A Bright Star

Parseltongue

Since Colin had been petrified the school seemed to go into high alert. Any suspicious activity was encouraged to be reported as soon as possible. Students, not just Slytherins, walked together in groups. There was constant whispering about the Chamber of Secrets and what may lie within it.

Cassiopeia learnt, once again, the bias of the Wizarding World.

While none of the first or second years were as terrorized as the upper years, they still needed to be on the look out. Alexander had decided to implement a lower court regulated curfew. All of the lower classmen had to be in the common room by five pm.

This went into action after Caspian Yaxley and Rowlyn Muciber were attacked in the halls walking back to the common room after dinner. The third and fourth years respectively had had to stay in the Hospital Wing overnight to regrow bones after they had been cornered by some Gryffindor's in the Hall. Percy had been the Prefect to break up the dual, having witnessed his fellow housemates surround the younger students. Despite his recount of the events, Dumbledore had deemed the attackers innocent.

Because of course he did.

Terence had made a declaration to seize fire. While many wanted revenge, the amount of animosity geared towards the house was too much for students to sneak around. There was too much chance for someone to get injured with no one aware of where they were.

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"You slimy snakes shouldn't even be allowed in the school!" Bourgess said disgustingly in the halls as they left Potions.

Cassiopeia thought the Hufflepuff was quite brave, truthfully. Brave saying that outside of Snape's classroom. She certainly didn't want to be overheard making such comments about another House by said House's Head.

"Give it a break," Connor rolled his eyes, slipping an arm around Lysandra's shoulders.

"You're all mini Death Eaters!" Bourgess most certainly stomped her foot.

Cassiopeia was not amused.

"What would your father say if he saw you now, Connor?" the girl continued, "Or Cedric?"

"Clearly I've missed something in my lineage, I thought I was a muggleborn?" Cassiopeia tilted her head. "They're not typically the type to be a Death Eater."

Connor snorted. "We're kids, have you seen Tori attempt to cast the bat bogey hex? She's no more a Death Eater than I am." Astoria glowered at her friend, not my fault the stupid spell won't work properly! "And Cedric is happy I've made friends!"

Cassiopeia noticed he didn't mention his father, though she knew Mr. Diggory wasn't exactly thrilled to learn of his son's new acquaintances. Connor had shared a letter he had received from his father at one of their study sessions. While it wasn't explicitly stated, Mr. Diggory repeatedly told Connor to be cautious and to not be too friendly with the Slytherins 'what with their upbringing'. Seeing the devastated, but resigned, expressions on his friends faces, Connor had promptly tore the letter apart.

Honestly, Cassiopeia thinks that letter sparked a fire of rebellion in Connor. Ever since, he's gone out of his way to physically interact with everyone, a sign of defiance and showing exactly what he thought of his father's words. Hufflepuffs, loyal at all times, Cassiopeia thought with a fond smile.

"You're just going to be one of those mudblood whores, that or you'll end up dead when your friends turn their backs on you," Bourgess sneered.

Gasps were audible as Cassiopeia gaped. Never before had anyone spoken to her in such a manner. Cassiopeia could handle cruelty, she had known it for most of her life, and there was no way this prattish, nippy, little girl who probably has never worked a day in her life or faced the horrors I have going to talk down to me.