chosen - harry potter

Chapter 4 - The Unforgivable Curses

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

The next morning Cassia found herself at the first day of term, at breakfast, with her friends. She felt as though she was just there yesterday, as though the entire summer had passed in a blink. She decided she wasn't too upset about it though, because she was surrounded by some of her favorite people.

"Today's not bad...outside all morning," Ron said, running a finger down his schedule. "Herbology with the Hufflepuffs and Care of Magical Creatures...damn it, we're still with the Slytherins..."

"Double Divination this afternoon," Harry groaned.

Cassia sucked air through her teeth mockingly, poking Harry and Ron in the shoulders, "That sucks for you guys."

"Should've given it up, shouldn't you?" Hermione teased. "Then you'd be doing something sensible, like Arithmancy."

"Do you really think you're going to enjoy that, Cassia?" Ron asked, a disgusted look on his face.

"I only took it because Hermione is," Cassia said. "I didn't want to be partner-less in Divination."

The day truly wasn't bad. They worked on bubotubers in Herbology, extracting the yellow pus for use in acne treatment. After was Care for Magical Creatures, where they worked with skrewts. The quartet nearly singed their eyebrows off, but they made it out in one piece.

Cassia sat down in the Great Hall once again for lunch, piling food onto her plate. Hermione ate quickly and took off toward the library, giving them no explanation.

"It's the first day!" Ron said exasperatedly.

"Oh, Harry," Cassia said, looking at him and grabbing a napkin from the table. "You got some of the bubotuber gunk on your robe."

She wiped the spot, cleaning the pus off of his shoulder. 

"There you go," Cassia said quietly, looking up at him. He looked at her and for a moment she thought she saw a hint of pink across his face.

"Thanks, Cassie," he laughed, looking away quickly.

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

Cassia joined Hermione in Arithmancy, nervous for her first day with the Professor. Her name was Professor Vector, and as the class went on, Cassia realized that she may be the kindest and easiest professor she had ever had. She found that Arithmancy was a much easier class than she had previously thought, and Professor Vector didn't even assign any homework. As the two girls left the class, Cassia admitted to Hermione that she had been right about the class. She couldn't believe she had even taken Divination the previous year. They walked happily to the Great Hall and sat at the Gryffindor table, waiting for Ron and Harry to join them.

"Miserable old bat," Ron said bitterly as they sat down. "That'll take all weekend, that will!"

"Lots of homework?" Hermione said brightly. "Professor Vector didn't give us any at all!"

"Cheers for Professor Vector, then," Ron grumbled.

The Slytherins were bursting with laughter, louder than any of the other tables. The quartet looked over to see Malfoy pointing at them and doubling over in laughter, clutching a newspaper. He got up with Crabbe and Goyle and strode over, still laughing.

"Your dad's in the paper, Weasley!"

He slammed the paper down, and the article, after calling him "Arnold," criticized Arthur for showing up at Mad-Eye Moody's house to help him. The case was a false alarm and several muggles' memories had to be modified.

"And there's a picture, Weasley!" Malfoy cackled. "A picture of your parents outside their house - if you can call it a house! Your mothers could do with losing a bit of weight, couldn't she?"