Cassandra

“Chapter 4 – Crystal Balls, Red Bras and a Couch


Cassie was thinking of the following day's celebration when she entered the Great Hall for dinner. The Halloween feast was always her favorite holiday meal. The elaboratly carved pumpkins, the swarms of bats, the multitude of sweets - she loved it all.

This year there was the added excitement of the Tri-Wizard Tounament. Tomorrow morning the students would have the opportunity to put their names in the goblet and then at the feast the names of the three champions would be announced.

It was for this reason that Cassie almost missed George as he hailed her from across the Great Hall.

Oy, Cassie,” George began.

“We saved you a seat,” Fred chimed in.

As much as she enjoyed listening to their uncanny stereo conversations, it was George’s voice that she preferred. She could just sit and listen to him talk all day. It didn’t matter what the topic was. Just the tone of his voice gave her a sense of safeness.

However, so that she wouldn’t appear to have a head full of fluff, she decided she’d better focus on the conversation. Good thing, really, since it seemed to involve her opinion.

“So, what do you think?” Fred was saying.

“What? Sorry, mind drifted for a moment there. Could you repeat that last bit?” She glanced up at George, but realized her mistake as she became mesmerized by his smile.

She pulled her attention back to Fred. It was easier to focus on what he was saying to her.

“We’re having a bit of a communication problem with an acquaintance of ours. We thought perhaps a bit of crystal ball gazing might help clear the air…or read the tarot cards, or you know, hold George’s hand, whichever you’d prefer.

“You know I don’t read tarot cards or crystal balls. It helps some people focus their talent but I’ve never had success with them,” Cassie explained.

“Well, there you are, then. That leaves George,” said Fred as though that settled everything.

George smiled apologetically as Fred stood to leave. “Finish dinner and then meet us in the Gryffindor common room so we may peruse the future.”

Cassis watched the twins, joined by Lee Jordan, head towards the staircase in the entrance hall.

Well, she thought, it’s a better prospect for this evening than working alone in my room on my History of Magic essay.

When she entered the common room she could see Ron and Harry huddled around their copies of Unfogging the Future working on their predictions for Professor Trelawney.

“I could help you with that,” she whispered as she passed by.

“That’s alright,” Ron replied nervously as she paused beside the table.

She studied Harry’s, then Ron’s chart. “Decapitated, then drowned, I see. Busy week. Sure you don’t want some help. My predictions wouldn’t have you dying more than once, I’m sure.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” said Ron as he reclaimed his chart.

Cassie shrugged and continued towards the corner containing George, Fred and Lee, seated as usual in the squashy arm chairs.

“Been a bit,” said Fred as she walked up. “Thought you weren’t coming.”

“Stayed for chocolate and coffee. It’s been a long day. I needed the extra caffeine.” In actualality she had slipped up to the tower to change. She doubted anyone would notice that this school sweater was sleeker and more form fitting but it made her feel prettier. Plus the matching red sweetheart bra and panties gave her a boost of confidence.

She surveyed the three occupied chairs and arched an eyebrow.

George, being more observant, caught the subtle hint. “Care to join me?” With an easy flick of his wand, the armchair he was seated in stretched into a loveseat for two. He was still slouched comfortably back across more than half of the seat so when Cassie sat down their legs were touching. Despite the fact that it sent warm sparks up the length of her leg, George seemed not to notice.

He did, however, notice when Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet entered the room. Cassie studied him as he watched the pair cross the common room to the stairs that led up to the girls’ dormitories.

It was a quick, cooling reminder to her that this was a one-sided infatuation and the twinges of jealously were a warning that she needed to be careful.

“What did you two have in mind?” she addressed her remark to Fred in an attempt to remain indifferent to George’s apparent pre-occupation with Katie and Alicia.

“We’ve had a bit of a misunderstanding with Mr. Bagman. As George has told you, Ludo paid us with Leprechaun gold, quite accidentally, I’m sure. But, now, we can’t get an answer to our letters. We thought perhaps that you could advise us on the best way to proceed without insulting or alienating him.”

“We’ve been through this before, boys. I can no more give you an answer on a specific problem than I can predict tomorrow’s weather.”

“Well, yeah, maybe, Cassie, lass, but it seems that the odds would improve if you had a chance to increase the number of predictions you make about ol’ George here. You two just hook up, get comfortable, and predict away. Lee will take notes.”

Cassie glanced warily at George. He had been unusually silent during this recitation. “How do you feel about this?” She watched his eyes.

He stared back unflinchingly and held up a long-fingered hand. “I’m game if you are…”

So for the next hour Cassie described scene after scene, vision after vision, pausing and breaking contact with George only long enough for Lee to catch up on his short hand.

Nelville turning into a huge yellow canary; great sparkling Catherine wheels tumbling through the hallway; a swamp in a corridor; nicked sweets and butterbeer; a wicked snowball fight involving half of the Gryffindor occupants; frenzied dancing in the great hall; vision after vision flooded Cassie’s mind. She was about to admit defeat and exhaustion when the next vision revealed a dark and crowded bar, a flash in a mirror, Bagman in the reflection, Fred and George hailing him across the room…But then Cassie’s arm was jostled as Nelville bumped into the newly formed couch. The vision was gone as Cassie’s hand slipped and she lost contact with George’s fingertips. She sadly reported that she didn’t know how the meeting with Bagman ended.

“It’s okay, Cass, at least we know to look for him at The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade,” said Fred.

“You look exhausted,” George said as he hauled her to her feet. “Let me walk you back to your room. It would reflect poorly on us if we sent you off on your own and you fell over a railing somewhere.”

Cassie smiled as a vision of hundreds of white lab mice swarming out of the Slytherin common room distracted her from the discomfort of the new red bra that was beginning to chaff.

“Your bra itches?” George questioned, perplexed.

Cassie felt her face begin to burn. She must be more tired than she thought. “I can’t believe I said that out loud.”

“Well, I’m guessing it was out loud, but I also had quite an image to accompany it. Of course, ninety percent of my time is spent imaging girls in and out of their underwear.”

Cassie couldn’t believe George had made that last confession aloud, either. Her gaze strayed from his soft full lips to his hand which was still gripping hers tightly. Such strong hands.

“Thanks,” she heard him say, but it took her several moments to realize his lips had not been moving during any of their conversation.

Then, from the look of shock on his face, Cassie realized that George must have just come to the same conclusion. Their conversation had been held totally in their minds.

“”””””””””””””””””””””””

Please review and let me know what you think. Was the vision sequence written in an understandable fashion? I know this is George –centric but I love the twins. Let me know what you think, good or bad. Also, let me know if I’ve made any mistakes on any of the facts about Hogwarts.