DARLING | F. WEASLEY

Twenty Nine

Cassiopeia had been through a lot in her life time, in fact considering she almost died a couple weeks ago doesn't even sum it up. The scar on her hand from Umbridge still stung every time a word was said, but it didn't hurt as much as it once did.

Cassiopeia's hair had stayed a dull grey colour since she agreed to help the order, and especially after Arthur Weasley's attack she had to help with the war, she had to do something because she knew if they didn't win this war she wouldn't win the war in herself.

"What do you mean in you?" George asked carefully.

"I feel this pain, this constant linger that I will never be good enough, that I will never be me, because he's always somewhere lingering. I thought if I didn't tell anyone that feeling would go away, but it just gets stronger and stronger and I feel like all my feelings and all my thoughts aren't what's kept me sane all my life."

"What's been keeping you sane?"

"You and Fred, when I'm around you two I don't feel like I have to be brave because I know you already know I am. Everyone else is like this mirror, and that I have to copy and follow and if I don't all I see is his face, hear his voice, my hair hasn't changed since I almost died when Moody asked me what he did, and my hand, is a constant reminder that I will never be able to love someone completely and utterly only because of one stupid mistake. I will never allow myself to feel what he can't, somewhere deep inside I feel like I'm just as monstrous as he is."

"You're not a bad person, do you think dad is because he got attacked? No, of course he's not, do you think Harry is a bad person because he survived you-know-who? Don't be stupid, Ginny is a little annoying sometimes but she's one of the toughest people out there, Cassiopeia, you aren't a bad person because something bad has happened to you, you need to stop punishing yourself for something you had no control over. You are not a victim, you're alive, with us, and my brother, he may also be kind of stupid, but he cares about you, we all do, some in different ways, but like it or not, we're not going anywhere and you need to realise that because sooner or later it will be too late." Cassiopeia hugged George tightly, and he hugged her back.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, honestly I'm always a mess." Cassiopeia chuckled as did George.

"It's okay, The Weasley's are messy, but once you are in, there's no going back."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Nymphadora had been with Remus, Harry and the others but while they were visiting Mr. Weasley Moody had taken Cassiopeia to aside a long with Tonks and Remus.

"What's good?" Cassiopeia asked the old man in front of her to which he responded with a grunt.

"You don't like me very much, do you Mad-eye?"

"He doesn't like anyone, I wouldn't take it personally." Remus whispered even though he fully well knew Mad-eye could hear him.

"Listen Lupin, this isn't a wolf tea party, this is business from the Order, we've got something lined up for Tonks and Lupin." Both Nymphadora and Cassiopeia looked up and Moody pointed at Cassiopeia to which she gave a toothy grin.

"I wouldn't be smiling if I were you."— Cassiopeia's face dropped.—"We've Received information that the dark lord and Harry are connected through their minds, that he hasn't figured it out yet, now, Dumbledore needs someone inside the castle, incase something goes down and it's not like we can throw a bunch of first years into the fire." Moody paused for a moment, — "That's where you come in Cassiopeia."

"You've got to be kidding me."—"The first proper mission I get is to go back to Hogwarts? With that foul loathsome, evil, devil fairy witch?! That pink— Toad!" Despite Cassiopeia's anger her hair remained grey.

"Stop acting like a child, this is order business, if you can't do what your asked maybe Sirius was wrong about you." Moody snapped.

"Lay off, Mad-eye, we wouldn't want any trouble." Nymphadora warned him.

"Stop acting like a child? Stop treating me like one, sending me back to school? Are you honestly that ridiculous?"

"Someone needs to be able to keep tabs on Umbridge, find out what she's doing, without getting into trouble."

"Where does Lupin come in on this?"

"I'll be close by, I've got a few jobs to do, so if anything goes wrong or south, you can send me your  corporeal Patronus, it's not like Umbridge will let me walk through the walls considering what I am, but we'll make it work."

"We've only got like three terms left, surely there's someone else?"

"You said you wanted to be apart of the order, did you not? The order is about following damn orders."

"If anything goes wrong, anything, it'll be your arse on the line, you've got that? And anyway, how the bloody hell am I going to go back to Hogwarts?"

"You'll be leaving with the Weasley's, I suggest you start packing."