chosen - harry potter

Chapter 8 - Don't Die

The days went by, and the students found themselves in November. The weather had grown very cold, and the tall mountains surrounding the school became covered in snow as the lake froze over.

Quidditch season had begun, and the first match was quickly approaching. It would be Gryffindor versus Slytherin, and the winning team would move forward in the House Championship.

The four Gryffindor friends had all grown closer in general. Hermione had relaxed about rule-breaking, and Ron and Harry had started being nicer to her. Cassia was delighted that her closest friends were all getting along.

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

It was a day before Harry's first Quidditch match, and the Gryffindor common room was rather noisy that evening. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Cassia were sitting next to a window, and Hermione was checking the boys' homework. Cassia was looking out the window, staring at the tall mountains.

"I'm going to ask Snape if I can have Quidditch Through the Ages back," Harry said, suddenly getting up.

"Better you than me," Ron and Hermione stated together.

"Have fun with that, Harry," Cassia chuckled. Harry walked away quickly, stepping through the portrait hole.

Earlier that day, Snape had taken his book, saying that "Library books are not to be taken outside the school." It was a ridiculous and made-up rule, but they were all more distracted by the teacher's mysterious limping.

"Hey, Cassia," Neville murmured. She turned around to look at him, seeing that he had approached her.

"Oh, hey Neville!" she greeted him with a smile. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to thank you for helping me study the other day," he said quietly. Ron and Hermione were still looking at their homework, not looking up at the boy. "I passed my Potions quiz!"

"Oh, that's great Neville! I knew you'd do well," Cassia said excitedly, smiling at him. "Whenever you want to study again, just tell me."

"Oh, thank you!" he said, smiling slightly. "I'll see you later."

She smiled at him and he walked back to where he was sitting. He was rather shy, so Cassia never tried to make him talk for longer than he seemed to want to.

She and Neville had gone to the library an afternoon prior, and she helped him with potions. Professor Snape was constantly overbearing and rude to Neville, so he struggled with the subject greatly. She was more than happy to help him, though.

Cassia was suddenly brought out of her thinking by Harry joining the group again, breathing heavily.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked him. "What's the matter?"

Harry explained what he had seen quietly, describing Snape's bloody leg being bandaged by Filch and talking about the three-headed dog.

"You know what this means?" Harry said breathlessly, finishing his explanation. "He tried to get past the three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him — he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"

"No — he wouldn't," Hermione said, eyes wide. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," Ron snapped. "I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

"But come on, Dumbledore is a smart man. He wouldn't be keeping someone in the school if they were after something really important, would he? And I'm not convinced Snape would do something of the sort," Cassia said, taking Hermione's side.