little miss black

-58-

Sirius sat down quietly at the back of the Transfiguration classroom, in the seat beside James. McGonagall gave him a nod and continued with the lesson.

"What's going on?" James whispered.

"It's Cass." Sirius muttered back. "She's in the hospital wing."

"Is she okay?"

"No. She said she had to tell me something but Pomfrey shoved a potion down her throat before she could."

"Mr Black, Mr Potter, if you would like to teach this class then please be my guest." McGonagall said. Sirius and James shook their heads. "Then be quiet."

"Sorry professor." Sirius murmured.

•••

"She's not woken up yet Mr Black." Madam Pomfrey said. "She probably won't for a while."

"I know. I just came to... keep her company y'know?" Sirius said. Madam Pomfrey nodded curtly, allowing him to stay. Sirius pulled his wand out of his pocket discreetly. He muttered the concealment charms that Cass usually did. "Oh Cass." He sighed. "I wish you'd tell me things. You don't have to do everything alone." He took her hand. "This is all my fault."

"Shut up." Cass mumbled, opening one eye. Sirius stared at her. "Where am I?"

"Hospital wing." Sirius said. "You've been in a magically induced coma for two days."

"I..What?" Cass said, rubbing her head.

"Why didn't you go to sleep Cass?" Sirius asked. "And why didn't you eat? Madam Pomfrey said she had to give you nutrients potions. You could have died."

"Yeah, well that would have saved me a lot of hassle." Cass muttered.

"Don't you dare talk like that Cassiopeia." Sirius said. "Don't you dare." Cass remained quiet. She looked down at herself.

"How did my.." She stopped talking as Madam Pomfrey came over.

"Good, you're awake." She said briskly, bustling round Cass' bed. "You need to eat. I'll be back in a moment."

"Regulas and I have been applying concealment charms." Sirius said sheepishly. Cass flung her arms around his neck. "Don't ever do that again, I've been worried sick."

"When are you not worried about me?" Cass said, a smile tugging at her lips. Sirius scowled.

"It's not funny." He said. "Lily had a meltdown, said it was her fault. Regulas has been in here every chance he's gotten, Remus is up to high dough, James has pushed back quidditch trials, I even had to chase Noah out of here. Bastard."

"You're right. I'm sorry." Cass said, staring out the window. "Dont know why Lily thinks it's her fault."

"She says that she should have pulled you up on it sooner and taken you here." Sirius said.

"And James... why is he controlling quidditch?" Cass said.

"Oh, didn't he tell you? He's quidditch captain this year." Sirius said. "He needs a new beater, seeker and chaser. He's stressing."

"Maybe I'll try out for seeker." Cass said thoughtfully.

"You don't play quidditch." Sirius said.