Disclaimer: I think it's fairly obvious that I am not the wonderful J.K. Rowling, and therefore the amazing Potterverse is not my brainchild. I am writing purely for entertainment (hopefully), and hope this fanfiction sacrifice on the altar of JKR's Awesomeness is an acceptable one. This story (and the character of Cassie Dereheart in particular) is of my own invention and is not part of Rowling's official storyline.

Prologue: Third Year

Cassie stood on the pitch, her brow furrowed, broomstick in hand. It was a brand new Nimbus 1000 - a present from her parents for her 14th birthday. For once, they had been spot on - her mother had wanted to buy her a set of new dress robes, but her Muggle father had noticed how much time she spent with her nose buried in Quidditch Through The Ages and had convinced her mother a new broom was the order of the day.

She had spent every possible moment that summer throwing a Quaffle about, or whacking a Bludger, or, her favourite, chasing a Snitch around the big field at the back of her house. Cassie had been determined that, this year, she would be on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and had practiced for hours. Her best friend, Mary, had encouraged her until the point where she realised that her entire stay at Cassie's would then revolve around Quidditch, and had then begun to complain bitterly.

But despite Mary's complaints, Cassie had been adamant. She dreamed of one day playing Seeker for the Montrose Magpies, in their black and white colours, and replacing Eunice Murray as their best ever Seeker. But first of all, she needed to play for her House.

Actually playing for Gryffindor was a different kettle of fish to dreaming of the Magpies, though. Cassie would actually have to… try out. In front of people. People that she knew.

Cassie wasn't shy. Mary could attest to her complete lack of volume control, and her inability to filter her thoughts before speaking (a perfect combination). And just that week, having been paired with the pretty and popular Lily Evans in Potions despite never having really spoken to her before, she had not only managed to make smalltalk rather than an idiot of herself, but had somehow made a good enough impression for Evans to ask if Cassie wanted to study with her (and whilst Cassie never really wanted to study, she knew that her grade in Potions would benefit as much as her social life from a friendship with Evans). But for some reason, Quidditch was different. Maybe because it was so important to her - certainly the idea of Longbottom or McKinnon, or worse, Potter, laughing at her was enough to to make her stomach shrivel up and her head hurt.

So during tryouts that day, Cassie had watched from the sidelines. She had watched, feeling sick both with nerves and regret, until she saw the newly chosen Gryffindor Seeker. Stebbens? That idiot couldn't find a leaf in a forest, and flew as well as the Whomping Willow. Cassie's feelings of regret stewed into bitter anger, but she bit her lip and said nothing, even to Mary.

The new team line up was all anyone could talk about in the common room that afternoon, and despite sitting right in the corner and trying to bury her head in her Transfiguration essay, by four o'clock Cassie was ready to explode. Rather than let the entire of her House hear how she felt about their new Seeker's flying, she abandoned her attempt at academia and fled to the dorm.

She pulled her broom out from under her bed and sat down, running her fingers reverently along the wood.

"Why didn't I just try? Even sick as a parrot I could have out-flown Stebbins."

She needed to clear her head. So, with tryouts over and the pitch empty, Cassie knew exactly where she was headed.

Cassie stood on the pitch, her brow furrowed, broomstick in hand. Out of her pocket she drew a shining golden handful of joy - and let it go. The Snitch zoomed off across the pitch until it's golden glimmer was out of sight, at which point, Cassie took off.

There was nothing like the feeling of flying. She shot up into the air, then let herself begin to fall, sliding into a loop-the-loop before speeding off again. She pulled off a roll, then went into a sharp dive towards the turf. She hurtled towards the ground, accelerating hard with the wind rushing past her face so fast that her eyes watered. A laugh bubbled out of her as she flew, and then suddenly, sharply pulled up, her feet skimming the turf as she sped away.

"Not bad flying, Derehart, but still no sign of a Snitch in your hand," came a male voice from below.

Cassie just about fell off her broom. She quickly regained her balance, and looked down towards the stands. There, in the front row, watching her aerodynamic display, was none other than Gryffindor Chaser and fellow third year, James Potter.

She slowly descended, pulling up a few metres away from the Chaser. He still wore his Gryffindor Quidditch colours, with his broomstick in his right hand. He also wore an air of confidence that bordered on arrogance, as though he expected everyone he met to love him. Not that half the girls in Cassie's year weren't in love with him, anyway.

"And with no Snitch, it's hardly 'good' flying either," he said, a smug smile on his face.

Cassie's vision was suddenly tinged rather oddly with red.

"Still better flying than your last game against Hufflepuff last year, Potter. Fumbling a Porskoff Ploy, and then getting knocked out by a Bludger ring a bell? Lucky it was Hufflepuff, or you would never have made the final."

Cassie watched as Potter's smile grew wider, and his eyes simultaneously narrowed.

"Challenge accepted, Derehart."

Cassie raised an eyebrow, questioningly.

"First to the Snitch?"

Cassie hesitated a moment. Maybe this was her chance. She gritted her teeth, and gave a tight smile.

"Alright, Potter. But if I win, then you are going to make sure I get a chance to try for Seeker."

Potter smiled.

"If you can beat me to the Snitch, I won't even have to try."

"Ready?" Cassie asked, as Potter mounted up.

"Yup," Potter nodded.

Cassie nodded back, and reached deep into the sleeve of her robe. Potter's expression shifted, and his eyes followed her movement. Out of her sleeve, she drew the Snitch, holding it tightly in one hand.

"Three, two -"

"Wait!" Potter exclaimed, a look of total surprise on his face, "When did you catch it?"

"About thirty seconds in. A Plumpton Pass. But a purposeful one. Saw it below me and dropped into that loop - was pretty easy to catch it in my sleeve. Good practice not to show the other Seeker that you've seen the Snitch."

Potter's eyes widened, as did his smile.

"Well, then. You win."

Cassie frowned.

"I haven't released it yet, though," Cassie said, innocently, trying very hard not to let her smile turn smug.

"You're too clever for your own good, Derehart. But I like a good joke. So I'll speak to Longbottom about getting you on the team."

Cassie's smile turned very genuine as she let her broomstick drift to the ground and alighted.

"And if you're as good at pranks as I suspect you might be, then there are some lads that I think you need to meet…"