Forever Young

Hello all! Sorry this chapter is a bit short! I feel like it's been a while since I posted, probably has been. So I hope you enjoy this chapter. Hopefully the next chapter will be longer. So yeah, I don't really have much else to say...enjoy.

Chapter 38: Trust is Essential

Cassidy's POV:

The following Monday the excitement from the quidditch finals had died down a bit and we were all dressed in uniform ready for classes once more. Everyone was seated in the Great Hall. They were either munching on breakfast, conversing with friends, or frantically trying to finish weekend homework they had forgotten about.

"I told you not to wait last minute to finish that essay James," Lily scolded as James hurriedly finished his Charms essay for class this morning.

"I was busy Lil's," he countered.

"Busy?" she rolled her eyes. "You were in the hospital all of Friday night and you spent Saturday at the quidditch game and then the party. And Sunday you spent with me."

"What can I say love you were distracting me," he winked at her. She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head.

"I was reading a book. How the hell did that distract you?" she asked.

"Beats me," he shrugged and went back to writing. I giggled at their little quarrel and went back to eating my strawberries. Suddenly Dumbledore cleared his throat and everyone in the hall went silent.

"Good morning students," he greeted his smile wide and eyes twinkling. "I would like to congratulate Gryffindor once more on winning the quidditch cup this weekend." Everyone cheered and Dumbledore had to settle everyone down again.

"First through sixth years you are dismissed to your class. Seventh years stay here for a few announcements regarding NEWT's, Graduation, and a special surprise new this year," he said. Everyone started mumbling as the 1st through 6th years were dismissed.

"Good morning students," Dumbledore greeted once more. "We have a few things to inform you about considering graduation, and NEWT's are coming up soon. Professor McGonagall will be talking with you about them so behave and you shall be on your way to classes soon."

Then motioned McGonagall to the podium as he left the Great Hall to do Headmaster type things. I was only half listening to her ramble on about the protocol for NEWT's and what not. We heard this speech about a thousand times in the beginning of the year. Once they spoke about graduation I paid even less attention. I knew everything that was to happen. She spoke about dress code for under our robes, who would be giving speeches, the order we would go in and so forth.

"And last on the agenda is the newly added 7th year Farewell Ball,"

That's what caught my attention. I sat up straighter and turned my body to face McGonagall as she spoke about this ball.

"We will be having a Hogsmeade weekend this coming weekend and you will all be able to go down both Saturday and Sunday in order to find dresses, robes, and anything else you should need," she informed us. "You may bring a date as long as they are a 5th year or above. The ball will be the weekend following the conclusion of your final NEWT exams. It will begin at 6 o'clock PM and go until midnight. Please be responsible and don't do anything stupid that will get you expelled before you can graduate." She said with an almost scared face probably thinking of all the things the Marauders could do. McGonagall then dismissed us to the remaining time of our first periods class and hurried to catch her second years before the bell rang.

"Can you believe it," Marlene exclaimed as we made our way to the dungeons. "A ball! It's going to be fantastic! We'll get to dress up and look pretty I can't wait!"

"Calm down Marley," I teased. "We've still got a while."

"It's less than a month away Cass," she pointed out. "NEWT's are at the end of the month and the first weekend of May will be this Farewell Ball. We are on a time crunch!"

"You're right!" I said in fake shock. "I better go start getting ready now. Call Madam Malkins and order me a dress will you? I'd like a baby blue gown with white trimming." She rolled her eyes and pushed me as we entered the classroom laughing. The charms lesson that day was nothing exciting and the rest of the day pretty much went on like that as well. The rest of the week went pretty much the same way. Get up, eat breakfast, go to classes, eat lunch, finish classes, do homework, go to bed. I barely had time for myself anymore I was spending so much time with homework. And on top of that we had to study for NEWT's as well as our normal homework.

"I can't believe we'll be done our education soon," I mentioned to Sirius as we studied together in the library Thursday evening.

"It's weird," he said. "I'm really gonna miss seeing this place everyday. I'm gonna miss seeing you everyday." I looked up and gave him a sad smile.

"We won't be moving out of the Potters right away Sirius," I said. "We'll have to get started with work and training and just life itself. We'll be seeing each other for a while."

"You're right," he admitted. "I'm just paranoid I guess."

"Don't be," I smiled grabbing hold of his hand. We stayed like that for a while and then went back to homework and studying. Suddenly a piece of paper flew over to our table and landed next to me. I stared at it curiously and picked it up to read.

Follow me.

-P.P.

"P.P.?" I asked questionably. Sirius looked around and then his gaze hardened on the door at a specific person. I turned and saw Peter Pettigrew leaving the library. I turned back to Sirius and nodded. We gathered our things and ran after him.

"Peter! Wait up!" I hissed down the corridor. He went into a room and we followed him in. We closed and locked the door turning to face Peter.

"What the hell do you want Wormtail?" Sirius spat at him. Peter cowered in the corner of the room. He was visibly trembling and he looked as white as a sheet.

"Peter," I said calmly. "What's wrong? Why did you bring us here?"

"I need your help," he stuttered. "I can't work for her anymore. I managed to escape for a little bit but she'll find me and keep using me to do her dirty work."

"Who is using you? Who are you hiding from Peter?" I asked even though I already knew the answer.

"Ellie," he whispered. I nodded and looked at Sirius. He stared back with a hardened gaze. I motioned for him to talk to Peter. He let out a sigh and complied.

"Why did you do it Pete?" Sirius asked stepping forward. "Why did you stand by and watch Ellie do all those terrible things to Spencer, and James? Why did you let her torture Cassidy?"

"She threatened me," he cried. "I swear! She used unforgivables on me! I eventually had to just give in. But I can't do it anymore. After what she did to James I can't stand by and watch her hurt you guys."

"How do we stop her?" I asked him.

"She'll have to be locked up to be stopped," he said. "She wants revenge on you really bad Cassidy. I don't see why though. You didn't really do anything to her."

"We think You-Know-Who has something to do with it," I told him. "It's not completely her doing. Her family was attacked when she was younger and we think she sold her soul to him to live."

"We need you to help us Wormtail," Sirius said. "She's going to stop at nothing to hurt Cassidy."

"I know," Peter said. "I'll tell you everything I know."

He then began to tell us every plot, scheme, and thought that Ellie had been stupid enough to tell Peter. There were schemes to get to Marlene, Remus, Lily, Sirius, and the Potters. There were even plans to hurt Andrew and some friends from other houses. I had to resist the strong urge to vomit when hearing all of these terrible plans and schemes.

"She's going crazy trying to get revenge on you Cassidy," Peter said. "I'll won't be surprised if she goes over the edge and just tries to kill you in the end."

Cue vomiting.

I ran over to the trashcan by the door and emptied the contents of my stomach into it. Sirius was right behind me with his hand rubbing my back and holding my ponytail so it wouldn't fall in front of my mouth.

"Did you have to say that Pete?" Sirius hissed at his friend. Peter muttered an apology and waited for me to be done before speaking again.

"We have to find a way to stop her," Peter said leaning against a desk.

"You got any ideas?" Sirius asked him. Peter thought for a moment and shook his head.

"Nothing," he responded.

"I've got something," I spoke up wiping my mouth. "But its vague and a bit far fetched. But I think it'll work." I then began to divulge my plan to them. They nodded and smiled at the idea.

"Do you really think it'll work?" Peter asked.

"It has to," I said. "Or else we're all as good as dead." They both nodded and we were silent for awhile.

"We should probably go," Sirius said as the the clock chimed announcing that we had 10 minutes until curfew.

"Okay," I said then motioned for Peter to go. "You go first, and remember speak to no one. Not even James or Remus." He nodded and scurried out of the room.

"How much do you trust him right now?" Sirius asked.

"As far as I can throw him," I responded.

"But you have a wicked throw," he said.

"I know," I said. "That's why I said it."

"Cassidy," Sirius sighed. "He's been working for her all this time. Are you sure we can trust him?"

"Sirius he's been your friends longer than he was mine," I said. "Only you can answer that question. Besides trust is essential in this plan so its our only option to trust him. Now come on, we've got to hurry if we're going to make it to the Common Room in time."

He nodded and took my hand and we ran as fast as we could up to the 7th floor to Gryffindor Common Room.

So do you guys think that Peter is really ready to be done working for Ellie? Leave a review and tell me what you think. Enjoy your rainy Saturday!

XOXO,

SophieElizabeth630