The Black Heiress | h. potter

021

One could feel in magic in Hogwarts. It was everywhere. In the castle walls, the portraits, even in the air itself. The entire castle buzzed.

When you combine that buzz with the excitement of a Gryffindor v.s. Slytherin quidditch match, the magic seemed amplified. Almost everyone was excited for the game. The groups of people who weren't excited could be counted on one hand.

1. People who didn't particularly enjoy Quidditch (Harry Potter argued that these individuals didn't exist)

2. Cassiopeia Odium Black-Avery.

Cassiopeia wasn't excited because yet again, she had to co-commentate with Lee Jordan. McGonagall insisted, for some odd reason.

So, begrudgingly, Cassiopeia trudged her way to the commenter's stand.

"Ready for this?" Lee asked, oddly excited.

"Mhm," Cassiopeia responded, wishing she was anywhere else.

"Let's get started then..."

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"Hello Hogwarts! It's your commenters Lee Jordan and Cassiopeia Avery, ready to walk you through this game! Currently incoming, we have the slimy snakes ("Hey!" - Cassiopeia). Now, we have the brave lions!" Lee commented, earning boos from the Slytherins and cheers from the other houses.

"Mount your brooms!"

Madam Hooch's whistle was blasted and the game began.

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Harry was determined to win this game. He thought it would be easy enough, since one of Slytherin's chasers needed to be replaced, as Warrington fell ill the day before. As he walked out to he field, he heard the familiar cheer of the crowd. Although there were enough hundreds of voices in the stadium, he could always pinpoint 2 of them. His mother's and his father's. He had been raised in an extremely close family, so his entire life he'd been having family dinners, game nights, and movie nights.

So, like he did every game, he looked for his 2 biggest supporters. However this time, he couldn't find them.

Frowning, Harry continued to walk towards the field, standing right next to Angelina. As she shook hands with Flint, he took the time to look at the other team.

Let's see who they decided to put in. Harry thought.

Scanning the team, he saw the one face he would've been content with never seeing again.

Zabini.

That was who they put in.

If Harry wasn't determined to win before, he definitely was now. So, on Madam Hooch's mark, he mounted his broom and set off as soon as the whistle blew.

They were going to win.

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Gryffindor did not win.

Harry, their Seeker, was too focused on pissing off Zabini that he failed to see the Snitch that right next to him, but Malfoy didn't. Instead, he swooped in there and got it, bringing the score to 180 (Slytherin) to 60 (Gryffindor).

Harry had sulked the entire time after the game. At least his parents weren't there to see him fail so badly.

Sighing, the Potter boy checked the clock. 3:49 a.m.

Now wouldn't be a bad time to go to the kitchens.

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Most Slytherins were bursting with excitement. Except for Cassiopeia. She really could care less.

So, as others partied their way through the night, (most would probably get a massive hangover the next day) Cassiopeia decided to go down to the kitchens.

It was almost 4, now wouldn't be a bad time.

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Harry Potter finally got to the kitchens. He expected to be alone, drowining his worries in treacle tart. What he didn't expect to see was a slightly tipsy Cassiopeia Avery there, with every assortment of ice cream one could ever imagine in front of her.

She looked up as she heard someone walk in. And even though she had ice cream on her face, messy hair, and was in sweatpants and a oversized jumper, Harry swore he had never seen a more beautiful sight. She put Aphrodite to shame with her beauty. Her entire being was a reminder that perfection did exist. She could be doing anything and Harry would still hold that firm belief.

Too bad she wan't his.

Too bad the fates were oh so cruel.

Sighing he turned around and began to walk away, not expecting to hear a quiet voice say,

"Hey. Y'know, you don't have to leave yet."

As he whipped around, Harry thought his heart skipped a beat. He she was, asking him to stay. Smiling, he walked towards her and sat down.

And with a light heart, he asked,

"So, what flavors are we trying?"

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Cassiopeia was shocked that she asked the boy to stay. So, she did the best thing that she could do.

She shoved ice cream in her mouth.

And she kept on doing so. She did in fact hear Potter's laughs get louder and louder. He called her a chipmunk at least 10 times. However, he did join in. So, if one were to look in the kitchens at around 4:30 a.m., they would see two teenagers eating their weight in ice cream and just laughing about it.

However, as the laughter died down, the conversations started.

"So," Harry said, "I never really apologized for kissing that Hufflepuff. I'm sorry."

"There's no need to apologize Potter," Cassiopeia said softly.

"I know, but I'm still sorry."

Cassiopeia didn't know whether it was the ice cream she had consumed, the 2 shorts of firewhiskey from earlier, or the boy standing in front of her, but, next thing she knew, she was pulling him into a hug. His hands wrapped around her and she was able to take in his smell.

Treacle tart, leather, and pumpkin juice.

She still didn't know why she was hugging him, but she felt so safe in his arms that she couldn't bring herself to stop. Maybe it was the fact that actually talked to her like a person instead of how everyone else did. They liked to think of her as some deity, but she wasn't. She was quite the opposite. Cassiopeia was a scared teenager, forced to deal with the choices others has made for her.

Pulling away from the boy, she looked up at him.

"Thank you."

And with that, Cassiopeia Odium Black-Avery made her way back to the Slytherin common room. But, she didn't forget the way his hands felt on her skin, or his intoxicating scent. And as she got ready for bed, the only thought running through her head was,

Maybe he isn't so bad.

But, she would never admit that out loud.

Never.

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✿✦❤︎ She Speaks! ❤︎✦✿

Hey! Sorry for the late update (fuck writer's block) but you guys get a 1,000+ word chap because of it!

And I'm thinking of updating once a week in the coming weeks because my school is going to be starting soon! I'll update extra when I can though!

Remember to eat and drink something today! I'm so proud of you and adore you all so much!

xoxo, pandora

word count: 1150