little miss black

-39-

"Where were you last night?" Sirius asked, sitting down across from Cass at breakfast. "We waited for you to come back."

"I was at the library." Cass said breezily. "And I know, I saw you when I came back. I just didn't want to wake you." Sirius have her a suspicious look but didn't press the topic. They headed to Herbology. The entrance hall was crowded and Cass was shoved into someone, knocking the books out of their hand. It was unfortunate that the person she fell into was Severus Snape. "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!" Cass said. She bent down to help him pick his things up. Snape snatched a book out of her hand.

"Watch where you're going." He snapped. "Filthy blood-traitor." Cass didn't meet his eye but just muttered some more apologies. Snape muttered some more insults. Sirius appeared at her shoulder.

"This snake bothering you Cass?" He asked. Snape glared at them both. Cass shook her head.

"No, no it was my fault." She said. Sirius and Snape were still glaring at each other. "Come on. We'll be late to Herbology." Cass tried to drag him away. Sirius didn't move. "Sirius come on." Cass ya led him by the arm and out of the entrance hall.

"Stay away from my sister Snivellus!" Sirius yelled. Cass dragged him all the way to the greenhouses. Sirius muttered insults about Snape to himself the whole way there.

"For heavens sake Sirius, I fell into him." Cass said finally.

"Doesn't give him an excuse to be rude. Calling you that." Sirius said stubbornly. Cass frowned but stayed quiet. They went into greenhouse 3 and Sirius stalked off to James. Cass sighed and stood beside Lily. She barely listened to what they were doing.

"Are you alright Cass? You're very quiet." Alice asked.

"Yeah." Cass said. "Just some Slytherin being a twat. What else is new?"

"Who?" Marlene asked. Cass hesitated. She shivered soul into the pot in front of her. She was aware that now Dorcas, Lily, Alice and Marlene were all watching her with interest.

"Oh um..." She said. "Snape." Looks of fury flitted over Dorcas and Marlenes faces. Alice scrunched her nose up in disgust. Lily merely frowned.

"He was probably in a rush to be somewhere." Lily said. "Or he was in a bad mood."

"A bad mood doesn't mean he can go around calling people blood traitors." Sirius said sharply. Cass jumped, she hadn't realised he was behind her. Lily's frown deepened.

"That slimy son of a-" Marlene said. Dorcas nudged her swiftly as Professor Sprout strolled past. "Last time I checked he wasn't even a pure blood." She angrily piled fertiliser into her plant pot. "Not that it matters." She added quickly.

"It's not a big deal." Cass mumbled. "It's not the first time and it won't be the last." They all stared at her.

"I swear, I'll get him one day." Sirius practically growled. "That snot-nosed, greasy haired, piece of-"

"Mr Black, please return to your own station." Professor Sprout said. Sirius stormed back to his desk, muttering angrily to James and Remus.

"Cass, maybe you should do something about the Slytherins." Alice said quietly. "I'm sure McGonnagall-"

"She's got enough to deal with." Cass said. "It's fine honestly, Sirius is just making a bigger deal out of it than it needs to be." She glanced sideways at Lily, who was trying very hard not to look at anyone. She knew Lily still liked Snape and still thought highly of him. Marlene still had an expression of disgust. Dorcas spotted it and quickly steered the conversation away from Snape.