Dudley, and I meet with Cassian to go over our homework. A study group as it were."

"Why wasn't I invited?" Ron asked put out.

Hermione sighed in exasperation. Cassian answered for her though. "They weren't sure how you'd like studying with a Slytherin."

"Not that he studies anyway," Harry commented.

Cassian had to smirk at that. No, Ron didn't look the studious type at all. The red head thinking he was smirking at him, scowled.

"After all," Cassian couldn't help but say. "This is the first time I've seen you in the library. I'm surprised you even know where it is."

Ron's ears and face got red while the other three stared at Cassian with varying looks. Hermione had an expression of a mother who was tired of her feuding children, not knowing what to do about them anymore. Neville's was of disbelief and surprise that the boy would say something like that. While Dudley was just confused, curious, and fighting a small smile. The Hufflepuff knew the reason Malfoy picked on Ron was because the red head was so easily offended and to get riled up. Obviously, Cassian thought so as well. He picked up the trace of amusement in the Slytherin's eyes.

"I'm not stupid!"

"People who say they aren't stupid usually are," Harry stated even though he knew full well that the red head couldn't hear him. Cassian must have had a look on his face expressing something along the lines of what Harry said because Ron got even more upset.

"At least I can manage to stand my cauldron right way up!"

Cassian's eyes narrowed, the gold becoming more prominent. Out of his peripheral vision he saw Neville slump in his seat, red blossoming on his face. Standing, Cassian eyed the boy with a cold glare that made Ron shiver. He sneered, "With a friend like you, I can see why some have issues with themselves. You're an immature prat."

Going around the table, Cassian grabbed Neville by the front of his robes. "You're coming with me, now." He drug the weakly protesting Gryffindore behind him to a different section of the library away from the others. Dudley watched them go then turned to Ron who was scowling still red faced and angry.

"What's his problem?"

"I believe it's you mate." Dudley half smiled.

"Mhm, I don't think he likes you."

"What'd I do? He's the one who said I couldn't find the library!"

"I think he was teasing you," Dudley said.

Hermione nodded. "Then you proceed to insult his friend."

Ron gave her a confused look.

"You insulted Neville."

"They're friends? Since when?" Ron asked completely ignoring or not hearing the part that he had insulted Neville.

Hermione gave another exasperated sigh and shook her head, Dudley joining her. "I suggest you steer clear of him for the time being."

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Neville swallowed, wondering what Cassian was going to do. The Slytherin had dragged him near the restricted section. Letting him go, Cassian crossed his arms and glared for a minute before he shut his eyes and seemed to be willing himself to calm down. When he opened them, his eyes were still more gold then green but at least they weren't so pronounced. Cassian gazed at him and he squirmed not liking people gazing at him so closely. It made him even more self conscious then he already was.

Giving him a searching look, Cassian asked, "Why do let him treat you like that? I thought you were friends?"

"We are friends," Neville quietly replied not meeting the other boy's eyes.

"Then why?" Cassian honestly didn't understand. He had never really understood the concept of friendships. Not even when Draco claimed him as friend, did he really understand. Books didn't explain it to his satisfaction, and Jake, when asked, couldn't explain it either. The older boy had just sighed seeing Cassian's blank uncomprehending look and stated, "You and I are friends. At least, I, consider us friends."

Neville shrugged. He didn't want to tell Cassian that he never really had many friends before. Not wanting to lose one of the few he'd gotten, he didn't want to say anything to ruin it. Besides, it wasn't that bad. Looking into the Slytherin's disapproving gaze, he didn't think his answer would satisfy him at all.

Frowning, Cassian opened his mouth but closed it when Harry butted in. "Ask him how he and Ron became friends."

'What has that got to do with anything?'

"Just ask him," Harry frowned. "I'll explain later if you still don't get it."

Cassian mentally growled at the green eyed boy saying, 'Whatever.' But obeyed him nonetheless since Harry was usually right when it came to things like this. Harry was just intuitive like that.

"How did you become friends with him? You trust him, right?"

Neville looked up at the other boy and saw he was serious and really did want to know. The shy Gryffindore frowned. He did trust Ron, didn't he? After all it was Ron remembered to cast the Alohamora on the troll's club, knocking the creature out. Of course that was only after Hermione reminded him. And Dudley had been almost clubbed standing in front of her to protect her. Neville on the other hand, he had been scared and frozen with indecision.

Slowly, Neville told the Slytherin about last Halloween and Dudley had come up to the Gryffindore table asking where Hermione had gone. Neville told him about hearing that she was in the girls bathroom crying. Ron's guilty expression told Dudley who was at fault for her crying. So, Dudley made Ron come with them to the girls room, unawares that a troll was loose in the castle. Then how the troll had gone into the bathroom and the chaos that followed.

Harry looked thoughtful while Cassian frowned. "That's no reason to let him get away with comments like that. You really need to stand up for yourself."

Neville was quiet and sighing, Cassian changed the subject and asked if the Gryffindore had been practicing with his cards at all. From there their conversation was more relaxed.

After the library incident, Ron didn't show up in the library again. At least not when they had their study sessions. The Gryffindore made it a habit to glare at Cassian whenever he saw him, and scowled at Neville. Seeing Cassian being friendly to his friends, caused the red head to resent the Slytherin.

Neville was anxious and uncomfortable with Ron's behavior. He couldn't understand why his dorm mate refused to believe that Cassian was alright. With the Slytherin's help, Neville was improving. The weekend private sessions to help his concentration, memory, and coordination worked were working. Then there was the study group; friends he didn't have to be embarrassed or feel stupid around.

Cassian also continued to partner him in Potions The Slytherin would reach out and grab his cloak when he occasionally rushed to stand the collect ingredients. He'd calmly tell Neville to sit and tell him what the instructions said. If Neville got it wrong, he was made to reread it again and told to take his time.

Mostly everyone was weirded out that the two would willingly work together, but accepted it. Only a few continued to eye them strangely; mainly Ron, Draco, and Snape. Cassian, whenever looks were thrown at them either pretended he was oblivious or would stare coldly and calmly back. Once when Snape made a disparaging remark, Cassian had coldly glared at the professor. When the man sarcastically asked if there was something Cassian wanted to say, the Slytherin had stated an affirmitive to the shock of everyone.

At the man's arched brow, Cassian stated, "Maybe if you weren't always criticizing and demeaning, we wouldn't be jumpy and you'd have less explosions and dangerous situations."

That comment earned Cassian detention for a week with both Filch and Snape. The cantankerous caretaker was in a foul mood because of the turning whether. Colds were rampant and Filch seemed to keep catching one. It wasn't that unusual to see students steaming from the ears from a Pepperup Potion.

Madam Pomfrey tried to get Cassian to drink one and he refused. Giving the woman a sour look he asked, "Isn't taking nutrient potions enough?"

Obviously not since she gave him the look Markale wore when he was not negotiating. Scowling, he reluctantly drank the foul potion. Harry found it hilarious and laughed as the steam poured from his ears. Cassian's glare didn't have any effect other than to make Harry laugh harder. The Slytherin sighed in exasperation.

Cassian was able to let out his frustration during his nightly Seek and Run game with Mrs. Norris. Grinning, adrenaline coursing through him, he plopped down on a couch in the Slytherin Common Room. It took him a minute to realize he wasn't alone. When he did become aware, he turned exhuberation mostly gone.

He took in her hunched form and tear stained cheeks even as he tried to recall her name. As if feeling his gaze she looked over at him and he saw the puffy red-rimmed eyes. She'd been crying for awhile.

"Ask her what's wrong," Harry demanded.

'But I don't care.'

"That's not the point! It's the thought and -"

'You just ruined my rush.'

"Waah." Harry crossed his arms a determined look on his face. Cassian sighed. There was no dealing with him when he was like this.

'Fine.' Aloud, he asked, "Why are you crying?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "You soooo need to learn what 'tackt' means."

Cassian bit down on his glare knowing it would be ineffective and didn't know what the girl would think of it. Glancing over at her he frowned, head canted to the side. "What's that?"

She held up the collar that had been gripped in her hands. "Cleopatra slipped her collar. I don't know where she is."

Cassian seriously hoped she didn't start crying again. Instead of saying 'Maybe she doesn't like you,' he asked, "Has she done this before?"

Harry still smacked him for that thought anyway.

"No," Daphne replied. Cassian was sure that's what her name was. "But she was acting strange. She's going to have kittens."

"Um..." Cassian blinked not knowing what to say to that. He knew next to nothing about animals. Harry on the other hand loved animals and was able to guess what happened.

"I know!" Harry cheerfully stated. "She's probably hiding in a dark safe secluded spot to give birth. It's important nobody disturbs her or touches the kittens."

With less enthusiasm than Harry, he relayed this to Daphne. He finished with, "Don't worry, when she feels its safe and comfortable she'll come back."

"Ask her if we can have a kitten!"

'No!'

"Why not?" Harry pouted. "It could be an advisor fee."

Cassian growled and turned to go to his dorm when Daphne quietly said, "Thank you."

Shrugging, he continued on his way and ignored Harry's pout. Flopping down on the bed he stared up at the ceiling. Rolling over he missed a pair of eyes opening and staring at his back.

Draco rolled over, eyes narrowing. He'd kept an eye on his cousin just like his father asked. Ever since Cassian had awoken from a nightmare that first night and slipped out. The blond wondered what his cousin did and where he went. Draco waited until the other boy had been gone a few moments then went to the Common Room to find it empty. Almost every night, Draco would feign sleep, listening and waiting. Almost every night he'd hear his cousin thrash around and jerk awake with a loud gasp. Then he'd get up and quietly leave and just as silently return hours later.

When morning came around Cassian's bed was empty. The boy was an early riser and Draco used the time Cassian was in the shower to write a hasty letter. Before he finished, Cassian re-entered and the blond quickly hid it under his pillow. He needn't have bothered, his cousin seemed preoccupied and moodier than usual.

As Cassian poked at his food with a disgusted look, Draco realized why Cassian was moodier and actually mouthed off to their Head of House. October was coming to a close. Halloween. A day most kids loved, but Cassian had always despised and disliked bordering on hatred. He'd never told Draco why he so despised the holiday.

The blond was also curious about something his mother wrote in one of her letters. She asked Draco to make sure Cassian saw either Professor Snape or Madam Pomfrey about his nutrient potions. She asked Draco to make sure his cousin took them. Silver-gray eyes studied the boy who was making a mess out of the food on his plate. Cassian glanced over at the Head Table, frowned, then returned to glaring at his plate. Draco glanced up at the Head Table to see both Professors Snape and Dumbledore watching Cassian.

Shoving his plate away from him, Cassian stood and left the Great Hall. Draco looked to the mess of food noticing that it had hardly been touched. As he thought abuot it, he realized he'd never really seen his cousin eat very much, even when they were kids. If he thought hard, he recalled eithere his mother and father giving Cassian a potion at different intervals.

"He doesn't eat much, does he?"

Draco looked over at Daphne who was also at the almost full plate. Draco shook his head. "Never has."

"I wish I could eat so little and still be healthy."

Except, Cassian wasn't. His hardly eating coupled with his lack of sleep was starting to show. He ahd dark circles under his eyes. To keep from drawing attention, Cassian had applied concealer. Something must have still showed though because when he met Neville, Hermione, and Dudley in the library, the Hufflepuff continued to stare at him.

"You alright Cassian?"

"Fine. Why?" his answer was a little curt.

Dudley shrugged. "You just seem...If you were a girl, I'd say you were PMSing."

"Thanks for that." Cassian scowled.

"Look, I didn't mean-"

Cassian stood and stared at the three before looking away as he collected his books. "I'll see you after Halloween."

The way he said the word Halloween had the three exchanging looks. Slowly, Hermione nodded as did Dudley. "Sure."

Nodding, Cassian stayed in the dungeons. He ignored Draco trying to get him to go up to the Great Hall for the feast. He just couldn't do it. He couldn't go in there with everyone and pretend like everything was okay. That this day had no meaning for him other than what it represented for everyone else.

Harry was put out, he wanted to see the live bats and dancing skeletons Draco had been talking about. But he did not pester Cassian as he normally would have. He would let him brood today. Harry didn't like this day either but he didn't let it ruin his day like Cassian did.

When he was sure everyone was gone, Cassian wandered the dungeons. He passed by one of the passageways lit with blue flamed black candles. Since it fit his mood, he followed it and found it growing colder. He found the cause of the decrease in temperature was due to a gathering of ghosts.

After breifly talking with Nearly Headless Nick, Cassian found out it was the Gryffindore ghost's deathday party. Politely declining an invitation when the ghost asked him, he ignored Harry's pleading look. He still hadn't asked Professor Binns or any of the other ghosts about Harry.

He wandered until he was brought up short by the appearance of Neville, Dudley, and Hermione. His brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you doing down here?"

"Looking for you of course," Dudley said.

"We were worried when you didn't show up for the feast," Hermione imputed.

"What's so interesting down here you'd skip out?"

Cassian shrugged. "There's a ghost deathday party. And I wasn't hungry." He hoped that would satisfy them and they'd go away and leave him alone. He stiffened however when he heard the voice again. He turned to Harry who nodded. It was the voice they heard while serving detention with Snape. They listened and Harry paled when it mentioned 'time to kill.'

"Cassian, what-?"

"Cassian," Harry's voice was hoarse.

Cassian was already moving, running and listening as hard as he could. Harry whimpered when it said, "I SMELL BLOOD!"

Cassian ran with Harry reluctantly following behind. The other three had also ran after him, wondering where he was going and what was going on. When Cassian stopped, all of their eyes widened. They stepped forward each looking at something else. Cassian's eyes had been drawn to the message painted on the wall, while Harry's eyes had landed on the upside down cat.

"We shouldn't be here," Harry murmured itching to run away from the scene. Dudley echoed his thoughts. "I think we should leave."

Cassian nodded and slipped on the water as made to turn quickly.

"I've got a bad feeling," Harry muttered as the passage was suddenly full of people. Cassian tried to hide in the shadows not be noticed.

Draco seeing the message, grinned. So this was what his father's continued warnings were about. His father knew this was going to happen. Cheerfully he read aloud, "Enemies of the heir, beware! You'll be next Mudbloods!"

That of course got Filch's attention. When he was Mrs. Norris a look of horror was on his face. Cassian must have twitched or made some small move because when the man saw him, he went from horror to rage within seconds.

"You!" He moved towards Cassian and Harry gripped Cassian's arm in fright. "You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you!"

Harry trembled and Cassian flexed his wrist to loose his wand. He never took his eyes off the rage filled one of Filch.

"Argus!"

While everyone turned to look at Dumbledore, Cassian didn't. The headmaster collected the cat and had Filch, Cassian, Neville, Dudley, and Hermione follow him. Lockhart volunteered to let them use his office. The group went to the man's office followed by Professors McGonagall and Snape. As Dumbledore and McGonagall looked over the cat with the others watching, Snape stood in the back observing Cassian. Lockhart babbled on curses and all the tragedies he'd 'prevented or cured' and Filch sobbing worse with each story.

When Dumbledore finished his diagnosis saying Mrs. Norris wasn't dead but petrified and that he couldn't say how.

"Ask him!" Filch cried glaring at Cassian.

"No second year could have done this," Dumbledore reasoned. "It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced -"

"He did it, he did it!" Filch raged. "His whole family is Dark! He knows how! He did it!"

"I never touched Mrs. Norris." Cassian stated coldly. The dig at his family angered him. Harry put a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Rubbish!" Filch snarled. Cassian's eyes flashed and Harry's hand tightened.

Snape decided it was time to step in. "If I might speak, headmaster. Perhaps Ashwood and his friends were in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

Cassian's eyes narrowed suspiciously while the other three twelve year olds stared at the man.

"We know why Ashwood wasn't at the feast, but one does wonder why he was n this cooridiore instead of the Slytherin Dorm? And why his friends left the feast early and came here as well."

Dudley explained about hem not seeing Cassian and deciding to go look for him. Hermione nodded. "We just found him when he-"

"Yes, Ms. Granger?"

Cassian wasn't looking at her, but Hermione saw the slight stiffening of his body. He clearly didn't want the Professor to know about his odd behavior and whatever it was that drew him up here.

"Ms. Granger?"

"When he told us he wasn't hungry." Neville took everyone by surprise for speaking up. He flushed and became uncomfortable with everyone looking at him.

"He did tell us about a deathday party going on in one of the dungeons," Dudley added. "It sounded interesting."

Dumbledore was pleased at the children's loyalty to Cassian as his friends, but he didn't show it. Instead, He stared into Cassian's eyes. The boy glared back at him and he could tell that he thought the adults wouldn't believe them. Form what he could see, Cassian was angry but not surprised that he'd been accused. The twelve year old was wearing the same look as when the older Gryffindore boy accused him of attacking first.

"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus," was his decision.

While Filch ranted, Lockhart eagerly volunteered his services, and Snape correcting his assumptions, Dumbledore dismissed the Second Years. They went up a floor before Dudley ushered them into a classroom. Rounding on Cassian as soon as the door was shut.

"All right, I think we deserve an explanation. What was that all about?"

Cassian glared intent on telling him it was none of his business but paused when Harry gently put his hand on his shoulder. He glanced over at him and Harry softly said, "I think we should tell them. Not all of it," he amended at the other's look. "Just some of it."

'Like what?'

"Like the potions and maybe the voice."

'I don't like it.' Shrugging off Harry's hand, he crossed his arms and coldly stared fixedly at a spot beyond the others.

"I don't like the taste of food so I don't eat much. Because of that I have to take nutrient potions. That's why Snape wasn't surprised I wasn't at the feast."

"Why did you rush up here?" Hermione asked.

Cassian clenched his jaw before forcing himself to answer. "I heard a voice. It was the same one I heard a month ago serving detention. It said something about killing and blood."

"We didn't hear anything."

"You think I'm lying?" He angrily challenged.

"No," Neville replied. "You blink before you lie."

A.N.- I am so tired! It's 2:45 in the morning, but I really wanted to get this updated since I was able to finally write myself out of the corner I had been in.

I was going to last night but we had bad thunderstorm so I had to make sure the computer was off and everything. By the way here is the Poll results so far:

Cassian X Luna – 3

Cassian X Daphne – 2

Cassian X Hermione – 1

None – 1

Other – 0

Thanks for voting and continue to do so! Remember if you vote Other mail me who you want or post it in the review. You can even tell me why you want that pairing or why it would work. Till next time!