Forever Young

Hello all! I was bored and decided to give you a little surprise...SUPRISE! I hope you enjoy this little chapter. But don't let the title fool you, it's not that happy of a chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 12: Brand New Day

Cassidy's POV:

"You look fine Cassidy," my brother told me as I examined my face in the hall mirror before we left. I had gotten glasses the day before New Year's Eve and it's the first time I'm going out in public with them. They are black and have a wide frame. They feel funny on my face but I can see one hundred times better.

"I know it just feels weird." I told him as I grabbed my bag and slung it around my shoulder. We all floo'd to the train station and waited for the train.

"Are you sure you're going to be ok?" Grace asked as we stood waiting for 10am to roll around the Saturday following the party. I nodded my head.

"I think I will," I replied as I hugged her good-bye one more time.

"If you need anything just send a letter or tell Dumbledore and he'll floo us right away." Chris said as I hugged him next. I nodded my head before saying bye one more time and boarding the train. I hugged my sweatshirt around me tighter as I felt the cool air on the train. Even in jeans, a Gryffindor sweatshirt, and boots I was still freezing.

"Cassidy!"

I turned and saw Lily's flaming hair a short way down the corridor. I smiled as I ran towards her.

"You cut your hair!" she shouted as I ran into her open arms.

"And bleached it," I pointed it running my fingers through my still unruly curls. There were slightly more manageable now that my hair is short but still impossible to handle sometimes.

"It looks great!" she said hugging me. We made our way into a compartment and soon enough Marlene joins us too along with James, Sirius, and Remus.

"Where's Peter?" I asked as the train started to move.

"He's staying back a couple more days to help with his Grandmother." Remus spoke up "She moved in right before the holidays after his Grandfather died."

"He's such a good guy," Marlene said "If he wasn't so shy he'd have tons of girls all over him." James and Sirius laugh at this idea and I hit them both with my book to quiet them down. The trip to Hogwarts is quiet and uneventful. We change into our robes as we near Hogsmeade and then head up to the castle. The rest of the evening is quiet. We had dinner and rested in the common room until 9 o'clock when we went of to bed to sleep peacefully.

The next morning as we ate our breakfast the mail arrived bring with it terrible news. As I looked at the Daily Prophet I gasped at the headline.

Kent Clark's Autopsy Released

"Merlin," James whispered next to me.

"What does it say?" Lily asked from across the table. I began to read:

Late this morning reports were able to come into contact with the autopsy report of former sports reporter Kent Clark. It is revealed that Clark committed suicide and he did not die of natural causes or sickness. It was revealed that he made cut both arms, both legs, and his abdomen. He was later found by his daughter Cassidy Clark after she returned home for a winter holiday.

I couldn't go on so I handed it over to her so she could finish. I could hear people all around the room talking in hushed whispers and staring at me.

"Cassidy are you ok?" James asked from next to me. I could feel my stomach flip-flopping. The feeling I normally got before I got violently sick. I tried to nod my head but the sudden motion made the feeling in my stomach worse.

"Oh merlin," I gasped as I abruptly stood and ran from the hall. The closet bathroom was by the Charms classroom so instead I ran outside and vomited in the courtyard. I could feel the burning feeling in my throat. Tears were streaming down my face and my nose was running. I sat down on the ground and banished the vomit that was lying before me. I took off my glasses and put them on the ground so I could wipe my eyes. Soon I felt a presence looming over me. I turned and saw Sirius.

"Go away," I croaked out. Instead he did just the opposite. He sat down beside me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. Things had been kinda rocky since our kiss on Thursday but I couldn't help but cry into him.

"I thought I was over it and that I didn't care anymore," I cried into his shoulder "But I'm not over it. I miss him! I miss my dad. I just want him back." He wrapped his other arm around me and squeezed tight.

"It'll all be ok Cass, I promise it will all get better." He told me. I leaned back and stared into his steely gray eyes.

"How do you know?" I whispered.

"It's a feeling." He whispered back. I let out a slight laugh and hit his chest. I take a deep breath and stand up wiping my face with the back of my sleeve.

"How do I look?" I asked dusting myself off. He stood up as well and looked me up and down. He leaned down to grab my glasses and placed the on my face.

"Perfect," He replied with his hands on my shoulders. I smiled and began to walk back into the castle with him by my side any trace of awkwardness gone. As we entered the building I saw Andrew sitting on the Main Staircase. When he heard us enter his head shot up.

"Cassidy," He said standing up and walking over to us. Sirius looked down at me and I nodded my head. He said goodbye and headed back into the Great Hall.

"Are you ok?" He asked as soon as we were alone, "Just kidding don't answer that. Of course you're not ok."

"I'm fine Andrew," I told him with a faint smile. He smiled back and then nodded his head down the corridor. I nodded and we began to walk.

"So listen," he started "I know this is probably a bad time for you. With you dad and everything that is happened. But I just wanted you to know that I wanna be there for you so you have someone to talk to and a shoulder to cry on." I sucked in a breath knowing what was coming next.

"So I wanted to know if you'd like to go out with me," he asked. I was silent for a moment before speaking.

"I've had a lot of crap happen to me in the past 17 years Andrew," I told him "I have a lot a baggage. I need to be with someone who's willing to put up with that but not treat me like a hurt puppy."

"I can do that," He smiled.

"Then I'd love to go out with you," I told him. I then reached up and kissed him softly.

A few months pass and Easter is coming up along with a dance to celebrate. It's a semi-formal so we don't have to go all out with our dresses and such. Since Andrew and I are dating still we are going together.

"What am I gonna wear?" Marlene complains as she digs through her trunk before bed one night.

"How about that baby blue dress of yours?" I suggest not looking up from my magazine.

"My mother shrunk it trying to wash it the muggle way." She grumbled. I giggled as she proceeded to throw a very point shoe at my head.

"I'm sure you'll find something." I tell her standing up to head to the bathroom.

"What are you wearing?" she asked from the room. I smiled and finished brushing my teeth before going over to my cupboard. I pull out the dress the Potters got me for Christmas.

"Bloody hell," she spoke in awe "That's brilliant!"

"Thanks!" I smile admiring the dress. I put it back in its place then crawl back into bed.

"I think it's time for bed," I told her as I blew out the candle next to my bed. She placed all her clothes away then crawled into her bed and blew out her candle as well.

The day of the dance arrived and the entire castle was in a bustle. The morning and afternoon went by quickly following into the longest night of my life. Around 4pm Lily, Marlene, and I gathered in our room to get ready. We laid out our dresses and shoes on our respective beds and placed our jewelry on our counter space in the bathroom. We each took a turn in the shower from oldest to youngest.

Me being the oldest went first then Lily and then Marlene. I dried my hair out and Marlene curled it and pinned it back while she waited for Lily to bed done. I curled Lily's hair and loosely braided it spraying it with hair spray to keep it all in place. We each did our own make-up. I did neutral make-up with silver accents and ruby red lips. I put on the necklace Sirius got me for Christmas and simple diamond stud earrings. Finally I changed into my sparkly maroon dress. It was short and it hugged me in all the right places. I strapped on my golden sparkly heels. And stood up to look in the mirror.

"Damn," Marlene whistled as she finished dusting make-up over her face "You look bloody hot!" I blushed and brushed invisible wrinkles out of my dress.

"She's right," Lily said from her bed were she was fastening her heels "You look great."

"That's the understatement of the year!" Marlene said pulling her dress on "She's fucking fabulous! Andrew is gonna die when he sees you tonight!"

"You guys look great too," I told them. Marlene had settled for a lavender high-low dress with silver pumps. And Lily had on a black dress the hit mid-thigh with my red heels from New Years.

"Not as good as you!" they replied simultaneously. Cue blushing!

Andrew met me outside of the Gryffindor Common room and we went down to the Great Hall together.

"Did I tell you how great you look tonight?" He asked kissing my cheek as we danced later that night.

"You have but feel free to say it again," I teased. We laughed and talked all evening. As we were on the dance floor I had my head on his shoulder and we were dancing silently. I heard a commotion happening over in the corner and I saw a petite girl yelling at Sirius. She finally walked away and he went and sat down at a table.

"Would you mind getting me something to drink?" I asked Andrew. He nodded and went towards the refreshments. I went over to where Sirius was sitting and sat down next to him.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

"She found me kissing her sister in a broom cupboard." He replied dully. I rolled by eyes at him.

"Honestly Sirius you're such a pig," I teased.

"They're bloody twins how was I supposed to know the difference?" He snapped.

"I was kidding," I laughed "What's your problem?" He mumbled nothing then stood up and left the hall.

"Sirius!" I called after him but he didn't hear over the loud music.

"Here you go Cass," Andrew said setting down a goblet of punch that was no doubt spiked with alcohol.

"Umm, I have to run to the bathroom real quick." I told him standing up and rushing out. He yelled something after me but I didn't catch what it was. I saw Sirius heading up the stairs and I ran after him call his name. When he didn't reply I ran faster.

"What the hell!" I snapped as I finally caught up with him "Can you just stop for a minute and talk to me?" He continued walking.

"Sirius talk to me!" I snap.

"You wanna talk?" he said finally stopping "Go ahead talk,"

"What the hell is your problem?" I shout at him "You're acting like an asshole."

"Well that's me," He said opening his arms really big "Sirius the asshole." He turned back around and started walking again.

"Sirius!" I yelled after him "Sirius Black you answer me right now!"

He just kept walking leaving me in the dust.

Is that a hint of jealousy I read? Yes, yes it is. I hope you enjoyed you're little hump-day treat! Enjoy the rest of you're week. I'll be posting again Friday or Saturday like usual.

XOXO,

SophieElizabeth630