Dumbledore began gently, "How do you know, Miss Black?"

Cassie scoffed incredulously, "You really think I'm going to tell you, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore's confusion was evident. "Why not, Miss Black?"

Cassiopeia smirked. "I thought it was obvious, Dumbles. I don't trust you. You know way more than you let on. You manipulate people to think you're the hero, saving them from the problems you yourself caused." She raised a brow pointedly.

Maintaining his composure, Dumbledore responded, "Let's keep those talks for later, shall we?" His smile, however, didn't reach his eyes for once.

"Now that you know, I request you to keep it a secret," he continued. "I assure you, he is more than qualified to teach the job."

"I wasn't going to tell... perhaps blackmail, but yeah," Cassie shrugged. "I do not doubt his qualifications. It's merely about the danger he poses."

Interrupting, Lupin added, "Professor Snape here will be providing me with Wolfsbane, which will keep me in control."

Cassie scoffed, "I wasn't talking about your, uh, 'furry problem.'"

Lupin smiled slightly at the familiarity of that term.

"I'm talking about the fact that you and my father were best friends in school. How do I know you aren't helping him enter the castle?" Cassie challenged.

Snape interjected, speaking for the first time, "That's something I agree on, Headmaster."

"I trust him, Severus, Miss Black," Dumbledore stated.

"You trusted a lot of people, Headmaster, and you know what came of it... for once, I hope your trust isn't absurd," Cassie remarked snarkily.

Dumbledore regarded her with a mix of curiosity and unease. "Very well, dear. Off to bed now."

Snape gestured for her to leave. "Password is Salazar," he reminded her.

With a nod, Cassie marched out of the hall. "I'll be keeping an eye on you, Professor Moony!" she shouted across the hall before striding towards the dungeons.

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

Dumbledore's POV

How does this girl know so much? For the first time in many years, Dumbledore felt a flicker of fear at the possibility of losing the power and trust he had.

What is wrong with this girl? Everyone trusts him. Why doesn't she?

How does she see right through me so easily?

"Alright, professors, I won't be keeping you for long. Goodnight," I said.

Snape nodded stiffly and marched off, his black coat dramatically flowing behind him.

"Goodnight, Headmaster," Lupin said, walking away as well.

Cassiopeia Black.

She could be my biggest asset or my greatest threat.

I have to play my cards right.

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

"What was all that about?" Blaise bombarded as soon as Cassie entered.

"Fucking hell- you guys didn't sleep yet?" Cassie remarked, watching Theo, Pansy, Draco, and Blaise sitting around the fireplace, staring pointedly at her.

"Nah...we wanted the tea," Pansy said, gesturing for her to sit in her usual black armchair.

"First McGonagall, then Dumbledore...what was all that about?"

Cassie huffed, sitting on the armchair. "The same. Stay away from Black, follow rules shit," looking pointedly at Theo, who seemed to fidget with his hands.

"Listen," Theo began, "I'm sorry, I overstepped...but please, Cassie, it was for your own wellbeing."

"I know," Cassie sighed. "Listen, I won't go searching for Black. But if we bump into each other, I'm not just standing there waiting to die. I'll fight."

"Or you can just run. But yeah, works," Blaise shrugged.

There was a moment of silence, the fire crackling, as Cassie twirled her wand while the others stared.

"So, what should we do?" Draco shuffled. "Not sleep, obviously."

"I smuggled some of my dad's firewhiskey... Wanna try?" Blaise smirked, reaching out for his bag.

"We aren't old enough to drink," Pansy squealed.

"Who cares? Bring it on, Blaise," Cassie waved her wand, turning her robes into her black tee and shorts, tying her frizzy hair in a messy bun.

"Now, now. Guys, it's literally the first day. Let's not do anything rash," Theo remarked.

"Oh, grow up, Nott. Third year is the time to have your first drink," Draco said excitedly.

"I'm in too," Pansy remarked.

"Theo?" Cassie pointedly asked.

"Ugh, fine, only 'cause you asked," Theo groaned.

"Spineless," Blaise coughed.

"Whipped," Draco added.

"Shut the fuck up. guys." Theo pouted.

Did he actually like Cassie? She was beautiful. Badass. Fuckin' scary. What was there not to like? He could bet Cassie had many more boys crushing on her.

Ooh, You can dance (Dancing Queen). 
You can jive...

"AEEE... HOW DID YOU DO IT?" Pansy squealed excitedly.

"I charmed this muggle radio to work here," Cassie smirked.

"Someone put a silencing charm so the prefect doesn't wake up," Theo suggested.

"Boring bitch," Cassie yawned but waved her wand to cast the spell.

"It's ready," Blaise announced, walking in with shot glasses filled with whiskey.

The room was alive with the flickering firelight; glasses filled with firewhiskey stood before them.

"To Murdering Potter!" Cassie said cheerfully.

"That's not how it is done, Cassie..." Blaise groaned.

"To freedom and friendship," Blaise raised his glass.

The others followed suit, clinking their glasses together before tossing back the fiery liquid, followed by loud gasps.

"Fucking hell, that burns," Draco exclaimed.

"Don't be a baby, Dray... this was nothin'," Cassie retorted.

Pansy, her cheeks flushed with excitement, looked around eagerly. "So, are we drunk now? Is this how it feels?"

Theo furrowed his brow, shaking his head. "I don't feel anything."

"Nah... pretty sure we need more shots," Blaise said.

"Pour some more then," Cassie grinned.

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

Twenty minutes later, with two empty bottles and a room full of tipsy teenagers, Cassie leaned back in her chair, a wide grin on her face.

"Did I ever tell you about the time I fought off a horde of Aurors single-handedly?" she exclaimed, waving her wand dramatically.

Draco snorted, his laughter echoing through the room. "Sure you did, Cassie. And I'm the bloody Minister of Magic."

Everyone burst into hysterics as Theo gasped, "You may be the Minister but you sure aren't a real blond."

Draco gasped, clutching his hair. "Take that back, Nott."

"Make me, Malfoy," Theo slurred, quickly hiding behind Cassie, who chuckled.

"Hey, no fair! You can't hide behind the scary witch," Draco frowned.

Pansy chimed in, "Oh, come on, Draco. We all know you dye your hair. But hey, if it helps you land a date with the Minister, who are we to judge?"

The room erupted into laughter again as the familiar tune of ABBA filled the air.

"I LOVE THIS SONG. TURN IT UP A LITTLE!" Pansy squealed.

ABBA - Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)

Oh, my love it makes me sad
Why did things turn out so bad?
Was it just a dream, everything we did, everything we had?
Baby, give me one more Dance while the music still goes on

"Cassie! Dance!" Pansy exclaimed, dragging her.

"You're coming too, Nott," Cassie declared, grabbing Theo's hand and pulling him, oblivious to the blush that crept onto his cheeks.

Blaise rummaged through his bag and took out a Polaroid camera, pushing Draco into the dance and snapping away.

The room filled with music and laughter, everyone swaying to the beats, their laughter mingling with the music.

As the final notes faded away, Cassie let out a satisfied sigh. "That was fuckin' awesome."

Pansy, stretching her arms above her head, let out a contented hum. "I'm exhausted now. Can we just crash here?"

Draco nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I don't think I can make it to my bed."

Blaise chuckled. "Looks like it's an armchair slumber party then."

And that's how the prefect found them in the morning, the five of them snuggled in the armchairs, surrounded by the stench of firewhiskey and empty bottles.

Adriam (I made up a prefect)

"Come on, you lot, wake up," he said, waking the sleeping group.

One by one, they roused from their slumber, each groaning in unison as they felt the pounding in their heads.

"Ow, my head's bursting," Cassie groaned, the rest muttered in agreement.

"It looks like you're going to need a few hangover potions to get through the day," Adriam chuckled.

"Firewhiskey in third year? Impressive...though I expected nothing less from Black," he snorted at Cassie.

"Hey, when you've got a reputation to maintain, you've gotta start early," Cassie groaned.

Theo, trying to stifle a yawn, added with a sheepish grin, "We may have gotten a bit carried away."

"Mhm... Here, have some of this hangover potion," the prefect handed each of them a hangover potion, prompting a chorus of approved murmurs as they gulped it down.

"It tastes like shit," Blaise frowned.

"Just a heads up. You're gonna be late. First is Divination, and the North Tower is impossible to find," Adriam warned.

Draco, still groggy from sleep, yawned in response. "It's fine... we don't have it."

"Fuckin' hell, me and Theo do!" Cassie exclaimed, scrambling to her feet and pulling Theo along with her.

"Freshen up and meet me here in 10?" Cassie remarked, already heading towards the door.

"Yes, boss," Theo replied with a playful salute.

A/n

I don't like this chap much...I rewrote it 4 times then I gave up

i feel drinking at a young age is smth Sirius would have done... and personally I feel cassie is a lot like Sirius just inclined towards dark magic more

I feel Reggie would have asked cassie to take divination and astronomy...and Theo? idk mb just following cassie?

till next time....

mx. riddle