Chapter 47
Late-Night Conversations
Molly, Arthur, and Professor Dumbledore all hurried into the kitchen. Fred followed them in with
a confident stride. George stood up to do the same, then realized Cassie would be sitting alone
and sat back down, looking longingly at the door Fred passed through a minute later. "You can
go. I don't mind." George looked at her with hope in his eyes. "I'm serious. Go."
"I shouldn't leave you here by yourself." But on her encouraging nod, he walked toward the door.
However, he was not even halfway there when the door opened and Fred emerged, looking
disgusted.
"They said I wasn't invited. But I don't remember either of them being invited either - well, except
for Dumbledore." He scowled deeply and sat down in the chair he had vacated only moments
before. George returned to sit down by Cassie again and linked their hands back together. Fred
looked at the two of them and grinned. "Don't you two look cozy?" It was George's turn to scowl
now.
"I am. I think Cassie is, too. So shut it."
"All right. Don't have a fit. I'm not Mum. I don't mind how much you cuddle. It's sort of cute."
George scowled again.
"Remind me to give you a bad time next time you're out with Angelina." Fred took this with good
grace.
"Okay. However, I should warn you that I don't hang around on the living room couch. We prefer
a little privacy." George opened his mouth to respond when the kitchen door opened and all three
adults emerged. Cassie tried hard to read their faces, but the worry lines that had been present
when they entered the kitchen were still there and it didn't really look like new ones had joined
them. "So, what's the news?" Fred stood up as his mother and father approached the three of
them.
"The new head of the Aurors, that Singent Sootspinner, showed up at the Prime Minister's office
today, accompanied by that nasty Richard Blackman. Tonks tried to listen in on the conversation,
but couldn't hear anything. She says that Blackman has showed up several times in the last few
days and she is pretty sure that something is up. She doesn't know what, though." Cassie felt her
heart sink.
"What's going on in my dad's office?"
"We're not sure. She can tell that something is going on. She says your father does not seem to be
directly involved, although any time Blackman is involved, it's always a possibility."
"Tonks is the one who took the place of the PM's secretary, right?"
"Yes, that's right." Professor Dumbledore took his cloak off the hook by the door. "I must get
back to the school. I have things that I need to do."
"But, what about the Prime Minister?"
"I'm going to see what else your dad knows, Cassie. I'm on my way there, right now." Arthur
kissed Molly quickly and went to get his cloak off the hook as well.
Cassie looked between the two wizards in a bit of a panic. She had important questions to ask
both of them but they were both obviously ready to leave immediately. "Wait!" Both of them
looked at her, a little surprised at her outcry. "I need to ask you both questions. Can you wait a
minute, Professor?"
"Certainly. A few moments will make no difference."
"Thank you. Can I have some parchment and a quill? I need to write a note home." Fred handed
her a sheet of parchment that had some sort of scribbling on one side and George dug his tiny
self-inking quill out of his pocket. Cassie hurriedly composed a note to her father asking him to
send some money and the amount she had decided she would need. She rolled the parchment
quickly, hoping the ink wouldn't smear, and handed it to Arthur, who disapparated immediately,
her note clutched in his hand.
"How can I help you, Miss Robinson?"
"It's stupid, but I'm wondering how to get my hair back to blonde? I didn't mind but it doesn't
matter anymore if I have red hair does it?"
Dumbledore thought for a moment. "No, I suppose it doesn't. It's a simple potion you can wash
through your hair. A color-removal potion should do the trick. One of the family should be able to
brew it up within just a few days. Is that all you needed?" Cassie nodded but she felt a little
discouraged. A few days seemed like a long time and that was assuming someone could make the
right potion and was willing to do so.
"Yes, sir. Thank you."
"All right. Molly, it has been good to see you again. Thank you for everything." And then he was
gone. Cassie was surprised because she hadn't even heard a pop as he left. Molly sighed deeply
and then turned to the three younger people in the room.
"Who would like some cocoa? I don't think your father will be terribly long and I plan on waiting
for him."
"Sure." George and Fred both nodded.
"Do you need some help, Molly?"
"No. Cocoa's easy. Thank you, though." She disappeared once again into the kitchen and the
three of them sat quietly for a second before Cassie asked a question she had been wondering
about for the past 30 minutes or so.
"George? When your mum said Tonks was in the fire, what did that mean?"
"Her head was in the fire - she was fire-calling."
"Oh. I would have liked to see that." Cassie wanted to stand up and pace, worrying about her
father and what was going on with him, but George's hand was still linked to hers and she felt
awkward pulling away from him. She tried hard to relax and let her head lean against his shoulder.
He gently disentangled his fingers, and slipped his arm around her back. "Do you think my dad is
okay?"
"Of course he is. I'm sure my dad just wants to find out what he knows about what is going on
with Blackman." He kissed her gently on her forehead.
"You can do better than that!" Fred chortled. "I've seen the two of you. Come on, kiss her
properly." Cassie flushed at his teasing.
"Leave your brother alone, Fred." Molly came in carrying a tray and they all took a mug of hot
cocoa. They sipped slowly, talking in low tones for a few minutes. Cassie had finished hers and
was leaning against George again, enjoying the feel of his shoulder under her cheek. He was
talking to Fred about things and people that she didn't know or understand and she didn't try to
follow the conversation. The low rumble of his voice as he spoke helped her feel calmer.
Everyone jumped a few minutes later as the familiar pop sounded in the kitchen. Arthur emerged
a second later.
"Hi, everyone." He handed Cassie an envelope and she slipped it quickly into her pocket as he
went to kiss Molly hello. George looked at her questioningly.
"What is that?"
"Money."
"What?"
"Money. I needed money for Christmas presents."
"You got money from your parents?" But Cassie never answered because Arthur cleared his
throat.
"I just wanted everyone to know what is going on with Andrew." He went on to explain that
Andrew was aware of Blackman's visits to the Prime Minister and he had also been visited by
Sootspinner on a few occasions. "He says that things are very normal, almost too normal were his
exact words, but that he is getting concerned about the Prime Minister. He says that he has been
talking a great deal lately in meetings about a terrorist threat from Libya, which isn't usually one
of his pet concerns. Andrew wondered if this threat was real and checked with someone in
another office. This person, whose name I cannot remember, said that there has been no credible
threat from Libya in months. So, that's really all that he's worried about. He's going to keep an eye
on the Prime Minister and see if anything else changes." Everyone looked at Cassie like they
expected her to make some profound comment but she just shrugged.
"I don't know anything about terrorism, well, beyond what I read in the paper. Sorry." After a few
minutes, she stood up. "I think I'll head up to bed. If I don't, I'm going to go to sleep right here."
George stood and for a minute Cassie thought he might follow her up to kiss her goodnight, but
everyone's eyes were on the two of them, so instead he just kissed her on the cheek.
"Goodnight, Cassie." There was a small chorus of goodnights and she climbed the stairs to
Ginny's bedroom. She lit the lamps and changed out of her clothes, placing the envelope Arthur
had brought for her on the dresser before digging her pyjamas out of her trunk. She hated to put
on her hot nightgown, but did so anyway, not daring to sleep without pyjamas. Things happened
too fast in this house to risk it. People popped in and out of rooms and locked doors didn't keep
them out. She wrapped her robe around herself and hurried to brush her teeth. She thought
George may come up and visit with her, but she made it to the restroom and back without seeing
anyone else. She extinguished the lamp and laid in bed, willing herself to go to sleep. She closed
her eyes, but she kept seeing movement behind her eyes, imagined scenes of Tonks as she had to
let Blackman and that Sootspinner bloke into the PM's office. She pictured her father and mother
talking tonight about her and wondering if she was all right. She pictured Ginny laying in her bed
at Hogwarts, dreaming of Harry. She opened her eyes and tried rearranging herself on the pillows.
She sat up, and fluffed her pillow before laying back down. After 20 minutes or so, though, she
realized that she was getting nowhere. Sleep was not going to come if she didn't do something
differently. She peeled off her flannel nightgown and walked over to Ginny's dresser. She
remembered seeing some T-shirts in here the night before. She admitted to herself that she had
been stupid not to ask her mum to send a cooler nightgown. It was really warm here at night.
She opened a drawer or two, finding a large T-shirt that looked like it would be able to do double
duty as pyjamas and slipped it over her head. She immediately felt better as the cool cotton settled
around her knees. What a relief. She relit the lamp near the bed and walked over to her trunk. She
had thrown a few books into her trunk at the last minute before she had left home and one of
those might be able to help her relax. And, of course, if that didn't work, one of her Hogwarts'
textbooks would put her to sleep pretty quickly. As she opened the trunk, she pulled it slightly
away from the wall so that the small circle of light cast by the lamp could reach into its dark
interior. As she did, she jumped in surprise. George's voice was clear and loud in the room and
she looked around in amazement that he had apparated in here without making a sound. But then
she heard Molly's voice responding to his and she realized that it wasn't in the room at all, but
coming through . . . the floorboards. She looked closely at the wall where her trunk had been only
moments before and saw, although it was difficult in the dim light, a fairly large crack between the
wall and one floorboard. Apparently, George and Molly were having a discussion down below,
presumably in Molly and Arthur's room as she doubted Molly would take George into Percy's or
Charlie's room for a serious talk. She considered pushing the trunk back against the wall to block
out the sound, but then she heard her name and she realized they were talking about her. She was
undecided for a minute, one part of her feeling guilty for eavesdropping and the other part feeling
undeniably curious about what was being said. Also, in the back of her mind, she wondered if
Ginny knew about this. She sat up and closed the lid of the trunk, then sat down on it so she
could hear them clearly. She almost held her breath, but decided that there was almost certainly
no way they could hear her as long as she was quiet.
"Do we really have to go over this again? I'm getting really tired of having this argument with
you, Mum."
"I'm not arguing with you. I'm telling you that this relationship with her is not going anywhere."
"You have got to be kidding me! Now you're telling me who I can and cannot date!"
"Date? I don't see any dating. You and Cassie are simply glued together!"
"That's not fair, Mum! We are not 'glued together.' I went to work today while she stayed here
with you! I can't very well take her out to dinner and things. It's too dangerous! But we are
getting to know each other better, and that's dating - whether it happens here in the house or at
the store or whatever. I just don't understand -"
"Think about it before you start getting all angry with me! The girl is a Muggle!"
"Really! I didn't know that! You've shocked me!"
"All right! Sarcasm isn't helping the situation, George. The girl is a Muggle. It's not that I blame
her for that. I mean she can't really help that, can she? But -"
"Honestly! I cannot believe this. You hate her because she's a Muggle? I'm starting to wonder-"
"I do not hate her! Stop saying that! It's not true. She's a wonderful girl, very kind and sweet. It's
just that-"
"That what?!"
"Stop interrupting me! It's just that, George, you are a pureblood wizard. That gives you certain .
. . well, I'll just say it. It gives you certain powers that could easily be used to take advantage of
her and she has no way to stop you from doing it."
"So, let me get this straight. You think I'm going to somehow play mind control games with her
and take advantage of her and she, powerless weak Muggle that she is, won't notice and will just
fall in love with me because I force her to?"
"I'm not talking about love. You can't force someone to love. You can force someone to do things
they otherwise would not do!"
"Mum! Think about what you are saying! What is the point of doing that? I like her. I want her to
like me back -"
"That's what I mean! Why are you doing this? Can't you just find some nice witch to date and
marry? Settle down and have a nice, normal family!"
"There you go again! I have no immediate plans to marry her, Mum!"
"No . . . I know, but you boys and Ginny seem to be in the habit of giving your heart to one
person and never being able to look elsewhere."
"What are you talking about, mother?"
"Look at Bill. He never really dated anyone seriously until he met Fleur. True, it's taken them two
years, but now they're getting married! Look at Percy!"
"Do I have to?"
"Shut up about your brother - can't you . . . don't sidetrack me into this old argument. I'm telling
you that he and Penelope are almost certain to get married and she's the only one he's dated since
his sixth year in Hogwarts."
"That's because he's a git and no one else will -"
"George! And Fred with Angelina, and Ron, and Ginny . . .When you fall, you fall hard! I'm just
telling you to be careful."
"Mum, I -"
"You marry who you date, George. That's a fact of life. And I really don't think marrying that
Muggle girl is in your best interests!"
"You mean not in your best interests! What, are you going to be embarrassed admitting to your
friends that your son married a dirty, stinking -"
"Don't say it, George! You know I don't feel that way! About any Muggles, and especially not
about Cassie."
"Well, you couldn't prove it by me and this conversation!"
"This is ridiculous! You are not listening to logic! Think about it! The girl is young-"
"She has a name! Would you please stop calling her 'the girl!'"
"Fine! As I was saying - think about it. Cassie is very young and vulnerable. She comes into our
world where she knows absolutely nothing and an older, powerful wizard seduces her when she
has no other options available to her! Is it going to last? Is she ever going to go home again?
What's she supposed to do? Give up all her family connections, never see her parents again?"
"Mum! Wizards and Muggles have been known to marry in the past!"
"Yes they have . . . and I can only think of a couple of instances where it has worked out for the
couple! And that's not even mentioning children!"
"Look, Mum. I'm knackered. I do not want to go over this with you right now! Fred and I have
another busy day in the store tomorrow and I just cannot deal with -"
"Then just stop . . ."
"What? What do you want me to stop doing? Holding her hand, kissing her?"
"Since you asked, Yes!"
"Well, I'm not going to do it. So forget it!"
"George, I'm trying to think about what's best for you . . . what's best for her! Please, don't be
angry with me and take this all wrong!"
"There's nothing to take wrong, is there? Honestly, I feel sick. She already thinks you hate her!"
"I do not hate her!"
"And then tomorrow, when you two are here alone, what are you going to do, stupefy her and
stick her in a corner?"
"George!"
"Well, you act like that would be easier for you! She's been trying to help you! I've seen her offer
and I've seen you turn her down! Are you afraid she's going to damage something?"
"Of course not! I'm afraid she'll hurt herself, that's all. She has no idea how to function in our world!"
"Our world! Our world! Stop saying that! She has somehow managed to function in her world for
16 years! And she obviously is not stupid. She posed as a witch at Hogwarts for more than a week!"
"I never said she was stup -"
"No you didn't. You implied it, though! As a poor, pitiful Muggle, she is incapable of dealing with
the complexities of the wizarding world! That's what you're basically saying!"
"I'm just saying that Muggles, well, you know how they are."
"Oh, Merlin! Are you sure you're not Lucius Malfoy in drag?"
"George!"
"I'm serious. I am so completely serious! I'm going to bed! I am not going to listen to one more
minute of this conversation! And I never want you to bring it up again!"
"Molly! Molly! What's wrong? I can hear shouting!" Cassie heard the door to the room open.
"Nothing, Arthur." Molly's voice sounded exhausted.
"I heard shouting all of a sudden."
"I removed the silencing charm on the door because I was just getting ready to leave the room!
Dad, I . . . You like Cassie, don't you?"
"Of course I do. What were you two arguing about?"
"Cassie! Apparently, my own mother, who I for years foolishly thought cared about my happiness
more than stupid prejudices --"
"I am not prejudiced! I'm just facing reality, which you seem loathe to do!"
The door slammed. There were soft voices she could not hear well enough to make out what was
being said and then the door shut again and there was no more noise coming through the crack.
Cassie sat for a long time on her trunk, staring at the wall. She wasn't sure what to think or what
to do. She had accepted from almost the very beginning of knowing George that there was never
going to be any future in their relationship. And her time at Hogwarts had confirmed it even more
definitely in her mind. He was, no matter what else, a pureblood wizard in a family of pureblood
wizards that went back more generations than anyone could remember. And she, no matter what
else, was a Muggle. So, she had offered him her heart, reluctantly and with definite reservations,
knowing that one day in the not too distant future, he would hand it back to her in pieces. She had
expected that day to come at Hogsmeade. It hadn't. And maybe now that they were together here
at the Burrow it would be put off even longer. Maybe they would have two or even three weeks.
But the inevitable day would come when she would go home and he would stay. And much as it
pained her to admit it, Molly was right. They really could not be together.
She stood up off her trunk and walked back to the bed. She would have to tell him that. But not
today. Right now, she intended to enjoy their time together. She would savor every moment and
when the day came that they couldn't be together anymore, she could cry over each memory and
spend the rest of her life remembering him. She laid down, pulling the covers up to her neck and
staring up at the ceiling. She looked around the room in the lamp light and then reached over to
extinguish the flame.
She heard the footsteps going up the stairs. They paused for a long moment at her landing and she
considered opening the door and going out to talk to him. But she knew that if she did, she would
break into tears and then he would ask what was wrong and she would have to admit that she had
heard the entire argument and it would be a big mess. She would see him in the morning. By then,
she certainly would have calmed down enough that she could plaster on a smile.
It was over an hour later that Cassie finally admitted defeat. She was never going to get to sleep
tonight. Her sticker had never hooted. She had considered touching it on her end, but didn't. Now
she was positive he was asleep. She wasn't as hot anymore, but her eyes were sticky because
despite everything her brain was saying, they insisted on crying. She felt like standing up and
screaming, but didn't think that would be a good idea. A bath! That's what she needed! Another
wonderful bubble bath like she had taken last night. If that didn't put her to sleep, nothing would.
She got up and grabbed her bathrobe. The house was completely dark and she was halfway down
the hall before she realized that the bathroom would be dark, too. She worried her lip with her
teeth for a moment before darting back into her room and grabbing the box of matches. She lit the
lamps in the bathroom with trembling hands. When two of the lamps were lit, she started the
water and added a generous amount of Ginny's bubble bath.
Thirty minutes later, she sighed contentedly as she pulled the T-shirt/pyjamas over her head. The
bath had been just the ticket. She was ready for bed now. She stretched. Just a quick brushing of
her teeth and comb through her hair and she would be set. She glanced down at the counter and
remembered that she hadn't brought her toiletry bag. Darn! Well, a quick run down the hall to the
bedroom and she could be back here in just a second. She opened the door and it was all she
could do not to scream as she ran smack into a warm body. A warm, male body, whose arms
curved around her, calming her instantly.
"George! You scared me! What are you doing here? Did you need to use the . . . . uh, bathroom?"
"I heard water running and I was worried about you. I thought you were asleep hours ago. Are
you all right?"
"I'm fine. I just couldn't sleep. I thought a warm bath would help."
"And you used Ginny's bubbles again?"
Cassie swallowed nervously. "Do you think she'll be angry with me? I think I better buy her a new
bottle."
"She won't be angry." He sniffed appreciably at her. "You smell like Vanilla."
"Yeah. That's what she likes, apparently."
"Don't go to bed yet, stay up and talk to me."
"Okay. I was just going to go down and grab my bag. I want to brush my teeth. And I thought
that I would braid my hair tonight."
"All right. Hurry up!" She laughed as she made her way down the hall. She grabbed the toiletry
bag and hurried back to the bathroom. George wasn't in sight and she entered the bathroom a
little hesitantly. Had he changed his mind and gone back upstairs? No. He was sitting on the edge
of the tub, waiting for her. She smiled at him and laid her bag on the counter. She started brushing
her hair, deciding that she was not going to brush her teeth in front of him. That would be a little
strange. He watched her and occasionally their eyes met through the mirror. Neither of them said
anything for a little while. Finally he spoke.
"I'm going to make that potion to get the color out of your hair. I think I can have it done in just a
day or so."
"All right. Thank you."
"I'll test it and everything before I actually have you wash your hair in it."
She laughed. "I would appreciate that." He watched her again in silence. She glanced down to
pick up an elastic for the end of one of the braids and when she looked back up at him, he was
standing right next to her, studying the contents of her bag.
"Is this the shampoo you use?"
"Normally, yeah." He picked it up and opened the lid.
"I remember - this is the scent I remember from when you would come to the store." He met her
eyes in the mirror again. "That seems like years ago." She nodded shyly and watched as he
replaced the lid and put the bottle back in her bag. He waited patiently for her to finish her hair
and then his arms slipped around her waist. "I love having you here at the Burrow. I wish we
could spend more time together."
"I know what you mean. Um, do you mind waiting out in the hall? I want to brush my teeth again,
but, uh, that's not the most . . ." He winked and exited. She shut the door and hurried through the
job. For some reason, probably a conditioned response, the mint flavor of the toothpaste made her
more ready for sleep. She opened the door and stepped out. George took her hand and they stood
together in the hall for a minute. She sighed softly. "I miss you during the day when you're at work."
"I know. I wish . . . well, it's busy right now, so I don't have the option of-"
"Of course you don't. That's fine. You don't need to babysit me. I just wanted you to know how I
feel." He pulled her close to him and she leaned against him happily, feeling the smooth silk of his
bathrobe under her cheek. What was it about this position that made her so relaxed? She just felt
completely secure and protected when he was holding her this way.
"Cassie?"
"Hmmmm?"
"Are you wearing a nightgown? It doesn't feel like it."
"George!" She blushed bright red and stepped back from him. "Of course I am. It's just one of
Ginny's T-shirts instead of the usual stifling flannel I was wearing before. I was an idiot to not ask
my mum to send me lighter pyjamas. This house is sweltering."
"Yeah. Mum likes it warm. Drives the rest of us nuts, but we're used to it." He looked down at
her considering and then he grinned. "I have something you could sleep in." She grinned back.
"You do?"
"Yes. Sleep in one of my shirts, please!"
"Would it be comfortable?"
"Very. And you could dream of me all night." She laughed.
"I already do that. Even without your shirt." He bent and kissed her and she kissed him back
enthusiastically, pressing against him tightly, uncaring that he could apparently tell what she was
or was not wearing under her bathrobe. Her arms slipped up around his neck and she gasped
quietly when he turned them so that her back was to the wall and his weight settled against her.
He felt so good. He left her mouth and started trailing soft kisses over her neck and face and she
closed her eyes and let him kiss her. After a moment, though, it wasn't enough and she started
kissing him back, her mouth landing on his cheek and hair.
"Cassie." His kisses continued, coming back to her mouth periodically. His hands had remained on
her waist but now they started moving, carefully stroking her arm and then holding her head in
place as he kissed her some more. She loved it, moaning softly as he bit her earlobe gently. "You
feel so good."
"So do you." His hands found the tie on her bathrobe and started loosening it, one hand slipping
inside to settle at her waist. Somehow, that movement made her realize what was happening, and
she opened her eyes. He was still kissing her gently but she knew this had to stop. For one thing,
she suddenly realized, they were breaking at least two of her mum's stupid rules. It was way after
10:30 and if this was a goodnight kiss, it was certainly not short. "George?"
"Hmmm?" he mumbled, as his lips found a particularly sensitive spot on her neck.
"We have to stop now." He drew back, his eyes dark and huge in the half light of the hall.
He looked down at her. "Are you sure?"
"Pretty sure."
"You didn't like it?" He was teasing her, now, she could tell. "Because I think that with a little
practice I could get better." She smiled softly in response.
"You don't need any practice You're doing just fine." She belted her bathrobe tightly around her
again and flashed him what she hoped was a saucy grin. "Definitely doing just fine. If you were
doing any better, I'd faint." And she walked away from him down the hall, turning right before she
slipped back into Ginny's room. "And I'd hate for that to happen. You'd have to carry me into
bed." He stepped toward her but she shut the door firmly, only to open it a second later to see him
standing there looking slightly shell-shocked. "Don't forget to bring me your shirt for tomorrow,
okay?" He nodded faintly and she shut the door again, laughing softly as she made her way over
to the bed. She was not normally a tease, but it was fun to give him a taste of his own medicine.
Five minutes later, she was sound asleep.
