Chapter Seven
A/N: Hello wonderful readers! I am back after a scary mishap, I may have dropped milk on my Mac.. it was a scary moment but thankfully after leaving it for several days to dry out everything is still working ! :) so YAY for updates 3 I bless the Mac Gods for sparing my Mac that day. So a word of advice to you, next time you think it is a good idea to watch your friends funny videos while eating cereal.. don't. Because you will start laughing too much and make a total ass out of yourself. With that note read on babes!
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter, I wish I did but alas.. I do not.
Cas' eyes blinked open, the bright sun blinding her immediately. She groaned and tried to sit up only for a pair of hands to push her back down on the bed.
Cas' eyes flew open, only to see the joking face of Sirius Black.
"Ugh Black, you're literally everywhere. Creeping in a lady's bed chamber while she slumbers? Is that how a true gentleman acts?" Cas joked weakly, shifting to cover any limbs with her blanket.
"I do as I please, and where's this lady you speak of? Can you point her out to me? I can't seem to see her." Cas replied with a swift smack on the arm. Sirius chuckled and patted Cas' hand gently with two fingers.
"There, there Cas. I am only taking the piss." Sirius chuckled again at the look on Cas' face before moving to the door and closing it. When he turned around the joking Sirius was gone and was replaced with a strangely serious Sirius.
"Why so serious? Don't you dare make that Sirius serious joke or I will blast you from my bloody room." Cas warned, making a motion to grab her wand. Sirius shook his head, his hair casually moving side to side.
"Wouldn't dream of it Cas. But really, would you want to mess up this perfect face?" Sirius joked, pulling his chair closer to Cas' bedside.
"You really don't see yourself correctly do you? While you're here you should probably get checked by the nurse, you seem to be delusional and seriously conceited. Or is that just an after affect of being dropped too many times as a kid?" Cas joked, causing Sirius to laugh his classic bark laugh. Cas smiled at the sound of it than shook her head, not wanting to get caught up in the Black charm.
"Harsh. You know, with that kind of attitude people won't want you around." Sirius said with a wink causing Cas to roll her eyes.
"Whatever Black, I'm used to it. Now why are you here?" Cas asked getting to the point.
"Just checking on you that's all! Everyone else is out safe and sound, seems Miss. Hero over here is taking the longest to leave this bloody hell hole." Sirius drawled sarcastically, stretching his legs out onto Cas' bed. Cas eyed his dirty motorcycle boots in disgust, before turning her attention back to his question.
"Not my fault! They have me on bloody lockdown here, it's like I meant to get hurt. Anyways, whats this bollocks about Miss. Hero? If I recall I saved your ass along with all your mates'!" Cas exclaimed, hurting her ribs as she breathed out in frustration. She was sick of people giving her a hard time, first Moody now Sirius fucking Black.
"Easy, easy. I'm not saying you didn't! Someone is touchy this evening." Sirius soothed, a sheepish smile spreading across his face. Cas relaxed a bit before sinking into her pillows.
"Sorry, didn't mean to tear you apart there. Moody reamed me out the other day and I guess you could say I'm still touchy about it. Anyways, they told me you pulled me out of that mess of a battle. So, er, well, I was just, well." Cas stuttered a bit, unsure on how to word her next sentence. Sirius smiled a bit before leaning forward, resting his head in his hand.
"Morris, are you trying to say thank you?" Sirius asked smugly. Cas groaned in frustration, throwing her hands up in defeat.
"Yes, thank you. If you ever breathe a word of this to anyone, I will castrate you." Cas warned, wagging her finger at Sirius. Sirius laughed and leaned back, running a hand through his hair.
"Would expect nothing less mate." Sirius joked, suddenly rising from his chair and walking over to inspect the counters across the room. Cas scowled as she watched him move with such ease. How could he be so comfortable in this prison, when the truth of it was Cas hadn't slept since she got here.
As she was thinking this her Healer strode into the room.
"Morning Ms. Morris! I hope you have good news for me. Have you slept?" Healer Davis asked, moving to wave his wand above Cas. Her heart beat and blood pressure popped up, hovering above her stomach. Sirius turned around at this piece of information and watched as the Healer tutted at her results.
"Ms. Morris, we have gone over this. You must sleep to heal, and since you refuse any sleeping drought you must cooperate. I will be back with the sleeping drought shortly, hopefully your friend here can talk some sense into you." Healer Davis tutted, nodding at Sirius as he left.
"Ahh, and it all makes sense now. Someone is being a tough little shit over here and won't take her sleeping pills." Sirius joked, his normal smile started to form only to drop after seeing Cas' face.
"I refuse." Cas whispered, her hands tightening on the hospital bed sheets. "I won't do it."
"What's going on Cas?" Sirius asked, moving smoothly to sit on the side of her bed. He picked her hands up in his and held onto them tight. Cas stared at his hands and felt her eyes weaken. She pulled them from his, and laid her head back on her pillow.
"C'mon, you have to tell someone. I won't say a thing." Sirius encouraged, touching Cas' forearm in reassurance. Cas sighed deeply and rubbed her face.
"I just can't alright, drop it." Cas growled in frustration, her eyes leaving his face and gazing over her bitten fingernails.
"You're scared aren't you? You feel unsafe whenever you close your eyes. You have this feeling of dread when it comes around to night time, you know that when you close your eyes and let yourself fall asleep you will have to relive every shitty memory you've ever experienced. You know you will have to encounter the worse in your dreams, see your friends die over and over again. Dreams are like a boggart that can't be defeated. But worst of all, you're scared of being that vulnerable. That you're handing yourself over on a silver platter if you fall asleep. So you barely sleep, you drink a shit ton of coffee, and sleep with your wand under your pillow. Just in case." Sirius whispered, summing up all of Cas' internal thoughts. Cas' head snapped up and Sirius nodded roughly. Rising from the side of her bed and leaning against the rusty hospital chair.
"How d-" Cas started.
"How do I know? I am the same way Cassie, I am the exact same fucking way. The boys and Lily too. This war, this war, is driving us all insane. Ripping apart our lives and putting this huge, heavy cloud on the happiest of memories. And I fucking hate it. I hate how he has this much control over us and our lives. I thought I left this pureblooded bull shit when I ran away to the Potter's. But it never stops, and the only way it will is when I watch that bloody bastard fall." Sirius muttered hatefully, his hands clenched at his sides.
Cas watched on in amazement, finally someone who understood her course of action. Someone whose life had been turned completely upside down due to the war. Someone who understood.
"That is why the Order is so important. I know you hate it because of Dumbledore, don't look surprised you know I overheard you that one day. I know you hate it, but it's the only chance we got against Voldemort. And blimey, it's the best chance any of us have in surviving this war." Sirius stated strongly, sitting finally after his moment of pacing.
"I know. And if it's the last thing I do, I will watch these bastards pay for what they have done." Cas added, causing Sirius to nod in agreement.
"But you must sleep Cassie, you will be useless here in this bed. What do I have to do for you to sleep?" Sirius asked, staring so intently at Cas that she felt her face flush. She wasn't sure how to answer it, she had never felt this much pressure to fall asleep before.
"How about if I promise to stay as you sleep. That way you can rest easy knowing you have someone nearby?" Sirius asked, his question was interrupted by the entrance of Healer Davis.
"I hope you have changed your mind Ms. Morris? What is is going to be?" Healer Davis asked, gesturing toward the small dixie cup in his hand. Cas stared at Sirius for a long, hard moment before nodding to herself.
"I am getting the hell out of here." Cas answered, grabbing the sleeping drought out of her Healer's hand and downing the contents in one gulp.
"I am taking that bastard down."
Few Days Later
"C'mon Cas, I just want to help!" Lily's pleas were cut off as Cas' door flew open. Lily stuttered back a bit at the intense look gazing through her.
"Mind your own business Evans." Cas muttered fiercely, slamming the door in her face.
Lily sighed and walked, defeated, back to the boys. All she had wanted was to know who Evelyn was and how she was tied to Cas and Moody. Sirius had come back a couple weeks ago, telling the boys the conversation between Cas and Moody he had overheard. The name seemed to keep popping up, who was Evelyn? Lily's first thought was just to simply ask Cas and hope she would be up for show and tell.
However, much to Lily's disgruntle, Cas' lips were sealed shut when it came to Evelyn. Evelyn had been someone important in Cas and Moody's lives, this much Lily knew for sure. Otherwise they wouldn't be missing her and talking about her all the time.
Lily shook her head of the thoughts of Evelyn before walking lazily down the stairs, staring at the photos on the walls. Most were of Molly and Arthur, and of course their boys Bill, Charlie and Percy. But there were also some of their time at Hogwarts, a couple reoccurring faces throughout the photos made Lily stop.
Lily smiled and traced the faded faces with her fingers. How crazy was it that she was out of Hogwarts, a Hogwarts Graduate. Lily shook her head softly, wondering how all this time passed, how had she aged so quickly. Lily felt arms sneak around her stomach and smiled into the embrace.
"Potter." Lily stated as a welcoming, laying her hands on the arms surrounding her.
"Evans." James whispered seductively into her ear. Lily felt her body shudder and her breath hitch as James' hands wandered her body. Lily sighed, thoughts of Cas and Evelyn leaving her. How could she think of anything else when all she saw and felt was James bloody Potter?
"What about this one?" Molly Weasley asked, pointing at a cute one bedroom flat in the Daily Prophet.
"I really like it Molly, but honestly, I don't think I can afford it. I have no source of income and only have what is left of my parent's insurance. I think with this one I will be biting off more than I can chew." Cas answered solemnly.
Cas and Molly had been going over the prophet all morning, and had narrowed the house hunt down to two flats. One that was small and a tad dingy, but in her price range and another that was spacious and just, well just perfect but out of her price range. Cas groaned and laid her face on the table.
"That is actually what I was coming to speak about Ms. Morris." a light, airy voice answered, causing Molly to get out of her seat.
"Dumbledore! What a nice surprise, let me put on the kettle." Molly left the room, leaving the two alone. This one on one time Cas had tried to avoid since joining the Order, but when Dumbledore wants to find you, he finds you.
"And what may I ask is my flat hunt have to do with the Order?" Cas drawled, not bothering to lift her head from the table. She heard feet shuffling and opened her eyes to see that the Marauders and Lily had joined them all in the dining room. Cas sighed after locking eyes with Remus and pushed herself off the table to stare at Dumbledore.
"I was simply here to ask you to go undercover for us. Not your usual undercover mission but in the role of a ministry official. It seems Voldemort and his supporters are moving in on the ministry and we need a man on the inside to see who is supporting Voldemort. I was hoping that you would be the one to help us with this task." Dumbledore stated softly, ignoring the glare that Cas was giving him.
"Is it safe?" Cas muttered, lowering her voice to avoid eavesdroppers.
"Yes Cas, no harm will come to you." Dumbledore replied hesitantly. Cas nodded.
"Are we talking safe safe? Or oops I got your parent's murdered safe?" Cas snapped, causing the Marauders and Lily to freeze on their way to take a seat nearby.
"Ms. Morris, your parent's death was an unfortunate accident. I never thought that more Death Eaters would show up. I needed them there that night, or hundreds of muggles' would've been murdered." Dumbledore answered sternly. Cas huffed, and clenched her fists.
"They were murdered instead. They should've been at home in their beds, you know they were marked the moment they refused to hand me over to the Pureblood Initiation. You promised to keep them safe, that is why I had to spend Christmas away from them. It was too 'risky'. But yet you do not hesitant to throw them into battle when there was already galleons above their heads to be dead." Cas hissed quietly, her voice coming out soft as velvet but as sharp as glass.
"Cassie, I beg you to see reason. They knew the risk they were taking when they joined the Order, the same risk you knew of when you joined as well. I admit, I did make promises I couldn't keep, but if I had known that they were that well sought after I would've never have let them leave their houses. We needed members to help with a muggle raid, and they answered the Order's call, just like you would've. Now, this is not the time or place for this talk. I come asking you for your insight and skills, a necessity for the Order to be successful in the future." Dumbledore stated, putting an end to the previous conversation. After all he was correct, this was not the time or place for this conversation. Especially in front of the present company.
Cas sighed and thought about it. A job at the ministry, however risky, would be a great asset for information on Voldemort and also would allow her to buy the flat she preferred. Cas weighed the pros and cons before she found herself nodding in agreement.
"Alright Dumbledore, I will look into finding a job at the ministry. Which department do you suggest?" Cas asked, her patience growing less and less throughout this conversation.
"Thank you for your cooperation Ms. Morris, any occupation in the improper use of magic office would suffice. Oh I am sorry Molly, I must be off. Important ministry business to attend to. Here are the forms Ms. Morris." Dumbledore slid a stack of papers toward Cas and she scowled at the idea of filling them all out. Dumbledore nodded at the Marauders and Lily and with a last good bye to Molly he departed.
Cas sighed and pulled the papers toward her, might as well get started.
"Oy Potter, pass that box and make yourself useful." Cas joked, grabbing the box that James practically threw at her.
They had been moving into Cas' new flat for five hours now, and to say that the boys were done was an understatement. The flat was more money than she had expected, but with hopes of future employment at the ministry, Cas was feeling pretty confident about her new place.
"Wotcher Morris, we might've agreed to this but James is the only one being threatened with sex denial here." Peter joked. Cas looked up and laughed at the scene in front of her, Peter had the job of setting up her new coffee table. There was Peter in the middle of all the wooden parts, and the instructions skewed around him.
"Pete, why didn't you just use magic?" Sirius asked, lazily lounging on the patched up couches donated to Cas from an Order member.
"Why the hell didn't I think of that?" Peter muttered to himself, scratching his head in frustration. He had been working on it for over an hour now.
"So when is the party Cas?" Sirius asked, grabbing a bottle of butter beer and handing it to her. Cas shrugged and looked around, staring at the bare walls and makeshift furniture. It wasn't much, but it would do.
"Couldn't tell ya." Cas shrugged, opening the butter beer and smiling at the warm smell of the liquid. Butter beer cured all, it was a theory Cas had and she was sticking to it. She took a long drag from her bottle and set it down on the floor, dusting off the books she was previously putting away.
"I say we go out tonight as a celebration!" Lily suggested, sliding on the back of the couch and onto Sirius' lap. Sirius jumped at the impact before quickly relaxing and pulling Lily into an embrace.
"Why sure ging, I'll take you anywhere you want. Buy you everything four eyes over there wouldn't." Sirius whispered dramatically, causing James to throw a pillow at his head.
"Whoa Prongs, wouldn't take you as the abusive type. No worries beautiful Lily-love-pad, I've got you." Sirius mocked, receiving a smack from Lily's small, but firm hand.
"No one is allowed to call me Lily-love-pad other than James." Lily joked, wrapping her arms around James. James smirked and flipped Sirius the bird behind Lily's back.
"Stop flipping your brother off Jamsie, one might think you're jealous." Lily teased, tugging on James' lock of out of control hair.
"Jealous of that prick? I don't think so Lils, I'm not really threatened. Pads is far too scrawny for your liking." James joked.
"OY! WATCH WHO YOU'RE CALLING SCRAWNY TOOTH PICK!" Sirius bellowed, with mock offense. Sirius bounded from the couch, picked Lily up and safely moved her five inches, before he dived onto James' body. Taking him down in one easy movement.
The boys rolled around, knocking over lamps and end tables as they rolled.
"Oy! Baboons! Watch yourself, Remus just slaved over that end table!" Cas joked, opening her second butter beer. Remus walked over and threw an arm around Cas.
"Thank you for your concern Ms. Morris. I am glad my hard work has made up for your lack of work." Remus teased, poking Cas in the side. Cas smiled and nodded, agreeing to the lack of work completed.
"I am adjusting Lupin, adjusting." Cas snapped, slipping out of Remus' arm.
"Focus people! Focus! Tonight we are all going out, I do not care what any of you say! This calls for a celebration!" Lily smiled, convincing everyone that her plans were golden with a look at her dimple.
"Which reminds me! Cas, I got you this for your new home." Sirius stated suddenly, pulling out a bottle shaped parcel from his bag.
"Hmm, I wonder what it could be." Cas joked sarcastically, accepting this gift.
"With that kind of attitude I may take this back and drink it myself." Sirius teased, pulling the gift away. Cas laughed and grabbed the present back.
"Well there goes my guess at a pet kitten." Cas drawled, opening the gift with anxious fingers. There in all it's glory was a beautiful bottle of gin.
Cas beamed and nodded at Sirius in thanks.
Tonight was going to be one they would never forget.
"This place is wild!" Lily shrieked in delight, gripping onto James' shoulders.
James picked her up and swung her lazily onto the dance floor, bumping into surrounding dancers. Cas smirked and maneuvered her way over to the bar, sliding into the seat with an amused expression.
Cas swayed a bit before sitting down and chuckled at her own foolishness. She may have gotten a bit too intoxicated before coming out tonight. Cas raised her hand clumsy, getting the attention of the bar tender.
"Gin. Straight."
2 hours later and many shots of gin later..
"OY. OY LUPIN! Come dance." Cas slurred, downing her current shot before stumbling to reach Remus. Remus chuckled and shook his head in amusement.
"Why are you only nice to me when you're drunk Cas?" Remus asked, grabbing Cas by the shoulders and directing her to the dance floor. The mobs of people shifted as they entered, their bodies shining in the dark lighting of the night club. Cas moved through the crowd, her mind spinning. She hadn't been this drunk in a long, long time.
Remus spun her around and pulled her close, causing Cas to laugh. They moved in time to the beat, the waves of moving bodies bringing them to the right tempo and rhythm. Half way through the next song, someone interrupted Cas and Remus and grabbed Cas by the hips.
Cas locked eyes with Remus and shrugged her shoulders in a way that said 'Why the hell not', before turning back into the strangers arms. He wasn't too bad on the eyes and his brown eyes seemed inviting enough. Cas danced close with the stranger and it wasn't longed before they started grinding. Cas gasped as she felt his hands on her back and then her bum. Cas moved closer to the man, wanting less room and more touching. The stranger seemed to get the hint and pulled her closer, his hand caressing her front and moving down to gently touch her thighs, causing Cas to close her eyes. It wasn't until the stranger cupped her strongly that she knew where this night was going.
"Do you want to come home with me?" Cas asked, being reckless in her love life for once.
"You bet." The stranger responded, his voice coming out deeper and huskier than she had ever heard. Cas nodded and he grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the doors. She was almost at the exit when she felt a strong hand on her shoulder. Cas spun around and came face to face with Sirius.
"Can I help you?" Cas joked, leaning into the embrace of the stranger behind her. Cas gestured toward him in a way that stated 'Can't you see I am in the middle of something'.
"Do you really think this is a good idea Cas?" Sirius asked, his voice some how carrying over the loud, booming music. Cas nodded and went to turn back to her guest, but instead felt Sirius' arm shoot out and grasp her wrist softly.
"Don't go with him Cas, just don't." Sirius pleaded, a weird sense of sadness passing through his eyes.
"Bugger off Sirius, you are not my parents." Cas snapped, turning back and leaving confidently with her head held high.
We all make mistakes.
A/N: SCANDY! :) Well there you have it, another chapter. Let me know if you enjoyed it or not 3 Love reviews.
