little miss black

-14-

"Miss Black, will you be staying for Christmas?" Mcgonnagol asked. Cass glanced at Sirius.

"No professor." She said. Mcgonnagol nodded and moved on.

"Mr Black? Staying for Christmas?"

"Em no Professor." Sirius said. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing.

"Something wrong Sirius?" Mcgonnagol asked.

"No Professor." Sirius said.

"Because you don't have to go home you know. You can stay here for Christmas."

"I know Professor." Mcgonnagol nodded and moved to the next group of people.

"Cass!" Lily said.

"Yeah?"

"Averys coming over." Lily said.

"For fu-"

"Miss Black!"

"-dges sake." Cass recovered. Professor Mcgonnagol shook her head.

"That's what I thought."

Avery sauntered over. "Miss me?" He smirked.

"Yes, so much Avery. Oh I can barely contain my excitement." Cass said, rolling her eyes.

"Just to let you know-" he put his arms in her shoulders and his head close to her ear. "-this is your last chance to take it back. I'm on my way to send your mother my letter." Cass shivered.

"Wow, you really know how to woo me." Cass said.

"Come on, we can go back to the broom closet." Avery stroked her hair. Cass jerked away. "You know you want me." Cass stood up.

"No! I didn't want you then, and I don't want you now. So fuck off!" She pushed him away from her.

"Now, now Cassiopeia. There's already a section in my letter talking about how you broke my nose, wouldn't want another section on violence." Avery smirked. Cass stopped.

"Maybe you wouldn't, but I certainly would." She said, aiming a kick at his balls. She heard a loud groan as she walked away and smiled in satisfaction. Sirius and Lily staring after her, along with the rest of the great hall.

•••

Cass sat in the library, finishing off an essay when Remus walked in. "Mind if I sit?" He asked. Cass shook her head. Remus pulled out some parchment and his quill and ink.

"What essay are you working on?" Cass asked.

"Potions. You?"

"Transfiguration." The two worked in a comfortable silence.

"Remus! Remy-poo!" James called, skipping into the library and earning himself a glare from Madame Pince. Remus groaned.

"Remy-poo?" Cass questioned. Remus groaned louder and buried his head in his hands.

"Hey Remus, hey Cass." James said, grinning widely.

"What do you want?" Cass said, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

"Can't I just come and say hello to my dear friends?"

"No. What do you want?" Remus said. James dropped his smile.

"I need help with the charms essay." He said.

"Sorry mate, I haven't don't it yet." Remus said.
James looked pleadingly at Cass.

"It'll cost you." Cass said.

"How much?"

"Sugar quills. Lots and lots of sugar quills." Cass beamed. James nodded and the pair shook hands.

•••

"Come on Sirius, we'll miss the train." Cass said, tugging his arm. Sirius didn't move.

"I decided I'm not going home. I'm taking a stand, sticking up for myself."

"I'll stick something up you in a minute. Come on." Cass said sternly. Sirius groaned and begrudgingly let her drag him towards the carriages.

•••

"Merry Christmas guys! See you in a few weeks!" James said as the train pulled into the platform. He then dashed off to his parents. The rest slowly filed out, leaving Sirius and Cassiopeia alone in the compartment.

"I don't know if I can do this Sirius." Cass said.

"You can Cass. Come on. You can do it." Sirius said. Cass shook her head.

"I can't Sirius." She said, her voice cracking. Her eyes filled with tears but she wiped them away harshly. "I'm not like you, I can't just argue until they say go to your room. I can't just disappear off to James' like you. I'm not brave like you. I can't do this anymore." Cass was sobbing now. Sirius glanced anxiously out the window, spotting Walburga and Orion easily. They didn't look happy.

"Cass you can. You're the bravest person I know. You always take the hit for me, never letting anyone say anything bad about me to our parents. Always sticking up for me. I love you and I'm here for you." Sirius said. "But seriously, we better go otherwise we're going to have a big mess on our hands." Cass snorted loudly.

"Bigger then the one I'm already in you mean?"
She said. Sirius didn't reply, just grabbed his trunk and got off the train. Cass composed herself, grabbed her trunk and followed her brother.

•••

It was dinner time before her mother said anything to her. "I hear you and Avery are dating?" She said casually.

"What?" Cass said.

"Yes, he wrote to me at the start of term saying that you were together now."

"Oh they-" Regulas began but stopped after Sirius stamped on his foot.

"They're what Regulas?"

"They are. Together I mean."

"Good. I'm very pleased. You finally did something good with yourself." Walburga smiled thinly at her daughter. Cassiopeia nodded nervously. Surely Averys letter was delayed in getting here. "You should invite him for Christmas." Walburga said.

"Eh, no he's going to visit relatives." Cass lies quickly. She was digging herself a bigger hole but it got her mother off of her back for a few days at least.

"Oh that's a shame. I would love to see him." Walburga said. Cass nodded.

"Can I leave the table?" Regulas said.

"Of course, you all can." Walburga said. Sirius and Cass stuck closely together as they went upstairs. Regulas grabbed the two of them and pulled them into his room.

"What are you playing at Cass? You're going to get caught." Regulas hissed, closing the door. "Avery told me to be wary of mother as she'd be very angry these holidays."

"Oh for fucks sake." Sirius muttered.

"Cass, I don't want you to get hurt." Regulas said worriedly.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me." Cass said, trying to reassure her younger brother. Regulas looked unsure. "Honestly Regulas, I'll be fine I promise."