Friends, Foes and War

࣪𖤐 Y5 | 7 . The Meetings

➵ CALL YOUR MOM — NOAH KAHAN
'Don't let this darkness fool you. All lights turned off can be turned on.'

It's been three days since Neville discovered the Room of Requirement. Cassie and Enzo are sitting in the common room with their friends before dinner commences.

Cassie and Blaise are working on their herbology homework that is due the following morning, first period. "I don't get it, how on earth do you get a Screechsnap to shut up?" Cassie exclaims, slamming her quill on the carpet out of anger.

"Fucked if I know anymore." Blaise admits, massaging his temples.

"Perhaps you should go ask Longbottom for help— he's practically in love with Professor Sprout." Draco says, a proud grin on his face. Mattheo and Theo laugh but Cassie simply rolls her eyes.

"At least Neville gets good grades, unlike someone." Cassie points, her gaze still on her homework.

Draco scoffs, "At least my parents aren't—"

"Don't you dare, Malfoy." Cassie spits, her anger levels shooting up like a rocket. He crossed a line and he knows it. Draco chuckles but stops when he sees Mattheo's head bowed and Theo licking his lips with a straight expression.

Out of nowhere, Cassie feels a vibration in her skirt pocket. She shares a look with Enzo and pulls out the shiny coin, making sure to hide it from the other's views. Enzo catches her eye and motioned to the common room door. Cassie nods before saying "Me and Enz are gonna go get some food from the kitchens. We'll be back in a minute."

"Get me some cookies, will you?" Theo says as Cassie stands up. She gives him a thumbs-up gesture and just like that, her and Enzo leave the common room.

"It's a bit exciting isn't it? Our first proper meeting." Cassie smiles, linking arms with her boyfriend.

He laughs, "I'm sure we'll have a blast."

—

They stand in two long lines, Neville and Harry at the front. Cassie is third in the line, Enzo on her right-hand side. Neville stands with his wand at the ready as the dummy in front of them prepares itself.

Cassie can't help but reminisce of the time her and Cedric spent on the third floor practicing for the final task when she saw the dummy. They're the exact same ones they had used. Cassie still thinks about Cedric everyday. She still dreams about him every night. She still grieves until it hurts to do so.

"Expelliarmus!" Neville exclaims, very nervously. The lines duck in unison as the Dummy's wand flies across the room, ricocheting off the mirror at the back. "I'm hopeless." sighs Neville.

"You're just flourishing your wand too much. Try it like this— Expelliarmus!" Harry exclaims, disarming the Dummy as easily as a knife through butter. They all stare in awe as he did it. It's the fact he did it so casually that shocks Cassie.

After Neville attempts it again (and fails, bless him), Ron and Hermione have a turn. Then, it's Enzo's turn. "Expelliarmus!" he exclaims, flicking his wand in the correct way.

The Dummy's wand flies a few metres— just as it should've done. Cassie beams with pride as he turns around and winks at her. "Brilliant." she smiles.

"Your turn, gorgeous." he smirks before going to the back of the line.

After the meeting ends, Cassie and Enzo wander the halls with Harry, Hermione, Ron and the Twins. The Bloody Baron floats by and pretends to tip his hat towards Cassie and Enzo, fellow Slytherins of his. "I think you're born for this, Haz. Everything you did up there seemed so... natural." Cassie compliments, her arm around his neck. Luckily, he's shorter than her.