[Spitfire : Chapter Twenty-Seven]

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2 December, 1993

Cassie Lyra Lee Snow was in a predicament. It was the second of December, a Saturday; the air was in the negatives and there so happened to be a trip to Hogsmeade. Somehow the headmaster believed teenagers could survive the wrath of negative eighteen celsius. All Cassie wanted to do was stay in, sleep in the wonders of her heavy sheets, but no. Her friends had other ideas. That's where the predicament came in.

"Cassie, I swear to Merlin." Rose warned, a threatening expression on her face. "If you don't bloody come with us I will send an army of Acromantula's to your bed."

"You wouldn't." Cassie called her bluff, her words muffled into her pillow. "You're terrified of spiders."

"Doesn't mean I won't be able to control them." Rose stated, her voice smooth as ice.

Cassie lifted her head. "Are you threatening to use an unforgivable curse? Against a living breathing creature; Jordan's going to be livid, Murphy, shame on you!"

"Bloody hell!" The girl, wearing pink from head-to-toe, exclaimed incredulously; she even wore a tank top under her fluffy jacket. "Just lets go, it's not that cold!"

"I saw the snow shivering, Rose, I'm not going out there!" Cassie yelled, pulling the blanket over her head. Rose looked like cotton candy.

    "There isn't even any snow," Cotton candy shrieked back. "you're being dramatic!"

    "I don't want to go!" Whined the blue-haired girl. "I just want to sleep in my warm sheets and dream into the unknown."

    "You can do that when it's actually nighttime." Rose said, crossing her arms. "It's two o'clock now."

    "I'm having an early night."

    Rose yanked the sheets off of Cassie, pulling some of her hair in the process; now that woke up the metamorphmagus. Cassie grabbed at her head in horror, in Rose's hand was a large clump of bright blue hair. Rose was wide eyed, holding it up in the air. "T-That's interesting, even when it's detached from your head it still stays—"

"You WANKER!" Cassie shrieked, jumping off her bed and tackling the French girl. Rose had already thrown the hair and covered her face; protecting it from Cassie's wrath. Cassie held the girl down, pressing her flat on the floor, she was surprisingly strong for someone who hadn't worked out since primary school. "You absolute wanky dragons dung! Look what you've done, it's gone! You know what that means, huh?"

"We glue it back to your head?" Rose asked, smiling nervously as she held up eyelash glue from her jacket pocket.

"No, it means; hair for hair." Cassie grinned, she pulled out her wand. "Tonsus!"

With a slice, a ponytail size clump off hair had fallen off of Rose's head. The girl screamed in horror. Unlike Cassie's scream, it wasn't because of pain. It was because half her hair was gone. The scream caused many knocks on the door; people asking if they were okay. Cassie and Rose ignored them as they got into a cat fight.

    "You cut off half my hair!" Rose exclaimed in horror.

    "You yanked some out of mine!" Cassie retorted.

    "It was an accident!"

    "It hurt!"

    "I can bloody murder you right now!"

    "Do it when your hair is back so your mugshot looks better, wench!"

    "Oh you little—" Rose grabbed a pillow and slapped it across Cassie's face. Cassie stumbled back, cracking her jaw before she swiftly grabbed another pillow and twirled with it in her hands; slapping it across the cotton candies head. Rose growled monstrously. "You are going to find a way to fix my hair after this, or we'll both be going to Hogsmeade with half our hair!"

    "You wouldn't dare," Cassie smirked. "you prize your image too much."

    "I'll always be beautiful, hair or not." Rose flauntingly stated, twirling and throwing her pillow at Cassie's face. "You, on the other hand, look like a dog."

     "Says the speaking grindalow." Cassie retorted, her smirk didn't falter while she dodged the pillow. In seconds, blue hair was growing out of her head to replace the spot that had been ripped out. Rose's face contorted from confusion to realization; then to anger. "Still want to go to Hogsmeade to flaunt our hairstyles? Maybe I'll make mine blonde, seeing as yours is nearly gone."

     "You ripped out my—when you—you little—"

    "What is taking so long?" Asked a new voice, the dorm door creaking open. Quickly, Rose jumped onto her bed to cover her half-bald skull. Cassie bore a smirk, her arms crossed; she could hear Isaacs voice in her head, 'how Slytherin of you.' Bundled in about three jackets, Fiona walked in.

    "Oh, you know," Cassie simply said, looking towards Rose's form under her blanket. "girl stuff."

    "Girl stuff?" Fiona asked skeptically, closing the door behind her. "why does it sound like you two are being torn apart by a tiger?"

    "We got in a small cat fight." Cassie answered, she was now wide awake.

    "Cat fight," Fiona mumbled under her breath, looking towards Rose. "did you kill her or something?"

    "Yes." Answered the muffled voice of Rose, all at the same time as Cassie said; 'nah.'

    There were a few moments of silence before Fiona's head slowly turned toward Cassie. "Cas, why is there hair all over the floor?"

    "Rose is shedding?"

    "You cut off her hair!" Fiona yelled in exasperation, by then she was beside Rose; she ripped the blanket off the blonde who quickly blocked her head from view.

    "She ripped mine out with her bare hands!" Cassie yelled back in defense, when Fiona said it like that she felt a pang if guilt. But her head was hurting now. Rose definitely deserved her punishment.

    lIt was an accident." Rose muffled back. Fiona was now prodding at her arms to see the baldness, she even bore a small amused smile.

    "Well mine was an accident too." Cassie replied stubbornly, crossing her arms and legs on her bed.

     "How do you accidentally say a hair-cutting spell while waving your wand in the correct motion?"

    "By accident?"

   "Fi," Rose whined. "I can't go to Hogsmeade now. Half my hairs gone!"

     "Cas, say you're sorry." Fiona stated, authority in her voice.

    "No, her first. She started it all."

    "It was by accident," Rose frowned. "why would I intentionally rip your hair out?"

    "Because you're French," Cassie easily replied. "you croissants are hiding something."

    "You're an idiot."

    "She's insulting me, Fi." Cassie said, looking at the muslim girl. "Yell at her."

     "Now you're the one who started that." Fiona said, pointing at Cassie. "Merlin, Ken is gonna get a load of this."

    Roses face contorted to horror. Cassie was grinning like an idiot.

    "How can we fix my hair?" Rose asked, whining. "There aren't any hair replenishing spells! Just potions. And if you think I'm leaving this dorm with my head looking like a drug addict barbie doll to get a potion made by Poppy, then you're highly mistaken."

    "I thought you were always beautiful, with hair or without." Cassie remembered, mocking the girl.

    "That was before I realized you can just grow yours back." Rose huffed, finally unblocking her head and looking at herself through the diamond-plastered hand-held mirror beside her. "Oh wow."

    "Glue it back." Cassie said, Fiona coughed out a laugh. "The eyelash glue is right beside your chunk of hair on the floor."

    "That was meant for you! Maybe I should just rip out more of your hair to the point you can't grow it back." Rose threatened, standing up. Cassie stood up as well, ready to fight, but Fiona went in between them.

    "Okay, okay." Fiona said, holding out her arms. "How about we compromise, okay? Cas, you're overreacting here a bit—"

    "Bloody how?" Cassie asked, exasperated, Rose huffed in agreement to Fiona. "She ripped out my hair in a clump, felt like I was being stabbed in the head with a hippogriff tooth!"

    lYes," Fiona said, swirling towards Rose. "now how did that happen?"

    "She had her blanket over her head, I tried pulling it off and when I did I accidentally had her hair in my hand as well." Rose explained, rubbing her arm self-consciously as she kept at glancing herself in the mirror.

     'Don't feel bad for her,' Cassie repeated in her head. 'She did this to herself.'

    "Did you say sorry?"

    "No."

    "Say sorry."

    "No," Rose said. "her response was totally uncalled for, she no longer deserves a sorry."

    "Rose," Fiona said harshly. "say you're sorry."

    "I refuse." Rose huffed.

    "Say your sorry," Fiona commanded again. "or I'm going to send every single girl into here."

    Rose went wide eyed. "You wouldn't dare."

    "I've been hanging out with Marcella a lot." Fiona proudly stated. "I would dare; it'd be an amazing story to tell the most chaotic person I know."

    "I thought that was Kennedy." Cassie said, her brows scrunched.

    "She's been one-upped." Fiona shrugged.

    Rose smirked. "Send every girl in here and I'll tell Kennedy you're replacing her as a friend."

    "Do that and I'll cut off the rest of your hair." Fiona threatened.

    Rose bit her lip, glaring at Fiona. Finally she huffed, rolling her eyes while she looked at Cassie. "I'm sorry for ripping your hair out, I truly didn't mean too."

    "I surely did mean to cut off your hair," Cassie confessed, Rose glared. "but I'm sorry too, I guess. I went a little overboard."

    "It's in your nature," Rose grinned. "dramatic as always."

     "Oh shush," Cassie said, walking up to her and feeling the bald side. It wasn't entirely bald, instead, it felt like she had a buzz cut. Oops.

    "What do I do now?" Rose asked, she sounded on the verge of tears. "I-I can't shave all my hair off, I'll look like a cotton swab."

    "I don't know," Cassie bit her lip. "if you want, you can cut off half my hair."

    "But you can easily grow it back."

    "I'll keep it that way until yours is grown back?"

    "No, no," Rose sighed. "I guess I'll just have to cut it all off, I wonder if it'll come back a different color like how my aunts was when she went into remission."

    "You'd look amazing with black hair." Cassie said, her own turning into its natural black. "actually, you'd look good with any color; how do you manage it?"

    "Genetics," Rose sighed. "but they never planned for this."

    "You can use one of my headscarves if you want." Fiona offered.

    "I don't want to insult your religion," Rose shook her head. "seeing as I'm neutral myself."

    "I don't think Allah would mind." Fiona said, opening her drawer and rummaging through. "He'll do anything to keep his children happy; or at least that's what my mum used to say."

    "I'm alright," Rose said, pulling out a bright pink beanie. Of course she had a beanie matching to her outfit. "let's just not speak of this to Kennedy, okay?"

   "You know," Cassie said, her eyes glimmering with excitement. "there's this one hairstyle, popular with the muggles—"

    "I don't have anything against muggles," Rose started. "but their style is completely boring. Who thinks plaid sweatpants goes with a t-shirt?"

    "It's quite comfortable . . ." Cassie mumbled. "Let me finish, the hairstyle, it's quite popular in the punk community. I've kinda been wanting to get it myself."

    "What is it then?" Rose asked skeptically.

     "I don't know the name, but bear with me;" Cassie said, her hair began to shrink one on side to a buzzcut similar to Rose's. Her hair stayed the same width on the other, it was completely split from the middle. Cassie then took the long hair and pushed it up a bit so there was a loop; Rose's eyes widened with wonder.

    "Make it blonde," Rose said excitedly, Cassie did so. "alright, now, er, take my face."

    Cassie snorted and began to change her features to look like Rose's. It was quite easy, but she'd never do it unless her friends told her it was okay. Rose's mouth fell agape and immediately Cassie knew the girl was in love.

    "Fiona," Rose said. "how well is your aim?"

    "Quite swell if I say so myself." Fiona replied, twirling her wand against her thigh.

    "Great." Rose smiled, sitting down. "I need you to do that."

    "Why can't I?" Cassie frowned, switching from Rose's face to her own. Changing her hair back to its ombré of blues.

    "Honey," Rose laughed. "you're never going near my hair again."

    It took about ten minutes for Rose to finally allow Fiona to make the cut; she mourned for her hair while she threw it into the trash bin which quickly swallowed the hair in a lick of flames. Soon, Rose wore her hair in a punk style; spraying it with all kinds of sprays before twirling in her body-sized mirror. Cassie tried offering her a leather jacket but the girl refused, the hair was as punk as she'd willingly go. She even offered Fiona a leather jacket, the girl denied it self consciously; Cassie would need to help the girl work out of that.

     After dressing into her own punk-styled outfit, also known as black leather jeans, a Morbid Angel t-shirt, and black leather jacket, her hair shaped exactly like Rose's but in blue; they left the common room so they could travel to Hogsmeade. Cassie kind of owed Rose the trip. After leaving the nearly-empty common room and being stared at by the only occupants, they found Kennedy asleep on the floor beside the Fat Lady portrait which now held Sir Cadogan.

    "Finally," the knight growled, Kennedy jostled awake. "I thought this Hufflepuff would never leave. Get her out of here, won't you? Before I have to strike her with my sword."

    "You can try," Kennedy grumbled, hopping onto her feet. "not even a stab wound can stop me. Now why did you guys take so long?"

    "Er, there was an incident." Rose said, fumbling with her hands as Kennedy had yet to notice her hair.

    "Could've warned me, yeah?" Kennedy stated. "I wouldn't have woken up so early if you lot were going to take a year and a half."

    "It was two when you woke up!" Fiona exasperated.

    "And now it's three," She huffed, looking at her watch. "that could've easily been another hour of sleeping in."

    "I agree." Cassie mumbled.

    "Let's just go," Rose stated, frustrated. She walked away from the three girls. Kennedy didn't notice her hair.

    Nice hair," Kennedy said, Rose almost stopped. "Cas, you look like you've came right out of a mosh pit."

    "What's a mosh pit?" Cassie asked, her eyes shimmering with wonder.

    "You say you're punk and yet you don't know what a mosh pit is?" Kennedy asked in exasperation. "Seven hells, let's go little one, you've got a lot to learn."

    Remus Lupin was about to enter his office when he heard the voices of teenagers echo through the corridor. What were teenagers doing still in Hogwarts? When he was in his prime, he and his friends were never in the castle when they had a chance to leave. He didn't enjoy it much leaving, but once he was out it was fun.

    "Why aren't you talking much, Rosie?"

    "My voice is tired."

    "I never knew an angel could grow tired."

    "Well surprise, surprise."

    "Do you think my mum would let me go to a mosh pit?"

    Remus froze. He recognized the last voice easily; he feared the voice. He went wide-eyed, fumbling with his keys to unlock his office door. When he began to hear their footsteps he cursed at himself before ripping out his wand and pointing it at the door in a duel stance. "Aloho—"

   "Professor Lupin," Fiona called, glad to get away from the tension between Kennedy and Rose. "good afternoon, how are you?"

    Remus turned slowly, damn it. "I'm well, Ms. Sen. And you?"

    "I'm phenomenal." She stated, staring at him fondly. The older man was awfully handsome.

     Remus stood awkwardly, avoiding eye contact with Cassie who was shoving Kennedy inconspicuously. "Alright, well enjoy your day—"

    "Professor, I finished your essay last night." Fiona smiled. "I couldn't help it, merpeople fascinate me. The way they breed too; absolutely fascinating."

    "That's wonderful." Remus smiled, he enjoyed seeing the excitement in students to learn. "Did either of you finish it as well?" He hoped they'd be excited too.

    "I've started," Rose said honestly. "I'm planning on finishing it tonight."

    "I'm not in your advanced class." Kennedy shrugged.

    "I've—" Cassie went wide eyed, they had weekend homework? "started it too."

    lReally, what topic did you two choose?" Remus prodded, Cassie was lying; he's heard the pitch in her voice many times from another person.

    "Billywigs." Rose stood up straighter at his raised brow. "They may seem small and insignificant but even Newt Scamander himself proved they are greater. Their saliva could put down a hippogriff, did you know?"

    "I did, spectacular topic idea." Remus said thoughtfully. He glanced at Cassie quickly, she noticed.

     "I, uh, chose . . . uh," Cassie stuttered, glancing towards her friends. A bell chimed in her head. "a heffalump."

    "A heffalump?" Remus asked in amusement, he couldn't help but look at her now.

    "Yes," Cassie bit her lip. "quite rare, they are. Rarely seen; large as an elephant, fiery in their eyes. Large spikes on their five-foot long tails. Cousin of the, uh, dragon."

    "Quite interesting, Ms. Snow." Remus nodded along, Rose was pinching the bridge of her nose beside her. Fiona was truthfully quite interested while Kennedy was holding back her laughter behind her hand; Winnie the Pooh.

    "They quite are," Cassie stated, looking anywhere but at the six foot Professor. "that's why I, er, chose them."

    Remus nodded his head, studying the girl. She looked absolutely ridiculous; quite like Sirius. Poor girl. Though, her actual features were more like Aspen, especially the eyes. She had her mothers eyes. Oh no, Remus went wide eyed. I probably look creepy staring down a teenager. He looked up towards the ceiling.

    "Unfortunately for you, Professor, we must depart." Kennedy said, hooking her arm around Rose's; Rose shook her off. "The last of the carriages might be almost gone by now, ciao."

    'Keep her safe,' Wendy's voice said, echoing through Remus's mind. He couldn't do that if he only spoke to her about class.

    "Bye Professor!" Fiona waved, being drug along with Kennedy by the collar.

    "Bye Ms. Sen. Say, Ms. Snow," Remus called out, shite. Why did he do that?

    Cassie paused, shite. She smiled. "Yes, Professor?"

    "Would you like to stay for tea?" Remus asked. "Perhaps you can teach me a bit more about. these so-called cousins of the dragon species."

    "Er . . . I don't know," Cassie said, looking hopefully towards her friends. "didn't you guys say you needed me—"

    "You can stay," Kennedy grinned. "I can use Fi or Rosie for the thing now."

    "What thing?"

    "You'll find out."

     Moments later, Cassie was left alone with the Professor. Damn it. As he let her into the office she was left trying to remember details from her childhood stories. The Professor wouldn't know what she was really talking about, would he? He looked as beaten up as the old Care of the Magical Creatures Professor; that must mean he spent most his time in the wizarding world. Wait, was Winnie the Pooh wizard-made?

    "I don't actually have any tea," Remus noticed. "er, how do the house elves work around here?"

    "There's house elves here?"

    "Oh yes, plenty." Remus nodded. "Always hidden in the kitchens, though, poor things. My friends and I usually went to the kitchens ourselves, only Professors were permitted to call on them. Hm, maybe this'll work; Elf?"

    Pop. A three foot house elf, it's skin the color of tar, stepped forward. "I've been summoned?"

    "Well hello there," Professor Lupin greeted. "and whoever are you?"

    "Crackle," The elf said, placing a hand on its hip. Sassy. "and whoever are you?"

    lRemus Lupin," The Professor answered, unbothered. "Professor Remus Lupin."

    "Fancy title," Crackle said. "what do you want?"

    "Tea," Lupin answered. A second later, Crackle popped away.

    "What an unusual elf," Cassie tilted her head. "must be broken. Mad-elf disease, perhaps."

    "Is that another topic you'll be including in your essay?" Remus asked. "Along with the heffalumps."

    "Sure," Cassie croaked, nervously sitting down in the seat across from his desk. Her hair switched from its flamboyant blues to a nerve-filled dandelion yellow. She tugged a strand, damn hair never listens.

    "Wonderful," The professor smiled. "now, tell me about those heffalumps."

    "Oh, well," Cassie shifted in her seat. "they're large."

    "Are they?"

"Yes, quite," She bit her lip. "there's a constant lust of hunger in their eyes and their tails are quite monstrous looking. Barely anyone comes out alive when encountering one."

    "Is that so?" Professor Lupin leaned back in his seat. "Tell me, where would someone find a heffalump?"

    "Oh, er," Cassie scratched her jaw, placing her one leg on top the other. "they, uh—"

    Pop!

    "Thank Merlin." Cassie whispered under her breath.

    "Tea," Crackle grumbled. "anything else?"

    "Nope."

    Crackle apparated away. Cassie groaned internally, she hoped that would've lasted longer. Remus looked up after pouring her a cup. "Sugar?"

     "No thanks." Cassie said. Once she had the cup she distracted herself by chugging down the boiling hot substance. Ouch.

    "So, what were we saying?" Remus asked. Oh right, she was explaining where heffalumps were found. Cassie shrugged. "Heffalumps." He stated in remembrance. Now she was visibly cringing.

     "Ah, heffalumps," Cassie breathed into her cup. "they . . . they are found in forests. Large ones."

    "Large?" Remus inquired, sipping his own cup. "Large as in . . . ten acres?"

    "More like a hundred."

     "So," Remus nodded. "heffalumps live in one-hundred acre forests."

    Cassie's soul physically vibrated. Rats. "You know I'm lying."

    "Just from the start," Remus shrugged. "tell me, Cassie, what made you lie?"

    "Nerves?"

    Remus laughed. "Just like your mother."

    "Pardon?"

     Remus froze. He was never this careless. Nor this talkative. All those years alone must've done something to him. But him knowing her mother, her adoptive mother, wouldn't be too far out, would it? Dumbledore would never leave a metamorphmagus orphaned witch with a muggle, would he? Remus played off the best he could. "Oh yes, I knew your mother. Not well, but she and I had our fair few hang outs during our Hogwarts days."

    What the bloody hell was he talking about? "You knew Kendra Snow?"

    "Yes," Remus coughed, then taking a sip of his warm tea. "I, um, did. She was a . . ." you're an idiot, Lupin. "Gryffindor, yes?"

"She never told me." Cassie bluntly said, because she's a squib.

    Remus scratched his neck. "I suppose she was then."

    "I somehow doubt that," Cassie said, Remus raised brow; beats of sweat layering it. "recently she's been acting quite like a Slytherin, the bad type."

    "Aren't they all?" Remus laughed nervously.

     "You aren't quite a good Professor if you discriminate because of a house, are you now?"

    Shite! Remus cursed himself. Of course he had to assume she had Sirius' mindset on Slytherins, or faked mindset on Slytherins, when she really had was . . . no, Aspen hated Slytherins too. Who's child was this?

    "Professor," Cassie said, standing up. "thank you for the tea, and sorry I lied; I'll get started on the essay tonight." she winked. "But I need to go, waterpolo lessons."

    "Wh—"

    Cassie left the office before he could even finish the word. She needed to leave, her blood wouldn't stop dancing on hot rocks since he had mentioned her mother. The supposed Gryffindor witch who he had many hang outs with. Perhaps he was mistaken? Snow was a common last name, if you were a book character; Kendra had already revealed she wasn't born with Snow. It was just her mother's performer surname. A characters name. He seemed certain that he knew her mother, but also in a battle with himself once he realized he had spoken of her.

    Did he know her real mother?

    Maybe this time, instead of looking up Lee, one of the most common surnames in the world, she should look up Lupin.

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Authors Note:

Look, another update! In a day too, you know what that means? Six week break (I'm kidding—I think.) If you haven't noticed, this chapter was all over the place. I have a reasoning for that—Disney. While writing this, I was watching Beauty and the Beast, as well as Hook. But why was I talking about Winnie the Pooh? Because I watched that first. Haha, kill me. If I don't update in the next coming week it's because I did as I thought to myself—I started my three summer projects (for school that starts Sept. 3.) But oooooh revelations this chapter, hope you've enjoyed! Remember, always believe in fairies. Vote and comment~it'd be appreciated. (:

August 12, 2019
4,187 words