The week after Halloween was always strangely quiet.
Students shuffled into the Great Hall in a daze, clutching pumpkin pastries, groaning over too many sweets, and muttering half-remembered stories of spectacular pranks.
This year, though, the atmosphere carried something different beneath the surface.
An unspoken tension.
A sense of danger that nobody could name.
No one in the castle — had pieced together the full truth of the night before.
Well save for Cassius, perhaps Severus, and Lastly Dumbledore himself who did not act at all that night.
Rumors spread, of course.
A burst of blue flame near the Great Hall causing flashes like fireworks seen from afar.
Harry Potter speaking about a spectre having knocked him unconcious
But nothing concrete.
And Cassius Snape made absolutely sure to keep it that way.
For now.
Because today…
Today was Quidditch.
And House Draconis — the newest, strangest, most magically selective House Hogwarts had ever seen — would fly its first full official team.
Cassius tightened the straps of his gloves as he stepped onto the pitch, broom casually slung over one shoulder.
The cheers from the stands swelled when he emerged.
"SNAPE!"
"CASSIUS!"
"DRACONIS! DRACONIS!"
It still felt surreal.
A House that hadn't existed three years ago… now packed the stands with banners enchanted to breathe fire and coils of silver serpents that slithered through the air.
Cassius didn't turn toward the crowd, but the faint curve of pride tugged at his mouth.
This wasn't just a match.
It was a declaration.
Draconis was here.
And they were going to dominate.
~
Before the Whistle
His team stood waiting at the center of the pitch.
Ginny, Cho, and Daphne — the three Chasers — hovered with identical predatory smiles.
Ginny looked like she was about to burn the sky down. Daphne looked like she was about to assassinate someone with a Quaffle.
Cho looked calm, confident, and terrifyingly accurate.
Astoria and Luna sat on their brooms with the deadpan serenity of girls plotting creative violence.
Their bats rested across their laps, glowing faintly with the enchantments Cassius had placed on them.
Hermione — poor, brilliant Hermione — clutched her Keeper gloves, looking both anxious and determined.
"You'll do fine," Cassius said warmly as he passed her.
"I know," she said, nodding rapidly.
Then, less confidently: "…I think."
He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.
"You'll do fine like always."
She inhaled deeply, visibly steeling herself.
He was right, this was now her third year playing the position afterall, as scary as it was, her regular combat training had made her more and more prepared for this, and even her fear of flying had been lessening as of late.
Across the pitch, the Hufflepuff team looked… well…
Haunted.
As if they had read a prophecy declaring that today was not their day.
Cedric Diggory, however, looked as composed as ever — one of the few wizards alive who could smile while preparing to face Cassius Snape head-on in the air.
News that Cassius was now the Seeker for the national team had long since spread across the school and upon hearing it, barring injury none expected the school quidditch cup to go to any other team save for Draconis over the next few years until he graduated, but that didnt mean the game itself was any less exciting to watch.
Cedric flew over and extended a hand.
"Try not to make this too embarrassing," Cedric teased.
Cassius clasped his hand. "I make no promises."
Madam Hooch raised her whistle.
"Ladies and gentlemen — ready?"
Cassius straddled his broom.
"Always."
The whistle shrieked.
And the pitch exploded into motion.
~
Draconis Unleashed
The Quaffle shot upward—
—and Cho snatched it with a single fluid sweep before any Hufflepuff Chaser came within five feet of it.
Ginny and Daphne flanked her instantly, and the three streaked across the pitch like a meteor shower.
The Hufflepuff defense scrambled desperately.
Cho passed right — Daphne caught it.
Daphne passed left — Ginny caught it.
Ginny hurled it toward the goal——fake.
She ducked.
Passed backwards—
Cho's shot punched straight through the left hoop.
10 – 0.
The Draconis stands roared.
Hufflepuff barely had time to reset before Astoria sent a Bludger screaming past their Seeker's ear.
Cedric swore, veering sharply.
A millisecond later, Luna redirected the other Bludger toward the same spot with poetic cruelty.
Cedric shouted, "YOU TWO ARE A MENACE!"
Luna smiled dreamily and waved. "Thank you."
Astoria cackled.
Meanwhile Hermione, guarding the Draconis hoops, blocked two shots in a row — surprising everyone except Cassius, who had secretly coached her on broom stability for weeks.
Ginny scored again.
Daphne scored.
Cho scored twice.
Astoria took out Hufflepuff's strongest Chaser with a Bludger that sent the poor boy spinning off his broom in dizzy circles.
Madam Hooch had to pause the match to retrieve him from midair before he drifted into the stands.
By the 20-minute mark:
Draconis 70 – Hufflepuff 0
Cassius still hadn't moved.
He drifted lazily above the pitch, eyes half-lidded, pretending to look for the Snitch.
In truth?
He was watching his team shine.
He was proud.
But he also felt a little bad.
…Well, no.
Not bad per se.
But he could at least acknowledge Hufflepuff's pain.
~
Cedric Diggory was not a quitter.
He flew higher, scanning desperately.
And luck — sweet, golden, fleeting luck — favoured him.
The Snitch flickered near the Ravenclaw stands.
Cedric's eyes widened.
His broom darted forward like a bolt of lightning.
Hufflepuff fans screamed.
"GO, CEDRIC!!"
"GET IT—GET IT—GET IIIIT!"
Draconis fans gasped.
Cho shouted from across the pitch, "CASSIUS!!"
Cassius opened his eyes.
Tilted his head.
Saw Cedric racing.
Saw the Snitch.
The corner of his mouth lifted.
"…About time."
He leaned forward.
His broom obeyed with instant, brutal acceleration.
Cedric leaned flat against his broom, urging every ounce of speed from it.
Cassius moved calmly.
Effortlessly.
His broom didn't even tremble.
He wasn't racing Cedric.
He was simply… arriving.
The crowd rose to their feet.
Two figures streaked across the stadium, one tense and straining, one serene and steady.
Cedric reached—
Touched—
Missed by half an inch.
Cassius extended his hand.
Snitch met palm.
Wings fluttered.
And stopped.
The stadium exploded.
DRACONIS WINS! — 220 to 0!
Cassius circled once overhead, the Snitch glittering between his fingers like a trophy of inevitability.
When he descended, Cedric landed beside him, panting, hair wind-tossed, sweat dripping down his neck.
Cassius offered him the Snitch for a closer look.
Cedric huffed, half-laugh, half-groan.
"You're ridiculous."
Cassius shrugged lightly. "I try."
Cedric smacked his arm. "You didn't even break a sweat. At least pretend this was hard!"
Cassius smiled faintly. "But it wasn't."
Cedric buried his face in his hands.
~
Draconis carried Hermione off the field — literally — chanting her name as she flushed scarlet.
This had afterall been their first shutout victory ever.
Meanwhile riding the high of the win the girls were busy bloating their own achievements to receive the coveted head pats from Cassius.
Though in a game with only 9 goals it was surprising to hear Daphne try to claim 10 goals for herself, all while the other touted having 6 and 8 as well.
Astoria and Luna argued over whose Bludger work had been "more artistically violent."
Cassius walked behind them all, hands in pockets, listening to their happy bickering.
A warm satisfaction settled in his chest.
This was his House.
His people.
His future inner circle.
They were strong.
Growing stronger.
And today wasn't just a victory —
It was a message.
To Hogwarts.
To the Ministry.
To the world.
Draconis Houses flies higher.
And the sky belongs to dragons.
Not to mention it served as a good warmup for his next national game that was coming up fast as well.