ᵇˡᵃᶜᵏ ᵇˡᵒᵒᵈ ; ʳᵉᵍᵘˡᵘˢ ᵇˡᵃᶜᵏ

032 - Rolling Thunder

"Now that we're all sorted and seated, I have an announcement to make before we all fill our bellies on a delightful dinner and tasty treats, and it concerns what I'm sure many of you are already aware of," the Headmaster loudly called from his podium, and the silence that followed his words could only be described as utterly deafening.

'I wonder if there's one here who isn't aware,' Cassiopeia silently mused, and sending a glance about, the gathered houses before her seemed a strange mix of eagerly excited and somberly solemn.

"This year, Hogwarts will be host to a legendary event, The Tri-Wizard Tournament," the ancient wizard continued, and this time, the collective student body couldn't remain quite so quiet, and many of their whispers spoke of hopeful participation. "For those of you who do not know, The Tri-Wizard Tournament is an event that brings three schools together to compete in a series of magical trials."

Glancing to her left, Cassiopeia laid sight onto her cousin, who was seated between Pansy Parkinson and Gregory Goyle, two people he normally found no association with, but now used as a barrier between him and her.

'Will you try your hand at this contest, Draco?' the girl silently wondered, wishing she could ask the query directly to him, yet knowing he likely wouldn't answer, as he still seemed quite intent on giving her the cold shoulder due to her confession concerning Sirius Black a week prior.

"From each school, a single contestant is selected to compete, and before you become befuddled by dreams of glory and dashing, dangerous tasks, let me be clear, if chosen, you stand alone. And trust me when I say these contests are not for the faint-hearted," the Headmaster continued, forcing the girl's attention back to the front. "More on the subject will come later. For now, please give me a hand in welcoming your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Alastor Moody!"

Thunder bellowed overhead, and the entire student body, Cassiopeia included, let out a resounding, frightened shriek.

'What ominous timing...' the girl silently mused, placing a hand over her racing heart as a short, stout man waved from the head table, one who seemed to have something quite wrong with his left eye, if Cassiopeia's own orbs weren't deceiving her.

"With that shock come and gone, let's eat!" the Headmaster lightheartedly cheered, as though the sudden raucous had been nothing more than a stray, childish act put upon by the Great Hall.

The girl stared a moment longer at the new professor, only ceasing her curious observation as dinner appeared before her, and whilst normally she refrained from swiftly gathering her serving in favour of allowing others to have their own, unimpeded turn, a well-taught practice in proper etiquette, the girl felt quite famished tonight, and so she eagerly scooped up a Cornish pasty and began her delicate feast.

'I suppose the day has been quite long,' she silently mused, only to cease herself mid-bite and glance about, feeling as though someone was watching her, which left her rather self-conscious about her dining haste. 'Who-'

Before the silent query could even be thought, the girl spotted her voyeur, and she let loose a mighty frown as Potter's gaze and her own met from across a table and a half.

"Have a good ride, Cass..."

'What do you desire in beckoning my attention and company, Potter, if not friendship or some semblance of siblingship?' the girl silently wondered, and sending the boy a food-filled scowl, she watched as a grin slowly took over his scarred features.

Cassiopeia felt as though the last few months had been some of the strangest days an up and coming witch could live through, yet the most bizarre of all events within her life revolved around The-Boy-Who-Lived and his peculiar fixation upon her.

'Is it a ruse, then? A ploy to taunt Draco?' she mused, yet the girl felt certain the Gryffindor she was staring at was far too benign for such a diabolical act. 'Why, precisely, are you smiling at me, Potter?'

"Whatever," she quietly huffed out, wishing to know the boy's motive, yet aware no answer would come of her unheard queries.

And so she went back to consuming her tasty pasty, her cousin and Potter almost forgotten for the time at hand, but not completely, and not for the foreseeable future.