Chapter 1
Cassi awoke to a scream and tried to scramble to her feet, before wincing at the pain in her left shoulder. Looking up, she saw a man with a baseball bat raised, a woman hiding behind him. Both looked vaguely familiar. "I don't know how you got here, but if you don't leave I'll phone the police!"
"I'm going, I'm sorry," she mumbled, trying once again to get up wincing once more.
"Richard, she's hurt!" the woman said, moving around her husband towards the girl in their living room.
"Probably from breaking in Jean!" Richard exclaimed angrily.
"Nonsense, we would've heard if anything had broken, and the doors are still locked; I checked. Where are you hurt dear?" Jean asked kindly, kneeling beside her.
"My shoulder," Cassi replied slowly, moaning in pain when Jean felt it gently.
"Hmm... It feels like it could be dislocated. I could try to put it back in place, though I'd feel safer taking you to the hospital," Jean said.
"No!" Cassi almost shouted, then realising how she'd reacted continued calmer, "It's just I have to find someone, I ended up somewhere I didn't expect."
"That sounds like something our Hermiones would say," Richard said, contemplating. "Are you, you know one of them?" Cassi stayed quiet. They were muggles, and they shouldn't be told. But then who would find out? Nodding, Jean helped her up and got her to sit on the plush sofa that was adorned with cushions. She went to the kitchen, while Richard excused himself and proceeded back up the stairs. Sitting awkwardly, awaiting their return, Cassi wondered what to do. What little plan she had in place was quickly going awry. She scoffed quietly. Plan, that was a stretch. She had hopefully gone back to the time she had hoped for, but that's as far as she had managed to think ahead.
"Okay tea!" Jean smiled, bustling back through into the living room carrying a tray that held three teacups, a teapot, a saucer of milk and another of sweeteners. "I'm afraid we don't really keep sugar in often, we're dentists you see."
"You didn't have to go to so much trouble," Cassi smiled back, as the kind woman began pouring her tea for her.
"Oh its nothing. I also phoned our Hermione, she's going to be here soon." The pair of the sat in a comfortable silence, sipping their tea.
Not ten minutes later, the pair heard the front door open and close. "Its just me! What's happened that you wanted me to hurry over for? Oh hello," Hermione said wandering into the living room and seeing Cassi. The younger girl didn't answer for a moment, taking in the woman in front of her. She looked different to how she had when she had known her. Younger, her wild brunette curls were wilder than she remembered. She had a guarded look in her large brown eyes, something that was still there in the future, but hadn't softened yet. "Hi," she finally said in a small voice.
"This young lady appeared in our living room this morning. I think she's dislocated her shoulder," Jean was cut off by her smiling daughter.
"So you thought you'd get the trainee healer to fix her up?" Hermione laughed, before turning to the teenager, "I'm Hermione."
"Cassi."
"Pleased to meet you. I'm going to warn you this may hurt a little," Hermione took out her wand and pointed at Cassi's shoulder, "Episkey!"
Cassi barely even flinched, used to the spell at this point, and smiled in thanks to the brunette witch. Standing she turned to Jean. "Thank you, for your tea and hospitality. And I'm sorry again for turning up in your house."
Jean waved her off and bade her goodbye as she reached for her bag and quietly left out the front door. Moments later the door swung open and promptly closed again. "Cassi?" Hermione said, catching up with her at the gate. "My mum said you were looking for someone, who is it? Maybe I can help."
Cassi thought for a moment, and realised his was probably the easiest way to do what she needed to do. "I'm looking for the order."
Convincing Hermione was more difficult than she had thought. First the order, while the war was now over, was still a secret organisation. Then there was the matter of Cassi's age. No matter how many times she lied that she was of age, Hermione took none of it, and Cassi reluctantly admitted she was just 15. Which started off another round of questions.
"Look if you won't take me, I'll find some other way," Cassi sighed, frustrated. Hermione looked defeated.
"Fine, but I have to get them together. It won't be until at least tonight, maybe tomorrow," Hermione said, "Do you have somewhere to go in the mean time?" When Cassi shrugged and shook her head it was Hermione's time to sigh. "Come on. You can stay at my flat until I can call a meeting."
When Cassi grinned at this, Hermione rolled her eyes and took the younger girls arm, pulling her gently into an abandoned alley and disapparated the two of them away.
A/N ~ Let me know what you think!
