Love that I said I was going to finish this story this year and then I proceeded to not update for six months. Anyway, this is a lesson that you should never listen to me.

I do apologize for the delay but I so, so appreciate your patience and for putting up with me. Your support and encouragement truly do mean the world to me and I can never convey my gratitude enough!

This chapter is a hot mess but so am I. I do hope you enjoy it all the same, though.

(And thank you for getting this fic past 500 follows! That's incredible! Thank you so much!)

Now, on to the chapter!

Chapter Twenty-Four

The Potion Lesson

While a sudden blizzard dumped feet of snow on the grounds and castle turrets, effectively trapping staff and students alike within the castle interior, the heavy snow could not dampen the giddy spirit of the school as Valentine's Day wrapped them all in an inescapable deluge of paper hearts and candies. It was only breakfast, and Cassie had already amassed a sizeable pile of chocolates and sweets that her friends were given by admirers but did not want, and she was in a good mood despite her reckoning that she was single, and would not be celebrating the day with Sirius.

She scooped a forkful of scrambled eggs into her mouth and chewed. It's your fault entirely, she thought with a small degree of scorn. You're the one who dumped him.

She glanced down the table where Sirius sat with the other Marauders. He waved around a card, laughing while holding Peter's furiously blushing face in a headlock as James and Remus both guffawed. The boys already had their own small mountain of sweets and cards, and she wondered how many of them had been addressed to Sirius.

"Something wrong with the eggs?" Alice asked her in concern, noting the sour look on Cassie's face.

Cassie dropped her gaze along with her fork. "No. They're fine. Sorry."

Next to her, Marlene swatted the top of her head with a lurid pink envelope that smelt of cheap cologne. "Oi. No moping."

Across the table, Lily primly set aside yet another bouquet of lilies. "Mar's right. If you're going to be so miserable, then why not ask Sirius to get back together?"

Cassie rubbed her face and sighed. "It's not that I don't want to. It's just… I dunno. I feel like we're always at odds lately."

"So, are you ever going to tell us what exactly happened last term that led to…this?" Marlene raised an eyebrow. "You broke up with Sirius, and his boyfriends were giving him the cold shoulder for weeks. It must've been something serious if you all just dropped him like that for a good while."

Cassie cringed. "It really isn't something I can talk about." At her friends' dubious looks, she hunched her shoulders. "Believe me when I say it was really bad, all right? But I'm sorry; I can't tell you."

"Did it have to do with Regulus Black and why you asked me to make a Truth Serum for him last week?" Lily asked.

On that front, at least, Cassie had been forthcoming. She'd even told the girls and the Marauders what she and Regulus had talked about while under the effects of the Truth Serum, although she'd prudently left out what Regulus had asked her about how far she was willing to go to stop Voldemort. She cringed when she remembered it, and how cold and distant Sirius had looked after she'd told them Regulus's plans.

"No," said Cassie, "as I said, that was just to gather information. The Sirius thing was before Avery told me what Regulus was planning."

The four girls fell into an awkward silence before Alice jerked her chin at the discarded Daily Prophet next to Lily's elbow. "Anything new?" Her eyes flicked to Cassie. "Any updates on Will or Kane?"

Lily shook her head. "Nothing. There've been so sightings of either of them." Upon seeing Cassie's expression, Lily rushed to apologize. "I'm sorry, Cass. I'm sure the Aurors or the Order will catch up to them soon."

"I dunno," Cassie said bitterly. "Will seems to be better at hiding this time 'round."

"Ladies, if I may interject?"

Cassie closed her eyes in silent prayer at the familiar voice. "Hello, James."

"No need to sound so sullen, Princess," the Marauder said. She opened her eyes and met James's across the table, where he stood behind Lily and Alice with a small red box in his hand. "I'm simply here to drop off a gift."

He pivoted toward Lily and held out the box. She took it hesitantly as if afraid it would explode in her face any second—and, unfortunately, Cassie couldn't blame her. "Er, thank you?"

"Happy Valentine's, Evans," James said. He gave her a boyish grin before loping back to his friends, leaving the girls shocked in his wake.

"No innuendos or awful puns?" Alice said, amazed.

"No wink or asking Lily out?" Marlene marveled.

"No cheesy declaration of love or messing up his hair?" Cassie said in awe.

Lily held the box away from her gingerly. "Should I open it?"

Cassie nodded. "I don't think he's done anything to it. Go ahead."

Carefully, Lily pried off the lid. The other girls crowded closer to look, and when the contents were revealed, they all let out stunned exclamations.

"Merlin's beard," Alice said. "That's gorgeous."

Lily extracted a gleaming silver hairpin and held it up. In the morning light, it shone like the surface of the Black Lake in summer, and along its delicate head dazzled at least a dozen pure emeralds.

"There's a note!" Marlene crowed, snatching it out of the box before Lily could move. The blonde girl flapped it open and began to read. "'Dear Lily, consider this a token of apology after all the Valentine's I must have screwed up for you. I know you might try and give it back, but I don't want it back. It's yours to keep. Besides, it matches your eyes better than mine. Happy Valentine's. Yours, James Potter.'"

Alice gaped. "Potter wrote that? James bloody Potter?"

"That's goblin-made, too," Cassie said, examining the pin as Lily continued to hold it, unmoving. "Damn. Must be an heirloom."

"How can you tell it's goblin-made?" Alice asked, squinting.

Marlene snorted. "She's a rich girl, Al, that's why." She waved the note wildly in her hand. "But besides that! Lily! What are you going to do?"

Lily said nothing.

"Has she been Petrified?" said Alice.

"A prank, maybe?" Marlene wondered.

Cassie shook her head. "No, James is sincere this time. He really means it." She was stunned. She knew James had always had a thing for Lily, but she had never seen him be so serious about his affections before. The thought baffled her. Was James finally learning how to be mature?

"I-I can't take it," Lily finally said. She looked scared as she placed the hairpin back in the box. "I shouldn't."

"He wrote not to return it," Cassie pointed out. "He gave it to you, Lily. It's a present. Keep it."

She placed a hand over her heart and laughed shakily. "A present? This thing probably costs more than my whole house."

"Keep it," Cassie said firmly. "It'll gut him if you don't."

"But only if you want to," Alice cut in. "James did a kind thing, but it's a big step, Lily. You know this. That gift is more a declaration than any time he's gotten up on the table and told the whole school he loves you."

"Bad time to remind her," Cassie said out of the corner of her mouth. "But, yeah, that's a good point, Al."

"I'll take it if you don't want it," Marlene interjected.

Slowly, Lily placed the note back in the box and replaced the lid. "I…I'll hold on to it. For now. I…"

Marlene took out her wand, and with a swish, the box was gone. "There. I sent it to our dorm. Let's go to the loo before class—you look like you're about to faint." She turned to Cassie as the other girls gathered their things. "You coming?"

"Later," Cassie said. "I want first pick of the boys' sweets."

"Always predictable," she said, nudging Cassie's shoulder playfully. "See you in a few."

The girls left (Lily trailing after them with a dazed look still on her face), and Cassie went to the Marauders' section of the table, shoving James over to make room for herself.

"You're a real Casanova, you know that?" she said at once upon sitting down. "You're lucky I didn't tell her that I saw your mother wearing that hairpin at the New Year's Gala. She probably would've collapsed."

James hid his smug grin in his goblet of pumpkin juice. "Oi, Mum happily let me have it when I told her what I wanted to do. I didn't nick it if that's what you're thinking."

Cassie rolled her eyes as she began plucking all of the Sugar Quills out of the boys' Valentine's pile. "Either way, you've made your intentions very clear." She turned to the other Marauders, fleetingly capturing Sirius's gaze before moving on. "Well, what's the damage this year?"

"Sirius wins again by a landslide," said Peter dejectedly, "then James, then Remus, then me…"

"Ah, the girls here don't know what they're missing, Pete," she said, distracted by trying to cram the absurd amount of sweets into her bag.

"Speaking of," Remus said, grabbing a small bouquet of white chrysanthemums from beside him and handing them to Cassie. "Happy Valentine's from us. We're trying to stick with tradition."

"Aw, they're lovely," she crooned. "Thank you. I have gifts for you, as well."

She handed each boy a heart-shaped box tied with a gold silk ribbon. They eagerly opened them as she watched, giddy, until Remus let out a choked noise.

"Hold on," he said, peering into the box. "Do these chocolates have gold in them?"

"Yep!" she said, bouncing in her seat. "My mum knew this wizard chocolatier in France who made the most divine creations, so I got in touch with him a few weeks ago. He mixed 24-karat gold flakes in with the chocolate for a little surprise, but they're still completely edible, don't worry!"

"Oh, I think I've heard of him," said James, immediately popping a chocolate into his mouth before sighing in bliss. "Mm. Heaven. Thanks, Cass."

"Edible gold?" Peter echoed, starstruck. "That's wicked. You're the best, Cassie."

"Thank you," Sirius said, and she flashed him a brief smile.

"How much did these cost?" said Remus weakly.

She waved her hand. "Never mind that. They're for you. Try one."

Remus hesitantly took a piece from the box. "You're going to go broke before graduation if you keep this sort of thing up, y'know that?"

"You're my friends," she said. "I'm allowed to spend my money on things for you. It's in the official friends' rulebook."

"I do believe you made that up," Remus said before taking a bite of the chocolate. His eyes widened, and she grinned.

"And?" she prompted.

"You're always allowed to get me gifts from now on," he said, already devouring a second piece.

"Knew it," she sang. "Shall we head to Potions now?"

They agreed, and they made the short trek from the Great Hall down to the dungeons sans Peter, who sent them off with a disappointed wave. When the rest of them entered the classroom, Cassie was immediately overwhelmed by a powerful but pleasant scent that seemed to settle into her very pores.

"Whoa," James said, sniffing. "What's that smell?"

"It's coming from the cauldron on Slughorn's desk," Remus said, pointing.

"It's Amortentia," Lily said as she and Alice sidled up to their group. The red-haired witch seemed fine again, but Cassie noticed how she studiously avoided James's gaze. "We were just talking about it before you got here."

"The love potion?" Cassie said, incredulous.

"Well, it is Valentine's," Alice said.

Sirius snorted. "Yeah, this seems like the barmy shit that Sluggy's into. He likes his themes."

"Well, what does everyone smell?" James said with a smirk in Lily's direction that she blushed at.

"That's quite personal, don't you think?" she said at the same time that Alice declared "I smell sandalwood, parchment, and cardamom tea."

"Easy enough to figure out," Cassie said, amused. "I've seen Frank drink a cup of cardamom nearly every day for the last six years."

"Class is about to start," Lily said hurriedly. "We should sit down."

She grabbed Alice's elbow and towed her off without another word. Cassie gestured to Remus—her usual partner—before James seized his arm. "No, I want Remus today."

Cassie—horribly aware of what was about to transpire—glared at him. "Why? You always pair with Sirius."

"Exactly." James pouted and snuggled up to Remus, who looked mildly disgusted at James's public display of affection. "I want Moony to myself for once."

"You're unbelievable," Cassie said. "Don't think I don't know what you're playing at—"

"Oh, c'mon," Sirius said with a heavy sigh as he grabbed her bag strap. "We both know it's pointless to argue with him."

Resigned, she allowed Sirius to steer her toward a table in the middle, behind Lily and Alice, while James and Remus slid in behind them with an irritable "Will you let go of me now?" from Remus before there was a muffled smack, and James let out a pitiful noise.

Cassie's face burned as she sat down next to Sirius and began pulling her supplies out of her bag. She was going to wring James's neck like a wet rag, the little tosser.

She tossed her Potions book on the table with a huff. Irritating, meddlesome flobberworm, she thought vehemently, always sticking his nose into my business…

She jerked her scales out with a mite much force than necessary, sending them skittering across the table until Sirius pinned them down. He pushed them back toward her with high brows. "All right there?"

"Just fine," she said shortly, even more embarrassed than she had been before. She only prayed the lesson would end quickly so she could shove James down the bloody stairs. She placed her quill on the table (gently) and forced herself to relax. "Exceptionally jolly."

"I can see that."

Fortunately, she was spared from any further questions when Professor Slughorn bumbled into the classroom, discreetly brushing the remains of the crystallized pineapples he loved so much from the brass-buttoned waistcoat straining against his protruding belly. He peered out at them with a wicked, excited grin that reminded Cassie that the Potions professor was still a Slytherin through and through.

"Morning, morning all!" greeted Professor Slughorn. "Notice anything different today? Smell anything different?"

He chuckled when the class shifted uncomfortably and swept a hand over the simmering, pearl-colored potion on his desk. It emitted plumes of frothy, spiraling smoke as they watched.

"No doubt some of you have deduced what this fine potion is, eh, Miss Evans?"

He winked at Lily, and she sat up straight in her seat. "Of course, sir. It's Amortentia – the world's strongest love potion."

"Right you are, Miss Evans! Five points to Gryffindor! Care to add onto that statement, Mr. Snape?"

Across the room, Severus Snape hunched his shoulders, his ears turning red when Lily scowled in his direction. Next to him, Avery rolled his quill in his hand, looking bored. Cassie glanced away.

"While it's called a love potion, Amortentia doesn't produce love," said Snape, his eyes on the table. "It's more like an obsession. True love potions don't exist."

James let out a very loud and obvious snort from behind Cassie, and Snape's cheeks turned mottled. Professor Slughorn conveniently didn't hear, instead clapping his hands together cheerfully.

"Correct! Five points to Slytherin. Amortentia is known for its strong effect to produce extreme desire and infatuation within the potion's drinker. As such, it is labeled as a highly dangerous substance by the Ministry of Magic. Some have even stated that the potion is on par with the Imperius Curse in its similarities of coercion and entrapment of the mind."

"Sounds lovely," cracked Sirius, and the class giggled. Cassie hid her grin behind her hand when Professor Slughorn looked over at them, annoyed.

"Yes, Mr. Black, quite," he said. "Since you seem keen on providing commentary during my lesson, why don't you share with the class what scent the potion produces for you?"

Sirius shrugged, looking wholly unbothered at being put on the spot. He made a great show of sniffing the air, and the class tittered again.

"Hm. Smells like blackcurrant, apples, and…some type of flower. Dunno the name for it."

Professor Slughorn blinked, clearly surprised that Sirius had given him a serious answer. "Yes, er, very well, Mr. Black. You see, class, Amortentia smells different to everyone based on what attracts them…"

As Professor Slughorn continued his lecture, Cassie couldn't help but turn to Sirius with a grin.

"Some answer," she teased.

He kept his eyes forward. "It was easy enough. You've worn the same perfume for a year now."

Cassie's heart missed several beats, and blood rushed to her face. "Oh."

"Yeah."

They fell into an awkward silence, and Cassie tried to focus on Professor Slughorn's detailed spiel about Amortentia's founding potioneer, but his voice became a garbled drone in her ears. Her eyes fell on the gently simmering potion half-hidden behind his girth and, with a discreet look in Sirius's direction to ensure he wasn't paying attention to her, she began sniffing, attempting to identify the seductive scent she'd been smelling since she'd walked into the classroom.

She'd hoped it'd be something straightforward and simple, an easily identifiable scent like treacle tart or vanilla, or even something familiar, like Sirius's aftershave, but like Slughorn's lecture, it all seemed to jumble together, clogging her nostrils like a thick barrier of cotton had been shoved up them.

She frowned. It was a pleasant scent, to be sure, but it was something abstract, unquantifiable, like if she were asked to describe the smell of sunlight, or moonlight, or water, or air.

She was distracted from her dilemma when Professor Slughorn flicked his wand, and a cursive script appeared on the blackboard behind him listing the steps of brewing Amortentia.

"Of course," he said, "Amortentia takes a full lunar cycle to brew, so we will only be doing the first steps today. This potion is another that will surely show up on your N.E.W.T.s, so do pay attention and take down good notes! Any questions? No? All right, then, off you trot!"

"I'll get the ingredients," said Sirius, standing before she could speak. "Heat the cauldron?"

"Yeah, sure," she muttered, but he was already making his way to the back of the classroom where the ingredient store stood.

When he was out of earshot, Cassie whirled on James, who'd remained seated while Remus had gone to get their own supplies. She crumpled a spare sheet of parchment in her hand and chucked it at him. It bounced off his forehead harmlessly, but he pretended to pout and rubbed the spot where it'd hit. "Ow. What was that for, Princess? You could've given me a scar."

"How many times must I tell you to stay out of my business?" she hissed. "I've been waiting for the right time to talk to Sirius! Forcing us to work together when he isn't ready only makes things worse, do you understand?"

"You've been waiting for weeks," he pointed out. "And how do you know he isn't ready when you won't even talk to him?"

She fumed. "I held on to the news about Regulus when I shouldn't have. I should've told him as soon as Avery told me. I can't blame him for being upset, which is why I wanted to give him space to process it all."

James put his chin in his hand and sighed. The gesture made him look so boyish, especially when he beseeched her with sympathetic eyes. She scoffed.

"Ugh. Don't go giving me the pity stare, Potter."

"I'm not," he said. "I think you're just being incredibly thick right now when it comes to what Sirius is feeling. He's upset, yes, but not with you, Cassie. I don't even think he's that upset with his brother, either. I think he just blames himself for not being able to see the signs."

When she said nothing, he continued. "Just talk to him again, please? He misses you."

She glanced to the storeroom. Sirius and Remus stood huddled together, laughing again like old times, and she realized then that she missed him too. She couldn't – didn't even want to – keep avoiding him. But she still had one thing to get off her conscience before she and Sirius truly made amends.

"Fine," she said, "but just for the record, I hate it when you're right."

James just grinned. "Of course you do."

When Professor Flitwick released them from Double Charms for lunch, Cassie steeled her nerves and walked over to where Sirius stood at the back of the classroom with the other Marauders. Before she could hesitate, she reached out and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Can we talk?" she asked.

Over his shoulder, James flashed her a grin and a thumbs-up. She ignored him.

"'Course," said Sirius, his face unreadable.

He waved to the other boys as Cassie led them out of the classroom and into the corridor. It was nearly empty already as students rushed to the Great Hall, and they stopped at one of the window alcoves overlooking the castle's west wing and the courtyard below. A smattering of snowflakes continued to fall from the cold grey sky, adding to the piles of snow heaped on the grounds, and Cassie watched them while Sirius sat on the window ledge and stretched out his legs.

"Must be important," he said when she stayed silent, still gathering her thoughts. She shot him a confused look. He waved his hand. "Whatever we have to talk about. Otherwise, you wouldn't purposefully be skiving a meal."

"Always hilarious, Sirius," she said, rolling her eyes.

Her hands twisted her bag strap, back and forth, and he raised his eyebrows.

"Cass?"

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice soft, "about Regulus. About keeping it from you. I know I already apologized but I need to do it again."

He sighed and braced his elbows on his knees. "You don't have to. I understand why you didn't want to tell me sooner." He shook his head. "I think I was more upset that it was Avery who'd told you. That he knew before I did. I still have half a mind not to believe a damn word he says, but after you told us about your conversation with Regulus…"

"Still," she said, "it was about your brother. No matter your relationship with him, I know what it's like to still care despite everything."

He shrugged. "As I said before, it's his choice. I know that's not what you want to hear, but Reg is making his bed. He'll have to lie in it."

She frowned. He was right; that wasn't what she wanted to hear at all, but she knew what Sirius was like when he'd made up his mind about something. Instead, she sat beside him on the window ledge and sighed.

"I don't like it, but I think you're right," she said, staring at the wall opposite them. "After all, aren't I doing the same thing with Will?"

Sirius snorted. "It's like they're competing for the Shittiest Brother Award."

"Well, Regulus has to get a couple of murders under his belt first, and then it'll be a competition."

They glanced at each other. Sirius's mouth twitched.

"I know I shouldn't laugh," he said, his chest shaking, "but I really want to."

Cassie bit down on her lip to keep from breaking out in a fit of giggles. "We really shouldn't."

They looked at each other again and began roaring with laughter.

Sirius positively howled. "Merlin, we're awful people."

Cassie was in hysterics.

"We – really – shouldn't – laugh," she choked out between hiccups, but they only laughed harder when they made eye contact again.

Sirius doubled over, his hands on his knees and his chest almost parallel to the floor. Cassie fell against him, clutching her stomach as their laughter echoed through the corridor. She wouldn't be surprised if Professor Dumbledore could hear them all the way from his office.

"Bloody hell." Sirius wiped a tear from his eye once they had regained some composure.

"Oh, I needed that," said Cassie, still holding her stomach.

Sirius grinned down at his lap. "It was good to hear you laugh like that again."

"It's been a while since any of us have laughed like that." She leaned against the windowpane and sighed. The cold dug into her back like claws, but she found herself not minding it so much when Sirius was beside her again. "We missed you. I missed you."

"I missed you too," he said quietly.

He looked up at her, his silver eyes bright with mirth and something else she didn't recognize, but it paralyzed her all the same. His hair fell into his face as he leaned forward, and he was so devastatingly handsome that it made her heart pound and her knees weak, and he was moving closer—

She pulled back. "Do you remember when we went to that Muggle town for Peter's birthday?"

He froze, his eyes shuttering, but she had to tell him before he got so close to her again or looked at her with that expression of tenderness like he was a drowned man saved. Perhaps she still had some secrets to keep, but she at least owed him this.

"Yes," he said, stiff.

"And do you remember when I got upset and left the tattoo parlor?"

He stared at her, all mirth and softness gone. "What does Peter's birthday have to do with anything?"

She shook out her hands nervously. "Well, I ran into Avery that night. Apparently, his family's estate was nearby, and he found out that we were in that town. He came to find me, I think. And he did. And we talked. And…"

"And?"

"He kissed me," she said swiftly. "But I swear I didn't want him to. He just – did it. And he said that I was his hope, and it was all so—" She waved her hands vaguely. "But I didn't tell anyone. It meant nothing. It still means nothing. But if you – if we – I just think you deserve the right to know now."

Sirius's lips drew back in a snarl. "I'll kill him."

"You'll do no such thing," she said, drawing herself up. "It was my fault. If I'd just said no—"

"It doesn't matter," he broke in. "The bloke's deluded when it comes to you, anyone can see that. He worshipped your brother, and now he's moved on to you. And you said you didn't want him to. Did you ask him to?"

She balked. "What? No! Of course not! We were dating!"

"Then I'm killing him," he said matter-of-factly.

"This is exactly why I didn't tell you," she groaned. "It was harmless, Sirius! It changed nothing! I don't have feelings for Avery at all."

"So, he's not the reason you pulled away?"

She blushed to the roots of her hair. "No. I just wanted to come clean about the whole thing. Even though I brushed it off at the time, it was still a secret." She shrugged. "And no more secrets, right?"

His eyes scanned her face for a long moment before he sighed. "Right." He raked a hand through his hair and let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "Y'know, I can't even be angry if I wanted to. Well, at you. I'm still going to k – punch him," he amended at her look, "but you? 'S not your fault the creep came on to you. I think I'd be a bit of a hypocrite if I got mad at you when my git-ass was the one who cheated on Marlene before."

Cassie hadn't even thought of that. She honestly preferred not to remember the period when Sirius and Marlene dated at all. "Oh. I guess you're right. And you were a git-ass, by the way."

He cringed. "Yeah, I know." He gave her a small grin. "But thanks. For telling me anyway."

She looked away. "Friends don't keep secrets."

Except I still am.

He nodded.

"Friends don't keep secrets," he repeated.

She got to her feet and brushed invisible dust from her robes. "So, we're all right again?"

"I hope so." He followed her lead and pushed off the ledge. "Er, you know, in the spirit of good faith and all, I should warn you to maybe skive lunch today after all."

"Oh, dear Merlin." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "What did you lot do?"

Sirius only gave her a wolfish grin. "You'll see."

Cassie had taken Sirius's warning to heart and, indeed, skipped lunch, and thank goodness she had. The Marauders (sans Remus, who had fervently declined to be part of what he called "the stupidest idea James and Sirius ever had" as he had confided in Cassie later) had taken it upon themselves to rebel against the holiday of Valentine's, and to aid in their scheme, they had given Peeves the Poltergeist a mock Cupid's bow-and-arrow and had apparently utterly neglected to remember that the poltergeist was not an entity to be trusted at all – much less with a weapon in hand.

While the boys had been prudent enough to use rubber-tipped arrows instead of the real thing, James's feeble protests had gone unheard as he, Sirius, and Peter had been carted off to Professor McGonagall's office, all three boys sporting unseemly welts from being pelted with said arrows and ashen expressions once they had been slapped with a month's worth of scrubbing bedpans in the hospital wing. Although most of the damage had been dealt to the three Marauders themselves when Peeves had turned on them first, by the end of the day, the number of victims was rumored to be in the dozens, and Peeves had allegedly shot Professor Dumbledore's hat clean off despite the hundreds of witnesses who had seen no such thing.

"It's not like they were real arrows," complained James for the forty-third time since dinner. (Cassie had counted.) "And no one got hurt except us!" He flopped back in his armchair in the common room and pouted. "He was supposed to go after the Slytherins, anyway."

"Prongs," Remus said after a long-suffering sigh, "it was an idiotic plan. Just own up to it. Your pranks can't be legendary all the time."

"It's because you backed out on us, Moony. We're supposed to be the Marauders, not the Three Musketeers!"

"Right," drawled Remus, "it all went sideways because I wasn't there. Not because you decided to trust that Peeves would keep his word or anything."

Next to Remus on the sofa, Cassie crossed her arms. "Peeves spoils everything his undead hands touch. You should've known better than to trust a poltergeist."

Sirius blew a piece of hair off his face moodily. "I told James we should've done the Caterwauling Charms instead. Now we have detention for the rest of the month."

"You've had detention for much longer," Cassie reminded him. "In fact, you still do from the night of the Whomping Willow," she added with a nod toward Remus, and Sirius winced.

"I can't scrub bedpans," Peter moaned. "I swear I'll puke. My stomach can't take it. I had to clean them once in second year and when I threw up all over them, Filch just made me clean them again."

Cassie wrinkled her nose. "That is far too much information, Pete."

"Speaking of." Remus checked his watch. "You lot should be off. It's half-past eight. Madam Pomfrey'll be expecting you."

Cassie watched, torn between sympathy and amusement as the three boys dragged themselves to their feet and out of the portrait hole, bemoaning their fate all the while.

"They really should have known better," Remus said as he went back to his book. "Peeves could've taken one of their eyes out – or someone else's."

"Not James's best work by far," Cassie agreed.

Remus tapped his finger along the book's spine thoughtfully. "I told him as much when he first suggested it. To be honest, I think he just wanted to do something spontaneous. He's been restless lately. Well, more than usual."

Cassie was instantly worried. "Does it have something to do with me? Because Will's out?"

"No, I don't think it's that." He frowned, staring into space. "You know, I haven't mentioned it because I didn't think it was important, but he got a letter about a fortnight ago. I could tell it was from his parents, but he didn't say anything about it. Ever since he's just seemed on-edge, though."

"Maybe we can talk to him about it this weekend," Cassie said. She hesitated. "Do you think it has something to do with the Order?"

Remus shook his head. "I don't think his parents would put something about the Order in a letter that can be easily intercepted. Like you said, we can talk to him about it this weekend. I just hope it's nothing bad."

"Same." Cassie flopped back into the cushions and sighed. "Ugh. It's still so early. What should we do?"

Remus smirked down at his book as he read, his eyes never leaving the page. "We could work on Flitwick's essay?"

"Ew."

"Study for our Apparition tests?"

"Double ew."

"Practice your transformation?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "There's a blizzard outside, in case you haven't noticed."

"Ah, rubbish. It's cleared up by now. There's just a lot of snow on the ground, that's all."

"Yeah, that's my point."

"No one will be out on the grounds," he said. "We wouldn't even have to take the cloak; just the map."

She huffed. "But it's so cold."

"We'll start a fire."

She tried again. "People will notice if we're gone."

"We'll tell them we were in the kitchens."

She groaned, and he chuckled. "I'm just making suggestions."

"Then suggest something non-educational."

"You're the one who wanted to become an illegal Animagus."

"Oh, all right, fine. But we are nipping to the kitchens for some food," she said. "I'm not doing this on an empty stomach."

"We just came back from dinner," he said, baffled.

"So?" she said as she stood from the sofa. "Grab the map and change clothes. I'll meet you back down here in five."

"Right on it, ma'am," he said with a sarcastic salute as she left and jogged up the girls' staircases to her dormitory.

Lily, Alice, and Marlene glanced up from where they were sprawled on their beds chatting when Cassie bounded in. "Hey!"

"What are you up to?" Marlene asked as Cassie began rifling through her trunk for a change of clothes that would keep her warm on the trek from the castle to the shack.

"Oh, just nipping to the kitchens with Remus," she said. "Want me to bring something back?"

"You're going to the kitchens with Remus? Alone?" Alice said skeptically.

"Er, yeah." Cassie missed the look her friends exchanged as she pulled another jumper over the one she was already wearing. "Why'd you say it like that?"

"Well," said Lily delicately, "it's Valentine's."

Cassie snorted, yanking on her boots. "And we're just friends."

"Last I checked, you don't need four layers of clothing to go to the kitchens," Marlene said.

"It's drafty down there," she said defensively, not making eye contact.

"And my mum's a troll," Marlene retorted. "Honestly, Cass, we don't care if you get with Remus. We won't judge. We just care that you're so obviously hiding something from us with him."

Cassie sighed as she got back to her feet. "Nothing's going on between us! Look, I'll talk to him tonight. It's not my place to say what's going on. I just want him to give the all-right first before I tell you anything."

This time, she did not miss the look that the three girls swapped.

"I promise," she said firmly. "I have to go now. Sorry."

Before any more guilt could consume her, she rushed out of the dormitory and back down the stairs. Remus appeared a minute later, bundled in layers as she was and carrying the disguised Marauder's Map.

"Ready?" he asked. "Let's go."

The journey to the kitchens was a short one thanks to the map and Remus's unparalleled knowledge of the castle's secret passageways. They collected a fair bit of snacks from the overenthusiastic house-elves before they slipped out of the castle and braced themselves against the sudden onslaught of cold.

"Godric on a s-stick," Cassie said, her teeth chattering as they began to wade through the snow. It reached up to her mid-calf, turning her feet and lower legs into blocks of ice before she remembered that she was a witch and had a wand. She cast a Heating Charm, and some of the snow melted away, clearing their path and allowing them to walk normally as they headed for the distant Whomping Willow. "There. Much better."

"Coast is clear," said Remus after consulting the map. "We're the only ones out here."

"Because we're clearly deranged," Cassie pointed out.

"You didn't have to agree to come."

"No, I need to get the transformation down," she said. "The sooner I can, the sooner I can help you out on full moons."

He didn't answer as the Whomping Willow came into view. He quickly Immobilized the tree before helping Cassie into the tunnel at its base. She lit her wand and led the way through the steep, winding tunnel, Remus close behind her. When they reached the Shrieking Shack, he gave her a little push out of the tunnel, and she pulled him up by his hand until they were standing in the derelict sitting room.

Soon, they had a fire going in the cracked, dusty fireplace, and Cassie peeled off her gloves with a shiver as they sat at the small kitchen table. "Good thing this place is small. It should heat up quickly."

She reached for the pile of sweet buns she'd gotten from the kitchens as Remus raised an eyebrow. "Were you actually hoping to practice your transformation, or was this all a ploy for more food?"

"Oi, I had to miss lunch today because of the others' idiocy," she said. "If anything, they're the ones to blame for me still being hungry."

He sighed and reached for a bun himself. "Point taken."

They sat in silence at the table, eating, until a sudden thought occurred to her. "Hey, did you happen to get a Valentine's from Bellamy Armstrong today? In Ravenclaw?"

He gave her a dry look. "I know who Bellamy is."

"Oh." She frowned. "How?"

"Because she's one of the Ravenclaw prefects?" When Cassie stared at him blankly, he laughed. "Merlin, Cass, you're so oblivious sometimes."

"Never mind that. Did she?" she pressed.

"Er, yeah, actually." His cheeks turned a light pink. "She, er, asked me to the next Hogsmeade trip, too."

Cassie's chewing slowed. She'd expected the answer; after all, she'd been the one to ask, hadn't she? She'd even encouraged Remus to ask out Bellamy before.

Then why was her stomach suddenly in knots?

"Great," she said. "Brilliant. That's really great. Brilliant."

Remus shrugged, not meeting her eyes. "I'm going to turn her down."

"What? Why?"

"Why do you think?" He gave a humorless chuckle as he gestured around the shack, his eyes lingering on a set of deep gouges in the floor – claw marks. "I wouldn't want to subject someone to this."

She frowned. "I thought we agreed that you were no monster. Remember?" She pointed to the marks he'd just gestured at. "Right there. We said no monsters allowed."

He sighed heavily, not looking convinced in the slightest even as he said, "You're right. Sorry." He hesitated. "So, does that mean you think I should accept her invitation?"

Cassie's stomach squirmed again. She shrugged it off as hunger pangs after having skived lunch. "If that's what you want."

"That's the problem," said Remus, sagging against the back of his chair. "I don't know what I want, Cass."

She polished off the rest of her sweet bun and brushed powdered sugar from her fingers and lap. "Welcome to my life, Remus."

He scrutinized her carefully. "But you and Sirius made up today, yeah? You're back together? I thought that was something you wanted."

"We did make up, but we're not back together." She scratched absentmindedly at a nick in the tabletop. "Not yet at least."

His puzzled expression reflected her own confusion back at her. "So, you don't want to get back together with him, or you do?"

"Can I just…survive the rest of this year first? Please?" She put her face in her hands. "Then I'll go from there, all right?"

"Whoa, Cass, hey," he said. "I wasn't trying to come off as pushy. I'm sorry. I won't bring it up again."

"No, no, you're just trying to help," she said. "Don't apologize. Thank you, truly. I'm just…"

She waved a vague hand, and he gave her a sympathetic smile.

"I understand." His lips quirked. "Does this mean you're not in the mood to practice?"

She huffed out a laugh. "I don't think I ever was. You were right – I just wanted to eat my snacks in peace."

"You're impossible," he said, but his eyes were fond as he chuckled.

"And famished," she said as she tucked into another sweet bun.

He rolled his eyes. "That, too."

As she ate, she caught him staring at her with a strange expression, and she swallowed loudly. "Do I have something on my face?"

"What? Oh, no." He glanced away, and she realized that he was blushing again. "I was just thinking… Never mind. Stupid, really."

"Thinking what?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, how I can't believe that it took us so long to become friends." His blush deepened. "I mean, we were in the same House for years. Lived in the same tower, ate at the same table, sat in the same lessons. But we just never…talked."

She looked down at the table. "Yeah, well, I wasn't really the most approachable person, was I?"

"That's the thing, though," he implored. "You were. At least to me." He stared into the fireplace, not meeting her eyes. "Y'know, I thought about it. Back in our first year. Becoming your friend." The flames reflected in his eyes, turning the green to gold. "You just seemed so lonely. Like I was." His lips turned up in a wry grin. "Well, then the lads got involved, and you seemed close with Alice, so I thought that we would be fine. That we would never need each other."

"That's not true at all," she said quietly. "I need you, Remus. I think I always have."

He glanced at her and gave her a small, self-deprecating smile. "Better late than never, right? I'm sorry for waiting so long to get to you." He inhaled deeply. "Truth is, I think I've always needed you, too."

"Well, I'm here now." She rested her hand on the table, palm up, and wiggled her fingers. "And I'm glad you are, too."

He slid his hand into hers and clasped it tightly. "Same here."

They sat in comfortable silence, listening to the flames crackle and the logs pop, while Cassie tried not to focus on the warmth of Remus's hand in her own, or the way his small scars felt against her skin, years of transformations littered across his flesh that imprinted on her own. It only made her resolve that much stronger; she would become an Animagus and help him. Yet despite her determination, she didn't move, not wanting to break this small moment between them.

She peeked at him out of the corner of her eye. He watched the fire with a serene expression, the light turning his hair and skin golden and washing out the faint white scars she knew were there. With the full moon still some days away, he looked less exhausted, less weary, and it overjoyed her. She only wished that she was able to do something to make it permanent.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

He blinked slowly as if coming out of a deep reverie and glanced at her before his eyes darted away again. "Er, nothing. Just wondering if they're out of detention yet."

He jerked his chin to the open map splayed across the table's surface.

"Oh, then let's see," she said, releasing Remus's hand and leaning forward for a better look all while forcing down the puzzling feeling of why his answer had disappointed her.

Her eyes swept across the map and its many moving clusters of dots and names, searching for the three boys, only to freeze when she came across two familiar names squished together in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

Lochan Staghart paced the length of the tiny drawn room, and while the Defense professor's name was not a shock to see, the name of the person with him at this hour was.

Edmond Avery.

There was originally going to be more to this chapter but it already felt like it was dragging, so I've saved it for the next one.

As always, please let me know your thoughts! I can't wait to hear from y'all again!

Next Chapter: The Descendant

Until next time!