Disclaimer: All rights go to JK Rowling. Anything you don't recognize is mine.
Updated as of 4/21/2019.
Chapter Twelve
The Worst Birthday
Part II
The smell of baking pumpkin was thick in the air the next morning, and preparations for the Halloween Feast were in full swing by the time the Marauders made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
Professor McGonagall could be seen Transfiguring silver spoons into live bats while Professor Flitwick Charmed them to float above the House tables, the winged creatures flitting around the dull, cloudy sky the magical ceiling depicted. Hagrid would periodically lumber into the Hall, rolling pumpkins the size of the giant man's torso in front of him and handing them off to Professor Vector, who then used her wand to carve designs into the pumpkins' flesh.
Many students had not yet awakened – which had been to the Marauders' benefit, as there was less chance of their conversation being overheard. And they knew just what their subject was going to be about that morning – or rather, whom.
"What time does Alderfair usually wake up?" James said. His knee bounced in agitation, and he cast yet another impatient look to the doors of the Hall.
"She'll come down when she's ready, James," Remus said, taking a calm sip from his tea and trying to act as if he weren't just as anxious as his friend.
Sirius gave a light snort. "I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't show at all," he said, shaking his head. He paused in the midst of biting into his toast when all three cast him annoyed looks. "Oi, I'm not saying it in a bad way!"
James stabbed at his eggs angrily. "I bet half that rubbish isn't even true. That Skeeter woman will make up anything to get people to read her tosh."
Remus was surprised. "You know her?"
The other boy nodded slowly. "She's fairly new, from what I've heard. She was an intern for the Prophet'sgossip column a few years back when she graduated Hogwarts, but she didn't get any recognition until she wrote some rotten article about the corruption of Aurors – she tried to go after my dad during all that, so that's how I know about her, from him."
"She sounds vile," Peter grumbled into his goblet.
James nodded in agreement. "Shame people actually believe what she writes, though," he said darkly. "And the popularity of the story is only going to make things harder for Alderfair."
Remus shifted uncomfortably, wishing he could find Cassie and see how she was handling everything. They had been too wrapped up in planning their next prank at dinner last night to see her leave the Hall, and by the time they had managed to read the article, she'd already disappeared to her dormitory for the night, and her prolonged absence was worrying him.
They fell into silence and continued to eat when a trio of fourth-years came and sat in close proximity to them, near enough so they could listen to their whispering, and they all froze when they heard the topic of their discussion.
"Terrible, isn't it, about that Muggle attack?" one girl said. The boy and girl sitting with her both nodded. "I wonder what the Minister is going to say about it; this seems like a big case."
"I just hope the Aurors catch the bastards who did it," the boy grumbled. "Those people are demented for doing something like that."
"Isn't William Alderfair that one fifth-year's brother?" the other girl asked. When the two nodded, she tossed back her platinum hair in obvious disdain. "How sad. I would be ashamed if I had a brother like that, the little—"
"D'you really wanna finish that thought?" James said loudly, turning to stare at the three.
The girl with the platinum hair immediately flushed, though her expression remained indignant.
"I never took you for a Death Eater supporter," she shot back. James's expression turned dark, but Sirius intervened before things got ugly.
"Oh, stuff it, Blondie," he said, quite rudely. She gaped at him while her friends just stared. "Go sit somewhere else and keep your irrelevant comments to yourself."
The girl gave him a withering look, but she heeded his advice and stalked away down the table, her friends hurrying in her wake. Remus gave him a reproachful look.
"You shouldn't have said that," he said, though he had to remind himself to unclench his fists as the dark-haired boy snorted.
"She shouldn't have been a twit," he retorted.
Remus said nothing (for he quite agreed with Sirius), but they looked up from their plates when they heard footsteps fast approaching them and Alice Fortescue appeared, breathless and clearly flustered.
"Have you seen Cassie?" she asked without preamble. When they shook their heads, she let out a distressed noise. "Oh, Merlin, we can't find her anywhere! She was sleeping when we came in last night, but when we woke up this morning, she was gone! I've checked everywhere I thought she could be, but I can't find her, and I'm so worried—"
"Alice, hey, calm down," Remus said gently. The girl plopped onto the bench beside him, now looking on the verge of tears. "I'm sure Cassie's fine; she probably just needed some time to herself."
"I don't think she is, though," she said miserably. "You didn't see her last night; she didn't react to the news at all! She just walked off, and when we got back to the dorm, her stuff was everywhere, and there was a hole in the wall, and—"
She broke off, burying her head in her hands, and they all looked on in alarm as she began to sniffle. "I shouldn't have left her alone! I wanted to give her space, but I knew she needed me, and now she's gone!"
The Marauders exchanged worried glances. Remus put a comforting hand on Alice's shoulder. "Don't blame yourself, Alice. You were just trying to give her time to sort things out. Any friend would have done what you did."
She nodded tightly, scrubbing at her eyes and standing back up, and gave Remus a watery smile. "Just let me know if you see her, all right?'
Remus nodded. "Will do."
With another grateful smile, she walked to her usual seat down the table and joined the anxious-looking Marlene and Lily, who must've entered after her. James gave the other boys a significant look.
"Good thing we know where to find her," he said, and they all leaned in as he reached into his robes.
Pulling out his wand and a blank piece of parchment, he held the paper in his lap and tapped the tip of his wand against it, muttering, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…"
The sun was just clearing the tree-tops when Cassie awoke that morning. For a moment, she lay there peacefully, her mind blissfully blank as she stared at the clouds rolling in from the east. They looked like rainclouds, and she thought about how cliché it would be if it were to storm on Halloween night, but the dull ache that had begun to grow in her chest upon awakening was already dragging her spirits down, and she suddenly wanted nothing more than to sink into oblivion again just to escape it.
She wasn't angry; no, she had gotten that out last night, and she cringed when she remembered the disaster zone she'd left in her wake before collapsing in bed. What she felt was more…resign, than anything. It was like last night had been a wake-up call for her. There was no hope, no more will that she could sway her brother back to the Light. He was gone. Truly, irredeemably, irrevocably gone.
She suddenly itched to be out of this bed, out of this room; to walk freely before all the stares and whispers started up again. She swung her feet onto the floor and sat for a moment, trying to wipe off the remnants of last night's makeup. Her eyes had practically glued shut and her face felt crusty, and she finally resorted to creeping into the washroom to rinse it all off, as a handkerchief didn't seem to be doing the trick all that well.
Being very careful not to disturb anyone, she collected her strewn things off the floor and returned them to her trunk. She winced when she saw the well-sized dent in the wall, and promised herself that she would repair it later. After slipping into a pair of jeans and an oversized jumper, she grabbed her wand and headed down to the common room, relieved to find it empty.
Fancying a walk by herself on the grounds, she walked out into the corridor and began to wander to the ground floor, enjoying the solitude and quiet. Even the portraits on the walls remained silent, most of them dozing in their frames still. She'd managed to work her way down to the first-floor undetected until a stern voice rang out behind her.
"Miss Alderfair!"
A flicker of apprehension went through her when she turned and saw Professor McGonagall striding towards her down the corridor, but she couldn't find it in her to really care if she wasn't technically supposed to be roaming about the castle this early. Instead, she only said, as politely as she could, "Yes, Professor?"
The strict witch came to a stop before her, and Cassie waited indifferently while the professor looked her up and down, her lips pursing at whatever she saw.
"Come with me," she ordered.
Cassie had no choice but to obey, and followed the professor a short way until they entered a room that had to be her office. It was a small study that boasted a cheery fire and a large latticed window that overlooked the training grounds and the Quidditch Pitch. The professor took a seat behind a handsome mahogany desk and motioned for Cassie to do the same.
She sank into a comfortable velvet chair and watched as Professor McGonagall waved her wand, a tea kettle soaring into the fireplace and hovering over the flames. The professor then pushed a silver tin toward Cassie. "Have a biscuit, Miss Alderfair."
Cassie took one – more out of politeness than anything – and bit into it, not really tasting it at all as the witch across from her studied her with calculating dark eyes, shrewd and intelligent. Though the professor was not that old, Cassie felt as if she were being scrutinized by someone of the same caliber as Professor Dumbledore. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, finishing off the biscuit and discreetly brushing the crumbs from her clothes.
"How is your term going so far, Miss Alderfair?" Professor McGonagall asked suddenly. Cassie blinked, staring at her Head of House.
"Er…all right, I guess," she said, unnerved by her intense stare. "Could be better, but could be worse."
McGonagall nodded slowly. "Indeed. And how are your studies treating you?"
"Fine," she said, cringing when it came out more like a question. When she didn't elaborate further, the professor frowned.
"And what about Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
At this, Cassie's eyes narrowed. "Why?" she asked suspiciously. "Did Professor Carlisle tell you that I was an incompetent, uncouth fool?"
McGonagall looked startled by the vehemence in her tone. "Not at all, actually. She said you were as good as any other student she is teaching."
"So average, at best," Cassie said, leaning back and crossing her arms. "I reckon that's as good as I'm going to get, though."
Professor McGonagall didn't respond, only gazing at Cassie with an indecipherable look that pricked at her skin irritably.
"With all due respect, Professor, I'd rather be alone right now," she said, suddenly tired. "Thanks for the biscuit."
"Sit down, Miss Alderfair," she said firmly when she made to get up. Cassie wavered before settling herself into the chair again, trying hard not to scowl at her professor.
The kettle had begun to whistle. McGonagall waved her wand once more, producing teabags and cups from a cabinet behind her. She filled them up with the water from the kettle before pushing one towards Cassie.
She accepted the tea grudgingly, waiting for it to cool some before drinking. She breathed in the fumes, her frayed nerves soothing down some, and she looked up when the professor began to speak again.
"Lavender and sage," she said, gesturing to the tea in Cassie's hands. "I practically lived off the brew until all of my entry exams were over. It has astounding calming capabilities, and I find it to be far more practical than any potion."
Cassie nodded, taking a sip of the tea and feeling some of her muscles relax. She hadn't realized how tense she was – though after everything she had been through in the past twelve hours, it wasn't that much of a surprise.
"Miss Alderfair," the professor said. Cassie looked up anxiously, seeing her dark eyes filled with something that resembled concern. "I would like you to know that should you ever need anything, my door is always open."
Cassie lowered her teacup, her throat burning, but not from the tea. She suddenly wished to scream, or yell, or cry, but nothing came past her lips. She could only sit there, tears welling in her eyes and her fingers trembling, wondering why this was all happening to her, why she had to be the one to deal with this mess, to pick up the broken pieces her brother had left behind. It wasn't fair.
"I never want to see him again," she burst out, her voice choked with suppressed tears. "He's a monster. I wish I never knew him."
She bowed her head, embarrassed that her professor was seeing her break down like this, but she looked up when she saw a handkerchief being offered to her from across the desk. She took it, dabbing at her eyes and trying to steady herself with deep breaths, and for a long while, only the flames in the hearth could be heard until the professor spoke once more.
"War can do a great many things to people, Miss Alderfair," she said solemnly. Cassie looked up, and the professor's haunted expression gazed back at her. "It divides us, or unites us, and as much as we like to deny it, we all choose a side in the end. All we can do is hope that one day it will be over, and we can go back to what we were before, or build something new from the outcome."
Cassie stared into the witch's dark eyes, and for some reason she got the feeling that she was speaking from experience as she gave her a small, sad smile.
"You've been a strong and smart student since you were eleven, Miss Alderfair," she continued gently. "Your will to keep your head high in the face of such turmoil is admirable, and I have the utmost confidence that you will be able to get through this, as well."
Cassie bit her lip, looking down at the handkerchief clutched in her hands at the professor's praise. In any other circumstance, she would have keeled over at hearing the stern witch dish out a compliment, but right now, all she could feel was an overwhelming sense of gratitude, mingled with the raw ache of a sharp sadness.
"Thank you, Professor," she said quietly. "I want to believe in that for myself, too."
Professor McGonagall gave her a genuine smile before glancing at the clock on her desk. "Breakfast starts soon, Miss Alderfair. I still expect you to be in attendance for all of your lessons today."
Cassie blanched at the mention of lessons, but Professor McGonagall went on. "However, if at any point during the day, you feel too, shall we say…ill to attend, I may just happen to not pay attention to the roll."
Cassie returned her small smile, trying to convey her gratitude through the simple expression. The professor seemed to understand, and waved a hand to dismiss her from the office.
She had just reached the door, her hand on the knob, before she turned back to McGonagall. "Professor?"
McGonagall raised her thin brows, placing a pair of spectacles upon her nose just as she brought forth a stack of papers to grade. Cassie hesitated, until the professor said, "What is it, Miss Alderfair?"
Shaking off her reluctance, she said, "Do you really think there's going to be a war?"
The professor looked taken aback by the question. She blinked once. "Let's hope it does not come to that, Miss Alderfair." She sighed. "But I fear that one has been building for a long while, and only time will tell where we go from here."
Not satisfied with that answer at all, but not wanting to pester her further, Cassie simply nodded. "Thank you, Professor. Have a nice day."
She exited the office and shut the door behind her, letting out a long breath as she thought about what to do next. Her stomach rumbled heartily, the biscuit having done nothing to quell her hunger after not eating dinner the night before, but she wasn't ready to face the attention the Great Hall would bring.
Fortunately for her, she knew exactly where to go.
Pandy had been ecstatic when Cassie entered the kitchens, bowing deeply and immediately sending other house-elves off to prepare her a meal worthy of a king.
The house-elf chatted at her as she spread strawberry marmalade on her toast, and she was glad for the distraction as she listened to his enthusiastic rambles, unaware of another presence until Pandy let out an excited squeak.
"Misters Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew!" he trilled. Cassie froze, feeling the bite she had just taken stick in her throat. "A welcome surprise, indeed!"
"Hey, Pandy," Potter said from behind her. She refused to turn around, only drinking from her goblet as the house-elves scurried off to accommodate the four newcomers. "And Alderfair, a pleasure as always."
"What are you doing here?" she said, unable to keep the silent plea from her voice as they all sat around her, Pandy rushing off with promises of more food.
"We followed you," Potter said unabashedly. She glared at her plate, suddenly not hungry anymore.
"Good for you," she said, shoving away from the table. "Now go find somebody else to stalk."
"Not so fast!" he said, grabbing hold of her wrist, but she wrenched it away, scowling.
"Do you not understand that I just want to be left alone right now?" she snapped. "And your concern is touching, Potter, really, but save it for someone who's actually your friend."
"Sorry to rain on your parade, Princess, but I do actually consider you a friend," he said, glaring at her.
That shut her up quickly. "Huh?"
"Told you he was gonna say it first," Peter whispered, which only confused her more, though her irritation was still winning out.
She sighed. "Look. I get that you want to help or whatever, but there's nothing you can do. I'm sorry."
"We just want to make sure you're all right, Cassie," Remus said, his pale green eyes sympathetic. "You don't have to talk about your feelings, or whatever else, if you don't want to. Just let us – and Alice and the others – be here for you."
She nodded, her throat squeezing tight as all the fight drained out of her body. "Okay."
"You may want to hurry up and get dressed, though," Black said. He shoved an entire sausage link in his mouth and said around his chewing, "Lessons start soon."
She made a face at him. "Anyone ever tell you that it's gross to talk with your mouth full?"
He gave her a smirk that made his grey eyes light up with mischief. "I doubt I'm any worse than you."
"Ouch," she said, sticking her tongue out at him. "I'm going to change. Will, er…"
She trailed off, uncertain, but Remus gave her a knowing wink. "Don't worry. We'll wait for you in the common room."
Relieved, she waved before bounding out of the kitchens, unsure of what the day would bring, but hoping that it wouldn't be so bad with someone else at her side.
October 31st, 1975 was quickly going down as one of the worst days in the history of Cassie Alderfair's life.
Every class was the same: students whispering when she walked in, staring at her no matter where they sat, and every professor avoiding her like the plague, never calling on her to answer their questions and letting her sit with the Marauders (as Potter had requested) despite having an assigned seat. Professor McGonagall was the only one who still treated her normally, though she had given her a tiny nod at the beginning of the class that reminded her of their conversation that morning.
The Marauders, it seemed, had taken it upon themselves to become her personal bodyguards that day. They sat next to her in every lesson and walked with her in the corridors, blocking out most of the attention by entertaining her with stories and the various pranks they had played on different students.
"Oi, see that git Romano? He called me a tosser fourth year for chatting up his girlfriend, so I jinxed his skin green for the rest of the week…"
"Remember when we Charmed that bar of soap to chase Snivellus down the corridors second year? That was the best…"
Cassie could tell that Lily, Alice, and Marlene wanted to talk to her, but she couldn't find it in herself to approach them. She didn't want any of their sympathy, and she knew that they had no idea what to say to her, anyway. So it was only with a mildly guilty conscience that she continued to let herself be surrounded by the Marauders while they gave her surreptitious looks all day, and by the time Double Transfiguration let out, she was feeling slightly better compared to that morning.
Of course, she could only remain above it all for so long before the façade started to crack, and reality seeped through.
"If they don't stop looking over here and giggling, I'm going to sacrifice them to the giant squid," she grumbled, glaring at the two Ravenclaw girls that had laughed at her yesterday after Care of Magical Creatures.
She was sitting underneath a beech tree near the shores of the Black Lake with the Marauders, the wind buffeting them with a sharp chill that was far too reminiscent of winter, in her opinion. Fortunately, Remus had conjured some flames in a jar to provide warmth, and she sat as close as she could to it without catching herself aflame, the heat soaking into her bones deliciously.
"Who?" Potter said lazily, looking around and ruffling his hair.
Cassie gestured with her chin to the Ravenclaws. "Them."
Black let out a derisive snort. They all turned to look at him as his grey eyes narrowed at the two girls.
"Mary MacDonald and Dorcas Meadowes," he confirmed. "The two biggest airheads I have ever had the misfortune to meet."
"Aren't they Ravenclaws, though?" Peter asked, frowning. "They're supposed to be smart."
"Ravenclaw isn't just about intelligence, mate," Black said, shaking his head, "else they'd be in Hufflepuff."
"Well, I'm about to tell them to sod off," Cassie huffed. "They were doing this after Care of Magical Creatures yesterday, too, and it's starting to get bloody annoying."
Remus gave her a confused frown. "That was before dinner, wasn't it?"
Cassie nodded. "Yeah. What does that have to do with anything?"
"Means they had something against you before the news about your brother came out," he said.
Cassie didn't respond, for just then, the two Ravenclaws walked past as if they had been summoned.
"Hey, Dorcas, how much do you wanna bet on which one she shags first?" one of the girls said loudly, and Cassie guessed that one was Mary as the Ravenclaw flashed her a predatory smile, her white teeth sparkling like the nasty glint in her green eyes.
The girl walking beside her was very pretty, Cassie noticed with some disgruntlement, but the sneer she gave Cassie made her features warp into something unattractive. "My money's on Lupin. Poor girl's always clinging to him like a Sticking Spell."
They both giggled shrilly as they walked away, back toward the castle. Cassie made to get up, her face and ears burning, but Remus tugged her back down.
"Don't bother with them, Cassie," he said disdainfully. "They're not worth it."
"What is wrong with them?" she demanded. "Out of everything, they choose to mock me for being a slag?"
"Moony's right, Alderfair," Black said, twirling his wand between his fingers and giving her a reassuring look. "They're just being shallow twits."
Cassie huffed, leaning back against the tree and crossing her arms. "I just want to know how many Galleons are on Remus and I shagging."
They all roared with laughter at this, Remus being the loudest despite his burning face. She wished she could stay out here all day with them, but the break was almost over, which meant that Defense was next. She felt a tug of nausea in her gut and wondered if she should take advantage of McGonagall's blind eye for the day.
Potter seemed to sense her line of thought, for he punched her on the arm lightly. "Break's over soon, Alderfair. You ready for Defense?"
"I'd rather scoop my eyes out with a spoon, but sure, I guess." She sighed, and he chuckled before offering her a hand up.
"Hopefully it won't be too bad," he said bracingly as they began to walk back to the castle, a low rumble of thunder following them in. "Just let me know if Avery starts bothering you again."
She frowned at the mention of Avery, wondering what he could mean by that. "Speaking of, how was partnering with him in Potions yesterday?"
He gave a noncommittal shrug, tousling his already-wild hair again. "Oh, not too bad. After I told him to piss off and leave you alone, everything was fine—"
"Wait, you did what?" Cassie stared at him incredulously, stopping in the Entrance Hall and forcing the rest of them to stop walking, as well. "Why did you do that?"
"He's a Slytherin git, that's why. And he has a thing for you—"
"Oh, Merlin, please stop talking," she said, holding up a hand. "You think Avery fancies me?"
"On top of other things," he said evasively. When she was about to retort, he cut her off. "I did you a favor, Alderfair; you'll thank me in the long run, especially now that he knows about your brother."
"You're an idiot, Potter," she snapped, too thrown by the conversation to think of another comeback. She just started up the marble staircase, the Marauders hurrying behind her.
"It's to your benefit, Alderfair," Potter argued, his long legs quickly catching up to her. "Avery's a bully, and—"
"And it's none of your business!" she said. "You don't have the right to control who I associate with—"
"Considering I'm your friend, your well-being is my concern—"
"Just stay out of it—"
"Oi, shut it, you two!" Black said. Cassie whirled on him, noting his tight jaw and irritated gaze. "Or I'm going to muzzle you both if you don't stop bickering."
Potter and Cassie both glared at him, but they didn't talk the rest of the way to Defense, Potter ruffling his hair in agitation while Cassie fumed silently.
"Today is a work day," Professor Carlisle announced when class started five minutes later. Cassie and Remus made faces at this as her icy gaze swept over the room, landing briefly on Cassie before skirting away. "You will be silent, and diligent, for you will turn in a foot of parchment at the end of class detailing the history and use of the Cruciatus Curse."
There was a ripple of murmurs around the class, and from the corner of her eye, Cassie saw Lily raise her hand.
"But Professor, aren't the Unforgivable Curses not supposed to be taught until seventh year?" she asked, concerned. Professor Carlisle gave her a cold stare.
"As I said at the beginning of the term, Miss Evans, I must prepare you for what is out there earlier than ever," she said, her voice flat and firm. "And we are not going to go into extreme specifics regarding the curse, for some of you may already be familiar with it."
Her steely eyes fell upon Cassie at this, and just like that, the façade she had been trying to maintain all day cracked.
"Please, spare us all the suspense and just say it," she snapped, glaring into the professor's eyes and feeling nothing but anger and disgust. "Everyone in this sodding classroom already knows who you mean, so there's no need to be so dramatic about it."
The room seemed to collectively hold its breath as the two witches stared each other down. Finally, the professor said in her most chilling voice, "Fifty points from Gryffindor, and I will see you in detention tonight, Miss Alderfair. Seven o'clock sharp."
"Can't wait," she said sarcastically. Potter sniggered from somewhere behind her.
Professor Carlisle's eyes narrowed, but she didn't say anything further, instead returning to her desk and ordering them to start on their work.
Cassie made no move to get out her book or parchment, her fingers trembling slightly from her sudden outburst. She could hear people whispering about it around the room, but they were an annoying buzz in her ears. She wondered what was happening to her; she never used to be so volatile, so quick to anger, but lately, everything seemed to be setting her off. Blinking back angry tears, she reached into her bag just as a piece of paper landed on her desk.
Expecting it to be from one of the Marauders, she took it and glanced around, frowning when they all seemed too preoccupied with their work to notice her. Her eyes slid to Avery, but he was digging through his book bag, trying to find a quill.
Confused, she opened the parchment and froze when she saw a drawing of a skull and serpents, just like the tattoo Will had branded on his forearm. Underneath the hastily drawn picture were the words: Ready for yours?
Her heart thumping painfully, she looked around again, her eyes catching on a huddled group of Slytherins in the back consisting of Severus Snape, Kanin Mulciber, and a troll of a girl named Peggy Sloane. Mulciber gave her a wink and tapped the inside of his left forearm. Cassie spun around in her seat to face the front, her stomach churning.
Swallowing hard, she forced herself to get started on her work, trying to ignore the sneers directed at her and hoping that she was only imagining the skin of her left forearm tingling.
"This is rubbish!" Cassie hissed as soon as they were released from Defense. She stalked down the corridor with the Marauders beside her, heading down for a short dinner before returning to the classroom for her detention. "Of all the nights to give me a detention, it has to be the Halloween Feast, of course."
She shook her head, her frustration making her pace quicken. Peter began to pant as he tried to keep up. "Why does she hate me so much? What have I ever done to her?"
"She's probably jealous that you don't have the personality of a brick wall," Black said, and though her lips twitched, she couldn't find the humor in the joke.
"There's got to be a reason," she said, reaching out and pulling Peter up by the sleeve of his robe to walk next to her so he wouldn't die from exertion. "I just don't know what."
"I'd tell you to ask her yourself, but she'd probably curse you," Potter said.
"Yes, very helpful, James," she said. She still hadn't forgotten what he'd said about Avery earlier, but right now, she had more pressing issues to deal with. "It has to be about my brother. That's the only explanation that makes sense!"
"But how does she know him?" Remus asked, shifting his bag to his other shoulder and wincing slightly as if he were sore. "You said she was a few years younger than your parents at school, right?"
"Yeah," she said, frowning. "But they've never mentioned her, besides that letter my mum wrote."
"We should break into her office; see if she's hiding anything," James mused, raising his eyebrows when Cassie and Remus whirled on him with disapproving looks.
"No, James," Remus said firmly. "I'm not having a repeat of third year."
Cassie glanced between the two as Black and Peter snickered at some memory. "What happened in third year?"
"James broke into Binns' office to change a grade he got on his Statute of Secrecy essay," Peter explained.
"A feat that resulted in six weeks' worth of detentions, and Filch's hatred for him after he stepped on Mrs. Norris when he got caught," Black chortled. Cassie shook her head in disbelief.
"Your level of idiocy is truly astounding," she said, and James gave her an arrogant smile.
"At least it keeps things interesting," he countered, which she had to agree with silently as they entered the Great Hall. The feast had already begun by the time they arrived, and the live, haunting decorations and cheerful atmosphere only served to put her in a fouler mood, especially when Peter mentioned hearing a rumor about Professor Dumbledore having hired a troupe of dancing skeletons to perform during the festivities.
They headed for their usual seats at the Gryffindor table. As they passed a group of muttering fourth-years, Cassie saw one girl with platinum hair turn and glare at Black. He gave no indication that he'd seen her, but James shot her a nasty look that made her turn away quickly and whisper to the rest of her friends.
Deciding that it wasn't her business, Cassie continued on with them and sat in between Peter and Black, her usually voracious appetite somewhat quelled when she saw an abandoned copy of that day's Prophet resting nearby, the moving black-and-white photograph on the front depicting a quite heckled Harold Minchum addressing dozens of reporters.
Seeing her staring at it, Remus swept the paper away while James began to dish food onto his plate. "Want some sausage casserole, Alderfair?"
"No, thanks," she said, letting out a sigh when James didn't listen to her and instead heaped a large amount of said casserole onto her own plate.
She spent most of dinner poking at her food, occasionally taking a bite whenever she saw James staring at her, but remained silent while they carried on easy conversation – mostly about Quidditch, as the first game of the season was drawing near.
When seven o'clock crept closer, she stood up and bid the Marauders farewell, suddenly a bit anxious at the thought of not having their company anymore. Shaking off the feeling, she began to make her way to Professor Carlisle's classroom, stopping briefly when she heard a familiar voice call her name.
Looking up, she saw that Alice, Lily, and Marlene had just entered the Great Hall, smiling and looking quite relieved as they rushed up to her.
"Hey, do you want to eat with us?" Lily asked, placing a hand on her elbow. Cassie shifted awkwardly.
"Erm, I would, really, but I have that detention…" She trailed off when their smiles faded, and she didn't miss the look of hurt that flashed across Alice's face, which only made her feel ten times worse.
"Next time, then," Marlene said, giving her a look that she couldn't read, but Cassie nodded.
"Yeah. Next time."
Led by Marlene, the three girls moved to the table, and she exhaled heavily before trudging out of the Great Hall, mentally preparing herself for the doom that was to come from her detention with Carlisle.
When she reached the Defense classroom, she knocked on the door first. When there was no answer, she pushed it open cautiously, peering inside. The classroom was empty, but her eyes wandered toward the back, behind the chalkboard, where a small stone staircase led to a door that she presumed was the professor's office, which was slightly ajar.
"Er, Professor?" she called, trying to keep the note of resentment out of her voice and failing miserably. "Professor, it's Cassie Alderfair. Here for detention?"
When there was still no answer, she sighed and made her way to the stairs, climbing them slowly in case the professor suddenly emerged from her office. But she reached the door without incident and knocked hesitantly. There was a squeak of hinges as it opened further, allowing her access to the office.
She stepped inside warily and took in her surroundings, annoyed to find that the professor wasn't even in this room, either. Carlisle's office, much like her classroom, was devoid of any decoration. The drab stone room boasted only a few wax candles perched in brass brackets, a shabby wardrobe, and another desk cluttered with parchment, quills, and empty ink bottles.
She came closer to the desk, noticing a few papers that looked much like the ones she had seen the professor working on at the beginning of term: maps, or diagrams, maybe, and her interest piqued. Now, Cassie had been warned by her parents and friends alike that she was too nosy for her own good, but in her mind, where would the world be if people just minded their own business all the time?
Thus, it was with little reservation and great curiosity that Cassie approached Professor Carlisle's desk and shuffled through the topmost layer of papers, her eyes taking in black ink lines that ranged from hastily drawn sketches to minutely detailed drawings. It was one of the finer pictures that led Cassie to begin to make sense of what she was seeing, and her brows contracted low when she saw a hand-drawn map depicting the borders of the grounds and the edges of the Forbidden Forest. However, this map went into far greater detail about the forest than she knew, and her finger traced over lines etched into the parchment, some with question marks attached to them, and others scratched out completely, with little notes nearby that she read in interest.
Route only leads to acromantula nest. Discontinued.
Path strays too far into centaur territory. Discontinued.
Cassie frowned at the maps, baffled. What was Professor Carlisle doing in the Forbidden Forest? Though her mind wrote off some excuse about her looking for Dark creatures to show the class, her gut was telling her something much different. She shuffled another paper, where four names were listed in neat writing:
Salazar Slytherin - FOUND
Helga Hufflepuff - FOUND
Rowena Ravenclaw?
Godric Gryffindor
She stared at the paper, beyond confused at this point. Why did the professor have a list of the four Hogwarts founders? And why did the names all look like that? The questions kept coming the longer she looked, until a sudden voice behind her made her jump about a meter in the air.
"What exactly do you think you are doing?"
Cassie whirled around, her heart dropping to her toes when she saw Professor Carlisle standing in the doorway, her nostrils flaring and her face whiter than she had ever seen it. The witch's cold eyes were locked onto the papers in Cassie's hands. She threw them on the desk guiltily, swallowing hard. "Professor, I—"
"Get out," Professor Carlisle snapped, and Cassie flinched at her tone. "I said, get OUT!"
Too stunned to respond, Cassie ducked around the professor and trampled down the steps, the office door slamming shut behind her. Her heart pulsed madly as she all but fled the room, and she skidded to a stop in the corridor, wondering what had just transpired.
No answer came to her, but the only thing she could think as she made her way back to Gryffindor Tower was that James had been right in his guess earlier: Professor Carlisle was hiding something.
"Remind me again why I'm awake at such an ungodly hour?"
"Because," Remus smirked at Sirius from across the room, buttoning his shirt, "it's your birthday, and as your mates, we're seeing to it that you make the most of it."
Sirius groaned, flopping back onto his pillows. "An extra hour of sleep wouldn't kill me, Moony."
Remus chuckled, finishing tucking in his shirt and moving on to his tie. "True. But you wouldn't want to miss your first present now, would you?"
Sirius gazed suspiciously at his friend. "Depends on what it is."
"Oh, trust me, you're going to like it. James and Peter are setting it up right now."
Going off the roguish grin on Remus's face, Sirius had a feeling that it was either going to be something brilliant or utterly absurd. He leaned more toward the latter in this regard, after remembering his present last year of balloons with his face on them that complimented or insulted whomever was holding them at the time.
Friday had crept up too fast for his liking. Despite knowing that he was officially sixteen, his birthday was always something he'd rather forget. Being at Hogwarts and having his friends around certainly made it tolerable, and all the attention he received wasn't that bad, but the inevitable "Happy birthday, you ungrateful son – be glad we haven't disowned you yet" message that would be arriving with the family owl that morning at breakfast would certainly dampen his spirits, yet again. He wasn't one to much care about what his parents had to say, but unfortunately, they always knew just where to hit to make it hurt.
"Are you going to get out of bed or not?" Remus's exasperated voice cut across his musings, and Sirius sat up with a dramatic sigh, stretching and climbing out of his comfy four-poster.
"Yes, Mummy," he said in a falsetto.
Remus groaned, tugging on his robes.
"Just meet us in the Great Hall," he said, picking up his book bag and starting for the door. "And if you try and go back to sleep, I will jinx braids to grow out of your nostrils again."
Sirius blanched, recalling that day with a great sense of horror, and he all but fled into the washroom as Remus laughed behind him.
Thirty minutes later, after he was dressed and groomed into rugged handsomeness (at least, that was how he described himself), he headed for the common room, only to barrel into someone standing at the bottom of the staircase.
"Ow! Really, Black?"
Cassie Alderfair was staring at him, disgruntled and rubbing her side where his bag had knocked into her.
"Sorry, Alderfair," he said, sort-of meaning it when she waved him off, turning back to the stairs. "Why are you standing here, anyway?"
"I'm waiting for Remus," she said. She seemed oddly distracted, fiddling with her hair and biting her lip the whole time, and he frowned.
"He already left," he said, gesturing to the portrait hole. She sighed, shaking her head.
"Naturally," she grumbled, before giving him a slight nod. "Thanks."
"No problem." He started across the room before he was seized by a reckless impulse, and he turned around to face her again. "Y'know, you can walk with me, if you want."
Her dark eyes went wide; even he was taken aback by his offer, though he didn't show it, keeping his casual countenance while she looked him over.
"Okay," she said, shrugging, and he was surprised at how easily she had agreed, given their brief but bitter history. She fell into step beside him as they made their way out into the corridor, and he suddenly floundered for something to say, not quite knowing how to approach her (which was a first for him, and something he did not quite like at all).
"Er, today's my birthday," he blurted out, and immediately cringed when she cast him a mildly amused glance from the corner of her eye.
"I know," she said coolly. "Remus told me."
"Right." He nodded, cursing himself for being so stupid. He had never been rendered incoherent by a girl before, but something about her was throwing him off. He still felt some guilt over being such a berk to her before, and he figured that that must be it as they fell into a natural silence, walking side by side to breakfast.
"Happy birthday, by the way," she said when they reached the marble staircase. He glanced over to see her giving him a small smile. "Hope it's a good one for you."
Sirius snorted as they began to descend the steps. "My birthdays aren't exactly things I look forward to."
"Oh, right." She nodded sagely, a small smirk playing on her lips. "I forgot your mates like to embarrass you on them."
He laughed unexpectedly at this, and she grinned; usually his family was to blame for his sourness on the day, but he forgot that Cassie knew nothing of his home life, and he found himself suddenly grateful for her ignorance.
"I think my favorite was second year," she continued, "when they got all those gnomes from Hagrid's garden and convinced them to follow you around for the whole day alternating between rude versions of 'Happy Birthday' and Bonnie Banshee's 'I Don't Need Amortentia to Love You.'"
Sirius groaned as she laughed again. "I thought everyone had forgotten about that by now."
"Some things never die, Sirius," she said, and they were too busy laughing to realize that she had just called him by his name for the first time.
"There he is!" Peter shouted from the entrance to the Great Hall. The blond boy gave Sirius a wicked smile before dashing off to the Gryffindor table, robes streaming behind him.
"If I need to make a quick escape, will you cover me?" he asked.
She smiled. "You got it."
Bracing himself, Sirius entered the Great Hall and groaned when he saw the Gryffindor table laden with table cloths featuring his head blown up to the size of a small Muggle car, smiling and winking up at the diners as they all turned and laughed.
Sirius laughed along with the rest of them, his composure easy and relaxed as he began to make his way down the table, nodding and waving to people who called out birthday wishes to him. Most of them were younger girls who instantly blushed and squealed when he acknowledged them, and he brushed his hair out of his face, unable to keep the smile from his lips when he saw his friends waiting for him in their usual seats.
About halfway to them is when he began to notice a shift in the atmosphere. Suddenly people weren't calling out to him anymore, instead huddling together and whispering, their hissing voices following him until he looked over at Cassie Alderfair.
She walked with her head down, looking highly uncomfortable at all the attention she was now receiving, and not just from the Gryffindors. The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables eyed her suspiciously, and the Slytherins jeered at her from across the Hall, tapping their arms suggestively and laughing at her. His eyes flicked in the unbidden direction of his Slytherin brother, and Sirius met Regulus's eyes almost instantaneously, though his little brother had the sense to glance away and go back to talking to his creepy friends.
"Ignore them," Sirius said lowly. He gripped her elbow when she didn't appear to be listening to him. "Alderfair, hey. They're going to forget about it in a week, and they're all a bunch of prats, anyway. They don't matter."
"That's easy for you to say," she said miserably. "You don't have a brother that goes around and tortures innocent Muggles!"
Sirius cast another look over his shoulder at Regulus, who was now picking at his food in silence.
"Hopefully not," he muttered, but she didn't seem to hear him, instead letting him lead her to a place in between him and James.
"Like the decorations, Padfoot?" James grinned, highly pleased with himself, and Sirius guessed that he was the ultimate perpetrator behind all of this as he raised his goblet mockingly.
"I think you have the best taste in this school, Prongs," he said, pointing out a napkin with a mouse-sized Sirius on it doing cartwheels, and they all snickered.
The morning post arrived just then. Sirius looked up, a tight ball of dread building in his stomach as the Black family owl swooped toward him, carrying a sealed letter after depositing one for Regulus at the Slytherin table.
Sirius caught the letter half-heartedly, debating whether he ought to read it at that moment and get it over with, or if he should wait until he was alone in the dormitory at some point. Deciding it would be best to rip off the bandage now, however, he grit his teeth and opened the letter.
Sirius Orion Black –
You are to come home for the Christmas holidays. We have many important matters to discuss regarding this family and your future as a Black heir. Congratulations on reaching sixteen years of age – only one more year until you are free to live amongst those Muggles and Mudbloods you are so keen on associating with.
Orion and Walburga Black
He snorted, taking out his wand and muttering a short "Incendio." He watched the flames consume the letter until it was nothing more than ash before he swept the smoking pile onto the floor, scowling.
"How bad?" James asked carefully, gazing at his friend intently over the rims of his glasses. Sirius shrugged.
"The same as it always is," he said, taking a swig of pumpkin juice and trying not to throw something. "'Be home for the holidays, we're counting down the days until you're old enough to leave,' all that rubbish." He shook his head. "Merlin, if anything I'm the one counting down the days before I can get out of that hellhole."
His friends all looked sympathetic, but Cassie was glancing between him and James in confusion, her mouth twisted into a puzzled frown.
"Erm, was that…your parents?" she asked timidly.
"Yep. Father Git and Mother Bitch, as I like to call them," he said, and though her mouth twitched, her expression was understanding.
"Pure-bloods," she scoffed, and Sirius smirked before gesturing to James.
"Not all of them are like that, thank Merlin," he said. "James's parents are a blessing; more like a mum and dad to me than my own."
"It's true," James said. "My mum even treats him like the favorite son."
"Family is strange," Cassie said, and they all nodded in agreement.
"Speaking of," Remus said, clearing his throat and looking to Cassie. He dropped his voice. "Have your parents mentioned anything about your brother?"
Now it was Cassie's turn to look highly uncomfortable. She shifted in her seat, her leg brushing Sirius's, and he could feel it bouncing up and down as she shook her head.
"They haven't said anything," she said. "The last communication I had with them was on my birthday." She let out a derisive snort then. "I wouldn't be surprised if they were just too busy planning a party in his honor to see how I'm taking it, though."
There was a tense pause before she sighed and raked her hair out of her face. "Sorry. I guess I'm not used to talking about it yet."
Remus waved off her apology. "Don't worry about it. We're here for you if you need anything, remember that."
He elbowed Peter in the side at this, and the blond boy choked on his porridge, his face going bright red. "Oi! I wa' nodding!"
She gave them all a soft smile. "Thanks, really. You lot didn't have to look out for me, but…I'm glad we made that alliance."
James looked as if she had just announced the birth of his firstborn child, and he positively beamed at her before Remus told him to shove off with the creepy smile.
As they were leaving the Great Hall twenty minutes later, heading for Charms, Sirius felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see his brother standing there nervously.
"Regulus," he said cordially, raising a brow. "What do you want?"
"A word," Regulus replied, just as coolly, and his face fell into the perfected Black mask, haughty and distinguished.
Sirius looked over his shoulder to where the others were standing and saw them staring, the three Marauders wary and Cassie curious, her eyes darting back and forth between the two. Sirius waved them on, and James took Cassie's arm, leading her and the rest away before he turned back to his brother.
"Go on, then," Sirius said, motioning to him. "Speak."
Regulus's eyes – a darker grey than Sirius's – narrowed at his tone, but he jerked his chin to an alcove opposite the Great Hall. Sirius followed, betting all the loose Sickles in his robes that he didn't want any of his Slytherin mates to see him talking to his blood traitor brother.
They stopped in the alcove, and Regulus clasped his hands behind his back, inhaling, while Sirius lounged against the wall behind him, crossing his arms and eyeing his brother haughtily.
"I wanted to wish you a happy birthday," Regulus said finally. The words sounded forced, though both of Sirius's brows rose now.
"Thanks, Reg," he said, "but you know you could've said that out there and gotten it over with in two seconds, yeah?"
Regulus scowled. "Typical," he muttered. "Every time I say something to you, you just act like you can't even be bothered."
"Be glad I'm even speaking to you at all," Sirius sneered. "I wouldn't want to ignore Mummy's favorite son and have him get upset."
"Piss off," Regulus snapped, his face going red.
Sirius smirked, raising his hands.
"Whatever you say, Reg," he replied. "But thanks for the birthday wishes. Don't let Mum know you said it, though."
He backed out of the alcove and began to walk away, but Regulus's voice stopped him again.
"Watch out for Alderfair, y'hear?" he said. Sirius turned around slowly, seeing Regulus staring at him intently. "That thing about her brother has stirred quite the excitement with the Slytherins, and I know how protective you Gryffindors are."
Sirius gave him a slight nod, tucking that information away carefully in his mind. "Will do. See you, Reg."
Regulus nodded back. "See you, Sirius."
And just like that, the two brothers separated, like nothing had ever happened.
"No."
"Alderfair, listen—"
"Nope."
"Cassie, please—"
"Ask me again."
James was on his knees in front of her armchair in the common room later that night, but she kept her eyes on the page she was reading in The Standard Book of Spells: Grade 5, trying not to let her obvious glee at having James Potter begging at her feet show.
The bespectacled boy sighed, hazel eyes wide and beseeching as he said in his most dramatic voice, "Cassiopeia Alderfair, will you accompany the Marauders to the joint birthday party we are having tonight?"
Cassie smiled sweetly. "No."
"But you just said to ask you again!" James got to his feet, now looking thoroughly annoyed, and she smirked up at him.
"True, but I didn't say I would say yes," she countered.
"But it can't be a joint birthday party if one part of the 'joint' isn't even there!" he cried in exasperation.
Cassie closed her book calmly, sighing. "If I said yes…" She held up a finger when he opened his mouth. "What would we do?"
"No spoiling the surprise," he said, winking, and she groaned, throwing up her hands.
"Oh, just go with him already," a prickly seventh-year girl next to her said. She glared at them from where she was sat writing an essay. "You two are giving me a headache."
Cassie blushed, but James just grinned, giving the girl a mocking bow. "As you wish, m'lady."
The girl rolled her eyes, but her cheeks were the faintest hint of rosy, and James smirked at Cassie before whisking her out of the common room.
"So, where's this party at?" she asked when they started down the corridor.
He wrinkled his nose at her. "Must you be so nosy?"
"Yes, actually."
James sighed. "Just wait a few more minutes."
It turned out that the party was being held in the kitchens, and when they entered through the pear door, they were greeted by the other Marauders, who turned and raised bottles of butterbeer at them.
"You made it!" Peter exclaimed, his eyes bright. "And you convinced Cassie to come!"
"It was more begging than convincing," she said, shrugging when James laughed. "But yeah, I'm here."
"Come join the party!" Sirius said, patting the seat on the floor next to him. She sat down, immediately reaching for the platter of chips set up in the middle of their circle while Remus opened a butterbeer and handed it to her.
"Happy birthday to our friends, Sirius and Cassie!" he said. "May this year bring them happiness, and whatever other barmy shit is said in these things."
Cassie laughed and clinked her bottle with the rest of theirs in a toast before downing the foamy, warm liquid, her insides going fuzzy and her fingertips hot.
"All right, Exploding Snap or Gobstones?" Peter asked. "I personally vote for Snap."
"I second that," James said, raising his hand.
"No way, Gobstones!" Remus said, affronted, and Sirius nodded. "Yeah, Gobstones! We play Snap too much."
"Cassie?" Peter looked to her with hopeful eyes. "Be the tiebreaker here."
"Um…neither," she said, and shrugged when all the boys looked at her strangely. "What? Gobstones is boring, and I've never bothered to play Snap."
"Then there's our answer!" James said, clearing the floor of their food and drinks while Peter got out the deck of cards. "Snap it is; Sirius, bust out the firewhiskey for this one."
Even Remus and Sirius agreed to play, but only because they were convinced that the cards were going to explode in her face the most, as Remus had told her with no shame.
After three hours, countless games of Snap (Remus's prediction had proved true, and she now had the scent of ashes clogged in her nose from losing so much), more food than she thought possible, and three shots of firewhiskey (which she knew she was going to regret later – she was terrible at holding her liquor), the house-elves brought them an extravagant birthday cake, with sixteen candles on each side so she and Sirius could blow them out. Remus ended up having to light them, as James was too drunk to use his wand properly and had almost torched Peter, and after they all sang a horribly out of tune and off-key 'Happy Birthday', the two blew out their candles.
She didn't know what Sirius had wished for, or if he had even wished at all, but as she had closed her eyes and blew, she thought, I wish this moment here was my life. Laughter, and friends, and joy…I want this every day.
The party began to wind down after that. Sirius had taken the leftover firewhiskey and stumbled out of the kitchens, while James drew on the unconscious Peter's face, giggling like a small girl as he spelled out the word 'PRAT' on his forehead, though the 'r' had come out backwards. Remus sat by the fireplace, a cup of coffee in his hands, and Cassie made her way over to him, trying not to show just how badly a mere three shots affected her as she sat beside him.
"Thank you and your mates for being terribly persistent and forcing me to come," she said, throwing her arms around his neck and smushing his cheek against hers.
She felt him grin as he chuckled, patting her back lightly. "You're welcome."
She suddenly yawned, and she got back to her feet, stretching. "Bed sounds nice. I'm going to go to sleep."
"You need any help getting there?" he asked amusedly when she swayed.
She made a face. "I can manage."
"All right, Cassie," he said, shaking his head. "G'night. Be careful."
"Yes, sir." She saluted before leaving the kitchens, starting up the stairs that would take her to the ground floor but stopping when she nearly tripped over something. "What the – Black?"
She could just make out the boy's silhouette in the faint light, and the strong smell of firewhiskey burned her nostrils as he shifted on the stone steps. "Alderfair?"
His voice was thick, but not from the alcohol. She frowned. "What are you doing?"
He took another drink from the bottle, the liquid sloshing around before he said, "Drowning my sorrows."
"And why is that?"
He tilted his head up to look at her, and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw his silvery gaze glittering and his mouth skewed in a smirk. "My family hates me, I hate them, and this is the fifth birthday I've had in a row that I'm reminded of that sorry little fact."
His voice was bitter and angry, and Cassie's heart twinged, not even realizing any of this until now. She knew that he had a brother, and she assumed that it had been the boy who wanted to talk to him that morning, but she had never known how…lonely he was. He was like gravity, and the Marauders were spinning in his orbit, but outside of Hogwarts she had no idea what his life was like – whether he was a planet falling out of line with the sun, or just another cold point of a star in the sky, wandering and alone, and that quite bothered her.
She climbed up a few of the steps until she was across from him and let her back slide down the wall, curling her knees to her chest so he would have leg room. She could feel him staring at her and she looked up, meeting his eyes through the dark, wide and disbelieving.
"Er…what is this?" he asked.
She lifted her shoulders slightly before dropping them, not really understanding why she was doing this either, but somehow feeling that it was the right thing to do.
"Nobody should have to be alone on their birthday," she said simply. "So…I'm gonna stay with you, until you tell me to sod off."
He didn't reply. She thought he was just going to get up and walk away, but after a few wavering seconds, he shifted into a more comfortable position, his shoe resting just shy of her own as they sat there together in the dim basements.
No other word was spoken that night, but there was no need. They could feel the sudden shift as easily as one drawing back the curtains and allowing light to shine in an otherwise dark room. And from that moment on, Cassie Alderfair and Sirius Black could safely say that they were friends.
I have a lot of love this chapter - obviously, considering how long it is. But it's such a turning point and I had so much fun with it :)
Next Chapter: The First Match
xx