CASSIE MACMILLAN

Olivia let out a sigh she hadn’t realized she had been holding, she would’ve felt horrible if she had interrupted a moment of quiet that Cassie had been enjoying. Though by the way she was greeted, the older girl had a feeling even if she had been interrupting it would’ve been okay. “Just try not to get yourself mixed with the tree again, yeah?” She laughed, although she was sure she’d help Cassie if she did anyway just because she wouldn’t want someone to get hurt on her watch. Shrugging her shoulders at Cassie’s question, she had to think back on the party, “Spent the majority of my time just conversing with people. Hung out with Jackson for the tail end of the night,” Liv had pounced from person to person for a good couple hours before she had given herself some time to relax. “I was Tinkerbell, a fairy from one of my favorite children’s books,” She answered, a bit worried that Cassie wouldn’t know who she was taling about for a moment but then she spoke of her own costume. “That sounds awesome, I wish I could’ve seen it. Both of your costumes, did you both plan to come as David and Elton or was it just a funny coincidence?”

"I'll try can't go promisin' though. Especially if the wind decides to take flight with me book again.” The witch hadn’t intentionally ended up in a fight with the infamous tree, but she wasn’t going to risk the amount of secrets and personal thoughts in her journal be free to anyone brave enough to face it. Besides it had all ended well in the end, thankfully. Really, Cassie would be avoiding the tree from here on and keeping a close hold on her book for good measure. "Who?" Cassie asked before shrugging her shoulders likely. Whoever Jackson was she seemed to have had a good time and that’s all that matters. "Ye were no way! Were ye all green? Ye know me and my mate we used to pretend we were pirates when we were younger. Even tried to built a boat once so we could sail off and be lost boys together.” The blonde mused, a smile pulling onto her features as she broke the orange in half to offer it to Liv. “Want some?” Cassie asked. “Um? Oh no we didn't plan it together- it wasn’t like a duo outfit. But I guess we both knew what the other were going as, it just weren't intentional I guess. I don't know I didn't really think about it. But ye should have seen him, he had the bat and all.” @liv-rosmerta​

Mary made her way around the waterfall, careful not to slip on any wet rocks. One wrong step would be an easy way to get a trip to the Hospital Wing. A warm smile on her face as she approached Cassie, she stepped over moss  to an adjacent rock to where Cassie was sitting. Any time spent with Cassie was always fun, even if they seemed to just be sitting as they were now with a cigarette on a cold day, Mary always seemed to have a laugh. “Well Cassie, my logic is that when your in that rocking chair, are you going to remember the nights you got a solid 8 hours or when nights where you had waffles and ran from prefects?” She suggested, a light tone to her voice as she spoke. “So if you view me as a foe, so be it, but I was a fucking fun one.” Her hand reaching into her back pocket for two cigarettes, passing one to her friend as she placed the other between her own lips.  Glancing down at the notebook set to the side, an eyebrow raised. “You doing school work?” If so, Mary should take a leaf out of Cassie’s book.

Cassie couldn’t help a bright smile pull onto her features at Mary’s words. She was right, of course she was she’d give her that. Though really, Cassie had never minded Mary waking her up. Especially because she knew it always ended in a marvelous adventure and a bundle of fun. Even if at 3am her tired self awoken from dreams of marvel objected. Once she’d blinked her eyes back into reality, there wasn’t a night that she wouldn’t happily explore with Mary. “Ye got a point there-” The Irish witch spoke, a smile pulling onto her features as she looked across at her friend. “Oi- but I only plan on sittin’ in one of those thin’s if yer’re there so we can cause mischief. I’m sure we’d find somethin’ to do. Get a seat for a broomstick and fly around, hit someone with a ball of wool.” The blonde joked. “We should get waffles next time we adventure into the night though- that’s a feckin’ fantastic idea. Course ye’re a feckin’ fun one, ye always are.” The blonde confirmed as she gratefully took the cigarette, of course tipping an imaginary top hat as she added: “Why thank ye kind sir-” Before placing it between her lips and looking for her wand or lighter in her bag, which ever came first. “Pftt- no. Just writin’ nonsense, pretendin’ I don’t actually have any to do.” She probably should do some school work, but she didn’t fancy it just yet. “What ye doin’ out here?” @maryconrad​

“What now--” threw James with a faux air of exasperation. Contrary to popular belief, James Potter did spend a decent amount of time studying. A lot more than anyone would have probably thought, especially since he’d decided he wanted to be an Auror but figured out that the Gryffindor golden boy persona worked best if he didn’t look like he had to try hard at anything, ever. Closing the books he’d opened around him at the Gryffindor table, he looked up at the intruder, knowing that Charms homework would probably have to wait until tonight now that someone needed his attention. 

James leaned back in his chair with an entertained smile as she went on about how amazing he was. This was truly turning out to be a great conversation, much better than Charms homework could ever hope to be. “No, seriously, I think you’ve got it down perfectly. You’ll be a great writer I’m sure because your observation skills are phenomenal. I especially like the part about folks falling off chairs as they’re hit with the glow of my presence. Very… gripping,” he concluded with a grin.

He laughed as she described herself. “Well, fair is fair, so I can definitely call you all that if you stick with golden one. So you’re Edmund and Melina’s sister? Well, I can see where your whole… thing comes from now,” he added, not unkindly.

“Ouch!” he exclaimed as she hit him with her dream journal. “I’m sorry, what was that for?!” He was used to Slytherins trying to hit him, and girls swooning over him, but had rarely encountered the middle ground - this young girl repeatedly hitting him seemed like she was full of surprises indeed. (Lily, being special and maybe the one female immune to his charms, obviously did not count). He frowned. “Why, do you have another prize in mind? Although i have to tell you, they call me the bragging King, and I won’t give up my title easily.”

“Merlin- I was bein’ ironic.” Cassie spoke with a puff of air from her cheeks and light roll of her eyes. She hadn’t meant to give him as much pleasure from her words as that, but still the Irish witch had always had a sense for the dramatics and now was no different. However, the fact that he’d said she’d be a great writer did bring a sense of pride to her chest and a grin reflected back onto her features. She would be, one day; she hoped atleast. 

Features softening at the mention of her siblings, she gave an enthusiastic nod as she retorted: “Sure am. There’s Melina, Edmund, Me then Lizzie. Course though ye can’t forget the honorary MacMillan Athelstan Abbott.” The blonde spoke pointedly before her hands raised to pull the quill out of her buddle of blonde locks on her head. Moving to try and untackle the mess on top of her head with granted a little chunter and odd wince. Cassie quirked an eye brow lightly at him as she questioned: “Me whole thing? What ye mean Potter?” 

Plopping the scrunchy down on the table with a victorious grin, it left her mess of wild blonde curls to fall down by her shoulders - granted still with the odd piece of grass muddled in from the grounds earlier -. Pulling her legs up on the bench to sit cross legged, she rolled her eyes lightly retorting: “Witches are more than their looks. They can save the day ‘cause they can. Not ‘espeically if they look like that’. Don’t be such a baby ye deserved that one. Besides, it were for good measure too.” The blonde spoke, as if it were obvious. Glasping her hands in front of her, she paused to stroke an imaginary beard at the end of her chin before settling: “You have to call me the golden one permanently. Maybe even toss in a ridiculous bow in greetin’ whenever we meet. Imaginary tip of a top hat if we’re goin’ for official gentlemanly greetin’s. Though.. brangin’ rights against ye would be ever so sweet too.” @potterstagger​

when rodolphus woke up the morning after the halloween party, he thought it had been a dream – he was wrong. he really did kiss amelia bones and what the actual fuck was wrong with him? rod wasn’t the sort to make rash decisions and that would definitely be considered a rash decision. she had kissed him back, another surprise in itself. to him, the kiss meant nothing – it had been nice, he wasn’t going to deny it, but the slytherin had no plans of doing it again whatsoever. it was a slip on his part, a very strange one, but it was over and done with. no one knew about it and no one needed to. 

to get the entire incident out of his mind, rod made his way from hogwarts to hogsmeade village with the sole purpose of distracting himself (maybe he would stop calling himself an idiot for five minutes). perusing honeydukes in search of licorice wands, the boy made a grab for the sweet when someone knocked into him and pushed rod into one of the many candy stands in the shop. “fuck,” he muttered, reaching for it to keep it from meeting the floor. “are you trying to make me owe this place 20 galleons?” 

“i think i’m good, but thanks,” rod replied quietly and then he recalled who she was – melina’s sister. the macmillan’s were sacred, but famous for associating with muggleborns and the whole magic for peace movement. charity burbage had infected numerous purebloods with her equality spiel and plenty fell for her speeches; more than likely, the one in front of him was one of those. he didn’t understood why they made muggleborns such a priority in their lives when they themselves had untainted, magical blood running through their veins. it was a conundrum he often pondered when walking past burbage yelling in the corridors about some new injustice.

“i could go for some fortescue’s,” he added, intending to be polite and make some sort of small conversation while in the shop. he knew it was what his mother would want him to do and rod had already brought shame to the lestrange name less than 24 hours ago – might as well salvage what he could for now.

Cassie had been about to turn on her converse heels and leave him in the shop to whatever he had been doing before she arrived. But her plans for a quick escape had been riffled when he’d added those six words only a moment later. Damn it. Cassie thought to herself. Really she’d only been offering him something from Honeydukes but it was a little too late to back track now. Perfect. Just Perfect. 

Though of course she knew it’s what her mother would have wanted and reluctantly Melina too. To ‘play nice’. Even if that was the last thing that the Irish witch wanted to do. If it weren’t for the older MacMillan women in her mind, she would have given him a peace of her mind. She’d heard enough about him being a purist to know where she stood. She didn’t have to like him, but she’d begrudging get him icecream. Besides if he said anything stupid or offensive, she could always shove it in his face instead. The thought eased her a little atleast. “Fine alright-” The blonde nodded still a little reluctant. “I’ll just pay for these sweets for me sister then I’ll meet ye out front. Alright?” @rod-lestrxnge​

“Merlin’s Beard!” Rita let out a frustrated yell. She was sat at a cluster of tables in the middle of the library and to the dismay of the students around her, her voice simply got louder. “It can’t be! This can’t be it.” She brushed her hair behind her ears and straightened her glasses and she read the page in front of her again “This is literally a disaster!”  

“When last have you read a ‘good’ article hm? Investigative journalism requires a little bit of poking. And besides, the more information you have, the better. You never know what could be that last piece of the puzzle.” Rita had no shame in digging through peoples dirty laundry to find the good stuff, the stuff that would complete her web of gossip.

“Why so defensive all of a sudden? Sounds like you’re avoiding a topic? What I heard was just a rumour but your face tells me it’s more true than I thought.” She mused. “It’s nothing to be ashamed off, we all have walls.”

The Irish witch took a moment to pause and ponder over the question. Though only for a moment before she couldn’t help but retort a little bluntly: “Never in your gossip collum. Maybe in the Daily Prophet.” Cassie mused as she folded her arms stubbornly across her chest, eyes narrowing a little at Rita. “Gossip isn’t journalism and airing out everyone else’s secrets but ye own is just playin’ dirty. There are more interestin’ things in this place than which Hufflepuff snogged what Slytherin or which Gryffindor fell and broke a table. I don’t need to know who is shackin’ up with which fella, or which love triangle is the ‘hot news’.”

Her features tightened nose scrunched with displeasure as the older witch pressed. “Or maybe I just don’t wanna tell ye about somethin’ that ain’t there to begin with. It ain’t your business so keep ye nose out.” @fearlessjourno​

Despite the interruption, Olivia was glad to see she was still welcomed and she let herself smile in return. “Just wasn’t sure if I was ruining an important moment of reflection or something,” She laughed, moving closer to the girl, “You don’t owe me anything. I was happy to help and I’m glad you got your notebook back.” Nodding her head as she moved to take the empty space next to Cassie, she shrugged her shoulders, “I’m been alright. Honestly, I had a blast at the party, it was really cool to see everyone’s creative side come out with the costumes.” It was a great mixture of people going above and beyond while having some of the students use minimal effort and still look great. “Did you enjoy yourself at the party? I don’t think I remember seeing you, what did you come dressed as?”

“Aw yeh ye sent me deep thoughts spiralin’ back into the abyss.” Cassie joked with smile pulling across her features. “Was just scribblin’ nonsense, nothin’ worth anythin’” That’s all that Cassie seemed to think her notebook was these days. She’d been so caught up with school worth that any marvelous thoughts she had had apparently dwindled with the looming tests coming up. Though she figured, it would all be worth something. Inspiration normally came out of nonsense and off handed thoughts. “Catch yerself on course I do, are ye jokin’? I’d have been wiped from east to west without yer help.” Shifting she paused as she pulled her legs to cross underneath her. “A blast hey? What did ye get yerself up to?” Cassie asked curiously putting her notebook away and pulling out an orange starting to peel it. “Everyone did look bangin’, didn’t think I caught sight of ye though; what were ye?” The Irish witch queried, starting to make a small pile of the orange peel on her booted foot. “Oh I went as the legend himself David Bowie, I was rockin’ red hair and a lightenin’ bolt face so that’s probably why. If ye spotted an Elton John though, I was probably round him, my best mate went as him. Yeh cracking’ time, I’d gladly dance to the time warp any day.”

After collecting a fry up for himself and a plate of blueberry pancakes for Cassie, Stan politely asked a young hufflepuff Girl to go up and wake Cassie. Failing to mention to the young girl that she may face a mouth full.  Leaning back in his armchair, Stan smiled when he witnessed Cassie coming down the stairs. A dull ache in his chest as he realised what he was doing. Surely, this was platonic? “Mon’ Huffy Knicks. I got you breakfast.” @fckoffcassie​ 

There was an ease between Cassie and Stan that hadn’t been lost over all their years of friendship, it was comforting to know that almost nothing could faze them. Cassie had been a constant in Stan’s life for more than a decade now, they had a natural ease about them that felt homely. When they had met, Stan had been a boy with a quieter disposition, practically trained to stay quiet when adults were talking and being taught by the Goyles that children were meant to  be well-mannered and respectful of all adults. His mother always used to dismiss these claims with a warm laugh and flick of her eyes but it wasn’t until moving to Ireland that Stan came out of his shell. It was after his mother became friends with the Macmillan that Stan first encountered the wildness of the Macmillan family, as an only child it was something he had never witnessed. For his entire life, he had been surrounded by adults unless he spent an evening with his cousins, who he had almost nothing in common with. But there he was, in the warm household filled with a family that seemed complete unlike his own. Stan remembered sitting on the edge of the sofa, tapping his thumb off the enamel of a mug of tea. He was quiet, not finding it easy to break into conversation with the four children who seemed to bounce between conversation and playing with the mere blink of an eye. Truthfully, Stan was in awe, he was polite and well-mannered and had a bubbly personality around his mother. But outside, he was quiet and reclusive, choosing to sit with a children’s book rather enjoying a wrestling match with his cousins. For those reasons, many believed Stan was soft, destined to become a loner but Cassie MacMillian seemed to see something in him that no one else did. That first morning in the MacMillian household, Stan noticed Cassie’s eyes fixed on him out of curiosity but with the slight hint of challenge.  Perhaps she recognised Stan’s sense of adventure and a fullness of life that had been bursting at the seams from every moment he had to stifle his personality to fit in. It may have took some coaxing but Cassie drew it out of him. And he couldn’t have been more thankful.

It didn’t take long before he was screaming at the top of his lungs playing pirates with Cassie and packing for picnics at the beach with all the Macmillan siblings. Instead of being cooped up in his empty household from dawn until dusk, Stan left his house at 9am with nothing more than the clothes on his back and returned almost twelve hours later mucked to high heavens with a mischievous glint in his eye. Only to repeat the next day without an ounce of tiredness. Cassie was his best friend, they had been there with each other through thick and thin. She had witnessed him falling from an oak tree after trying to win a conker collecting competition, which resulted in him breaking his arm in three places. Cassie had been there for his awkward growth spurt, when he went from 5 foot 4 to 6 foot 2 in the space of four months. He remembered queuing outside Freebird Records in Wicklow Town for two hours to buy her a record player for her, just for them to spend all night discussing records. Stan listened to her ramble about books and read sections of her favourite poetry by Sylvia Plath and Cassie put up with him trying to grow out his hair to look like Lyndsey Buckingham, only for his mum to force a bowl around his head and chop it all off on Christmas break.They had grown together rather than growing apart, their friendship was strong built on a foundation of adventure, love and trust. Stan Abbott couldn’t ever picture not having Cassie recognise his every facial expression and he couldn’t imagine not witnessing her fits of passion during intense debates. Over the years, he failed to determine if Ireland was his home or if it was Cassie MacMillian.

Taking a sip of his coffee, Stan refrained from a smile. “Did you learn no table etiquette growing up?” He raised an eyebrow, his teasing evident as he raised his pinky finger when he took another sip of his coffee. The plate of fry up sitting on his lap, Stan lifted it slightly to shift into a more comfortable position like Cassie. Resting it back on his lap, a deep chuckle came from his chest. “I’d like to fucking hope so, look at me? Bright eyed and bushy-tailed dressed in my finest attire.” A slight gesture to his outfit which currently was a pair of loose joggers and a shirt he had slung over his back to simply go down for breakfast. It was not a fashionable look but he was dressed for a greasy breakfast not a banquet dinner. “Not gonna lie, pretty disappointed that you didn’t come down dressed as Bowie, you suited that hair do. Plus redhead? Matched your temper perfectly.” His mother always called him a wind-up merchant, but Cassie understood his mischievous side. She had been the main culprit of bringing it out of him. “We coulda continued being John and Bowie, that woulda got a few looks from the prissy pricks at the Slytherin Table, it would have caused a riot.”

His knife and fork cutting into a piece of potato bread, a staple piece to a fry up that reminded him of Ireland. Stan was disappointed at how it seemed to go under the radar at Hogwarts, meaning that he practically begged the house elves to make it each morning he was feeling worse for wear. An amused smile as Cassie relayed what happened with the younger girl. Glancing around the common room to see if he could see any younger girl crying over being faced with Cassie in the mornings. “Poor girl thought at least she lives to see another day. Can’t be so sure for the last poor sod.” Leaning forward at the mention of a pillow incident, “do tell, I need to hear about you beating someone with a pillow.”

Giving in to Cassie’s demands about making a wish. He set his plate to the side one moment, moving closer to his best friend to make a wish on the Elton John piece of glitter. “Elton Magic, I love that.” He expressed as he leaned forward and closed his eyes, barely able to make a straight face and he thought of a wish. “Feck-I uhm…. I wish that you’d fully commit to the ziggy stardust hairstyle. You looked a belter with it. ” Stan wished, trying his best to contain his laughter as he opened one eye to peak at Cassie. “Maybe even the makeup too? I’d pay to see Slughorn if you walked in with a glittery lightning bolt across your face.”

There was always a kind of warmth that came with Stan Abbott. She felt it even now.  It resonated in Cassie’s chest and filled her up with so much light she always wondered whether it was just the affect the boy had around people. Making them feel welcome. Warm. Safe. With his sweet disposition, wide eyes gaze, his cheeky humor that always had her laughing so much by the end of the day her stomach was swore. For a second no matter where they were whether it be home in Ireland or at Hogwarts; if she was with him it didn’t matter. She felt like she belonged by his side some how. 

Over the years, a slight teasing had ensued over their ‘particularly close’ friendship. Whether it was from strangers or friends, the comments had come. Of course then it always ended up with Cassie rolling her eyes. Thumping the teaser on the arm if she needed, as if that could some how diminish the rumors and make everything fall back into place. How it should be. How they had always worked. But after so long it hadn’t stopped her from wondering. Of course she’d thought about it once or twice before, though never dwelling on it. Putting it down to a simple moment rather than it lingering and developing into something that she simply couldn’t let it be. Affection like that wasn’t something Cassie held well in her chest. It made her feel unsteady and unsure, like everything around her would crumble and leave her floating in a abyss that she couldn’t quite get out of. Giving someone else that amount of power over her heart wasn’t something she’d do willingly. But was it ever a choice when it came to matters of the heart? She knew that if the rumors ever turned true, that if it ever were to be Stan it wouldn’t just be something simple. How could it? It would be earth shattering. Almost like an earth quake in her chest caving in her ribs and causing a shock way through her entire body. She shouldn’t know that but of course she did. She shouldn’t think on it, but from time to time she did. When they were under the stars sprawled across the field, whispering their secrets to each other and dreaming on stars, she did. Glancing over at his features illuminated by star light and for a second it would resonate in her chest. That warmth. The feeling she always held around him but for a moment it would grow deeper. And again, she’d convince herself it was normal. It was just what best friends held for each other. But even her sister had noticed it once. Melina had said before that best friends don’t look at each other like that. Like they did. Like the other was their whole world. As if nothing was ever really complete with out them. Cassie had brushed it off with a puff of her lips and a small shake of her head because she couldn’t feel that kind of warmth. She’d lived in deniable that she couldn’t.. It wasn’t an option. It couldn’t be. Not when she’d spent so long trying to find her own voice, fighting for it, only to have it attached to someone else’s? But it was. It had been for so long without her knowing it. Stan was the person she looked for in a room. When she heard something funny, he was the one she always wanted to tell. It was because they were friends. It’s just what best friends did. Right? Even a tiny small piece of Cassie knew now that she didn’t believe it.

“I’ve got plenty of manners thank ye very much-” Cassie spoke in mock offense, a wide smirk pulling onto her features as she looked at him. Tilting her head back, Cassie sat crossed legged as she moved to balance a blueberry on top of her nose. Though it barely lasted a minute before her lack of hand eye coordination cause it to drop, leaving a quite ‘feck’ falling of her lips as she begrudgingly moved to grab it from under the table. Of course, hitting her head on the underneath of said table with a loud “Ow-.. shit on a brick-” as she moved to come back up. Grace, poise, elegant as ever; well done MacMillan. “Bushy tailed.” The blonde repeated with a scoff and light laugh, as she rubbed her head with displeasure. However at the mention of her temper a small pout fell on her lips before she blew a puff of air from her cheeks, finally glancing back up at him from the floor. “Hey. I don’t have a temper, take it back Abbott or face the consequences.” Though as quickly as the threat came, a smile grew even wider across her features, though it always did with him. Flopping back onto the seat as she gathered her pancakes, gladly settling in to eat them. She felt almost ravenous and the growl from her stomach was proof enough of it. “Prissy pricks, ye got that right. Can ye even imagine the look on their faces if we sauntered on in like the gods of muggle music. They’d be outraged, we’d have a brawl before brunch. We might just have to try it. Atleast give us an excuse to give them a piece of mind.” Though really, when had Cassie ever needed an excuse to speak her mind? She did that freely daily, holding her tongue was never a talent that the witch possessed. Leaning forward just as he did so they could be face to face and eye to eye. Her blue eyes narrowed lightly at him as if in a challenged stare off, before blowing in his face lightly instead with a smirk, before sitting back in her seat. “I’ll give ye a free demonstration later. Though don’t remember if I hit her in the face or the arse-” Cassie cringed slightly, really she did feel bad about it. “I’ll find her and apologize later for my sleepin’ goblin side.” Cutting up a piece of pancake, she swirled it in the honey on her plate before gladly putting it in her mouth with a hum of delight. “Urgh Stanley, ye glorious wizard ye. How did ye get the elves to make them blueberry? Ye’re a true marvel.”

“Not just Elton magic. It’s Athelstan Elton Theodore Abbott John magic. It’s even stronger stuff. And even more special.” And really she believed it. Even if they were legends last night, nothing would ever compare to them simply being who they were. There wasn’t a better magic radiating from any one person than it did from her best friend. She’d believe that till the end of time. A wide grin pulling onto her features, even a sparkle in her eyes which always seemed to appear once in a while around him, she scoffed and leaned over to pick up her cinnamon black tea and take a spin. “I’ll stick with it for a week if ye borrow some of Syb’s pink hair dye potion and join me. Imagine what the Slytherin’s would say then. We might just move up on the rank of mysterious misfit marvels. And please, it would probably give the poor fella such a fright he’d faint on the spot. Don’t fancy a detention from shockin’ the livin’ day lights outta our professor, especially if it gives me less time to irritate ye.” @stanthemanabbott​

⭐️ Harry: What is a special talent of yours that sets you apart from everyone else?

⭐️ Ron: What is your biggest fear and have you overcome it?

⭐️ Hermione: What is/was your favorite subject in school? Why? 

⭐️ Neville: What kind of obstacles have you overcome in life?

⭐️ Dumbledore: If you were to look into the Mirror of Erised what would you see?

⭐️ Voldemort: Are you afraid of death?

⭐️ Luna: What is the most unusual thing about you? 

⭐️ Ginny: Are you good at any sports? If so, what are they? 

Mary had always loved being outside, autumn was her favourite season. She loved the nip in the air as she walked to class and the crunch of fallen leaves under her boots as she went on her daily walks for a smoke. But now, it was getting closer to winter and Mary knew it was only a short amount of time before the black lake was frozen over and the snow blanketed the entire castle. It had been one of her typical walks, where Mary went a walk to smoke rather than listen to the other girls in her dorm complain that the smoke isn’t going fully out the window. Deep in thought, Mary had no idea where her feet were taking her until she heard the sound of water, glancing up to see the waterfall. Cassie’s voice met with the sound of flowing water. “Friend…I think? Depends on the day.”

A wide smile pulled onto her features as her ears caught on the oh so familiar voice of her fellow Hufflepuff. Besides of course Stan and the group of Misfits, Mary had quickly become one of Cassie’s closest friends. There was just something about her that felt so free which of course the witch adored and shared in too. When wasn’t spending time with the Mary Conrad ever not enjoyable? “Well would ye look at what the winds brought me way-” The Irish witch chimed, as she turned her head to look over at the other. A wide smile pulling onto her face in greeting. “When ye aren’t wakin’ me up at three in the feckin’ mornin’ ye’re a friend, though my nightself would definitely lean towards the foe from pullin’ me dreams.” Cassie joked, an amused smirk pulling onto her features as she set her notebook and quill down so that she could fully concentrate on the other. “Ye got a spare smoke on ye?” @maryconrad​

when rodolphus woke up the morning after the halloween party, he thought it had been a dream – he was wrong. he really did kiss amelia bones and what the actual fuck was wrong with him? rod wasn’t the sort to make rash decisions and that would definitely be considered a rash decision. she had kissed him back, another surprise in itself. to him, the kiss meant nothing – it had been nice, he wasn’t going to deny it, but the slytherin had no plans of doing it again whatsoever. it was a slip on his part, a very strange one, but it was over and done with. no one knew about it and no one needed to. 

to get the entire incident out of his mind, rod made his way from hogwarts to hogsmeade village with the sole purpose of distracting himself (maybe he would stop calling himself an idiot for five minutes). perusing honeydukes in search of licorice wands, the boy made a grab for the sweet when someone knocked into him and pushed rod into one of the many candy stands in the shop. “fuck,” he muttered, reaching for it to keep it from meeting the floor. “are you trying to make me owe this place 20 galleons?” 

rod did not understand why rita skeeter felt the need to insert herself into others lives as if it was her business or the world’s business. he shouldn’t have to answer to others about things that didn’t pertain to them and it seemed he was the only one who thought that way. rod never cared much for the hogwarts gazette. the writing wasn’t noteworthy, the news wasn’t remarkable. instead, the slytherin focused his attention on reputable publications that actually put out news worth reading and not the trash, the muck, that the gazette put out every week.

“i’m fine,” rod said, brushing off the incident. the girl looked familiar, but he couldn’t quite place her. “just watch yourself so there’s no next time.”

Granted, it took a moment for the recognition to fully hit before the Irish witch fully recognized the male. Another member of the sacred twenty eight, purist. Of course while the MacMillan’s were known as one of the twenty eight families, by Merlin, was Cassiopeia forever grateful that her family was as far away from that part of society as you could possibly get. She’d rather be called a ‘blood traitor’ any day than a purist. She’d never had to mingle with the other families who held those believes; forever grateful that she hadn’t had to grow up like them. 

Though of course from her help in the Magic for Peace movement, she recognized the fella eventually. Lestrange. After a while of being in the group, she’d started to learn the kind of students to stay away from. Or more so, to voice her opinions louder to; because really someone had to stand up to them and call them out for their crap. But now wasn’t the time or place and it wasn’t like he’d done anything. Still, she could still feel her shoulders straightening and stance steadying as if some how squaring her 5′4 frame would make her feel braver some how. “Fine-” Cassie spoke simply as she looked over him. Granted it was reluctant, very reluctant. But she knew her mam would have wanted her to so after a moment she added: “Do ye want me to get ye those? Ye know.. to make up for it and all.”  @rod-lestrxnge​

“What now--” threw James with a faux air of exasperation. Contrary to popular belief, James Potter did spend a decent amount of time studying. A lot more than anyone would have probably thought, especially since he’d decided he wanted to be an Auror but figured out that the Gryffindor golden boy persona worked best if he didn’t look like he had to try hard at anything, ever. Closing the books he’d opened around him at the Gryffindor table, he looked up at the intruder, knowing that Charms homework would probably have to wait until tonight now that someone needed his attention. 

James grinned; “I don’t know, doesn’t seem like the best idea to punch the golden boy.” He was just teasing her, having been mocked himself relentlessly by Sirius for the very same nickname. It was good to know that he was liked among the castle, but there wasn’t much he could do with that nickname that didn’t sound pathetic and self-important, so he usually pretended he didn’t know about it unless in the presence of his close friends (in which case, he definitely used and abused it).

He clenched his jaw, knowing she was right but he wouldn’t have minded a bit of a duel with arseholes one and two right about now. “Well — let me know if you ever need my help dealing with that shite.” After all, he didn’t know how good she was at duelling, and while she could surprise him, her pride shouldn’t get in the way of sending purist snakes to the Hospital Wing.

He could see how indeed she’d be the kind of witch to take ‘weird’ as a compliment if their interaction so far was anything to go by, yet he played along with an offended air at her rebuttal of his charms. “Well, I’ll have you know a lot of witches, and wizards, would absolutely love to watch me ‘starin’ out pensive and broodin’, miss— wait, what’s your name again?”

He rolled his eyes, as yet more predictable things were falling out of the Hufflepuff’s mouth. “Of course you do. Well, literally no one said that—ever. Have you ever met Lily Evans? huh-huh. Witches can save the day any time, especially if they look like that,” he added with a tacky grin before scoffing. “Oh please—I’ve been stuffing my face with pumpkin pie for sixteen years. Bring it on.”

Surprisingly she found herself more entertained by the other than she originally planned. Though she didn’t by into the idea of popularity or too much notice of it, Cassie could atleast see why so many students liked him around here. He was fun if anything else. “Oh low and behold if it ain’t the golden one. Everyone have mercy and make way for him and his band of trouble makers. Clad in red, they roam the halls to conquer slytherins and stare pensively into the abyss with a broodin’ complexion that makes anyone buckle at the knees. Folks, fallin’ off the chairs as they just can’t handle the glow of your presence.” Cassie spoke dramatically with a fail of her arms to the left and right before scoffing. “Merlin’s beard. Seriously?” The blonde questioned with both of her brows quirked at him. “Catch yerself on fella and count me out.” 

Humming, the witch paused to stroke an imaginary beard, as if pondering for a moment. “Well depends. Do ye want my full name? Because if that case. Ye can call me, Adventure extraordinaire, dreamer of worlds and lover of oranges MacMilan. Cassie’s fine too.” 

Again, the Irish witch was left rolling her eyes hard. Rowena have mercy, everyone fell for this guy? Seriously? Though the witch had never understood flings, meaningless crushes and romances. Picking up her notebook, she leaned across and hit the boy lightly again on his arm. “Sucks for ye that from here ye don’t look very golden to me.” With a light shrug, she caught the loose piece of paper that had escaped from her tied up bundle and stuffed it into a pocket before pushing herself up. “Then we’re on an even playin’ field. Sixteen years and give or take four months. So what do ye say? Winner gets ultimate braggin’ rights, unless ye had another prize in mind?” @potterstagger​

Sybill had been looking forward to tonight. Her and the girls had arranged a sort of beauty/pamper session. Sybill was mostly excited because it was the perfect time to dye her hair the colour she’d been obsessing over since before Halloween. Sybill had snagged the room of requirement for the evening. Being in a different house to her friends sometimes had it’s difficulties. As she walked in she found the room filled with lots of cushions and mirrors, a little music player was also nestled in the corner. She immediately went over to it to turn it on to a low volume. She dropped the bunch of nail varnishes she was carrying into a little pile on the floor and sat down crossing her legs. It wasn’t long before she was joined by her friends. “How cool is this?” She exclaimed as they headed in to the room “this place never fails to amaze me”

reecexholyhead

Sybill had been looking forward to tonight. Her and the girls had arranged a sort of beauty/pamper session. Sybill was mostly excited because it was the perfect time to dye her hair the colour she’d been obsessing over since before Halloween. Sybill had snagged the room of requirement for the evening. Being in a different house to her friends sometimes had it’s difficulties. As she walked in she found the room filled with lots of cushions and mirrors, a little music player was also nestled in the corner. She immediately went over to it to turn it on to a low volume. She dropped the bunch of nail varnishes she was carrying into a little pile on the floor and sat down crossing her legs. It wasn’t long before she was joined by her friends. “How cool is this?” She exclaimed as they headed in to the room “this place never fails to amaze me” 

Reece sighed trying her best to not tap her foot as Amos droned on at the end of Quidditch practice. She was anxious to meet up with her friends,  she felt like it had been ages since she had last seen Sybill, plus she couldn’t wait to see how Sybill’s hair was going to turn out. She practically jumped out of her seat when she was finally free. She moved quickly through the emptying corridors a smile growing on her face as she got closer to the room of requirements. As the door opened she heard the soft music floating through the air “this is brilliant” she said brightly as she moved further into the room. She embraced Sybill quickly before turning to examine the room one more time. “So what color are you going with for your hair?” she asked a smile on her lips.

Of course Cassie was running late. When wasn’t she though? The young witch had been too caught up writing in her notebook that time really had slipped away from her. Though before going to meet her friends, she’d swung by the kitchens - much to the elves disagreement -. She was always as kind and gracious to them as she could be though, even teasing them a little with a warm smile. Cassie always thought they put up with her mainly because of her sister Mel. Melina always had a knack for winning everyone over, despite how many times Cassie would accidentally knock something over with her lack of coordination; she was sure she put up with her for Mel’s sake.

“Sorry I’m late I got caught-” Though her words were cut off as Cassie’s eyes fell upon the scene before her and two of her best friends. A wide smile pulling immediately onto her features. “Sweet mother of merlin-” The irish witch gasped astonished as her eyes flickered around the room in amazement. “Ye really out done yeself this time ye glorious room, thank ye-” The witch spoke with a bright smile as she took a minute to really soak up the atmosphere before nearing her friends. “Feckin’ hell this place is fantastic- right lads I hope ye’re hungry I brought spoils.” She spoke opening her back to pull out some of the snacks she’d managed to snag from the kitchen. Marshmallows, biscuits, cheese and crackers, some pumpkin juice, some chocolate; figuring there’d be something for everyone. “Come on Syb- spill the craic will ye? Come one tell us the colour; ye goin’ a different shade of pink or throwin’ us a curve ball with somethin’ new?” @sybillptrelawney​ @reecexholyhead​

With no hangover, Olivia found it easier to go about her day after the Halloween party but she still couldn’t get out of her head. She had spent countless of hours inside and she tried to practice in the Room of Requirement but nothing had pulled her from her thoughts so she ventured outside. Despite the colder weather setting in it was nice out, even as she pulled her coat tighter around her. The blonde didn’t have a particular destination in mind so she let herself wander, only to stumble upon the younger blonde. “I’m sorry,” She rushed to say when she noticed she had distrubed Cassie’s peace. “Well friend, I hope. I mean we faced the Whopping Willow together and that’s quite dangerous.”

Tilting her head up to look behind her, her wild curls tumbled down her back as her eyes focused on the figure before her. Granted even if it was upside down. A wide smile pulled onto her features at the familiar face, one that had quite frankly saved her ass and notebook from the Whomping Willow.  “Ye don’t need to be sorry-” The Irish witch spoke, if anything glad to see the other again. “Ye got every right to be here as me. Besides, after everythin’ that happened with the Whompin’ Willow I definitely owe ye big time.” Which really, felt like an understatement of the century, she would have probably ended up in the hospital wing trying to get her notebook back if it hadn’t been for Liv. “How’ve ye been? Did ye have fun at the party? Come here, ye wanna sit down?” The Irish witch spoke, moving to move her bag out the way so Liv could join her. @liv-rosmerta​

“Merlin’s Beard!” Rita let out a frustrated yell. She was sat at a cluster of tables in the middle of the library and to the dismay of the students around her, her voice simply got louder. “It can’t be! This can’t be it.” She brushed her hair behind her ears and straightened her glasses and she read the page in front of her again “This is literally a disaster!”  

“A good journalist never reveals their sources!” She smirked sweetly, but as always, there was always something off with Rita’s smiles, as if anything you said might come back to bite you one day. “Hmm. There’s a lot of wizarding books that are like that. The movement that allowed female witches to become Aurors, about how the salem witch trials were targeting mostly only female witches. Why would you read muggle stories like that?”

As much as Rita had read a lot of books and wouldn’t mind going on about the topic, that’s notwhy she had struck the conversation. “Oh yes. I’ve heard that Romance in general isn’t your style. Something about being afraid of the concept of love? What’s that about?” She asked, placing her chin on her hand, ready for a life story.

Cassie was about to gladly fall into a discussion about literature. Genuinely one of her favourite topics of course and one that she would never bore of. However, just as she went to open her mouth, Rita’s last statement hit her ears. Never had Cassie’s face dropped from welcoming to unamused, disinterested and quite frankly pissed off so fast. The table’s had completely flipped and one thing that Cassiopeia was sure of; was that she was going to kill her sister. 

“Since when do ‘good journalists’ go around pokin’ their noses in other people’s private business ay?” The blonde challenged a light frown edged onto her features. “Sounds more like a gossip than a good writer.” @fearlessjourno​

“What now--” threw James with a faux air of exasperation. Contrary to popular belief, James Potter did spend a decent amount of time studying. A lot more than anyone would have probably thought, especially since he’d decided he wanted to be an Auror but figured out that the Gryffindor golden boy persona worked best if he didn’t look like he had to try hard at anything, ever. Closing the books he’d opened around him at the Gryffindor table, he looked up at the intruder, knowing that Charms homework would probably have to wait until tonight now that someone needed his attention. 

“Of course you don’t,” commented James as he could feel a smile of his own making its way onto his face. There was something fascinatingly chaotic about the Irish witch, like a tiny but angry tornado that looked absolutely unthreatening when observed from afar, yet managed to shake everything in its path at the exact same time. He sat more comfortably. “I really like that name – did you come up with it yourself?” he inquired self-indulgently. But as the conversation turned towards Slytherins, the smile on his face faltered. “I see. Do you have names? I think I’d like to bump into them myself, see what they have to say.” He tried to remain calm but the anger was palpable under his words. He decided then that this strange little Hufflepuff was going to be his friend. She was hilarious, and quick-witted, and unashamedly loud. But from her tale, she was also brave and the kind of girl who would single-handedly stand up to bullies. He frowned at her yellow tie.

He held his hands up – “alright, alright. Not a moodboard. It’s still weird though,” he said after a few seconds of silence before cracking up. “So what are those thoughts, ideas and stories about then? I have a few hours free if you need some inspiration. Would you like to see how many slices of pumpkin pie I can eat under thirty seconds, maybe? Or I could always just sit there, looking out the windows with a pensive air. Be the brooding hero of your story. I won’t even charge you for the insight.”

“Do I need to punch ye again to get that name outta ye head?” The blonde asked. The last thing that she was going to do was tell him that it was a common name used for him around Hogwarts. Because really, the last thing he needed was it to go to his head, which clearly it would. Her brows couldn’t help but knit slightly together as he asked if she knew the names, which was a no. Slytherin’s particularly purists, were the last people that Cassie ever wanted to associate herself with. “I don’t know- Arsehole one and arsehole two.” The irish witch spoke with a shrug as she finished stuffing the paper back into her notebook. “Put ye battle flags down fella, besides they’re probably lon’ gone by now.” Being involved in the Magic For Peace Movement, it wasn’t uncommon for Cassie to stick her neck out on the line for those targeted by the purists. Taking on students often twice her size, though that never put off the stubborn witch from voicing her often very honest and brash opinions. She felt alot and deeply, hiding her feelings had never been a strong suit. Especially not when she felt passionately about the topic. 

“Well maybe I like weird. What’s so wron’ with bein’ different anyway? Merlin forbid someone not bein’ a sheep in a herd.” ‘Weird’ had always been a compliment in Cassie’s book. In fact she took it upon herself to stand out from the crowd. To be the very thing that so many shied away from. Life was too short and boring if you didn’t live as completely you as you could be. Why try to be like everyone else when being just who you were was the most interesting thing you could possibly be. The Irish witch couldn’t help but quirk an eye brow at him in a ‘seriously’ expression, a small scoff falling off her lips as she rolled her eyes yet again. “The last thin’ I want is to watch ye starin’ out pensive and broodin’, merlin have mercy that sounds like a nightmare. Oh jez- how kind of ye, for the offer. Please note sarcasm.” The Hufflepuff spoke, a grin pulling onto her features as she gave a small shake of her head. Wrapping the string back around her book as if that could some how stop everything from exploding out of it again. She really needed to go through it at some point, would she though? Probably not. “Sorry Potter, prefer stron’ female characters as the hero’s of me stories. Who said they can’t be savin’ the day too? Though- I will take you up on that pumpkin pie challenge. Even better, we can make it a game. Ye know I think I’d like to see you loose against me.” @potterstagger​