Disclaimer: All rights go to JK Rowling. Anything you don't recognize is mine.

Updated as of 3/29/2019.

Chapter Seven

The Letter

The Great Hall was buzzing with excitement when Cassie walked in for breakfast, but it was unsurprising as to why. The first Hogsmeade date had been posted on the notice board in all the House common rooms, and it was slated for next weekend, four days before Halloween.

Those in third-year and up plotted about what they were going to do first when they got to the village, while the second- and first-years looked on enviously. Cassie couldn't help but feel exceptionally grateful that she was no longer one of the younger students as she joined Lily, Alice, and Marlene at the table.

"Morning, ladies!" she chirped, scooping about three servings of eggs onto her plate and humming to herself all the while.

When she got no response, she looked up to find all three girls staring at her with varying degrees of surprise and concern. She paused with her fork halfway to her mouth. "What? Is it so wrong to be cheerful this early?"

"Well, when it's you, then yes," Alice said.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so chipper first thing in the morning," Marlene added. "You usually threaten to jinx us if we as much as whisper above a certain level."

Cassie made a face at her. "Then maybe I'm turning over a new leaf."

"Or someone's been making her happier than usual," Lily muttered under her breath, which made Alice and Marlene snicker into their plates as Cassie stared blankly.

"Er, what?" she said when Lily gave her a knowing look, her green eyes twinkling.

"Oh, it's nothing," she said airily, waving her hand, and Cassie wondered why they were suddenly being so odd.

It was true, she conceded, that she'd never been a morning person, but she didn't understand what was making her the object of their amusement. For the past week, she'd been waking up feeling refreshed and energized, and for some reason, she knew that it had to do with what Remus told her at dinner a few nights ago. She felt as if some of the huge weight on her chest had been lifted, and it'd made her bubblier and more good-natured than usual, lending her a new motivation that had even allowed her to catch up on all her homework. She frowned into her goblet, thinking over Lily's words, but was interrupted when there was a sudden rustling noise above them, and the morning shower of owls flew into the Hall to deliver mail.

Cassie spotted Osbourne amongst them and cleared a space next to her elbow so he could land. He flapped down beside her and deposited a letter, hooting proudly.

"Hullo, Ozzy," she cooed, feeding him a bit of her toast as he ruffled his brown feathers happily.

He dipped his beak into her orange juice and made a content noise in his throat, giving her hand an affectionate nip before heading back to the Owlery along with the rest of the owls.

Cassie reached for the letter, but jumped when another bird landed right in front of her, this one a silvery-white that glared at her with sharp yellow eyes before croaking and taking off, leaving another letter in its wake.

She grabbed the letter the strange owl had dropped, frowning when she noticed that it was blank. Puzzled, she set it aside for now, turning to the letter her parents (or, more accurately, her mum) had written her.

Dearest Cassie,

I received your last letter asking about Victoire's Voluminous Vial, and I went out immediately and bought you some. The witch working the shop was a dear; she knew me from my magazine, and gave me three bottles for the price of one! I have them here at the estate; please let me know what you want me to do with them. I can send them to you next time Osbourne comes, or I can wait until Christmas when you come home.

I am so very happy to hear that fifth year is treating you well. I know it can be tough sometimes with the O.W.L. workload, but I promise it is worth it in the long run. Our top scores are what helped your father and I get important jobs in our respective fields, and you should strive for the same!

I assure you, darling, Professor Carlisle is an illustrious witch. She was only a few years behind your father and I in school, but from what I remember, she was very intelligent and came from a good, strong family – in fact, I believe her great-great-great grandfather was Beran Locke, a famous Slytherin who united most of the old English pure-blood families under one House. A truly ambitious and brilliant man.

Cassie snorted at this, thinking of a few choice names she would rather call Professor Carlisle than 'illustrious' or 'intelligent.'

On the note of family, I feel inclined – more desperate, I think – to ask you of news from your brother. It's been two months since we've heard anything from him, and I wanted to know if he had contacted you at all. I am sure he is very busy, but you are both my children, and I would like to be reassured that you still love me every so often!

I love you, Pumpkin, and you can expect a package from Osbourne soon containing your birthday present. It's hard for me to believe you are going to be sixteen – how the time flies!

Much love,

Mum

P.S. Your father sends his love as well, and he hopes you are having another wonderful year!

Cassie scoffed, refolding the letter and sticking it under her plate for now, though her chest felt quite pinched all the same. The letter was not unusual – Cassie had been conversing solely with her mother since she started Hogwarts as her father was always too busy to write her – but the question about her brother had caught her off-guard.

Her mum said he hadn't written in two months, and that was what surprised Cassie the most. She didn't even know her brother had been in contact with her parents since leaving, and a sudden bitterness welled inside of her at the thought. The last time she'd spoken to him was the day he left home, and she gripped her fork tightly as she recalled it.

She stood at the borders of their estate in North Yorkshire, where her family had congregated to see Will off. She hung back behind her parents, eyeing the trunk her brother had rested at his feet as their parents embraced him lovingly, her father looking prouder than she had ever seen him while her mother dabbed at misty eyes.

It was strange for her to witness this good-bye; she knew he'd been going to leave since they'd returned home for the summer – she from school and he from traveling abroad on mysterious business he'd told no one about – but now that he was actually doing it… She didn't know what to think.

Since he'd announced his plans to travel south and join the Death Eaters there, Cassie had found herself tiptoeing around him, unsure of what she felt whenever she now looked at her brother. Anger? Betrayal? Disgust? Resign? All of it blended together, rendering her helpless in how to deal with her emotions, much less her own brother. She just wished that he would stay, so they could hike through the countryside together, or swim in the lake, or any of the other things they did together during the holiday. Anything but watch him leave her for a cause she had never heard him talk about, not once.

Maybe that was why she felt so distant from him now. Because after all this time, she'd never truly known her brother. He was a stranger to her, and that was something that ached in her bones.

After being released from yet another hug by their mother, he turned his dark eyes on her. Cassie stiffened, her hair whipping across her face as another gust of summer air blew around them, yet she felt colder than ever when Will took a step toward her.

"Cassie…" He reached for her, but Cassie took a step back, eyeing his outstretched hand as if it were a weapon.

She couldn't do it. She couldn't pretend like this was fine, that she was okay with him leaving. Her brother had fallen from being her closest friend to someone she had never known overnight, and she couldn't bear it. Tears stung at her eyes. She bit her lip, looking down to her shoes to avoid the crushing disappointment she could see etched in his face.

"I love you, Cassie." His voice was so soft it might have been the wind speaking, but she still didn't look up, not even when he had started to walk away.

"I'm sorry."

That was surely her imagination speaking, but it made her flinch anyway. She kept her head down until there was a loud CRACK and he was gone.

She only looked up when she heard her parents approach, and the looks on their faces immediately birthed a hot ball of guilt that rested heavily in her gut.

Her mother's face was white, her lips pursed as if she too were holding back her tears. But she said nothing to Cassie, opting to start back down the stone path to their house and leaving Cassie alone with her father.

Cassie stared into his hard eyes – so brown they looked almost black – and an intense surge of anger rushed through her at the sight of his stern face, set into the look of disapproval he reserved only for her.

"How could you let him do it?" Her voice came out shaky, but cutting, and her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "How could you just let him leave?"

"Your brother is doing the right thing." Lukas Alderfair's voice was haughty, bland, and utterly without warmth when he spoke to her. "He is volunteering for a noble cause, and we should all be proud."

He enunciated this last part with an edge to his deep voice, but Cassie shook her head, stepping away.

"This isn't noble," she said. "Father, you've read the papers – these people are committing crimes! Killing Muggle-borns, torturing Muggles, and Merlin knows what else! Their cause is evil."

Her father just stared at her, his features as cold as ever. "I think you've been spending too much time in the muck that Hogwarts has become, Cassiopeia. You almost sound like a blood traitor."

Cassie reeled, feeling as if she'd been slapped. But staring into her father's blank eyes, she felt her shock and hurt consolidate into anger and disbelief.

"You may think me a blood traitor, Father, but I would rather be one of them than someone who goes around killing those you see as lesser," she hissed.

"Be mindful of your words, Cassiopeia," he said, and she involuntarily shivered at the warning laced within his tone. "They can get you into trouble one day if you're not careful enough."

And with that, he left her standing at the top of the hill where her brother had walked out of her life.

She stared blankly at the spot where Will disappeared and let the tears fall until night glazed over the sky.

Cassie swallowed hard, determined to keep her emotions in check, and instead reached for the blank letter the mysterious owl had left her. She slid her finger under the envelope and broke the seal. She extracted the letter, the parchment thin and cheap on her fingers, and opened it so she could read.

Cassie –

I hope this letter finds you in good health and sprits. (Though with it being O.W.L. year, my optimism may not help much – might I suggest chamomile tea for the stress? It works wonders.)

I regret to say that I have been too busy to contact anyone lately, but with your birthday soon approaching on the 30th, I made enough time to write you a quick greeting, and to beg of you a small request.

I know things were not ideal when I left, and I imagine you must still be quite angry, but I heard word of your Hogsmeade trip being scheduled for next weekend, and I ask that you'll allow me to see you – if only briefly – so that I may give you your present and birthday wishes.

Please send me your answer soon. I really do wish to see you again, Cassie.

Yours,

Will

Cassie felt as if she'd forgotten how to breathe. The longer she stared at the letter, the blurrier the words became – or perhaps that was just from the trembling in her fingers.

Will. He'd written her. He wanted to see her. Four months without a single word, and suddenly he wanted to meet her in Hogsmeade, to give her a birthday gift.

The rest of the Great Hall faded out to where it was just her and her brother's letter – her brother, the Death Eater. The traitor of Gryffindor House. The favorite of the Alderfair children. The one who had abandoned her.

Cassie felt very close to screaming, and she might have if not for Alice's hand on her elbow.

"Cass?" she was saying as Marlene and Lily looked on in concern. "Cassie? Are you all right?"

Sucking in a sharp breath, Cassie gave them a forced smile and nodded. "Yeah. Fine."

Lily leaned forward, her red hair falling across her pinched face, but before she could say anything, Cassie had leapt from her seat, gathering up the letters and shoving them into her bag.

"You know, I'm not feeling too well," she said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I'm skiving History of Magic. I'll see you later."

She hurried off before they could reply, her heart fluttering like mad. She blinked her tears back as she rushed for the doors, not even realizing where she was going until she knocked forcefully into someone's side.

"Oi! Watch where – Cassie?"

She looked up in horror to see that she'd run right into the Marauders. Remus stood before her, rubbing his elbow before peering closely at her. "Cassie, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she gasped, mortified when she saw the other three looking at her like she was deranged. Without another word, she pushed past them and practically ran from the Great Hall. If anyone called after her, she didn't hear them, taking the stairs two at a time until she arrived at the portrait of the Fat Lady, clutching a stitch in her side and choking on sobs.

"Doxy!" she cried. The Fat Lady swung forward quickly, allowing Cassie to enter the common room and run to her dormitory, where she threw herself down on her bed and pressed her face into her pillow to muffle her crying.

How dare he? How dare he write her as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn't left her, as if everything was still fine, like it had been before the holiday? How dare he drop off the planet for four months, and then come back and ask her to meet him for something as trivial as gifts?

I hate you, Cassie thought as she cried. The day her brother left replayed over and over in her mind, making something hot twist in her heart. I hate you, I hate you, I hate you.

She wished she'd never opened that letter.

Remus was awakened by a pillow slapping him soundly across the face.

"Bloody—" He sat up quickly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and finding a smug Sirius standing beside him, the pillow hanging lazily from his hands as he smirked.

"Up and at 'em, Moony," he said, tossing the pillow back on to his four-poster next to Remus's. Remus scowled when he looked out the window and saw that the sky was still dark.

"What could possibly be so important this early?" he grumbled, making no move to get out of bed, but Peter was the one who answered him.

"Marauders Meeting," he explained from where he was sitting cross-legged on the floor in the middle of their dormitory with James already next to him, wide awake and very excited.

Remus rolled his eyes as Sirius went to join them, lounging back on his elbows on James's other side. He patted the open spot next to him and looked pointedly at Remus.

He reluctantly slid out of bed and took the space next to Sirius, already missing the warmth and comfort of his four-poster as James cleared his throat.

"I hereby call this Marauders Meeting in session, to determine this year's first prank!" he said importantly, and Remus held back a groan.

"You do realize that I'm a prefect now?" he said. "I can't afford to get as many detentions as last year, or they'll strip me of my privileges for sure."

"Ah, but you see, dear Moony?" James grinned wickedly and adjusted his glasses. "That's why we have luck on our side this year. No one would ever suspect a prefect."

Remus cocked a brow. "Even though I've spent the past four years running around with you lot?"

James waved a hand. "Technicalities. Anyway, this year is going to be our year, mates, and we've got to do things bigger and better than we've ever done them before. So, suggestions?"

"Dungbombs in the staff room," Peter said, but James shook his head.

"No way, Pete, that's child's play. And we already did that second year, remember?"

Sirius looked thoughtful. "Charm some of the corridors so when people accidentally brush the wall they're stuck there until it wears off."

"Excellent idea, Padfoot," James said, scratching the prank down on a scrap piece of parchment in front of him. "We'll definitely do that, but I was thinking something more…grand, per se, as our first for the year. Something that will definitely get the Marauders' name out there."

"Or we could actually try and be normal students this year," Remus said slyly, grinning when the other three turned to look at him in disgust. "Only kidding."

"You damn well better be, Moony," James growled, poking his quill in the other boy's direction threateningly. "Or you'll be facing the wrath of James Potter."

Remus pretended to shake, his eyes going wide. "N-no! N-not J-James P-P-Potter!"

"Stuff it, Remus." James rolled his eyes, though he was still grinning. "Seriously, mates, we have to think of something before breakfast."

And so they sat there while the sun rose, debating various pranks and their level of grandeur, until Remus felt like they were beating a dead unicorn with a stick. They'd exhausted themselves, and though they had a decent list that could last them well into sixth year, they still had nothing that James had deemed worthy enough to start this year with.

"My brain hurts," Peter moaned about an hour later. "Let's just do Remus's idea and be done with it."

Remus had suggested Charming the various suits of armor around the castle where every time a student walked by one, it would challenge them to a duel and start to fight them no matter the answer. But James shook his head, looking frazzled.

"Not good enough," he muttered. Remus rolled his eyes, now lying flat on his back and struggling to stay awake.

"You know, maybe we've been going about this the wrong way," said Sirius slowly. They all looked at him in confusion. He shrugged his shoulders, brushing his black hair out of his face before elaborating. "I mean, we've been trying to come up with things where we get into trouble so the other students will have a laugh. But what if we turned the tables a bit?"

"Go on, Pads." James leaned forward, staring at him intently. "How so?"

"Well, what if we reversed the meaning of a prank, and instead of us being the ones to break the rules, we convinced everyone else to do it?"

Remus shook his head. "Nobody would buy it. They'd know it was a prank."

"But what if they didn't?" Sirius countered. "What if we disguised it as something else, but to us, we would still know it was a prank?"

James pursed his lips. "Like a game."

Sirius nodded. "Exactly."

"So…we come up with a game and let the other students play it, while we sit back and watch our own dirty work be done for us?" Remus asked. James and Sirius nodded. "That is evil, but…I'm in."

"Brilliant," James said, clapping his hands. "Now we just have to come up with the game."

"What about a scavenger hunt?" Peter said, his eyes shining. "We give everyone a list of tasks they have to compete in, with the ultimate goal being to not get caught, and they have to bring back proof that they completed the task in order to get a prize?"

James clapped Peter on the back. "Wormtail, you're a bloody genius." He looked to the rest of them, a crooked smile growing on his face, and Remus could just imagine the cogs working in his devilish brain. "All those in favor of the greatest game Hogwarts is ever gonna play?"

They all raised their hands.

"Excellent," he said. "We have an hour before breakfast, boys – let's get cracking."

Tired but giddy, the four boys got dressed an hour later and headed down to the Great Hall, their spirits only lifting higher when they saw that the Hogsmeade date had been posted in the common room.

They were one of the last ones to go to breakfast, but with the knowledge of what was coming with their first prank (effective the very next day and lasting all the way to the Saturday of the Hogsmeade trip), they entered with a sense of euphoria. Remus felt as if nothing could bring him down from their prank high, not even the looming threat of the full moon at the end of the week.

He was so drunk on mischief that he didn't even see the person in front of him until they had run straight into his side, making him stumble back into Sirius. "Oi! Watch where—"

But he stopped abruptly when he realized who it was, his tone losing its biting edge as he said, "Cassie?"

The dark-haired girl looked up at him, her eyes wide and bloodshot. Remus was taken aback when he saw that she was crying and found himself reaching for her shoulder. "Cassie, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said, her voice breaking on the word. Before he could question her further, she brushed past them and fled the Great Hall, her long hair rippling around the corner before she was gone.

"What was that all about?" James muttered, but Remus didn't answer, not knowing himself. Instead he turned to the Gryffindor table and spotted the clustered group of Lily Evans, Alice Fortescue, and Marlene McKinnon.

"I'll be back," he said. He started toward the three girls, worry gnawing at his insides, and he didn't even notice the other three following him until he reached the girls' huddle.

"Er, hello," he said awkwardly. He'd never really spoken to them before save for Lily, his fellow prefect. The three girls looked up from their intense discussion, their expressions surprised and wary.

"What are you doing here?" Lily asked suspiciously. Remus noticed her eyes fixed on something over his shoulder, and he sighed when he turned around and saw James standing there with Sirius and Peter.

James just gave her an infuriating smile. "Good morning to you too, Evans."

"I was wondering about Cassie," Remus said before Lily could think of hexing James. She turned her emerald eyes on him, raising a brow while Alice and Marlene looked flabbergasted. "She seemed upset."

Lily shrugged helplessly. "I don't know what happened. One second, she was fine and then the next she'd opened a letter and looked like she was going to faint. When we asked, she just said she wasn't feeling well and took off."

Remus frowned. "Do you know who the letter was from?"

"Dunno," she said, lifting her shoulders. "It wasn't her parents though. She already had a letter from them, and this one wasn't even addressed at all."

Remus tapped his fingers against his legs, a habit that manifested whenever he was anxious, but he was broken out of his thoughts when Alice Fortescue spoke up.

"Why do you care anyway?" she asked. He looked down to see her blue eyes twinkling with something he couldn't recognize. "I didn't know that you and Cassie were such good friends."

Remus stared at her blankly. "Well, erm, I'd like to think that we are…"

Her eyes flashed at this, and she shared a knowing smile with the other two, which only confused him more.

"Oh, come off it," Sirius scoffed, grabbing Remus's shoulder and pulling him away from the giggling girls. "Remus doesn't fancy her, so you can get that little fantasy out of your heads."

"And what about the rest of you?" Marlene McKinnon challenged. Her eyes swept over Sirius and stayed there. "We heard that you lot ate dinner with her last week. So, what's your interest in our little Cass? We're quite territorial of our friends, you know, and we can't have you stealing her away from us."

Sirius opened his mouth to respond, but Lily beat him to it. "Please. As if Cassie would willingly hang around blokes like Potter."

"Jealous I'm not eating dinner with you, Evans?" James retorted.

"I'd rather go on a romantic date with Peeves than be anywhere in your presence, Potter," she spat.

"I can arrange that," James said wickedly. A light flared in Lily's eyes that Remus had come to identify with her "hexing face," and he jumped in before a brawl could begin.

"Well, er, thanks anyway," he said hastily, ushering the others in front of him. "Nice chat!"

Remus could hear their giggles all the way at the other end of the table, and he closed his eyes in silent prayer.

Bloody hell, girls were an odd bunch.

When her tears had dried and she was effectively a red, blotchy mess, Cassie debated whether she should suck it up and get on with her day or stay in bed forever. On one hand, she really couldn't afford to get behind in her lessons; but on the other, not having to put on a brave face and deal with her classmates sounded like the better option. But there was a reason she was in Gryffindor, right? And being brave, even if she didn't want to be, was one of the defining attributes of her House.

This thought was what ultimately pushed her to sit up and stumble into the washroom. She rinsed her face and neck with cold water and attempted to reduce the swelling of her eyes. Her skin was starting to go back to its fair color, but there was no way she could go out there and pass off as fine with her eyes so red and puffy.

Her shoulders slumping in defeat, she pulled out her toiletry bag and extracted the numerous makeup products her mother forced upon her every year, grudgingly grateful for them now so she wouldn't be walking around like a red-eyed demon the whole day. She'd never been one for makeup, saving it only for special occasions (and even then, her mother wouldn't rest until Cassie's face was entirely dolled up), but she decided that a little eyeliner and mascara couldn't hurt, and some powder to even out her face would help too.

She did it as lightly as she could but enough to where she looked bright-eyed and fresh. When she was satisfied with her appearance, she stepped back into the dormitory and collected her things, deciding that being late to History of Magic was better than not showing up at all, so she headed down the stairs.

Binns didn't even look up from his lecturing when she slipped quietly into the classroom and slid into her desk in the back, the Hufflepuff boy who sat next to her (whose name she still hadn't learned yet) already fast asleep on top of his book.

Cassie pulled out parchment and a quill for notes, but had barely tuned in to Binns's monologue when a folded piece of paper landed on her desk.

Glancing around to make sure no one had seen, she opened the parchment and read.

Moony thought you were dead when you weren't in class earlier. You all right?

Cassie looked across the aisle to see Potter waving to her, and she supposed the note came from him. Her gaze slid to Remus, who just shook his head slightly to counter Potter's scribbled note. She scrawled back a reply.

Moony?

She remembered that name from nearly a month ago, when the three Marauders had been sneaking out of Gryffindor Tower to meet with 'Moony', and the note Potter had thrown at Remus one of their first days in Defense; he had called him 'Moony' then, and Cassie was curious about the nickname.

Remus and Potter read her reply when she passed it back, and Remus glared when Potter grimaced, sheepish. The note landed back on her desk a few moments later.

Don't avoid the question.

Cassie rolled her eyes.

Don't avoid mine.

A minute later the note came back to her.

Nickname we came up with first year. Not important.

Cassie frowned. That really didn't offer her any explanation at all. So she tried a different tactic.

And what about Wormtail?

She looked over to see Potter and Remus staring at her with varying levels of surprise and confusion. She mimed writing so they would reply.

How do you know about that?

She grinned slightly to herself; they had practically given her an answer without even realizing it.

You lot aren't exactly the quietest bunch.

The two dipped their heads together and whispered for a few minutes before the note was passed over again.

Wormtail is Peter's nickname. I'm Prongs. Sirius is Padfoot. It's just something stupid we started over the summer. Happy now, Princess?

Cassie smirked.

Exceptionally. Why those names?

Potter glared over at her.

Why so nosy?

She rolled her eyes.

Fine, whatever. Keep your secrets.

She felt Remus looking at her carefully.

Like you keep yours?

This note came from him – she could tell by the neat letters, compared to James's scrawl. She shot the sandy-haired boy a look, which he returned with an innocent shrug.

Low blow. It's nothing.

And I'm Dumbledore. Come on, spill it.

She shook her head, crumpling up the note and mouthing Later to him.

Seemingly satisfied, he sat back in his seat, and Cassie went back to taking notes on witch burnings throughout the Dark Ages, already dreading the coming confrontation.

But it never came.

They'd barely sat in their seats when Defense Against the Dark Arts started before Professor Carlisle was already upon them, her demeanor as cold as ever.

"Today you will be practicing the Shield Charms we discussed last class," she said, leaning against her desk and sweeping her frosty eyes over the assembled students. "You will be assigned a partner, and one of you will attempt to Disarm while the other attempts to deflect it using a Shield Charm. The partners are as followed…"

Marlene got paired up with Sirius Black, and Cassie could imagine the blonde girl's delight at this arrangement as they moved to stand together, Black giving his partner a smirk that nearly reduced Marlene to a puddle on the floor.

Cassie rolled her eyes, listening as Potter was partnered off with Alice, Remus got put with Lily (which Potter scowled at), and Pettigrew with a Slytherin girl twice his size, until she was one of the last four to be decided.

"Miss Alderfair, with Mr. Avery," Professor Carlisle said, her red lips turning up in a smug smile when Cassie reluctantly went to stand with Avery. She kept her eyes on her feet as the professor waved her wand and the desks were pushed back to the walls, leaving an open space for them to practice in as soft cushions filled the floor.

"You have an hour and a half to practice," she said. "I will come by and observe you towards the end of class, so it may be prudent for some of you to work during this time. You may begin."

Cassie looked at Avery out of the corner of her eye. "Do you want to practice first?"

He gave her a cursory glance. "Sure."

He moved to stand across from her, raising his wand as she took a deep breath. "Ready?"

"Ready."

She flicked her wand quickly, saying "Expelliarmus!" at the same time he said "Protego!"

His shield wavered and his wand tugged in his grip, but otherwise the charm held. Cassie nodded, impressed. "Have you been practicing?"

He gave her a tiny grin. "For the past two nights."

"It shows." She rolled up her sleeves and took her stance again. "Expelliarmus!"

This time, his shield held, and her spell bounced off harmlessly. Cassie met his eyes – a startling light blue, she noticed – when he smirked to himself.

"You want to try?" he asked, gesturing to her with his chin.

She nodded. "Yeah." She shifted her feet, trying to remember the wand motions for the spell, when suddenly his voice cried out, "Expelliarmus!"

"Pro—" She never finished, for her wand was suddenly blasted out of her hand. She frowned, disgruntled when Avery chuckled.

"Not ready?" he asked as she tracked down her wand amongst the scattered cushions and straightened up, shaking her head tightly. She tried not to show how miffed she was when she turned back to face him; Defense had always been one of her best subjects, and she wasn't too keen on getting her self-esteem knocked so low after everything that had happened that morning.

"Again," she said, and he hesitated only briefly before flicking his wand.

"Protego!"

"Expelliarmus!"

Her wand flew out of her hand again. Avery caught it deftly, giving her a small smirk when she let out a grunt of frustration.

"Don't be discouraged," he said when she came to retrieve her wand. "That's what this is about right now: practice."

Cassie didn't say anything, instead taking back her wand. She was about to turn away when he said with some curiosity, "You look different today."

She looked up, her face flushing when she saw him studying her carefully with his pale eyes.

"Oh, um, it's makeup," she confessed, shrugging her shoulders slightly.

He nodded thoughtfully. "It looks good."

Cassie felt the warmth in her cheeks spread down her neck. "Er, thanks."

She highly doubted he was commenting on how well she'd applied it, but rather how it made her look, and she grimaced, wondering if Avery was referring to her as attractive. He couldn't have been though. He was a Slytherin, and she was a Gryffindor. They had nothing in common whatsoever.

Except for your families, a small voice said in the back of her mind. Both pure-bloods, both with Death Eater ties. You're not that different…

Cassie grit her teeth, shaking her head before looking back into Avery's pale eyes. "Again."

Across the room, Sirius happened to see Avery and Cassie talking as he looked around in boredom, his eyes narrowing when Avery said something that caused the girl to blush. He glanced to the other Marauders to see if anyone else noticed, but they were all too busy practicing.

"Sirius, you ready?" Marlene asked.

He turned back to the blonde girl in front of him. She gave him a playful smirk that was borderline seductive, and he felt his own slide into place as he raised his wand. "I'm always ready, love."

He gave her a wink that made her blush, and he tried not to think of the red that had stained Cassie Alderfair's cheeks a moment before as he readied for Marlene's Disarming Spell, pushing all suspicions of Avery and the dark-haired girl from his mind.

Next Chapter: The Marauders' Obstreperous Scavenger Hunt or The M.O.S.H.

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