Heavenly Bodies

Part Three | Flirting and Family

"Alright, class, this week you'll be tasked with discovering what these three poisons are and brewing their antidotes. I want an essay with a paragraph about each poison and antidote on my desk by next Wednesday. I'm requiring each of you to write one, but you can work with your partner," Professor Slughorn told Cassia's class the Wednesday before Henri's birthday, "The majority of this will be done inside of class, however, you will need to do some of it outside. Get to work."

Cassia and Regulus worked quietly, speaking only to ask a question on the other's progress. By the end of class, they'd identified one poison.

"Want to meet tonight so that we can brew the antidote?" Cassia asked as she packed up her things. 

"Sure. We have a double period on Friday, so we can finish identifying the other two then. How about we meet up this weekend and we can brew the last two antidotes?" They walked out of the classroom side by side.

"I... I can't this weekend."

"Why?" Regulus asked before he could help himself. It wasn't a Hogsmeade weekend, and there wasn't much else to do at Hogwarts in your free time.

"Not that it's not your business, Black," she said teasingly, bumping him with her hip, "But I'm going to visit my brother for his birthday."

"I didn't know you were allowed to do that," Regulus remarked to himself.

"Typically, you can't. But my brother is in St Mungo's, so I got special permission." Regulus glanced at her, seeing an obviously fake smile on her face as she continued, "Got anything you want me to tell him?"

"He doesn't know me, isn't that a little strange if a random bloke in your year wishes him a happy birthday?" 

Cassia blushed, "I may have mentioned you once or twice."

Regulus smirked, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, "Aww, Pea, I'm flattered."

"Oh, shove off, Black," she elbowed him in the side, "and I told you not to call me that."

"Whatever, love. I'll see you tonight at six."

Rory appeared at her side once Regulus left, slinging his arm around her, "What's that about, huh? Does little Cass have a date?"

"Sweet Merlin, Rory, no. We're working on a Potions project." Her best friend gave her a look that said, I'm not buying it. She huffed, rolling her shoulders to dislodge his arm, "If you're going to keep prying into my nonexistent love life, go somewhere else. I've got essays to write."

~
True to her word, after changing from her uniform to more comfortable clothing, and slipping on her glasses instead of her contacts, Cassia spent the next three hours writing essays. Herbology, Transfiguration, and Charms all required a two-foot essay, and although they had only been assigned that day, she wanted to get them done before the weekend. 

She almost didn't notice when the clock in Ravenclaw Tower read 6:00 pm, and she was forced to scramble to collect her things. Cassia was sure that if a professor had seen her running through the halls to the potions room, she would have gotten a detention.

At ten past six, Cassia entered the room, dropping into the seat beside Regulus. He frowned at her, noticing the round, tortoiseshell glasses perched on her nose and her chest heaving from running.

"You're late."

"I'm sorry. I got caught up writing the essay for Transfiguration." She pushed up the glasses.

"That was only assigned today! No wonder you're a bloody Ravenclaw," he muttered as they began to work. Cassia rolled her eyes.

"I just don't want to do it all when I'm visiting my brother, alright?" There was a slight bite in her voice and Regulus backed down. They worked in silence for a while.