Of all the people Cassi was going to have to tell about her engagement, her mother was going to be the hardest. Everyone else was expecting it, but her mother still didn't even know that she and Sirius were dating, much less that they were now engaged. James had claimed he called it, Lily had freaked out, and Marlzy had smirked the entire time. But now, it was almost the end of the year, and it was time to tell her mother.
"Don't worry, love. I'll go with you."
Sirius squeezed her hand. She was leaning back into his chest, his arms around her, his breath in her ear. The lake shimmered in the hot sunlight. They were sitting under a tree, watching the first years run around the edge of the lake. They had been talking about everything, and anything.
They'd talked about family, friends, hopes, dreams, aspirations, plans. Cassi had told him about her dream for a happy family, and Sirius had told her about his secret wish to be a Healer.
They were perfectly content in each other's company, and in that place where the connection between them was almost telepathic. Sirius seemed to have picked up on her worries about telling her mother. In the last few months, she had gotten accustomed to being Sirius' fiancée. She understood now what Drea must have gone through for years.
"Thanks. That means a lot to me."
"I mean, I'd be heartbroken if she killed you!"
Cassi laughed.
"She'd be much more likely to kill you for 'defiling' her eldest daughter."
She settled back into him, and closed her eyes.
"This means I'll be entirely dependent on you, you know. There's no walking away from it now."
"I wouldn't want to walk away, even if I could. I love you, and I'm going to marry you."
Cassi smiled happily.
"I know. I love you too."
Cassi slowly drifted into sleep, Sirius stroking her hair.
The end of the year was approaching at an alarming speed. Lily and James were swamped with graduation planning, and keeping the younger years out of trouble. Lily was practically frantic with all the studying she was doing and everyone seemed to be following her lead. Cassi had given it up to chance. She had studied all she could, and now it was up to fate to decide if she passed her N.E.W.T.S.
Sirius was the only one who seemed to actually not care about his N.E.W.T.S. When Cassi asked him about it, he said that he'd inherited enough money to last his entire life, so why worry about it? Cassi had merely rolled her eyes at him.
The tension all seemed to come to a head in late May, so almost everyone could be found indoors. Everyone except Cassi and Sirius, that is. They took the time to roam the grounds freely, without any interference. Sirius showed Cassi his Animagus form in depth, and Cassi spent a lot of time playing with a big black dog, deep in the Forbidden Forest. Lily often wondered where her friend disappeared to, but Cassi would never tell her.
The weeks seemed to rush by, with scarcely enough time to draw breath. The exams came, and Cassi took them, and then it was over, just like that. They were boarding the Hogwarts Express for the last time.
Lily was crying softly into James' shoulder as they watched Hogsmeade disappear behind them. Cassi was numb. She couldn't believe it was over. And most of all, she couldn't believe what she was about to have to tell her family.
She and Sirius had it worked out so she would tell her mother the day after they returned, and at 5 o'clock, Sirius would come to pick her up and take her to his house. Sirius assured her that it wouldn't be as bad as she thought, but Cassi wasn't so sure. She had seen her mother change a lot since Sirius had last met her.
She had made up her mind to tell Drea that night, so her sister could be prepared for the next day.
The hours on the train passed as quickly as all time seemed to be doing these days. There wasn't enough time to say everything to everyone, not enough time to say goodbye to everything and to steel herself for the moment when she would say the words that would change her life forever.
Too early, it seemed, the train was pulling into the station, the students collecting their bags and trunks, saying goodbye. The seventh years were the slowest to leave. Marlzy, Alice, Remus, Peter, Dorcas, Frank, James, Lily, Sirius, and Cassi all gathered together by the exit. They looked at each other. Everyone was saying goodbye, promising to write, to get together soon, but Cassi could feel, in her heart, that this was the last time they would all be together. That the world out there was too harsh for such a delicate group to hold up.
Cassi exited towards the Muggle world, where her mother would be waiting. She kissed Sirius on the cheek, made him promise to get her tomorrow, and then exited for her waiting family.
Drea was already waiting for her by the time she finally made it through the barrier. She had her hand on her hip, and her eyebrows were raised.
"What took you so long, sis? Saying goodbye to a certain someone?"
"Oh, like you didn't take just as long. I saw you and Reg."
Drea blushed a bright red at the mention of her fiancé. Cassi smirked.
"We better find Mother, she'll be furious we kept her waiting."
Drea started off, Cassi trailing behind. Cassi knew that soon, being late wasn't all their mother would be furious about.