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

Updated as of 6/19/2019.

Chapter Fourteen

The Slug Club

"Mr. Black, if you would please keep all fours of your chair on the floor while I am teaching, that would be greatly appreciated."

Professor Flitwick was looking at him sternly from where he was standing in front of his desk, but Sirius would never have guessed the professor was there if he hadn't craned his neck around to look.

"Sorry, Professor," he said, letting the front two legs of his chair fall back to the floor with a dull thunk. He shook his long hair from his face and grinned when he heard a dreamy sigh from the Ravenclaw girl sitting three seats away. "Bad habit, you see."

The professor gave a little huff, rolling up the sleeves of his robes as he prepared to demonstrate a spell. "Well, better points off your House than mine if I catch you doing it again," he warned, and the boy grinned sheepishly as the professor continued with the lesson.

Sirius let his mind and gaze wander, already familiar with the basics of the Substantive Charm and not needing to rehash the same principles. His eyes were drawn inadvertently to two rows in front of him, where he could just see the back of Cassie's head if the bloke in front of him sat at an angle.

She was twirling a piece of her long brown hair around her finger as her right hand moved across the parchment in front of her, taking notes on whatever Flitwick was saying. Occasionally she'd pause, tilting her head to listen better, before continuing writing. Sirius didn't know how long he'd been watching the cyclical movements until his eyes shifted to the right, where Alice Fortescue usually sat, but now where a tall, lanky Ravenclaw bloke had taken her place.

He knew Cassie was in some sort of row with her dormmates, and he assumed that that was why Alice was now sitting in the front with Frank Longbottom, and why Marlene kept shooting the dark-haired girl furtive glances over her shoulder every now and then. Lily sat determinedly forward, as if she were above it all, and this annoyed him, since he knew that she was the one who had confronted Cassie in the first place about her hanging around with himself and the others.

His eyes flicked back to the Ravenclaw bloke sitting next to Cassie, noticing how tense he seemed and the way his eyes would drift to her face before darting away. Sirius scowled. Cassie was probably acutely aware of her seatmate's discomfort, but to her credit, she didn't seem put out by it, only continuing her notetaking.

He was slightly irked that he or one of the other Marauders wasn't sitting by her, but after the grace period of last week, Flitwick had subtly reminded them that they weren't supposed to be sitting together – hypocritical, of course, now that Alice had moved seats, yet Flitwick didn't seem too bothered by it. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that anytime Cassie had sat with them, they would push their desks into a giant group, and the tiny professor finally just got annoyed about it, but still. Sirius would rather have her back there than next to a bloke who looked ready to piss himself if she looked at him the wrong way.

The image made him chuckle under his breath, imagining her sending one of the withering looks she used to cast him on the Ravenclaw and him running from the room, screaming. James looked over at his soft laughter, raising his eyebrows and pushing his glasses up his nose.

"What's so funny?" he asked, as Professor Flitwick sent them off to practice the Charm with their partner. Sirius jerked his chin to the Ravenclaw.

"Poor bloke is terrified of her," he said. He watched him turn tentatively to Cassie and ask her something, and he saw her nod, though her hair was covering her face, so he had no idea what her expression was like.

James snorted as jars filled with a strange white mist soared around the room, landing on each pair's desks. Flitwick demonstrated the Charm once more before returning to his own desk, and Sirius immediately seized upon the opportunity to tilt his chair back again.

"That's Kerpensky, remember?" James said, pointing out one of the opposing Chasers on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, and Sirius's ears perked up, not having realized that. "Bloke looks scared of his own shadow sometimes."

"Unfortunate for him," he replied, running a hand through his hair and smirking when he heard that sigh again. "D'you think Flitwick would notice if we brought her back here to work with us?"

James looked exasperated when he turned to Sirius. "Yes, Padfoot, he'd notice," he said drily, before his face quirked and he stared at his mate ponderingly. "Why d'you want her to work with us so bad?"

Sirius shrugged, picking at his fingernails and ignoring the suggestive grin on his mate's face. "You said it yourself, didn't you? She's our friend now."

James nodded slowly, his expression unwavering. "Yeah, she is. I thought you two didn't get along, though?"

He shrugged again, nonchalant. "Things change, Prongs. She's not as bad as I first thought, I'll give her that." James, much to his chagrin, looked far too amused at his statement, and he scowled at the messy-haired boy. "What?"

"Oh, nothing," he said airily, before waving his wand and muttering, "Solidium!" The jar full of white fog now looked like it had been filled with glue. Professor Flitwick bumbled by right then, peering into their jar before giving them a nod.

"Excellent work, Mr. Potter, Mr. Black," he said. "Full marks for the both of you today."

"Thanks, Professor," they replied in unison, and Flitwick gave them a small smile, not even bothering to comment on Sirius's chair before moving on.

A sudden shattering of glass and a couple of yelps from the front of the room made them look up. The jar that had been on Frank and Alice's desk had broken, and now white goo was splattered across both Gryffindors. There were a few tsks and chuckles from the Ravenclaws as Frank rushed to apologize, while Flitwick waved away the broken jar and goo that had escaped onto the desk and floor with his wand.

"No need to worry, no need to worry," he said genially. "Mr. Longbottom, Miss Fortescue, I will excuse you to go clean yourselves up. You may go."

With muttered thanks to the professor, the two walked out of the room, Frank still apologizing profusely to Alice. Professor Flitwick glanced at the clock on his desk.

"I believe that is enough practice for one day," he chirped, and he zoomed the jars back into a cupboard as the class began to pack up their things. "Tonight's homework will be two rolls of parchment detailing the theory of the Substantive Charm and the correct wand motions used in the spell, to be handed in Wednesday."

There was a collective groan at this. Even the Ravenclaws looked mutinous, but the professor paid them no mind, instead shooing them out the door a few minutes early.

"Two rolls of parchment?" Peter echoed with a moan as the Marauders exited the classroom and waited in the corridor for Cassie. "Merlin, I'm already drowning in homework as it is!"

"Well, Pete, maybe if you actually did it on time…" Remus said, grinning when the blond boy shot him an irritable look.

"Sorry we can't all be as perfect as you, Moony," he said, before pretending to prance around the corridor with a dreamy expression, raising his voice to a soft, girlish sigh. "'Look at me, I'm Remus Lupin! I always do my homework on time, and I'm a prefect. I also happen to be a very fluffy and gentle wer—"

"Ugh! I swear at this rate the teachers are trying to make me drop out," Cassie said as she emerged from the classroom, swinging her bag over her shoulder and pausing when she took in Peter mid-prance.

James grinned nervously. Quite unnecessarily, Remus punched Peter in the shoulder. Peter winced, but didn't say anything as he cleared his throat and straightened up, looking slightly panicked.

Her dark eyes traveled between the four of them, before she just shook her head. "Y'know, I'm not even gonna ask."

The moment of tension was gone, and the five began to walk down the corridor. They headed to the dungeons for Double Potions, and while Cassie and James discussed the appalling workload the fifth-years had, Sirius heard Remus and Peter bickering under their breath as they trailed behind.

On the way there, they saw Alice Fortescue dart into one of the girls' lavatories, still covered in sticky white goo. Sirius snuck a glance at Cassie and saw that she had noticed her friend too, and was now staring at the lavatory door, biting her lip in contemplation.

He nudged her a bit with his elbow and nodded to the lavatory. She seemed to get the message, a determined look entering her gaze.

"I'm going to the loo before class," she announced. "Tell Slughorn I'm coming if I'm late?"

"Sure thing," Remus said.

After flashing them a quick smile, she made for the lavatory, her hand accidentally brushing Sirius's as she departed.

He jerked at the unexpected contact, and Peter gave him a weird look as they continued walking, but he just shook his head. The blond boy merely shrugged, but Sirius couldn't help casting a last look back until they rounded the corner to the dungeons.

Cassie slipped into the lavatory right behind Alice. She looked up as Cassie entered, her eyes widening beneath the white boogey-like substance in her eyebrows and her face flushing crimson.

"Cass – hi," she squeaked.

Cassie waved awkwardly, not quite sure how to act around the other girl. Alice had been her first friend at Hogwarts, and they had always gotten along well, something Alice seemed to be thinking too as she looked down to the tiled floor with a guilty expression.

"Need any help with that?" Cassie asked, gesturing to the goo in her hair. For a second, she thought she was going to refuse, but finally she nodded.

Cassie approached the other girl and began to run warm water in the sink, and it was silent for a few minutes as they waited for the temperature to rise.

"So, er…how are you?" Cassie asked before cringing, knowing how lame she must sound.

Alice shrugged, keeping her eyes on the running water. "Not too bad," she said, putting her fingers under the faucet and deeming it warm enough. They began to tackle her hair, trying to smooth out the goo naturally instead of attempting a spell that might burn off all her hair instead. "What about you?"

"I've been better," Cassie said, keeping her voice light, casual.

There was a slight pause before Alice blurted out, "Are they nice to you?"

Cassie stopped scrubbing for a moment, staring at her, but Alice looked at her own reflection resolutely, still trying to work the goo out. It took Cassie a few moments to respond, taken aback by the question, but finally she nodded.

"Yeah, they are," she said quietly, noting that Alice didn't seem surprised by her response, but feeling guilty when the girl looked slightly crestfallen. "They're not bad blokes when they want to be," she went on. "And for some reason, they seem to think I'm not too shabby, either, so it's…a friendship of some sorts, I guess."

Alice nodded slowly, sucking on her teeth as she seemed to mull over her words.

"This whole thing is barmy," she said eventually. "Lily is the one who's upset, not me. Yeah, I'll admit, I was hurt when you chose them over us, but I know you, Cassie. You love us just as much as we love you, but Merlin knows we're all too stubborn to admit that."

They both chuckled at this, and Alice shut off the water, the goo scrubbed out of her hair and leaving the brown locks plastered to her forehead and cheeks. She met Cassie's eyes for the first time since they'd been in there, and an understanding seemed to pass between the two, for she suddenly smiled.

"I know you'll find your way back to us," she said. "I'm not telling you to give up your relationship with the Marauders – I can see they have a positive effect on you. But I'm not choosing a side anymore. I'm still yours and Lily's friend, and I know you two will make up."

Cassie smiled back, her heart lighter than it had been in a week. "Thanks, Alice," she said sincerely. "You have no idea how much better that makes me feel."

"Of course," she replied, pulling Cassie in for a hug, and she accepted the embrace gratefully.

When they pulled apart, Alice dried her hair quickly with her wand before stowing it away and throwing her book bag over her shoulder. "Well, I'm off to Potions. Want me to wait?"

"Nah, go ahead," Cassie said, raising her hands and displaying the white goo that now coated her fingers. "I'll clean this up and then I'll be there."

"All right," she said, heading for the door. "If Slughorn asks, I'll tell him you're taking care of some feminine hygiene things." She grinned wickedly over her shoulder, and Cassie rolled her eyes before shooing her away.

When the door had closed, she turned the water back on and began to wash her hands, smiling slightly to herself and feeling immensely relieved. Her real challenge, of course, still lay with Lily, but now that she had Alice again, she felt more confident that the redhead would be quick to let bygones be bygones, as well.

She was just drying her hands when the lavatory door opened again. She glanced in the mirror and saw a gaggle of fourth-years entering, one of them a Gryffindor and the other two Hufflepuffs. Her gaze lingered on the Gryffindor, a thin-faced girl with an upturned nose that made her appear as if she were sniffing something unpleasant, and platinum hair that fell razor-sharp to her shoulders.

They were laughing and gossiping about some poor third-year as they preened in the mirror and Cassie collected her things. She was about to head out when she caught the blonde's gaze in the mirror, and her green eyes widened.

She whirled around in the middle of her sentence, and the two Hufflepuff girls turned to stare at Cassie, as well, obviously confused. Cassie just raised her brows, not saying anything, but something in her jaw twitched when the Gryffindor asked, "Aren't you Cassie Alderfair?"

Cassie only shrugged, still heading for the door, but she stopped when the Gryffindor stepped in front of her, her expression slipping into a sneer that was very unbecoming.

"Dunno why I asked that, really," she said. Cassie just stared at her. "Everyone knows who you and your Death Eater brother are now."

Cassie remained silent. The Hufflepuff girls were now looking between her and the other girl warily, but with a hungry curiosity in their eyes.

"I think it's quite funny, how before last year no one even knew who you were," the girl continued, placing her hands on her hips and looking supremely smug. "But I've heard about you, Alderfair; the Invisible Girl who tried so hard to blend in that she turned herself into a bloody fool. Is that why no one likes you, Alderfair? Or is it because you're just like your brother, another filthy Death Eater to taint the name of Gryffindor?"

Cassie could feel her hands shaking. She clenched them into fists, telling herself to breathe evenly.

"Get out of my way," she snapped, edging around the girl and growling when she stepped into her path again, now looking exhilarated at the fact that she was getting a rise out of her.

"Can't you see, Alderfair?" she said. "Everyone in this school knows who you are now, and you know what they say? That you're a freak, and you just want attention – I mean, c'mon. For someone who wants to be so invisible, the Marauders are about the furthest you can get. Or are you just hanging around them like a lost puppy because you're in desperate need of some validation, maybe even a nice shag—?"

Cassie didn't know when her wand had gotten into her hand, but suddenly it was pointing right at the blonde's face. The girl squeaked and drew her own wand, though she now looked uneasy.

"Don't. Say. Another. Word. About me or my brother," she snarled. She sensed the two Hufflepuff girls draw their wands, as well, though her blood roared in her ears, making her immune to the fact that she was outnumbered three to one.

"Go on, then," the girl said, defiant. "Hex me – but you'll be the one in detention, and I'm sure Mummy and Daddy won't be pleased with you—"

Cassie roughly shoved the girl out of her way and strode for the door as she stumbled into her Hufflepuff mates. She had just gripped the knob when she heard the girl say from behind her, "Affligo!"

Cassie was thrown face-first into the door, as if a giant hand had slammed into her back and knocked all the air from her lungs. She gasped, her knees buckling, but she turned and raised her wand, managing to suck in just enough breath to choke out, "Libaugeo!"

The jinx hit the girl right in the face. Immediately, her lips began swelling in size, blooming like swollen hives and causing her to drop her wand in panic, crying through the small opening of her mouth where her lips were not yet touching. The Hufflepuffs rushed to her side, trying to figure out the counter-spell while Cassie struggled to get her breath back.

The girl was crying now, her blotchy face making her lips look even uglier, and she would have laughed had the lavatory door not burst open behind her. To her intense dread, Professor Carlisle stalked in, demanding, "What is going on in here?"

She stopped in her tracks when she took in the crying fourth-year, her lips now double their normal size. Very slowly, Cassie felt the professor's eyes turn to her, as hard as flint.

"Miss Alderfair," she said, and the temperature seemed to drop about ten degrees. "Would you care to explain to me what has happened here?"

"She attacked Zella!" one of the Hufflepuffs cried, looking panicked as she wrapped an arm around the Gryffindor girl. She pointed to Cassie accusingly, and the older girl opened her mouth, attempting to protest, but all that came out was a wheezing gasp.

"Is that so?" Professor Carlisle's eyes glittered with triumph as she turned her gaze back on Cassie. She flicked her hand to the huddled girls. "You two, escort Miss Knightley to the Hospital Wing. I will deal with Miss Alderfair's punishment."

The Hufflepuffs hurriedly complied with her orders, and Cassie didn't miss their gloating looks as they pushed out of the lavatory, leaving her alone with her most hated teacher.

"Get up, Miss Alderfair," she snapped. Cassie got to her feet slowly, glaring daggers at her the entire time, though she was unfazed, looking as gleeful as a child inside Honeydukes. "Come with me."

Reluctantly, Cassie followed behind her as she whisked out of the lavatory, confusion settling inside her when she realized that she was being led to the dungeons instead of the professor's third-floor classroom.

When they walked down a flight of stone steps and came to a halt outside of a familiar door, however, Cassie's gut cramped anxiously as the professor knocked on the door, not even bothering to listen for an answer before leading Cassie in by the elbow.

"Ah, Claudia," Professor Slughorn said, smiling slightly but looking back and forth between them in bafflement. "I was just instructing the class here how to properly brew a Calming Draught. What can I do for you?"

The class had all turned to stare at them. The Slytherins were watching on in malicious glee while the Gryffindors looked bewildered, though she avoided any of her friends' gazes, too mortified to acknowledge anyone or anything.

"I just came to inform you that I found Miss Alderfair in the lavatory just now – absent from your class – because she felt the need to hex a younger student unprovoked." Professor Carlisle sounded breathless, and Cassie wrenched her arm out of her grasp, furious.

"It wasn't unprovoked!" she protested. "The prat was having a go at my brother!"

"Miss Alderfair," Professor Slughorn said, sounding scandalized, but he looked helplessly between the two women. "Claudia, dear, I don't know what you are expecting me to do. I am not Miss Alderfair's Head of House; shouldn't you be taking her to Minerva?"

"I am going to tell Minerva everything as soon as I am done here," she assured. "I just wanted to make sure Miss Alderfair got to class without being tempted to attack another student."

The Slytherins laughed openly at this, but the Gryffindors glared at them furiously; though she knew some of them may be wary of her, the divide between the lions and the snakes was deep, and Gryffindors would always protect their own against the Slytherins.

"By all means, please get back to your lesson," Professor Carlisle said, nodding politely to Professor Slughorn. He just stared back, flabbergasted. "Expect a summons from Professor McGonagall later today, Miss Alderfair. Have a nice class."

And with that, she strode out the door, slamming it behind her and leaving Cassie standing in the middle of the room, her ears ringing.

She knew her face was flaming, but there was no use hiding it. The damage had been done, and she had never been more mortified in her life, knowing that the witch had done this to her on purpose. The Slytherins now had even more reason to mock her, and now she looked like a bully to her fellow Gryffindors, going 'round and hexing those in younger years. She looked like a Slytherin, and her gut twisted when she realized that that was exactly why Carlisle had done it, and she suddenly felt like bursting into tears in the middle of the classroom.

"Er, Miss Alderfair," Professor Slughorn said, clearing his throat uncomfortably. "If you wouldn't mind taking your seat…"

She nodded, numb, and moved to take her seat beside Sirius, who had decided to remain her Potions partner ever since they had first worked together a couple weeks ago. She could feel him staring, but she shifted so her hair was covering her face, struggling not to cry as Slughorn moved on with the lesson, obviously trying to smooth over the tense moment.

She felt a tap on her hand, and though she didn't look up, she knew what Sirius was asking: Are you okay?

She shook her head slightly, and he tapped on the back of her hand again. Though she had never spoken to him before this year, and on some levels, they were still complete strangers, the meaning behind the tap was as clear as day: I'm here.

She tapped back on his hand two simple words, but it was as if she had spoken them aloud: I know.

"Miss Alderfair, could you stay behind for a moment?"

Potions had just ended, and as she was making her way to the door with Sirius and the others, Professor Slughorn's voice called her back. She grimaced, really not wanting a lecture at the moment, but she knew she couldn't refuse a teacher.

Telling her they'd meet her in the Great Hall for lunch, the Marauders ambled off, leaving her alone with Professor Slughorn as he sat at his desk, his small eyes studying her carefully as she shifted nervously. "Yes, Professor?"

"Would you like to explain to me what happened today?" he asked.

She scuffed her shoe on the ground, frowning. "Not really, sir. It's…kind of personal."

He sighed, the air rippling his walrus-like mustache, and he folded his hands carefully before him.

"Miss Alderfair, I won't pretend to understand the predicament you are in, but you must know that attacking other students is against school rules, and deeply frowned upon—"

"She attacked me first!" she said hotly, immediately flushing and looking away when he just stared at her.

"I seem to recall you never attending one of my dinner parties," he said unexpectedly, and she started at the random statement. "Your brother had been an active participant; yet for some reason, you never bothered to show, though I pestered him all the time to bring you."

Cassie stared blankly. He sighed again, though it sounded weary, and a little sad.

"William was always one of my favorites," he said. She flinched at her brother's name, though he didn't notice. "So bright, so curious, so ambitious… I always told him he would have been better off in my House, yet he remained an adamant Gryffindor. He would have gone off to do great things, though I suppose one could argue that he is doing them now – terrible things, of course, but things that will one day go down as history."

Professor Slughorn looked back up to her, appearing to come out of some sort of reverie. "What I am trying to say, Miss Alderfair, is that there is more to you than just your brother and his deeds – you will make your own path, in time."

"Thank you…Professor," she said haltingly, not knowing how to respond, but he simply pulled out a scroll tied with a black silk ribbon from a drawer within his desk and handed it to her.

"I think it is time you received an invitation to my parties," he said. "Two weeks from today, and you may bring a friend with you if you'd like."

Cassie clutched the scroll uncertainly, forcing a smile at the professor when he beamed at her. "Er, I'll try, sir."

"Good, good," he said, nodding. "The atmosphere may do you some good, lift your spirits a bit. Now, I know your friends are waiting for you to join them, so off you trot!"

And before she could say anything else, he had shooed her out the door, leaving her standing in the dungeons before shaking her head and starting up the stairs.

"So, you've been inducted into the Slug Club, it seems."

She internally groaned when she turned to see Avery walking up the steps behind her, hands clasped behind his back and looking as eloquent as ever.

"Go away, Avery," she said wearily. "And stop sneaking up on me like that."

"Like what?" He gave her an innocent look, and she just rolled her eyes, trudging up the stairs with him at her heels.

"Please leave me alone," she sighed. "I'm really not in the mood for you to twist my words and make fun of me in that subtle way you do."

"You think it's subtle?" When she glared, he flashed her a tiny smirk. "Only joking."

"You're hilarious," she said drily.

"Well, are you going to Slughorn's party, then?" he said, wisely changing the subject, and she just grimaced.

"Considering you heard everything down there, does it sound like I really have a choice?"

"Of course," he said. "You always have a choice."

His tone had become more solemn at the words. She glanced over at him, seeing him staring at her intently before he blinked and seemed to realize what he was doing, his arrogant smirk (a rival worthy of James and Sirius, she noted) playing on the edges of his lips again.

Many babbling voices suddenly registered with her, and she realized that they had made it to the Great Hall.

"Well," he said, inclining his head slightly before gesturing to her, and then the Hall beyond. "Welcome to the Slug Club, Cassie. I'll see you at the party."

And with that, he turned and strode to the Slytherin table, leaving her oddly nervous as she rushed to sit with her own friends and forget about all of the strange things that kept happening to her lately.

A shorter chapter, but it plods the story on nonetheless.

Next Chapter: The Wrong Crowd

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