( November '94 )

Cassandra didn't know how to feel. Her whole life has turned upside down since she found out that she was a Potter and chosen for the Triwizard Tournament. She's gotten plenty of weird looks from her peers lately. Some of them are shocked.

Cassandra wondered why her father lied to her. All of her life he lied to her. She wasn't sure about how she felt about Snape because he took her in and made her safe but he also lied to her. Cassandra also wasn't sure about how Harry felt about her. She was expecting something bad to happen between the two of them, but this news just bought them even closer.

Ron was super mad when he found out that Harry was actually competing in the tournament. He wasn't mad at Cassandra and he was still talking to her but he wasn't talking to Harry. Cassandra tried to see it from his point of view. He was a little jealous but maybe he's taking it too far. Harry really needed Ron but Ron couldn't see that.

Harry and Cassandra were walking in the courtyard when they heard an annoying voice behind them speak.

"Potters!" Draco Malfoy called, making Cassandra and Harry turn around. He was sitting up in a tree. "My father and I have a bet, you see. I don't think you're gonna last ten minutes in this tournament. He disagrees. He thinks you won't last five."

Now Draco is on the ground and walking towards the twins.

"I don't give a damn what your father thinks, Malfoy." Harry spit back.

"Harry, come on, let's just go." Cassandra said, placing her hand on Harry's shoulder.

"He's vile, cruel, and you're just pathetic." Harry continued.

"Harry!" Cassandra yelled. "I'm serious, let's go. Draco Malfoy isn't worth our time."

"Isn't worth your time, huh?" Draco asks, pulling out his wand.

"Oh no you don't, sonny!" Professor Moody yells, getting out his wand.

Professor Moody throws a spell at Draco and Draco starts turning into a ferret.

"That'll teach you to cross someone when their back is turned." Professor Moody muttered.

He started moving Draco, the ferret, up and down.

"Professor Moody, what are you doing?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Teaching." Moody said.

"Is that a student?" Professor McGonagall asked, terrified.

"Technically, it's a ferret." Professor Moody smiled.

Professor Moody shoved Draco down Crabbe's pants and they started freaking out. Professor McGonagall demanded that Draco be turned back, so Professor Moody changed him back.

"My father will hear about this!" Draco yelled.

"Is that a threat?" Professor Moody asked. "I can tell you stories about your father that would curl even your greasy hair boy!"

Cassandra was smiling and laughing when she heard someone behind her laugh. His laugh was so beautiful. She turned around and met face to face with Cedric Diggory.

"Oh, hey Cassandra." Cedric smiled. "What a stunning show, huh?"

"Oh yeah, it was pretty great." Cassandra nodded.

"Are you doing anything for that first Hogsmeade trip?" Cedric asked.

"Nope." Cassandra replied.

"Well then you should come hang out with me." Cedric said. "We'll meet up at Zonko's. Two o'clock sounds good to you?"

"Yeah, I'll see you at two o'clock, Saturday." Cassandra smiled.

Cedric winked and then walked away.

"Did I just witness you two flirt?" Harry asked.

Cassandra forgot he was even standing there.

"No, Harry, we're friends." Cassandra replied. "He's naturally flirty but he wasn't flirting with me."

"But I just saw him wink at you." Harry said.

"He might have just had something in his eye." Cassandra sighed.

Harry rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe Cassandra couldn't tell that Cedric was flirting with her.

~~

It was November 5th which meant that Cassandra was going out with Cedric. She was excited but also really nervous. Butterflies have been in her stomach since she woke up.

"Cassie, you're gonna be fine." Hermione assured. "He's literally just some guy. You can hit him with your car."

"Thanks Mione." Cassandra said. "You sure know how to help."

Cassandra rolled her eyes as she spoke.

"Alright, let me do your hair." Hermione said. "Darn, it's already 1:45, we better make this quick."

Hermione got done with Cassandra's hair within five minutes. The two ran down the stairs just so they could make it in time to leave for Hogsmeade.

"Knock him dead." Hermione said, pushing Cassandra towards Zonko's once they arrived.

"I can't do this." Cassandra muttered.

"Yes you can. You literally talk to him already without being nervous." Hermione said. "So you can totally do this."

Cassandra made her way over to Cedric who was politely waiting for her.

"Good afternoon, Cassie." Cedric greeted.

"Good afternoon, Cedric." Cassandra replied.

"Alright, I was thinking we should go into Zonko's, then look around the little shops over here, and then end up at the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer."

"That sounds good to me." Cassandra smiled.

"Wonderful." Cedric smiled.

The two walked into Zonko's and Cassandra's face lit up with joy.

"You know, I've never been in Zonko's before," Cassandra said.

"Really?" Cedric asked.

"Yeah," Cassandra replied. "I've been to Hogsmeade plenty of times but never had enough time to go into Zonko's. Actually, I've only ever been to the Three Broomsticks and Honeydukes."

"I can't believe you've never been to Zonko's. You're friends with the Weasley twins right?"

"Yeah I am."

"They're the greatest pranksters of all time and you haven't been to Zonko's. You're blowing my mind Cassandra Rose."

"It's actually Cassandra Snape."

"Snape? I thought the announcement was that you're a Potter."

"My legal name is Cassandra Rose Snape. So until I change my last name, I'm a Snape."

"Did Professor Snape adopt you?"

"Yes, he did." Cassandra sighed.

She pulled a smoke bomb off the shelf just to take a look and then put it back.

"How do you feel about all of this going down?" Cedric asked, making eye contact with Cassandra.

Cassandra felt her cheeks heat up and she swallowed hard.

"I don't know," Cassandra started. "Maybe a little scared. Most definitely nervous about how Oliver will feel about it. He doesn't know. Nobody knew. Everyone thought it was only Harry Potter. Not Cassandra too."

"Oliver Wood?"

Cassandra nodded.

"Why would you be nervous about how he feels?"

"He's my cousin. If I was truly who Snape said I was, then Oliver Wood would be my cousin. Hayley was Snape's former lover. I thought she was my mom."

"Is Hayley alive?"

"No, Voldemort killed her."

It took everything in her to not start crying.

Cedric noticed Cassandra's sadness and wrapped his arms around her. He placed his head on top of hers and they stayed there for a good two minutes. When Cedric pulled away, he planted a kiss on Cassandra's forehead. Cassandra blushed and looked away.

"I'm ready to go to the Three Broomsticks if you are." Cedric said.

"Yeah, I'm ready." Cassandra nodded.

The two walked there in silence. They walked close to each other and their hands brushed up against each other a couple of times. The two sat down across from each other and ordered a butterbeer.

"Tell me about your friends." Cedric said.

"Growing up, I became friends with Blair and Blaise Zabini. I also became friends with Luna Lovegood. Then I became friends with Ron Weasley, which led me to becoming friends with a majority of his siblings. Last year, I became friends with Hermione and Harry. I became friends or acquaintances with some of the people in my house. Now you tell me about your friends."

"I have three good friends. Max, Lucas, and Blair. Blair and I aren't super close but we do talk from time to time. Max and Lucas have been my friends since forever. We all grew up together. I'm on good terms with a good majority of the people in my house."

"That's lovely. I love Blair."

"I like her too."

Cassandra took a sip of her butterbeer, as did Cedric.

"Cassandra Rose Snape, I really like you."

Cedric's words caught Cassandra off guard. She almost spit out her drink.

"Me?"

"If your name is Cassandra Rose Snape, then yes."

Cassandra started blushing and she was twiddling her thumbs out of nerves.

"I like you too Cedric."