Two days later, Cassie stepped into the Slytherin common room, her scowl deepening as her eyes locked onto the peculiar object placed on her favorite armchair. A box. A strange box. Suspiciously deliberate.

She approached slowly, boots clicking against the stone floor, the sound echoing faintly in the dim room. She stopped just short of touching it. Perched on top was a rolled parchment, its edges crisp and clean, like it had been written and placed with irritating care. She didn't need to open it to know who it was from.

From the corner of the room, Blaise , reclining lazily on the couch with a book in hand, smirked at her hesitation. coughing loudly

"What now?" she muttered under her breath.

From the corner, Blaise perked up, smirking like a cat who'd caught a particularly stupid mouse. "A secret admirer, perhaps?"

"Hardly," Cassie shot back, cautiously moving closer. Her fingers plucked the parchment free and unrolled it, her jaw tightening as her eyes scanned the elegant scrawl.

Sirius would hate this, but I think it suits you.

Theo.

Her nostrils flared. Of course, it was Theo.

Flicking her wand sharply, she popped the lid off the box. What she saw inside made her freeze.

Coiled in elegance was a snake. Its sleek black scales shimmered faintly in the dim torchlight, and its eyes gleamed The creature tilted its head slightly, tongue flicking out as though assessing her, before settling back into stillness.

Blaise was instantly on his feet. "That's...alive."

"Clearly."

"Well, are you keeping it?"

Her first instinct was to slam the lid shut and throw the entire box into the fireplace. Yet, something made her hesitate. She stared at the snake again, It wasn't just alive—it was majestic.

"No," she said firmly, snapping the box shut with a decisive click. "I'm not keeping it."

"Right," Blaise drawled, sitting back with an air of satisfaction as she tucked the box under her arm and turned toward the dormitory stairs. "That's why you're carrying it upstairs, then?"

She shot him a glare over her shoulder, one so sharp it could have cut glass, but didn't bother responding.

Once inside her room, Cassie placed the box on her desk and stared at it like it had personally offended her. She crossed her arms, pacing in a tight circle Finally, with a sigh of exasperation, she stopped and opened the lid again.

The snake lifted its head, its tongue flicking out in her direction. Its gaze felt uncomfortably perceptive, almost as though it were waiting for her to say something.

"What am I supposed to do with you?" she muttered, half to herself. Throwing it away felt wrong. Who could throw out a face like that? It looked so- Regal- majestic - deadly-

She slumped into her chair, arms crossed, "i hate you theo-"

The snake tilted its head further, almost as if it understood her words, and she groaned, slamming the lid shut again.

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

Theo was leaning casually against the wall outside the Great Hall the next morning when Cassie rounded the corner.

His grin spread slowly "So," he called, loud enough to make a few passing students glance their way, "what'd you name it?"

Cassie froze mid-step. Her eyes narrowed dangerously  "What are you talking about?"

"The snake," he said, his tone light and teasing as he pushed off the wall. "You kept it, didn't you?"

"Why would I keep something so ridiculous?" she shot back, folding her arms tightly across her chest.

Theo smirked, strolling closer with infuriating confidence. "Because it's the perfect pet. Quiet, low maintenance, and more charming than Blaise."."

"Hey!" Blaze said exasperatedly

Her eyes rolled so hard Theo half-wondered if she could still see straight. "You're insufferable."

***********

Cassie wasn't sure why she didn't throw the snake out that night or even let it loose in the Forbidden Forest. It sat quietly in its box on her desk, and sometimes she'd catch herself glancing at it,

A week later, she found herself taking the snake out of the box, watching it curl and uncurl on the desk. Its movements were strangely calming. She hadn't named it—she refused to—but she couldn't deny the odd sense of satisfaction she felt when it flicked its tongue and coiled around her wrist like a dark bracelet.

three days later, Cassie was on her way back to the Slytherin common room when she noticed something unusual in the hallway. The normally silent, still suits of armor were adorned with large, hand-painted letters.

S-O-R-R-Y.

She groaned audibly, her steps quickening with dread.

"Cas!" Theo called from the end of the hall,

"Are you deranged?" she snapped,

Before Theo could respond, Professor McGonagall appeared from around the corner, her expression thunderous. "Mr. Nott," she barked  "would you care to explain this... display?"

Theo's grin didn't falter. "Just a heartfelt apology, Professor."

McGonagall's lips thinned, her eyes narrowing. "Perhaps you'd like to explain it further in my office."

Cassie slapped her book shut, her cheeks burning stormed past him. "Idiot," she muttered under her breath.

As McGonagall dragged Theo away, his voice followed her. "You didn't even let me finish! There was going to be a song!"

She didn't look back.

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

The next week was even more tiring - Each gesture was a deliberate nudge. Theo didn't apologize outright—Cassie would have torn him to shreds for that. Instead, he chipped away at her defenses with infuriating persistence, one ridiculous, infuriatingly thoughtful act at a time.

A shirt appeared two days later.

Cassie found it neatly folded on her bed, its silver lettering shimmering obnoxiously in the dim light.

SIRIUS IS AN ASSHOLE.

Her eyes narrowed, the faintest flicker of annoyance sparking as she picked it up. The fabric was soft—annoyingly so—and the fit, she suspected, would be perfect. That only made it worse.

By the time Theo saw her that evening, the shirt was gone, fed to the fireplace in the Slytherin common room.

"You didn't even try it on?" he asked, feigning disappointment.

"Do I look like I'd wear something so ridiculous?"

"I thought you'd appreciate the sentiment."

"The sentiment is idiotic."

"Which makes it perfect for you," Blaise muttered from the couch, earning a sharp glare from Cassie.

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

A week later, she found an archery set—customized with Sirius Black's face printed on the bullseye. She rolled her eyes but spent the evening testing it in the Room of Requirement.

*_*

2 days before the first task Theo casually handed her a mug that read "Number One Psychopath in Slytherin" during breakfast,

"is this supposed to be funny?" she asked, her tone icy

Theo slid into the seat beside her, unbothered by her glare. "It's not just funny, Cassie. It's accurate."

Her fingers twitched toward her wand, and Draco seated across from them, leaned back with a low chuckle. "I'll admit, Nott, you've got guts."

"More like a death wish," Pansy chimed in

Theo ignored them both, his attention fixed solely on Cassie. "You know," he began, his tone maddeningly casual, "you could take it as a compliment. You're... unique. I mean, who else can scare off a room full of Gryffindors with just a look? It's impressive, really."

Cassie's lip curled, but Theo caught the faintest flicker of amusement in her eyes. She picked up the mug, turning it over in her hands as though debating whether to throw it at his head or let it pass as tolerable.

"You're unbelievable," she muttered, setting the mug down with a little more force than necessary.

"I try," Theo quipped, his grin widening.

As breakfast continued, the mug stayed on the table, untouched but not discarded. Cassie's attention drifted back to her plate, but every so often, her gaze flickered to Theo.

Later, as the Slytherins filtered out of the Great Hall, Theo fell into step beside her.

"You're not going to use it, are you?" he asked, nodding toward the mug tucked into her bag.

"Not a chance," she replied, though her tone lacked its usual venom.

"Shame," Theo said, his voice laced with mock disappointment. "It would've looked perfect on your desk."

Cassie didn't dignify him with a response, but her fingers brushed against the bag's strap, her grip tightening slightly.

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

The night before the First Task, Theo approached her in the common room with two glasses of firewhiskey

"Truce?" he offered, holding one out.

She eyed him warily before accepting. "No banners this time?"

"Ran out of parchment," he joked, taking the seat across from her.

They sat in silence for a moment, the crackling fire filling the space between them.

"I really am sorry," Theo said quietly. "I was a dick. I let my temper get the better of me, and I took it out on you."

Cassie didn't look up from her book. "You're not wrong."

"I know," he admitted, leaning back and taking a sip from his bottle. "Still, I'd rather you didn't hate me forever."

She glanced at him then, her expression unreadable. "Forever's a long time."

Theo's lips twitched into a faint smile. "Good. Then I've got time to fix this."

"Don't push your luck," she warned, but there was no heat in her voice.

Theo grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it." Cassie wasn't entirely sure when she'd stopped being mad at Theo, but the snake now curled comfortably in its enchanted glass enclosure on her desk was proof enough that she had.

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


- SO- JUST A PATCH UP CHAP-

FROM THE NEXT CHAPPP YULEEE BALLL OMGGGS IM SO EXCITEDDD

How are yall doingggg

till next timee 

MXRIDDLEEE