Chapter 14 A/N I do not own Harry Potter. There are verbatim sentences from the book, that is not mine.
The four went quickly to the out-of-order bathroom, making sure no one was around before entering.
"Cassie and I hid the Boomslang and Bicorn here in this old cauldron we nicked from Snape, we don't have any of the other ingredients, but we can start prepping the cauldron and where we'll be making the potion while you two gather the other ingredients." Merlin told them, opening the door of a stall and taking his wand out, preparing everything they would need with a feverish urgency.
"We'll be right back." Hermione said, walking carefully out the room with Ron following.
Cassie and Merlin squeezed into the stall to begin their preparations.
"It's so cramped in here with just us two, can you imagine when it's five of us?!" Cassie complained to Merlin in a whisper.
"Do you know the reductor curse?"
"I know of it, but not how to cast it. I'm pretty sure that's fifth year stuff, Merlin."
"Damn! I was hoping you did, I can barely cast it, my uncle started to teach me, but didn't get very far before…" Merlin said, trailing off.
"Okay, how about depulso, or bombarda? Or deprimo?"
"Merlin, none of those are second year spells. I've read about them, but I haven't the foggiest how to cast them. But…" Cassie said, a thoughtful look crossing her face. She smirked and waved her wand towards the wall separating the two stalls in a complicated hand motion of a circle inscribed in a square, "Glacius."
The effect was immediate, as both Merlin and Cassie saw their breath come out in a thick white mist and the green wooden wall freeze over.
"You're brilliant!" Merlin said, taking his wand and casting a weak reductor curse to break it apart.
"Group effort." Cassie said smiling. "I'll clean this up while you prepare everything."
"Whoa! What'd you do?" Ron asked, open-mouthed at the debris on the floor.
"It was rather cramped in there, with just Merlin and me. We figured it would make the brewing less uncomfortable." Cassie answered, going back to moving all the pieces of frozen wood to the side.
Once everything was cleared up, and Merlin had finished preparing the cauldron, Hermione, Ron, Cassie and Merlin all squeezed into the now more spacious bathroom stall. Hermione conjured up her waterproof fire under the cauldron and set to work on the lacewing flies.
"It's me," he said, closing the door behind him. There was a clunk, a splash, and a gasp from within the stall and he saw Hermione's eye peering through the keyhole.
"Harry!" she said. "You gave us such a fright - come in. How's your arm?"
"Fine," said Harry, squeezing into the stall. "What happened to the wall separating these two?"
"Cassie and Merlin happened." Ron answered.
"That explains a lot." Harry said.
"We'd've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion," Ron explained as Harry locked the stall again. "We've decided this is the safest place to hide it."
"Okay. Colin's be-"
"We know." Cassie interrupted sadly.
"We heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That's why we decided we'd better get going-"
"The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better," snarled Ron. "D'you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin."
"Ron! I agree that Malfoy's a complete brainless git, but I don't think he's the Heir of Slytherin." Cassie chastised.
"Why are you doing this then?" Ron challenged.
"He may not be the Heir, but he does come from a long line of Slytherins. He might know something only Slytherins know." Cassie answered.
"Guys!" Merlin hissed when Ron opened his mouth to argue. "Let's move on and do this. We have to put the lacewing flies to stew for twenty-one days before we can do anything else."
"He's right! I almost forgot! Okay, let's put them to brew and make sure they're hidden if anyone does come in here. Cassie and I will check back in every couple days, make sure it's all going well. We'll leave the rest of the ingredients here. It's too dangerous to have them on us." Hermione said, methodically preparing the lacewing flies for stewing.
"Let's grind the bicorn into a powder while we're still here, make it quicker to brew when we're done with the lacewing." Cassie suggested. "Same with shredding the Boomslang skin."
"Okay, Merlin, do the Boomslang, Cassie you handle the bicorn." Hermione told them as she was working on the lacewings still.
"Oi! What about us?" Ron demanded.
"You two are dreadful at basic potions, Ronald. I'm not letting you near this one. Cassie scored a 100 on the Potions final, and Merlin's uncle was a healer. They have a better history with Potions than both of you." Hermione responded haughtily, looking up at him pointedly.
"It's only because Snape decided he hates me from the first class." Harry mumbled as an excuse.
"Don't worry Ron. You're better than both of us at wizard's chess. I lose at Parcheesi, let alone Wizard's Chess." Cassie told him, making sure she had one measure of the bicorn in the mortar and beginning to grind it into a fine powder. "And you're definitely better at nonverbal magic than I." Cassie said, trying to lift his spirits.
"Really?" Ron asked, sitting up slightly starighter.
"Really, not many people manage to cast a Slug-vomiting charm without uttering a single word." Cassie said, "Although, I should take points off you for being foolish enough to cast it with a broken wand." Cassie said, pausing in crushing the horn and looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Cassie! You're just going to give him a big head, you know that." Harry told her.
"Yeah, but it's probably not any bigger than Merlins when I admitted that the wall was a 'group effort'." Cassie teased, looking back where he was shredding the boomslang skin and winking, making him laugh good-naturedly.
"Okay. I'm done with the lacewings, but where are we going to hide everything else. We can't just hope no one finds this." Hermione asked.
"Here, finish grinding this into a powder, I'll hide it." Cassie said, carefully handing her the mortar and pestle and standing up. "My best friend's sister, Fleur, showed me this over the summer. It's where she hides what she needs to from her parents. She swore us to secrecy, so this little trick doesn't leave this bathroom." Cassie said, doing a complicated motion with her wand and muttering an enchantment under her breath. A small niche formed in the wall, big enough to put the ingredients in. " I'll put a Glamour over it so that only us five will notice it. I'll show you how later, Hermione" Cassie told them all, adding the last bit when she noticed Hermione's eyes shining eagerly.
"Let's leave the cauldron and the lacewings out. Ron and I might pop in to check on it from time to time." Harry said.
"Fine by me." Cassie said, looking at Merlin and Hermione for their opinion. When they nodded, Harry and Ron put the fluxweed, knotgrass, and leeches into the niche and waited for Hermione and Merlin to finish what they were doing.
"There's something else. Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night." Harry said.
"Dobby the house-elf that stole your mail over summer?" Merlin asked
"The one and only." Harry said. "He's the one who sealed the entrance to the platform at the beginning of the year. He's also responsible for the bludger yesterday. Not Malfoy."
"I still think he's one of the Malfoy's house-elves." Ron said with disgust.
"Well, if he is, his 'family' treats him terribly." Harry said, recounting all the death threats and punishments Dobby had told him about and the way he punishes himself as well.
"That's horrible. Poor Dobby." Hermione said quietly.
"Not all House-elves are treated like that, Hermione." Cassie told her softly, "Only those cowards like the Malfoys and their friends do. My parents have house-elves. And they treat them perfectly fine!" Cassie said, trying not to sound bitter at the thought of her family.
"There's more. He said the Chamber of Secrets has been opened before."
"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" Hermione repeated, open-mouthed.
"This settles it," said Ron in a triumphant voice looking at Cassie. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking around the school."
"Maybe it can make itself invisible. Or maybe it can disguise itself - pretend to be a suit of armor or something - I've read about Chameleon Ghouls-" Hermione said, not noticing how Merlin and Cassie looked at each other in worry.
"You read too much, Hermione," said Ron. "So Dobby stopped us from getting on the train and broke your arm." He shook his head. "You know what, Harry? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life he's going to kill you."
The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing had spread through the entire school by Monday morning. The air was suddenly thick with rumor and suspicion. The first years were now moving around the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if they ventured forth alone. Cassie occasionally saw the Weasley twins covering themselves in boils or hair and jumping out at her from behind corners, making her even more distraught than she already was. She even heard Percy yell at them for being like that and threatening to write to their mum about Ginny's nightmares. Meanwhile, unknown to the teachers in the school, a roaring trade in talismans and amulets had sprung up, most muggle-borns and lower years buying those protective devices, even though they did nothing. Neville, part of one of the pure-blooded families, even bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail for protection. That is, until some of his housemates pointed out that he, as a pure-blood, was highly unlikely to be attacked one evening.
"They went for Filch first," Neville said, his round face fearful. "And everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."
"Neville, you're not a squib. You're actually very talented. You just need more confidence." Merlin said to him when he heard the fearful response of the boy.
"Thanks, Merlin. But coming from a Hufflepuff, it doesn't really change much."
"We'd be offended, Neville, if it wasn't absolutely hilarious how everyone sees us badgers." Cassie said, giggling airily. "Besides, he's right. You just need some confidence."
"Right, thanks." Neville said, muttering to himself, but still clutching the purple crystal in his hands.
In the second week of December Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas. Merlin, Cassie, Harry, Ron, and Hermione signed her list; they had heard that Malfoy was staying, which struck them as very suspicious. The holidays would be the perfect time to use the Polyjuice Potion and try to worm a confession out of him. Besides, the lacewings were nearly done stewing. A week and a half later, a notice had been pinned up on the notice board in the Entrance Hall.
"They're starting a Dueling Club!" said Seamus Finnigan, a second year Gryffindor. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days..."
"Oh! I hope Professor Flitwick is teaching it!" Cassie said excitedly next to Hermione. "He was a champion dueller! I'd love to get some private lessons from him, he really is an amazing teacher, and my offensive spells leave a lot to be desired." Cassie said, walking up next to Ron to read better.
"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" said Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest.
"Really Ron?" Merlin asked him with a raised eyebrow.
"Could be useful," Ron said to Harry and Hermione as they went into dinner, ignoring Merlin. "Shall we go?"
"As long as it's not Lockhart." Harry said.
"Sure!" Merlin and Hermione agreed at the same time, although Merlin was looking sideways at Harry and didn't realize when his foot caught the edge of the doorframe. He fell to the floor face first, taking Cassie with him.
"MERLIN!" Cassie yelled as she fell on top of him, her face flushed red as everyone laughed. "You see, this is why I change for dinner. If I had been wearing the school uniform, it would have torn! So glad I decided to wear my sailor pants" Cassie huffed as Harry helped her up and she straightened out her blouse and pants.
"Well, now you have to go and change back, for the club." Merlin said from the floor, receiving a glare from Cassie. She harrumphed and turned around to go sit across from Cedric, Leon and Tommy, clearly telling him not to follow.
"Honestly! How that boy is so clumsy is beyond me!" she said as she sat down with them.
"Hello to you too." Tommy said, trying not to start laughing again.
"Al right, get it out." Cassie sighed, putting down her plate and crossing her arms. The boys let out a raucous laugh, calming down after a minute of laughing.
"You should have seen your face when he took you down with him." Leon said, controlling his laughter, while his friends were still laughing.
"I jus- Never mind." Cassie said, suddenly sad.
"What's wrong?" Tommy asked, noticing her change in mood much quicker than the other two.
"I was about to say that I wished Colin Creevy hadn't gotten a picture of it." Cassie said, souring the mood as everyone remembered why they were starting a duelling club.
"So, who do you think is teaching the duelling club?" Cassie asked, trying to shift the mood again.
"It's got to be Professor Flitwick." Cedric said.
"I agree, he's a champion dueller, he's the only one that makes sense. Although, I heard that Snape was also a brilliant dueller." Leon said.
"I hope it's not Snape! He hates my guts!"
"Maybe that's 'cause you and Merlin… are you and Merlin." Tommy said, mirth shining in his eyes.
"Ha, ha." Cassie said, scooping some pasta onto her plate. "At least we're not Gred and Feorge." Cassie said after a while.
"Nah, you two would be Cassierlin." Tommy said goofily.
"Cassierlin?" Cassie asked with a furrowed brow.
"Yeah, a mixture of Cassie and Merlin."
"Mhm, I've got that. But we're not a couple. Besides, if we ever do end up together, which I doubt-he's Merlin, our couple name would be Merlie!" Cassie said matter-of-factly.
"Merlie." Tommy repeated thoughtfully
"I think someone's thought about this before." Cedric said, looking at her through his eyelashes and hiding his teasing smile.
"I'd kick you under the table, if it weren't hard to tell who I'm kicking." Cassie said, looking under the table to see whose leg was whose.
So, how about that Quidditch match?" Cassie said, changing the topic.
"It was amazing! Did you see Potter catch that snitch barely hanging onto his broom?" Tommy said, getting into an excited conversation about the whole game.
"How good are you at flying?" Cedric asked her.
"Depends, how tough are you training?" Cassie asked him through narrowed eyes.
"Not like Wood. He's brutal." he said laughing.
"Okay, then. I suppose I'm a good flyer, but I was never interested in playing. Too busy with my girlfriends gossiping to play." Cassie said.
"But you have so much more guy friends here, the only girls I see you hang out with are Hermione and maybe the Slytherin Daphne Greengrass." Leon said
"So?"
"So, you don't really spend all your time gossiping. Now do you?" Cedric asked.
"You're really that desperate to have me try out?" Cassie asked.
"You saw how good Potter is. If we want a chance to win this year, we're going to need damn good players! Come on, please." Cedric begged, Tommy and Leon joining in with identical puppy dog eyes.
"You lot need to work on your puppy dog eyes. They're pitiful." Cassie laid, laughing behind her goblet.
"So you'll do it?" Tommy asked excitedly.
"I'll do it. But I won't guarantee I'm any good. I've never actually tried playing Quidditch before, so…"
"We'll teach you!" the three of them cried in unison.
"Are you staying over Christmas?" Cedric asked
"Yeah, I am."
"Really? I would have thought you'd go back to France with everything that's happening with the attacks." Leon said.
"No, I'm a pure-blood. It wouldn't attack me, I don't think so." Cassie answered.
"But you know the Addams Family. That's a muggle thing. It's an American muggle thing." he said, confused.
"I like muggle things. Haven't you noticed how I dress." Cassie said, looking down at her clothes amusedly.
"Yeah, that was another reason I didn't think you were pure-blood. Most pure-bloods don't know how to dress like muggles, they prefer wizard fashion. Isn't it the same in France?"
"Sure, but my grandfather lived in the muggle world for a long time, and my parents kept in contact with the muggle world as well. I don't think they like it, but they keep to the high-society muggle world." Cassie said in a tone where it was obvious how much she cared about that.
"They must be ridiculously rich." Tommy said, getting an elbow in the gut from Cedric. "What?" he hissed at him.
"Yes." Cassie snorted. "They are. But I honestly don't care about the whole pure-blood/half-blood/muggle-born nonsense. Muggles have some amazing things! American movies and TV being one of them." Cassie said, "Well, some movies and TV. Others are too stupid for me. Kind of like Star Wars and all the 'space adventure' movies. Oh and the horror movies, they're not even scary!"
"Have you seen the Stephen King movies? Those are terrifying. And The Ring." Leon said.
"No, Gabrielle and I stuck to the romance movies. Oh, and Disney. But classic Disney; like Snow White and Cinderella and Pinnochio. You know, that era of Disney. The guy was truly a genius!"
"I remember watching Pinnochio, but not the princess ones, I'm a guy, after all."
"Have you seen Scent of a Woman? It came out sometime at the beginning of the year and Gabrielle and I saw it over summer. It was really a good movie. Al Pacino was brilliant in it!"
"Al Pacino is that Italian mafia guy, right?" Tommy asked curiously.
"Which Italian mafia guy?" Cassie asked.
"The Godfather."
"I thought that was Marlon Brando."
"No, Marlon was Vito. Al was Michael."
"You're spouting names as if I would know, Leon. I just told you I stayed in the girly types of movies. As far as I know, The Godfather has way too much blood and fighting to be considered a girly movie."
"Yeah, it's pretty bloody." Tommy said chuckling.
"Vito Corleone was the first Godfather. Then he was killed and his youngest son became the new Godfather and killed a whole bunch of people."
"Okay, Leon. I don't need to know any more of the movie." Cassie said, making Tommy and Cedric laugh "Besides, most of the movies Garbielle and I have seen are in this cute little theater that only plays movies from the 1930s to the 1960s. Or at least every time we go there, that's what they're playing."
"You know. That alone explains why you always insist on dressing up for dinner."
"No, dressing up for dinner is something I've done since I was a child. My grandfather insisted, and he always wore his military uniform to dinner."
"Military uniform? But you're a pure-blood. Why would he have a military uniform?"
"His sadism." Cassie replied in French, not ready for anyone to know and taking a big bite of her food as she didn't want to speak more of it.
"We should go drop our things off in the common room before the duelling club starts. Want us to wait for you, Cassie?" Cedric asked as they had already finished eating.
"No, I'm full anyways." Cassie said after she finished chewing. She got up and went with the three boys down to the common room, quickly changing back into her school robe and going back up with them to the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.
"I'm going to stand by my year, don't think I'd fare too well if I'm up against one of you."Cassie said lightheartedly as goodbye. She squeezed her way over to where she Saw Ron and Merlin, those two were tall and gangly and not hard to miss among the second years.
"Hey guys!" Cassie said.
"Hey Cass." Merlin greeted apologetically.
"Oh, stop it. I've forgiven you already, Merlie." Cassie said, giggling at the face he made at his new nickname.
Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black. Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions - for full details, see my published works." he said, smiling toothily as he said the last. "Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape. He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry - you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"
"Snape must be seething right now!" Cassie whispered to Hermione, making her giggle a bit.
Snape's upper lip was curling in a dangerous way that would have had Cassie half-way to Canada. Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.
"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."
"I wouldn't bet on that," Harry murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth.
"One - two - three-"
Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor. Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered.
Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.
"Who cares?" the other four said together, a wide smile on Cassie and Merlin's face.
"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm - as you see, I've lost my wand - ah, thank you, Miss Brown - yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy - however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..."
Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me-"
They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached Harry and Ron first.
"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter-"
Harry moved automatically toward Hermione.
"I don't think so," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. Rhydderch, you team up with Nott. Miss Parkinson, you team up with Miss you, Miss Granger - you can partner Miss Bulstrode." Snape said, sneering at them all.
Malfoy strutted over, smirking. Behind him walked a Slytherin girl who reminded Harry of a picture he'd seen in Holidays with Hags. She was large and square and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively. Hermione gave her a weak smile that she did not return. Cassie and Merlin walked over to where Theodore and Pansy were, preparing to duel.
"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"
Cassie and Pansy bowed to each other, took their stances and waited for the countdown.
"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents - only to disarm them - we don't want any accidents - one ... two ... three-"
Pansy and Cassie waved their wands at the same time, each calling out their own spell.
"Tarantallegra!"
"Locomotor Mortis!"
Within seconds, chaos had erupted in the Great Hall, jets of light of varying colors flew about the room, some finding their target and others hitting random people. Pansy was dancing around uncontrollably, while Cassie was fighting to keep her balance. She noticed out of the corner of her eye how Harry was doing duelling Malfoy.
"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd, as Malfoy sank to his knees; Harry had hit him with a Tickling Charm, and he could barely move for laughing. Harry hung back, with a vague feeling it would be unsporting to bewitch Malfoy while he was on the floor, but this was a mistake; gasping for breath, Malfoy pointed his wand at Harry's knees, choked, " Tarantallegra!" and the next second Harry's legs began to jerk around out of his control in a kind of quickstep exactly as Pansy's were. Merlin, however, had the upper hand in his duel with Nott; he had Nott lying on the ground and tripping over his feet every time he tried to get back up.
"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge. "Finite Incantatem!" he shouted; Harry's and Pansy's feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, Nott stopped tripping and they were able to look up.
A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done; but Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands lay forgotten on the floor. Harry and Merlin leapt forward and pulled Millicent off. It was difficult: She was a lot bigger than they were.
"Dear, dear," said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan… Careful there, Miss Fawcett... Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second, I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall. He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair - Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you-"
"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Neville's round, pink face went pinker. "How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile.
"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.
"Now, Harry," said Lockhart. "When Draco points his wand at you, you do this." He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops - my wand is a little overexcited-"
Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too. Harry looked up nervously at Lockhart and said, "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?"
"Scared?" muttered Malfoy, so that Lockhart couldn't hear him.
"You wish," said Harry out of the corner of his mouth.
Lockhart cuffed Harry merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Harry!"
"What, drop my wand?"
But Lockhart wasn't listening. "Three - two - one - go!" he shouted.
Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, " Serpensortia!"
The end of his wand exploded. Harry watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.
"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it..."
"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Cassie couldn't help but think how much of an idiot that man was. Enraged and hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike. And then she saw Harry approaching the snake; 'how stupid are boys?' she thought to herself. He approached slowly, and stopped in front of it, making hissing noises at the snake. And miraculously - inexplicably - the snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick, black garden hose, its eyes now on Harry. Cassie saw how Harry visibly relaxed, as if the fear drained out of him. It seemed he knew the snake wouldn't attack anyone now, though how he knew it, she couldn't fathom a guess. She looked sideways at Merlin in shock, did what just happened really happen?
She saw how Harry looked up at Justin, grinning and expecting to see Justin looking back relieved, or puzzled, or even grateful - but certainly not angry and scared.
"What do you think you're playing at?" he shouted, and before Harry could say anything, Justin had turned and stormed out of the hall.
Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was looking at Harry in an unexpected way: It was a shrewd and calculating look, and neither Harry nor Cassie liked it- it was obvious he was using his legilimency. When Cassie realized that everyone was muttering about him, Cassie grabbed Merlin by the hand and then grabbed Harry's wrist, dragging him out of the Great Hall.
