A/N: --UPDATED--
Welcome to Chapter Ten! We see a bit more of Cassie and Remus in this chapter, and quite a bit of angst.


Cassie's Cage: It's in a courtyard of about twenty feet in diameter, there's a maple like tree (wolvesbane) that sits in the middle with a bench under it. The bench has a crude blanket and pillow upon it for sleeping, and under it reside Cassie's tools. Around the whole thing is an eight foot tall wire fence with silver barbs at the six foot mark and up. The rest of the fence is bronze. Remus has a seven foot by seven foot square box implemented into the courtyard where he sleeps and stands guard. There are doors on both sides of the square box, which is attached to the circle of fencing, but they only open from Remus's side.

Cheers!

- Cellie

Note: It is advised that you read I Never Knew before trying to tackle this piece.

Disclaimer: Cellie Rivera, James Metz, and Cassie Woods (No relation to Mother's Curse) are all mine. The plot, however odd, is mine. The Potters, and anyone else I may mention are property to J.K Rowling, and her alone—Remus is a prat—Shut up, Cassie. Annie (Andromeda) Black is loosely based on a character created by the great and mighty fanfiction writer Kaydi. Read her stuff, it's quite good.

Chapter Ten
Fate's Kiss

The Present: August 2nd, 1995

Remus paced around his small quarters, observing Cassie, asleep, on the stone bench in the courtyard. He held a very wrinkled letter written in green ink. Remus had surprised himself by being this quiet so far, but he guessed that was mostly for Cass's sleeping state. He glanced down at the note again, though he had already memorized the contents.

Dear Mr. Lupin,

I'm sorry to inform you about this so late, but I've been very busy. I have a matter of grave importance to discuss with you. Voldemort has risen again, and has killed a Hogwarts student by the name of Cedric Diggory. Harry is all right, but shaken.

Remus had been very surprised to hear of this, and slightly worried, but it was not that part of the letter that he had memorized.

Sirius is also fine, which brings me to my next point, about the young lady you are watching over in Azkaban. It has come to my attention that this lady, Cassandra Woods, is in fact Cassandra Black. She was separated from her family and the muggles she was living with gave her a new name. Cassandra is, in fact, Sirius's grandmother. I ask you please not to disclose this information with her, as, in fact, it is her future we're talking about. Also, The Minister has informed me to tell you that your services are no longer required at Azkaban. I ask that you please come to Hogwarts as soon as possible.

Best Regards,
Albus Dumbledore

Remus crumpled up the paper and burned it, his emotions fairly obvious. He slammed the wiring, a a scowl etched upon his face.

This is it. Really. I'm always targeted by fate.




Cassie grinned as she smoothed out the stick of wood that had captured her attention for the last month. Well, almost all of her attention. After all, she couldn't really ignore the sandy haired man that'd come into her life as well. Remus was the best friend she could've asked for. Aside from the customers that had come into Ollivanders when she had worked there, she had no one who was her age to identify with. Olliviander was more like a father to her than a friend, he was the one that taught her all the magic she'dve gotten at Hogwarts, and how to carve a wand to perfection.

Cass sighed as she saw Remus, slumped halfway onto his bed, using some book about defending against the dark arts as his pillow. Cassie chuckled and walked over to the square box Remus inhibited.

So serious, She whispered softly, a smirk upon her face. Indeed, Remus's sleeping expression was far from peaceful.

Might as well test this thing out, Cassie said, her finished wand slipping into her right hand with ease.

Honestly, Remus, a book, for a pillow? You're worse than me. She commented, chuckling. Wingardium Leviosa. She levitated Remus up into the air just enough to send the book flying off Remus's bed with a Banishing charm. She put him back down and Summoned a blanket from under the sleeping pallet and laid it upon him.

Cass frowned slightly as she looked up at the sky. The full moon was tonight, and she knew that the other humans (prisoners excluded) in Azkaban had given him no Wolvesbane potion. Cassie didn't know how to make it herself, otherwise she would've.

Instead, she went over to the tree and pulled out her small mortar and pestle that she had used to make the base coating for her wand. She rinsed it out at the small bird fountain—which Cassie could see that obviously no birds had visited—and filled it with a jet of water from her new wand and some wolvesbane sap. She wasn't sure how well this paste she was making would help Remus, but it hopefully would do something. So engrossed in her work was she, that she didn't even hear the gate of her cage open and close.

You're up early. A single sentence uttered from behind her. She flipped around, and Remus stood there—inside her cage. The mixture and bowl she held in her hands dropped onto the floor in surprise, spilling all over the dusty cobblestones.

What are you doing in here? She whispered angrily, looking around to make sure no others were around. Remus smiled sadly, and for the first time, Cassie got the feeling that something was wrong.

What? What is it? She asked, her gray crystallite eyes staring into his golden ones. Remus shied away from her glance, and chose instead to look at the spilled concoction.

This is wolvesbane sap. He said in a colder tone than Cassie had ever heard.

She said, softly. Your point is..

You don't need to use this. Remus pointed out, his voice down to a freezing whisper. Cass shook her head.

She felt her heart stop as he reconnected their gaze.

He asked, simply. There were so many whys he could have been asking, but Cassie instantly knew which he meant.

I thought it might help. She said slowly, and was suddenly aware of Remus's left hand closing over her right. She saw his gaze move down to her finished wand.

So.. you finished it, He mentioned, changing the topic. Cassie nodded, and suddenly slipped the wand into Remus's fingers.

It's yours. She said, simply. Remus looked up, startled.

No, I couldn't take this— She closed her eyes and shook her head.

Yours, Remus. Something to remember me by when you're finally free of this silly guarding burden. He frowned, and a slight shudder came over him.

You're not a burden, Cassie.. He murmured, his voice back to its normal melodic tone. Cassie frowned, vaguely noticing that Remus's face was quite paler than usual.

You were never a burden. He looked up and connected their gaze, and she shuddered involuntarily. His eyes were so cold..

You say it now, She said softly, But when you're back with your friends you'll laugh about me with them. You'll tell them what a silly little nuisance I was, and how you couldn't wait to get away from me. Why am I doing this? She asked herself. Why am I being as cold as he's being to me?

Cassie, that's not—that'll never be true. I—I— Remus stumbled over his words, searching for the right one. She touched his cheek faintly, and he all but recoiled.

It's alright, She said, as in control as she could manage. It's fine. Really. Watch. Ollivander will come, and he'll tell them I'm me, and then we'll both be gone from this place. You and I will promise to owl, or something, but we never really remember to. I bet after a month, we won't even remember each other's names. Cassie swallowed a lump in her throat. And then, one day, we'll run into each other in Diagon Alley, maybe to buy a wand for your son—

Remus muttered, interrupting her in the softest of voices.



His voice was stronger now. No, Cass, no.

No, what? She asked, a lilt of annoyance in her voice. No, you won't have a son, no, we'll never run into each other, no—

All of it! Remus cried out, and this time Cassie was the one to recoil under the power of his voice. He looked at Cassie, and she could've sworn she saw tears on his face—but it could've just been her own vision, which was blurring.

Remus tried. Cassie, it's not true, it'll never be true, because I— But she cut him off, with a finger to his mouth.

Don't say it. Just—Just don't. She said, sniffing. Because you're going to leave, I know you are, and it won't work. So just don't say it, okay?

Remus's sad lupine face looked back at her. He started, then trailed off.

I know. She said simply. I am in control. I have to be in control.

You were right, Cassie.. He said gravelly, his voice straining to come back into composure. I do have to leave. Cassie bit back the sob she most desperately wanted to express.

She stuttered. Oh, so much for being in control, she angrily thought to herself.

was his one word response. Cassie swallowed deeply, clenching her right hand into a fist.

Suddenly, Cassie was aware of heat on her cheek. Her eyes flicked up to Remus, who looked torn.

I.. my job. Professor Dumbledore wants me back. He said in the smallest of voices.

Oh.. Well, then, I guess my screenplay runs after all. She said shakily, trying to control her emotions.

He spoke very softly, regret deeply etched into his face. Cassie turned away and stared straight ahead at the small knot in the Wolvesbane tree, letting the hand on her cheek fall back.

You.. Remus, you should probably go now. She said, in the calmest voice she could manage. She clenched both fists, squeezing her eyes shut to prevent the emotion that wanted to escape. She heard footsteps receding back towards Remus's space, and she let out a shuddering sigh, very quiet.

Suddenly, the footsteps stopped. Cassie continued to stare at the knot in the tree, and spoke a single word.

The footsteps didn't start up again, so she spoke more forcefully.

There still was no crunch of leaves, so she yelled, GO! GO AWAY! Cassie felt tears streaming down her cheeks, and put both her hands to her face to wipe them away, her body racked with sobs. She didn't even hear the footsteps coming back towards her until two hands put themselves on her shoulder.

The voice said hesitantly. She spun around, the tears still in her eyes, and came face to face with Remus.

Don't you have somewhere, She said, between sobs, To be going? Remus frowned, and in a split second, Cassie realized that he was kissing her. It was a deep kiss, and unlike any Cassie'd ever experienced. His arms draped around her, held her, and Cassie's anger that she had felt, her loss, it was Disapparating fast. Remus withdrew, and looked at her with tenderness flickering in his eyes. He brushed the tears from her eyes with his hand.

Something to remember me by. He said, but his tone was very different from the way it had been the minute before, and a small hint of a smile was on Remus's face. Cassie looked into his gold flecked eyes, and smiled sadly.

Until we meet again, I suppose, Mr. Lupin, she said, swallowing her tears. Remus shook his head.

he said, looking down. For we'll never meet again. And Remus Lupin left Cassie standing there as he slammed shut the door to his compartment, picked up the book he had been using as a pillow, and left. For a few moments, Cassie was silent. She had been open, vulnerable—and this is what it had gotten her.

She shook herself out of the trance and ran over to the fence, the box, kicking it, pounding it with all the fury she felt.

Damn you! DAMN YOU! Remus, DAMMIT! She screamed, repetitively pounding the fence over and over until she had no rage left. Cassie sunk down onto the floor, still pounding on the fence, her words falling upon deaf ears.



Or at least that's what she thought. For Remus had been standing just inside the prison, watching—and hearing—everything from behind the door. And he started to wonder why Dumbledore did things like this.


A/N: I've sort of been ignoring everyone's favorite Werewolf and girl, so I decided to add in another chapter today about them.

Bess - Chinese Water Torture? ROFL..

W, W, and J - I'm glad you liked the laughing thing. I figured that I just had to throw that in there somewhere.. :p Also, I revised Chapter Nine so that there's a little key down at the bottom that explains who is whom.

Tarawen - Yeah, everything's always confusing in my stories, especially the ends of chapters.. Go figure. So's my life. :p

Thistlemeg - Cellie looks like Lily because.. erm.. I dunno. I originally had an idea for that, but I threw it out. As for Sirius being her uncle, and Arabella being her niece, well, that's just pure coincidence. They're both from each side of the family, if that gives you any clue.. the real explanation will be put in the next chapter, though.