way to go, tiger | Lorenzo Berkshire

࣪𖤐 Y4 | 7 . Brothers and Brawls

WOULD'VE BEEN YOU — SOMBR
'If anyone could've saved me, it would've been you.'

That Friday, Cassie stands in front of a dozen Slytherins trying out for Chaser and Keeper. She looks down at her clipboard, straight to the Beaters box. She looks back up— nobody there other than Blaise and Lexi. Cassie smiles at them and scribbles their names down on the box. Right. That's two positions sorted.

Four more to go.

Enzo, Pansy, Daphne and Tracey are in the stands supporting Cassie and her friends. The fact brings a smile to Cassie's face.

She clears her throat, grabbing everyone's attention. They don't listen. They're all fussing over brooms and bickering between themselves.

"Oi, listen you tossers." Mattheo shouts, ceasing all conversations with ease. Cassie nods at him with a smile.

"Right, okay." she starts, taking a breath. "I'm going to call you up one by one, and I'll assess your abilities based on agility, hand-to-eye coordination, stamina and endurance—"

"Where's Flint?" a random fifth year pipes up.

"Not here." Cassie scoffs. "If you're unhappy with a female captain, I suggest you take your broom and leave. Flint was a twat and I guarantee you I can do a much better job of captain."

"It's not the fact you're a girl. You're Sirius Black's daughter!" another one says.

Cassie can actually see the moment Mattheo's hands turn into fists. She takes a deep breath, regaining her composure. "Yes, I am. If that bothers you, like I said, take your broom, and leave."

"A female captain, the daughter of a mass murderer? Merlin's beard, I'd take Flint anyday." Corvinus Gaunt, a pureblood boy in Cassie's year, laughs, earning chuckles from his peers.

Cassie looks to Mattheo and shakes her head. The boy is literally turning red just by looking at Gaunt. Like Dumbledore said, Cassie can't keep letting her friends get into trouble when it comes to her father. It was bad enough the first time, when they all got detentions. Cassie can't let it happen again.

"I tell you what, you belong in Azkaban with that blood traitor father of yours." Gaunt grins, everyone laughing in agreement.

Cassie doesn't get the chance to stop him before Mattheo lunges at Gaunt. Fuck. Immediately, Theo joins him, and Cassie might just bash her head against a wall. She pushes past the crowd of people, watching as Theo and Mattheo punch the boy. "Oh for fuck's sake." Cassie mutters.

Next thing she knows, Enzo and Draco are down here and pulling Mattheo off Gaunt. Cassie and Blaise take to Theo, pulling him away by the arms. "Stop, Theo." Cassie orders.

"He—" Theo starts, his nose running with blood.

"I know. I know." Cassie says, looking him in the eye and stabilising him. "But if you make any more fuss, I will lose this position, and you'll get into much more trouble, okay?"

He grunts and pulls away from Blaise, wiping his nose with his sleeve. Cassie leads him away from the crowd and off the pitch, Blaise, Draco, Mattheo and Enzo following. Once she's sure it's clear, Cassie pushes Mattheo against the wall of the pitch. "What the fuck were you thinking?" she exclaims.

"He's a cunt— you heard the shit he was saying!" he argues, not daring to push Cassie back.

"You're going to get into more trouble, Mattheo! I had it under control!" she shouts.

"Do you think I care about getting into trouble?"

"No, and I appreciate you standing up for me, I really do, but I was handling it. Hooch might not even let you two try out this year, and we all know you two are vital parts of this team, and I'll be fucking lucky if she lets me keep this badge."