CHAPTER 3.8

Don't look out the windows

The monsters like to jump out of the dark

Buckle up 'cause this is just the start

Frost permeated between the members of the Quartet, forming an icy barrier between the boys and girls. A freeze that had little to do with the snowy weather outside the castle walls. Christmas evening had delivered a ferocious argument between Harry, Ron and Hermione. After discovering that the Firebolt had been gifted to Harry by an anonymous person, the bushy-haired girl had rushed to voice her concerns to Professor McGonagall. In agreement with the fact that it could be hexed, the Head of Gryffindor house had confiscated the beloved broom to strip it down. Ron's fury had immediately targeted Hermione. He had let his mouth run away from him, and Hermione had spent the remainder of the holidays avoiding both he and Harry by hiding out in the library.

Refusing to let her friend be treated in such a way (and silently agreeing with her), Cassie glued herself to Hermione's side. Side by side, they either spent their days walking around the chilly grounds or reading peacefully in the fire-warmed library. Cassie hadn't spoken to either of the boys since the argument. She almost missed them. Well, she thought she did. She knew for a fact that when she started speaking to her brother again, he would only go back to irritating her and she would yearn for the peaceful moments she had received.

Sunday evening brought the return of the rest of the students. Whilst she loved her best friend deeply, the redhead was grateful to hear the halls filled with the incessant chatter of other people. There were more people to talk to and other faces to look at. The moment they had walked through the portrait hole, Cassie had practically thrown herself at Dean and Seamus, begging them for details of their holidays.

"Dad wasn't amused when me Mam put up all the decorations using magic. Said she ruined the spirit of Christmas." Seamus explained. "Soon changed his mind when the enchanted Mistletoe meant she had to kiss him despite her being in a mood."

"I had to explain to my parents yet again why I couldn't use magic to help them put up the Christmas lights," said Dean. "How was your Christmas, Red?"

Cassie scowled at the nickname. "I fought a cat. I wanted him to wear a Christmas jumper but he tried eating it so I had to wrestle him so he would wear the tinsel."

Seamus and Dean exchanged bemused looks before the former laughed at his friend and slung an arm around the back of the sofa. The warmth of him burned into her back and she turned to look at him. The pair smiled at each other before Dean's voice broke the connection.

"I don't know how but I'd quite forgotten how mad you are, Cass."

"Cheers, Dean. I'll take that as a compliment."

Classes resumed the next day and the Professors had decided they all needed lots of work to make up for the break they had taken. Overloaded with essays, Cassie hadn't been given time to worry about the animosity still burning between her friends. She had spent breakfast with Hermione before enjoying a humorous lunch with Seamus, Dean and Neville. She'd taken a cheese and ham toastie to-go for her dinner and nibbled at it on her way to the library.

Typically she loved having an essay to complete or a research task to occupy her evenings but when she left the library, hours later, all she felt was drained and confused. She needed a long nap and some time to herself. Footsteps echoing off the flagstone floor, Cassie felt a bubble rising from her stomach until it lodged itself in her throat. Dread coiled in her gut, making her regret the cheesy snack she had devoured earlier.

The source of her anxiety had sprung from the comments Hermione was making as they had waited outside the DADA classroom. A few choice words had caught Cassie's ear, thoroughly convincing the Weasley that her friend had somehow uncovered Professor Lupin's secret. Trusting Hermione with her life, Cassie knew her friend would never tell but it was worrisome that another student (no matter how intelligent) had pieced together the puzzle. Cassie, herself, had only managed to figure it out when she remembered her father mentioning that there had been rumours of howls coming from the forbidden forest, after he had left Hogwarts. He had merely been using it as a scare tactic; to keep her from exploring the forest like her elder brothers had done.

Fretting over whether she should tell Lupin, or whether she should broach the subject with Hermione, the redhead almost crashed into a bespectacled boy. Climbing out the portrait hole, Harry held out his hands as he tried to brace himself for impact.

"Hey. You feeling okay?" He asked upon noticing the dazed look she was sporting.

"Where you off to in such a hurry?" She asked, brushing off his concern with a smile and a cheerful tone.

"Lupin wanted us to meet him." Harry explained, leading her back the way she had came. "I've been searching for you all evening."

Spotting the books in her arms and the parchment peeking from her bag, Harry cursed himself for not thinking to check the library. It was common knowledge amongst the Third Year Gryffindors that she hid herself away in there. It was where they all went when they needed help with their homework because they knew she would be holed up in there. Relieving her arms of the heavy literature, he led the weary redhead into the History of Magic classroom. Cassie stifled a yawn. Even without the dreary presence of Professor Binns, the inside of the room had the ability to send her off to sleep.

Dropping her bag onto the floor, the Weasley slumped over the desk that she typically sat at during class. Only this time, Seamus wasn't by her side. Harry carefully placed her books on the desk, staring at Cassie with apprehension. She smiled at his behaviour, glad to see she had quickly taught him the correct way to treat books. Head resting on her arms, Cassie made small talk with the boy she hadn't spoken to in a while. She had missed him. Before she had the chance to ask whether he would consider apologising or making amends with Hermione, the door opened.

A large case was held in Lupin's left hand. The bedraggled man dumped it onto Binn's desk before turning to smile at the two teenagers. The Gryffindors eyed it apprehensively as it rattled and shook. There was a Boggart trapped inside.

"The Boggart will take the shape of the Dementor when he sees you so theoretically, we should be able to practice on it." Lupin clarified.

Affection shone in his eyes when Cassie hesitantly raised her hand. Assuring her that she could speak freely during these lessons, Remus allowed her to voice her concerns.

"How will I practice the charm? Sure, the Dementors scare me but I wouldn't say they're the thing I fear most."

"Don't worry. I've taken that into consideration." Lupin reassured. "It will certainly be trickier as you won't get to see the spell in action until you find yourself facing an actual Dementor but you will still be able to learn how to produce the Patronus."

Gnawing at her bottom lip, she listened intently as Lupin explained the intricacy of the charm. From the sounds of it, they wouldn't master it any time soon. In other words, they should prepare themselves to feel the effects of the Dementors a couple of times. Now she was really regretting that toastie. She hadn't eaten it with the expectation that it would be coming back up later on. All she wanted was her pyjamas and her blanket. Remus noticed the slight grimace on her face and tried to offer her a comforting smile. She returned it but the twinkle didn't sparkle in her eye.

Theoretically, the charm sounded easy enough to cast; you think of a happy memory and utter the incantation. In practice, it had be an extremely strong memory that you kept at the forefront of your mind the entire time. Remembering those feelings wasn't exactly easy when facing down a sucker of souls.

After they had been taught the words and wand movement, the two teenagers took their time to think of what they perceived to be their happiest memory. Harry thought of the first time he had ridden a broom, and the elation he felt with the wind in his hair. Cassie remembered the first time Charlie had a read her a book about dragons. She recalled the awe she felt looking at the ferocious beasts moving across the page, the wonder with which she had looked at Charlie after learning that he worked with them, and the joy on Charlie's face when she knew there was a family member who shared his fascination.

"Expecto Patronum," they both uttered, lacking bravado.

A small silvery wisp shot out of Harry's wand but Cassie's magic lay dormant. She felt it inside her but it didn't extend into her wand.

"Perhaps try another memory," encouraged Professor Lupin.

Eyes fluttering shut, the redhead sifted through memories until she landed on the first time she realised she had an affinity for healing magic. She had been ten years old. The older twins had been messing about in the large, oak tree above her head as she took solace under the shade of its large branches. Fred had slipped and landed at her feet in a heap. Blood trickled down his face, pouring from the gash on his head. He didn't cry but the young girl knew he was hurting. In her naivety, Cassie had wrapped her small arms around his waist in the belief that a hug would take away his pain. And, technically, it had. A bout of accidental magic had sewn his wound shut.

An involuntary smile slid onto her face and she whispered the spell once more. A silver haze burst free from her wand, twisting until it looked to be some sort of claw. It lasted a mere second before vanishing but that didn't stop the pride rising in her chest.

"Well done, you two!" Lupin praised. "Ready to try it on a real Dementor?"

Harry nodded eagerly. The green-eyed girl took a step back. Knowing she wouldn't be able to practice on the Boggart, she had no desire to be close enough to it to test whether it would have the same affect on her that real Dementors did.

The lid opened. The Dementor slowly rose from the back, and Cassie swiftly turned her back to it. Bile burnt the back of her throat. Practising the spell by her lonesome, the Weasley could hear Harry desperately yelling the words behind her. Her friend's voice got fainter and she turned in fright, watching as he stumbled over his own feet. His unconscious form collided with her adrenaline-filled one and they both tumbled to the floor. Thankfully, Harry's head landed in her lap, and she was relieved that she had saved his skull from smashing off the stone slabs.

Remus took care of the lingering Boggart before attending to his students. Green eyes stared up at her. Sweat trickled down Harry's brow and she wiped it away with a sympathetic smile.

"Sorry." Harry muttered, pushing himself into a sitting position and shuffling away from her lap.

Brushing off his apology as unnecessary, Cassie passed him the bottle of water from her bag as Lupin passed him a Chocolate Frog. Clambering off the floor, the with brushed the dust off her skirt and was overjoyed when she too was handed chocolate.

"It's getting worse." Harry grumbled, viciously biting off the Frog's head. "The, uh, vision, or whatever it is."

Doing his best to comfort the young wizard, Lupin promised Harry that it would be absolutely fine if he wished to discontinue their lessons. Defensive, the bespectacled boy shoved the rest of the frog in his mouth before exclaiming that he had to master the spell. Chewing the inside of her cheek, Cassie fought to smother her smile. She found it hilarious that Harry's current concern (and driving force behind learning to defeat the Dementors) was Quidditch. He was doing all of this so that he didn't lose the match against Ravenclaw.

Nodding his head in understanding, Lupin prepared to lift the box lid once again. "Ready?" He asked.

"Ready."

Ice coated the windows and tops of the desks. The candles flickered dangerously before a few of them puffed out. A dark cloak billowed in the unnatural wind. Gagging echoed around the room and Cassie clutched her stomach. Thankfully, Lupin had prepared for the matter and kicked a wooden bucket across the room. Opening her mouth to thank him, she was glad that she was already bent over the bucket because all that came out was vomit. A scream filled the room and she hurled once more. A body hit the floor - one she didn't have the chance to catch this time.

"I heard my dad." Harry said when he came to for the second time that evening. Cassie was still hunched over the bucket, as a precaution.

"You heard James?"

"You knew my dad?"

Not wishing to intrude, Cassie avoided staring at the two men and hummed softly to herself. Briefly explaining that he had been friends with James during their time at Hogwarts, Lupin tried to skirt away from a past he didn't wish to dwell on. Attempting to convince Harry to finish up for the night, he almost admired the stubborn determination of the messy-haired wizard. The charm was highly advanced for their age, and both were suffering because of it. Yet Harry begged for one more chance to try the Patronus Charm, and Lupin had little choice but to agree.

Disgusted by the way she felt and the bitter taste in her mouth, Cassie let out a barely audible whimper as she raised her hand. Prepared to reprimand her for her over-use of manners, Lupin's brow creased when he saw the sheen to her skin paired with a green tint. Concerned for the young Lion, he asked Harry to hang on a moment as he hurried over to Cassie.

"Uh, Professor?" She said, voice weak and croaky. "Could I possibly go and brush my teeth?"

"I have a better idea. How about you go back to the Common Room and relax for the rest of the evening? Regain your strength and keep practising the charm when you have a quiet moment to yourself tomorrow."

"Thank you, Professor." She gathered her things before bidding them both a goodnight. From a safe distance so that neither had to endure the acrid scent of her vomit.

Breath minty and mouth clean, she exited the bathroom feeling far more refreshed than she had five minutes ago. She had darted into the nearest bathroom after leaving the History of Magic classroom so that she could wash her mouth out. (She hadn't wanted to risk bumping into anyone and being forced to converse before she had brushed her teeth).

Myrtle had prattled on the entire time and after she had finally finished puking, Cassie had indulged the lonely ghost in a few minutes of polite chatter. Moaning Myrtle had a reputation of being irritating and acrimonious but Cassie often pondered whether the girl merely felt ignored. After all, she was a teenager cursed to be trapped in school forever. Never ageing, never advancing, never being able to partake. Any attention was better than no attention at all.

What a dreary existence, Cassie thought after she had left the girl behind.

"Speaking of dreary," she grumbled to herself.

An arrogant blond head was strolling down the corridor in the opposite direction. She hated that she noticed it but his hair looked far better when it wasn't slicked back. Head held high, Cassie continued walking. Just to reiterate her point, she took a far step to the left as she passed him; deliberately widening the space between them.

Unbeknown to her, his hand had reached out to her, brushing against the parchment hanging from her bag. He knocked it from its precarious position. As it floated to the floor, Draco halted his steps and bent down to retrieve it. Scanning the contents with interest, he realised it was the Charms essay they had been assigned that morning. Disappointed that it didn't contain the secrets of her marvellous mind, he knew he had to return it lest she get herself into a tizzy looking for it later.

"Oi, Worm." Draco called out, pleased when she stopped. He had, after all, expected her to continue ignoring him.

"Oh, so it's not bitch anymore?" Her tone was cold and uninviting.

Parchment wobbled as he held it out between them - an olive branch of sorts. She looked down at it in disgust. How apt, he mused. Frustrated that he wasn't going to just let her walk away, she glared at him. Sending that journal hadn't been an attempt to reconcile their differences but merely a way to settle any debts she might've have owed him. She had spent good money on that gift and from growing up in the Weasley household, Cassie had learned to never waste even a single Knut.

Draco watched as her wand slid out from the sleeve of her robe and into her hand; watched as she gripped it a little tighter. A python ready to strike. After their spat in the library, she never wanted to look at him again, let alone speak to him. After she had called him all sorts of derogatory terms before Christmas break, Draco had decided he wanted to yell at her more often. Just so he could watch the way her face lit up with fury. From the way she looked stood before him right now, he realised that all he had to do for that desired effect was to be in her presence.

Unsure as to why he was so fascinated by her anger, Draco simply smirked at her. He watched as her eyes narrowed further and her mouth tightened as she clenched her teeth. Snatching back her essay, Cassie didn't even bother with a 'thank you' this time before marching back towards the Common Room.

"You're not a bitch." Draco murmured, loud enough to be heard. "You can be but I shouldn't have called you it."

A scoffed laugh filled the space between them. "Wait, let me get this right. I am a bitch, you just regret calling me one?"

"Yes. Wait, no."

Genuine giggles filled the air this time as she watched his flustered face take on a pink tinge. She was mocking him. Yet again. Fists clenched, Draco's face darkened further but from rage this time.

"At least I thought I regretted it until you made it clear you're incapable of accepting even a basic apology."

"Apology? You think that was an apology? Have you ever apologised - for anything - before? Because you seem to not understand the basic steps of making one. Including the words, 'I'm sorry' usually helps."

His silence spoke volumes.

"Exactly. That wasn't an apology. That was you solidifying your already apparent opinion of me. Nothing between us has changed, Malfoy. You're a vile snake who doesn't understand friendship, and who doesn't possess a shred of kindness. I don't know why I ever thought there was a possibility you had more depth to your character. Now, if you'll excuse me, I should like to be back in my Common Room before curfew."

They parted ways with simmering anger boiling in the distance between them.

Never trust what you see

They feast on your fears

Be careful what you believe

Best to just never let down your guard