[DISCONTINUED] Prudent - Sirius Black x OC

2. A little late

Cassandra Delage lived with her aunt since the age of two. Being the only feminine figure in her life, she was used to call her mom and to call the place they both lived in a home. 

Nonetheless, she never felt more at home than at Hogwarts. 

She liked to walk around the grounds, always discovering something new, like a fallen bird's nest or a pebble shaped like a heart. She liked going at the top of the Ravenclaw tower, quieter than the Astronomy tower, due to the lack of making-out student. She liked going to the library to study or read, always astonished by the amount of books she still hasn't read after all these years. And mostly, she liked spending time with her friends, who became more of a family throughout the years, and with whom she loved hanging out in the common room, surrounded by the few students that were trying to study and the occasionnal explosions caused by the infamous Marauders.

Although, despite living at Hogwarts for more than six years, she still managed to get lost in the castle, but was somehow, never late to class. Except for today.

∼∼∼∼

Cassandra woke up at the same time as Lily, and they started getting prepared before tip-toeing outside of the dorm to avoid waking up the other girls. Lily stopped and Cassandra stepped out of the staircase to watch the silent common room.

"We can go, no one in sight," she told her.

This had become a routine between the two girls since fourth year, where James was becoming more than insistant towards Lily. This only allowed her to eat in peace in the morning, and since Cassandra could only help her this way, she became her morning sentry.

Entering the Great Hall, Lily led her friend to the middle of the Gryffindor table to join the only acceptable Marauder, a.k.a. Remus Lupin. He was only an acquaintance to Cassandra, or at least a study partner, but he also was a dear friend of Lily, and he was the only Marauder member that the girl group was occasionally hanging out with. 

Cassandra thought he was gentle and smart. A veritable bookworm also he was, and the girl didn't mind spending time with him, because there always was some kind of peaceful atmosphere around him.

Although, at this very moment, Remus and Lily were only chatting by themselves, and the Great Hall seemed to welcome more and more students. Not wanting to be near too much people at the moment, Cassandra connected with Lily's eyes to notify her friend her wish to leave.

"I'm going to collect my books, class starts in thirty minutes. It was good seeing you Lupin. Good day."

Lily only nodded and Remus smiled, Cassandra getting to her feet and leaving the table. She rushed, passing the newly arrived students, and went straight to her dorm.

"Good you're finally awake! I was beginning to think that we wouldn't seeing you in class today Marls," she said while closing the door behind her.

"How can you say that ? I never miss a class, I just rather prefer to be fashionably late!"

"Right, like that time when you arrived five minutes before the bell rang... for the next lesson!" retorted Alice.

The girls exploded in laughter, while Marlene just pretended to have forgotten this regrettable event. 

"Anyway, I'm going to walk around a bit before class. See you." said Cassandra taking her bag and heading out.

She just heard Mary and Alice quickly responding, and she was pretty sure she heard Marlene mumble "good riddance".

She giggled and made her way through the portrait. She let her mind wander while walking. She knew she wouldn't be late to class because she was on the right floor for transfiguration, but she liked to roam around before, to quietly prepare herself mentally for the next two hours she will spend in class. She liked the fact that there could be one corridor filled with the frenesy of the students rushing to class, and that the next one would be empty of all latecomers and class skippers.