The year went by fast. As Cassie had suspected her brother and his dumb friends caused a lot of trouble. They were now known as the pranksters of Hogwarts and gave themselves a name, The Marauders. They are particularly mean to Severus probably because he hangs around with Lily so much and James is basically in love with her.
Cassie had also become increasingly curious about one of his specific friends, Remus Lupin. He kept disappearing, using the excuse that his mother was sick, it was only every other month, but it was certainly a pattern.
Sirius didn't get disowned over the school year, but he did get a howler. It was very embarrassing for him, but his friends were there, which was acutally very annoying for his sister.
Luckily, though both of them passed their exams. While all the teachers praised Lily for her skills, Cassie and Asher made their way to the top of the class and Lily and Izzy tied for second. Cassie hadn't spoken to the red-head since the boat ride. Lily was always nice to her though and Cassie wasn't horrible to her in exchange.
~
Everyone was getting on the train ready to leave and saying goodbye to others. Cassie grabbed a compartment with Izzy and Ash. She stayed quiet, reading her book about animgi. She had also secretly taken a mandrake leaf in the hope that she could try and become one.
Before long they made it to the station. She grabbed her trunk and waited by the wall for Sirius.
He walked off the train with James, Remus, and Peter. He was really sad to leave and was very scared for the summer. There was no telling what his parents would do to him. He didn't even go home for Christmas break.
He was happy to talk to his sister again as he hadn't really found the time to during the school year and he really missed her.
~Flashback~
Sirius had caught back up the rest of the first year group that was being given a tour of the castle. "Hey mate where have you been?" Asked James.
"Just talking to my sister," he answered as he looked around at all the paintings around the pair.
"Aw mate, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but no matter how much you want to believe it she's just like the rest of them and will leave you too sooner or later," James tells him sympathetically.
"Nah, you're wrong. I may be the older one, but she's always looked out for my brother and I since we were young, and I don't think anything's going to change that," Sirius tells him and then they finally reach Gryffindor tower.
"Boy's dorms are on the right, girls are on the left and names are on the doors," The Prefect ends his speech. Sirius headed up stairs and read all of the labels to see that he was in a dorm with James, Remus, Peter, and Frank Longbottom.
~
Later that night...
Everyone else was asleep, but Sirius just couldn't fall asleep. He wouldn't admit this to anyone, but he was scared when his parents disowned him. Reggie and Cass have always been the favorites and the well-mannered ones. He started crying quietly and hoped that soon this feeling would go away.
~ Flashback over~
"See you after break; don't forget to owl, and maybe you could stay with us for a while," says James.
"Nah, I don't think my parents will say yes. You know how strict they are," Sirius tell him sadly, looking down a little, feeling bad.
"No matter, I'll see you next year. Bye," he hugs his new best friend before hugging the other two and heading to his parents.
"See you. Have a good summer Sirius." Remus hugs him and Peter before heading to his mum and dad.
"Bye Sirius," squeaked out Peter and he left. He finally spotted Cassie leaning against a wall apparently waiting for him.
"Finally, you took forever saying goodbye to your friends. What were you doing? Making out?" She asked, teasing.
"Ha Ha," he laughed sarcastically, "you would understand if you had friends of your own."
She all of the sudden turns Sirius (ha get it... okay I'll go home) "Mum and Dad will be here soon to pick us. This summer you will be on your BEST behavior, understand. That means no pranks, no talking back, no hanging up weird muggle posters around your room, no arguing with guests, or Reggie, and I'm sorry but most likely no owling your friends if mum and dad don't approve of them." She finishes her mini speech. Sirius rolls his eyes. He knows she's trying to protect him, but it can be so bothersome sometimes.
"Ugh, fine I'll 'Behave'," he says putting quotes around behave.
"Good because they're almost here and I don't know if I can protect you from this," she says, concerned. Just then they hear a pop and see their parents standing in front of them.
"Come on, grab an arm, we will talk about this when we get home," their mother sneers.
They each grab one arm and apperate home, landing in the elegantly styled living room. The cold atmosphere of the house suddenly felt a million times colder to the twins than it ever had before. "Kreacher!" Their father, Orion Black yelled. Kreacher, their house elf, came running down stairs.
"Yes, Master?" He asks in his crackly voice.
"Bring the twin's stuff into their rooms, we need to have a talk," he sneers at the two children. Creature does as told and Cassie sees Regulus peek his out of the hall. He looks at his siblings and parents as his older sister shakes her head, telling him to stay in the other room.
"Wait, did you say rooms?" Sirius asked confused and somewhat panicked. He was terrified they were trying to separate the two.
"Of course, you didn't truly think we were going to let you stay together just so you can corrupt her?" Walburga asked her son. He stared at her for a moment while she dared him to say anything and he sighed, looking to the ground.
"HOW IN THE WORLD COULD YOU GET INTO GRYFFINDOR. NO ONE IN THE ENTIRE BLACK FAMILY HAS EVER MANAGED THAT NOT EVEN YOUR DISAPPOINTMENT OF A COUSIN ANDROMEDA. If you want to continue to live in this house you will act how you were taught," their mother's voice rebounded inside Cassie's head. She knew this was how it was going to end up. They were furious and there was nothing that could stop him.
"I WILL NOT ACT LIKE A STUCK UP PURE BLOODED PRAT," Sirius exclaims while his sister turned to him with wide eyes.
"YOU DARE TALK BACK TO YOUR MOTHER YOU DISGRACEFUL BOY. WE HAVE GIVEN YOU EVERYTHING AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY US BY WIPING OUR NAME THROUGH THE MUD YOU'RE LUCKY WE DON'T DISOWN YOU," Orion yelled, back handing him across the face, making his sister squeeze her eyes closed as tears started to well up. "You will bring your act up and keep your grades, and we might overlook the fact you're a Gryffindor, but we hear one thing from anyone of your behavior and you will be out on the streets. You're a disappointment, now and forever," he finishes with a sneer.
"Yes, Father," Sirius gives in, not wanting to be hit again.
"Good, now time for your punishment, Sirius." Walburga reaches for her wand as does her husband and they point them at their oldest son.
"No, mother please," Cassie begged.
"This has to be done, he has to know that there are consequences to his actions," she tells her.
"CRUICO!"
Cassie dove in front of her brother before either curse could hit. She laid on the ground convulsing as Sirius slowly opened his eyes. He seemed to be glued to the floor as neither parent stopped their spell even after seeing that it wasn't the child that they were meant to be punishing. He closed his eyes again as the screams started. He could hear her tearing her throat apart as she begged for the pain to stop. "Well it seems your sister learned a very important lesson today as well– don't be a hero," Orion says walking out of the room with Walburga.
As soon as they walk out of the room Sirius runs to his little sister who passed out from the pain. "Kreacher!" He yells and the house elf appears. "Can you take her to our– her room, please."
Kreacher stared at him disgusted for a moment before looking at his young mistress and vanishing them upstairs. Sirius ran upstairs the normal way, passing his younger brother on the way up.
When he got into the room Kreacher was already healing her. Sirius sighed in relief and sat by his sister as their house elf left the room. After Kreacher left, the door opened and in walked their younger brother. "Is Cass okay?" He asked.
"She will be," Sirius promised.
"I brought her a blanket and some chocolate," Regulus said, lifting the blanket over his older sister with some help from his brother. He sat down next to his older brother and looked at him. "How was Hogwarts?"
Sirius laughed with a small smile, "It was great for a while, I met a lot of friends and I finally felt like I belonged. I played pranks and... was just happy. I was a Gryffindor."
Regulus looked down, "I can't be a Gryffindor."
"Why?" Sirius asked his younger brother.
"Because mother and father wouldn't like it," Regulus told him like it was obvious. It was what they had been taught for years, why would he try and do anything different.
"Screw them, if you're meant to be in Gryffindor, you will be!" Sirius hugged him.
"But what about Cassie? She's a Slytherin."
"Cassie is happy, she has friends, Izzy, Ash, she'll be fine," Sirius told him.
"We should probably leave her to sleep now," the younger brother told the other and he nodded, agreeing. "Tell me more about the castle," Regulus demanded as they walked out of their sister's room.