DARLING | F. WEASLEY

Twenty Seven

Cassiopeia was sat by herself until she heard a knock on the door. Looking up she saw Fred standing there by himself.

"Hi." He spoke, coming to sit down next to her.

"So. . . We're talking now?" Cassiopeia asked as she looked down to her feet.

"We're friends with dead people now?" He asked back which made her laugh. A first real laugh in a long time.

"Why didn't you tell me?"  He asked looking at her, and she broke down crying, instantly he went to her and hugged her.

"You don't know what it feels like to be so alone. You have this. . . Amazing family, I'm greatful for my family don't get me wrong, I love them all, but sometimes I feel like the least important person and it's selfish, I know it's selfish and when I was talking to Tom it felt like I belonged somewhere, I thought that's what it felt like to be wanted. I thought that If . . . I let him, if I let him if I-I had something to hold onto, I wouldn't be just me." She curled up as he held her.

"Just you? Just you? Cassiopeia, George and I didn't just cheer you up on that platform because you looked sad,  because you held onto your father so tightly. Me and George always have had a big family, and our mum taught us that someone who loves their family so much  never deserves to feel like that, and when we saw you we knew it was the right thing to do. It was the best thing we've ever done, and probably will ever do." Cassiopeia had stopped crying by now and she was looking at him almost as if she was seeing just him for the first time.

They both leaned in as they were already so close.

"What are we doing?" Cassiopeia whispered as they were inches apart.

"I . . .don't know." He whispered back getting closer to each other without knowing. Their lips almost touching

"Should we?" She asked hesitantly, "Is this right?" There was a loud bang agaisnt the door and the two jumped back pretending like nothing happened, however there were five people standing by the door looking around like nothing happened.

Ginny, George, Nymphadora, Sirius and Ron stood there pretending to have a conversation.

"Oh! Right! Mum's coming home, dad will be in a couple of days."

"T-that's good! Good! Great!" Cassiopeia clapped her hands trying to make things less awkward but it made it all ten times more awkward. Fred awkwardly laughed scratching the back of his head.

"So, uh, Imma go, it was, this was great um. Good, good work." Cassiopeia pointed to him and shuffled passed Ron, Ginny, George, Sirius and Nymphadora and heading to the kitchen where Harry was sat who was smirking.

"What are you smirking at, Potter?"

"Oh, nothing." Cassiopeia threw a muffin at him from across the table which made   him laugh loudly.

"You're in a good mood, Potter, what's up?" Harry shook his head with a little smile.

"I'm just glad I'm not stuck in detention with Umbridge." Harry spoke catching Cassiopeia's glance.

"Is it still that bad?" She asked looking at him and he nodded.

"Worse, she won't let us use magic at all."

"Harry, I don't want you getting hurt, I know everyone has probably already told you this, but do what you need to do. I didn't stay for my last year, Merlin I got expelled, Dumbledore was ready to fight for me but it isn't Hogwarts anymore, not with her in it. So if you want to fight, I say you should. You out of everyone here, or the Ministry have more against Tom then anyone. He took a lot away from you and if they can't understand that then they don't get to know you or who Harry Potter really is, not what Rita Skeeter posted in the Daily Prophet." Harry nodded but he hesitated to ask his next question.

"What was he like? . . . Before?"

"You mean Tom?" She asked him and he nodded.

"I don't know, Harry. I thought I knew him, I was stupid enough to believe he was my friend, if anything comes out of this it will show what a horrible person he was. Targeting young vulnerable girls so he could rise to power again. I don't know about you Potter, but if I ever got the chance to hit him with a bloody buss, I would."

"Why don't you ever call him Voldemort?" He asked her and she tensed at his name.

"I used to, when I was the only one who knew my secret. So it wouldn't be obvious, but now? I don't know him as Voldemort, I know him as Tom Riddle, not this soulless monster. But then again, I guess he never really did have a soul, did he?" She watched his reaction and noticed a frown forming on his face.

"You're a good person, Harry. You are nothing like him, you are true, kind, brave,  smart and you have something he will never have."

"Yeah, what's that?"

"Love, friendship. He will never know what it's like to lose someone, to feel the burning in your heart when they've gone, or the longing ache when you think of them. He will never understand what you have."

"I don't have any family. . " he took a deep breath, "Sirius is the only one."

"Is he? Look around you Potter, you've got family everywhere. Not by blood, no, but you often forget that me and Dora are your second cousins.. or third? Honestly I don't know how this works, but, Sirius being your godfather and Sirius and I being cousins and me having a sister, you've got a whole new family, so don't you ever think your in this war alone."

"How is your mum?' Harry asked and Cassiopeia looked down.

"I haven't been allowed to talk to her that much, since Hogwarts really. Owls are being tracked and since I'm always here there's not much for me to even write about it. The order is being secretive especially about where head quarters is and who comes in and out and since my mother isn't a member of the order, or my father for that matter, but at least I've got Tonks. Just remember Harry, there's always something worth fighting for."