( chapter )
twenty-seven
CASSIOPEIA BLACK LET OUT A small giggle as James Potter shoved the red and gold scarf into her hands, boasting about how the Gryffindor team was going to the win the match later that day.
James had taken what Remus had told him the week before lightly, it was sometimes on his mind when he was trying to do work, or lying in bed trying to get to sleep. 'Prongs, I think you like her.' It never seemed to be on his mind, until nothing else was. He didn't know what to think.
James liked to tell himself that he only liked her because he felt like he had to, she was Sirius' sister, so he had to like her, but the lie didn't work.
He'd never paid much attention to her before this year, so there was no need for him to do it this year, but he was glad he did. James kept trying to make up lies, but none of them worked, the thought still swam in the back of his mind when he least wanted it to. He tried his best to ignore it, once again, this was Sirius' sister, he shouldn't feel that way - he didn't feel that way.
But James knew he liked the girls presence, he liked being around her, Cassie was an amazing girl, she had an amazing sense of humour, and she was fun to be around.
So he decided to push the thought as far to the back of his mind as he could, and just carry on like he was, being friends with Cassie, he knew that was what he wanted.
James shook his head as Cassie tried to give the scarf back to him.
"It doesn't work like that Black." He said, a slight sing-song tune to his voice.
"You're going to want that scarf when Gryffindor win the match." Cassie let out another giggle, placing her hands on her hips in a playful way.
"What makes you so sure Gryffindor are going to win Potter?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, she was smiling slighty, her recently glossed lips shining in the early March sun.
James tutted, shaking his head so that a few strands of hair fell onto his forehead.
"They have me on the team Black, or did you forget that?" Cassie rolled her eyes, but continued to smile.
"How could I forget? It's all you seem to go on about when a Quidditch match is coming up." James smirked, watching as the Slytherin tucked her hair behind her ears, looking up at him with a mischievous glint in her grey eyes.
"But I'll repeat my question Potter, seeing as your two brain cells can't seem to understand it." She continued to smile as James chuckled slightly.
"What makes you so sure Gryffindor is going to win?"
James pretended to think, scrunching up his face and raising his thumb and fore finger to his chin,
"Hm, let me think. . ." Cassie shook her head at his antics, before he jumped up and down, yelling:
"I got it!"
A few first years stared at him, before rushing away.
"Maybe the fact that we have the best team in the school? And that we are going against Ravenclaw who haven't won a match this year?"
Cassie scrunched up her nose, nodding, James shoved the scarf back into her hands, she didn't give it back, instead she shoved it into her school bag.
"Fair point."
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James let out a groan and he raised his hand to his head, quickly pulling it away as he felt it throb under his fingers.
"Shit-"
"Language Prongs." James opened his eyes, blinking hard a few times to let his eyes adjust to the light, before he look to where the voice had come from.
Sirius, Peter and Remus were standing besides his bed, Gryffindor colours painted on their cheeks, their clothes nearly all red. James then turned to look the other way, seeing the Gryffindor Quidditch team standing there. He quickly sat up.
"What happened?" He asked, his words rushed as he looked at the team.
"You'd think he'd be worried about himself,"
A different voice said, and James looked away from the Quidditch team to see Lily standing there, a confused look on her face, his heart gave a slight flutter.
He then heard an overdramatic gasp, and his heart fluttered even more that it had done when be head Lily talk.
"Oh no!" Another voice exclaimed, a hint of playfulness in her tone.
"It seems that bludger damaged his big head, he's no longer self absorbed."
James let out a soft chuckle as he turned to see Cassie, who was now standing the other side of Sirius, right next to his bed.
She was smirking slightly, a Gryffindor scarf hanging loosely around her neck. James' heart fluttered again.
"Always a pleasure Black." He rolled his eyes, still smiling, as he turned back to the team.
"We won, obviously." One of the chasers said, and James let out a cheer, before he winced again, placing a hand on his head.
"You were hit by a bludger, around 20 minutes into the match." Remus told James, who nodded, before lying back down, and closing his eyes.
"I think he's dead." Sirius muttered, before Madam Pomfrey came out of her office, shooing them all away and insisting that James needed his rest.
"See you later Prongs," Sirius whispered before Remus pulled him along.
Cassie waved before closing the door behined her. James looked up just to see a glimpse of her dark hair before the door closed, he smiled slightly to himself, the thoughts once again filling his mind.
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Cassie was sitting in the library, scanning over the book infront of her with her wand held over it, a small light coming out the end of it. It was currently quarter to nine at night, the library closing in fifteen minutes.
Cassie rubbed her eyes as she yawned, resting her head in her hands as she read over one line for what seemed the hundredth time. She shook her head, jumping as she felt someone tap her on the shoulder.
She pulled a face as she turned to look at Sirius.
"Where did you come from?" She asked, raising a hand to her chest, feeling her heart beating through her layers of school clothes.
"And why the fuck did you have to scare me?" Sirius chuckled slightly, holding up a cloak.
"James has an invisibility cloak, and because it's funny." Cassie raised her eyebrows as she looked at the cloak.
"Woah, but why does Potter have one?" Sirius shrugged.
"His dad had it." Cassie nods, then shakes her head.
"Right. . . now why are you here?"
"You're coming with me to see James." Cassie shook her head.
"No, I'm not." Sirius pouted.
"But, but." Cassie rolled her eyes.
"Sirius, it's basically curfew, and I'm tired." Sirius continued to pout, making puppy dog eyes at Cassie, who quickly shut her eyes and crossed her arms.
"No Sirius, it's too late, and we are bound to get caught."
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"Ow! Sirius, that was my foot." Cassie and Sirius were hunched underneath James' cloak, walking to the Hospital Wing.
"Sorry, I'm just used to having a tall person with longer steps walking with me." Cassie rasied an eyebrow.
"Is that an insult to my height?" She heard Sirius chuckle as they turned another corner.
"No, definitely not, you're as tall as a giraffe."
"Wait." She said, stopping suddenly, she turned around to face Sirius.
"Why did I have to come?" He shrugged.
"I wanted company in detention if we get caught." Cassie nodded, turning back around.
"Fair enough." Sirius smiled as the turned the last corner and appeared at the door to the Hospital Wing. Sirius pulled the cloak off of them as Cassie pushed the door open, James raised his head, smiling slightly as he caught sight of the two of them.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" He asked in a playful tune as Sirius and Cassie walked over to his bed, sitting down in the chairs either side of it. Cassie shrugged.
"I was forced to come," James let out a chuckle as he looked at Cassie.
"He did the puppy dog eyes did he?" She nodded.
"Obviously," James grinned, before turning back to Sirius, who was looking towards the door, his eyebrows raised.
"Padfoot?" James asked, and Sirius turned to look at him, quickly looking back towards the door.
"I just remembered, I've got homework to do." Sirius quickly stood up, rushing to the door and closing the door behined him
"How much do you wanna bet that it's Marlene he has gone after?" Cassie joked, and James shrugged.
"I bet a butterbeer its that sixth year Ravenclaw, Molly Noon." Cassie nods.
"Okay, you think it's Molly, I think its Marlene- he has a thing for M's."
"Next it will be Moony." James chuckled as he turned to look at Cassie, knitting his eyebrows together.
"What are you doing here anyways?" Cassie shrugged.
"I was in the library, and Sirius came and found me, before dragging me along." James nodded, staring slightly as Cassie tucked a piece of her behind her ear.
"Why are you in the library this late?" He asked and the Slytherin shrugged.
"I always go into the library this late, I go in around eight, and then try to stay in for as long as I can." James nodded, stil lying on his side and looking at Cassie.
"Did you get the notice in your common room?" Cassie asked after a few moments of silence.
"About the Career's advice next week?" James nodded, and the two soon began to talk about what they wanted to be once they had left Hogwarts.
Cassie being slightly surprised when James said an Auror, expecting him to want to be a Quidditch player because of his talents in the sport. And James smiled as Cassie explained why she wanted to be s teacher to help inspire kids and be there for them when they needed her.
Soon they had began to talk about the Professors in the school, joking that Professor Bins had gone to the afterlife, only to be shoved back to Earth once he had began his lectures.
They just talked to each-other, joking and laughing through a few small serious conversations, but still trying to be as quiet as possible in order not to wake Madam Pomfrey who was only meters away.
Before they knew it, around an hour and a half had passed. Cassie yawned and looked at the clock, before looking at the door.
"Seems like Sirius isn't coming back." She said, rolling her eyes, as James nodded.
"Anyways," Cassie stood up, running a hand through her hair and streching slightly.
"I'm gonna go back before I fall asleep here."
James quickly sat up, shaking his head and wincing slightly.
"No you're not." Cassie stared at him.
"What? Why not?" James thought for a second before pointing at the chair Sirius had sat in for only a few moments.
"He took the cloak, you're bound to get caught." The dark-haired girl let out a small groan, before walking up to James and making a gesture for him to move over
"What?" He asked, moving over slightly, his eyes widening as Cassie lay down next to him.
"And what do you think you're doing?" He asked, his heart beating louder and harder in his chest.
"Sleeping, I get cold easily, and the blankets on the beds here are too thin." James nodded shakily as Cassie faced him.
"You better not mind Potter, I don't want to freeze to death." She said and James quickly shook his head.
"No, I don't mind." Cassie smiled slightly, before closing her eyes and turning away from James.
"Night then Potter." She heard him reply with a goodnight, before he moved slightly, Cassie took a deep breath as James placed an arm around her waist.
The two of them didn't sleep until later that night, the same thought swarming both of their heads.
Why did this feel so right?
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