The Slytherins

On Christmas morning, Cassie woke to Draco shaking her excitedly. "Wake up Cas! It's Christmas!"

She yawned and looked up. She was lying in the Malfoy's spare room that was practically her own, as she had stayed there nearly every holidays since she was a child.

"What time is it?" She asked him, still half asleep.

He looked at the silver clock on her bedside table. "It's only 6:31! I've been up for nearly an hour, and I would've woken you up sooner, but Mother told me yesterday to only disturb you after 6:30."

"So you couldn't wait five minutes longer?" Cassie groaned.

He pulled the duvet off of her bed and pulled her up. "We have presents! I'll meet you down in the drawing room in ten minutes whilst I wake up mother and father." He said, and then ran hurriedly out of her room and down the hall.

Cassie climbed out of bed eventually, and walked over to her window, and drew the curtains. The elaborate gardens were covered in a thick white blanket of sparkling snow, and the fountains had frozen over with icicles clinging on to its edges.

The hedges had been dusted with frost, and the rising sun cast a rosy hue across the morning sky. Cassie opened her window, and let the crisp air flow into her room, and suddenly her stomach fluttered with excitement; it was Christmas!

She washed her face and brushed her teeth in the adjoining bathroom in her room, before grabbing her dressing gown that was hanging on the back of her door and going down the hallway to meet Draco.

Twenty minutes later, they were sat on the floor of the drawing room.

"Not bad," said Draco, munching on a chocolate frog, and staring at the extremely large pile of presents lying around him.

He picked up his chocolate frog card, and laughed. "Hey Cas, want another Slytherin card to add to your collection?"

" 'Salazar Slytherin was the founder of Slytherin house at Hogwarts. He was one of the first recorded Parselmouths, an accomplished Legilimens, and a notorious champion of pure-blood supremacy' " Cassie read. "Well they got most of it right."

Draco sighed. "Yes, yes, I know, he was actually the first Parselmouth-"

"But the wizarding world didn't want to give him the credit, because it was after his realisation that he was-"

"Better than the other founders, yes, I know because you've told me a hundred times," he rolled his eyes.

Cassie tossed the card aimlessly, and it landed on top of her pile of presents. She had done well that year; a box of liquorice wands from Draco, an expensive perfume from Pansy, a rather bobbly cardigan from her aunt and cousin, a book from Theo and the usual money from her mother that she had sent for her birthday as well.

Her and Draco spent the next week binging on chocolate and having snowball fights in the grounds, and ice skating on the nearby lake, and sipping on hot chocolate with marshmallows by the fire in the living room.

On New Year's Eve, the Malfoy's we're hosting a party. Every sacred twenty eight family would be there, along with many of Mr Malfoy's friends and colleagues.

When Cassie had taken a shower, she stepped outside to see a dress lying on her bed. She picked it up, and slipped it on.

It was the same shade of the sky that night; a deep midnight blue that looked black. The dress was a halter dress with a simple V-Neckline and Short Straps.

Cassie guessed that it must have been a gift from Narcissa, and she made a mental note to thank her later. As she walked gracefully down the stair case, she met Draco's parents in the entrance hall, thinking around and double checking table arrangements for the seventh time, checking with the chef that the food was prepared.

When Narcissa spotted her, she walked over to her. "Ah, Cassie, here you are. Lord knows where Draco is, he's late again." she complained, turning to her husband and pointed her head in the direction of the staircase.

She turned back to Cassie and let her eyes scan over her. "I see you found the dress I picked out for you. It's very modest, but I can't have you wearing a more sophisticated one until you are at least 15."

Cassie nodded, and wondered if she should pluck up the courage to speak the words playing in her mind. "Will my mother be making an appearance tonight?" She blurted curiously. She thought she already knew the answer, but she wanted confirmation all the same.

Narcissa sighed, rested her hand on Cassie's shoulder, and patted it gingerly. "No my dear. I think she is in Sweden for the rest of January away on business."

Cassie expected it, but still felt her heart drop. "Oh ok, thank you anyway," she smiled sadly, and turned away.

She hadn't seen her mother since September, and had only heard from her twice; once to congratulate her for getting into Slytherin, and again on Christmas morning when she was given her Christmas and Birthday present.

She also wrote about her how she was pleased in Cassie's decisions in friendship, and seemed to be increasingly interested in Mattheo.

_____

Cassie spent the next hour welcoming and introducing herself to guests which was particularly irritating as those who didn't already know her would ask her curiously if she was Slytherin's descendant.

Normally she would scowl or misdirect the question, but as they were all friends of the Malfoy's, Cassie had to grit her teeth and smile as she exclaimed, "Yes! I am actually!" and proceeded to be asked a hundred questions.

When Cassie was taken of door duty, she walked over to the drinks bar and took a glass of lemonade, when all of a sudden someone had tapped her shoulder and exclaimed gleefully, "Cas! I thought you'd be here,"

She turned around and her eyes widened as she was met by the infamous toothy smile belonging to Theodore Nott. "Theo! I didn't know you'd be here!"

He was dressed in almost identical robes to Draco, black with a bow tie and dark leather Oxford shoes and his hair was long and messy.

"Very classy Theodore," she laughed.

"You don't look to bad yourself, Cassiopeia," he smirked, as she playfully whacked him.

"Theo! I was wondering where you were!" Said Draco, heading towards them both. "Bored already?" He asked them.

"Bored of all Mother's friends telling me how tall I am, and how much I look like my father," he scowled.

Cassie chewed on her lip for a few seconds. "D, will we be missed if we slip away for a minute?" Cassie asked slyly.

"I don't think so, as long as we're back in time for the countdown and fireworks," he replied, checking over his shoulder to see his father engrossed in conversation.

They slipped out of the hall as delicately as they could, and walked down the long hallway laughing. "Where are we going to?" Asked Theo. "This place is so big, I'm surprised you don't get lost Draco,"

"I know every nook and cranny inside this house, apart from my father's wing, because quite frankly I think it would be boring." He explained. "Here."

He stopped outside a large door and twisted the golden knob, opening it to reveal a grand library.

"Blimey!" Theo muttered under his breath. "How many books do you own?"

"Over 1000, easily. We tried counting them once, didn't we Cas, but you forgot to count a section."

"No it was you who forgot," Cassie accused him, climbing up one of the ladders, "I counted the left side and you were supposed to do the right,"

"Which," Cassie puffed, reaching her hand out toward a red leather hardback, "is how we found this," she tugged in it, and a book case swung open to reveal a a set of dusty stairs leading onwards.

"Where does it go to?" Theo asked in curiosity, tilting his head to the side.

"The kitchens," Draco grinned. "One time, when we were seven, we forgot to tidy our crumbs up and our nanny was getting her knickers in a twist working out how they got there,"

Cassie pulled the book back into place as the door closed.

"Theo did you ever hear back from Snape about Quidditch?" Cassie asked him.

His smile dimmed. "Yes. Dumbledore said that no more exceptions could be made, and that it was too late into the season anyway."

"What? But that's-" Cassie stared, rage beginning to fuel her lungs.

"-Ridiculous, I know Cassie, but don't start. There's nothing you can do about it. I just have to train hard to make the team next season."

They sat up there for about an hour, talking and chatting, until Cassie looked out of the window seat she was sitting on and gasped, "Hey! I think it's almost midnight!"

She jumped down from the window seat and grabbed one of Theo and Draco's hands, and ran with them out of the door and down the hall.

"Cassie! Ouch!" Draco said, as they stopped running.

They were back in the ballroom again, and all of the guests were staring up into the ceiling, which had opened up to show the sky.

"Six," the guests all counted.
"Guess we got here in time then," whispered Theo.

"Four,"
"Three,"
"Two,"
"One,"

Fireworks shot into the sky as celebration broke out in the hall ballroom.

"Happy new year!" They grinned at each other.

_____

The train ride back to Hogwarts was short and much more enjoyable in January then it had been in September, as there wasn't as many students taking it. Blaise met them there, and there was no sign of Mattheo and Laurie anywhere.

"Pansy not coming?" Asked Blaise sitting down on the seat.

"No her parents are flying her in from Milan later," She explained.

"Milan? Merlin how rich are you guys?" Theo muttered.

When they got back to Hogwarts, Cassie found Mattheo and Laurie already there.

"Hey," she said as she walked through the common room door. "We couldn't find you two on the train. Did you have a good Christmas?"

"Yeah. Great." Mattheo said bluntly.