Chapter 30 Consequences Part V

I avoided Draco at all costs after that. He was livid that I had gotten a broomstick, one of the international best, and all he got was a new set of dragon-hide winter clothes. I was relieved when the time came to pack up everything.

Narcissa was kind enough to come to my room and tell me we were leaving for the train. I was surprised when she had me take her arm and we Apparated out of my room and straight onto the platform. Draco and his father had met us there.

"Thank you so much for letting me come and visit with you for the holidays." I surprised myself and hugged Narcissa.

She paused for a second before hugging me back.

"You are welcome." She said, pulling away.

Draco hugged his mom and I shook Mr. Malfoy's hand. Draco did help me get my luggage on the train, but that was it. I had to find my own compartment to sit in. And I was okay with that. Gregory had followed me and was nice enough to help me put my stuff up.

I was struggling to put my trunk up when it was lifted out of my hands. When I turned around he was there with a slight blush on his cheeks.

"Thank you, Gregory." I smiled at him.

"You're welcome.' He nodded to me.

"Would you like to sit with me?" I gestured to my empty compartment.

"No." He shook his head and left abruptly.

"Well, okay then." I shrugged and sat down.

I let Ariel out of her carrier and once the train started to roll, my door opened again. I looked from the window and was relieved to see Ginny.

"Hello!" I smiled at her.

"Cassie!" She gave me the biggest grin.

My eyes started to well up and I let out a sob.

"Woah, woah, woah!" She closed the door quickly and she wrapped her arms around me.

"I'm sorry!" I managed to chuckle.

"No it's okay, what happened?" She asked.

So I told her that I was just relieved that I didn't have to walk on my toes anymore. I told her about how life was like there. About how I just couldn't wait to see my friends.

"Oh! And you're not going to believe what I got for Christmas!" I said, wiping my eyes and getting my trunk.

I had asked Narcissa to put an extension charm on my trunk so that I could put my Firebolt in it and not get looks from anyone.

"What?!" Ginny gasped.

It was the only thing she said through my breakdown.

I pulled out the Firebolt and she squealed in delight.

"You've got a Firebolt?!" She got down and tenderly touched the broom.

"Yeah, it looks amazing doesn't it?" I admired it.

"Who gave it to you?" She breathed.

"I think it was Sirius Black." I answered honestly.

Ginny drew her hand back quickly but she still looked at the broom with a longing expression.

"What are you going to do?" She asked.

"I sent a letter ahead to McGonagall. She'll be waiting to get the Firebolt to strip it for any curses or dark magic."

"She's going to what?!" Ginny asked, horrified.

"Strip it. I'm sure I'll get back when she's done. But I don't want to take any chances." I said with finality in my voice.

She looked between me and the broom. A mix of emotions on her face.

"But enough about me. What about you? How was your holiday?" I put the broom back in my trunk and this time I used the levitating charm to get it up in the rack.

She was disappointed to see the broom get put away, but we kept each other company the rest of the way to the school.

At the door to the castle, McGonagall was waiting with her lips in a thin line.

"Miss Zwart." She called.

"Coming!" I called back.

"You haven't even taken two steps on the grounds and you're already in trouble?" Fred said as I walked away.

I laughed as McGonagall turned and lead me to Lupin's office. When we got there, there was another broomstick already in pieces and Flitwick, Snape and Lupin were bent over different pieces.

"Is that Harry's Firebolt?" I asked.

Lupin looked up and his face was confused, "how do you know that?"

I put my trunk on the ground, opened it, and pulled out my Firebolt.

"Sirius Black sent me one."

McGonagall took my broom and placed it next to Harry's. I could tell that Harry had hazel twigs. They were a darker color than my own birch twigs. And they were the only two twigs that were being made for the Firebolt.

"How do you know it was Sirius Black who sent you a broomstick?" Snape asked, standing up straight.

"No one else would have gotten me a broom." I answered, trying to keep my mind clear.

Snape glared at me before bending down over Harry's broom again.

"You may return to your common room, Miss Zwart." McGonagall said.

"Yes, Minnie." I stood up.

Lupin's head snapped up to look at me and Severus had a dangerous glint in his eye. Flitwick looked at McGonagall and back to me.

I walked out of Lupin's office and looked back. McGonagall had closed the door right behind me.

I was sitting on my trunk by the Fat Lady. The rest of the students had gone in and so I had a moment to myself, and I was petting Ariel in my lap.

Ariel jumped down and meowed at the Fat Lady and looked at me.

"I know you want to go in, but I'm not ready to go in yet." I told her.

The Fat Lady gave me a puzzled look but didn't question my statement.

"Cassie?"

I looked up from my Monster book and saw Ron standing in front of me.

"Ron." I closed my book and made room on my trunk for him.

"Why are you still out here?" He asked, sitting down and letting Ariel jump in his lap.

"I'm afraid to face Harry." I admitted.

"You've been gone all break, and we didn't get a single letter from you. We were all worried." Ron said, petting Ariel.

"Oh, sorry." I said in a sheepish tone.

"It's okay, but why don't you come inside and tell us all about it?" Ron stood up with Ariel in his arms.

"Yeah, okay." I nodded, also standing up.

He gave the password and together we walked into the nearly empty common room. Harry and Hermione were sitting on the coziest chairs by the fire, and Colin Creevey was with his brother on the other side of the room. But from the yawn I saw from Colin, they were going to bed soon.

"Cassie." Harry gave me a nod.

Ariel meowed a greeting at the two and jumped out of Ron's arms and went up the girls stairs.

"How was your break?" Hermione asked.

I told them all about the Manor, and how closely related I was to the Malfoy's, I told them about my room I had for my stay and how cold and big the house was. I told Ron that I didn't recognize any dark objects in the house. I showed them the jumper Mr. Weasley tried to make for me, and I told them how much I loved it.

"So you had a good time?" Hermione asked.

"I had an okay time, I felt like I was walking on my toes and was afraid I was going to say or do the wrong thing to focus on having a good time." I admitted.

"Did you know what Sirius Black did?" Harry finally asked.

I blinked a few times at the fast change of subject.

"I knew he killed people, but no, I didn't know who he killed." I answered.

"I don't believe you." Harry looked at me with a hard look.

"You -?"

"Oh come on, Harry, how is she supposed to know everything her dad did?" Ron was the one to come to my defense.

Harry didn't answer that but he did give a huff.

I waited a few seconds before opening my mouth when suddenly,

"Why didn't you tell me?" He shouted angrily.

He stood up with such force, the chair moved back.

"I didn't know!" I shouted back at him, also standing up.

He opened his mouth but I beat him to it.

"I don't know why you're mad at me, but you are being thick! When I went looking up my father, all the articles said was that he killed people. None of the articles gave me a list of names! It's not my fault!" My hair was red and I was glaring at Harry.

Harry glared at me but didn't seem to find words.

"You can be angry all you want, but I won't put up with you taking it out on me. Especially when I had nothing to do with it, being that I was only a year old when your parents died!" I tried not to snarl at him, but I did enjoy watching him flinch with that last sentence.

I saw a flash of guilt cross his face, but I had grabbed my trunk and was walking up the staircase before anything more could be said.

"Cassie?" I heard Hermione knock on the door.

I gathered the shower curtain and pulled it so that only my face could be seen.

"What?" I asked shortly.

She opened the door and let Ariel in.

"Are you alright?" She asked, sitting on the toilet.

"I'll be fine." I sighed, playing with the bubbles in the bath I've drawn up.

"I know it's terrible timing, but you should know." Hermione hesitated.

I looked at her and waited patiently.

"Hagrid isn't going to be sacked over the incident with Malfoy and Buckbeak -"

"That's good!" I gave a sigh of relief.

"But - there is going to be a hearing on the twentieth of April to see if Buckbeak is a danger or not." Hermione finished.

"No!" I said, letting my head roll back and hit the tub.

"We've been looking up different cases and laws that could possibly be helpful to Hagrid." Hermione said.

"I'll help you, it's always good to have more eyes and hands with research." I said, looking at Hermione.

"Thank you." She nodded.

"What else happened over the break?" I asked when I realized she wasn't leaving.

"Harry got a -"

"Firebolt?" I interrupted her.

"How did you know?" She was shocked.

"I got one as well." I answered.

"Did you have a note?" She asked.

"No," I lied. "But the only person who I could think of who would get me a broomstick is Sirius, so I wrote a letter to McGonagall and told her I was bringing it to her to check." I told Hermione.

"Harry was angry that I had told McGonagall about his broom." Hermione sighed.

"Harry's been given the short end of every stick so far this year, of course he would be angry, but it was the right thing to do." I assured Hermione.

Hermione gave me a grateful smile.

"I'll leave so that you can get out." Hermione said, standing up.

"Thanks, 'Mione." I said.

Poor Cassie. At least Ron is defending her and Hermione is slowly warming back up to her. We'll just have to wait and see when Harry finally warms back up to Cassie.

Shout out to Awritingbookworm (previously katie owl) and Pamela Hutchins for leaving a review!

Awritingbookworm: Thank you! We'll have to watch Draco's character arc as we go. And I'm so glad you're loving the chapters! And thank you for letting me know you changed your username, it's actually really cute!

Pamela Hutchins: I should have had Draco drop a cup of tea during that part... Just imagine it happened LOL!

Shout out to Cookie-Eat for following the story!

Shout out to StarSerene for adding this story to your alert list!