Dwelling on Dreams (A Marauders Fan Fic)

Harry Potter

“I haven’t spoken to you in so long Alice,” Cassie said as she sat down beside her old friend.

“I know, I’m sorry, I’ve been so busy. Oh but thank you so much for my present!”

“It’s nothing Alice. I’m sorry, I should have made more of an effort to try and find some time to see you outside training. I feel awful.”

“Honestly, don’t worry Cassie; Frank and I have been really busy.”

“Oh yeah, how is it? Being married and all? I’m so sorry I couldn’t make it-”

“It’s fine Cassie! You had to do things for Dumbledore; Frank and I understand! But anyway, it’s great, really great,” Alice said happily, blissfully unaware of the danger she could have been in as she talked about decorating their house and their baby Neville. She was silenced by Dumbledore’s entrance.

“I wonder who it is this time,” Cassie whispered as their old headmaster took his place at the head of the table.

“Last night a number of Order members were ambushed by Death Eaters. They were greatly outnumbered but Gideon and Fabian gave them enough time to Disapparate; unfortunately, in doing so, they were killed, finally overwhelmed as they fought five Death Eaters.” This last statement was followed by a number of gasps as Cassie fervently wished she had never said anything. Surrounded by death and destruction as the Ministry fell into despair and Muggles and Muggle-borns, blood traitors and Order members or anyone who dared oppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were tortured and killed, Cassie still wasn’t completely inured to the deaths. The unknown ones which were reported in the Daily Prophet, people to whom she had no link, elicited no reaction in her, but when it was people she knew it was different; each death served to remind her that she wasn’t as immortal as each person fancied themselves and that death lurked just around the corner, waiting to steal its next victim away.

“What does this mean for us?” someone asked.

“Gideon and Fabian left their house to the Order – this will be the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix indefinitely,” Dumbledore replied, continuing on as Cassie wondered who would be next.

***************************************************************************

“Post’s here Petunia!” Vernon shouted as he picked it up from the mat, taking it over to where Petunia was trying to calm a wailing Dudley down. “Little tyke,” he chuckled, “got a good pair of lungs on him, he does! Oh there’s a letter here for you,” Vernon said, handing it to Petunia who stopped wrestling with Dudley and opened it.

“Oh,” she said, her voice disgusted, “it’s from Lily.”

“What- what does it say?” Vernon asked cautiously, terrified that it might explode at any moment.

“She’s had a baby, a boy called Harry. What a common name, nothing like Dudley,” Petunia said, wrinkling her nose and throwing the letter in the bin. “Don’t know why she bothers to contact me anymore, she knows we don’t want anything to do with her or her good for nothing husband. No job, can you believe it? She and that Potter just live off… well all the other hard working people in this country I assume.”

“What about that pile of gold he told us about?”

“Don’t be ridiculous Vernon! He was obviously lying because he was embarrassed that he has nothing when you’re so successful. Serves Lily right,” she muttered under her breath.

***************************************************************************

Cassie and Sirius,

Harry’s christening is in a couple of weeks, there won’t be many people there, and it won’t be a big deal, you know how it is, but we would love it if you’d come anyway. Also, if it’s ok with you, we’d like you to be Harry’s godparents. You don’t have to but… well you’re the two people we really want. Anyway we’re looking forward to hearing from you (and hopefully seeing you).

Lots of love,

Lily

***************************************************************************

“What are you doing Sirius?” Cassie asked surprised as she stumbled upon him looking intently into a mirror. “Merlin you can be so vain sometimes,” she teased.

“Well at least my face is worth being vain about,” he retorted.

“Shall I just leave you and your reflection in peace then?”

“Please do, it was just getting good.”

“I hope you’re prepared to spend the rest of your life with it, and not me then.”

“Perfectly.”

“Good,” said Cassie as she left.

“Ok she’s gone,” Sirius muttered to the mirror. “What were you saying?”

“I don’t know… don’t you feel a bit bad not telling them about these?” James asked.

“I pinched them from my house Prongs; they’re probably full of Dark Magic and then Cassie and Lily will have a heart attack.”

“We’ve been using them for years though and we’re still fine,” he pointed out.

“I don’t care about the mirrors, to be honest; it’s just what they’ll say. It’ll be way too much trouble mate. Let’s just leave it; we’re fine aren’t we?”

“Yeah, yeah we are. It just feels a bit off not telling them. So anyway what I was saying was…” James continued from his end.

***************************************************************************

 “Are you sure it’s ok for me to leave you?” Sirius asked concerned.

“Yes! Just go and apologise over and over again to Prongs and Lily for me.”

“They’ll understand,” Sirius said comfortingly.

“But I’m missing Harry’s christening! I feel terrible! I’m supposed to be his godmother!” Cassie cried, her voice cracking and throat sore as she did so.

“You’re ill Cassie, they won’t mind! Besides you’ll have plenty of time to see Harry later on, it’s not like they’re just going to cut you out of their life for missing his christening! Are you sure you’ll be fine?”

“Yes I’m sure! Go or you’ll be late!”

“Certain? I don’t want to come back and find you dead on the sofa.”

“I’m certain, now go before they hate both of us!” she croaked as Sirius left the house for the christening. “Don’t forget to take the medicine I left in the kitchen!” he called as the door shut behind him.

***************************************************************************