“Look who’s late.”

Cassie stormed into the Room of Requirement like she’d been personally wronged by the entire student body. Her cloak fluttered dramatically, her boots hit the floor  and her hair looked like it had nearly been set on fire

Theo raised a brow from his spot on the dueling mat watching her put up her hair “Fashionably, I hope.”

“Do you have any idea,” Cassie snapped, yanking off her cloak, “how hard it is to escape Draco sodding Malfoy?”

Theo grinned, amused already. “I imagine it involves vanishing charms and maybe punching a wall or his face”

She threw her cloak on a beabag  “First—first—he cornered me outside the Great Hall and started going on about how he got the Slytherin Quidditch team their permission slips signed. ‘Clearly the superior house, Cassie,’” she mimicked in a painfully accurate Draco drawl, “‘Potter’s team is still scrambling. I bet McGonagall’s regretting everything.’ And I was like, Draco, I do not care about broomsticks or whose quill you bribed this time.”

Theo chuckled, leaning against the wall. “charming.”

Cassie pointed a finger at him. “No, wait. It gets worse. Then, mid-monologue, he suddenly remembers to be nosy and goes, ‘Wait, where are you going, anyway?’ with that look, you know the one—like he thinks he’s your evil aunt and knows who you're snogging behind the greenhouse.”

Theo tilted his head. “The interrogating goblin glare?”

“Exactly. So I had to dodge that, and right as I was considering setting off a mild explosion to get him off my back, he just… lets me go.”

Theo smirked. “Didn’t say a word when you left?”

She narrowed her eyes. “No. Just this smug little smirk like he knew something.”

He nodded, unbothered. “That would be because I told Blaise we were sneaking off to make out in the Prefects’ Bathroom.”

Cassie recoiled, hands flying to her temples. “Are you mad?”

“Worked, didn’t it?”

“That’s why Blaise winked at me in the corridor like we share a weirdass secret!”

“Also why Draco backed off,” Theo added .

She groaned. “You absolute menace. I hate you.”

“Mm. Not what you said last night when I—”

“Don’t.” She shot him a death glare as she yanked her wand free. “What did you even get done while I was dodging Malfoys and social crises?”

Theo inspected his nails. “Seventeen targets. No misses. One accidental decapitation of a training dummy. I’m calling it a success.If I may say so myself—”

Cassie scowled. “You may not.”

“I wasn’t asking,”

Cassiopeia ignored him glancing around the room, already taking mental stock of the practice layout. “I can do my warm-up quickly or—”

Theo straightened, grin curling. “Or you can stop pretending and duel me cold.”

Cassie arched a brow. “As usual? First to faint?”

“Nah.” He spun his wand once. “Let’s go first to blood. let's save the fainting for Potter and his band of merry trauma survivors.”

Cassie twirled her wand once,  “Wand only?”

Theo didn’t even glance up. “Obviously. You’re not body slamming me into a wall again.”

“No promises,” she said, lips twitching.

They stepped into the dueling circle.

“Expulso!” Cassie struck first. Theo side-stepped smoothly, countered with “Obex Circinus!”—a circular deflection that absorbed the impact and threw it back like a slingshot.

She ducked, rolled, wand flashing. “Caligo!”  Darkness burst around him in a smoke cloud, but Theo was already spinning out of it, wand flicking in a sharp X. “Motus Vinctum.” Cassie froze mid-lunge—her feet locked briefly together.

She grimaced. “Rookie mistake.” “Improved my binding spell,” he called.

“Still pronouncing the Latin too hard,” she replied, wand flicking again. “Silencio Radius!” A ring of silence exploded outward. Theo’s next spell fizzled midair. He raised a brow, impressed.

Then—her footwork changed. She shifted angles, . Theo narrowed his eyes, caught the shift too late. “Flagrans!” Heat licked the hem of his sleeve. He yelped, slapped the fire out, and glared. “Low blow.”

“Creative improvisation,” she echoed

They reset—again. Theo adjusted his grip. Cassie repositioned her heel.  Then— “Confringo!” His spell detonated the armor behind her. She flinched from the shockwave, skidding back.

“Deflecto!” Her shield pulsed just in time.

“Offensive overload,” she muttered. “Unstable. You want to blow your hand off?”

Theo shrugged. “You said you wanted heat.” She rolled her eyes.

“Try Percutio Pulsar instead. Less dramatic, still hurts.”

He adjusted. “Again?”

“Again.” The door creaked open. Neither of them looked. They were mid-duel now—“Fulguro!” lightning crackling from Theo’s wand, “Obex Nox!” from Cassie’s, a night-dark shield she’d stolen from a old combat manual.

Near the door, Harry stared. Ron’s jaw dropped. Hermione whispered, “Is that… Fulguro? Do you know Ron -That’s banned in some dueling circuits—”

“Shut up,” Harry said quickly. The duel continued. Cassie and Theo moved like dancers—sharp, in sync,

Then—

“Everte Statum!” 

Cassie’s feet left the ground—she slammed hard into the stone floor, her shoulder scraping rough against the edge of a conjured armor stand. A thin line of crimson bloomed across her bicep.

Blood.

She blinked up at the ceiling, winded, then smirked, breathless.
“You bastard.”

Theo was already approaching, wand lowered, but wary. “You said first to blood.”

Cassie sat up, inspecting the cut, the smirk never quite leaving her face. “You’ve been holding out on me.”

He offered her a hand, expression unreadable. “Can’t give you all my secrets at once, Black.”

She took it—let him haul her up. Their hands lingered just a second too long.

From across the room, a shuffle. The Trio had frozen mid-step.

Harry quickly looked away.

Ron stood with his arms crossed, muttering under his breath

Hermione pretended to be studying the melted armor.

Theo grabbed the water bottle he’d left on a bench nearby, unscrewed it, and took a long drink—pointedly not looking at the trio Cassie, sweat-slick and flushed from exertion, barely glanced at the newcomers. “Meeting?”

Harry nodded once, 

“We’re done,” Cassie said simply, shrugging. She turned slightly.  Theo, already moving, tossed her a towel without looking. She caught it one-handed and wiped her face, still not acknowledging the tension near the door.

Ron was the first to Crack He squinted at Theo, frowning like he’d bitten into something bitter. “What’s he doing here?” he said loudly. “Don’t tell me he’s staying for the meeting.”

Theo lowered the water bottle, narrowed his eyes, and curled his lip into a half-snarl. “You got a problem, Weaselbee?” Cassie’s hand immediately found Theo’s arm,  He stiffened but didn’t brush her off. Just shook his head once, like he wasreining something in.

“Yes, Weasley,” Cassie said flatly, stepping forward. “Who do you think I practice with? The suits of armor?”

Hermione opened her mouth like she wanted to interject—then promptly shut it again. Smart girl.
Cassie turned to Harry, eyes flicking to his empty hands. “Where’s your merry band of saviours? Or is this it?”

Harry’s jaw clenched. “They’re on their way.”

Cassie raised an eyebrow. “Better hurry. Don’t want to miss the part where we swear to protect Hogwarts and bleed for each other.” She smirked. “Very touching.”

Ron bristled again, but chose not to say anything

knock

Cassie, still towel-drying the sweat from her jaw, didn't even glance over. Theo stood beside her, back to the wall, arms crossed, wand still loose in his fingers. Neither moved. Harry turned, exhaling as the door creaked open.

Ginny stepped in first, followed by Neville, Dean, Lavender, and Parvati. They all stopped in the threshold at once.

Dean blinked. “Whoa.”

Neville’s eyes darted to the scorch marks on the walls, the dented armor, and finally landed on Cassie and immediately looked away.

“What is this place?” Dean asked,

Harry began to explain, but before he had finished more people had arrived, and he had to start all over again. By the time eight o’clock arrived, every cushion was occupied
Harry cleared his throat. “This is where we’ll be practicing. You, uh... found it okay.”

No one answered immediately eyes kept flicking toward the black-clad girl with the damp curls and the boy leaning against the wall like he was debating who to hex first.

“It’s bizarre,” said Fred, who had just arrived with George and Lee Jordan. “We once hid from Filch in here. But it was a literal broom cupboard.”

“Hey, Harry, what’s that stuff?” Dean called, pointing to the Sneakoscopes and Foe-Glass.

“Dark Detectors,” Harry replied, stepping carefully around the circle. “They can detect enemies, but don’t trust them too much. They can be tricked.”

He paused in front of the cracked Foe-Glass. Shadowy figures moved inside it, vague and blurred. He didn’t recognize any — but his eyes lingered anyway.

“Useful if your enemies have faces,” Cassie muttered, finally sliding her wand into her boot. “they usually choose to wear masks.”

Several people jumped at the sound of her voice before brushing itt off and turning back to Harry

“Well, I’ve been thinking about the sort of stuff we ought to do first and — er —” Hermione raised her hand

“What, Hermione?”

“I think we ought to elect a leader,” said Hermione

“Harry’s leader,” Cho said immediately, as though the idea of voting were absurd.

Harry’s stomach flipped. His gaze darted — instinctively — toward Cassie almost guiltily .

She arched one brow. “Don’t look at me, Potter. I don’t give two shits about playing leader. I told you already — I’m not here to be your savior or a stupid hero like you”

The room went quiet.

Theo gave a low whistle from where he sat, legs stretched in front of him. “That’s the nicest thing she’s said all day.”

Hermione cleared her throat. “Yes, well — I still think we ought to formally vote, just so it’s clear.”

No one objected. Hands went up — even Zacharias Smith’s, though he looked like he’d swallowed something sour.

Harry, face slightly pink, gave a small, awkward nod. “Right… uh. Thanks.”

“I also think we should pick a name,” Hermione added. “Something that builds unity and — you know — team spirit?”

“Oh, for the love of—” Theo muttered under his breath

“Can we be the Anti-Umbridge League?” said Angelina hopefully.

“Or the Ministry of Magic Are Morons Group?” suggested Fred.

“I was thinking,” said Hermione, frowning at Fred, “more of a name that didn’t tell everyone what we  were up to, so we can refer to it safely outside meetings.”

How about D.A?" Ginny said " Dumbledore’s Army because that’s the Ministry’s worst fear, isn’t it?”

There was a good deal of appreciative murmuring and laughter at this.

Theo and Cassie exchanged a look.

Cassie’s voice cut through the murmuring. “Granger.”

Everyone looked at her. “This isn’t a merry little band of misfit Gryffindors. Stop treating it like one.”

Hermione blinked. “Excuse me?”

“If you name this group after Dumbledore,” Theo said evenly, “you might as well write Arrest him on your foreheads.”

“Exactly,” Cassie said coolly. “That joke of a woman at the Ministry would love an excuse to drag Dumbledore down. Give her proof we’re a little army with his name on it, and she’ll run straight to Fudge, screaming about treason.”

“What do you suggest?” Ginny asked flatly.

Cassie didn’t answer at first. Then she looked up, clearly bored.

“I think naming a secret rebellion is stupid,” she said. “But if we must…”

Theo leaned back on his hands, finishing the sentence with her.

“…call it something the Ministry wouldn’t question.”

"Exactly" Cassie nodded  "keep it boring. Something that doesn’t scream rebellion in bubble letters. Call it Defence Association. Something so stupidly proper Umbridge might frame it.”

“The Grand Inquisitor’s Honour Circle,” Theo offered in his best fake-adoring tone. “I bet she'd sew that on a flag.”

Ginny made a gagging noise.

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Alright. Defence Association it is. Subtext: Dumbledore’s Army. We’ll write it as D.A. Nobody’ll question it if they see it.”

She moved to the wall, unrolled the parchment listing all their names, and tacked it in place with a sticking charm. Then she scrawled in big block letters across the top:

D.A.

“Right,” said Harry, after a beat, “shall we get practicing then?”

Cassie uncrossed her legs and stood up slowly, cracking her neck.

“Finally.”

“I was thinking,” Harry started, a bit tense, “the first thing we should do is Expelliarmus — the Disarming Charm. I know it’s pretty basic, but I’ve found it really useful—”

“Oh please,” Zacharias Smith cut in, rolling his eyes so hard it looked like a spell had hit him. “I don’t think Expelliarmus is exactly going to help us against You-Know-Who, do you?”

“I’ve used it against him,” Harry said flatly. “It saved my life last June.”

Zacharias opened his mouth again—then shut it. Good.

Cassie, who had been stretching her shoulders like someone about to fight a war, finally cracked her neck with an audible pop and drawled, “If you lot can’t even manage a basic disarming spell, you’re all completely worthless as a starting point.”

Several students bristled. No one argued.

“I mean it,” she added, sharp and almost bored. “You think Voldemort’s going to politely wait for you to master your Patronus? You want to survive, you start by knowing how to take someone's wand before they take your throat.”

Harry cleared his throat. “Right. Uh… we should divide into pairs, then. Start practicing.”

Cassie nodded once, jerkily. “Should we demonstrate?”

Silence.

Cassie blinked, then rolled her eyes with a low scoff. “This isn’t going to work if you all keep treating me like I’m about to Crucio you for breathing near me. I don’t like any of you, yeah, that’s true. But if I wanted you dead, you'd know.”

A few people winced. Hermione looked like she wanted to say something but wisely didn’t.

Surprisingly, it was Ginny who spoke up first. “A demonstration would be fine.”

Cassie tilted her head and gave her what could maybe be interpreted as an attempt at gratitude — or maybe just a less-hostile-than-usual glance.

“Alright then,” she said, stepping forward, cracking her knuckles. “Potter. Square up.”

Harry looked at her, then stepped into the center of the circle as everyone else instinctively backed up Cassie walked up and stopped a few feet away, wand loosely held in her hand

“Disarm me,” she said simply.

Harry raised his wand, a little more hesitant than he liked to admit when—

“Expelliarmus!” Cassie barked.

It was sharp, clean, merciless.

Harry’s wand flew out of his hand like it had been yanked by an invisible rope. It spun high in the air — and with a flick of her wrist, Cassie caught it. Just like that.

“Too slow, Potter.”

“I thought I was supposed to—”

“You were,” she interrupted. “But the spell isn’t a theory. It’s not some polite back-and-forth duel. In real fights, the fastest wand wins. Period.”

Zacharias opened his mouth again, but this time Theo actually glared at him, so he shut it.

Cassie turned toward the group like she was running military drills. “Listen. The Disarming Charm works because it’s efficient. Not flashy. You don’t flail."

She raised her wand again,

“Point straight at the chest. Lower the tip just slightly. Sharp flick. Expelliarmus. No drama.”

A spark of red energy shot from her wand, cracking against a nearby armor

“Got it?” she asked, voice cold and clipped. “Chest. Wrist snap. Clear intention. If you’re thinking about how cool you look, you’ll be on the ground.” There were murmurs of agreement

"Alright pair up" Harry Said. Everybody scrambled to their feet at once, wands in hand, rustling awkwardly into pairs. As expected, Neville stood there alone,
Cassie clocked it instantly, then turned with a glare at Theo. “Be a darling, Nott. Go practice with Longbottom "

“I can—” Harry started.

“You,” Cassie cut in without even looking, “come here, Potter.”

Theo sighed through his nose “Cass—”

“You’ll live,” she murmured, stepping close enough for only him to hear. Her lips barely moved as she whispered something in his ear.

Whatever she said made Theo’s expression shift instantly/ The annoyed furrow vanished, replaced by something almost… fond. Still lethal, but softer

“All right, Longbottom,” Theo said, squaring up. “Hit me with your best.”

Neville flinched visibly at thechoice of partner but aimed, and cast — the spell shot wide and hit a bookshelf, which exploded with a puff of dust.

Theo didn’t say anything. Just waited and said again, calmly, “Try it again.”

Harry had reached Cassie by now, watching Theo from the corner of his eye then the rest of them-

“Most of them are… pretty incompetent,” Cassie remarked “But a few of them — they’ve got the basics of Disarming down.”

"Right"

Cassie looked at him sharply “Then don’t waste your time.”

“What?”

She finally turned to face him. “Split the group. Those who can manage a proper Expelliarmus — start teaching them the next charm. Maybe Stupefy, maybe Protego, something with real use in a fight.”

Harry rubbed the back of his neck. “You think that’s necessary already?”

Cassie’s eyes were Cold. “Always treat it like the war is tomorrow, Potter. Get your army ready as fast as we can.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment — just looked at her. Really looked.

That tone of hers — it wasn’t dramatic. It was deadly serious, in thatCassiopeia Black way that made people listen even when they didn’t want to.

“…That makes sense,” he admitted quietly.

Cassie gave him a dry, almost-smile. “Shocking, I know.”

Harry turned to face the group again. “Alright. We’re splitting into two.”

the group pauseed

“Who do you want on your team?” he asked, already glancing between wands and stances.

Cassie’s eyes scanned the room like she was cataloguing soldiers. “Granger. The twins. That misty girl—” she jerked her head toward Luna. “Ginny. Johnson. Ernie—” Her gaze landed on Ron, who’d finally managed to disarm Hermione after five failed tries. He blinked, stunned at his own success. Cassie’s mouth twitched. “And Weasley.”

Harry followed her gaze, then nodded. “Right.”

The group mumbled, scattered, and shuffled awkwardly into their new formations — no one wanting to be the idiot who questioned Black. A few sideways glances

Cassie didn’t say a word. She didn’t need to.

Her attention drifted to Theo, who hadn’t flinched or fussed during the entire rearrangement. He was still with Longbottom, gently correcting his wrist movement with a calm look that almost made Neville look more petrified - as if expecting the behavior to switch back any moment

“Loosen your grip,” Theo said lowly, pressing two fingers to Neville’s knuckles. “You're not trying to throttle the wand. It's not a sword.”

Neville nodded nervously — too fast — and cast again, this time managing to send Theo’s wand clattering to the side with a shocked puff of red light.

Theo raised a brow. “Better. But don’t let it go to your head.”

Neville looked like he might throw up from the praise.

Cassie smiled slightly moving across the room, her eyes sweeping the space, The Room of Requirement, almost reading her thoughts, shimmered in the corners — and slowly, dull gray training dummies began to emerge . Blank faces, humanoid figures, positioned in rows

She stopped by one. Tapped its shoulder. “Good."

*******
The split-up group lined up , a little more organized now —

Cassie stalked past the line like a general, cloak swishing at her boots. She looked  sharply at potter. He blinked. Coughed. “Right — uh, yes, so… Black thinks you lot have the basics of Disarming down — so we’re moving to the next charm — the Stunning Spell.”

She gave him a cold nod.

Cassie turned to the dummies lined along the far wall, "You know you’ve perfected Stupefy when these things drop like they’ve been knocked out cold,” she said crisply.

Harry raised his wand. “Stupefy!”

One of the dummies jerked backward and thudded to the ground.

Cassie nodded.stepping  forward, flicked her wand up from her side  “Stupefy,” she incanted, low but clear.

The dummy blasted back with a crack  smashing into the stone floor  Cassie lowered her wand.

“The more you mean a spell,” she said, glancing around at them, “the more it’ll obey you. Words alone don’t win duels. Intent does.”

She turned sharply to face them. “It’s three parts. One — incantation. Say it like you mean it. No stuttering, no hesitation. If your mouth can’t commit, your wand won’t either.
“Two — wand movement.” She raised her wand again, slow and deliberate. “Quick jab forward. Shoulder locked. Wrist snap. Like you’re pointing at someone you want out of your way — permanently.”

She demonstrated again: Stupefy — this time with just enough force to make the dummy stagger

“Three — intent,” she added, stepping toward them, eyes flashing. “If you’re just hoping it works, it won’t. You will them down. You don’t ask. You don’t try. You decide.”

The group nodded mumbling among themselves then picking a dummy - soon the other half was filled with wobbling dummies richoting spells and a few complains

While Cassiopeia was watching Theo again. he was brushing dust off his sleeves and retrieving his wand from where it had skidded a few feet forward during Neville latest try.. Harry noticed her glance: He didn’t comment.

Cassie, snapping back to the present, turned to Harry.

“We’ve got twenty minutes left,” she said briskly.

Harry looked around, flustered. “Do you think we should walk around? Help them out—?”

Cassie gave him a look so unimpressed he might as well have suggested tea and biscuits mid-duel. “Nah. That just wastes our time.”

“But—”

“Theo can do it,” she said shortly, not bothering to explain. She raised her voice slightly. “Theo!” Theo, mid-correction with Neville, looked up instantly. Cassie tilted her chin, motioning him over with a flick of her fingers

Theo turned back to Neville. “You’re kind of fine with the basics now,” he said, voice flat. “Pair with Finigan and practice. Don’t blow anything up.”

Neville gave a flustered nod. “O-okay, yeah.”

Theo jogged over to Cassie, stopping close. “What?”

“Walk the room,” she said,  “Just fix whatever these bloody nincompoops are messing up.”

Theo smirked. “romantic as always Black - Here I thought you finally missed me.”

Cassie barely suppressed a smile. “We'll come to that in a bit. Get it done in twenty minutes or I’m hexing them all.”

He didn’t even blink. “Wouldn’t be the worst motivation.”

They stood shoulder to shoulder for half a beat, Then Theo peeled off into the crowd, sleeves rolled up, already barking corrections at a terrified Colin Creevey

Harry watched the whole thing unfold with an odd expression — somewhere between exasperation and intrigue - Till Cassiopeia turned to him “Let’s talk about you.”

He blinked. “Me?”

“Yeah,” she said,  “You’re their poster boy, aren’t you? The Chosen One. Golden wand. All you know are defensive spells.”

“I—what?”

“Don’t look so shocked. You’ve made Expelliarmus your personality,” she added,  “That might’ve saved your arse once or twice, but in an actual war, you can’t go around disarming Death Eaters and expecting them to go home crying.”

She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. “You want to lead an army, Potter? You better start learning how to hurt people.”

Harry stared at her, throat dry.

Cassie straightened. “Offensive spells are a must. Stunners, Bindings, Bludgeoners, Fire — whatever ends the duel fast. Disarming is cute, but it won’t save you when someone’s aiming a Killing Curse at your chest.”

Potter swallowed hard clearly not agreeing “Alright,” he said, quieter this time. “What do you suggest?”

"I ll teach you  Incarcerous. Nothing humbles a Death Eater like being wrapped in chains.- works best to capture”

"But I don't want to-

"I told you Potter, treat like the war is tomorrow. expect the worst" Cassie said, already turning away. “C’mon, Potter.”

She strode to the far side of the room where two new dummies had formed — these were upright, humanoid, and moving just enough to be unnerving.

Harry followed warily.

“Incarcerous,” she said crisply. “Binding spell. Simple idea, useful as hell. Ties your opponent up mid-duel. If you can pull it off in a fight, that’s a win right there- tie them up - torture or kill your choice”

Harry recoiled

She faced the dummy, flicked her wand, and called, “Incarcerous!”

Thick black ropes exploded from her wand tip the dummy’s limbs, torso, and throat in seconds. The dummy keeled over, twitching weakly.

Harry blinked. “Alright, that was—”

“Focus on your wand flick — diagonal right, then snap back. Point at the core of the target’s mass. Not the arm. Not the head. You want their torso. Ropes tangle best there.”

“Got it,” Harry muttered, raising his wand.

“And mean it,” she added sharply. “You cast like you’re asking your opponent nicely to go away. That’s not gonna cut it.”

Harry exhaled. “Incarcerous!”

Thin ropes sputtered out like sad spaghetti, flopping at the dummy’s feet.

Cassie gave him a dead stare. “What the hell was that? Were you trying to tickle it?”

“It's literally my first try - I'm working on it”

“Work harder.Again.”

Harry tried again — this time, a rope caught the dummy’s leg.

Cassie didn’t nod. But she didn’t insult him, either.

watching him attempt a few more times - by the fifth time

Harry's Incarcerous whipped out again — this time the ropes barely made it halfway around the dummy before sliding off limply like a badly wrapped Christmas present. He swore under his breath.

Theo, who’d been watching from the other corner for the last few minutes, finally pushed off the wall and walked over, “It’s time,” he said to Cassie.

Cassie checked her watch with a flick of her wrist, gave the room one final bored glance, and nodded. No goodbye. No announcement. She just turned and walked toward the exit like the entire DA meeting wasn’t even worth a closing line.

Theo followed her in two strides, his robes brushing the edge of Harry’s as he passed. “

And then they were gone. Just like that.

Harry blinked. “Wait—what—oh, right. Time.”

Hermione looked up from where she’d been helping Luna adjust her wrist. “She didn’t even say—”

That's Black for you. Well, that was pretty good,” Harry said, rubbing the back of his neck, still half-distracted from Cassie’s blunt commentary on his spellwork. “We’ve overrun, we’d better leave it here. Same time, same place next week?”

“Sooner!” said Dean Thomas, adjusting his collar . A few others nodded.

Angelina jumped in quickly, “Quidditch season’s starting — don’t forget we need time for practices too!”

“Alright—next Wednesday night,” Harry decided. “We can figure out more meetings from there.

Harry sighed and pulled out the Marauder’s Map again, scanning for signs of teachers or Filch near the seventh floor. He started letting everyone leave in clumps, three or four at a time, eyes flicking to the Map to make sure all their dots moved safely — Hufflepuffs heading down toward the kitchen corridor, Ravenclaws slipping off toward their west tower, and Gryffindors heading past the familiar portrait hole.

When it was just him, Hermione, and Ron left, Harry finally let out a breath.

“That was…Good- intense but good” Hermione offered her brow furrowed thoughtfully. “I mean—Cassiopeia does know her spells. I’ll give her that.”

“She also knows how to make everyone feel like a flobberworm with stage fright,” Ron muttered,  yanking at his tie  “Seriously, does she ever speak without sounding like she’s seconds away from murdering someone?”

Harry didn’t answer. He was still thinking about the constatnt look on her face like she sees the future . Maybe it was just his nerves.

“She and Nott are weird,” Ron added. “All that silent talking and creepy staring. Like they're plotting to take over the castle or shag on top of it.”

“Ron!” Hermione smacked him lightly on the arm.

“What? You saw them—he practically melted when she whispered something to him. Like he’s got a cursed noose around his neck or something.”

Harry snorted.

“Anyway,” Ron muttered, “what is it with her and boys? She’s always got this broody entourage following her around like dark marks on legs.”

Hermione rolled her eyes but didn’t entirely disagree. “Well, she is powerful. People are drawn to that.”

“Or terrified,” Harry said, slipping the Map into his pocket approaching the fat lady

"mimbulus mimbletonia"

*********************************

Cassiopeia cruised through the next few weeks. Assignments came and went. She’d usually finish hers before dinner, sometimes squeezing in a bit of extra reading during Defence lessons just to keep her hands busy. Harry, to his credit, had finally mastered Incarcerous—though he was now begrudgingly working on Confringo, dragging his feet like she’d asked him to strangle a puppy or hex a kitten .Cassie couldn’t, for the life of her, understand the fuss. When she had first learned the Blasting Curse, she’d spent a good twenty minutes gleefully exploding the heads off old suits of armor in the Room of Requirement. Great fun, really.

Everyone else was making good progress too. By the second DA meeting, most had already moved on to the Stunning Spell then the shield charm . The smaller group Cassie had split off—were now learning the advanced Shield Charm

Theo, well… hadn’t shown up to the last two meetings

Not since the tension skyrocketed.

Cassie hadn’t asked why—she didn’t need to. Everyone was giving her filthy looks these days, everyone in not green. She couldn’t blame them, really. She had cursed the gryffindor Chaser into the Hospital Wing, at the polite and utterly desperate request of the Slytherin Quidditch team. Honestly, they should’ve praised her.
She was loyal. If not to the school, at least to the House.

Tensions between Slytherin and Gryffindor had hit an all-time high with the upcoming match . The Slytherin team had officially forbidden Theo from wandering near the Gryffindor side of the castle, worried someone might take revenge—and knowing him, he’d let them try.

And in the middle of it all… was her.

Dolores Umbridge and her decrees

The decrees started off—shockingly—reasonable. No unauthorized hexing in corridors. No jinxing teachers. Even Cassie had begrudgingly agreed with a couple of them, mentally noting they were basically common sense.

But then the pink toad got power-drunk.

One week later, Hogwarts was buried under rules that made less sense by the hour.

It started to get absurd right around the time Umbridge realized Cassiopeia Black wasn’t technically breaking any rules.

Cassie had walked into Defense one morning draped in a worn black leather jacket, collar popped, her Slytherin tie tucked into a shirt with the top two buttons undone. The classroom was freezing—courtesy of the North Tower draught—and Cassie had simply muttered, “If you won’t fix the heating, I’ll fix myself.”

Umbridge’s smile was immediate and sickly.

“Oh, dear. I don’t believe that’s standard school attire, Miss Black.”

Cassie had smiled right back. “There’s no decree against jackets professor”

She took her seat like she’d won the fight.

By dinner, a new rule was up on the wall in thick, harsh ink:

Educational Decree Number twenty five:
All students must wear school-approved uniforms at all times. No alterations, embellishments, or non-standard items permitted. Uniforms are to reflect proper school standards

Cassiopeia read it once. Twice.

Then turned to Theo and whispered, “She never specified whose uniform.”

Theo grinned

The next morning, the Slytherin table was... different.

Theo Nott strolled in wearing a regulation Hogwarts skirt, pleated and pressed, with knee-high socks  His legs looked criminally good.

Cassie walked beside him in full boys’ uniform—tie, slacks, even a sweater vest. She looked like she'd stepped off the cover of Pureblood CEO Weekly.

Pansy wore Draco’s Quidditch robes. Millicent wore Blaise’s dress shirt, several sizes too big and tied at the waist.

The Slytherin girls and boys had simply... swapped.

Nothing illegal. Nothing outside the approved uniform catalogue. Just… reversed.

The entire Great Hall froze. Ravenclaws dropped toast. Gryffindors choked on pumpkin juice.

Umbridge marched toward them, jaw wobbling in disbelief.

“This is highly inappropriate—”

“Not according to the decree,” Theo said sweetly, smoothing his skirt. “These are standard issue.”

“But—it’s indecent—”

“No modifications. No embellishments,” Cassie said calmly, crossing one long leg over the other. “We’re simply... sharing. House unity and all that.”

Even McGonagall bit the inside of her cheek

An hour later, as expected, a new decree was nailed to the board in thick, angry strokes of red:

Educational Decree Number twenty six;

All students must wear the full standard Hogwarts uniform corresponding to their gender, as defined by the school registry. No exceptions.

Cassie laughed out loud in Charms. “Define gender, then,” she muttered under her breath.

Theo snortd“Careful, she’ll pass a decree on breathing next.”

“She already has,” Cassie replied. “It’s called sitting in her class.”

**********

By now, Hogwarts had learned the drill.

Every time Umbridge posted a new decree, Cassie read it and found the crack in it.

The “No More Than Three Students in a Group” decree backfired when the Slytherins began rotating in triangular formations, changing partners every ten minutes.

“Not a group,” Blaise said innocently. “A polygon.”

Cassie smirked. “We're doing... geometry.”

************

Educational Decree Number Twenty-eight prohibited “magical visual displays or illusions in corridors.”

Cassie complied. No illusions.

Instead, she conjured a screaming banshee behind Umbridge’s office door—technically not a corridor.

The screaming started at midnight. No one slept. Umbridge was found sobbing into a velvet cushion the next morning.

“Maybe she’s just... emotionally fragile,” Theo whispered.

“She’s about to be emotionally shredded,” Cassie replied, stirring her tea.

By midweek, even the professors had stopped commenting.

Flitwick gave Cassie a subtle wink in Charms. McGonagall started drinking more tea. Snape pretended to be annoyed, but had silently allowed the entire Slytherin group to skip Umbridge’s “Educational Lecture on Respect.”

the next morning Theo brought an “educational scroll” to dinner, unfolded across the table. It was enchanted to list all of Umbridge’s decrees—in alphabetical order. Every time someone mentioned a number (“Twenty-Four”), the scroll would scream back the title, then quote five loopholes

Theo stared at her deadpan when she tried to confiscate it. “Just trying to memorize your work, Professor. It’s for... revision.”

Umbridge turned bright magenta and stormed off. Cassie gave Theo a high-five under the table.

That Friday morning, the castle shook with giggles as Educational Decree Number Twenty-Nine appeared.

“All student communication must be spoken in a respectful tone and with properly regulated vocabulary. No abusive language, excessive sarcasm or threatening metaphors.”

It was... unhinged.

Cassie read it aloud in the Great Hall, blinking slowly.

“I see,” she said. “So we’re outlawing tone now.”

Theo leaned over. “How will she measure sarcasm? sarcasm meters?”

“She's going to explode like a pudding left too long in the sun,” Blaise said helpfully.

By lunch, every Slytherin was communicating entirely in Shakespearean pentameter.

Not a single sarcastic tone—just dramatic, overdone monologues.

“Prithee, dear Nott, dost thou possess a quill?”

“A quill, sweet lady? Nay, I offer three!”

Blaise added a feathered hat to his uniform. Pansy started bowing after every line.

Even Draco—absolutely fed up but playing along—began answering questions with “Lo! What news from yonder parchment breaks?”

Umbridge burst into the Great Hall, furious and flushed.

“WHAT is going ON—”

“Verily,” Cassiopeia interrupted, standing, “we abide thy decree with noble tongue and tempered grace.”

“This is mockery!”

“Nay, madam. This is artistry.” Theo bowed. “Shall we be punished for elegance?”

The Hall erupted.

Half of Hogwarts had joined in - So had a second year ravenclaw, who stood on a bench and declared: “Thou art a pink-eyed tyrant with a toad’s soul!”

Umbridge’s scream echoed like a dying kettle.

That night, a new decree was posted.

Educational Decree Number Thirty:
“Use of archaic language, dramatic recitation, or performance speech is strictly forbidden on school grounds.”

Cassie smirked at the scroll.

Theo leaned close, his voice low. “What now, my Queen ”

“We switch to charades,” she whispered.

Umbridge would not survive till christmas.
***********************

HAHA- I added this last part completely for the fun of it - when I first started reading fanfics - one of the fictions had this idea-the scene are my original creation but the essence of teh whole bending teh decrees is taken from that fic - I wish I remembered the name of it to give credit - if anyone does know pls mention it

also please don't ask me what spells these are - I either picked them of different fanfictions or asked AI to translate normal phrases in different spell like languages

and seeing that christmas is approaching so is cassies birthday= so is the department of mysteries incident so yes - we will prolly see Sirius x cassie and maybe theo scene too-

andnddd0- I hate editing on my tab - it keeps telling me to save a version and I keep clicking on the wrong one then the draft I had typed out just goes weird--- help me fix this

----how are yall doing tho-

till next time
mxriddle
till then