Theo paced the length of the Slytherin common room, his footsteps  agitated. "What do you mean she didn't come back after Defense Against the Dark Arts?" he grumbled, his eyes darting to the entrance every few seconds, half expecting Cassie to storm in about how she got detention again.

Pansy, stretched out on one of the emerald-green couches,  "I thought she was with Draco," she mumbled guiltily

Blaise, comfortably settled in an armchair with a half-eaten pumpkin pasty in hand, glanced over at Draco. "Mate, didn't you say she was in the library?" he asked

Draco, leaning against the stone wall near the fireplace, crossed his arms and frowned. "Yeah, she was," he replied, annoyed. "At least, last I saw her. Who knows where she went after that?"

Theo threw his hands up in frustration. "Brilliant. So no one knows where she is. Fantastic." His face was set in a hard line,

Just then, the heavy wooden door to the common room creaked open, and in strolled Astoria Greengrass. Her lips curled into a smile as soon as she spotted Theo, and she wasted no time slinking over to him. "Oh, hey, Theo," she greeted, her voice dripping with that annoying sweetness she seemed to reserve just for him.

Pansy rolled her eyes and muttered, "Here we go again," under her breath.

Theo barely looked up, giving a half-hearted "Hi," without an ounce of enthusiasm. 

Astoria, sensing something off, glanced around at everyone's tense faces. "What's with the long faces?" she asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Trying to figure where Cassie is" Draco cut in bluntly

Oh, her." Astoria's face twisted into a scowl...but then she seemed to brighten up with a spark of petty glee. "Well, I did hear a first-year talking about some 'mad witch' threatening people up by the Astronomy Tower... with a dagger."

Theo's head snapped up. "That's her," he said immediately, storming past Astoria and out of the common room without a second thought.

The rest stared at him, gaping as he left in a huff.

"What's the rush?" Astoria huffed, her smile disappearing. She crossed her arms, clearly irritated. "Dunno what he sees in that bitch. She's clearly losing it—especially after whatever happened in Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"How the fuck do you know about that?" blaze snapped

Astoria smirked, enjoying the sudden attention. "Oh, you mean you haven't heard?" she said with exaggerated innocence. "The Gryffindors were buzzing about it. Something about her using dark magic on Moody or some nonsense."

"She didn't use any dark magic," Pansy snapped defensively. 

Astoria shrugged, unconcerned. "One of them even said she turned him into a frog," she added with a laugh. "But that's obviously rubbish."

Draco, who had been silently stewing, finally pushed himself off the wall. "I should go find her too," he muttered, looking toward the door.

Pansy, quicker than anyone expected, jumped up and grabbed his arm. "Let them have their moment," she insisted, her eyes wide with excitement, like she was narrating a love story.

Draco looked down at her, clearly unimpressed. "Pansy, our friend is clearly upset. This isn't some Muggle romance book."

"It is!" Pansy insisted, her grip tightening on Draco's arm. "You have to let it play out. This is how it happens! They'll be alone, he'll comfort her, and then—boom—romance!" She clapped her hands together for emphasis, eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Blaise chuckled, shaking his head. "You've read way too many Muggle books."

Draco sighed, exasperated, but stayed put. "Fine, but if she's not back soon, I'm going after them. Merlin knows what both of them can brew"

Pansy grinned triumphantly and plopped back down onto the couch. "Trust me, they're having a moment," she said with a wink.

Astoria scowled, clearly irritated at being left out of the loop. "She's just being dramatic," she muttered convincing herself more than anyone else.

"Yeah, well," Blaise said, biting into his pumpkin pasty again, "if Theo and Cassie end up together, you'll have missed your chance to swoop in, won't you?"

Astoria shot him a glare but said nothing

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

T.W - smoking
(PS - In no way do I support or encourage smoking. Please do not indulge in it—smoking is extremely injurious to health.)

Theo climbed the narrow steps of the Astronomy Tower two at a time, Cassie always setting his nerves on edge. He pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped out onto the tower's open platform, the chill of the evening air hitting him immediately.

The first thing he noticed was her—Cassie, perched on the stone ledge with one leg tucked beneath her and the other dangling over the edge. She was facing away from him, her dark curly hair blowing slightly in the breeze, framing her in a wild, untamed halo. Her Slytherin sweater blended into the shadows of dusk, but her silhouette stood out starkly against the fading sky.

Theo watched her for a moment, noting the small details he'd come to recognize over the years: the slight hunch in her posture, her elbows resting on her knees, her head tilted as if lost in thought. A glint of silver caught his eye—a dagger, its blade sharp and menacing, resting on top of a thick, old book. Typical Cassie.

His gaze shifted to her hand. She held a cigarette—Muggle, by the smell of it—between her fingers, bringing it to her lips for a slow, deliberate drag. Theo watched as she inhaled, her cheeks hollowing slightly, then exhaled a thin stream of smoke that twisted and curled in the cold air. It was the first time he'd seen her smoke, and there was something unexpectedly graceful about the way she did it, never losing her air of superiority.

Theo's lips pressed into a thin line. He took a few cautious steps forward, making sure she noticed his presence.

Cassie's shoulders stiffened slightly, but she didn't turn around. She took another drag, the cigarette glowing brightly in the dim light. She held the smoke in her lungs for a moment before letting it out slowly, watching it disappear into the sky.

"Didn't know you'd taken up Muggle smoking," Theo said, his voice carrying across the empty space.

Cassie turned her head slightly to glance at him over her shoulder. Her eyes were dark and guarded. "Didn't know you'd taken up stalking," she shot back, though her tone lacked its usual bite.

He settled down beside her on the ledge, feeling the cool stone through his robes. He leaned back, letting his hands rest casually on the surface behind him. "Got another one?" he asked, his tone easy.

Cassie raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised but amused. "You want to try?" she said, pulling another cigarette from her pocket. She passed it to him, and he took it, feeling the slight weight and rough paper between his fingers.

"Why not?" Theo replied with a slight grin.

Cassie flicked her wand, and a small flame burst to life at the tip. Theo leaned in, lighting his cigarette, and took a tentative first drag. The smoke filled his lungs, and he tasted the bitter, acrid flavor of it. To his surprise, it wasn't as unpleasant as he'd imagined. In fact, there was something oddly satisfying about it. He exhaled slowly, watching the smoke drift up and away.

Cassie studied him, clearly expecting him to cough or complain, but when he didn't, she nodded slightly, almost approvingly. "Not bad for a first-timer," she said, a small smirk playing on her lips.

Theo chuckled. "Can't let you think you're the only one who knows how to do anything, can I?" He took another drag, more confidently this time, letting the smoke linger in his lungs before releasing it in a steady stream. There was something calming about the ritual, the way the smoke swirled and dissipated into the night air.

Cassie rolled her eyes and took another drag, deliberately slow, as if to prove a point. "Better than some of the other things around here," she muttered, her voice low.

"I heard you terrorized a couple of first-years," Theo said, his gaze flickering to her.

"They were being irritating," Cassie grumbled, exhaling a plume of smoke that danced in the air.

Theo took a moment to appreciate the sight of her—her casual elegance, the smoke curling around her, creating an almost ethereal effect. "So, what's up, Cass? And don't tell me 'nothing.'" He gestured towards the cigarette. "This isn't you."

Cassie raised an eyebrow. "What, you're going to tell me it's bad for my health?" She took another drag, the tip of the cigarette glowing bright in the dim light.

"Do you see me doing that?" Theo scoffed, flicking the cigarette in his hand before taking a puff and letting out smoke.

"I'm saying it's unlike you to pick up a Muggle habit when you've got a hundred different ways to deal with things," Theo said, trying to keep his tone light.

Cassie exhaled slowly, her gaze fixed on the horizon

"Is it about what those Gryffindors are saying? You, of all people, know not to listen to them."

Cassie's voice became monotone. "They're kind of right, aren't they? I'm sort of psychotic. Not that I am complaining, though. More flattered honestly"

Theo's eyes narrowed. "Listen, what happened in DADA was normal. There are plenty of wizards who can resist the Imperius Curse. Even Potter managed to a bit. Why are you overthinking?"

"Potter didn't cast a spell, did he? Nor did I, actually—it just happened," Cassie remarked

"Yeah, so? You're just way more powerful than that whiny Potter," Theo replied, 

Cassie scoffed. "Don't kid yourself, Theo. You read the same books I do. This could mean I either have no control over my magic or someone else inside me is controlling it."

"That's a very old theory," Theo said, shaking his head. "Last mentioned by Amelia Bagshot, if I recall."

Cassie nodded, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Yeah, while observing Grindelwald."

Theo raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so that's it? Because it's about Grindelwald, you think you're the next big dark thing?"

"Do you see me complaining?" Cassie snorted.

"Just because it's about Grindelwald doesn't mean you're destined to be some dark lord. Maybe you're just dealing with things in your own way."

Cassie's lips curled into a wry smile. "You think that makes it better? I'm practically adopting ancient dark theories as my own personal guidebook."

Theo shrugged, leaning back against the stone ledge. "Look, Cass, you've always been a bit... different. Just because you're using Muggle cigarettes and ancient theories doesn't mean you're on a one-way ticket to villainy."

Cassie let out a short, sharp laugh. "So you're saying I should just ignore it?"

"No, I'm saying don't jump to conclusions," Theo said, rolling his eyes. "You're overthinking it. You're powerful, yes, but that doesn't automatically make you dangerous."

Cassie took another drag from her cigarette, considering his words. "And if I can't control it? What then?"

Theo sighed. "You control what you can. The rest... well, that's where we figure it out together"

Cassie tilted her head looking at him 

Theo grinned. "If you do decide to go all Dark Lord, at least make it interesting. And maybe give us a heads-up first."

Cassie let out a sharp laugh, the sound ringing out in the chilly air. "You can be my first follower."

Theo chuckled, taking another drag from his cigarette. "I'll hold you to that"

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

Over the week- All the fourth years had noticed a definite increase in the amount of work this term. Professor McGonagall explained the reason behind it with a stern look as the class groaned loudly at the sight of another essay assignment. "OWLs are coming closer," she reminded them, not without a touch of exasperation.

Meanwhile, Professor Binns, the ghost who taught History of Magic, had them writing weekly essays on the goblin rebellions of the eighteenth century. Professor Snape, on the other hand, was forcing them to research antidotes. They took this assignment seriously, especially since Snape had hinted ominously that he might be poisoning one of them before Christmas to test their antidote.

Cassie had her suspicions that it might be hers after a particularly glorious prank she pulled off at Snape's potion store. The floor had ended up covered in a really slimy concoction, a comedic disaster that Snape had slipped on sprawling face down , causing him to let out an involuntary yelp. 

Even Hagrid had added to their workload. The Blast-Ended Skrewts were growing at an alarming rate, and no one had yet figured out what they ate. Hagrid was thrilled by this and, as part of their "project," suggested they visit his hut on alternate evenings to observe and make notes on the Skrewts' peculiar behavior.

"I will not," Draco had declared with finality.

Hagrid's smile had faltered. "Yeh'll do wha' yer told," he growled, his voice rumbling like distant thunder. "Or I'll be takin' a leaf outta Professor Moody's book. . . . I hear yeh made a good ferret, Malfoy."

The Gryffindors erupted in laughter, and Draco face had turned an unattractive shade of red.

When they arrived in the entrance hall later, they found themselves halted by a large crowd of students gathered around a new sign posted at the base of the marble staircase. Blaze stood on tiptoe to read the sign over the heads in front of them

"TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT
The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving at 6 o'clock on Friday the 30th of October. Lessons will end half an hour early—
Students will return their bags and books to their dormitories and assemble in front of the castle to greet our guests before the Welcoming Feast."

Pansy squealed in excitement. "Only a week away!"

Cassie groaned, rubbing her ears in an attempt to block out Pansy's high-pitched enthusiasm. "What's there to be excited about?"

"You should be excited, Cass. Cole Gregorwich might come!" Pansy said, her eyes sparkling.

Cassie's face contorted in irritation at the mention of the so-called charming Quidditch player who had tried to hit on her at the Quidditch World Cup. "Oh, joy."

Theo, who had been frowning as he read the sign, shared Cassie's displeasure. "Yeah, I'm not exactly thrilled either."

Blaze and Draco exchanged smug, knowing smirks.

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


Ofc u arent theo-

ALR- GUYS LISTEN I STAYED UP ALL NIGHT BINGE FINISHING PENDING ASSIGNMENTS SO I CAN EDIT THIS DDRAFT!!

OMG THE NEXT CHAP WILL BE SO GOOD- ENTRY OF COLE GREGWITCH!!! DID WE MISS HIM??


IM TRYING TO HAVE A DUMBLES SCENE- LIKE DUMBLES DISCUSING ABT CASSIE- BUT I CANT FIT IT IN ANYWYHERE- ILL TRY NEXT CHAP FOSHYO


BUT COLE ENTRYYYYYYY


Hope yall are doing gr8- 

mxriddle