Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling, Maximum Ride belongs to James Patterson.

Chapter 8: Cassidy

I sat on the train, watching the flurry of snow cascade outside. It was Christmas, and that meant I was to return home. I sighed, Felicity was around as well, our Aunt always had us return home on the holidays. We were a family, and that meant following the normal family obligations and seeing one another during the holidays. This time however, I had brought Bagheera along with me, which the cat did not seem overly thrilled about. She kept looking at me, with her tail flicking and occasionally letting out a cry.

"Look, I couldn't leave you, Wolfie would forget to feed you," I told her and petted her head gently. She huffed and just curled up next to me, accepting her fate. I sighed at that, I had become oddly fond of the stray that had followed me home, I'd even gotten her a collar. It would be weird, returning home. With the Black's on the loose, my aunt had become far more controlling, far more on edge and I sensed this Christmas would not be a joyful one. The train pulled into the station and I grabbed my trunk in one hand and Bagheera in the other. The cat made a noise of annoyance, it looked like she'd been sleeping and I had just disturbed her. When I managed to lump my cargo off the train, I saw Felicity had already gotten to aunt Isabelle.

Aunt Isabelle was a strict woman, she was currently in a suit, her white blouse was neat and pristine as always and her robe showed her as a ministry official. I looked to see dark hair pinned back out of her face and her arms were folded and she was tapping her foot in annoyance. I was late.

"So kind of you to join us, Cassidy," Isabelle said impatiently.

"Sorry, Aunt Isabelle," I held Bagheera close as she hissed at Isabelle.

"What is that?" Isabelle raised an eyebrow, her dark brown eyes cast upon Bagheera.

"I found her, this is Bagheera," I tried to calm the cat down, but she kept hissing.

"Odd name, just keep it under control," Isabelle then turned on her heel leaving Felicity and I to obediently trail along after her.

-o-O-o-

This Christmas dinner was one that was extremely quiet. I looked to Felicity who had her head down, and I followed suit. It hadn't been this strained before, but with Black's on the prowl, Isabelle was extremely on edge. That, and both Felicity and I knew my Uncle Connor was having an episode, like he occasionally got. I looked to Isabelle, scanning her face and realised how tired she looked. Often, my aunt would sit with Connor as he cried, screamed and howled about the fire, about our family. It was draining on her, heart-breaking for her and it made her all the more closed off and cold. I didn't know what to do in this situation, I just knew that keeping quiet was the safest option, Felicity however seemed to forget self-preservation.

"This is a lovely Christmas," She said, the sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"Felicity…" I said in warning. Antagonising Isabelle would just lead to an argument, and I'd rather have a silent dinner than one filled with shouting.

"Don't Felicity me!" Felicity snapped, a glare shot in my direction.

"Girls," Isabelle tutted, "This is no way to act, especially at dinner." She then went back to eating, in the prim and proper way. I sighed, hoping Felicity would drop it, she did not however.

"What, so we are just supposed to sit here?" Felicity set her fork down, "I came here to be a family, not be skittish around one another. I'm not letting the Blacks ruin my Christmas!"

"Do not mention them!" Aunt Isabelle snapped, her eyes dangerous.

"The Blacks, the Blacks, the Blacks!" I was stunned looking to Felicity as she stood. "I'm not afraid of them." She added.

"You should be you foolish girl," Isabelle was now standing, meeting Felicity. "Alohomora killed this family, the only people she didn't get are either in this room or at St Mungos." A silence fell among us. Both women in front of me where breathing heavily, and I knew this was not going to end well.

"Stop it!" I said, looking between them. "We have this fight constantly!"

"Why shouldn't we talk about it?" Felicity said, "I want to hear about my parents, to know their stories. I want to know more about them than that stupid fire."

"That stupid fire killed them," Isabelle's voice was dangerous, "Killed them all, left Connor in the state he's in." She looked between us. "Alohomora Black did that to us." There was another silence at that. This was a story I knew well, a story both Felicity and I were told from a young age.

When I was just over a year old, Sirius Black had been arrested. It was told through the news and whispers, he had murdered so many muggles, he had left a scar on the world. His wife, one Alohomora Black in turn left her own. It was said to be that she was overcome with grief. She had lost her husband, someone loyal to the dark lord, and she needed to show her loyalty. That's when, on my Uncle Michael's 24th birthday, she set fire to our family home. My mother and Felicity's parent's perished in the flames. Aunt Isabelle, Uncle Connor, Felicity, me and my father survived. Isabelle was left with us, but Connor and my father went after Alohomora. She was said to be mad, and during the battle my uncle fought bravely, my father torn, but defending his family fought by his side. I lost both my parents to that woman. One killed in the fire and the other was murdered in cold blood by his best friend.

Alohomora Black's actions that night had shaped my family's future. Isabelle raised Felicity and I, but Connor…he was so scarred by what he saw, that we might as well have lost him to. He lives in St Mungos, normally in a vegetative like state. He has episodes, like the one he is having now. He'd spend his night screaming about the fire, pleading and crying about my family's lost souls. And Isabelle would always be there to try and sooth him. It seemed to happen every couple of months, but with the Blacks on the loose, Connor seemed to be far more agitated.

"We know!" Felicity in turn shouted back, I could see the pain in her eyes. "I know, but just for once... For once I want a Christmas dinner the Blacks haven't affected." She shook her head and fled the room, hiding her tear stained face.

"You haven't been dismissed!" Isabelle shouted back, I looked to my aunt.

"Let her be," I said, looking to where my cousin had just fled the scene. My aunt sat back down, a hopelessly lost look on her face. She started to eat again, because this was old news, this was our past.

Nothing like a good old family Christmas. I wish I could have just stayed at Hogwarts.