chosen - harry potter

Chapter 8 - The Patronus

The last thing Cassia expected when she returned to Hogwarts was her group of friends nearly falling apart. Ron and Hermione were furious at each other. Crookshanks had attacked Scabbers, and Ron had landed a well-placed kick to Crookshank's side. The two wouldn't so much as look at each other. Hermione seemed more tired than ever, pushing herself far too hard in her classes. Worst of all, someone had sent Harry a Firebolt for Christmas, but Hermione reported it to Professor McGonagall. Now, Harry was once again left without a broom, meaning Oliver Wood was bothering him incessantly. 

When she was alone with each member of her group of friends, they told her individually that they were glad she was back. 

She wasn't too terribly happy to be back herself, however, for she was dreading returning to classes and lessons with Snape. Having to balance peace-keeping between her friends along with classes was not her favorite.

"It's not my fault that little Crookshanks was having a bit of fun!" Hermione ranted. "He could've broken her ribs!"

"It's lucky he didn't," Cassia said tiredly, working on a completely bluffed star chart for Divination in their dormitory. "Maybe you two just need some space."

"And I was just trying to protect Harry!" she said, stroking Crookshanks. "He seems to forget that convicted criminal Sirius Black is after him."

"I know, I know," Cassia yawned. "Just give them time. They're idiots."

"Ugh!" Hermione groaned. "I just wish that they would listen to me! It's not like I do things for no reason and I - Cassia?"

Cassia had fallen asleep, slumped forward onto her star chart.

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

Cassia walked quickly across a corridor, headed for Professor Snape's classroom. She had been so tired recently, the lesson almost slipped her mind. As she was about to round a corner, she heard a familiar voice. She stopped and hid around the corner, listening.

"I wasn't surprised about that, half-bloods always go for Mudbloods," Draco Malfoy drawled. "I just thought she'd end up with a Weasley or Potter."

"That didn't even happen, mate," a voice Cassia recognized as Blaise Zabini said. "I believe her that Justin lied about it. Thought he'd make himself look cooler in front of his little Hufflepuff friends."

"Oh yeah, made him look terribly cool. Kissing Bright."

"She's pretty," Blaise said questioningly. "Sure she's a half-blood, but she's very pretty now."

"If you're into that, I guess," Malfoy said. 

Cassia snorted, then continued on her way to the Potions classroom, passing the two Slytherins.

"What are you doing down here, Bright?" Malfoy asked incredulously. Blaise smiled casually at her.

"Coming to see you, of course!" she replied sarcastically, continuing on her way to the classroom.

The lesson started with some incantationless magic, Snape testing her on which spells she could do. If she focused hard enough on the incantation, she could do just about any spell that she knew. As for wandless magic, she could do quite a few spells, but she would certainly need to continue practicing to do anything substantial. After being successful in this practice, she prepared herself to fail, for Snape instructed her to once again try casting a patronus. She tried over and over again, still only casting small wisps or vague figures.

Cassia huffed, sitting down in the chair across from Snape's desk.

"In your first year," Snape said, "you created a light blue, bright light that protected yourself and Harry Potter from a figure in the Forbidden Forest. Correct?"