Chapter Twenty-Three

Seeing Red

The next morning, Mia and Lily had breakfast with Emma and Matilda. Matilda was talking non-stop about the Fashion Show but Mia wasn't really listening; she was still thinking about what had happened with Javan last night. Although she'd told Josh she was fine, she was still a bit shaken up by it. She wasn't quite sure why she hadn't told Reuben or Lily or anyone about it – perhaps because she knew they'd both overreact and go after Javan.

"Mia?"

Mia tuned back into her surroundings, realising Matilda had been talking to her.

"Sorry, Mattie, what did you say?" Mia said.

Matilda sighed and said, "I just asked what creature you were going as to the Fashion Show."

"Um... I haven't really thought about it yet," Mia said.

Matilda looked as if she was about to launch into a barrage of ideas, but Mia was spared having to hear her suggestions as a voice started screeching from the neighbouring Hufflepuff table.

"You are a disgrace to the name of witch!" the voice screeched, full of venom. "Your sort shouldn't be allowed in a reputable school like Hogwarts. Our children shouldn't have to share their education with the spawn of Death Eaters. We've lost family members because of you! Your evil mother should've been killed the second she came out of Azkaban and then evil like you never would have existed. The headmistress should think more carefully about who she admits to our auspicious school. Sincerely, a well-wisher."

The red letter burst into flames and Mia saw it was right in front of Cassie, confirming her suspicions that the Hufflepuff girl was the Howler's intended target. After the letter finished shrieking there was a momentary silence, then Cassie fled from the Great Hall. Mia looked around for Albus, but he wasn't there. She got to her feet.

"I'm going after her," she said. "Lil, can you find Al? Mattie, see if you can find Professor Cooke. Emma, if you see Sam can you tell him I might be late for practice?"

Without waiting for a reply, Mia headed out into the Entrance Hall, wondering where Cassie might have gone. JJ was just coming down the stairs.

"Have you seen Cassie?" Mia asked him.

"No, what-?"

That meant Cassie was either still on the ground floor or she'd gone down to the dungeons or basements. Mia tried the stairs down first, but when a Hufflepuff sixth year said she hadn't seen Cassie, Mia guessed she must still be on the ground floor. She began checking out classrooms, most of which were empty and disused.

She heard crying in the fourth room she tried.

"Cassie?"

The crying stopped, and a wobbly voice said, "Mia?"

Mia found Cassie curled up under the teacher's desk at the front of the room. She sat down next to her, wondering what to say.

"That was a horrible letter," she said eventually.

"I just want them to all leave me alone," Cassie said quietly.

"Has this happened before?" Mia asked.

Cassie nodded. "Last time – when the article in the Prophet first came out. Those weren't Howlers, though. Everyone heard. When's it going to end, Mia? Whenever people start to forget that awful woman is going to write another article reminding them. I get that people suffered badly in the War and want someone to blame, but... I just wish it didn't have to be me."

"It's not fair," Mia agreed. "None of this is your fault – or your mum's either."

"I wish she was still alive," Cassie sighed. "I've never met either of my parents – it's not fair."

"You've never met your dad?" Mia asked.

Cassie shook her head. "I don't even know his first name. I've thought about trying to find him, but what if he doesn't want to know me?"

Mia wasn't sure how to reply to that. She was reminded of Luci Hamel, a Swiss girl who'd joined Hogwarts for a year when they were second years, and how she'd once said that acting unfriendly and having no friends at least meant you could tell yourself you could be friendly and start having friends whenever you liked. Maybe Cassie felt the same – if she never took the risk and sought out her dad, she could tell herself she could have a relationship with him whenever she wanted.

There was a knock at the door and Professor Cooke's voice said, "Cassie? Are you in there?"

"Yes, Professor," Cassie said. She and Mia both got out from under the desk as Professor Cooke opened the door. Professor Reuben, the Muggle Studies teacher, was also out there.

"I'll get us some breakfast, Clarissa," she said, walking off in the direction of the Great Hall.

"Thanks," Professor Cooke nodded, turning to Cassie. "Cassie, Matilda filled me in on what happened this morning. I'm so sorry this is happening to you. Unfortunately, I can't trace that Howler, because if I could I'd give that woman a piece of my mind. In the meantime, how would you feel about me screening your mail so no more hate mail gets through?"

"Okay," Cassie nodded. "Thanks, Professor."

"Did you get letters like this after the first article?" Professor Cooke asked.

"Yeah," Cassie said.

Professor Cooke's face was full of concern as she gently chided, "You should have told me about them, Cassie, so I could have done something about it. It's my job as your Head of House to keep you safe."

"Sorry..." Cassie said.

The door opened and Al came in, hastily stuffing a piece of parchment in his bag, which Mia guessed was the Marauder's Map.

"Are you okay?" he asked, walking straight over to Cassie and hugging her.

"No," Cassie said, looking like she was about to start crying again.

"We've just been talking about screening Cassie's mail so this doesn't happen again," Professor Cooke told him.

"Good," Al nodded.

"Cassie, did you get any other letters today?" Professor Cooke asked.

Cassie nodded, taking a letter out of her pocket. "I haven't opened it yet."

Professor Cooke reached out her hand for the envelope. "May I?"

Cassie handed the letter over. Professor Cooke skimmed the contents, gave a snort of disgust and stowed the letter in her pocket. "I'll deal with that," she said grimly.

Mia looked at her watch. Quidditch practice had started ten minutes ago.

"Cassie, are you okay if I go – Quidditch?" Mia ventured tentatively.

"Yeah, of course; sorry if I've made you late," Cassie said.

"You're more important than Quidditch any day," Mia said, hugging her friend. "MI me if you need anything."

"I will," Cassie nodded. "Thanks for looking after me."

"Anytime."

As Mia opened the double doors out into the grounds, she reflected that she could've got down to the Quidditch pitch a lot quicker if she had her broom with her, rather than down in the broom shed. Then she had another thought. She took out her wand and said, "Accio broomstick."

Mia had never summoned anything from this distance before – in fact, she'd really struggled with mastering the spell last term – but she knew it could be done. She thought about waiting for her broom to appear, but decided to start walking. If the spell had worked her broom could meet her on the way, and if it hadn't worked she needed to get down to the pitch somehow.

Mia had only taken a dozen or so steps across the frosty grass when she spotted a speck on the horizon. Thirty seconds later, and her trusty Comet was hovering beside her. Mia mounted it, kicked off, and soared down to the Quidditch pitch. A few minutes later, she headed out onto the pitch and flew up to join the others at playing height.

"Sorry I'm late," she called across to Sam.

"No worries – Emma told me," Sam said. "We're just going through a couple of drills before the reserves get here to give us a game."

For the next two and a half hours, Mia threw herself into Quidditch. The reserve team arrived at eleven and gave them a good match, although they were soundly beaten 310-50. Only when the team walked back up to the castle afterwards did Mia allow her thoughts to return to Cassie. She hoped her friend was okay.

"How's Cassie?" Reuben asked as he and Mia walked up to the castle hand in hand.

"Not great," Mia shrugged. "That Howler was horrible – did you hear it?"

Reuben shook his head. "Lily told me what she remembered of it, though."

"I just don't get how anyone could be so cruel," Mia said. "It's not like any of this is Cassie's fault – why can't people see that?"

"Some people are just idiots," Reuben shrugged. "Can anyone do anything to stop the letters?"

"Professor Cooke's going to screen Cassie's mail," Mia said, stepping through the front door which Reuben held open for her. "And Hugo's written to his mum to see if she can do anything to stop Rita Skeeter from writing-"

Mia broke off. Javan was walking through the Entrance Hall with his sixth year friends. When he saw Mia, he sneered at her.

"What's wrong?" Reuben asked, stopping as Mia froze beside him.

"Nothing," Mia said quickly.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Reuben said. "What's happened?"

"I told you – nothing," Mia insisted.

Reuben didn't look like he was about to take no for an answer. He guided Mia through the nearest door, which led to a deserted classroom, and sat down on a table.

"Something's up," he maintained. "C'mon, what is it?"

Mia hesitated. She didn't want to tell Reuben about last night in case he went after Javan, but it didn't look like she had much choice.

"Promise me you'll just listen and not fly off the handle?" Mia said.

"I can't promise that until I know what's going on," Reuben said.

"Then I won't tell you," Mia said firmly. "I mean it, Reuben."

"Fine. I promise."

"Last night, I found Javan defacing one of the HEC posters," Mia began. "When I confronted him about it, he got... scary."

"What kind of scary?" Reuben demanded, standing up.

"Look, it's no big deal-"

"What kind of scary?" Reuben repeated.

"He just got up in my space, and then he grabbed my wrist," Mia said.

"And then?" Reuben demanded.

"And then nothing," Mia said firmly. "Josh Young came along and Javan scarpered pretty sharpish. Where are you going?" she asked, as Reuben made a move toward the door.

"To give Javan and piece of my mind," Reuben growled, opening the door.

"You promised to stay calm-" Mia said, but Reuben wasn't listening to her. He strode out of the classroom and across the Entrance Hall with such purpose that Mia almost had to run to keep up with him. "Reuben, wait! This is exactly why I didn't tell you last night! Stop!"

Reuben ignored her. Stopping in the doorway to the Great Hall, he quickly spotted Javan halfway down the Gryffindor table, having an early lunch. Paying no attention to Mia's protests, Reuben marched down the table, stood opposite Javan and punched him in the face.

"What the hell?!" Javan sprung to his feet, drawing his wand. "What was that for?"

"You stay away from my girlfriend," Reuben growled, drawing his own wand.

"Reuben, stop!" Mia said, grabbing his arm. He shook her off and pointed his wand at Javan.

"You think Professor Longbottom would be happy to hear about how you've been manhandling girls?" Reuben demanded.

In reply, Javan shot a non-verbal spell at Reuben, which the younger boy only just managed to block. As Reuben began the incantation for his own spell, Javan hit him with another jinx. A raised welt appeared on Reuben's arm, as if he'd been struck by a whip, and he yelped in pain. Before he could retaliate, another voice bellowed,

"Impedimenta!" and the two boys were thrown back away from each other.

Professor Hawksworth strode over. Mia had never seen the Head of Slytherin look angry before – although he did sarcastic pretty well – but he was definitely angry now.

"Who would like to tell me what that was about?" he demanded. "No one?" He looked from Reuben to Javan and back again. "Muggle brawling! Jinxes in the Great Hall! Is nobody going to fill me in? No? Well, then we'll see what you have to say for yourselves in detention. My office, 7pm on Monday. And if I see anything else between you before then it'll be every night next week! Goldstein, go to the Hospital Wing for some salve on that," he nodded at the welt on Reuben's arm.

"Yes, Professor," Reuben said in a voice which was almost a snarl.

Mia followed him out of the Great Hall. "You promised not to go off on one," she said accusingly, once they were out of Professor Hawksworth's earshot.

"He doesn't get to manhandle you and get away with it," Reuben growled as they headed up the stairs.

"I didn't ask you to fight my battles for me," Mia said. "In fact, I told you to stay out of it."

"He's a jerk who deserves a bigger punch in the face than that," Reuben insisted. He got a few paces down the corridor which led to the Hospital Wing before he realised Mia wasn't following him. "Aren't you coming?"

"No, I'm not," Mia snapped. "You promised the stay calm and you didn't. I told you to stop and you caused a scene in the Great Hall in front of everyone. So sorry, but I don't feel much like being around you right now!"

And she turned and marched off in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.