( chapter seventy-eight )
"I HAVE A PLAN."
"That's dangerous."
Sirius pulled a face as he turned to look at James, he quickly help his middle finger up at him.
His eyes then widened as he turned to face Fleamont and Euphemia.
"I didn't swear just then, and you cannot prove that I did." He stated, saying his words rather quickly as he did so.
The three Potters and Sirius were currently sitting in the living room of the Potter Cottage.
James was sitting on one of the armchairs. It was a soft red colour and looked rather worn down, different strands of red fabric coming off the chair at different points. He held a cushion to his chest, small golden tassles at each of the four corners of the cushion.
Euphemia and Fleamont sat on the sofa next to James, their knees touching as they sat forwards slightly on the sofa, which was a similar red to the one James was sitting on, however, it looked more new.
The three of them stared up at Sirius as he stood infront of them, pacing back and forth as if he were the CEO of a company and was holding an important meeting.
One of his hands was raised to his chin, making him look in deep thought. While the other hand was behind his back.
James thought he looked very stupid.
Euphemia slowly shook her head, a small smile making its way onto her face while Fleamont let out a soft chuckle.
"Get to the point Sirius, Christmas is coming."
Sirius rolled his eyes and turned to face the Potters, a large grin on his face.
"Well, I was thinking-"
"I hope it didn't hurt you too much."
"Go choke on a banana."
Sirius let out a small cough, trying to gain everyone's attention again and stop James from talking.
"So, seeing as we know that Mia and Monty haven't had time alone this holiday."
James blinked a few times and a look of disgust made its way onto his face as he stared up at Sirius.
"I thought we should take Cass and Reggie out so they could have some alone time."
Euphemia and Fleamont shared a look.
"No like that, you dirty people." Sirius said when he noticed the looks on the others faces, he let out a small laugh.
"So that the two of them can wrap my Christmas gifts."
James shook his head and he looked down at his lap, before he quickly turned to face Sirius with a raised eyebrow.
"Hang on a moment, what do you mean your gifts? Am I just not getting any or something?"
"No, you've been naughty this year. Anyway James, please stay on topic."
James opened his mouth to respond, but Sirius only snapped the word 'Topic.' in his direction with a serious look on his face.
"So, I thought that maybe we could invite Lily, Marlene, Alice, Remmy and Peter to the zoo, seeing as Regulus and Cassie have never been."
Fleamont and Euphemia nodded, smiling up at the boy they considered their son.
"That sounds good Sirius."
Sirius grinned proudly and James stood up, he wrapped his arm around Sirius' and help him a headlock while he messed up his hair with a freee hand.
"Seems like you had a good idea for once."
"That 'for once' was rude and unnecessary."
･・･☽✥☾･・･
Cassie held James' hand as he pulled her through the crowd of people that were lining up to buy tickets for something that the other had called a Zoo.
Cassie had no idea what the Zoo was, nor did she really care.
The weather was so cold that she just wanted to cuddle James in their bed for the entire day.
She hadn't gotten much sleep the previous night, nightmares filling her dreams once again.
She couldn't remember when she had gotten a place nights sleep without the help of a potion.
Being next to James helped in the way that she didn't thrash around as she slept, meaning that she didn't have any new bruises on her skin.
But James didn't help with the nightmares swarming her in her sleep, like an army waiting for when she was at her most vulnerable.
But, of course, she was dragged outside in the blistering cold and to this place against her will.
She was wearing a thick winter coat, it was dark blue and had small wooden buttons that were keeping her coat closed by being hooked around some elastic. She had one of James' hats on, it was black and had a black bobble on the top of it. She was also wearing a pair of mittens, that were keeping her fingers warm.
She looked ahead of her to see that Sirius and Regulus were no-longer in view.
She furrowed her eyebrows as she looked up at James, who was looking above the crowd to try and find something.
"Where did Reg and Siri go?" Cassie asked as James continued to pull her along.
"It's a surprise."
"I hate surprises."
James furrowed his eyebrows slightly and looked down at Cassie, she was smiling up at him now.
He looked back up, knowing that she was only joking with him and was trying to get the surprise out of him.
"But you love me and that equals it out."
Cassie stared blankly at him.
"Like protons and electrons in an atom." James continued to speak, not noticing the confused look on his girlfriends face.
"They balance eachother out to be nuteral, so your love for surprises is neutral."
"What the actual fuck is a 'poton'?"
James snorted softly at Cassies mispronunciation of the word. A father with a small child send her a small glare, but she didn't notice.
He went to speak again, before he caught sight of Sirius and Regulus, not too far away. They were standing with five other people.
James walked to the edge of the crowd, before he stopped. He placed his hands either side of Cassies shoulders and turned her body so that she was facing the other people.
Cassie's eyes widened as she noticed who was standing there, and she didn't waste a moment before running over to them.
She quickly pulled Marlene, Lily and Alice into a tight hug.
The three Gryffindors caught off guard at first, but they quickly hugged back.
James couldn't help but grim at the four of them, he was happy that Cassie was happy.
･・･☽✥☾･・･
"Is it meant to be that close to me?" Cassie asked in a hushed whisper as she stared at the tiger that was the other side of the glass.
Lily let out a small chuckle as she nodded.
"Yeah, it means that you can see it better." Remus stated.
Cassie stared at the tiger.
"But that means it can see me better, what if thinks I'd make a good meal and tries to eat me? I'm too young to die."
"I don't think I tigers eat seventeen year old with black hair for their dinner." Marlene added on.
"You never know, it may fancy something different for a change."
James snickered as he wrapped his arm around Cassie's waist. He rested his chin on the top of her head.
"Don't worry, love. If it tries to eat you, I'll protect you."
Cassie blinked a few times as she continued to stare at the tiger.
"I'm doomed."
･・･☽✥☾･・･
Regulus pressed his face up against the glass as he stared into the dark enclosure, his eyes squinted as he tried to notice something inside of it.
Sirius stared at his brother with a confused expression on his face.
Remus was standing next to him and his hand kept inching towards the other boys, but he stopped it as he wanted the day to be about Cassie and Regulus.
Even if he did really want to tell people so that he and Remus could be affectionate in public.
"Reg? What are you doing?" Remus said as he stared at the boy.
The others had gone off to the bathroom while they stayed to look at another animal, however —
"I want to see what animal is inside." Regulus replied, not looking away from the glass once as she desperately wanted to caught sight of the animal.
"That is an empty enclosure." Remus said as Sirius let out a laugh.
Regulus pulled away from the glass and looked around for a sign, he noticed one that was right next to him.
"Oh yeah. . ."
Regulus let out a small sigh as he laughed at himself.
･・･☽✥☾･・･
"Do you think they'd let me kidnapp the panda?" Cassie asked, her voice laced with awe as she stared at the black and white animal infront of her.
One of the pandas has its back pressed up against the glass, its fur flat. Cassies hand was resting on top of it and she had a large smile on her face.
Another panda was the other side of the enclosure, pulling bamboo from the patch besides it at eating it quickly.
A third panda was sitting in the middle of the enclosure, it was staring up at the grey sky.
"I think they'd notice if you were to take one Cass." Alice said, but she too was looking at the pandas in awe.
"I think I love this panda more than you James, sorry to break your heart and all." Cassie said and James shook his head but he let out a small laugh.
"I had no chance of winning over a panda."
･・･☽✥☾･・･
"It's staring at me." Cassie eerily mentioned as she looked at the fish that was floating infront of her.
"I think it wants a staring contest with you Cass." Peter spoke up, laughing quietly at the creeped out look on her face.
The others began to laugh as Cassie widened her eyes at the fish, wanting to win the staring contest that they were having.
"If I win do I get to eat the fish- fuck!" She exclaimed as she blinked and she gave the fish a dirty look.
"The fish cheated." She announced a few moments later as they all began to walk away from the fish - due to the looks they were being given due to their language.
"Of course it did." James said, slowly shaking his head.
"Fish don't blink though."
･・･☽✥☾･・･
Regulus flinched as a lound noise sounded throughout the Zoo, it was coming from the speakers that were dotted around.
It didn't go un noticed by Cassie, who quickly walked over to Regulus and placed her arm around his shoulders — which was difficult seeing as he was taller than she was — and just stood with him until she stopped shaking.
Sirius walked over to Regulus and wrapped his arm around the shoulder that Cassie didn't, wanting to be there more for his brother now.
The others continued to walk, not wanting to make the Black siblings feel awkward.
Sirius and James hadn't explained to the five of them why Cassie and Regulus were now staying with them, but they had said that they thought it would be better if they didn't ask and let Cassie and/ or Regulus tell them when they were ready to.
"I'm sorry." Regulus muttered, feeling slightly ashamed.
"You don't need apologise, Reg, not at all." Cassie said, smiling up at Regulus.
Regulus nodded and pulled Cassie and Sirius into a hug, which the other two quickly returned.
･・･☽✥☾･・･
"Thank you." Cassie said as one of her mitten covered hands grabbed James', he didn't waste a second before he began to run his thumb over the back of her hand.
"What for?" James asked, looking down at her.
He smiled as he did so, due to the redness of her cheeks because of the cold and the way that she looked as if she was desperately trying to stop herself from looking away from James and at the animals around her.
"For today." James was going to interrupt and tell her that it was all Sirius' idea, but he stopped when she continued to speak.
"It's definitely my second favourite day ever."
James raised an eyebrow in question as she said that, Cassies smile grew.
"Whats your favourite day?" He questioned and a small blush made its way onto Cassies face as she answered.
"When you asked me to be your girlfriend."
･・･☽✥☾･・･
HEY, ITS ME
SORRY THIS IS REALLY LATE,
I HONESTLY FEEL LIKE SHIT
AND HAVE SPENT THE WHOLE DAY
IN BED WATCHING YOUTUBE, WHICH DIDNT HELP MY HEADACHE, LOL
(thank you e-boys for making
my day better)
(and I don't mean like tik-tok
e-boys, I mean Will, James, Alex and George sndkfkkg)
ANYWAYS
THIS CHAPTER WAS REALLY
FUN TO WRITE AND I
HONESTLY LOVED IT AND I
HOPE YOU GUYS DID TOO
EVERYONE OF THEM IS A
PRECIOUS BEAN THAT I
WANNA KIDNAP AND KEEP
IN MY NON-EXISTENT BASEMENT
TO HIDE THEM FROM THE WORLD
(:
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER AS USUAL PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THOUGHT AND WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE NEXT
UNTIL NEXT TIME
- Emily xx