Mischief Managed ~ Part 2

Chapter 14

"Ben...Ben, wake up." Cassie watched as Ben's eyes started to slowly open. He seemed confused when he looked around, then his eyes landed on Cassie. "Cass," he groaned. "What happened?" As he looked around a little more, he noticed they were in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. 

Cassie had a bandage on her arm and a few stitches on her face. When he looked down, he saw he was shirtless with a bandage around his stomach. "Your ribs are broken," she told him. "You'll be okay, just need a few days rest." He struggled to sit up, then grabbed the drink that was resting on the table. The moment he drank it, he started to gag. 

"Why does everyone do that?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she walked up to him. "It's not Pumpkin Juice, that certainly won't help your bones mend." Cassie snickered, then watched Ben painfully drink the rest of his bone-mending juice. 

Once he finished with a sour face, he asked, "How's everyone else?" Cassie immediately grew sad and he could see it. "What?" He asked. "What happened?" Tears filled her eyes as she told him, "Sirius died. Bellatrix, she killed him."

Ben processed this information with pure shock on his face. "Oh...God," he breathed out. "Cass, I--...I'm so sorry." She shook her head and let out a shaky breath. "I saw Harry almost kill her," she continued. "I saw Voldemort try and tempt him."

"He was there?" Ben asked. "Did he see you, get to you?" She took a deep breath, then told him, "He got to me, yeah. He took turns torturing Harry and I...possessing us with his rage. Harry got him out of his head first, then helped me. Dumbledore was there, too. It was so much, Ben."

Ben took her hand and squeezed it. She continued, "I got Lupin to get you out of there before anything happened. After the Minister showed up...everything is a blur. I'm in the papers, though, with Harry and Dumbledore, so there's that."

"Sweetheart, I am so sorry," Ben said. "I should have been there, but I hardly remember a thing." She started crying now and it was breaking Ben's heart. "Do you know what the worst part was?" She asked. "Worse than watching Sirius die and seeing Voldemort?"

He didn't answer, but she continued, "Thinking that...that...that you died. The spell that broke your ribs, I thought it was the killing curse. I swear, I thought he killed you!" She started sobbing and Ben quickly brought her in for a hug. "Darling, I'm right here. I'm here, baby, and I'm fine."

She held on to him for dear like while also trying to be mindful of his ribs. "I love you, Ben. I've always known it, but until that moment...I didn't know how much." Ben put his nose to her hair and breathed her in. "I will never leave this world without you," he told her. "That's a promise. I love you too much, kid." When she looked up at him, he wiped her tears, then gave her a kiss.

By the time they pulled away, Professor McGonigall walked in. "Ms. Potter," she softly called. Cassie looked back to her as she said, "Professor Dumbledore would like a word." Cassie nodded, then turned to Ben. "Go," he told her, "I won't be going anywhere." She smirked, then stood up and started walking away. 

"Oh, and Mr. Cumberbatch," McGonigall said, "you've received a letter from your father." Ben groaned knowing full well what it was about. He just hoped it wasn't a howler. 

**

"Look! Cumberbum's got himself a howler!" Seamus loudly announced. Ben was released from the hospital wing a few hours after he learned about the letter. Madam Pomfrey's bone juice worked wonders, though he was still sore. 

"Shut up," Ben grumbled as he miserably looked at the red envelope. "Better just do it now," Cassie told him. "Although, we are going to be home by tonight, so I don't understand why he couldn't wait." Ben sighed, "Because, that's how bloody pissed he is and he wants me to know it. I broke into his work, taught all of you the secret entrance and got injured in the process. Not to mention, that room got destroyed."

He let out a painful sigh, then asked, "Will you come with me to open it?"

They walked down an empty hall, then sat by a window. "Here goes nothing," he said. With shaky hands, he opened the envelope and watched it fly out of his hands and turn into a mouth. 

"Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch!" A feminine voice yelled. Ben's eyes went wide in fear as he gasped, "Mum!" She continued, "I do hope you are thrilled with yourself, young man, because your father and I are livid!"

Ben put his head down in shame. "I don't know what you were thinking, breaking into his work! Had this been my department, you would be pulled out of that school so quickly, wouldn't have time to say the word, 'muggle' because that's who you would be attending school with!"

The letter took a deep breath, then sighed, "Benedict, we were so worried. When we heard You-Know-Who was there with you, we thought of the worst. That being said, you are still punished for the entire summer. The moment you get home, pack a bag because you will be spending your summer on your cousin's farm in Germany. We've already arranged a port key. Also, you will be leaving your wand behind. We'll see you soon."

The letter ripped itself up and Ben sat in shock. Cassie put her hand over his and said, "I'm sorry, Ben, this is all my fault." He took a deep breath, then shook his head. "It's not," he told her. "You didn't ask me to go, you didn't want me to. I wanted to, I, told you I was. I'm just sorry I can't spend the summer with you."

That was a bummer because they've spent every summer together since they were little. They even had a tradition of going to an old ice cream shop in town and ordered their usual order of nearly ten years to kick off summer. Looks like Cassie will be doing that on her own. 

"Harry's staying with you, right?" Ben asked. Cassie shook her head and told him, "Dumbledore said it would be too risky. It would put my parents at risk and neither of us want that. I hate that he has to stay with the Dursley's, but with Sirius gone...there's no other way."

She let out a deep sigh and looked out the window. "It's only going to get worse, isn't it?" She asked. "Voldemort is out there and he's getting stronger. At the Ministry, that won't be the last time I see him. I know it." Ben wasn't sure what to say, so he squeezed her hand and looked out of the window with her. 

A little while later, they found themselves walking with their friends to the trains. Martin and Amanda were being their sassy selves and cracking jokes; Tom was getting close with a girl from Hufflepuff that he met in detention. Ron, Harry and Hermione were walking together, but not saying much. 

At one point, Harry let himself fall behind so he could walk with Cassie. "Mind giving us a moment?" He asked Ben. Ben said, "Of course," then made his way up to Ron and Hermione. 

"I'm sorry about Sirius," Cassie told Harry. "He was your only hope for a good family." Harry gave her a smirk and said, "I do have a good family...I have you." She smiled, then started lightly laughing and brought him in for a hug.

"I love you, Harry," she told him. "No matter what happens, you're my brother and we will defeat Voldemort. Together." Harry gave her a tight hug, then said, "I know we will. We have something Voldemort doesn't have." Cassie pulled back and asked, "What's that?"

She followed his gaze over to Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna, and Ben. "Something to fight for."