The Oracle in the Night

chapter 6 - a strange hat

Rodolphus quickly began reading, 

The door was swung open by an elderly, stern looking witch who Cassiopeia immediately recognised she would have to be careful around. There was a sharpness to her gaze as she led them through the entrance hall that made Cassiopeia wary.

"At least she is intelligent enough to know I'm not one to be messed with." McGonagall said as she looked at the Marauders and a group of Slytherins, Regulus, Rabastan, and Barty, who were all grinning innocently at her. She rolled her eyes and looked away but you could see the slight upturn of her lips.

They were all ushered into a small chamber by the witch, Professor McGonagall, she recalled, who turned to address them.

Cassiopeia studied her fellow year mates as the deputy headmistress gave her introductory speech. Many of them looked ruffled and nervous, glancing around at each other, but a few stood out.

They were the other two she shared a boat with, the dark skinned boy stood impassively by the blond girl. Both wore a look of detached intrigue which Cassiopeia knew must have taken a while to perfect. They must be purebloods, no other children were that invested in politics to know how to pretend so perfectly. The girl, like her, seemed to be studying her fellow year-mates with sharp clear blue eyes, her blonde hair perfectly styled into a bun. There was another boy who stood next to Perseus. He had fluffy brown hair and kind eyes, but he had the same look of nonchalance that the other two had.

"Blaise, Theo, and Daphne." Draco clarified, for those who didn't know.

Cassiopeia didn't jump at the arrival of the ghosts nor was she panicking about the sorting like the bushy haired girl near her reciting spells. It was all in Hogwarts, a History after all.

At least it was in her version.

"What do you mean by your version?" The Ravenclaws all looked predatory, salivating at the thought of more books and knowledge.

Cassiopeia merely flashed a devious grin towards them. 

Perseus rolled his eyes slightly, "Cassiopeia has a unique taste in books, and by unique, I mean illegal."

Cassie slapped him upside the head and plastered a sugary smile on her face, "They're not all illegal, only some of them."

This time the Nott boy rolled his eyes, "And by most she means 95%."

It wasn't long after McGonagall had left them did a fight break out in the middle of the group, it was the annoying red head from before, as well as the pompous blonde from Madam Malkin's, and their voices echoed towards where Cassiopeia was standing at the back of the crowd."

Draco scoffed, "Don't compare me to Weasel."

Perseus chuckled softly, "You were so much like that irritating gingersnap."

"Red hair, hand me down robes, you must be a Weasley" the blonde drawled and Cassiopeia could barely restrain a snort as Weasley turned an interesting shade of red. 

"Ignore my prat of a cousin, Draco can be a real git sometimes," Perseus drawled from next to her, a sheepish smile on his face. 

She replied with a grin, "Figured that much out, but I'll deal with him later if needed. You're lucky I like you Perseus."

"Yeah, like... more like you have been in love with him since the moment your eyes met," Marlene muttered but everyone heard. Once the blonde realized that she wasn't as quiet as she thought, her cheeks turned a brilliant shade of red.