( chapter )
one hundred and fifteen
"A WAR IS COMING. VOLDEMORT ISN'T going to stop until he has achieved his goal - until he has achieved power."
After everyone had agreed to join The Order Of the Phoenix (which Dumbledore had admitted was named after his Phoenix, Fawkes) the Headmaster had gotten them all to sign their names and their signature on a piece of parchment that had appeared after he had waved his wand.
Cassie and Lily whispered amongst themselves until it was their turn to scribble their names on the parchment; they were the last ones to arrive and at the back of the room so therefore the last ones to sign.
Although they had only just been told about The Order of The Phoenix, they both already had high hopes in what they would achieve as a group. They were both silently praying to gods that they didn't know they believed in; praying to whoever would listen that this would lead to the end of something that's only just begun.
Cassie was the last one to sign the parchment and her eyes scanned over the other names before she wrote her own.
She noticed that there were a lot more names that she originally thought, more names than there were people in Dumbledores office - she smiled slightly when she noticed it because it meant that more people were on their side and were wanting to fight back.
Cassie vaguely remembered reading or hearing a handful of the names but she didn't recognise most of the names. Her eyes scanned down the list, they widened slightly when she read Molly Weasley and Arthur Weasley underneath of the first name.
Both of their names were under James', so she knew that it was the two red-heads that she had never seen before.
Cassie immediately thought that they were married upon seeing their shared last name; then she thought about it for a moment more and remembered that she, Sirius and Regulus all had the same last name they certainly weren't married to one another. So Cassie was once again left wondering if they were siblings or married - she really hoped it was the latter with the way that they were holding hands.
When she had finished signing her own name, she placed the feather quill back on Dumbledore's desk and turned to go and stand with Lily. Cassie was relieved when she saw that Lily was standing over with their friends and she was quick to walk over to them.
The group only just hand time to greet one another before Dumbledore had began speaking once again.
When Cassie turned back around to face the older man as he spoke, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist and pull her closer so that her back was resting against the persons chest. She knew it was James who had pulled her close the second that she smelt the familiar scent of his aftershave and she leaned back more - her arms wrapped around his as they stayed at the front of her stomach.
"Our plan is to stop him," Dumbledore spoke, his voice full of confidence as he addressed the room in front of him, "stop him before he can gather all of that power. But I will need your help."
Everyone listened intently as Dumbledore spoke to them about what they could do to help. Everyone being addressed individually sooner or later as Dumbledore spoke; and when he finished speaking, no-one spoke, everyone mulling over what they had just been told and what they had been asked to do.
Cassie was the first person to speak up after a few beats of silence had passed between the group standing in Dumbledore's office.
"Let's do it. Let's take down this mother-fucker."
James only held her tighter after she had spoke, letting out a laugh while everyone else was quick to speak their agreements.
The red-headed woman (who Cassie was now one hundred percent sure was Molly Weasley - but she still didn't know if she was married or blood-related to Arthur ) sent Cassie a sharp look at her use of language.
But the she just ignored the older woman, Cassie was too excited and relieved that finally they had a plan. Finally they were doing something to try and stop the man who had already taken so much from so many people.
Cassie really hoped that this was the beginning of the end.
･・･☽✥☾･・･
"Honey! I'm home!"
James and Cassie were both lounging on the sofa in the Potter's living-room - James was sitting up in the middle of the sofa and Cassie rested against the arm of the sofa and had legs draped across James' lap, one of his hands lay on her thigh.
Peter Pan was playing on the Potter's television, the brightness of the animation casting a soft glow on the otherwise dark room. Peter Pan had just introduced the Darling's to the Lost Boys when Sirius had burst into the house.
His Auror training had run late because Moody wanted to give him some tips (ever since James and Sirius had started their training around three weeks prior, Moody had taken the two boys under his wing.) Both boys already enjoyed their Auror training much more enjoyable than either of them thought.
Every time that Cassie saw them, they were quick to begin telling her about all of the things that they had learnt and sometimes even show her - Cassie had been tackled to the floor by Sirius one too many times in the last couple of weeks, but the excitement on their faces and in their voices as they spoke was always worth a couple of bruises.
They hadn't been on any proper outings but James kept saying that it was only a matter of time before they were allowed to, he also said that they weren't going to be large missions for a while but Moody said that any practice was good.
Cassie was also loving her further teaching in Muggle Studies. Every time the boys saw her, she was quick to begin telling them about another muggle contraption that she had learnt about or about a new muggle fact that she had learnt that day.
James had heard that muggles had Wizard Chess but that their pieces didn't move around three times in the past week - but the excitement on her face and in her voice was worth it, if anything he'd hear the fact a thousand times over if it meant he could see Cassie smile.
She was quickly falling more and more in love with the Muggle world and James thought it was one of the best things that he had ever seen.
Cassie was really hoping that one day she would know enough about Muggles to become a Muggle Studies teacher herself and she was also hoping to one day teach at Hogwarts.
Everyone was off and getting started with their own lives now that they had finished Hogwarts. Lily was doing an apprenticeship and trying to help some spell-makers discover new charms; Marlene was also taking Auror practice, however she was in a different group to James and Sirius; Peter was doing small jobs here and there, no-one really knew what he was doing; Remus was also taking further Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons in the hopes that he would also one day become a teacher.
The group of friends still met up, but it was obvious to see that the new aspects of their lives were slowly taking up most of their time - they all tried to meet up at least once at the weekend, but sometimes their plans would fall through.
James glanced over at the door, giving Sirius a quick smile, before he looked back at the movie. Cassie didn't even bother looking up from the television, instead deciding to take another handful of popcorn from the bowl that was on the arm of the sofa.
Sirius apparently didn't like the response that he got from the couple because he walked back out of the house and closed the door behind him.
"Good riddance." Cassie mumbled through her mouthful of popcorn which caused James to let out a small chuckle and give her thigh a squeeze.
But before the two could start enjoying their movie again, the front door was slammed open and Sirius burst through it, shouting: "Honey! I'm home."
"We heard you the first time. Now piss off or be quiet." Cassie remarked with a hint of irritation in her tone - she looked over the her shoulder and sent Sirius a mocking smile before turning back to the movie.
In all honesty, the couple had thought that Sirius would be a lot longer than he actually was and they had hoped to finish the movie before he came back. Fleamont and Euphemia had gone out for tea together to give the two of them some time alone (which both James and Cassie were appreciative of) only for Sirius to come back and disrupt the silence.
"I wanted a warmer welcome than this."
"Yeah? Well you can continue to want."
Sirius narrowed at his eyes as he stared at his sister. He looked as though he wanted to throw something at her, but instead he settled on walking over to where the couple were sitting and he sat down the other side of James.
Sirius narrowed his eyes at the two of them, then he noticed how they were sitting and with a small smirk he copied Cassie's leg placement so that his legs were also draped over James' lap.
Both James and Cassie turned to look at Sirius, who only gave the two a toothy smile while he grabbed James' other hand and placed it on his thigh before be turned so that he was watching the movie.
James and Cassie shared a look, but then the two of them shrugged. They knew that if they said something, it would only prolong the time that they finished Peter Pan in (and they both really wanted to finish the movie before they went to bed.)
And that's how the three of them sat for the rest of the film; James in the middle while either sibling lay their legs on his lap and one of his hands on either of their thigh.
When the television screen went dark to signal the end of Peter Pan, both James and Cassie slowly turned their heads to face Sirius, who was already looking at the pair of them.
"I felt very unwelcome."
"This isn't counselling-?"
"Very, very unwelcome."
"What do you want us to do about that exactly?"
Just as Sirius was going to reply, James let out a sneeze and he moved the hand that was resting on Sirius' thigh so that he could sneeze into his elbow. This only annoyed Sirius more.
"Bless you." Sirius said, before he stood up from the sofa with a huff. "See-!"
"I have no idea what I'm meant to be seeing right now." Cassie admitted as she tried to turn her head to look at where Sirius was looking, but she was completely clueless on what he was going on about.
"James moved his hand from my thigh! He could have moved it from yours - but no. He chose mine!"
James and Cassie both stared at Sirius as he continued ranting.
"This is all your fault Cassie! There's only room for once Black in his heart and he chose you. James doesn't love me anymore!" And with that final statement; he ran up the stairs with his hands covering his face and loud - but obviously fake - sobs echoing throughout the living room.
James and Cassie watched his go until they could no-longer see him as he ran up the stairs.
Then they both looked at each other, raising their eyebrows in silent amusement and also in silent question. Sirius' fake sobs could still be heard and it was only after the couple heard a door slam shut that they couldn't hear them anymore.
James and Cassie sat in silence for a few beats, before Cassie shrugged and turned to face her boyfriend.
"Wanna watch Dumbo?"
"Yeah, alright then."
･・･☽✥☾･・･
September passed quicker than anyone would like to admit and before they knew it they were welcoming in October, and the official start of Autumn.
Almost instantly the leaves on the trees began to change from green to different hues of brown, yellow and orange and quickly piles of these leaves were beginning to pool at the bottom of most tree-trunks. The days became shorter and the nights longer; the moon and the stars decided to hide behind the clouds that filled the sky more often.
Autumn brought a chill along with it, more and more people were wearing coats, scarves and gloves as they went out; and quiet often you could see your own breath condense in front of your face as you breathed into the cold air.
Shops were quick to begin stocking larger bags of sweets; purple and green bowls painted to look like a spells; round, orange baskets with scary faces painted in black and pumpkins upon pumpkins were stacked to form pyramids that were at the entrance of every supermarket.
Cassie was already beginning to get excited for Halloween, despite the fact that it was still over three weeks away.
She loved the sweets that were specially for this time of year, she loved the pumpkins and the costumes and the way that nearly everyone decorated their house to invite people to knock at their door. But most of all she loved the idea of free sweets.
Cassie had never been trick or treating. When she was younger her parents would never let her go trick-or-treating with her siblings - they would always complain whenever they saw something to do with Halloween and they would always have a rant to the three children about how they are never to celebrate the holiday because it's a 'muggle holiday' and is 'beneath them just like the muggles who celebrate it.'
Then, whenever she was at Hogwarts, she could never go trick-or-treating as there was no-where to go. She doubted that Madam Prince would give her any sweets if she knocked on the library door dressed up with a bag that was awaiting chocolate in her hand.
But this was her first year away from both her parents and from Hogwarts, and she was really hoping that her friends would go with her - if they didn't she'd go alone, but the company would be nice.
Cassie was sitting at the Potters kitchen table, writing a letter to Regulus when Euphemia walked into the kitchen. The older woman's smile grew when she caught sight of Cassie - she would wholeheartedly say that Cassie was like the daughter that she never had.
"Good morning, dear." She said, pressing a kiss to
the younger girls head. Cassie looked up from the parchment in front of her and she greeted Euphemia with a grin.
"Morning. Did you sleep well?"
Euphemia pondered over the question for a second, before letting out a hum and nodding. "I did, thank you. Did you?"
"No, not really." Cassie admitted as she met Euphemia's gaze with a tired smile. "James snores like his life depends on it and then he woke me up at the crack of dawn to go for a run."
Euphemia opened her mouth to respond, however she closed it again when the two of them heard the front door opening. And it was only a moment later when James walked into the kitchen, his eyes widened momentarily when he caught sight of his mum and girlfriend already looking at him.
He was wearing a pair of red exercise shorts and his white shirt was sticking to his sweaty body. His hair was slightly flatter than usual as it rested on his head, some of it sticking to his forehead due to the sweat; his cheeks were flushed red and his glasses were slightly askew on his face.
His white shirt was a few sizes too small on his anyway, but with the added water making it look almost see though Cassie lost her train of thought before she blinked and looked up at James, who was grinning at her.
"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear." Cassie mumbled, looking away from her boyfriend. Euphemia heard her and was quick to let out a laugh.
"What?" James asked the grin slipping from his face slightly and being replaced with a confused smile, still standing in the kitchens doorway. His subconsciously ran his hand through his hair and then he left it to rub at the back of his neck as he continued staring at the two.
"You need to snore quieter." Euphemia commented. She walked over to the kettle and put it on as James spluttered slightly.
"I- what?"
"You need to snore quieter, or not at all. That would be marvellous."
Cassie let out a small laugh and she quickly raised her hand up to her mouth to muffle anymore laughs that might escape. She slowly looked up to meet James' gaze; he had playfully narrowed his eyes at her and had his lips pursed.
"You told her I snore?" He exclaimed and his hand moved from the back of his neck to his chest where he crossed his arms.
Cassie just smiled and went back to writing her letter.
"She didn't need to tell me. I could hear it for myself."
James spluttered again and Cassie let out a laugh as she finished writing her letter to Regulus. As James and Euphemia bickered back and forth in a friendly way, she folded the letter in half and placed it into an envelope.
She then wrote his name on the front of the envelope before she joined in with James and Euphemia's playful banter.
It wasn't long before Sirius walked into the kitchen - it was like he had a sixth sense and could feel when everyone was together without him - the playfulness between the group became much larger as Sirius began telling Euphemia about how James didn't love him anymore.
James let out a small sigh.
･・･☽✥☾･・･
HI!!
WHEN I SAID I PLANNED OUT
THE REMAINING CHAPTERS - I WASNT
JOKING LMAO (ITS MADE JT SO MUCH
EASIER TO WRITE THOUGH AND
NOW I KNOW MY PLOT!!)
I BURNT THE BACK OF MY THROAT
ON SOME CHICKEN LAST NIGHT
AND NOW I CANNOT SWOLLOW
DID ANYONE ELSE WATCH
HARRY STYLES ON CEBEBIESS
( idk how you spell it)
I THOUGHT HE WAS ON AT HALF SIX
SO I SAT THERE FOR HALF AN HOUR
WATCHING IN THE NIGHT GARDEN 😭😭
ANYWAYS, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED
THIS CHAPTER! FEEL FREE TO TELL ME WHAT YOU THOUGHT AND WHAT YOU
WANT TO SEE NEXT!
Until next time!!
- Em ((: