AN: ok, so I know we normally update Wednesday or Thursday, but my cowriter is looking at colleges and I'm going away so here you go! Enjoy!

Cassidy (Cas) Walker

Chapter 5

A playdate she called it. Ugh, that word makes me cringe. This isn't a playdate- it's repayment. I owe Jo for getting her a rap as the troublemaker with the whole boat thing. So now I'm tagging along on her second detention. Unknown to Hagrid, I might add. So I keep a good distance and rely mostly on my hearing to keep me on track as we travel deeper into the forest. Hagrid is practically glued to Jo and George so that no more centaurs incidents come about.

Jo can be a real idiot sometimes- riding a centaur, what was she thinking?! I'll admit, it does sound fun and exciting and all, but it's...it's a dumb kind of fun. It doesn't help or prove or improve anything. This- what we're doing right now- this is fun. Me sneaking out, her keeping it a secret, our staying together but undetected. This is smart, talented fun.

...Of course, it isn't smart or talented or fun to get so caught up in my own thoughts that I make myself at least partially visible to the detention trio. I freeze when I realize what I've done. Jo, peeking over her shoulder, sees me. Luckily, Hagrid doesn't.

So Jo, in her infinite grace and wisdom, screams at the top of her lungs and runs in the opposite direction as me. It catches Hagrid's attention. He starts yelling after her to stop, and I get my chance to drop behind the pack to a more comfortable distance. I see Jo returning with Hagrid to where Geroge was waiting, only, George isn't there anymore. None of us had noticed, but the Weasley had slipped away in the chaos. Hagrid starts lumbering around calling for Geogre. That's when I remember Jo recapping her first detention experience with him. I start looking around the tree limbs. There! He isn't actually that hard to spot, with his orange hair and all.

And suddenly I feel mischievous. The kind of mischievous that prompts me to pick up a medium sized rock and throw it at a certain tree-climbing wizard. My aim is pathetic, but the rock still hits the trunk of the tree George is perched in, and it startles him. Next thing I know, he's hanging from the tree like a sloth- upside down and clinging to his branch with his arms and legs. Jo notices and goes wide-eyed. Hagrid, who throughout all this continued to just lumber aimlessly in a circle, catches her stare and follows it to George, who is now beginning to struggle.

Hagrid grumbles something I'm too far away to make out, but he's clearly annoyed. He positions himself under George, and George lets go of the branch and falls into Hagrid's arms. I'm pretty sure Hagrid is done at this point. Unluckily for him, Jo isn't. She lets out another high pitched screech. I check myself- am I visible? No- I'm safe...which means Jo is just screaming for her own amusement. Hagrid nearly drops George in shock, and once the boy is stable on the ground Hagrid makes his way over to Jo. She smiles up very innocent-like.

"And what exactly is all that about?"
"What?"
"The screaming."
Jo grins a grin I recognize as her 'I'm-about-to-lie-not-that-you'll-ever-figure-it-out' smile. I always figure it out.
"Well," she begins in a serious and troubled voice, "I've heard that there are these creatures called 'shrieking spiders' in the dark forest that can actually talk. I wanted to see if I could communicate with them!"

I nearly laugh out loud at this. She sounds absolutely ridiculous! Usually I give Jo credit for being a convincing, talented liar. This, this is pathetic. I know I'm going to have to talk to her about that one later, if it doesn't land her in detention for absolute stupidity. I can see George looks like he's trying not to laugh too. A part of me is disappointed. I look to Hagrid for his response.

He's silent, staring, stern-looking. But there's something else-...fear? Yes. Hagrid looks afraid. I can feel my eyes bulging. He can't honestly be buying this, can he? Apparently he can, because he takes Jo by the shoulders and very forcefully says, "Now that's ridiculous, Jolene. Where'd you hear a crazy story like that? It's not true. Not true not true at all." Jo looks about as confused as I feel. Because either Hagrid is insane and we're all about to get murdered by the crazy giant man in the Dark Forest, or Jo's absolutely unbelievable story just tricked Hagrid. Honestly, my money's on the mass murder.

Back at Hogwarts less than a half hour later, Jo gives me a questioning look when I hand her a one pound note. She takes it and shrugs, pleasantly surprised.

"Don't you want to know why I'm giving it to you?"
"Not really, no"
"Then give it back!" I lunge to take it back. That money was supposed to help me make a point. I don't speak my peace, she doesn't get my money. But Jo is stronger than me, and she easily keeps me at bay. I stomp on her foot, but she just laughs.
"Fine fine fine- why, Cas, did you give me this money? No no-let me guess! It's because you're finally accepting I'm superior. No- you're paying me for the secret to my good looks."

I just stare at her, trying to look as sarcastic as possible. "No."
She rolls her eyes. "So...?"
"I'm admitting that I was wrong. I'm a good person like that."
"Wrong about...?"
"You and your lie. Your lie sucked, and I thought there was no way it would ever work. Obviously, I was wrong."

She stares at me with mock horror. "You doubted my abilities?! Cas, I'm offended. I'm not sure that a single pound can ease this deep, painful pain."
"Get over it. And next time, tell a better lie. Talking spiders? I get that we're witches and have magic and all, but talking spiders, Jo?"
"Hey, it worked didn't it? Honestly, I wasn't sure it would work either. But hey- thanks for the money. Maybe I should say crazy things more often." She grins mischievously.

"No! My point was not to make up crazy lies anymore!" She was already leaving. Ugh. She'll never learn, will she?

AN: Cas and Jo are really enjoying Hogwarts. It's a little fluffy at the moment, but hey they're twelve.

Thank you to TheRealTayler13 and AMU-dattebyo for reviewing! And thank you to the followers for ... well, following!

p.s. We're going to try and get the next chapter out the week after Easter. Oh! Happy Holidays/ Spring!