Mischief Managed ~ Part 2

Chapter 3

This seemed like the longest trip to Hogwarts Cassie and Harry have ever had. Neither were sleeping, both on edge half the time and on the verge of a break down...it wasn't fun to watch. Especially for Ben. 

He hated seeing Cassie so stressed and vulnerable. Watching her cry and get frustrated, knowing he can't do a thing to make it better was awful. It was like watching her change into a completely different person. 

For once, she was actually sleeping peacefully on his shoulder. Harry was trying to get some sleep as well, but was having a tough time. Ben, Hermione and Ron couldn't help but feel bad for their friends. 

Tom, Martin and Amanda all tried to visit their car, but they were being so loud and obnoxious that they were kicked out for waking Harry and Cassie. When Cassie stirred awake, Ben kissed her head and murmured in her ear, "Go back to sleep, baby. I'll wake you when we get there."

A few hours later, Ben gently woke her when they arrived at Hogwarts. He helped her grab her things, then gladly let her sleepily cling to his arm as they walked. When they got to the carriage, she let go of his arm and walked up to it in wonderment. 

"Cass?" Ben asked. "What are you looking at?" She pointed to a horse-like creature with wings...but it was almost all skeleton. "What is it?" Harry suddenly asked beside her. She shrugged and told him, "Don't know. It's...freaky." Ben, Hermione and Ron were all staring in confusion. "What are you two going on about?" Hermione asked. 

This was all getting a little frustrating. 

"Don't worry, I can see them, too," a voice from the carriage said. All of them looked up and saw a girl with blonde hair sitting there, reading some odd magazine. After a moment of staring, Ben took Cassie's arm and led her on to the carriage. 

Once they were all sat, Hermione said, "Everyone, this is Luna Love--...Luna Lovegood." Ignoring that awkward introduction, Cassie put her head on Ben's chest and sighed. He put his arm around her and held her close for the rest of the ride. 

When they got to the castle, they met up with the rest of the gang and they all went to the Great Hall together. "So, how was your summer?" Tom asked Cassie. Cassie looked like she was caught off guard and said, "Fine. It was fine."

Tom glanced to Ben, who just shook his head. Martin started a lively conversation, but not lively enough to get the Potter's attention. They were both completely out of it. One thing that did bring Harry out, though, was one professor who seemed to catch his eye. 

She was starting to speak in front of the students after Professor Dumbledore introduced her as Professor Umbridge. "She was at my hearing," he said into Cassie's ear, but loud enough for everyone else to hear. Cassie looked at this toad-like woman and grimaced at her words. 

"What...what did all of that mean?" Cassie asked Ben. Hermione told her, "It means the Ministry is interfering with Hogwarts." Cassie shook her head and closed her eyes. This was all her fault. All her and Harry's. Nobody believed them about seeing Voldemort. 

Nobody. 

After dinner, when Cassie and Harry were walking into the common room, everyone started murmuring. Some stared, some whispered things in their friends ears and either giggled or shook their heads. To relieve the tension, Harry went up to Dean and said, "Dean, Seamus...good holiday?"

Dean nodded and said, "Alright. Better than Seamus's anyway." That's when Seamus stood up and said, "Me mum didn't want me come back this year." Cassie looked up at Harry and saw he was already starting to get defensive. 

"Why not?" He dared to ask. Seamus told him, "Um, let's see, because of you two! The Daily Prophet's been sayin' a lot of things about you and Cassie, Harry, and about Dumbledore as well."

By this time, Ben, Hermione, Martin and Tom had walked in. "Nobody was there the night Cedric died," Seamus continued. "It's obvious yer sister would cover for you." Cassie scoffed, "Well I guess you should read the Prophet then, like your stupid mother, and should tell you everything you need to know!"

Seamus quickly stepped up and shouted, "Don't you dare talk about my mother like that!" Harry shouted back, "I'll have a go at anyone who calls us liars!" Ben had seen enough at this point and stepped in front of Cassie, while Ron walked in and asked, "What's going on?"

Seamus pointed to Cassie and Harry and said, "They're mad is what's goin' on!" Ben took a hold of the collar of his shirt and seethed, "Do not call my girlfriend mad ever again!" He pushed Seamus away, then took Cassie's hand and led her upstairs. 

Without giving a care in the world, he opened the girls dormitory. He got shouts of "get out!" and "ew, a boy!" as he led Cassie to her bed. He sat her down, then knelt in front of her. 

"I believe you," he told her. "I believe Harry. Don't worry about what pricks like Seamus might say because it means nothing." He put his hand on her cheek and stroked his thumb across her temple. 

"If you need to talk at all, you know I'm here," he told her. "I can't stand to see you like this. I'm right here, darling. I always will be." He leaned up and gave her a gentle kiss. "I love you, Cass."

She cracked the tiniest smile as she told him, "I love you, too, Ben."

**

The next morning, Cassie was feeling strange...very strange. She got up and got herself dressed, but wasn't showing the excitement she usually does when it's the first day of school. She loves every second of being at Hogwarts...but not this time. 

Hermione noticed straight away and immediately told Ben. "If she won't talk to us, then we should talk to her," she quietly told him as they waited in the common room for Cassie to come out. "It's not that simple," Ben told her. "Cass, she's...she's so bloody stubborn. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to talk with her over the summer, but she won't break."

With that, Hermione left and Ben stayed to wait. When Cassie did eventually come out, he smiled at her and said, "Morning, love." He placed a kiss on her cheek, then took her hand. "Ready for the first day?"

She gave him a weak and unconvincing smile and nodded. He sighed, then breathed a kiss to her head before leading them to the Great Hall. "Boy, she looks like she's something else, doesn't she?" Tom asked as he looked to Professor Umbridge. 

He was upset because they had her class first and last night's speech gave him (and the rest of the students) an impression of how she really is. "Yeah, don't worry about it," Ben dismissively told him. "If anything, she'll just be strict."

Boy, was he wrong. 

The moment they learned they wouldn't be learning defensive spells, he and everyone else got angry. "But what about when it comes time to fight Voldemort?" Cassie suddenly said, surprising Ben, Hermione, even Harry. These are the first words she's said all morning. 

"Let me make this quite plain," Professor Umbridge said, clearly sounding annoyed. "You have been told that a certain Dark Wizard is at large once again. This...is...a...lie." Harry suddenly spoke up, shouting, "It's not a lie! I saw him, I fought him!"

Umbridge then shouted, "Detention, Mr. Potter!" Cassie found this completely outrageous and said, "So according to you, Cedric Diggory died of his own accord?" Ben took a hold of her arm and said, "Baby, that's enough."

"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident," Umbridge told her. Despite Ben's pleads not to say anything more, she shouted, "But Voldemort killed him, you have to--!" Ben's grip on her arm tightened, as Umbridge shouted, "Enough! Enough. Detention for you as well...Ms. Potter."