Blood Magic ✤ George Weasley ✓

19 - The Slytherin Ally

musical mood: forever stuck in our youth - set it off

Dear Mr. Mulpepper,

I hope you are well. I don't know if you remember me, but this is Cassiopeia Crouch. We spoke briefly over the summer, I was the customer inquiring about the bezoar. If you have any updates on that, I would very much appreciate it.

Included on the back of this letter is a list of potions ingredients I need for an extra credit project. It is due soon, so please send them at your earliest convenience.

I trust that the money enclosed will be enough for everything. If there is any extra, keep the change as a token of my appreciation. If it is somehow not enough, let me know and I'll owl what is still needed immediately.

Thanks again.

-Cassiopeia Crouch

Cass sent the letter out the next day, a generous sack of galleons attached to the owl's foot. If there were any bonuses to being a Crouch, it was the seemingly endless supply of wealth, that Bartemius let her spend without concern. He'd always been rather frugal, which was likely why the two lived in dingy old Stromness, when they could afford a East Lothian mansion if they so desired, but for some reason, he had never once objected to Cass's frivolous spending habits.

It was perhaps his one redeeming quality as a father, in Cass's eye. Maybe it was because of his childhood upbringing - from the little she knew about his estranged parents in France, they'd also been extraordinarily rich, but never allowed him to touch so much as a sickle of it. When he was disowned for impregnating, and then marrying, a Scottish muggleborn, he'd been practically penniless. Luckily, his high paying job at the Ministry ended his poverty. Lucky for Cass, at least, since she could buy potions ingredients for a reckless prank, without Bartemius batting an eye.

She figured, if anyone were to have the ingredients for the potion the twins wanted, it would be Mr. Mulpepper, who's shop had been extensive. Plus, he had been kind to her, and wouldn't ask too many questions. He hadn't inquired about her reasoning for wanting the bezoar, at least, and that must've been very odd.

It was an early Saturday morning, and the first Quidditch match of the year - Ravenclaw vs Hufflepuff. Usually, Cass wouldn't have cared, but Naia was playing, so she made her way out of the owlery and into the stands of the Quidditch pitch as fast as she could. Her and Naia's relationship, while for the most part was mended from their conversation a few weeks prior, still felt awkward at times, and not showing up to her first game would certainly do no good in fully fixing their bond.

Cass plopped down next to Padma, who was mid-conversation with a solemn Terry. He'd tried out for the Quidditch team as well, as a beater, but unfortunately hadn't made the cut. Terry had been moping around all week, while most of the Ravenclaws around him didn't understand why it was such a big deal. He and Naia were the only ones in their year who actually cared about the stupid game, it seemed.

The Nott's were sat with the Slytherins, and Cass could see Theodore's exasperated expression from nearby, as Malfoy talked his ear off about Merlin knows what. Crabbe was speaking to Henry, who looked uncomfortable, and kept trying to scoot away. Cass didn't blame him; she'd be just as upset sitting next to a pyromaniac. Lavender and Parvati were sat with the Gryffindors, and Luna hadn't attended the match at all, citing a need to feed the lonely Thestrals in the forest, whatever that meant.

"Anyways, my bet is on Ravenclaw. I have a really good feeling they'll win." Padma was saying, messing around with her long black hair.