𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 | f. weasley

eleven

CASSANDRA WAS FRUSTRATED, to say the least. No one except Fred Weasley bothered to meet Cassie's eyes. Hermione royally ignored Cassie's existence which chilled the raven-haired girl to the bone. Despite the conversation they had had that night, in which Cassie had almost believed she had her best friend back, Hermione Jean Granger had awoken the next day and had decided to choose violence. And her form of violence? Provide Cassandra Black with the silent treatment. And Cassie had no idea what had brought out this change in her.

As for Ronald, he always looked queasy around her and avoided crossing paths with her at all costs. Harry, on the other hand, looked as though he was fighting a war with himself – which of course, was completely understandable. The kid believed Cassie, especially considering she was there with him when they went to Lupin's office and spoke about Harry's parents.

Harry found it odd how neither Professor Lupin, nor Cassandra brought of the topic of her parents. At some point, he was intending to ask Lupin about it but he had been cut short with the arrival of Snape – who had come bearing some concoction for the professor to drink. Harry was furthermore appalled when Cassie didn't find it strange that Lupin drank the potion without a thought (Harry firmly believed that Snape was trying to poison Remus Lupin to get the job).

Harry hadn't spoken to Cassie at all. Every time he wanted to; he would be swarmed by Oliver Wood who would incessantly grab him at any free moment to give him pointers for the upcoming Quidditch match. Ever since they had learnt that they would be playing against Hufflepuff, Wood had decided to bombard his teammates with tips and tricks at every chance he got.

And due to this slowing growing annoying trait of his, Harry found himself walking in late to his Défense Against the Dark Arts class.

It was quite a surprise when he found Snape at the desk instead of Professor Lupin. After a little spat with Snape (which cost him fifteen points, mind you), he took a seat at the only vacant bench (much to his delight) – next to Cassandra.

"Er- hi," he breathed as he took a seat down beside her. Cassandra shot him an acknowledging smile and went back to glowering at Snape.

She never really had a problem with her Potions teacher before. But the number of taunts he threw at her godfather, he was beginning to get on her nerves. Cassie's leg bobbed furiously as Snape rambled about Remus's 'lack of organization'.

Those three words made Cassie's nostrils flare visibly. Remus Lupin was nothing but organized. Everything always had to be perfect for him. His clothes had to be folded the same way, his hair had to be parted the right way, his socks had to be tied neatly, his books had to stacked properly. He even used to have categories over socks and undergarments (the latter Cassie found very odd and would tease him about it often).

"He's the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!" voiced Dean Thomas, a fellow Gryffindor (Cassie remembered he lived in the same dorm as Harry) boldly, issuing a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class, Cassie humming the loudest.

Cassie was not amused when Snape sneered at Dean's comment and brushed it off to their lack of standards. Cassie rolled her eyes internally as he flipped through the end of the book to teach a chapter Lupin had certainly not covered.

"Werewolves," he completed his sentence, halting his page flipping to address the class. His eyes directly flew to Cassie, who cocked her eyebrow at him.

Are you really trying to go there? Cassie said through her eyes.

Snape responded to her with a smug face that almost translated to – you bet, I am.

Cassie let out an audible scoff and searched the required page angrily. Harry almost seemed scared by the way she was loudly flipping through the pages of the textbook.

"Which one of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape, not breaking eye contact with Cassie.

Everyone sat in motionless silence; everyone except Hermione, whose hand, as it so often did, had shot straight in the air.

"Miss Black," Snape called out, saying her name with great distaste (as he always did), ignoring Hermione's hand that still remained in the air.

"I didn't raise my hand," Cassie replied sternly. Never in her life had she spoken back to a teacher like that, but after his incessant taunts over her godfather, she couldn't help herself. It was in moments like these, she reminded the teachers, especially Snape, that she was indeed, Sirius's daughter.

"Much like him, I see," Snape replied coolly, basking in the glory of having a higher hand over Cassie.

Cassie presumed he still held a grudge against her ever since she publicly disarmed him in the middle of their duel last year at Lockhart's duelling club.

Cassie gritted her teeth and merely responded saying, "Hermione seems to be knowing the answer. Why not ask her?"

"Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between –"

"We told you," said Parvati suddenly, "We haven't gotten as far as werewolves yet, we're still on–" 

"Silence," he snarled and began to speak about how far behind their class was. Cassie tried her best to maintain her cool in this situation.

"So, tell me, Miss Black, you do not know of the distinction?" asked Snape once again, standing directly in front of Cassie.

"Oh, I do, sir. I simply wish not to part that information with you," Cassie shrugged, a smug and evil smile spreading over her face. Harry was having a very difficult time controlling his smile in front of Snape at the moment. He could see from behind the teacher, Seamus, Dean, Ron and Neville all held broad smiles and looked at Cassie as though she were some sort of goddess. Snape's face, however, curled up in disgust.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor for smart comments," he snarled.

"Considering you called them smart, surely I should earn points and not lose them?" Cassie sassed back before she could help herself. She knew she was crossing the line with him, but she didn't care. She had been controlling her frustration for far too long, and now they were spilling out of her mouth in this form.

Dean's mouth dropped open on hearing her comment while Seamus hid under the bench to laugh at his free will.

Harry sat beside Cassie, tight-lipped, at his best attempt to not break into a laugh and lose more points.

"Do you want to earn yourself your first detention, Miss Black?" Snape said, ejaculating every word.

Surely wouldn't mind it, might do my marauder father and godfather proud, Cassie wanted to say, instead, she bit her lip and shook her head.

"Wise move," Snaped scoffed, sauntering back to the head of the classroom.