Interlude the First
Interludes: These are short, standalone chapters that appear sporadically throughout the story. They provide a break from the main plot and offer glimpses into moments away from the central narrative. These can include lighthearted, humorous, or even emotional scenarios that explore the daily lives and shenanigans of the characters in Hogwarts. Interludes are meant to deepen character development, add variety, and showcase the friendships and relationships that tie the story together. They appear every five or ten chapters, adding a sense of fun and unpredictability to the story.
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It was another ordinary weekend in the Gryffindor common room—except it was anything but ordinary.
Cassidy, Ron, and Harry were lounging on the big, squishy armchairs near the fire, their books and parchment forgotten on the table as they all stared at the clock on the wall.
"I can't believe we've only been here for a few weeks," Ron said, tossing a crumpled piece of parchment into the fire and watching it sizzle. "It feels like months."
"Maybe because we're always in trouble," Cassidy grinned, resting her chin on her hand and adjusting her sleeping bonnet. "First it was the troll, then the broomstick incident, and now this whole Snape disaster..."
"We're not that bad," Harry chimed in, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.
Cassidy shrugged, "I think we're doing just fine."
Ron chuckled, his face brightening. "It's only a matter of time before we get into more trouble. I bet Snape has it out for us now, especially you, Cassidy."
"Me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "What did I do?"
"You're the one who called him out in front of the whole class," Ron said with a smirk. "I think you earned a place on his list."
Cassidy made a face. "If he wants me on his list, he's going to have to do more than take five points."
Harry leaned forward, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Speaking of Snape... what do you reckon we could do to get some revenge on him?"
"Revenge? Oh, no, Harry," Cassidy said, shaking her head with a grin. "You can't just go around plotting revenge on teachers."
Ron leaned back in his chair. "We could sneak into his office and—"
Cassidy suddenly stood up, grinning. "That's it. A sneak-out!"
Harry's eyes widened. "What do you mean, a sneak-out?"
"Come on," Cassidy whispered conspiratorially. "We could sneak around the castle at night. No one's ever been caught, right?"
"But we don't know the way around the castle at night," Ron said skeptically, though there was a spark of interest in his voice.
Cassidy winked. "We'll figure it out. It'll be an adventure!"
After a quick huddle, they all agreed it was a good idea—and that meant they were going to have to wait until nightfall to make their move. The anticipation was nearly unbearable.
Later that evening, they found themselves sneaking around the hallways, tiptoeing past classrooms and peering around corners.
"I can't believe we're doing this," Ron whispered, glancing over his shoulder every few steps. "This is mental."
"You don't have to come if you don't want to," Cassidy teased, nudging him. "But I bet you'll regret it if you don't."
Ron rolled his eyes but smiled. "Fine, fine. Let's go."
Harry was already a few steps ahead of them, looking every bit like a kid on a mission. "This way."
Cassidy led the charge, and soon enough, they found themselves in a part of the castle none of them had seen before—a long corridor with portraits hanging on the walls, some of them snoring softly. As they crept down the hall, a loud, sudden noise made them freeze.
"Uh-oh," Ron whispered.
"Run!" Cassidy whispered urgently.
The group dashed toward the nearest doorway, slamming it shut behind them just as footsteps echoed down the hall. It was nearly impossible not to giggle, but they managed to keep quiet as they crouched behind a suit of armor.
"That was close," Harry breathed, his heart pounding.
"Just remember," Cassidy said, her face glowing with excitement. "No getting caught. We're sneaky, remember?"
They waited for a few minutes, trying not to make a sound, before sneaking back out into the hall. They didn't know where they were going, but the thrill of it all made the adventure even more exciting.
"You know," Cassidy said, "this is one of the best things I've done since I got here."
Ron grinned, eyes wide with excitement. "This is way better than learning spells."
With the sound of footsteps getting louder, they dashed down a different hallway, laughing as they dodged behind more suits of armor and statues. The castle seemed to grow darker and more mysterious the later it got. Each new hallway they turned down felt like another secret waiting to be uncovered.
Eventually, they wound up in the kitchens.
"Er... what are we doing here?" Ron asked, a bit confused as he glanced around at the large, bustling room filled with house-elves scurrying about.
Cassidy's face lit up. "A snack break."
"But it's past curfew," Harry said, still grinning. "We're going to get caught."
Cassidy didn't seem worried. She simply grabbed a tray of pumpkin pasties and handed it to Ron. "I'll take the risk. You lot, eat up."
After a few minutes of eating in the hidden corner of the kitchen, they heard a faint voice.
"I knew you four were up to something."
The group froze, eyes wide and faces covered in crumbs.
The voice belonged to none other than Hermione.
Cassidy gave a quiet laugh. "You too?"
"Honestly, if you're going to get caught sneaking around the castle, at least make sure it's for something better than pumpkin pasties," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. Cassidy held out one to her, grinning.
"True," Cassidy said. "But don't worry, Hermione, we're the best at this."
The group spent a little more time exploring before deciding it was best to head back to Gryffindor Tower before the professors noticed. It was probably one of the most fun nights they'd had since arriving at Hogwarts.
When they finally got back to the common room, they collapsed on the couch, exhausted but exhilarated.
"That," Cassidy said, "was epic."
"Definitely not going to be the last time we do that," Harry agreed with a grin.
Ron chuckled. "Next time, though, let's not get caught by Hermione."
"Hey!" She protested, giggling.
"What do you think, Harry?" Cassidy turned to Harry, who was fast asleep on the other side of the couch. She shook her head, and leaned on his shoulder slowly, falling asleep as well. Silently, Ron joined the two, eyes already drooping.
"You three need to get back up to the dorms! We'll be in terrible..." Hermione yawned, unable to finish her sentence.
"Maybe a little shut-eye won't hurt," she mumbled, snuggling up to Cassidy, who was fast asleep.
The Gryffindor common room, usually filled with chatter and activity, seemed unusually quiet that night, the only sounds being the soft crackling of the fire and the slow, rhythmic breathing of the group of friends, now all tucked into the comfort of sleep.