An: sorry for the shorter chapter! I hope you all are staying healthy mentally, physically and emotionally. I am sending good vibes to each and everyone of you!
Chapter Fifty
"You're leaving."
It was more of a statement than a question.
Professor Lupin's office door was wide open, most of his stuff was already packed. Harry and the others were down by the lake but I needed some space, some time to think.
Harry, Hermione, and I managed to get to the Hospital Wing just in time much to everyone's relief. This of course, didn't stop Snape from being downright furious about Snape escaping, even going on a rampage in front of the Prime Minister.
It was hard to wrap my head around though. Snape was so dead set on punishing Sirius and Lupin for things that had happened when they were teenagers. His grudge was so deep he lied, saying that we were all under the confundus curse. So deep, that he was ready for Sirius to get the dementor's kiss.
I had never seen my godfather so… well emotional before last night. It was unnerving.
"I'm afraid I am." Lupin nodded, starting to pack up his desk.
The DADA professor looked a little worn but other than that okay. There were a couple of fresh scars but nothing too terrible. Still, a pang of guilt settled in my stomach as the image of his skin splitting came to mind.
"Professor Dumbledore convinced Fudge that I was trying to save your lives." He continued and a frown settled on his face. "That, however, was the final straw for Severus. He- well he accidentally let it slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast."
I sank into the chair across from him and Lupin started to get a pot of tea ready with a wave of his wand. He sat down across from me but didn't say anything. Just passed me a cup of tea waiting.
"I'm sure Dumbledore told you that Sirius escaped on Buckbeak?" I said finally and Lupin nodded, with a sad smile playing on his lips.
"I was told that Hermione and Harry had a hand in that as well. I'm sure you're wondering what's going to happen to him?" He questioned and I nodded. Taking a deep breath he leaned back in his chair. "I'm going to be keeping an eye on him. We'll probably go out of the country for a while. Until things settle down but with Pettigrew…"
"He could bring You-Know-Who back to power, can't he?" I finished and Lupin's expression darkened.
"Perceptive as always." Lupin sighed and took a sip of tea. " It is a possibility. But we are going to be ready when it happens. It's not going to be like the first war. We are much more prepared this time and we've always known that it could happen. Now, I assume you came here to talk about other matters?"
I wanted to press more into the repercussions of Pettigrew coming back but I knew I shouldn't. Sighing, I nodded.
"Why does my godfather hate you all so much? Everyone knows that he hates Harry's dad but for the grudge to be so deep it just seems like… there's something more."
Regret painted Lupin's face. I half expected him to not answer. Who was I to dig into their clearly pain filled past.
"Sirius, Peter, James, and I were immature at best in the past. Sirius and James especially. Of course they grew out of it later but they would often go out of their way to bully Slytherin's, Snape in particular. Snape was close with Lily, Harry's mother, and James really didn't like that. There were times where I would put a stop to it but… I typically did nothing so it makes me no better.
"There was an incident our fifth year. Sirius told Snape how to get into the Shrieking Shack and of course Severus took the bait. It was during a full moon and had James not been there it would have cost Severus his life."
"You guys traumatized him." Slipped from my mouth and Lupin nodded, the guilt even more prominent. "Sorry… I-"
"No it's true." Lupin agreed. "The bullying pretty much stopped after that but it had done it's damage. It was irreparable."
The two of us sat in silence, the new information sinking in. I still didn't agree with Snape's actions but I could understand his reaction a little bit better. But to try and take someone's soul- to out a man as a werewolf. That was too much. I couldn't agree with anything that he had done.
"Even though I won't be your professor anymore, I do hope that you will reach out to me when you need." Lupin said finally and I looked up at him surprised. He had a soft smile on his face. "As I have said before, it does help to get an outside perspective once in a while."
I nearly jumped out of my chair as there was a knock on the door and both of us turned to see Harry, looking surprised to see me talking to Lupin. I gave my friend a tired smile before digging in my bag for a second.
"It's from Madame Pomfrey." I said and passed Lupin a large lump of chocolate wrapped in foil as I stood up. His eyebrows shot up at that. "I told her I was visiting you.. She has a soft spot for you."
"You don't have to go-" Harry tried and I shook my head patting Harry on the shoulder.
"Don't worry about it." I said before leaving my best friend and favorite professor to talk.
The smile that I had plastered on my face fell as soon as I was out of earshot. As much as I wanted the talk with Lupin to bring comfort… I felt more troubled than I was before. Which… wasn't surprising considering where the conversation led.
"I've decided to drop Muggle Studies."
My lips twitched at Hermione's announcement. The Hogwarts Express had pulled out of the station not too long ago and we were all settled in our compartment. I had my legs propped up on Harry, book on my lap.
The last week of term went by fast. Nobody knew the truth about what happened that night except for us. Rumors spread though none were close to the actual truth.
"But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" Ron exclaimed looking surprised.
"I know." Hermione sighed. "But I can't stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I've handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I'll be able to have a normal schedule again."
"I still can't believe you told Cassie and not us about it. We're supposed to be your friends." Ron pouted and I rolled my eyes.
"Maybe if you guys paid more attention you would have noticed." I teased and dodged the jelly slug Ron threw at me.
"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone." Hermione groaned. "Cassie saw it on accident- you know what she's like."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Ron and Hermione gave each other a look and I pouted.
"Harry- they're bullying me." I whined nudging the black haired boy with my foot. He gave me an annoyed look in return and I huffed. "Come on, cheer up Harry!"
The dark haired boy frowned but shook his head, shaking his thoughts away.
"I'm fine. Just thinking about the holidays."
Ooh. We all knew how much he was dreading heading back to the Dursley's.
"Yeah I've been thinking about them too, Harry you've got to come and stay with us. I'll fix it up with Mum and Dad, then I'll call you. I know how to use a fellytone now-"
"A telephone, Ron." Hermione sighed. "Honestly, you should take Muggle Studies next year…"
"It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer! How about it, Harry? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work." Ron said excitedly and this caused Harry to perk up. It seemed like Quidditch always got him in a good mood.
"Yeah… I bet the Durselys'd be pleased to let me come… especially after what I did to Aunt Marge…" Harry smiled at the thought of his aunt causing me to laugh.
There was a sharp knock on the compartment door before it pulled open, Draco standing alone with a piece of parchment in his hand. I immediately pulled my legs off of Harry, sitting up at the sight of him.
"I'll be back in a few." I told the others and followed Draco into the hall.
It felt like it had been an eternity since we last talked, though I knew it hadn't been that long. I felt bad, for how disconnected I had been with Theodore and Draco but there was so much going on… I couldn't help it.
"How'd you do on your exams?" I asked as the two of us walked towards the back of the train.
"You really got to ask me that?" Draco shot back with a smirk causing me to roll my eyes.
"Just trying to catch up is all."
He seemed less than amused by my response and refused to carry on the conversation until we found an empty compartment. Draco took a minute to lock the door and close the blinds before turning towards me, his eyes steely.
"What?" I asked my twin, arms crossed over my chest.
"You'll tell me if they try anything funny, right?" My lips twitched at how serious he was. Anything funny? "I'm being serious Cassie. You'll be staying with the lot of them all summer. I've seen how they behave."
"Draco, as touched as I am with your misplaced concern- I will be fine. I can handle myself against the Weasleys."
He nodded though his eyebrows were still furrowed. I grabbed his forearm, giving it a small squeeze for comfort.
"Anyways, I will still be writing to you. It's not like we will be completely cut off from each other."
"That is true." He nodded as if convincing himself. "Mother and Father want me to remind you that word of this cannot spread. That you are staying with the Weasley's. So far, everyone thinks that you are staying with one of Mother's old friends. Their reputation is on the line."
My stomach twisted at his words. Mother had sent a very lengthy note a couple of days ago about how our reputation was at stake and if people knew that I was staying with blood traitors over summer it would be very harmful to our reputation. If they needed to bring me home, they would. All I had to stay on my best behavior in public.
While Mother and Father were going to meet both of us at the platform, Father would apparate home with Draco while Mother apparate me to the Weasley's- not that anyone else would know.
Really they were just lucky that we managed to keep the whole thing under wraps so far. While I loved Hogwarts, everyone was quick to gossip. I was grateful that everyone who did know didn't talk about it- figuring it was a sensitive subject for me. It worked out for the better.
"Anything to keep up with appearances, right?" I gave Draco a forced smile and his frown grew even more. A heavy sense of unease fell on the both of us.