"So what do you suggest?" Casey asked. "What's the plan? What is your so-called 'perfect' plan, James?"

  "Oh darling, all I've got to say is to never underestimate me."

"Okay, so what are we going to do? Just hope the professors and the headmaster won't find out you pranked the Slytherins once again?"

"They won't find out. Did you forget that I am James Sirius Potter, Casey?" He said getting down, grabbing a bag with something that she couldn't identify inside it.

"No, but that's not an actual excuse. You can be suspended. Or expelled."

"I won't be expelled."

"Says who?" She asked.

"Says common sense!" James scoffed.

"No, says you. Come on James, you and Fred have been pranking everyone at school since year one, and suddenly you decide to give it a break and give the chance of pranking to starters? Does that even sound like something you would do? Everyone already knows you guys are always behind the pranks in this castle, and just because Peeves actually like this generation's duo and does not turn you in doesn't mean the school council is blind or anything like that. You've pranked in year four, you will be opening this year's pranking season today, and we all know that you will also keep your full-time — and full-mind — prankster job in year six and seven. You may be starting the chaos later than expected, but everyone is waiting for an attack now. Everyone know it's coming."

"You make it sound like it is a war sentence."

"Because it feels like one, for some of us!" She nearly yelled at his face.

"That's weird. For what I can recall, you were the one who pranked a while ago! In the anonymity, it's true, but you still did."

"It's different. I did not prank in order to cause havoc."

"It is not different, Cassidy. We, we both like a laugh, admit it!" He grinned, folding his arms. "I'm sorry if I'm bothering by telling you how it is, or how it was."

  "I really don't want to help you, James. Yet, I'm here, standing in front of you, not having any idea of what you are going to do. So, are you going to finally tell me what you are up to or what?"

  "Aye! We got the message you sent through your brother. What do you want, Casey?" Ezequiel Harris and Mason Jones approached James and Casey. They had apparently ran through half of the castle, since they were nearly out of breath.

  "I didn't send any message through my brother!"

  "You didn't, I did. I need an alibi, and so do you," James, who had turned to get something, got close to the group once again. He kept grinning, act that annoyed Casey quite a lot. Mason just looked at him with a frown.

  "My brother? Giving out your stupid messages? So, is Connor a Potter now and I wasn't notified about this? Last time I checked his surname was Ainsworth, and didn't do favors for you."

  "Oh calm down Casey, will you? And not yet, although I'd rather have him in my family than any other boy in his grade. He's the only one of my sister's classmates who I can actually stand and who I like. Don't worry, I won't drag him into this. I'm taking precautions."

  "Are we talking about who's Lily Luna into now?" Ezequiel whispered to Mason, who pretended not to hear what he said.

  "Okay then, I'll get to this later. And what about this alibi you mentioned?"

  "Oh Cass, no one can blame us for any unfortunate event that happens in the castle if we are doing something else while it happens, and we have proof we weren't in the place it occurred. That's their job, Mase and Ez. Can you do that?"

  Ezequiel looked at Mason, who simply shrugged. "Whatever, Potter. As long as we are not exposed by any meanings, you can count on me. This time, at least."

  "I'm in, mate. Just don't drag us into this."

Casey scoffed. "I am afraid to say you are already into this, love. And I guess there is no turning back now."

"So we'll go with it! What do we need to do, then?"

"Haven't I just told you, Harris?" The Potter asked.

"Specify it, at least?" Mason said, rolling his eyes. Just like a magnet, all the attention was dragged to him. "If your majesty don't mind, of course."

"Not at all, commoner. Casey, you go with Tedros."

"Tedros? Where the hell is Tedros?"

"Right behind you, by coincidence," A voice said from behind, revealing the blonde-haired boy smiling at her.

"Was I supposed to feel surprised or delighted?" She asked both Tedros Fitzroy and James Potter, her hands on her hips.

"I don't know. Were you?"

  "Also, I only agreed to come to tell you something, Potter. Why do I suddenly have to do you favors?"

  "Because I may have great influence in everything around here and am doing a constant favor for you?"

  "Oh. Right," Casey murmured. "Well, I am pretty sure you don't need me to do this but if you say so..."

"Oh, that's your mistake. You see, I need you for this. As well I need you," He told the boys; Mason, Ezequiel and Tedros, who quickly gazed at Cassidy. "Fred... he's doing the hard work."

  "What about Roxanne?" Mason asked him, furrowing his eyebrows. "Are you gonna tell me now that she is part of a supposedly legendary prank or however you call it and she is busy making something work?"

  "About Roxie... believe it or not, she retired from this life. She's done with pranking and what this ploy can offer."

  "Ploy?"

  "Oh, but if I was her, I would probably do that too. I mean, with all she has already been through because of you..."

  "And by any chance do you know what she has been through because of us, Casey? Or you just want  to say it to make us look bad?"

  "Us means you and Fred or would be the equivalent for only you this time?" Mason murmured, nearly whispering. "I'd say only James," Ezequiel replied, earning glares. Not understanding for a few seconds why everyone's eyes rested on his image, he pursed his eyes and lips, fearing the worse. "I said that out loud, didn't I? Crap."

  "Crap." Tedros whistled.

  "Cut the bullshit. Where are you sending us to?"

<>

"The kitchen's surroundings! Incredible, really. It wasn't this time that he impressed me, though."

  "It seems like you hate him so much. Even though you are like, technically dating."

  "We are not dating," Cassidy replied, looking at Tedros from the corner of her eye.

  "Sure you're not," He replied sarcastically. "You know you are really bad at play pretending, right Casey?"

"Can you please, just shut up for a minute? Thank you, Tedros." She bursted out, clearly annoyed with her friend, for whom she had already risked a lot for.

"I could, but I won't. I already told you you could ask me for help! But you didn't. Why is that, if you hate James? As I said, you are not exactly what I would call an excellent liar."

"First thing's first, I don't hate James, though he has the capacity of annoying the crap out of me sometimes, but most people do that anyway."

  "Oh, here she is. Good ol' Cass. So you haven't changed that much, then. You would have probably said the same thing last year."

  "We were under other kind of circumstances last year. I would never go out with him for my own sake-"

  "He told me he wanted to be your friend in the beginning of the year. Trying to make up to you for... whatever he did a few years back, I don't know. He said you didn't seem very fond of the idea, but agreed to try and be friends with him."

  "Due to his reputation, it's kind of hard to trust him entirely and you know that! Don't pretend you don't, Tedros. Do not pretend you don't know."

  "Why are you so linked to reputation and — sorry about the words I'm going to use — this shit? It is so annoying! You think rumors are all true, but look at you! There are a thousand rumors about your own self and you keep acting like they are nonexistent!"

  "It's often better to ignore whatever people say and move on with your life!"

  "Exactly! This doesn't only apply to you, Cassidy, but to others too! Can't you see it? Then you don't know why everyone is tired of all that you say, sometimes!"

  "You sound just like Mason right now!" She scoffed. "Do you realize that?"

  "I do, actually! And I think this is good, because he's the only one who seems to be able to change your fucking mind or at least make you reflect about the things you say and do and how to make things better!" He yelled.

"E-excuse me?" She yelled back. Casey didn't have the chance to counter argument, though. They saw Rose Weasley — who appears to follow Casey whenever she doesn't need to be followed, by the way — curiously staring at them, a book on her hands and a backpack resting on her shoulders. The girl seemed quite interested and at the same time surprised by their conversation, and even not understanding half of it, she assumed some things she wished she had not. Fearing the Ainsworth a bit, Rose stepped back and looked at the floor, that suddenly appeared to be way more interesting than the rest that was happening in that deviation from the corridor.

"Rose, how much have you heard?" Cassidy asked, trying to sound sane and calm.

  "Enough? Don't worry, since I like you I won't tell James you are cheating on him because I truly think you will find a way to tell him and-"

  "Who said that I am cheating on James?" Cassidy asked, alarmed.

  "Why, aren't you two together?" The younger student pointed at the older duo.

  "What? No!" Casey and Tedros said in unison. "By Merlin's beard, no."

  "Okay... if you say so..." Rose raised her hands as if she was rendered by the police. "I didn't hear all of your argument, anyway."

  "Yeah. Good. I think you should get going, Rose." Tedros told her, actually meaning I'm glad you didn't hear it all, now leave.

  "Yes. Me too. Goodbye!" She turned on her heels and left, thankful that it was over.

  "How random," Tedros mumbled. He quickly went back to angry mode and gazed at Casey, grabbing a bag full of something that resembled salt — or whatever James was going to throw at the Slytherins — and placing it on his right shoulder. "I hope we are done here. Let's get back to what we were supposed to do when we came here in first place." With that, he left her in there, a few bags still to be taken to a random spot James chose to meet them.

  Casey rolled her eyes, trying to act like she didn't care about their argument. But she did. Was that how people really
saw her? Why did Tedros tell her Mason was the only one able to change her mind? Was Mason, a dear old friend of hers, manipulating her?

  Cassidy Elizabeth Ainsworth tried to shake off those thoughts away from her head, clearly failing. Struggling to concentrate on whatever she was doing, Cass grabbed a bag from the floor and, just like Tedros, placed it on her shoulder. Yet, she did it carelessly instead of neutrally. She was annoyed by not just James Sirius Potter, but also by Tedros Fitzroy. She was afraid that Mason Jones could be manipulating her, which he wasn't (but Casey didn't know that yet). She was angry at not just everything and everyone that surrounded her, but at her own self. She felt vulnerable. She was highly vulnerable. At that moment, nothing around her mattered. She was alone. She felt alone.

  And, by the time she reached the greatest vulnerability one could ever suffer from, the hooded figure she feared that would come back hit her in the head, making Cassidy Ainsworth stumble to the ground, completely defenseless. She tried to seek for help, but it was worth nothing now. Her vision, already blurry, began to darken, as the girl who everyone wanted to know more about was engulfed by the blinding, void darkness.

Do you think Tedros spilled the tea correctly? I'm currently angry at Casey (even though I created her and all), but that's understandable I guess. Thank you for all the love in previous chapters! Hope you liked this and will comment/have commented a lot haha but siriusly, I need to know what you guys think about all of this! I'll try to update soon, I promise!