little miss black

-102-

October 15th

Dear Cass,
It's been over a month since you left, or were taken, or whatever. It's horrible without you. I miss you so fucking much. I don't know if you'll ever read this letter, but if you do I love you. I'm sorry I didn't say it enough before you left.
I have good news, I finally confessed my feelings to James and he likes me back! I can practically hear your eye roll and your 'I told you so'. You were right, you're always right.
I'm sorry that we haven't managed to figure out where you are. I've never seen Sirius like this, not even throughout all the times that you were in the hospital wing. It's awful, it's like someone has taken away all of his happiness. He needs you Cass, we all do. Sorry for the smudges on this letter, I got a bit emotional. I hope you come back soon.
All my love,
Lily

Lily wiped the tears that had fallen as she wrote the letter and folded it up, slipping it into the bottom of her trunk with the other letters she had written to Cass. She had no intention of sending them, knowing that it would get Cass into trouble if she even received them, but it was a form of comfort to Lily.

"Lil?" Alice said, breaking Lily out of her thoughts.

"Yeah Alice, I'm just coming." Lily said, picking up her bag.

"Oh about that, I have to patrol with Remus." Alice said awkwardly. McGonagall has asked her to fill in as prefect for Cass. "Sorry."

"It's okay." Lily said.

"Anyway, James is looking for you." Alice said. "He said it was important, something about prefect schedules colliding or something."

"Oh for fucks sake." Lily muttered. "It's late, I want to go to bed."

"He seemed pretty adamant about it." Alice said. "Did you hear Noah gets back tomorrow?"

"Yeah, Grace told me in HOM." Lily said, a faint smile gracing her lips. "That'll be good."

"Grace said he doesn't want to come back." Alice said.

"I mean, I don't blame him." Lily said. "I don't particularly like it here at the moment either."

"Lily..." Alice said, her face morphing into one of concern.

"James wants me you said? I'd better go." Lily said quickly, pushing past Alice and practically sprinting down the stairs. She ran straight into James' chest. She stumbled backwards but James caught her easily.

"Woah there." He chuckled. "You'd better watch where you're going Evans."

"Oh shut it Potter." Lily rolled her eyes. "What's this about prefect schedules?"

"Oh, that was a lie. I have something planned." James smiled mysteriously. The corners of Lily's mouth twitched.

"Like a date?" She said.

"Yes, I suppose so." James said happily. "If that's okay of course, I know we just went on last week and-"

"Of course it's okay you utter dork." Lily laughed. "Where are we going?"

"That's a surprise." James said. "This way, m'lady." He bowed. Lily laughed and shoved him playfully. James grinned and took her hand, leading her out into the dark grounds.

The black lake glistened in the moonlight. Lily gasped as she saw a picnic blanket surrounded by candles and flowers on the grass next to it. There was a small picnic basket perched in the middle of the blanket. James grinned as he saw her shocked expression.

"I brought your favourites — chocolate covered strawberries and macaroons." He said proudly, sitting down on the blanket.

"It's amazing." Lily whispered. "How did you pull it off?"