"I'm keeping these," Cass revealed as Natasha dressed methodically, limbs fluid yet robotic in their motions. The redhead paused, glancing over at the black lace string Cass was dangling. "I'm a collector, of sorts."

"How many pairs have you 'collected'?" Natasha asked, going back to her zipper, which just wasn't zipping back up. Cass set the panties down, reaching over and pressing two fingers against her back in warning before shuffling over, helping her out.

"I've had the opportunity to collect sixty-three pairs, if that's what you're really asking – but I'm picky. I liked last night very much, and would gladly have you in my bed for the rest of the year," she pulled the zipper up slowly, kissing her shoulder briefly before rolling back into her previous, comfy position. "In my little collection, I have six, now seven, pairs." Briefly, the importance of that number flew through her mind, before she forced it away. They were all muggles, anyway – all perfectly normal human beings. Her eyes strayed to a calendar hanging on Vick's wall.

She didn't hear whatever Natasha said in reply, as she stared.

"Cassandra?"

Cass got up out of bed, going over to it and splaying her hand beneath the date. "Holy shit, I'm fucked. I missed it – I missed the fucking celebration." She rushed to get her own clothes on, tripping at one point in her haste to get her other shoe.

"What's the matter?" Natasha questioned, watching on with a frown. Cass waved her off.

"I'm a witch, and my society celebrates the Winter Solstice – or at least we did, but it's fallen out of fashion, recently. My dad celebrates it though, and he invited me, and I've been to the last couple of other solstice and equinox celebrations, and I missed the one that went on last night." She finished pulling on her shoe, going to leave immediately after checking her wand was still in her purse, when she remembered, going back over to the bed and grabbing Natasha's panties, stuffing them inside the bag.

"Sorry," she went to the door, unlocking it and ushering Natasha out, relocking it and hanging the key in the box, not bothering to flip the number dials to lock said box. "He's going to be so upset I missed it. I promised to take part, and I never break promises." She became angry at herself as her eyes stung, leading Natasha down out of Vick's apartment, and then the club, throwing her a random jacket of hers from a hook. "Here. It's freezing out."

Natasha put it on, before taking her phone out of her purse. "Thank-you. I'm fine from here."

"Good, thanks, awesome," Cass came forwards, kissing her goodbye, feeling her magic warm in her belly at the motion, for some reason. "If I ever see you again, don't hesitate to come sleep with me. You're amazing. Bye." Twisting, Cass half-ran half-walked towards the corner, around which she knew was an alcove she could use to apparate to number twelve.

She really hoped Sirius wouldn't be too upset.


"First of all, I'm sorry I missed the celebrations- holy Hades and Persephone!" Cass stumbles backwards, spinning and bringing her hands up to her make-up strewn face. "Get some clothes on! Now!"

Sirius grunts, before standing from the packed couch, moving to get dressed, "Sorry pup."

"Sorry? That's all you have to say? I'm going to be traumatised, scarred for life-"

Tonks snorts from her place on the opposite side of the bed, Remus between them still asleep, out cold. "You'll be fine."

"I had no intention whatsoever to see my dad's dick, alright?" Cass shakes her head, "I'll assume you guys missed it too, and go upstairs-"

"We didn't miss it." Sirius comes over, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "We celebrated until dawn, having sex with Remus – and not each other, because that's incest, though we are very aware, as you have repeatedly told us, that we're toeing the line – and making sure our candles didn't go out. Kreacher and Dobby blew them all out when the sun came up, and then basically carried us inside. Tonks and I are basically in a post-sex glow, adrenaline running through our system, and this nocturnal beast of a man-" he motions backwards to Remus "-dropped as soon as the moon disappeared, despite this being a Sun Sabbath. Werewolves for you."

Cass shakes her head fervently, shuddering, "Well I hope that you had a nice Yule. What did you wish for, might I ask, before I go scrub my mind with bleach?"

"A new addition to the family."

Surprise is what jolts Cass from her self-imposed horror. She looks up at him, blinking.

"Really? You want Tonks to get pregnant?"

Sirius snorts, matching said woman, who is a little slow as she begins to fall asleep. "No. Not yet. That would be horrifying, right now, especially with this Voldemort business-" the reminder would be a slap in the face, if not for Cass' reticence to take responsibility in the war, "-so nah, we just asked for some allies, and hoped that we'll make it through this."

Cass nods, understanding, before slipping out of her godfather's hold. "Sleep." She orders, before leaving, shutting the door behind her and moving towards the kitchen, only to be stopped by Dobby, who appears out of nowhere, breakfast tray in hand.

"Missy Cassy will eats in her room, while she is getting dressed for the day, so that Missy Cassy won't be's taken off-guard by the Orders of the Phoenix's."

Cass glances down the corridor, where only now she hears the muffled sounds of talk. "There's a meeting going on? But Yule only just passed – people should still be celebrating." Her mouth twists into a learned expression, comparable with her Aunt Petunia's, before she nods and turns back, going to the end of the hall again and going upstairs to her room, Dobby dutifully trailing along behind her.

Once up, Cass goes to her room, but as she is taking the key from the edges of her dress, a door opens.

"And where have you been?"

Cass doesn't look back at her. "None of your business, Granger. My da's house, my da's rules. And my da's rules state – for me – that I can do whatever the fuck I want." She unlocks her door and goes inside, ignoring whatever bullshit that the bratty witch was going to spout. She needs to grow up, Cass thinks as she holds the door open for Dobby, before shutting it, stripping without care as the elf squeaks and sets her breakfast down and pops out. A small grin appears. It was so much fun to tease him – Kreacher isn't as embarrassed about it all, having seen the rise and fall of three generations of Black's, each both clothed and bare as could be.

She eats her toast as she gets ready and chooses what to wear today, foregoing a morning run as her clock chimes eleven. Eventually, she chooses simple muggle clothes that Kreacher would bemoan as Tonks asked her where Cass got them. She tugs on new underwear, socks and a black tank-top, drinks her tea one-handed, pulls her jeans up and buttons them, before finally debating out loud over whether to wear her Ravenclaw beaters jersey and a grey scarf, or to go the full mile and switch her tank-top for her striped blue and bronze long-sleeved, and tie her jersey around her waist.

"Mmm…ip-dip, sky-blue, I'm a pansexual, and today, I will choose…you." She grins as she crooks her finger like she did the night before, her words, infused with the magic that flowed through her veins causing the scarf and jersey to float over calmly. Taking the items, Cass puts them on as she saunters over to the end of her bed, slipping into a warm pair of black dragon-hide boots.

In that moment, Dobby reappears, "Missy Cassy, Professors Dumbly-dore is askings for yous."

Cass rolls her eyes, "I have nothing better to do – tell him I'll be down in a minute." Dumbledore is a pain in her neck, as far as Cass is concerned – who cares that she's the bloody Girl-Who-Lived? Or that she killed a basilisk, or defeated Voldemort on a yearly basis? She still witnessed his return – she still got Cedric killed. If anything, they should leave her the fuck alone.

But she still goes downstairs, silent as Hermione and the Weasley's – there's an entire clan of them, apparently, and not just three annoying girls and one star-struck boy, and their annoying, overbearing mother. Cass supposes Mr Weasley is nice enough, adorable even. She saved him from dying from Nagini's bite, and he's thankful, but even before then, she'd liked him.

Once inside the kitchen, it takes all of Cass' skill in keeping a blank face as Dumbledore smiles sadly at her. "Hello, Cassandra – I see you slipped your tail last night. A very risky move, one that you keep repeating. I may be forced to take drastic measures to ensure your safety if you keep undermining your guards."

"Respectively, sir, no way are they getting inside my club," Cass replies, voice dripping with saccharine sweetness. "And do not implement your 'drastic measures', or anything more than what you already do, because then I'll have to get the Aurors involved."

"We are Aurors," Kingsley frowns, and Cass raises an eyebrow at him, sitting down opposite Dumbledore, where he sits at the head of the table. That's Sirius' seat.

"You're Aurors working for a vigilante group that, according to the Ministry, is not allowed to exist, and has no purpose for existing."

"Cassandra, please, see reason-"

"You are overstaying your welcome in our home," Cass cuts Dumbledore off. "Sirius has been sending letter after letter, complaining of your deplorable attempts to take over his home and only sanctuary at this present time. Say, Kingsley," she turns her attention back to him again, "What in the Auror Office are you doing about him again? He's a wanted convict, right? Sending Aurors off, chasing fantasy leads that don't give them anything at all to work with, wasting resources and men…"

Many shift in their seats at her blunt words, and Cass looks to Dumbledore. "Anything else you want?"

Dumbledore's smile is strained. "I would like you to begin Occlumency lessons again-"

"Nope. No fucking way. Snape can go burn in Hades- no, Tartarus. He can go rot there."

"…with me."

Cass just laughs, before standing and leaving the room, an echoing shout of "Fuck off!" echoing through the house.