BY fates design

So it begins

October's end loomed near, pumpkins floated in the Great Hall and tappers drifted between them casting off an eerie glow. Despite the numerous times Cassiopeia and her court - even Minnie at time - had tried to suggest teaching more about Samhain, Dumbledore continually shut them down. Even still, they made preparations for their Samhain ritual like they did every year, Minnie even offered to lend them some supplies to make it easier.

"You're the best, Minnie!" Cassiopeia smiled at McGonagall, her eyes closed and for a moment, just a moment, the elder witch could not tell her apart from her father.

Conversation flitted around the Great Hall, eager murmurs and ceaseless gossip spilling from one student to the next as they enthusiastically awaited Dumbledore's next announcement about the Tri-Wizard Tournaments. Suddenly, the elderly man rose from his chair, tapping his gold goblet with his knife to catch the student's attention, effectively silencing them.

"In just two days, the students of Beauxbaton and Drumstrang will be joining us here at Hogwarts. I expect all students to greet them with kindness and hospitality. Prefects and head students are expected to aid in settling our guests into their new environment. As always, I trust that my students will cast a gleaming light over our school." Students clapped politely as he finished speaking, whispers drifting between them as they considered his announcement.

From the Slytherin table, Cassiopeia watched Dumbledore with a critical eye, her gaze catching onto every movement he made, every twitch of his muscles or flicker in his eye. Nothing escaped her line of sight, including that same sickening glint that always shone behind his half mooned spectacles. She wanted nothing more than to snuff it out.

Walburga turned to her granddaughter, watching her with a softened expression, her usually steely grey eyes, now soft as storm clouds. She studied the way her hands would settle, almost instinctively, over her stomach, the way her eyes would never remain still for more than a moment, always searching for the next threat, always analysing every person that passed her line of sight as though deciding whether they were a threat or not.

That night, the court assembled again in the Room of Requirements, this time in full, prepared to discuss in length about their next moves. Their meeting lasted ours, discussing topics from the Royal Garden Nursery project, to Snape and finally Dumbledore, more specifically his foolish decision to reintroduce the Tri-Wizard Tournaments.

By the time they had finished their meeting, it was already three thirty in the morning, Astoria and Ginny had dozed off a while ago and yawns spread through the older children like a disease. Sluggishly, they all stumbled back to their respective dorms, Jake carrying Astoria as she slept while Kira and Neville dragged a groggy Ginny towards the Gryffindor tower.

Inside the Slytherin common room, they split off to go to bed, the Prewett twins left first, followed by Astro and then the girls went to their own dorms. Tiredly, Cassiopeia and Jake went to their dorm rooms too, bidding goodnight before disappearing into their own rooms for the night.

"You are just like your grandfather," Euphemia smiled fondly, sending a faux glare to Fleamont, "never knowing when to take a break and rest."

Sunrise came around just after Cassiopeia began to stir, its golden light stretching and warping through the Black Lake's surface to reach her far bellow. As she got ready, she spoke aloud, the self writing quill she had received from Neville, copying down her every word. It was a letter for Percy, nothing exciting, simply informing him of how her time at school had been going and asking about his own. She sealed the letter with the Le Fay stamp and a single forget me not, adding it to a pile of letters she had already written before this one. Each one was to someone important to her, Clarisse, Annabeth, Travis, Conner, Seline, Delilah, Will, Remus, Sirius, etc, and despite her better judgment, she even made one for her dad.