Cassie winced as the wand slipped from her grip, its tip bursting into a searing flash of light. The spell spun out of control, and a blast of scorching heat erupted, licking dangerously close to her. Instinctively, she raised her right hand to shield herself, only to feel a biting, fiery sting crawl up her fingers.

Her hand pulsed, the skin reddening and throbbing painfully as she gasped, biting down hard on her lip to suppress the yelp that threatened to escape.

 "Fuck," she cursed under her breath, the words escaping harshly between clenched teeth as she set her wand down on the black armchair beside her. 

 Cassie shook her head, her frustration bubbling as she flipped furiously through the ancient spellbook lying on the floor. "Where did I go wrong?" she muttered, her eyes scanning the faded pages as they danced with symbols and incantations she could barely make sense of.

She gingerly flexed her burnt hand, wincing again as the skin stretched painfully.

 The sudden crackling of the fireplace startled her. She snapped her head up, her breath catching in her throat as the flames roared to life, flickering and shifting unnaturally.

Slowly, a rugged face emerged from the fire, shadows twisting over its angular features."I thought I'd find you here," came the low, gravelly voice.Cassie froze, her heart skipping a beat.

 "Dad?" she said incredulously, Instinctively, she pulled her burnt hand behind her back, her usual guard slipping for a moment.

 Regulus Black's dark eyes scanned her closely from the hearth, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

 "What's up, star?"Cassie grinned despite herself, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in her hand.

"I'm fine, Dad."

 "Really?" Regulus raised an eyebrow, his expression unimpressed. 

"The hand says otherwise."

 She faltered, her grin slipping. "You saw that?" she groaned,

 "I've been watching you for the past fifteen minutes," Regulus said, shaking his head, a trace of disappointment in his gaze. 

 "That's creepy, Dad," she shot back, her tone dry, though a small smile ghosted across her lips.

 "I thought we agreed you'd wear the dragon-hide gloves I got you?" his brow furrowing.Cassie scoffed 

"Dad, you can't expect me to wear gloves in the middle of a battle. What, should I ask my enemies for a time-out to suit up?"

 Regulus sighed, though there was an amused glint in his eyes. "Still—" he paused, his tone growing more serious, "have you considered that maybe Hogwarts has restrictions? Magic this advanced... there are protections, wards that might be interfering. You know the Room can only give you what you need, not always what you want." 

 Cassie huffed, glancing at the wand and then at the spellbook. "It's not that, Dad. It's me. I can't control it. Every time I try..." 

 She trailed off, the frustration and doubt boiling under the surface. She was the heiress of the Black family, dammit. Dark magic should flow through her like second nature, but somehow, it felt like everything was slipping away.

"Cassie, you in here?" Cassie's head snapped toward the door as it creaked open, revealing Theo cautiously stepping inside. She instinctively turned back to the fire, but her father's face had already retreated, leaving only the faintest outline of his presence, still flickering in the flames.

"You talking to someone?" Theo asked, his voice low as he took a few steps closer.

Cassie sighed, rubbing her burnt hand absentmindedly. "Just my dad."

Theo froze, his posture straightening like a soldier called to attention. Cassie couldn't help but suppress a grin as he flattened his hair and adjusted his tee shirt, as if preparing for a formal introduction. "He... can see me, right?"

"Yes, I can," came Regulus's raspy voice, his silhouette still lingering in the fire.

Theo visibly stiffened, his gaze darting around the room before settling on the flickering flames. "Uh, Mr. Pierre, sir. It's a—uh—pleasure to meet you. Theodore Nott."

Cassie snorted, unable to contain her amusement. "He knows, Theo. You can drop the formalities."

"You never know," Theo muttered defensively, still standing as if expecting a reprimand from Regulus. Turning back to face Cassie, his expression shifted from nervousness to concern as his eyes fell on her injured hand. "What the fuck happened to your hand?" he demanded, moving closer before she could respond.

"It's nothing," Cassie started to say, but Theo had already grabbed her wrist, his fingers ghosting over her burnt skin.

"Nothing?" he scoffed, pulling her hand closer for inspection. "This looks awful."

Cassie's heart skipped a beat as Theo's touch sent a rush of warmth up her arm. She watched in silence as he frantically rummaged through a nearby shelf, muttering to himself.

"Where's the ointment, the damn—ah, got it!" Theo retrieved a small jar and turned back to her, his eyes softening as he knelt beside her.

Cassie couldn't help but smirk. "And I always thought Draco was the mother hen."

"Not the point," he shot back, dipping his fingers into the salve and carefully applying it to her hand. The cool sensation of the ointment against her burnt skin made her wince, but Theo's touch was so gentle that she barely noticed the pain. She found herself watching him closely—how his brows furrowed in concentration, how he bit the inside of his lip as he worked, his face inches from hers.

Cassie shook her head, trying to pull her hand away. "I'm not weak, Theo," she scoffed, yanking her hand back.

Theo immediately pulled it back toward him, undeterred. "Should I tie something around it?" he asked, ignoring her statement.

Suddenly, a loud, hoarse cough erupted from the fireplace, breaking the moment. Theo jumped back, his cheeks flushing slightly. Regulus's voice cut through the air, rough and teasing, "You two look cozy. Should I come back later?"

"Mr. Pierre, sir, I was just—"

Regulus hummed knowingly from the fireplace, his voice rich with amusement but refraining from making any further comments.

Cassie cut in, trying to regain control of the situation, "Yeah, see? Dad, I'm fine. You can go now." She cast a glance at the flickering flames. With a shooing gesture, she added, "Seriously, go."

Regulus hummed again "Goodnight, star," Regulus replied, his voice fading as he retreated into the flickering flames. The fire crackled softly for a moment longer before it settled,

"Goodnight, Dad," she muttered, her voice softer now as she turned back to Theo, who was grinning like he knew a secret 

"Star?" Theo snorted, a smirk creeping onto his face as he raised an eyebrow at her.

Cassie rolled her eyes, a mix of annoyance and embarrassment flooding her cheeks. "Shut up, Theo."

"What? It's adorable," he replied, unable to hide his amusement.

"Adorable?" she echoed, glaring at him. "I'm not adorable, Theo. I'm—"

"Intimidating? Fearsome? A total badass?" he interjected with a playful grin, his grey eyes sparkling.

"Exactly," she shot back, crossing her arms defiantly. "What are you doing here so late anyway?"

Theo shrugged, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Draco and Blaise got into a stupid banter. It was either listen to that or to go and fetch you."

"What were they even arguing about?" Cassie asked, flipping the pages of the spellbook absentmindedly, her fingers grazing the parchment.

"Eh, stupid stuff," he replied, his voice light. "Blaise had this picture of a rabbit and told Draco that it was his picture—he took it when Moody turned him and that he was going to show it to Lyra."

Cassie snorted, her lips curling into a smile  "He really likes her, doesn't he?" she said, a frown creasing her brow.

"Yeah... it's kind of cute," Theo admitted, stretching his legs and resting his head in her lap. The warmth of his weight sent a shiver of surprise through her, but she tried to maintain her composure.

"Cute?" Cassie frowned, brushing a strand of hair off his face instinctively. "More like nauseating. He can do so much better—someone who actually matches his status."

"Maybe he just likes her for her, you know?" Theo mused, looking up at her with a playful glimmer in his eyes. "Not everyone's a walking pedigree like you, Cassie."

She huffed, unable to suppress a smile. "You're just trying to defend his choice."

"Maybe," he conceded, "but you know, it's nice to see him actually care about someone for a change."
 "You should try it sometime."

Cassie shot him a bemused look. "And ruin my perfectly crafted reputation? I think not."

"Your reputation's overrated anyway," he countered.

"Whatever you say, Mr. Nott," she replied rolling her eyes . "Now, if you're done with your sentimental musings, we should head back. It's late, and I'd rather not run into Filch on our way."

"Right," Theo said, pushing himself off her lap and standing up, a grin still lingering on his face. "Lead the way, oh great and fearsome heiress."

Cassie rolled her eyes further, trying to ignore the flutter in her stomach. "Just don't trip over your own ego."

"Too late for that," he laughed, stepping toward the door.

As they exited the Room of Requirement, their conversation was abruptly cut short by the unmistakable sounds of shuffling footsteps and the soft meow of Mrs. Norris, echoing down the corridor.

"Are you sure you heard them here?" Filch croaked, his voice a low rasp.

Mrs. Norris mewed derisively, her eyes glinting in the dim light.

"Oh, fuck," Theo muttered, eyes wide. Before Cassie could respond, he shoved her back into the Room of Requirement, and the door swung shut behind them with a soft click.

To their horror, the spacious dueling area was now transformed into a cramped closet, filled with dusty shelves and the faint scent of mildew. Cassie and Theo exchanged wide-eyed glances, a rush of adrenaline coursing through them. 

"Brilliant," Cassie muttered, her voice laced with sarcasm as she tried to keep her breathing steady. The confined space made it impossible to ignore how near they were—his breath warm against her neck, his hand resting awkwardly at his side, 

"What do we do now?" Theo whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of Filch's grumbling outside.

Cassie simply rolled her eyes. "Just... stay quiet." Her tone was cold, detached, but the heat of their proximity was impossible to ignore. Theo's fingers lingered a little too long against her hip as he shifted, sending a shiver through her body that she was careful to mask.

"Why does this always happen when I'm with you?" Theo muttered under his breath, half-amused, half-exasperated. He glanced down at her, catching the subtle way her jaw tightened. She wasn't rattled, not in the slightest. 

Theo swallowed, his throat tight as he took in the sight of her in this confined space. The darkness seemed to cling to her, making her appear more dangerous, more unreachable. She was a shadow—impossible to grasp but mesmerizing all the same.

The weight of his hand on her hip shifted sending a shiver down her spine, but she masked it easily, her expression unreadable. "Stop fidgeting, Nott. You'll make it worse," she muttered,

She was close enough now that he could smell the faint scent of her—something dark and intoxicating that only added to the tension building between them. His hand, still resting against her hip, trembled slightly as he resisted the urge to pull her closer.

"You know," he said after a moment, his voice still low and rough, "I think you enjoy this far too much."

Her eyes flicked up to meet his, dark and sharp. "I don't enjoy anything."

Theo chuckled softly, though his throat was still tight. "Liar."

Cassie's smirk only deepened, her lips curving in that dangerous way that always sent his pulse skyrocketing. "Maybe," she whispered back, her voice laced with that same dark amusement.

Filch's voice grew louder outside. "I thought I heard them in here," he muttered. "You stay out here, Mrs. Norris. I'll check it myself."

The door rattled slightly, and they both froze. Filch muttered something inaudible and finally stomped off, leaving only the distant sound of his fading footsteps in the corridor.

Theo exhaled shakily, the tension in his body slowly draining away. But as his hand remained where it was, his fingers brushing her hip ever so slightly, he could feel his pulse still racing, as if the danger hadn't passed at all.

"You're far too easy to rattle, Nott," Cassie whispered, her voice amused

Theo swallowed hard, his gaze still locked on her, his pulse still racing. "And you're even more terrifying in the dark," he muttered

"Good."

They both stood there for a moment longer, the silence between them thick with something unspoken. Theo's hand remained on her hip, and the air between them seemed to hum with tension. She didn't move, didn't push him away, and for a split second,

 Then, as if deciding she'd let the moment linger long enough, she pushed off the wall, breaking the tension. "Let's get out of here."

Theo's hand fell from her hip reluctantly as he nodded, following her lead. She opened the door cautiously, peeking around the corner to ensure the coast was clear. When she was satisfied, she stepped out into the corridor,

As Theo followed, he let out a small laugh, shaking his head as the adrenaline finally began to drain from his system. "Thank Merlin."

"yea no kidding"

"We should probably head back," she suggested 

"Right," Theo said, taking a step back and shaking his head as if trying to clear it. "Tomorrow's the champion announcement anyway, right?"

"Yeah," she replied, her voice steadier than she felt. "I'd rather not be caught sneaking around when they announce it."

"Good idea," Theo agreed, glancing down the corridor. "Let's go before Filch decides to come back."

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

At long last, the golden plates returned to their original spotlessstate; there was a sharp upswing in the level of noise within theHall, which died away almost instantly as Dumbledore got to hisfeet. On either side of him, Professor Karkaroff and MadameMaxime looked as tense and expectant as anyone. Ludo Bagmanwas beaming and winking at various students. Mr. Crouch, however, looked quite uninterested, almost bored.

"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision," said Dumbledore. "I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, whenthe champions' names are called, I would ask them please to comeup to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go throughinto the next chamber" — he indicated the door behind the stafftable — "where they will be receiving their first instructions." 

Theo, sitting across from them, kept his gaze fixed on the Goblet of Fire. "Think it's gonna be Krum?" he muttered, his voice low.

"Obviously," Cassie drawled, barely glancing up as she played with a silver ring on her finger. "Karkaroff's been boasting about him since they arrived. It's practically rigged."

"Still," Blaise chimed in, leaning slightly over the table, "always the chance of a surprise, right?"

Cassie snorted, finally looking up. "If by surprise you mean some half-witted Hufflepuff, sure."

A flash of light from the goblet shut them all up, and the entire Hall fell into a hushed silence. Everyone turned their attention to the Goblet as the flames turned red, sparks dancing into the air.

A charred piece of parchment shot up from the goblet, and Dumbledore caught it in midair, holding it at arm's length so he could read it by the light of the flames.

"The champion for Durmstrang," Dumbledore announced, 

 "will be Viktor Krum."

The Hall erupted into applause, a deafening wave of cheers sweeping through the students. Over at the Slytherin table, however, Cole slouched back in his seat, letting out a low, unimpressed whistle. "No shock there," he muttered, a frown pulling at his features.

 But his words were drowned out by Karkaroff's booming voice, praising Krum as if he had already won the tournament. Krum slouched his way up the Hall to muted cheers from their table, disappearing behind the staff table with a slight smirk on his face.

Blaise rolled his eyes. "Karkaroff's making it so obvious how much he's invested in this."

"You don't say," Theo replied dryly, his eyes flicking toward the Goblet again. "Beauxbatons next. Wonder if that —"

Another flash, another piece of parchment. Dumbledore caught it as it flew through the air, holding it up for everyone to see.

"The champion for Beauxbatons," he read, "is Fleur Delacour."

Sure enough, the veela-like girl rose from the Beauxbatons table, her silvery blonde hair cascading behind her as she walked with an air of grace that made more than a few students gawk. Cassie shot a side glance at Blaise, who was practically leaning over the table to get a better look.

"She's not that pretty, you know," Cassie snorted at his expression , though her smirk said otherwise.

"Who said anything about pretty?" Blaise shot back with a grin. "Girl's lethal."

"Right," Cassie replied, rolling her eyes. "Focus on the tournament blaise, Not your future heartbreak."

As Fleur disappeared behind the staff table, the Hall once again fell into silence. The anticipation was palpable now. The Hogwarts champion.

Cassie drummed her fingers on the table, her eyes sharp as the Goblet flared red once again. Another piece of parchment shot out, and everyone seemed to hold their breath as Dumbledore read the name.

"The Hogwarts champion," he called, "is Cedric Diggory!"

The Hufflepuff table exploded in cheers, much louder than any applause so far. Cassie's lips curled into a lazy smirk as she watched the Hufflepuffs, including Diggory, practically glow with pride.

Theo groaned. "Please, anyone but Diggory."

Cedric, grinning broadly, walked past the Hufflepuff table, his friends slapping him on the back as he headed toward the chamber behind the staff table. The applause for him was long and boisterous, and it was only after several attempts that Dumbledore was able to quiet the hall again.

"Well," Dumbledore said, his voice cheerful, "now we have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you to give them your full support—"

Before Dumbledore could finish, the Goblet flared once more, its flames surging unnaturally high. A shocked murmur rippled through the Great Hall as sparks shot up again, a fourth piece of parchment fluttering out of the fire.

Draco narrowed his eyes, leaning forward  "What the—?"

Dumbledore hesitated, clearly caught off guard as his hand closed around the slip of parchment. The room grew eerily silent, tension thick in the air. His face was unreadable as he unfolded the paper and stared at the name.

When he finally spoke, his voice was heavy with disbelief. "Harry Potter."

The Hall erupted into utter chaos. Gasps, shouts, and frantic murmurs filled the space as students craned their necks, trying to catch a glimpse of the boy who had just been named as the fourth champion. Something like this had never been heard of before. The Goblet was only supposed to pick three names.

Cassie, however, remained calm.  Her dark eyes gleamed with amusement, and a slow, dangerous smirk curled on her lips as she turned toward Blaise and Draco.

"You've got to be joking," Blaise muttered, still trying to process the shock of the moment.

"Oh no," Cassie purred, leaning back in her chair, clearly enjoying the chaos erupting around her. "This just got a lot more interesting."

Draco looked livid,  while Blaise's expression remained one of disbelief. "How the fuck did that even happen?" Cole chimed in, wide-eyed as he glanced toward the Gryffindor table.

Cassie ignored them, her smirk widening. She tapped her fingers rhythmically on the table, looking utterly triumphant. "Alright," she drawled lazily, "cough it up."

Blaise raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance. "What?"

Cassie's grin only widened, ignoring the hushed whispers and pointed looks as Harry walked toward the chamber. "You all owe me fifty Galleons."

Theo let a grin spread across his face. He extended his hand toward Blaise. "And me. I told you, Cassie never loses bets."

Cassie let out a shout of laughter, throwing her head back, eyes gleaming with wicked triumph. "Cough up, bitches!" she declared, her voice carrying over the chaos in the Hall. "I told you!"

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

so- uhm
hi?
sorry-
uhm- my vaca just started i swear
and as soon as i got connection - i started on this chap

i dunno if its obvi- but i just want the jealousy angsty part and year 5 to start fast--- like i have so many plans

ALSO- THEO CASSIE- ARE ENDGAME OMG-
Reggie- is adorable-
and yea- hate potter and dumbly

make sure to give ur suggestions- feedbck etc

till next time

mxriddle