DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, or any of the content referenced/quoted. Warning for swearing.

...

The Prewett

The platform is bustling, bodies crushing together to escape the rain pouring down outside. Cass squeezes her way through the crowds, using her trolley as a barrier to ward off those who get too close. It's the first time she's travelled to the station herself and it feels strange.

Even in a room crowded with people, there's not one friendly face. The muggles have their heads down, feet carrying them quickly through the station, from Point A to Point B. The occasional wizarding family shuffles past her, but their heads are low, eyes darting quickly around the station.

The fear in Britain is rising, the outbreak of attacks growing.

Cass is worried. This will be her final year at Hogwarts, her final year of guaranteed safety before she is forced to step out into the world, alone.

This is a daunting thought.

Before she found out she was a witch, all Cass wanted to be was a princess - or a singer, whatever brought her the most fame. But then Minnie had stepped into her life, drawn back the veil to reveal the magical world and all its wonder - and bloodshed. Cass was thrust into the middle of feuds, prejudices and fear and her wants changed.

She knows now though that people don't always get what they want.

Cass pushes through the barrier to Platform 9¾, listens as the hum of people fades out into quiet whispers. The platform always used to be full of life and excitement, now it is dead.

She keeps her head down, hurries quickly over to the train whistling on the tracks. She is just about at the door when she sees them. James and Sirius jostle each other playfully while Peter shifts about awkwardly behind them. But it is Remus who draws her attention; he stands quietly beside his friends, gaze flickering towards the platform entrance.

For a moment, Cass almost decides to tell Em she hadn't seen him on the platform, to just board the train and set off on her last great adventure. She hesitates.

She remembers Em's face at the window, her eyes trained on their long driveway; Em in the bookshop, her body sinking further and further into the chair behind the counter with each passing day; how her smile fades when Sirius' letters arrive alone.

She is pushing her way through the small groups of nervous-looking Firsties, shifty Thirds and worried Fifths before she can stop herself. She slows as she approaches the boys, until Remus looks up and catches her gaze.

"Hello Marauders," she says.

James and Sirius break apart to greet her sunnily - only to halt as she shoots them a stern gaze.

"Remus, can I talk to you for a second?"

The boy glances at his friends before shuffling forward to follow her. They move away, Cass putting enough distance between them to ensure the others cannot hear her next words. She promised after all.

"Everything ok, Cass?" He asks as they draw to a slow stop.

She rummages around in her bag until probing hands meet thin paper. A small parcel is withdrawn.

"If it were up to me," she starts, turning the parcel over in her hands, "I would be sitting on the train right now with my friends and you, Remus Lupin, would be on your way to becoming nothing more than a long-forgotten school memory. Unfortunately for me, Em is as stubborn as a mule."

Remus starts, lurches back from her. But Cass grabs his arm before he can vanish into the growing crowds.

"Lupin, for Godric's sake," she scowls, "It's been over a year now, get over yourself."

She pushes the parcel into his hands, watches as he turns it over in a shaking grip. He hesitates, then slides his fingers under the wrapping, peels it back. A scarlet red cover pokes out from beneath the old newspaper.

He deflates at the sight of the book, glances up at Cass. He looks so lost, so lonely. And briefly, Cass understands how her sister came to care for the boy.

She reaches for one of his hands, squeezes it tightly, "It's not too late, Remus. Just talk to her."

After a moment, he squeezes back.

Then she drops his hand and turns back to the train, leaving Remus staring at the book in his grip until his knuckles turn white.

Cass knows now that not everyone gets what they want. Remus wants Em and Em wants Remus, and if he was not a werewolf and she was not a muggle maybe their wants would have been met no bother. Maybe they could really have had a shot at a happy ending. But despite what Cass hopes, she isn't sure they will get one, that any of them will get a happy ending.

She's a few feet from the train, when someone barges into her, knocking her book bag from her shoulder and spilling the contents across the platform.

"Fuck!" She cries, ducking to quickly retrieve the escapees.

"I'm so sorry!" Frantic freckled hands enter her visions as they attempt to help her scoop up her belongings.

"You should watch where you're going."

Cass looks up to find a man staring back at her, his face twisted into an apologetic smile, "I know, I'm so sorry."

It's the genuine expression on his face that causes her pause. He holds up the items he has retrieved and she takes them back to stuff not so gently into her bag.

"I suppose it's okay, if it was a genuine accident," she says slowly as she gets to her feet. The man stands also, rising to loom over her.

"I'm so sorry about that again," He says. They stare at each other for a moment, the man scratching the back of his head, gaze flickering away while Cass stares at him dead on.

"Do I know you?" She asks bluntly.

The man's face goes bright red, "No! I mean, I don't think so, no. You might know my sister though."

She blinks at him, "Are you going to stand there all day staring or are you going to give me more information than 'your sister'?"

"Oh right, uh," he sticks out a freckled hand, the fingers long and narrow, skin pale with the slightest dusting of red hair. "I'm Fabian, Fabian Prewett."

She takes the hand and shakes it firmly, "Cass Withers. You're Molly's brother, aren't you?"

"You know me- I mean, Molly?"

"Yeah, she talks about you all the time," Cass smiles. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"I, uh, yeah, nice to meet you too," he shifts his weight, scratches at the back of his neck and points at the bag hanging loosely off her shoulder. "Can I help you with that? I mean help you get it onto the train, it looks uncomfortable."

Cass measures up the gangly Prewett boy, whose ears were a flaming red, and her smile widens.

"Sure," and she promptly throws the bag at him. He leaps forward to catch it at the last second, hands fumbling around the straps. She loops her arm around his free one and starts to lead him towards the back of the train.

"I'm this way," she says, as his ears turn an even more fiery red. "So, tell me, Prewett, do you write letters?"

The man stumbles around his answer as he walks her to her carriage. And for one moment, Cass understands what her sister meant when she said some people are fated to meet.