Chapter 6- Talking With Sirius
"What do you mean?" Harry asked. He was skeptical about this whole thing. "What's that got to do with why we're down here? And what's going on with her?" He pointed to Cassie.
Dumbledore smiled. Something weird was going on. "She was contacting him Harry," he said in that mysterious, all-knowing voice. "We wanted to know if there were some things he wanted put into order."
"So lemme get this straight. She can talk to Sirius?"
"Yes Harry."
"Even though he's dead?"
"Yes Harry."
"And he can talk to her."
"In a way, yes."
"How is that possible?"
"It's a bit complicated Harry. You see, when Sirius passed through the veil his spirit didn't disappear. It's still there, behind the veil. When Cassandra focuses her mind she can contact him. The whispering you heard in the Department of Mysteries are souls, trying to contact their loved ones. Sirius has managed to contact Cassandra. It's not really clear how, but we just know it's happened. Hasn't it?" He said looking at Cassie again. She nodded slowly.
"So what has he told you?"
"Lot's of things," she breathed, "He wants you to keep using the house as Headquarters for the Order."
"We have already filled that request," Dumbledore said brightly.
"He says he's dividing his savings with all of you."
"As he wishes."
"He wants me to take care of Buckbeak."
"Think you can handle it?"
"Yes professor," she whispered.
"Anything else?"
"Harry gets the house and everything in it. I lost him after that."
"Okay with you Harry?"
"I...I guess so..." Harry replied. He still couldn't believe the situation. How was it that Cassie could talk to Sirius? How did Sirius know Cassie? How was he able to reach her? He felt somewhat sick. He inherited a house full of memories he didn't want, and inherited money he didn't need, or want for that matter.
He went to bed that night, unable to sleep. For a moment, it felt like Sirius was almost alive again. He was able to communicate with somebody. He was able to tell them what he wanted done. And Harry couldn't apologize to him. He couldn't tell him how sorry he was for being so foolish. He cursed under his breath. How come Sirius contacted Cassie instead of him?
'Because she has extraordinary powers,' a little voice in his head said, 'Her mind is a mystery.'
It seemed to make sense. 'If only there was a way.' He thought to himself.
'There is.' The voice said to him again. 'Use the girl.' It sounded sinister this time.
Harry got up and tiptoed across the hallway to where Cassie was sleeping. Hermione, Ginny and Cassie were all asleep. He crept past Hermione and Ginny coming to Cassie bed. Her hair was covering her face. He grabbed her shoulder and started to shake her.
"Wake up," he muttered. "This is important."
Her eyes fluttered open. Her eyes dazedly fell upon Harry. "What?" She said grumpily, hiding her face in her pillow.
"I need your help."
"Can it wait till I'm not half asleep?"
"No. We need to do it now, while nobody knows."
"Fine, what is it?"
"Can you help me talk to Sirius?"
She groaned. "Not now. I don't have enough energy for that. I'll wear myself out before you can get a minute of talking to him."
"Please." He was begging now. "It won't take long I promise. Just tell me what I have to do."
She sat up, still dizzy from the lack of energy. "Okay, I'll try. You gotta focus. Focus on why it's so important for you to talk to Sirius. Got it?"
Harry nodded. He was nervous and excited. He was finally going to be able to speak with his godfather again.
"Gimme your hand," Cassie commanded as she held out her palm. Harry was hesitant at first but then he gave in. He placed his hand on top of hers, she enclosed it with her other one. "Focus," she whispered, closing her eyes. He closed his eyes and thought about Sirius, how he had to apologize for causing his death. Harry thought Cassie was going back to sleep, but he began to feel something running through his veins. It seemed light an airy at first but then he felt like gravity was pressuring him still. It felt like he was transferred from the bedroom and into outer space. He heard distant whispering.
"Harry..." a distant voice called.
"Sirius?" he thought to himself.
"Yes..."
"I'm so sorry!" Harry shouted in his head. "If I wasn't so stupid you wouldn't be dead. You'd be here at Grimmauld Place with me. It's all my fault..."
"No Harry...whether you went to the Department of Mysteries or not, Voldemort was going to strike that night. Either way Harry, I would've been there."
"But he said he needed me to get the prophecy for him. It had to be my fault."
"Believe me Harry...he would've found a way to lure you there if you hadn't come...you were just trying to help me...there are more important things going on now...I will tell you another time...when Cassie is stronger...she's growing weak...I can sense it...goodbye..."
"Wait! Don't go! Tell me now, please."
Before Sirius could answer or refuse to something happened. Harry felt down to earth again. He was back at Grimmauld Place, sitting on Cassie's bed. She was gasping for breath.
"Are you okay?" Harry said urgently.
She looked horror-struck. She slowly nodded and fell back onto her pillow. "I'm really exhausted now," she whispered. "Did you tell him all you needed to?"
"Yeah," he said under his breath. "He told me there were important things going on. That he'd tell me when you were stronger. He said you were weak. Are you sure you'll be okay?"
"I think so. It's easier when he contacted me. Less work. I'll be okay. Go back to sleep," she yawned. "Night Harry."
"Goodnight Cassie," he sighed as he began creeping back to his bedroom.
