The tutoring continued for the rest of the semester, with Remus meeting Kassidy in different places due to the material they were covering. And it wasn't until early December as the two sat outside in the snow going over fire charms that any of the Marauders's noticed.
Peter nudged James who ribbed Sirius and pointed in the direction.
"I don't believe it," He said and they headed over to them.
Kassidy shrieked excitedly as the small piece of wood burst into flame. "I did it! Two points!"
Remus laughed at her, it had taken nearly twenty minutes to get it.
"Lovely weather to be out and about, don't you think Sirius?" James asked as they came close to the two.
"Oh yes, epically when you're sitting and freezing your arse off. Nothing nicer in my book." Siruis replied.
"Hello Potter, Black, Pettigrew." Kassidy said politely throwing snow over her burning twig.
"Hello to you Barlow," James said looking at Remus. "What are you two doing out here?"
"Nothing too terribly important." Remus told them not wanting to tell them about the help he was giving Kassidy, James would see it as mutinous behavior.
"I see… working on your charms are you?" James asked Kassidy noting the steam that was coming up from the pile of snow next to her.
"As I matter of fact I am, so if you don't mind I need a bit more practice." Kassidy made a gesture for them to keep moving, she needed to work on it some more.
"Actually I'm a bit too cold to just this minute, maybe you could warm me up?" James asked with a wicked grin.
"James," Remus said shaking his head, he did not want them to argue, it wasn't even noon yet.
"Oh no problem," Kassidy said casually pointing her wand at him, a spark of blue shot out and hit the bottom of his robes, catching him on fire. "Stop, drop and roll." She reminded with a smile.
"How did you do that?" Remus asked his mouth hanging open, Kassidy hadn't said a thing which was remarkable, because some full grown wizards couldn't use a spell without saying the incantation.
"Because I'm special like that." Kassidy said with a shrug before turning her full attention to the others.
Sirius and Peter were trying to put James out. Sirius finally threw him in the snow and piled snow on top of him extinguishing the flames.
Kassidy couldn't stop laughing at the shocked looks; it was bad enough with the look on Remus's face but Potter getting body slammed on the ground was priceless. She didn't know if she'd ever stop laughing.
"Oh you think that's funny?" James asked getting up livid.
"Because it was," she said holding onto her sides.
James looked at Remus who was trying his best not to laugh, but he wasn't doing a very good job at it.
"Nice girl you got Remus," James told him making Kassidy laugh harder. It was funny how people thought they were dating even though they weren't, all on the count that Remus was too shy to ask.
"Why thank you," Remus said smiling knowing that saying it would freak James out, he was teasing but James didn't know that.
James, Sirius and Peter were shocked.
"Aw, thanks sweetie," Kassidy said patting Remus's hand teasingly.
"Wha. How?" Sirius asked, this was just getting weirder and weirder by the minute.
"I'm sorry what did you say?" Kassidy asked with a frown. "I cant hear you when you mumble,"
"I need to sit down," James said and they walked off with Kassidy and Remus laughing heartily after them.
Kassidy walked quickly out of her Transfigurations class the next afternoon trying to steady all the books in her arms. She's almost had about enough of all the homework, she had thought high school was bad, then she got to Hogwarts.
'Thank god today's the last day,' She thought happily. Christmas was in less than six days and it was Friday, she had all weekend to get the essays done.
But Kassidy hated Potions, mostly because it dealt with perfect measurements and things, which not only confused her but frustrated her as well. History of Magic was so fucking dull it brought her almost to the brink of tears everyday. Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts were the best, homework was actually almost fun in those classes, and she was always learning so much and she retained it because it was fun! Her feelings on Herbology were neutral.
"Can I help you?" Remus asked coming up next to her and taking some of the top books off into his arms, she looked like she desperately needed help and he was more than happy to oblige.
"Your soo sweet," Kassidy said appreciatively.
"How did you do on the Dark Arts essay?" Remus asked curiously, he knew she had been excited about doing it.
"I got an Outstanding," Kassidy told him proudly as they walked off towards the Great Hall for lunch.
"You do really well in that class," Remus said, but she could tell it bothered him.
"What's such a big deal about it then?" She asked as they trudged up the stairs to the main floor.
"Because there's not a dark wizard that wasn't in Slytherin who enjoyed the Dark Arts," A voice said behind them. They turned to see James Potter and Sirius Black behind them with Peter in tow.
"So I'm a little sadistic, so what? It doesn't mean I'm Voldemort or anything," Kassidy said hotly, his explanation was uncalled for.
She could have cut through the tension that followed with a sword it was so thick.
"Your not supposed to say you-know-who's name," Remus said after a silent moment.
"Why not? Fearing a name is stupid, I mean, Hitler did some pretty awful stuff, worse than what Voldemort," Again immediate tension. "Has done and we still say his name,"
No one said anything to her.
"No wonder you and Snivillus are friends," Potter said walking ahead of her. "Both of you future death eaters,"
Kassidy instinctively threw one of her books at him, hitting him square on the back of his head, in the short time she'd been there she'd learned that there was an evil wizard who like all villains wanted to take over the world and had minions as all bad people did.
"You want to insult me Potter say it to my face!" She dared as he turned towards her, his wand out.
"Demre-"
"Thirty points from Gryffendor!" A shrill voice called out and they all looked behind James to see Professor McGonagall. "Mister Potter for the last time there is NO hexing or jinxing in the hallway, and to make it more clear you shall spend a week in detention with me, is that understood?"
"But Barlow, she-"
"Not another word!" McGonagall demanded. "Now I suggest you hurry and get to the Great Hall,"
Kassidy smiled sweetly at James as she glided past him, stopping only to pick up her book. That was what she called poetic justice.
"I wish you two wouldn't start things like that," Remus told Kassidy shaking his head.
"Hey I have done nothing to him, he started it," Kassidy felt like a six year old saying that. Why did Potter make her feel stupid?
"Well from now on I'll start issuing detentions for behavior like that,"
"I hope you're joking because there is no way that I will EVER talk to you again if you give me a detention for treating Potter as he deserves to be treated."
Remus just shook his head and handed back her books as they separated to sit at their respected house tables.
Kassidy sat there at the table, her books sitting beside her for the longest time in thought. 'Potter is so cruel, how could he say something like that? He doesn't even know me!'
But still, she couldn't shake that nasty feeling off of her that maybe he was right.
"There's not a dark wizard that wasn't in Slytherin," Potters voice rang in her head. Kassidy didn't know if it was a generalization or not 'Shurly not ALL of them.' She thought looking at the people around the Slytherin table.
Yeah, Kassidy could see how people thought that. One look at Malfoy and his gang and it was a wonder why Slytherin house even existed. It was like they were promoting evil wizards to try to take over the world.
The house allowed people like Malfoy to think he was better than everyone else because he was a "pure blood"; a child of an incestual family was more like it. Or Crabbe because he was rich, all the money in the world could not buy that boy a brain.
'I'm not as bad as them, am I?' she asked herself. The sorting hat thought so…
Kassidy sat on the stool, listening as a voice went off in her head, a voice that wasn't hers.
"I see you have courage, oh yes, a lot of courage, lots of heart too… But there's a lot of mischief as well, cunning thoughts and evil deeds…yes. Yes."
Kassidy pulled the hat off her head. "What the fuck?" she whispered.
"Miss Barlow what are you doing?" Professor McGonagall asked curtly.
"It talks," Kassidy said freaked out. "Hats aren't supposed to talk,"
"Put it on Miss Barlow and wait until it tells you your house,"
"But," Kassidy argued then shoved the hat back on at the look McGonagall gave her.
"Afraid of the truth are we?" The hat continued. "But where to put you? Where would you find yourself fit? Surly not in Ravenclaw or Huffelpuff, no. Too mild and tame for you…."
"Oh will you get on with it?" Kassidy muttered impatiently. People were beginning to fidget at how long it was taking.
"Very well then…You are strong willed, and will go to whatever means to achieve what you want… I believe you'll be best in SLYTHERIN!"
Kassidy quickly took the hat off her head and shoved it back to McGonagall and went to sit at the table who was cheering loudly. It was unnerving to be told things about yourself, especially from a talking hat.
"Welcome to Slytherin!" The girl to Kassidy's left said clapping her shoulder.
"Thanks," She said giving a nervous smile. 'Why is she touching me?' Kassidy had a thing about people she didn't know touching her.
"I'm Holly Breyburn," The girl introduced.
"Kassidy Barlow," She said eyeing the girls hand as it didn't move off her shoulder.
"Oh! Sorry," Holly said removing her hand. "I just get a little too friendly, but I'm not that way I swear!"
Kassidy laughed. Thank god! FINALLY someone she could talk to! She settled down and watched as the others were sorted but Kassidy couldn't help but notice a boy sitting at the table across from her who was giving her more than a passing glance…
"Are you just going to sit there or are you going to eat?" A voice said interrupting Kassidy's thoughts.
"Huh?" Kassidy asked looking over to see Holly. "Oh, yeah, I'm eating," She said pulling all the food that was in arms reach over to her plate and began piling it on. Though Kassidy couldn't help herself to look over her shoulder at Remus who was doing the same and share in a secret smile.
