Tale of Four Houses: A Tiktok Story

Part 3 - The Commons Room

As soon as Potions was over, the group met up in the Hufflepuff common room. The common room was very warm and inviting -  filled with yellow and orange tones with black accents. It had numerous small windows that was in a round shape, sort of similar to a Hobbit shaped door. Potted plants hung from the ceiling, and there were many tables and comfortable couches to sit on or to play games on.

"Wow," breathed Kara when they entered into the room. "This is wa-aay more cheerful and inviting than the Slytherin common room!"

"It certainly is nice," Myrta commented, nodding in approval, especially when she saw a small bookcase near the fireplace. She walked over to it to take a peek at the books and turned around in disgust. "They're joke and cooking books. Seriously?"

Lexie shrugged. "We're Hufflepuffs - we really don't read fact books. We'd rather bake or play games."

Something caught Cassandra's eye. "It's a Wizard's Chess board! Hey, Kara - wanna play?"

Kara grinned deviously. "Oh, you're so on!"

While they set up the game, Lexie was able to convince Myrta to help her back some cookies for the rest of the group.

"That was an unfair move," grumbled Kara after a while of playing.

"You cheated earlier on, so I think that was well deserved," Cass retorted, grinning victoriously.

"Ow!" Myrta yelped. Everyone turned to see her drop a sheet of cookies onto the ground. "That's hot!"

"Well, yeah," Lexie said, wincing. "It...just came out of the oven. You're supposed to use mitts to take it out."

"Oh," Myrta mumbled, running her hand under cold water. "Sorry."

"No worries!" Lexie replied cheerfully. "The Hufflepuff common room is the cleanest place you'll ever see, so there's no real harm done to the cookies that fell to the floor."

Myrta and Lexie worked on picking up the cookies and making sure there wasn't any dirt or dust on them.

"I win!" Cass crowed, pumping her arms in the air in victory.

"No-ooooo," Kara wailed dramtically. "How? I-"

"-Cheated?" Cass accused, but she was smirking. "Well, Slytherins are not the only ones who can be sly, Malfoy."

"Want some warm cookies, guys?" asked Lexie as she and Myrta came over with two plates of cookies.

"Thanks!" Kara exclaimed and piled five cookies onto her side of the table.

Cass only took one, but later she secretly took more.

Myrta checked her watch. "It's almost time for Transfiguration class for Kara and I - we should get going."

Lexie nodded. "I have Care of Magical Creatures next."

"And I've got Defense Against the Dark Arts," added Cass, getting to her feet.

"Yeah, I suppose we should head out," Kara agreed hesitantly, looking at the leftover cookies wistfully. "Let's go. How about meeting after dinner before curfew?"

Everyone nodded and split up. Cassandra slipped into Defense Against the Dark Arts right before the Professor closed the door.

"Weasley," the Professor greeted her, cocking an eyebrow. "Glad you made it on time. You barely got in."

"Sorry Professor," Cass apologized, slipping into her seat. "I promise I'll be earlier next time."

"See that you will be," returned the Professor, and returned to his desk to begin teaching.

Cassandra peered down at her book, searching for the page the Professor had written on the board. She stopped when she felt like she was being watched. She lifted her eyes and glanced around the room. No one seemed to be looking at her.

Weird, Cass thought, trying to pass it off as possible paranoia. Maybe she was always a bit paranoid since her parents always seemed to be in trouble or watched back in the day. But this was more than just paranoia... it stayed with her and nagged at her, convincing her it was more than just paranoia. So she took a second glance around the room.

Nothing... but...

Wait a minute. Her eyes went back over a certain section of Slytherins. She caught a young man staring at her. She recognized him, but didn't know his name. She knew he was a sixth year who got to move up in the class to learn with the seventh year students, so he must be smart. He had white shaggy hair... giving her the suspicion he might be related to Kara in some way. When the young man noticed she was watching him, he averted his gaze. 

Interesting...

Cass made a mental note to ask Kara about him later on, but for now, she needed to concentrate on the class. But I'm watching you, boy, she thought to herself, giving him one more glare before returning to her work. I'm watching you.