Potter's Girl / Butterfly Effect.

96. It All Comes Crashing Down

CHAPTER NINETY-SIX;

IT ALL COMES CRASHING DOWN

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Fuck.

As Cassie raced down the halls of Hogwarts — closely followed by Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, Daphne Greengrass, Blaise Zabini, the Carrow twins, and Pansy Parkinson — the only word that bounced around her mind was billions of profanities that she'd've been cursed for ever saying aloud.

The problem had first presented itself in the form of a wool jumper.

Cassie returned from the Room of Requirement, later than she expected to be; Daphne and Pansy sat on Daphne's bed in the dormitory, whispering loudly amongst themselves yet pausing abruptly when Cassie entered. This part was not out of the usual – in fact, Cassie had become quite accustomed to their secrecy and the fact that they didn't trust Cassie. But one small detail stuck out to Cassie, one that stopped her in her tracks and drained the blood from her face.

On the bed, between the two Slytherins, sat the red-and-gold Quidditch jumper that Harry had once given to Cassie during a chilly try-out session of sixth year.

"Did you two go through my stuff?" Cassie asked, and tried to act normal as she moved to pick it up and return it to her trunk – but Pansy grabbed hold of it first and snatched it back. Cassie attempted to keep her voice steady and said, "Pansy, give it back."

   "Why do you have this?" Pansy's voice was full of accusing tones, her dark eyes narrowed as she shook the jumper for emphasis.

   "Please," Cassie said, almost a beg now, "give it back."

   "You're not snogging a Gryffindor, are you?" Pansy shrilled, her upper lip curling into a sneer. Cassie's eyes moved to Daphne for help, but the blonde merely gave Cassie an apologetic shrug.

   "Pansy, please," said Cassie. She nearly lost her composure for a moment and her voice shook with frustration and desperation. It wasn't smart to be showing so much emotion over such a small item — showing such vulnerability — but it was all Cassie could do to not start sobbing at the thought of Pansy ruining Cassie's only keepsake of Harry.

   "I bet she shagged Longbottom," Pansy continued, a conversational tone to her voice as she spoke to Daphne. "It wouldn't be a surprise. We all saw it coming, really, what with how far up her arse his head always is."

   "It's nothing, I swear on Merlin–" Cassie attempted for the jumper again but Pansy pulled it just out of her reach and let out a high-pitched giggle, rolling her eyes.

   "Wonder how the boys would react to this, Daph?"

   "Not really," Daphne replied, her voice quiet.

   "I say we show them," Pansy said firmly, nodding. "Yeah, I bet Malfoy will be beside himself..."

   "Pansy!" Cassie called, as Pansy had ducked under Cassie's outstretched hand and rushed out of the dormitory, Harry's sweater in hand. Cassie gave Daphne a glare that must have been murderous, because the eldest Greengrass recoiled back and dropped her head. Cassie bolted after Pansy, her heart beating dangerously fast against her chest.

   "..Pansy, you're brilliant," Draco was saying, as Cassie burst forth into the boys' dormitory. All eyes moved to her, the tension in the room drawing as thick as toffee from Honeyduke's.

   Cassie froze like a deer in headlights, her heart still pounding so loudly in her chest, it was a miracle the others in the room couldn't hear it. The dormitory was silent for a moment, until Daphne burst in behind Cassie, stuttering, "I-I didn't mean— I just, I was looking for a-an extra tie! I couldn't f—"