The first chill of November swept over the castle like a whispered incantation.
Frost kissed the windowpanes, and the grounds gleamed with a faint silver hue under the pale morning sun.
From the Great Hall to the Quidditch stands, anticipation buzzed through Hogwarts like static.
The season's first match — Ravenclaw versus Draconis — was about to begin.
Cassius stood near the edge of the pitch, fastening the silver clasps on his robes.
His broom — an Aeriusbolt — hovered beside him, faint ripples of air bending around its sleek form.
It was one of only a few crafted by his research institute, the pinnicle of what could be done with the present state of the magical worlds knowledge, an experimental design that out performed everything on the market so far, while giving the rider total control, and comfort whilst doing so.
Cho stood a few paces away, stretching her arms, her blue-black hair braided neatly.
As the Draconis Keeper, she looked calm, focused — though her gaze occasionally flickered toward the Ravenclaw team across the field, her former housemates, and the team she hoped to join when this school year first began.
They were watching her too.
Especially their captain, Terence Greaves, a tall fifth-year whose smirk could have curdled milk.
He'd been one of Cho's admirers back when she was still under the Ravenclaw house.
As the two teams walked out of the entry gates and onto the field, standing opposite one another with Madam Hooch standing between.
"Snape!"
The Ravenclaw captain shouted out at Cassius the minute they were facing off for the detailing of the rule.
"Yes...?"
Cassius lazily responded as if the whole ordeal was not worth his time.
"Planning to form out an entire team with stolen students?"
"I alone would be enough to beat you, but since your house so graciously donated such a valuable student to my house."
Terence sneered. "A challenge against mear first years, such underhanded tactics, can hardly be called fair."
"I think you yourself are forgetting, i am also a first year, so the bigger question then becomes why ravenclaw seem to be so lacking even when so confident making such a challenge in the first place."
The boys face steamed red with anger, as Cassius provoked him.
"Then here's one for you, Snape. If Ravenclaw wins, you send Cho back where she belongs — to her real house."
A murmur ran through the stands — half outrage, half excitement.
Cassius didn't even blink. "And if we win?"
Greaves hesitated, then shrugged arrogantly. "Name your price."
Cassius's eyes turned toward the Ravenclaw stands, settling briefly on Hermione.
She had come to support her house, but as their eyes met, she felt her stomach twist — not in fear, but in anticipation.
"If Draconis wins," Cassius said calmly, "Hermione Granger will join us instead."
The crowd erupted.
Hermione blinked in shock — then, to everyone's surprise, nodded as they all looked to her.
The challenge wasnt yet accepted so the terms were still loose, but seeing the girls own approval followed by her declaration.
"I accept," she called out.
Cassius smiled faintly.
"The terms are set then, don't cry when you lose yet another genius from your house."
~
From the staff box, Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, though he made no move to intervene, he afterall had no right, this was a matter between students, presided over by the true founder.
Beside him, McGonagall looked scandalized, while Snape's lips curved into something dangerously close to a smirk.
"Very well," Madam Hooch called, raising her whistle. "Mount your brooms!"
The teams rose into the air, nine shapes cutting against the pale blue sky.
The cold wind whipped at their robes, and the glint of sunlight off broom handles flashed like blades.
~
First the bludgers were released into the air, followed by the golden snitch as Madam Hooch stood holding the quaffle at centerfield.
3.. 2.. 1..
With a great heave she tossed the ball into the air, and the match began.
Almost immediately, Ravenclaw seized control of the Quaffle, not that there was any choice, Cassius was already scanning the field searching for the Snitch, while Cho was positioned next to the goalposts preparing to defend.
Their Chasers — slick, fast, and used to flying together — darted around the field with precise coordination.
Cho's eyes narrowed as she tracked the blurring Quaffle.
"Come on, then," she muttered.
The first shot came in hard — but she twisted midair, her broom cutting a perfect arc as the ball slammed harmlessly into her glove.
"Nice block from Chang!" Lee Jordan's voice rang out from the commentary box. "She might've traded houses, but she's not traded her reflexes!"
Cassius barely noticed, though in his heart he wanted to praise the girl for standing courageously against five of her former housemates all of whom were lobbing or throwing high speed balls towards her.
He was already high above the pitch, scanning the air currents with his magical perception.
To the crowd, it looked as though he was hovering aimlessly, letting the wind toy with him.
But through his inner sense, he could feel it — a faint pulse of darting near the Ravenclaw goalpost.
The Snitch.
He smiled faintly.
"Found you."
Below him, the Ravenclaws scored once — then twice.
Their third goal followed seconds later.
The scoreboard flicked to 0–30.
Cho was doing her best, but when face with tactical coordination of three unhindered players she could only do so much to defend even with her excellent broom.
"Bit of a rough start for Draconis!" Jordan called, though even he sounded intrigued. "Where's Snape flying off to? He hasn't moved from that spot for— wait—"
Cassius moved.
Not in a straight dive, but a sudden spiral, twisting through the air with impossible precision.
His Aeriusbolt responded to every flicker of thought, slicing through the wind like a living creature.
Gasps rose from the stands as he folded forward, diving headlong into the path of two Ravenclaw Chasers who barely swerved in time.
The golden glint flashed past.
Cassius's eyes narrowed — and he turned his broom almost perpendicular, riding the edge of control.
The crowd screamed.
"Merlin's beard, he's going to crash—!"
At the last possible second, the Aeriusbolt snapped upward, slicing across the field with such force that the wind tore a streamer from the commentator's booth.
Cassius's hand shot out — and the Snitch vanished in his fist.
Silence.
Then, as he slowed, hovering effortlessly above the pitch, the roar began.
"Snape's caught it! He's caught the Snitch in five minutes flat!"
Madam Hooch blew her whistle, eyes wide.
"Game over! Draconis wins — one hundred fifty to forty!"
The crowd exploded into cheers, half in disbelief, half exhilaration.
Even some of the Ravenclaws clapped, unable to deny the brilliance of the move.
Cho whooped, flying up to meet him midair meeting him with a crisp high five.
"Five minutes, Cassius! Five bloody minutes!"
He smiled faintly. "You were excellent yourself, you held out for five minutes only letting in four goals, perhaps we should leave you as Keeper for the next game."
She laughed and pulled him into a brief, jubilant hug whilst midair before turning her broom toward the stands, where the newly-formed Draconis supporters — a mix of curious students from every house — were already chanting their names.
On the other side of the pitch, Terence Greaves threw his broom down in disgust upon landing.
"That wasn't skill — it was luck!"
Cassius descended slowly, his broom landing with barely a whisper.
He turned toward the Ravenclaw captain and offered a small bow.
"Luck is what remains when preparation meets opportunity. Perhaps you should try it sometime."
Even the Slytherins laughed at that.
Hermione descended from the stands, cheeks flushed from the cold.
"That was incredible," she admitted, walking up to him. "And terrifying. You nearly killed yourself."
"Nearly," Cassius corrected, his eyes bright. "But not quite."
Then to fufill the challenge conditions the robes she was wearing shifted slightly as the bronze and blue, turned to black and silver, with the Raven crest being replaced by the snarling dragon.
The second subordinate member to house Draconis had been secured.
~
From the staff box, Dumbledore rose to his feet, his expression both amused and thoughtful.
"A remarkable performance," he said, his voice echoing through the pitch. "Record-breaking, I believe. Both for time… and composition."
"Indeed," McGonagall muttered beside him. "A handicapped team, no less."
~
As the trio returned to the school to celebrate the win, Cassius couldnt help but smile as the envious stare from the other students spoke all he needed to know.
From the old boys perspective Cassius was the luckies man on earth, with his growing Harem house snatching up all the girls he fancied.
Cassius couldnt deny this of course, but he wasnt exclusive to women, he would claim Cedric if Hufflepuff were to try a challenge, but knowing hufflepuff they might challenge for points but never going so far as to try and snag a student or wish for his expulsion.
As he and his two subordinate members trailed behind him, Cassius thought about how this year he'd like to win at least one more member for his house, bringing in Daphne from Slytherin the house most likely to attempt challenging him next.
Beyond that he'd take what he could, but otherwise would reserve his provocations until next year when he could target, Luna, Ginny, and Astoria into his house as well.