little miss black

-18-

"I'm not saying we should pester her! I'm just saying we should gently try and get information out of her." Marlene said.

"We should respect her privacy. It's not really our business." Alice said.

"It is if she's getting hurt!" Lily said.

"Lily, we don't know she is." Alice said.

"Bullshit! Did you see her? Her boggart is her parents. That's not a good sign!" Lily snapped. The room fell silent. Lily turned around. "Oh. Hi Cass, we were just—"

"Just, speaking about things that are non of your business?" Cass said. She folded her arms.

"Um...no?" Lily said.

"Don't lie please Lily. I know you were, and I'm not mad. I know you're just concerned but this is something I have to deal with on my own." Cass sighed. Lily engulfed her in a hug. Cass flinched.

"We're here if you need us." Alice said. Cass nodded. She grabbed her book and left the dormitory, leaving the girls to their conversations.

"Well... she took that better then I thought she would." Dorcas said. Lily snorted.

"That could have gone a lot worse." Marlene said.

•••

The daily prophet was the talk of the morning, you-know-who was on the rise and he and his followers had murdered a whole village of muggles. That took everyone's attention away from Cassiopeias boggart. Cass sat down at breakfast, beside a worried looking Lily.

"What's up Lils?" She asked.

"The village... it's near where I live." Lily said in hushed tones. "I-I went to school with people who live there. I just hope that they were out when it happened."

"What's going on?" Sirius asked, plopping down next to James. "Why does everyone look so sad?"

"You-know-who and his followers murdered a whole muggle village." James said, passing him the newspaper.

"Oh." Sirius said. He scanned through the article. "Well, if they knew who did it why don't they arrest them?"

"It's not that easy Sirius." Remus said. "People are good at hiding, especially witches and wizards."

"Cass, you seen the names in here?" Sirius asked. Cass shook her head.

"I've been waiting until I feel more awake to read it fully." She held up her own copy of the Daily Prophet. Lily was hastily scribbling on a piece of paper.

"What are you doing Lily?" Alice asked, sitting down across from her with Marlene, Poppy and Dorcas.

"Writing to my parents." Lily said. She looked at Poppy. "Seen the prophet?" Poppy shook her head. Remus handed her the paper.

"Shit that's near where we live." Poppy said.

"I know, that's why I'm checking if there are any survivors." Lily said, folding up her letter and putting it in an envelope.

"What's everyone's plans for this fine Saturday then?" James asked. People muttered about homework and wizards chess, no one having any set plans. "Miss Evans, would you care to accompany me for a stroll along the lakeside?"

"Shove off Potter." Lily said tiredly. Cass kicked James hard under the table. He hissed in pain. "I'm going to send this letter. Coming Poppy?"

"Yeah, see you later guys."

•••

"You know, I really cannot be bothered to do this potions essay. I mean, I wasn't even there when we learnt this shit, I was at McGonagalls office." Sirius said.

"You should still do it Sirius, you don't want to fall behind. Especially with our fourth year exams coming up, and O.W.Ls next year." Remus said, looking up from his own essay.
They were sitting in the common room, in the seats by the fire. Remus and Sirius were sitting on the sofa, James was sitting in the armchair, and Peter was lying on the floor.

"Whatever Remus. Peter, want to play wizards chess?" Sirius said, ignoring Remus' advice.

"On your own head be it." Remus muttered, going back to his own essay.

"You're very quiet James, are you alright?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, I'm just...thinking." James said.

"Woah! Don't hurt yourself mate." Sirius grinned.

"Shut up." James said, unable to disguise his own grin.

"What are you thinking about?" Peter asked.

"Let me guess, Lily." Sirius said. James shook his head. "Really?" Sirius asked doubtfully.

"I'm just thinking about you-know-who and his following. Like that muggle village, that's so close to where Lily and Poppy live. Imagine it had been a few towns over..." James trailed off.

"I know. It's scary to think about." Peter said.

"Yes, especially when we should be doing this essay for Slughorn!" Remus said.

"Shh Remus, the adults are talking." Sirius said. James and Peter laughed whilst Remus folded his arms crossly.

"You're the furthest away from an adult someone could get." He snapped. Sirius grinned.

"Aw Rem. Did I hurt your feelings?" Remus glared at him. He stood up and stalked off upstairs. "Think I must've." Sirius said. James and Peter were in peals of laughter.

"Hiya boys." Cass said chirpily, sitting beside Sirius. "Where's Remus?"

"He's sulking in the dormitory." Sirius said. "Why?"

"He said he'd help me with the potions stuff I missed."

"So he'll help you, but he won't offer me help? How rude." Sirius said, pouting.

"Aw Siri, it's okay. I'm sure James will help you." Cass said.

"I don't want help from James! He's rubbish at potions." Sirius said, earning a kick from James.

"I am not!"

"You are so." Peter said.

"Lilyflower, sure I am not rubbish at potions?" James called to a passing Lily. She rolled her eyes.

"Hey Lily!" Sirius said.

"Hi Sirius." Lily smiled at him.

"So he gets a hi and I get an eye roll? How rude." James huffed. Cass giggled.

"Lily, can you help me with potions?" Sirius asked.

"Of course, let me just get my stuff." Lily said. Sirius grinned at James.

"Unbe-bloody-leviable." James muttered.

"Right, I'm off to find Remus. See you later!" Cass said, jumping up and disappearing upstairs to the boys dormitory.

"She's in good mood." Peter commented from the floor.

"I know." Sirius said. He was slightly puzzled by Cass' happiness as just the day before she was the complete opposite.

"Maybe she's had good news from your parents." Peter said. Sirius snorted but quickly masked it with a cough. James raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, maybe." Sirius said vaguely. "Still up for wizards chess Pete?"