4Chapter 43 I don't own Harry Potter or Merlin.
The dog only tilted its head at her once, then with a resigned sigh, it morphed into the skeletal figure of a man with gaunt, haunted eyes and sallow looking skin.
"How'd you know?"
"You're too human to be an actual dog." Cassie said quietly, standing up and walking towards the treeline, hidden from view.
"First time I've heard that." he said, letting out a barklike laugh devoid of any humor.
"It wasn't you, right? Please tell me I haven't been getting attached to someone who would do that to his friends, his family." she asked, following his path to sit in front of her in the tree line with her eyes..
"I didn't tell Voldemort, If that's what you mean." he said darkly. "But James and Lily are dead because of me."
"What does that mean? And if you even consider lying, or telling a half-truth, there's nothing stopping me from going straight to Dumbledore and telling him about your being an Animagus. Or worse, going to those fucking Dementors!" she hissed angrily.
"James and Lily agreed that I should be the Secret Keeper for where they lived. I thought that it would be better if it was someone else we trusted, thought it would be too obvious it was me and they'd manage to get it out of me. So I gave it to our friend. Peter Pettigrew." he told her, slightly taken aback by her language and spitting Pettigrew's name out with as much venom as he could muster. "The rat betrayed us, he was working for Voldemort, he told him exactly where to find them in Godric's Hollow. And now they're dead. And my godson, who lives with abominable muggles, must hate me. Harry must think I'm the monster they make me out to be." he said both bitterly and sadly.
"He doesn't know. About you. Why'd you break out of Azkaban?" Cassie asked, then regretted it and said, "Stupid question. I'd break out after a day."
"Pettigrew's still alive. Twelve years ago, in that muggle square that I supposedly blew up, Peter did everything. He killed the muggles and cut off his pinky, transforming into his Animagus state-a rat- and disappearing in the sewers with all the other rats. I thought he had killed himself until I saw him. In the Daily Prophet. He's the red-head's rat. We transformed in front of each other so often, I would recognize him in a cage full of rats." he said sadly, watching the sun rise behind the mountains.
"You should explain that to Dumbledore! He has to believe you! You-he. He's a legilimens, he can tell if you're lying. O-or Veritaserum! You can't-well you can but it's bloody hard to resist that. You're innocent. You can't be-"
"Hey, he thinks I'm just as guilty as everyone else. He was the one who said I was their Secret Keeper. " he said in dejection. "The only way is through him. I spent twelve year locked up for something I didn't do. I'll gladly do another twelve if it meant that traitor was dead. And I killed him. The boy's name is Roland Weasley, I think. That ginger cat is helping me; trying to get the bastard to me."
"Smart cat. Just like its owner. Wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't just a cat."
"Part-Kneazle maybe." Sirius told her.
"Why not sneak into his office, explain it to him personally? Dumbledore'd help, I'm sure of it!" Cassie asked.
"I don't know that he would; or Remus. They both hate me, it seems they never really knew the true me. Not if they were able to think I was capable of such a thing. I loved James and Lily like family. They were my family since I met them on the train."
"Remus? Professor Lupin? I think he doesn't think that. The few times he's slipped up and mentioned you and Mr. Potter he's never spoken about you in hate or-"
"He's spoken about me?" Sirius interrupted with wide, hopeful eyes.
"Yeah, only a few times when I have the Patronus lessons on the weekends, but he always speaks fondly of , of your time as students here."
"Did you just call James, Mr. Potter?" he asked, a ghost of amusement behind his eyes.
"Well, I never met him. So yes." Cassie said, almost defensively.
"First time I've heard someone say that and not ask a question or take points off from us."
"Yeah, I hear mine with pity or anger. Or for a question or points as well." Cassie admitted sheepishly, "Mine and Merlin's."
"The boy you were chasing all afternoon yesterday?"
"The very one."
"I think you'd prefer to be dating him, not one of the other two. He comes up far more often than they do." he said with a small, teasing smirk on his face.
"Except he's in love with my twin, I'm not going down that rabbit hole again. She already admitted she was mean to me because I stole the boy she liked when we were six, and she's even more vindictive than anyone I've ever met. Besides, Merlin really isn't my type."
"He so obviously is! You hang around him like you have a puppy dog crush! Trust me, I would know, half the girls did the same with me when we were in school." he said, tossing his dull hair back and shooting her a teasing wink.
"Whatever you say, Snuffles. I'm sure they were hanging around James or Professor Lupin. Harry supposedly is the spitting image of him, and Lupin's got such a gentle soul it's just attractive an-damn it! Cannot believe I just said that about the Defense Professor! And to you, no less!" Cassie said, cutting herself off when she realized exactly what she was saying, and ignoring his laugh. "Look, I'll see what I can do about the rat." Cassie said, moving on from the topic of conversation. "But I won't be a part of it. I won't take a life, no matter how detestable. I'm already the reason behind one person's death. I won't make it two." she told him firmly, standing up and walking through the trees back up to the castle. "I'll try and bring some more food today. I'll leave it in the forest." she said, "And please don't take my wand again."
"Sorry. And Cassie? Thanks. For everything, I'm Sirius." he said with a ghost of a smile on his lips as she stopped and turned around.
"That is so lame!" Cassie said, bursting into laughter. "I don't know why I'm still laughing."
"My roguish good looks," he said, mimicking his move from earlier and tossing his hair back, "You would have been dead at my feet twenty years ago from my good looks."
"Hmm, and your modesty, too, I see." Cassie said drily with a roll of her eyes, laughing once again after he shot her a toothy smile, albeit one that didn't quite reach his eyes.
Quidditch practice was brutal the following weeks leading up to the match against Ravenclaw. Cassie was so exhausted, she was glad her Sunday lessons had stopped for the rest of term, she didn't think she could go on at the rate she had been. All her classes were taking their toll on her when they were mixed with Patronus lessons and Quidditch practice and the endless detentions she and Merlin seemed to get from Snape, and the ones she got from Trelawney. When the time came at the end of November for their match against Ravenclaw, Cassie felt like she could eat the Giant Squid and still be hungry. The few times she'd practiced her Patronus by herself she'd managed a stronger wisp than usual, using the memories of her sister and she becoming close again. But that was without the effects of the Dementors. Still, she refused to be unprotected out there. Even if it was just all in her head, she still felt a bit better. Come game day, Cassie was feeling the stress from everything. She'd been having nightmares again the whole week leading up to the match and had dark circles under her eyes from all the late nights studying and restless sleep.
"You look like hell. Sure you can play today?" Cedric asked her at breakfast that morning.
"Raring to go, Ced. Even think of benching me and I'll hex you." Cassie told him with a smile, looking over his shoulder to where Ron was sitting. The gears in her brain told her that this was the perfect opportunity to grab the rat, but some part of her told her it was too soon to do anything.
"Cassie, maybe you should get some rest, you look terrible." Tommy added, noticing she was drifting off.
"Do not!" she said defensively, straightening her blouse self consciously as she swiveled her head around to face them. "And I mean it. I'm playing today!"
The team finished their breakfast in high spirits and went as one to the changing rooms to get ready for the match, Ravenclaw doing the same.
"Cassie!"
"Hey Luna!" Cassie said happily, stopping on her way to the Quidditch pitch to talk with her.
"Cassie! You really do like to be dragged around, don't you?" Cedric asked, going back to drag her away from the ditzy blonde.
"Guess we'll talk later, Luna." Cassie called over her shoulder as Cedric dragged her away.
"Okay," she said, following them and looking around dreamily as she went over to the stands.
"As long as the game we play against Slytherin you're not being all matey with any of them, I expect this to be the last time I drag you around."
"I'd do something to you, but I wasn't clear with my last warning, was I? I don't like being dragged, and you're wrinkling my top!" Cassie said, shaking out of his grip playfully.
"You'll change out of it in a bit, no one's going to notice." Cedric said with a smile on his lips. "Have you given any more thought to what we talked about last week?"
"Yeah, but I'm not ready to...I just can't right now."
"So you still like Tommy?"
"As a friend, Ced. Other than Merlin, you're the only one I've told about this. Please don't tell them. Either of them."
"Well…" he said, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly
"You told them?!" Cassie asked, horrified.
"J-just Leon. You should have seen him. He's been so-"
"Ced, I thought it was between us." Cassie said softly, blushing when she saw Leon looking back at them with a strange look in his eyes.
"I know, I'm sorry. He just looked so puppy-dog-like. It was sad. You would have too." he said in defense as they entered the changing rooms
"I don't know."
"So you're telling me that if it were Granger you wouldn't have done the same?" he demanded.
"Fine, you win." Cassie relented as she stepped out in her Quidditch robes.
"Thank you." he said, doing the same and standing in front of the others, giving the pep talk before that match and marching out to shake hands with Roger Davies, the Ravenclaw captain.
"On my whistle, the game begins." Madame Hooch said, putting the whistle to her mouth and blowing. They all kicked off hard and rose up to the air. Once the Quaffle was in play, the game truly began.
Cassie zoomed between blue and yellow robes, taking the Quaffle when she could and throwing it back and forth with her fellow chasers. She narrowly avoided a few bludgers thrown at her by one of the beaters-Duncan- and dropped the Quaffle. Ravenclaw crushed Hufflepuff, beating them by over 200 points; they barely scored twenty points.
"Well, that was terrible." Cassie muttered in French when they were in the changing rooms.
"They flattened us." Tommy said dismally. "We're probably not even going to get third place now."
"There's always next year!" Cedric said, trying to cheer them up.
"Yeah right," Cassie said scoffing.
"What do you mean?" Ernie asked.
"I mean I doubt-without a verifiable miracle- that we'd ever win the House Cup. Also, something tells me there's going to be something big happening next year."
"Way to be optimistic, Cass." Tommy said with a grin. "And the 'something big's' the World Cup."
"Well, I've become rather cynical this year. Something to do with all the damn Jews spitting in my face." Cassie spat in rapid Italian.
"Since when do you speak Spanish?" Leon asked.
"That, my friend, was Italian. 'Gana's the one that speaks Spanish." Cassie said, walking out of the changing room and catching up to Luna.
"Hey Luna! Congratulations on the win." Cassie greeted the girl.
"Hey Cassie. It was a very exciting game. Did you have fun, at least?"
"Not really. The fun's in winning, or at least scoring. And I dropped the Quaffle every time I got it. Not very fun. You guys celebrating?"
"Most likely, but I don't like to. Too many Wrackspurts around when they do."
"Wanna do something, then? I haven't been to see the thestrals in forever. I'm sure it'd be fun!"
"Sure! I was going to go to the library to do homework, but if we go to the kitchens we can get some raw meat for them and feed them." Luna said.
"Come on!" Cassie squealed with a wide smile, taking her hand and dragging her down to the basement, she didn't really feel like the party anyway.
"Looks like you guys are having a party too." Luna noted when a few of the older Hufflepuffs exited the kitchens laden with food.
"Ha! We have parties practically every weekend for no reason other than to have them. They're pretty fun, too. You should come to one of them. Just not today, they won't appreciate you there since you flattened us!"
"Thanks! I'd like that. We don't have that many parties, but when we do the younger years aren't allowed after a couple hours."
"They get too crazy?" Cassie asked teasingly, not really imagining the studious Ravenclaws getting wasted. "Ours too, fifth years and up get the real parties, us younger kids don't get that much fun, but that doesn't mean we don't have fun ourselves. Besides, you don't need to be drunk or high to have fun." Cassie said with a wink, getting a couple sandwiches and going back out to the grounds while Luna carried the plate with raw meat. "I've never been honest-to-goodness drunk ever, but the few times I managed to sneak around past my bedtime at my parents' parties or even the older years' parties it was a blast!"
"The thestrals like to be up in the clearing over there." Luna said airily, pointing to one of the clearings higher up past Hagrid's hut.
"Let's go then." Cassie said, regretting her shoe choice after a while. "Guess I realize the reason I only see them when I leave or come to school." Cassie panted when they got to the top.
"It's your shoes. They're very pretty but not good for walking."
"Yes they are!" Cassie said defensively, she liked her taste in shoes, and only tolerated sneakers and trainers. "And thank you, they are very pretty. Ooh, do you see that one there? It's so tiny!" Cassie said with wide eyes at the young thestral, approaching the adults slowly before going near it.
"You're very good with animals, you know."
"They have a better sense of humor than most humans. And they've yet to hurt me." Cassie said. "Well, emotionally. There was this dog once when I was little that bit my leg. It really hurt, but I still love dogs."
"They love you too." Luna said dreamily, throwing some of the meat to the younger thestrals and standing back to let them inspect it.
"What do you mean?" Cassie asked, confused, taking a bite of her sandwich with the non-bloody hand.
"That dog is wagging his tail like he likes you." she said, pointing him out from beneath a bush.
"Snuffles! What are you doing here?" Cassie asked, trying to hide her alarm as she went over and led the dog out by the scruff gently.
"I think he's hungry." Luna said, leaving the rest of the meat for Cassie to throw. "We can cook some meat. I've seen you transfigure things, you're very good at it. Maybe if you transfigure a pot we can cook one of these."
"Are you sure?" Cassie asked, looking at her friend dubiously.
"Yes. I'm sure we can cook one of them. I heard you and Merlin went camping over summer, and we can do the incendio and cook the meat. Besides, the way to a dog's heart is through his stomach." Luna told her sagely.
"I'm pretty sure it's the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, Luna. But I see what you're saying. A lot of the boys here act like dogs. Save a steak or two for him while I gather the wood." Cassie said, giggling as the barking laugh resounded from her feet. "Oh, go on you, eat my sandwich while I gather some firewood." Cassie said, putting the rest of the sandwich in his mouth and going off to look for some wood nearby.
Cassie arranged some stones in a circle and placed the logs inside it, using her wand to light the fire and conjure a pan for the meat. She tossed it in there and conjured a fork to turn it so it cooked thoroughly.
"Don't you think he'd like it more rare?" Luna asked when it was past medium done.
"Oh. You're probably right. Oops." Cassie said with an apologetic smile and a slight shrug of her shoulders. "He doesn't seem to mind, though." Cassie told her at the happy yip from beside her.
"Where'd you find him?"
"In the forest. You know how I sleepwalk, well I woke up one day in the forest and the smelly dog took a liking to me. Slept beside me and everything. I think I must attract all the strays, you know? First Merlin, now this guy."
"Very protective, it seems." Luna said with her head tilted and her eyes unfocused.
"What are you looking at?"
"Nothing. Just thinking what you'd be like as a dog. A french poodle maybe with all the grooming."
"I'm no french poodle! If I were a dog, I'd think I'm a shepherd. Not sure if German or Aussie, they're both so cute! Oh! Or a retriever. Or maybe a siberian husky, have you seen those eyes?" Cassie cooed, making gestures with her hands for the eyes. "Oh! I know which one I'd be. I went to Russia one winter with my friend and her family, and we saw the cutest Laika puppy. That's me, I'm that dog." Cassie said, nodding her head excitedly.
"I've never seen one." Luna said with a giggle, curiosity burning in her eyes.
"Oh they're gorgeous, with white fur and blue eyes and they're usually used for things like hunting or sledding, or even shepherding reindeer, and they are just too cute! And stubborn, so that's me. I'm a Laika. Not sure if they all have white fur with blue eyes, though. Or if it's just the one I saw. And it was super friendly. I didn't like the slobbery kisses, but I did love playing with her." Cassie rambled on and on about the trip she'd taken while Snuffles ate his meat.
At some point while Luna and Cassie were up there with the Thestrals, Snuffles had laid his head on her lap and had fallen asleep while she and Luna pet him softly.
"We should probably get back. The sun's starting to go down." Luna said, stroking the dog's back.
"I know, but I can all but guarantee my house won't be very happy that I spent the whole day with a Ravenclaw. Sometimes I don't feel like a Hufflepuff at all." Cassie said thoughtfully.
"You always seemed much more Gryffindor to me. You're very brave." Luna agreed.
"Thanks, Luna. Wouldn't be on their Quidditch team, though. Wood scares me with his training. And I definitely would not wear heels every day, do you know how many flights I'd have to take multiple times!? No way would I make that trek every day. Being in the basement is so much better. And we're right beside the kitchen, so if I get peckish I could just go for a midnight snack. I'm already practically best friends with all the house-elves! They love me!"
"I want some hot chocolate. You?" Luna asked standing up slowly to not wake up the dog.
"Sure, let me just figure out how to disentangle myself from this great lump of fur that's attached itself to me. Can you make sure the fire's completely out. I don't want anything getting hurt. Except maybe the acromantulas, not too fond of them since they tried to eat me, Harry, Ron and Merlin last year." Cassie said, trying to get out from beneath Snuffles.
"What?! That's so scary! I don't think I would have survived!" Luna said, waiting for her to stand up
"Ron got sick when we came back. And Merlin was… well he was Merlin. I can't get a read on him sometimes. And I was trembling so bad I was almost as clumsy as Merlin. Although, I did find out how to calm myself with an acromantula in front of me. Just think of pretty dresses and purses and shoes!" Cassie said, finally free, and stood up, giggling at the annoyed whine from the dog.
"Where do you usually find him?" Luna asked as he retreated into the forest with a yawn.
"I don't. He finds me." Cassie said with a shrug, gathering the container that had held the meat and walking back down to the castle with Luna. "Can't believe we stayed out all day, we should do this more often! It was really fun!"
"I had fun, too. You're a good friend Cassie." Luna said with a beaming smile.
"So are you. Are you doing anything for Christmas?"
"Mhm. Daddy and I are going to have a nice meal. We're not really doing anything big. You could come if you'd like." Luna said, looking at her.
"I would love to, but I've already promised Gabrielle I'd spend Christmas with her this year in France. Since I stayed last year and everything. But, I will be giving you your Christmas present on the train."
"Oh, you don't have to, Cassie. I haven't gotten anyone's presents yet." Luna said, looking up at the sunset.
"I don't have yours yet either. I only have Hermione's and Daphne's and Pansy's. But I'm giving Pansy's to myself because we're not really friends anymore. Daphne and I aren't either, but what I got her won't fit me. Might fit you, though. I could show you if you'd like?" Cassie offered.
"No, thank you. I think I know what to get you though." she said, her eyes drifting off thoughtfully.
"The sunset's really pretty tonight. I wish I had my camera with me. It would make such a pretty picture." Cassie said, looking off to the horizon.
"We could ask Colin to take one tomorrow. He's a great photographer." Luna suggested.
"He is! He took a few pictures of Merlin, Leon, Tommy and myself last year and they turned out beautiful. Before the basilisk attacked him, but still. He's crazy talented!"
"I really like it when the sky looks more orange near the horizon and the clouds look purple. Reminds me of my mum."
"Well, she must have been breathtaking, because that's how I describe sunsets. What was she like? Do you mind if I ask?"
"She was the world to me and my dad. And she was quite the talented witch. We used to go out and look at the sunset, the three of us, and she would tell me that even though we dream with the moon, our dreams all come true with the sun."
"That's beautiful, Luna." Cassie said with tears in her eyes. "What did she look like?"
"Dad says I look just like her, but I think she was much prettier than me. Her hair was a little lighter and almost reddish in the sunlight. And her eyes were always so full of love and energy. And she always smelled of dirigible plums and potions." Luna said happily, chatting as they wandered through the castle.
"My mum always smelled of jasmine and honeysuckle. It was from one of the perfumes she used practically every day. She probably still uses it, too." Cassie said wistfully, craving her mother's hug.
"I miss my mum too sometimes, but she's always with me. In here." Luna told her, taking her friend's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Let's get that hot chocolate now." Cassie said, returning the squeeze with a small smile and wandering down to the basement, talking some more nonsense with Luna.
"Hey, Cassie. You've been here all day?" Leon asked, greeting them with a nod of the head as he waited for some more food for the party.
"No, we were out feeding the thestrals for a bit." Cassie told him.
"That the famous hot chocolate?" Leon asked, eyeing the mug in the girls' hands.
"It is very delicious, you should try some." Luna said dreamily.
"Maybe some other time, food's run out and the party's still in full swing. Yours still going on?" he asked her politely.
"Probably. I didn't go to it." Luna told him in a light voice. "I should go now. Before the wrackspurts get to me, too. Bye Cassie. Bye Leon."
"Bye Luna." Cassie said giggling.
"What are wrackspurts?"
"Haven't the foggiest. Here, have the rest, I'm rather full." Cassie said, handing him the rest of her chocolate.
"Mm. It is delicious." Leon said, taking a seat next to Cassie. "Cedric told me, what you two talked about the other night."
"Yeah, he told me he told you this morning. I wish he hadn't, but he did, so…" Cassie said, tapering off awkwardly.
"Cassie, I just wanted to apologize. It was unfair of me to treat you like I did. I had no clue the dementors affected you so much." he said sincerely, though the chocolate mustache was detracting from the sincerity.
"Leon-"
"No, let me apologize, and please accept it. I'm really sorry for being such a complete jerk. You must hate me so much. Can you forgive me?"
"Already done, Leon. And it's not you I hate. It's me." she said sadly.
"Cassie! How could you say that? It's impossible to hate you. Envy, maybe. But not hate. Why do you think so lowly of yourself?"
"Because I do. People say that I did the right thing turning in my grandfather, but I hate myself more than my parents do. I wish I'd never done so, but then I know that if I didn't that I would just hate myself even more. I can't win with that. And then there's that those stupid dementors always make me feel empty and hollow, making me relive my worst memories, ones I didn't even know I had… And Macmillan's right, I have no loyalty."
"No, he's not. Your friends, your true friends, you are extremely loyal to. The way you defended Harry last year. And going down to the Chamber for a girl you didn't even know because she's the sister of some of your friends. Cassie, that's loyalty, not sticking to what everyone else is thinking. I've never met someone so loyal and true to herself, you are a true Hufflepuff, through and through. Even if you spend more time with the Gryffindors than us. It's why we like you so much; you're our friend and we know you'll always be there for us, no matter what. Just like we would you. Don't forget that, Cass." he told her softly, using his hand to gently tip her head back to look in her eyes.
"But I wasn't loyal to my family. I turned on them because I didn't agree with them." she said tearfully, taking a napkin and wiping his upper lip with a humorless chuckle.
"No, Cassie. You gave so many people the closure they needed when you turned your grandfather in. And you didn't do it out of revenge or because you disagreed on something or anything like that, you did it because you knew in your heart that it was the right thing to do." he said, taking the napkin from her and holding her hand gently.
"Guess that's part of the problem, Leon. I don't really believe that. Everytime I think about what I did, I don't feel closure, I feel self-hatred and regret. And I know I should hate them, but I can't bring myself to. After everything I saw in those memories, I can't hate them." she whispered, not trusting her voice to stay steady.
"Cassie, that just shows how big a heart you have. You lost everything at once, and the persons who betrayed you, who broke your heart, are still there. You still love them in spite of what they did. And it's perfectly natural, Cassie. It's proof that you could never be like them, you have too kind a heart and too pure a soul to be Dark. It-it's part of why I like you so much." Leon admitted with a sheepish grin.
"But we-I am not good for you. You deserve someone that's whole, someone who's not so broken."
"Cassie, you're not broken. When did you get it into your head that you were?" Leon told her, holding her hands firmly.
"Funny you should say I got it in my head." Cassie muttered in old english.
"I don't know what you just said, but I don't like the way you said it. You are not broken, and you're not alone. All you have to do is say something and all your friends will be there for you. When did you even start feeling like this anyways?" he said.
"When we got back to school. The Boggart. It showed me just how much I hated myself. My biggest fear is a man I sent to the grave."
"Cassie." Leon said softly, brushing the tears away.
"I ran into the forest that day. That's where I was the whole day, in the forest." Cassie said quietly, looking at the grain of the table intently. "There was a moment of pure desperation where I just wanted to hurt myself, and I almost did. I had a mirror with me, and I broke it and took a shard to cut myself." she whispered brokenly to him, the tears falling quickly. "I held it. Over my wrist, and when I tightened my grip and felt it cut into my palm I snapped out of that trance. Leon, I've never hated myself more than at that moment. I realized that I had to do something about it, and when I spoke to Professor Lupin to apologize for running out, and asked him about the dementors, I realized he could help me. The Patronus is something happiness materialized-kind of. I figured trying to cast the charm would get me to think about all the times I was happy and try to get past however bad I was feeling. Two birds, one stone. Except the only thing I've realized is the happy memories I do have are superficial, and any that might have been strong enough are tainted with what I know now."
"So it's not your boggart you're getting help with." he asked her softly, caressing her cheek with his thumb.
"It was. I managed to beat the boggart a few weeks ago, just before Halloween. At least I've gotten past my fear of my grandfather. But Professor Lupin has also been helping me with the Patronus." she answered honestly, leaning into his touch.
"If anyone can cast that charm this young it's you." Leon said with a soft smile.
"And Harry. He'll probably get it before me, he's much better than I at some things."
"Cassie, I understand why you say what you do, but you're wrong. I can't deserve better than you because there is no one better than you. You have to stop selling yourself short; you have to see just how much you mean to all of us. You're a beautiful girl, with the biggest capacity to love I've ever met and the best sense of right and wrong. Especially so young. Please promise me that the next time you feel like you did that day you go to someone; don't keep it bottled up and don't forget you're not alone. It doesn't have to be me, just promise me you'll go to someone." he said, looking at her seriously.
"I promise." Cassie breathed out, nodding her head and wiping her eyes.
"Help me carry this back? They'll send someone to see what's the holdup." he said with a wide smile.
"Okay." Cassie said with a small smile, holding her arms out for some of the plates.
"Thanks." Leon said, giving her a deep kiss before giving her some plates. "To tide me over until you do decide to go out with me." he said, winking at her with a debonair smile.
"Someone's full of himself." Cassie said with a roll of her eyes, leaving the kitchens and rolling her eyes at the drunk teenagers that cheered when they walked in with the food.
"How much has Tommy had to drink?" Cassie asked, suppressing her giggles as he was acting crazy.
"A lot, but in his defense, not as much as some of the seventh years." Leon said, nodding to a corner where a few pairs of seventh years were snogging without any sense of decorum.
"They're so going to regret that in the morning." Cassie said with an unladylike snort.
"Pretty sure they were kissing different people when I went to the kitchens."
"Why does that not surprise me?" Cassie said, walking over to the girls' corridor.
"Where're you going, you missed the party!" Tommy said loudly when he spotted her, walking over quickly while everyone else ignored him.
"Homework, been putting it off for as long as possible, can't put it off any longer."
"Oh, yes you can! I'll make you!" he said, taking her hand and dragging her over to where Cedric and some of the other fifth years were.
"Okay, I realize we dated for a bit, doesn't mean I am a fifth year, Tommy. And I really do have work to do."
"You're an honorary fifth year. Besides, you can do magic I wouldn't even dream of doing until at least sixth year. Remember how you used a wordless bombarda on Merlin last year? That was awesome, and pretty powerful, too. So you, Cassie, are welcome at this party. And do the work the day it's due, not when Granger tells you it's due, which is probably a week off, anyway." Tommy slurred, taking another swig of whatever he was drinking.
"Okay, I'm making an executive decision and cutting you off. No more booze for you." she said, taking his cup. "How you let him get this drunk, I'll never know. But at least you're not muggles. Teenage muggle boys really can't take their drinks."
"Maybe the ones you know." Spencer, another fifth year boy, said with a smirk.
"No no, all muggle boys can't take their booze. I could probably out-drink them."
"Seriously? You're thirteen. How much practice with drinks have you had?"
"Challenge accepted. I'll get the ingredients next Hogsmeade weekend and show you just how much 'practice' I've had-which is really none. But I make a killer cocktail. Where's Merlin? Now he can definitely out-drink you all." Cassie said with a snicker.
"With the Gryffindors probably. He left after a couple hours. And you really think he can out-drink us? He probably takes a sip of butterbeer and gets drunk." Spencer added, making Cassie chuckle.
"No, I don't think he can, I know he could outdrink you. He lived in a small village. Plenty of moonshine. We'll just have to wait until the last weekend before Christmas hols to prove that to you. We'll both be fourteen then anyway." Cassie said with a shrug,
"You are an enigma, wrapped in a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, Cassiopée." Winston, the last of the fifth year Hufflepuff boys, said.
"Well, thank you Winnie. But you got the order mixed up. I'll let it slide, you are drunk after all. "
"Actually, I haven't had more than this cup." he said with a smirk.
"No refills?"
"Half a refill." he admitted
"See Tommy, Bulldog's having fun and he's not completely sloshed." Cassie said, slapping Tommy's arm.
"Why did you call him Bulldog?" Cedric asked, confused
"His name's Winston. And he almost quoted the eponymous former Prime Minister."
"Yeah, we're all too drunk to understand what you just said, and you sound more french today, by the way." Irene, a pretty redhead with green eyes, told her.
"He quoted a Winston whose nickname was Bulldog." Cassie said, talking with a fake posh english accent for them to understand better.
"Oh! Why don't you talk like that every day?" Mary slurred, nodding her head curiously.
"It's too hard, I have to really think about it." Cassie told them, reverting to her natural french accent.
"And we know how difficult that is for you." Cedric said with a snort.
"Watch it, Ced! I may be too lazy to think about how I talk, but it doesn't mean I'm too lazy to think up a good prank on you. And I'm completely sober right now."
"Well, I was just about to add that you only think when it comes to pranks." he said with a challenging grin.
"Grin all you want, pretty boy. You'll wake up with donkey ears tomorrow." Cassie said with an innocent smile.
"She's not kidding, gave her brother a pig's snout over the summer because he played keepaway with her shoes." Merlin said from behind them, making all of the fifth years laugh raucously, "And you shouldn't be drinking. You can't hold your alcohol, Cassie." he said, taking the cup from her and downing it in one.
"That was Tommy's actually. And I can too! Remember that time with Gwen and the Orujo!" she told him with a grin.
"Sadly, I do. How do you? What is it? Frïs?" he asked, handing the empty cup back to Cassie.
"Um…" Roberta said, looking between the two confusedly.
"Yeah, it smelled like vodka." Cassie said, clearly noting how the others were too gobsmacked to say anything.
"Could have used some more." he said, smacking his lips and walking off to his dorm.
"Told ya! Leave it to me to get everything." Cassie said happily to the group of open-mouthed fifth years, going to her own dorm to do her homework while they just started after them.
"What just happened?" Cedric asked.
"Think she just planned a party." Spencer said, still staring after them.