Three is a Magic Number

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Christmas dawned brightly, and the shriek from the Slytherin dormitories as Casi climbed down the marble staircase was wonderfully satisfying. ~Ah, what a way to start the day! Birds are singing, the snow is falling, and the Slytherins are shrieking. Chaos. Panic. Disorder. Triple check. Ah! My work here is done!~
~>Careful. One would almost think you have a talent for anarchy.~
~I do. Merry Christmas, uncle.~
~>How did you-?~
~Dad wrote me.~ She fingered the chain of her father’s pendanther her pocket, as she did not yet dare wear it. She felt a gentle probing, but dismissed it.
~> I see. Happy Christmas, Casi.~ He swept into the Great Hall, looking like the epitome of sour boredom. Casi noted the change in demeanor and mused:
~All the world’s a stage, and the men and women merely players. ~
~>Shakespeare. As You Like It.~
~I like it quiet. Just like you.~

She hadn’t bothered with her presents, even though there were a good deal. She wondered how hrienriends would like theirs. She’d gotten Hermione a bookmark, one of the nice ones, a red satin ribbon with a gold border. To go with it, she’d included a copy of her favorite book, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", and had written on the inside cover :

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Mark Twain once said ‘Clothes do make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in society.’ I’m sure this is an inappropriate quote, but here’s one that always reminds me of you: ‘This above all, to thine own self be true.’ You are always true to yourself, Hermione, and I hope you enjoy this book. Love from
Draco Cassiopeia Snape-Montgomery

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To Harry, she had gifted a simple necklace of hers, a cut diamond on a gold chain. It would go well with the dress she’d made for him to wear that night. If he still goes. What had really surprised her was the fact that he was actually going to go through with this. She went over Christmas Eve in her head. They were in their normal abandoned classroom, and she was putting some last-minute adjustments on the dress. “Are you sure you really want to do this?”
“Positive. You’re taking a lot of time on hemming this thing, you know?”
“It would go faster if the person in it would stop moving.”
“I can’t help it.” He put on a falsetto. “It’s my first dress, after all!”
“Only dress.”
“Speaking of which, how are we planning on filling in certain areas of this dress?”
“Gendomorphus charm oughta do it.”
“Hang on a tic. I’m going to actually be a girl? Not just dress as one?”
“I said ‘have you ever thought of being a girl.’ Being. Not dressing as. Being.”
“I refuse to be a girl!”
“Then all of this is worthless! Harry, Malfoy’s not going to publicly acknowledge romantic advances from a guy.”
“Show up, yes. Look nice, fine. But BE a girl? Hell no.” Casi charmed the dress off. Harry was practically naked, but she didn’t care.
“Well, after being a girl all my life, I can’t say as it ever hurt me!” She threw his robes at him and stormed out.

Later that evening, at dinner, Harry walked up to the Gryffindor table with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. It was bound with a pretty red-and-gold ribbon, and found itself resting in front of one D. Casi Snape-Montgomery. “I’m really sorry for what I said earlier. I was just being stupid. I- I’ve brought you flowers.”
“So I noticed.”
“I don’t know what those flowers are, but the white ones are-”
“Lilies. Your mother’s name.” She brought his head close to hers. “That’s how I know you mean it.” she whispered. She went back to her meal. “Snapdragons, if you’re curious.”
“Your favorites?”
“No. The other flowers. My favorites are dandelions and daises. Both grow wild, wherever they want to. Both are free.”
“Like someone else I know.”
“Watch it, danger boy. You’re getting to be an incurable romantic on me.” They both laughed and Harry started his dinner.

After dinner, she and Harry both ran into each other near the dungeons. She’d left dinner earlier than he did, and he was wondering where she’d got to. “Talking to my u- cousin.”
“You actually like him?” They started walking down the corridor.
“Blood’s thicker. He kind of has to deal with me. I don’t know why you choose to.” He recognized this. Girls love having their pride played on.
“What’s not to like? You’re smart, witty, not a complete dog to look at-”
“Harry. Are you going bi on me?” She said, jokingly concerned.
“No. It’s true. At least Seamus and Neville think so.”
“Do you?” She was serious!
“Why should it matter what I think?”
“Because you’re my best friend.” He hadn’t known that.
“Really?” He looked at her. Blue met Green. She nodded. Before he knew what he was doing, his hands had drifted down to her waist, and their faces and bodies were very close together.
“Harry?” She looked, not scared, not ready, but . . .sad?
“Casi.” One of his hands drifted to her face and brought it up to meet his. There was a slapping sound as his hand was knocked away. “Casi, what?” , Ha, Harry.” She untangled herself and walked off, back toward the dungeons.

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Ron had been thrilled with the autographed Quaffle from the Cannons. Casi had been obliged to pry him off so she could breathe. As she sat down to breakfast, Casi noticed the owl at the head of the hall. It was jet-black and was at her uncle’s place at the staff table. No one she knew had a jet-black owl. Severus picked up the owl and sent it off, package string clenched in its strong and no doubt capable beak. She dismissed it, being that people sent owls every day.

As she walked into her dormitory, she noted the black owl on her bedside table. “Hello.” The owl hooted and flew onto her shoulder. “You’re a pretty thing, aren’t you?” She stroked the owl’s chest. It hooted warmly in response, and Casi found herself wondering what owls think about. Then she remembered the tiger. Once, at a zoo, she touched the mind of a tiger. The predatory instinct was a bit too much for her to deal with. She reminded herself of this as she sat on her bed. The owl hooted pointedly and looked at the bedside table. Casi picked up the package and opened it. Inside was a circlet big enough to go around her head. She picked up the card.

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Your father left this to me, probably so your stepmother wouldn’t destroy it as she nearly did the necklace. It is the second half of your name, as you have no doubt noticed.

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Casi looked at the circlet again and there in the middle, right where it would rest on her forehead, was the rough ‘W’ of Cassiopeia. ~Dad liked stars.~ She mused. The rest of the note was just normal Christmas greetings and a closing. ~Well, looks like I won’t have to worry about jewelry tonight. ~
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