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CASSIOPEIA SHOULD'VE KNOWN IT WAS GOING TO BE A HORRIBLE DAY WHEN UMBRIDGE APPROACHED HER AT BREAKFAST. She had just finished up her porridge and toast and was about to walk down to Care of Magical Creatures with Blaise and Daphne, since Draco was nowhere to be found that morning, when a cloud of pink floated over to her. Groaning internally, she turned to face her Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and wondered what in Merlin's name possessed the woman to come up to her. She hadn't done anything wrong.
"Good morning, Miss Coldwell," Umbridge spoke in her obnoxious high-pitched voice.
Cassiopeia resisted the urge to hex her right then and there. Instead, she put on a fake smile and spoke, "Good morning, Professor. Might I help you with something?"
"I had only noticed that, of the students who were invited to join my Inquisitorial Squad, only you have not yet joined." Umbridge let out a small giggle that made Cassiopeia want to rip her eardrums out. "I was wondering why that might be?"
Cassiopeia was taken aback. She not expecting to be confronted like this at eight o'clock in the morning. Her fake smile faltered for only a split second before she put it back on. She spoke in the same sugary sweet tone that Umbridge used, "Professor, I'm honored, really. But I'm afraid that I have too much on my plate right now. I have Prefect duties and my O.W.L.s are coming up. I would rather focus my extra time on studying to be prepared for the exams."
Umbridge blinked at her. She seemed quite insulted that Cassiopeia had turned down her offer. "Well, if things change, my office is always open."
"Thank you, Professor."
Cassiopeia quickly turned on her feet and left the toad-faced woman behind. She couldn't believe Umbridge had the audacity to question her about not joining her stupid Inquisitorial Squad. Had she forgotten the endless amounts of pain and torture she inflicted on her at the beginning of the school year?
Blaise and Daphne caught up to her, holding hands. Daphne looked cautiously at the Coldwell girl while Blaise asked, "What was all that about, Cass? Umbridge doesn't look too happy."
"It was nothing," Cassiopeia spat angrily. "That toad of a woman has nothing better to do with her life than torment children. Merlin, I wish she would just leave. A hag, that woman is."
Blaise and Daphne shared a look as the three of them exited the Great Hall. While the two weren't very close to the youngest Coldwell, they both knew her well enough to know when she had been set off. People always said that Cassiopeia was a ticking time bomb and you would never know what would cause her to blow up. They were right.
A sound of laughter caught their eyes as they walked across the Entrance Hall to the great oak front doors of the castle. Cassiopeia furrowed her eyebrows as she saw Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle huddled around the large hourglasses that held the stones for the house points. She walked over to them to see Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Eleanor standing in front of them, each of them held looks of rage on their faces.
