Chapter 8: A Box of Memories
Cassie woke every morning early and worked hard through lunch trying to pack up the house. She couldn't bear to sell it, not with all the memories she had. She decided to keep it, and one day, Harry may want it. Cassie had worked her way through four of the eight rooms: the living room, den, study and the kitchen. She still had her parent's room, her own, James's, and the guest bedroom, where some of Sirius' belongings still resided.
She opened the door to the spare bedroom and felt the air leave her lungs. On the walls were still some of Sirius's posters. The Quidditch teams flew about the paper, throwing Quaffles and hitting Bludgers. There was a picture frame left on the bedside table. It was facedown so Cassie couldn't see who resided in the frame. She walked over and picked up the frame, looking at its inhabitants. She felt the tears well in her eyes and drop to the floor. The frame contained a picture of Sirius and Cassie, at Christmas in her 3rd year, his 7th. It was probably the only picture ever taken of them, alone. It was when they were dating, the happiest moments of Cassie's life.
She placed the picture back on the table, face down, and began to take in the surroundings. The room had been painted a deep green with the natural dark wood molding. Cassie inhaled deeply, still smelling the faint smell that was Sirius. Sighing, she placed the box she had brought in on the bed and began looking in the drawers, making sure that no clothes or items were left behind.
She found nothing in the top two drawers, but upon opening the third, she found several old tees and even a pair of pajama pants. She felt her throat close and a lump rise. Pulling them out of the drawers, she threw them in the box. In the fourth and final drawer, she found a couple pairs of jeans and also threw them in the box. I'll keep them until I decide what to do with them, maybe I'll send them to Azkaban Cassie laughed bitterly, and then regretted the thought.
Moving from the dresser to the closet, Cassie opened the door and found only two things left: an old school robe of Sirius' and a box. Cassie threw the robe in the box along with the jeans and tees and pulled the box out.
Cassie sat cross-legged on the floor andpried open the flaps. The tape gave way and Cassie pulled out a small photo album. She opened the cover and flipped through the pages, gasping at what she found. The entire photo album (some twenty pages) was filled with pictures of James, Sirius…and Cassie. The top picture was Sirius and James's graduation, the four Marauders, Lily and Cassie, posing in front of the lake. Cassie giggled as she spotted the Giant Squid raise an arm up as Sirius tousled Cassie's hair. James and Lily kissed while Remus and Peter stood quietly on the side, laughing at the scene before them.
"Wow we were all so happy" she said aloud. Cassie placed the album aside to look at later and reached back into the box. She pulled out some papers and placed them aside. A small bracelet box was next and finally a smaller box. Curious, Cassie opened the container. Inside the box was a small pile of notes, all addressed to Cassie. Feeling the tears start to fall, she tossed everything back in the box and pushed it off to the side of the room.
Cassie stood and walked to the bed, folding the clothes and placing them in the box. She walked the box downstairs and sat on the couch. Why did I have to do this alone? She asked herself. "Because you are glutton for punishment. You knew this was going to be hard but you decided you had to do it yourself."
Shaking her head, Cassie stood up and walked to her father's desk in the corner of the room. She pulled out some parchment and a quill and began to write. She wrote two letters to the Ministry, asking to speak with them about Sirius. The third letter was the hardest to write. That one she wrote to Sirius.
Dear Sirius
I would say that I hope this letter finds you well, but we both know it won't. I don't quite know what to say to you. I only know that I had to write this letter. I graduated, a little over a week ago. (It's June for your information). Moony came, sadly, he was the only one.
I haven't stopped thinking about what happened between us on Halloween. I wish I had been able to tell you sooner. Sadly, there are a lot of things I wish.
I don't know if this letter will reach you. I just wanted to let you know that I love you. Everyone believes me insane, especially Moony. I don't know why but I believe you. I just wish I knew what happened. You said you changed Keepers…but to whom?
I love you.
Cassie
She reread the letter and almost tore it up. You have to send it. Maybe it will give him some hope that he'll get through this she thought."Unless he's already gone mad." She said aloud.
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
Sirius sat in his cell in Azkaban. He was "resting" on his makeshift bed in the corner of the damp, dreary cell. He had watched as the guards brought the captured Death Eaters in to their cells. His dear cousin Bellatrix and her husband were walked past. She spit in his cell and hissed at him when she past, only to be brought by again when they changed her cell.
His days were the same. He woke up, ate the slop they gave him for breakfast, and resumed staring at the walls: thinking. He remembered fun times when he was at school, only to have them drained from him when the dementors floated past. His only consolation was that he was innocent. He thought it day in and day out. Sirius continued reminded himself of his innocence, hoping it was enough to help him stay sane.
One morning (or, he thought it was morning, can't tell when there's no sun), he had a piece of parchment thrown in his cell with breakfast.
"This came for ya today. Nothin' important." The human guard said, laughing as he walked away.
Sirius grabbed at the parchment, hoping it held something, anything about a trial. He looked at the writing on the front and his eyes welled up. She hasn't forgotten me was all he thought as he gently opened the parchment.
He read…then reread…and read a third time. The tears fell from his eyes when he honed in on one line. I just wanted to let you know that I love you. She loves me he thought. She still loves me.
AN: May I just say I love this chapter. Please review! I'll give you a cookie!
