A CLOAKED FIGURE stood in front of Honeydukes, tapping her feet rhythmically. She was consulting her watch every two minutes, often looking into the shop longingly. A strong gust of wind blew, making her clutch onto the heavy book she held with her right hand. She hesitated from stepping into the shop and buying herself something so she stood there, begrudgingly at that spot, the speed of her tapping foot increasing by the second. She began looking around. She could hear the Hogwarts Express leaving the Hogsmeade station - that train made quite the noise. She knew the time was ticking.
Checking her watch once again, she grinned as the hand struck twelve - and not a second later, she disapparated, keeping one arm ever so slightly out as though waiting for someone to latch onto it.
She apparated successfully in the middle of a green pasture. She looked around at the change of scenery and smiled. She remembered coming here but instead of a book, she held a letter then, that could possibly change the life of the family that lived in the cottage not far from where she stood. Walking down the familiar winding path, she made her way to the little cottage amongst the greenery.
It wasn't that little when you neared it. The three-storeyed cottage had a very rustic look to it. Vines stretched over its walls but they were trimmed to look as though they were a fashion statement. Its whitewashed walls accented the scenery, making it not that hard to miss the habitation. The front porch stretched across the rectangular-shaped cottage, stood devoid of any human, but a bay window on the far left showed a man watering his plants.
The garden up front was well looked after as well, the zinnias and dianthus all blooming brightly, bringing some colour to the strong green colour around them. The hills not far off tempted her to go for a hike, the scenery striking a great resemblance to the opening scene of The Sound Of Music - her favourite muggle film. She looked around with a soft smile before shaking her head and returning to her senses. She was here for business.
Stopping in front of the door, she knocked on it, executing the pattern perfectly as practised. Moments later a dishevelled yet smiled Lupin swung open his door.
"Professor McGonagall," he greeted and then strained his neck back to look at the clock that hung in the parlour, "Right on time as always,"
"I'm a woman of my word, Remus. Here is the book you'd forgotten along with some letters of some sort which were left by a few students for you," she informed, handing over the book. "I would have owled them but I wanted to come back here for myself," she grinned, making Remus laugh as well.
"It is pretty scenic," Remus nodded, placing the book on a table beside the door.
"It is home," the teacher smiled, her mind filled with memories, as she looked across the house, at the landscape.
"It is," Lupin sighed, with a small smile.
"Would you like to come in for some tea?" he asked a minute later, bringing himself back to the present.
"No dear, thank you though," Minerva smiled kindly and nodded, "But I must be on my way. Albus has some requested for a meeting with all the teachers,"
"Well, I wish you luck Professor," Remus nodded, bidding her goodbye as she walked away. He shut the door behind him, grabbing the book as he made his way to the kitchen once again.
Placing the book on the table next to that day's newspaper, he headed over to light up the stove, placing a kettle over it.
"Do you want tea?" he asked, to the seemingly empty room. Remus looked up at the space devoid of any visible human life, expecting a response.
"But of course," a young girl spoke from somewhere he couldn't exactly pinpoint to, "I never say no to tea,"
"Cassie, take off the charm, I can't talk to an invisible person," Remus laughed, busying himself with making some more tea.
"Oh shit, yes" Cassandra giggled, pulling out her wand and removing the disillusionment charm over her and the bag. She removed her backpack and made her way to the couch.
"Hello Black," Remus greeted, finally seeing her.
"Hello Lupin," Cassie greeted in return, walking to the kitchen counter after tossing her backpack onto the sofa. Remus poured her some tea and placed the cup on the counter.
"I told you my plan would work," she grinned, taking a sip of her tea.
"I'm surprised none of your friends noticed,"
"No one notices what I do," Cassie shrugged.
"Not even that Weasley?" Remus questioned knowingly, taking a seat beside Cassie, sipping on his own half-finished tea.
Cassie's eyes went wide. She'd forgotten about Fred. She had promised to visit his compartment during the train ride back to London because he wanted to ask her something. She internally winced, feeling terrible about forgetting the only person who cared for and noticed her.
A loud bang on the kitchen window made both Remus and Cassie get up from their seats to check the disturbance. They made their way to the window, only to find an owl laying sprawled on the sill.
"Errol?" Cassie questioned, recognizing the owl. She gently scooped the bird in her arms and brought him to the room. Untying the letter from his foot, she grabbed some water and crumbs to feed the tired old owl.
"It's addressed to you Cas," Remus said, handing her the letter, resisting the urge to read the contents himself.
"It's from Fred," Cassie remarked, immediately recognizing his handwriting from the cover, "I guess he did notice,"
"That boy fancies you," Remus laughed, making his way back to the kitchen to close the window before another owl came swooping in.
"No he doesn't, he's just a good friend," Cassie defended at once.
"Cas, trust me on this one," Remus smirked knowingly, "and for what its worth, I think you're beginning to fancy him too,"
"Am not!"
"Are too,"
"Am not!"
"Are too,"
"Am not!"
"Are too,"
"I DO NOT FANCY FRED WEASLEY," Cassie screamed, her face turning bright red. Her heart was beating rapidly and her palms were getting all sweaty too. She didn't know what was happening to her.
"Oh the denial, I miss those days," Remus grinned, ducking almost immediately as Cassie threw the Daily Prophet which had been lying on the table at him. He caught it swiftly, surprising both of them.
"Why didn't you try out for quidditch? You'd make a good keeper," she asked.
"Cassie, I gasp for air after running up two flights of stairs, don't ask me to play quidditch. I'm better off at the stands,"
"Fair point," Cassie shrugged, and sat down once again, finishing her cup of tea and beginning to read Fred's letter.
She's barely finished the first line when a female voice distracted her.
"I heard some noise," the woman had said, entering the room. Cassie looked up at once on hearing her familiar voice.
There she stood, looking beautiful as ever. Her once luscious long brown hair was cut up to her shoulders, falling silky straight. Her wrist had a rubber band around it, showing that she had attempted to tie her hair, but failed miserably. Her face was glowing in the sunlight streaming in from the window. Her clothes were new, and it was safe to say she had an impeccable sense of fashion. Her hands however were gloved, as Cassie noticed, making her curious as to what the woman was doing previously.
"Did you break a pot again, Moony?" she asked Cassie's godfather, still not noticing the presence of the young girl.
"I didn't, but I do have some news to break," Remus chuckled softly, signalling at the couch where Cassie sat with Fred's open letter. As soon as the woman turned to look at Cassandra, the Black stood up abruptly, gazing at the woman, her chest beating with so many emotions.
When the brunette turned to face the girl, she was at a loss of words. Her mouth opened, attempting to formulate words but none were coherent. So she let her instincts take control and stretched out her hands.
Cassie saw the opportunity and took it, running to hug the woman. She wrapped her arms around her tightly, grasping for her comfort and love. Both of them immediately began tearing up, a wall of water collecting in their eyes. They stood there in each other's arms, silently crying at this reunion.
There were happy tears, and there were sad tears.
"I'm sorry," were the first words that came out of a tearful Julianna.
"Don't be," Cassie immediately began, "I don't blame you for anything. You didn't know,"
"But I should have made an effort. Even if I didn't find much about you, I should have come back after ten years for Harry. I was being selfish and stupid," Julia explained and scolded herself.
"No, no you weren't," Cassie said sternly, "Listen, I don't care about that. Right now, I'm meeting you for the first time in my life. I don't want a reason for why my mother was absent, I want to know what my mother will do henceforth,"
"Your mother will protect you and be the mother she couldn't be for all these years," Julia responded, wiping her and Cassie's tears helplessly as more poured out.
"And that's all I wanted to hear," Cassie grinned before hugging her mother again.