The Cassiopeia Project [George Weasley] ✓

TWELVE

As the first week of February passed by, Cassie learned to slowly let go of the memories and started hanging out more with her friends. Fred and George had told the two chasers what had happened, with her permission, and they were doing everything they could to cheer her up; from silly pranks to unsuspecting students, to rides in their brooms after quidditch practices, where she became more involved with the quidditch team, who stopped knowing her as the quiet girl that sometimes hung around Angelina and Alicia. She and Katie Bell instantly hit it off, mostly because the blonde girl liked to talk for hours and Cassie was most comfortable listening.

The Ravenclaw vs Gryffindor match was drawing near, and with Harry Potter's new broom — a Firebolt! — everyone in Gryffindor was confident on winning. Seeing as her friends only talked about quidditch and brooms, Cassie started going more to the library as well whenever she got tired from all the sports talk, and she got up to date with her homework and studies, which she had foolishly neglected in the last month. After all, it was OWLs year; probably the most important year in Hogwarts, where her professional career would be chosen.

"You have to eat."

"I think I'm going to puke."

"No, you're not."

It was the morning of the match, and Cassie was sitting between Angelina and Alicia, who clutched their brooms nervously.

"Just one bite." The redhead hopelessly offered, to no avail.

There was a ruckus as none other than Harry Potter entered the Great Hall, his new Firebolt in hand and the boys of the quidditch team surrounding him. Cassie chuckled, watching the reactions of the Slytherins, and glanced at the magnificent broom when it was set in the middle of the Gryffindor table. She didn't really understand what was so great about quidditch, that everyone was so invested in it, but it was fun to feel the mood.

"Cheering for us today, Moore?"

The addressed girl smiled at the two pranksters that had approached her.

"Do I have any choice?" She joked, making them laugh. "Sadly, I had no time to make a banner."

"That's a pity."

"We were hoping to see the words 'marry me Weasley' in between the Gryffindor crowd."

Cassie laughed at Fred's words and punched him playfully, standing up from the bench and abandoning completely what was left of her breakfast.

"Now, if you excuse me, I'll go fetch my scarf. See you later!"

She tried to walk past them, but George grabbed her arm lightly, an indecisive look in his eyes. They stared at each other for a second, until he took off his scarf and put it around the girl's neck, smiling sheepishly.

"Thank you." Cassie beamed, wrapping the fabric around her even more.

George's smile broadened, his ears slightly red.

"Good one." Fred sniggered once she was gone. His brother shoved him.

"Shut up."

"Gryffindor is in possession of the quaffle, Katie Bell heading for the goal...!"

Lee Jordan's commentary could be heard all over the stadium. In the pitch, fourteen players soared the air with their brooms. Katie scored the first goal of the match and Cassie cheered loudly, along with her housemates. Next to her was Patricia Stimpson, holding up a banner with some of her friends that read 'Go Lions!', and she was screaming so loud she would be hoarse the next day.

One of the Weasley twins — Cassie couldn't see which one it was — flew close to the stands, bat in hand. A bludger appeared seemingly out of nowhere directly towards the crowd, and he expertly hit it in the direction of one of the Ravenclaw chasers. Cassie cheered, and smiled when he turned back and made a quick mock bow before speeding back into the game. She snuggled in the scarf around her neck, basking in the particular and familiar scent it emitted.

" —and that was a nice save by one of the Gryffindor beaters!" Lee commented happily. "Davies with the quaffle, aims for the goal, but Wood saves it! Good job Gryffindor!"

Everyone in the stadium followed the race between Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw seeker, and Harry Potter, in pursuit of the snitch. There were loud gasps when three Dementors invaded the pitch, looking directly at the Gryffindor seeker, but he wasn't affected by them and ended up catching the snitch.

The Gryffindors in the crowd roared, Cassie among them. She felt fuelled by adrenaline, something the girl had never experienced to that degree before. Watching a quidditch match in a bright and clear day was very different from the cloudy one in November, and she really loved every part of it.

Seeing as everyone was flooding into the field, the redhead abandoned all her shyness for the moment and followed them, hugging an ecstatic Angelina when the chaser landed.

"That was great!"

"I know!"

Alicia and Katie joined them, the four girls yelling excitedly and hugging each other. It felt as if they had already won the Cup.

"This calls for a party!" They heard Fred voice over the ruckus and cheered at his words.

"Gryffindor common room, now!" George shouted as well.

The party was the first one Cassie attended in Hogwarts, and she felt thrilled at how wild it was. Before her mother's death, she had been a loud, cheery girl who loved music and celebrations, and that day she felt as though that part of her personality had decided to come back. Along with her friends, the girl danced, screamed the lyrics of her favourite songs and drank butterbeer until well into the night.

"I can hardly recognize you!" Alicia shouted over the music, a butterbeer in one hand and a decapitated Chocolate Frog in the other. Cassie laughed loudly.

"Me too!" She shouted back, turning towards George, who was right behind her. "I forgot to give you your scarf!"

"No problem! I'll get it tomorrow!"

The two of them laughed again, the effects of too many butterbeers on them. Both George and Fred seemed a bit tipsy, and Cassie wondered just how many drinks they had had.

The radio, which had been bewitched to play a muggle programme, started emitting some chords from a song Cassie knew well from her childhood.

"Should I stay or should I go!" She screamed the lyrics, dancing to the melody. Everybody started dancing wildly, and she felt a hand on hers.

"May I have this dance?" George asked, trying to keep a serious face and failing spectacularly.

Cassie giggled and let herself be twirled by the taller redhead, moving her whole body to the rhythm. That definitely was the most fun she had had in months, and she internally thanked the universe for allowing her to meet such wonderful people. When the song ended they parted ways, George going to find his brother and she going to reunite with her friends, that were sprawled in the couches next to the fire.

"That was a nice dance." Angelina commented, moving her eyebrows suggestively.

Cassie laughed, opening her mouth to retort something clever, but was interrupted by Professor McGonagall entering through the portrait hole and sending them all to bed. Apparently, it was already one in the morning.

"Guess we'll have to go." Alicia yawned, standing up from the couch. "Goodnight Katie."
The blonde girl bid them goodbye and they walked up the stairs to their dorm, where the other two girls were already tucking themselves in.

"Goodnight girls."

"Goodnight."