A/N: I'm glad that you loved the chapter, Ghostwriter71. I thought slapping Malfoy was a bit much, but I also thought it would've been a bit pathetic for her to stand there and take it.

Chapter 16: Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff

It was the next day at breakfast that Cassia got a piece of parchment from Hedwig.

"Is it an invitation to Hagrid's?" asked Sally-Anne.

Cassia unfolded the parchment and read:

Your detention will take place at six o'clock tonight.
Meet Professor Snape in the dungeons.
Prof. P. Sprout

Cassia guessed that Professor McGonagall told Professor Sprout about the detention. She frowned. Why was she going to meet Professor Snape in the dungeons? What did he have planned for her?

"That's terrible luck," said Sally-Anne.

"Why would Professor Snape request me for detention?" asked Cassia.

"I don't know," replied Lily.

Cassia looked over at the Slytherin to see if Terence and Adrian had gotten their notices, but she couldn't tell.

After dinner, Cassia headed towards the dungeons with her detention slip, Terence and Adrian joined her.

"Detention with Professor Snape too?" asked Adrian.

Cassia nodded and held up her slip.

"Weird," muttered Terence.

"More like strange," said Adrian. "Why would he request you?"

He didn't sound rude about it, but more curious about why Snape would request a Hufflepuff.

They got to the door to the potions class and Snape flung open the door.

"You three are late," said Snape.

"Sorry, sir," said Cassia.

Snape looked down at the three a little more closely, then said, "Pucey and Potter, you're going to alphabetize the potion ingredients from Z to A." He looked at Higgs, "Higgs You're scraping the tables and underneath the tables too. It has been brought to my attention that some students have been putting gum underneath the tables."

Cassia thought about her lessons and had the funny feeling that it was actually Seamus putting gum underneath the desks.

She and Adrian went to the potion stores and Higgs had to go to the office with Snape to get a scraper and a bucket.

Terence really didn't look like he wanted to scrap the tables.

"I feel bad," said Adrian looking at Terence. "At least it's not me though."

They started alphabetizing the potions ingredients.

"Seriously, who keeps putting gum underneath the tables? There's a perfectly good rubbish bin right by the tables," complained Terence.

Again, Cassia immediately thought of Seamus again. "I think it might—"

"May I add that you're supposed to be quiet, Higgs and Potter?" asked Snape.

"Sorry sir," replied the two in unison. Cassia and Terence glanced at each other before laughing.

Snape seemed almost amused for a second, but she noticed that it briefly looked like he almost smiled, but he schooled his face back into his impassive face.

"I said quietly," said Snape. "Be quiet before I dock points for both Slytherin and Hufflepuff."

They had to stifle their laughter and work quietly. Cassia looked at Adrian who just seemed more amused.

"How was detention with Snape?" asked Lily when Cassia found her brother, his friends, and her friends in the library.

"You had detention with Snape?" asked Harry.

"Yeah," replied Cassia, nearly rolling her eyes. "He just made Adrian and I alphabetize the stores, and made Terence scrape gum out from underneath the tables because Seamus keeps putting his gum there." Harry seemed amused at the thought. Cassia looked at Harry, "By the way, you should tell him that there's a rubbish bin right by the table so he doesn't have to stick gum underneath the table."

Harry looked annoyed.

Hermione asked, "But why you?"

"I mean, I did get detention," said Cassia.

"Because of those two Slytherins," grumbled Harry.

Cassia rolled her eyes, "Get off of it, Harry. They're my friends."

Harry didn't bother responding.

Cassia looked at Ron, who wasn't looking pleased about it.

"They're your friends," said Hermione in a small voice. "We can't change that. It'll be rude to go through all of that together only to stop talking to them because Harry doesn't like the house they're in."

Sally-Anne and Lily were nodding in agreement.

Harry and Ron grumbled to themselves, but reluctantly nodded, though Cassia doubted that they would drop the subject.

It was the day before the Quidditch match against Gryffindor, when the Hufflepuff first-years gathered around in the common room to play some drawing game to help with Cassia's nerves.

Mackenzie was keeping track on points.

Susan went first, drawing what looked to be a tail.

"What is that?" asked Sage.

"It looks wrong," said Ernie.

"I think it's a hatchet," said Oliver.

Susan started colouring it in.

"I'm so confused," said Sally-Anne.

"I'm thinking of something else entirely," said Lily.

"Maybe it's a flattened dog," said Cassia.

Everyone looked at her in slight horror.

"I…" started Ernie.

"Time's up," said Mackenzie.

"It's a stingray," said Susan.

"What kind of stingray looks like that?" asked Sage.

"Don't be rude," said Mackenzie.

"My turn," said Megan. She took out a piece of parchment and started drawing what looked to be a stick-figure of a man.

"It's a man," said Cassia.

"No," said Megan. She drew a table and a window.

"A table," said Justin.

"A window," said Ernie.

Megan continued drawing.

"Microwave popcorn," said Cassia looking at the drawing.

"What is that?" asked Sage pointing at a small rectangular object on the parchment.

"It has to be microwave popcorn," said Cassia.

Megan drew the stickman holding a mug.

"Is it a mug?" asked Hannah.

"Time's up," said Mackenzie.

"It was a microwave," said Megan.

"Then why drew all of that?" asked Sage.

"Back-story," replied Megan happily.

Sage took out a piece of parchment and started drawing.

"Is that supposed to be some kind of horror movie character?" asked Cassia.

"Is it a blue-whale?" asked Megan.

Sage started drawing a cloud.

"It's a big rock," Ernie said.

Sage drew a line.

"I don't—" started Justin. "Is it Godzilla?"

There was a few more second of silence.

"It's a mountain!" exclaimed Hannah.

"Yes, it's a mountain," replied Sage.

"Why does the mountain look like a blue-whale coming out of the ground?" demanded Megan.

Sage started laughing.

They went two more rounds before it was time for bed,

The Hufflepuff team met up in the Hufflepuff locker room.

"Okay, team," started Tamsin.

"Oh, great, she's going to tell us that she loves us," said Maxine.

Tamsin glared at Maxine, "Shut up." She held her hands to her heart, "But it's true, I really do."

Cassia remembered the same conversation taking place before their match against Ravenclaw. She looked at the others, but apparently it was an occurring pep-talk starter, just with a different person saying 'Oh, great…' She looked at Tamsin.

"I know that this is going to be hard on Cassia, since her brother plays for Gryffindor team," started Tamsin.

Cassia nodded. It was a little hard since Quidditch was a big sport, but she had to tell herself that it was just friendly competition.

"Don't worry, Cassia," said Tamsin. "I don't care if we win or lose. As long as either we or they win, we overtake Slytherin for House Cup and I kind of want to win this year. If we win against Slytherin in our next match, we will definitely win the House cup."

"You're making her ill," Anthony Rickett said.

"Sorry, Cassia," Tamsin said. "I don't care if we win or lose this match."

Cassia nodded.

"All that matters is that you all have fun," Tamsin said.

They nodded and muttered agreements.

Tamsin smiled and looked out the locker room, "Looks like the whole school is out there, including Dumbledore."

Cassia frowned, "Weird."

"It's time to go," said Tamsin.

They walked out onto the pitch, where Snape was at.

"Is he supposed to be refereeing?" asked Maxine.

Tamsin shrugged, "I guess."

Cassia was surprised that Snape look angry as they lined up. She caught Harry's eye and Harry gave her a small smile and nod.

Cassia nodded back at him. It would be a fair game.

Tamsin and Oliver Wood shook hands, but Oliver looked oddly fierce as they shook.

They shot off into the air and Snape threw the Quaffle but it seemed like Snape threw the Quaffle in the Hufflepuff's direction.

Cassia and one of the other Chasers, who she forgot the names of, dove for the Quaffle, but the Gryffindor Chaser got it.

"And Chaser Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor gets the Quaffle," Lee was saying. "And there she goes with Chase Cassia Potter of Hufflepuff goes after her. They're neck-and-neck and—Beater George Weasley of Hufflepuff hits a Bludger at the referee, awarding Hufflepuff a penalty!"

No need to sound so disappointed, Lee, thought Cassia almost bitterly.

Angelina passed the Quaffle to Cassia, who took it and went to the Gryffindor goals.

"And Chaser Potter takes a shot and Hufflepuff scores!" announced Lee. He sounded like he groaned a little.

Cassia felt a little bitter at that and Oliver Wood threw the Quaffle and Cassia dove for it but Alicia Spinnet caught it. Cassia and Heidi flew after it.

"Right next to you!" shouted Heidi and Cassia dove, narrowly missing a Bludger.

"Sorry, Cassia!" called George.

"And Snape awards Hufflepuff another penalty!" announced Lee, but he now he sounded a little confused.

Alicia passed the Quaffle to Cassia, who passed it over to Heidi, who turned around and took a shot at the goal.

"And Keeper Oliver Wood keeps the Quaffle from scoring!" called Lee, sounding a little happy at that.

Cassia dropped down to Tamsin, "Is it just me or is he being a little bit more biased than usual?"

"He always sounds like that, get back in there," said Tamsin "And don't worry too much over Lee's commentary."

Cassia nodded and flew towards the Gryffindor goal.

"Wait, was that the Snitch?" asked Lee.

Cassia stopped and looked behind her. She looked around and ducked to avoid a Bludger.

"Harry's caught the Snitch!" shouted Lee.

That was rather…anticlimactic, Cassia thought. Sure she was happy that Gryffindor overtook Slytherin for the House Cup, but something just didn't sit right with her. She wasn't sure why.

It was after dinner that Cassia finally realised what that feeling was. She felt a little cheated. It was her and Harry's first Quidditch match against each other and Harry ended it too quickly. It wasn't Hufflepuff-ish to feel like that. Harry saw the Snitch and ended the game fair and square. He did create the first ever match to end in a little over five minutes.

But…

"Are you brooding?" asked Sally-Anne.

"No, I'm just wondering why I feel like crap because Harry ended the match too quickly," said Cassia. Harvest was curled up next to Cassia, purring.

"Did you figure out why?" asked Lily.

"Yes," replied Cassia sitting up. "It was our first match against each other and Harry ended it too quickly, so I feel cheated. That's weird right?"

"Yeah, but you've got to think that Harry thinks Professor Snape tried to kill him by throwing him off of his broom," said Sally-Anne. She sat down on Cassia's bed, setting bottles of Pumpkin Juice down. "So, it makes sense for him to want to end the game early."

"Except if Professor Snape was trying to kill Harry, why didn't he try to kill me?" asked Cassia.

"We think that it's because Professor Snape likes you," said Lily. "Or at least, hates you less than the rest of us."

"I think by Professor Snape's standard, that means he likes you," said Sally-Anne.

Cassia rolled her eyes and Lily sat down. She had cream cakes, pasties, and pies with her.

"We saw that you seemed upset about the match and thought we should have a mini-feast," said Lily.

Cassia smiled, "I'm sorry that I haven't been spending as much time with you both."

"Its fine," said Sally-Anne grabbing a pumpkin pasty. "You have two other friends in Slytherin, so we understand that you want to hang out with them instead."

Cassia nodded, "Right. Thanks."

"Shut up and eat these desserts that we got you," ordered Lily.

Cassia started giggling at that reaction.