◣ 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗧 ◥

𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗔

—CASSANDRA, WHO WAS READING IN THE LIBRARY, LOOKED UP WHEN SOMEONE SAT NEXT TO HER. She clenched her jaw and went back to reading, not paying him any attention. "Why are you mad at me?" Theodore immediately asked, noticing her expression.

She shook her head, but didn't answer.

"Sandra?"

Still no answer.

"Sandra?"

"Don't call me that." Cassandra snapped, giving him a mere glance.

A flash of hurt passed through the boy's eyes, but it was gone as soon as it came. "Can you just tell me why you're mad?"

"I'm not mad."

Theodore crossed his arms. "You aren't?" He raised an eyebrow.

Cassandra finally looked up from her book and shook her head. "I'm not mad," her voice turned a little bit softer. "I'm just not having a good week."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No." She quickly said, then stood up. "I've got to go. Bye, Theodore."

♡

The next day, Cassandra sat down in the Potions classroom as it was their last class for the day.

As the students all walked in, their professor started talking. "Today we will be making the calming draught. For your first try, it is best to do this in pairs. Remember, too much peppermint oil could give the drinker a burning sensation in their mouth and could cause uncontrollable sobbing."

"Do we get to choose our partner?" A Gryffindor asked nervously.

"I have already chosen for you," replied their professor, pulling out a piece of parchment and starting to read from it. "Roxanne Weasley and Fabian Weasley. Zara Rosier and Maeve Yaxley. Vanessa Nott and Theodore Nott. Cassandra Slytherin-Malfoy and Amelia Turpin—"

Cassandra's eyes widened. She looked at the girl, who was sneering in distaste as she was walking over to her.

Cassandra immediately concealed her shock and glared at her.

"I'll grab the ingredients," said Amelia when the professor was done telling everyone their partners a few minutes later.

Cassandra looked at her potions book, then at the ingredients Amelia had brought a few seconds later. She let out a sigh and started making the potion.

Amelia's brows furrowed. "That's too much peppermint."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is."

Cassandra rolled her eyes, knowing damn well Amelia was wrong. She went back to putting a few more drops of peppermint, ignoring the girl's huff.

After about ten minutes of silence between the girls, both too busy with making their potion, Amelia muttered, "It's supposed to turn blue—" then stopped when it did turn blue.

"See? Perfect amount of peppermint oil." Cassandra said with a shrug, putting the potion in a vial and giving it to the professor. Then, she went back to her seat and started reading her potions book, ignoring Amelia's presence.

She did look up, however, when Amelia walked away and walked to someone else. Her eyes stopped on the way Amelia's hand was on Theodore's arm as she whispered something in his ear.

Cassandra felt a pang in her chest when he let out a chuckle. She swallowed and looked back at her potions book, not knowing why she was feeling this way.

She was Cassandra Slytherin-Malfoy.

Amelia, meanwhile, was merely Amelia Turpin. With her brown hair and brown eyes. With her dimples. With her huge smile whenever she talked to Theodore. Which was always.

Cassandra bit the inside of her cheek strong enough that she felt a metallic taste in her mouth. Her focus was not on the book in front of her at all.

Her focus was on the fact that Amelia had Theodore.

And she didn't.