I promised I would finish this story in 2025 even if it kills me, so here I am.

I feel like this might be a divisive chapter, but I am only here to serve as a vessel for these characters, and therefore cannot make them do anything they don't want to do. Take that as you will.

Happy reading!

2/11/25: Re-uploading since some people are having issues with the chapter not showing. Hopefully this resolves the issue.

Chapter Thirty

The Times

The train ride back to London was sleepy and peaceful, and after the Hogwarts Express had pulled into King's Cross, Cassie turned to her friends on Platform 9 3/4 with a smile.

"Well," she said, "I guess I'll be seeing you lot in a few weeks, then. Keep in touch, yeah?"

James pretended to wipe a tear. "Beautiful farewell speech, Cass."

"It's six weeks, James, not six years," she reminded him.

"It might as well be," Alice said. She wrapped her arms around Cassie's neck and squeezed tightly. "I'm going to miss you all!"

"We'll write letters," Marlene assured the smaller girl. "Once a week?" At Alice's pout, however, she rolled her eyes. "Fine. Daily."

"Send as many owls as you like," Lily said. "Petunia's moved out, so I won't have to hear her complaining about it anymore, thank goodness."

Marlene wrinkled her nose. "Has she married that boring Muggle yet?"

"No, the wedding's in August." Lily sighed. "I'm not looking forward to it."

"Need a date?" James said with a roguish grin.

Lily gave him a cool sidelong glance. "Perhaps."

James looked dumbstruck, and the Marauders laughed at his expression while Cassie hugged Lily and Marlene in turn.

"My parents'll be out in the station waiting," Lily said. "Bye, everyone! Take care!"

They waved and bid farewell as Lily departed with her things. Mikey McKinnon strolled over to their group and tapped on Marlene's shoulder.

"Oi, you done?" he said. "Mum and Dad are looking for you. Oh, 'ello, James; Sirius."

James slugged the younger boy on the shoulder playfully. "Keep up that swing on holiday, eh, Mikey? I need my best Beater in top shape next term. That cup is ours."

Mikey's eyes were huge. "Best?"

"You heard me," James said, exchanging an amused glance with Sirius. "No slacking, you hear?"

"Cheers, Mikey," Sirius said. "Have a good holiday."

Marlene had to steer her brother away from the two boys when he kept standing, slack-jawed, and Cassie grinned when Marlene began to admonish him.

"There's Frank," Alice said, shouldering her knapsack. She squeezed Cassie in another hug. "Love you! Write me!"

"'Course," Cassie said. "Bye, Alice. Love you, too."

The brunette witch skipped away, leaving Cassie alone with the Marauders.

"Any grand speech of your own, James?" Cassie said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Nah." He grinned. "I'll save it for graduation."

"Are your parents here, Prongs?" Remus asked. "I'd like to say hello."

James's grin flickered, and he shared another glance with Sirius, but the look was hard – grave.

"No," he said after a beat of silence. "No, Sirius and I figured we'd make good use of our Apparition licenses and Apparate home ourselves."

"Lucky," Peter moaned. "My mum would have a cow if I did that. I've got to take the tube all the way to Bristol instead."

"Ah, chin up, Pete." Sirius clapped him on the shoulder. "One more year and you can move out and do whatever you want."

"Anyway, we should get going," James said. "Moony; Wormy; Princess." He bowed dramatically. "It's been a pleasure."

"Likewise, Master Prongs," Remus said, sketching an equally deep bow. "Do give our best to your mother and father."

Peter began to bow quickly in succession. "Yes, and do please request of your mother that sumptuous pound cake so that I may partake in it once more. Farewell, my fellow esteemed gentlemen of the marauding variety."

Sirius executed a flawless curtsy, and Cassie snorted so loudly that several people turned in their direction. "Alas, my heart cleaves in two as we depart on this fateful day, my dear obstreperous friends. I shall mourn our parting greatly until the moment in which we reunite once more."

"You're all such clots," Cassie said.

James seized one of her hands in both of his. "Gentle lady! Bosom companion of the rapacious cavaliers! How woeful I shall be until I look upon your fair face again!"

Cassie attempted to shake him off to no avail. "This is just embarrassing for everyone now."

Sirius grinned and dragged James back by his collar. "Right, then. Time to go." He exchanged hugs with Remus and Peter and hesitated when he reached Cassie. "All right if I write to you?"

She smiled and hugged him. "Always."

James winked at her when she and Sirius broke apart. "Princess."

She rolled her eyes half-heartedly and held open her arms. "Potter."

He nearly tackled her to the ground when they embraced, and she staggered back with a laugh. "Merlin, James, I'm not going anywhere."

"I know." He kissed her temple with a grin. "As long as I walk this earth, you'll never be without me, and that is a threat."

"Noted." She patted his arm when he pulled away. "Stay in touch, soulmate."

He and Sirius vanished between one blink and the next as they Disapparated. Cassie turned to Remus and Peter.

"I guess I should go, too," Peter said. "I'm supposed to catch the six o'clock."

Cassie bumped knuckles with him before drawing him into a hug. "Have a safe trip, Pete. We'll see you soon."

"See you 'round, mate," said Remus after their own hug. "Safe travels."

Peter waved as he headed for the barrier separating the platform from the other Muggle ones, and Cassie became acutely aware that she and Remus were the only two left.

Remus broke their eye contact first and gestured to her things. "Walk you out? I'll get a trolley for us."

"Please," she said, embarrassed at how meek her voice sounded. "Are you hailing a cab?"

"No, I'll head somewhere quiet and Apparate," he explained as he grabbed a loose trolley and began putting their luggage on it. "I'd prefer to Floo since I've got my things, but the Leaky Cauldron's probably packed at this hour. You?"

"You can come with me," she offered. "Liv's picking me up. You're welcome to Floo from our house." She fished out another treat for Osbourne when his cage rattled as Remus pushed it ahead of him. "Dunno if she brought the kids or not, though."

Remus pursed his lips as they came to the barrier. "Avery still planning on getting his sister at the end of the week?"

She nodded and scanned the platform quickly; there was no sign of either Avery or Regulus Black, and she wasn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed by that. "Yes. I still need to tell Liv, but it was too risky to send it in a letter. Ben and Mia will be sad, but it's for the best."

"Agreed." Remus motioned at the barrier. "Ready?"

"On three?" she asked, putting her hand on the trolley. "One, two, three!"

They materialized into the chaos of greater King's Cross; no one seemed to notice the two teenagers that had suddenly appeared in their midst, though Osbourne's hoot of consternation garnered a few peculiar looks. They made their way to the front entrance and out into the smoky dusk of the city. The sky was a deep burnt orange, stained with the artificial glow of electric streetlights and cars. It was only a few minutes before a familiar blue car pulled up to the curb in front of them.

"You drove David's car here?" Cassie said when her aunt popped out of the driver's seat. "I didn't even know you could drive!"

Liv joined them on the curb with a broad smile. She was as effortlessly beautiful as ever, wearing comfortable slacks and a chic blouse, her dark hair pinned up in a French twist. She laughed as she embraced Cassie.

"I've been in the Muggle world for a while," she said, amused. "I've picked up a thing or two." She positively beamed when she saw Remus standing beside Cassie. "Remus! How lovely to see you again! Did you have a nice term?"

"It's good to see you again, too, Mrs. Hastings," he said, allowing himself to be pulled into a hug and ignoring Cassie's snicker. "It was good, thank you."

"Are you waiting for someone?" Liv asked. "Do you need a ride home? It's no trouble at all, you're perfectly welcome to Floo from our house if you need to—"

"I told him he could Floo from our place," Cassie broke in. "The house is still part of the Network, right?"

Liv tapped her nose. "Yes, but don't tell the Ministry. It was only supposed to be temporary, but, well, if they forgot to remove us…"

"Not a word from me." Remus mimed locking his mouth and throwing away the key. Liv laughed as if it were the funniest thing in the world, and Cassie realized, too late, that she was about to be trapped in a car with them for at least a few hours. Hopefully, their chatter would be at a low enough volume that she could sneak a nap. "I'll help load our things."

After a discreet Expansion Charm so David's small car could fit both Remus and Cassie's trunks, Liv climbed behind the wheel while Remus folded himself into the passenger seat, still disgruntled that Cassie had taken the back with Osbourne instead since she was the smaller of the two. She positioned herself behind Remus and shot Liv a pleading glance, hoping that she could convey her appeal for her aunt not to embarrass her. Liv cheerfully ignored her.

"Well? How was the term?" Liv asked as they pulled into the late London traffic. "Good marks? No more detentions?" she added with a shrewd glance back at Cassie.

Cassie rolled her eyes. "I already told you; some Slytherin bint was having a go at me and saying I murdered our teacher. She deserved worse than she got."

Liv gave a weary sigh, undoubtedly remembering Cassie's impassioned letter on the matter that spanned nearly four pages. "And I told you that silence is your best companion and their worst enemy, remember?"

"Yes, yes." Cassie settled herself into the upholstered seat with crossed arms. "Remus won the award for best Defense Against the Dark Arts performance this year."

Remus reached around to pinch her knee, but she wriggled out of his grasp, grinning when Liv began to gush.

"That's wonderful, Remus!" she said. "Cassie says you've an aptitude for Defense. Have you thought about becoming an Auror? Or your father works at the Ministry as well, I hear. Would you follow in his footsteps?"

Remus shifted in his seat. "Yes, he works in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. I haven't decided where I want to end up after school, though."

"I told you," Cassie broke in, poking his shoulder from behind, "you won't have to work. We'll travel the world and piss away my family's fortune. Liv agrees, right?"

"I agreed that you should be careful with your inheritance," she said absently as she switched lanes.

"The Vaughn vault is mine now, too. You didn't object when I signed over that gold to you for Ben and Mia's schooling. Speaking of Ben and Mia," she went on, "well, sort of – Avery's supposed to be returning for Evangeline at the end of the week. They found a safe place for her and Mrs. Avery."

"Good." Liv nodded curtly. "A shame, of course – the children have gotten on so well together – but we all knew it was temporary. As long as they're safe…"

Remus cleared his throat when there was a tense lull in conversation. "How are Ben and Mia, anyway? They'll be moving on to their next year in primary?"

Liv brightened again once she began talking about her children. "Indeed. They find it incredibly boring, unfortunately, but I believe it's my fault – too many stories about Hogwarts and the like. They've begun to beg me to write Professor Dumbledore and see about early admission…"

While Liv and Remus kept up polite conversation, Cassie stared out the window as they left the clogged arteries of London and escaped into the suburbs. There were still plenty of Muggles out and about walking dogs, riding bicycles, trawling in packs to the next pub. She spotted a couple hand-in-hand beneath the golden glow of a streetlamp. When they kissed, she turned away, uncomfortable.

She must have dozed off at some point during the journey, for when she cracked open her eyes next, there were no more people or buildings, only a long stretch of black highway. Liv had turned the radio on; it crooned a familiar Muggle song she often played on the wireless at home, a tune she had described to Cassie as "disco". The man's voice sounded tinny and faraway as he sang:

"How much love I wanna know,

What can I do, what can I say,

The last thing I want is to drive you away."

She prepared to say something before Liv's quiet voice drifted over the music.

"I worry about her. Constantly. Ever since Alastor Moody showed up on my doorstep and told me my sister and her husband were dead…" She sucked in a sharp breath. "Outwardly, she appears to be handing it all well, but I worry so much about what goes on inside. And then that awful business with your teacher…"

"I know what you mean," Remus murmured. "The past two years have been a lot."

Liv gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles, but she spoke gently. "I think your friends and hers have helped keep her steady, and I'm so grateful to you all." She threw him a small smile. "Especially you. She mentions you more than anyone else in her letters home."

Cassie's face began to heat, but mortification and curiosity had her continuing to feign sleep as Remus chuckled nervously.

"Me? Really?"

"Oh, yes, particularly after she confessed that she and Sirius were no longer together." Cassie heard the loud clicking of the indicator before Liv continued. "He didn't – well – You would tell me if he had done something to hurt her, yes? Really hurt her?"

"He would never," said Remus swiftly. "They just, ah, had a bit of a falling out. They're all right now, though. I wouldn't be shocked if they got back together."

Liv hummed. "You think they would? I often got the impression she was rather smitten with you."

Cassie instantly contemplated how much it would hurt if she were to throw herself from a moving car. She shifted, about to put an end to the whole charade, but Remus's voice kept her rooted to the spot.

"Sorry?" he choked out. Osbourne hooted in reproach, and he spoke in a lower tone. "Er, I don't think…"

"I know it's not my place," Liv continued (Cassie heartily agreed), "and I do apologize if I've overstepped, but, well, consider this my blessing, should you ever need it. I daresay she needs someone more like you – constant, supportive. A balancing force."

"Thank…you?"

Liv chuckled. "Have I made you uncomfortable? I'm sorry. That's one thing my sister and I always had in common – being rather opinionated with our thoughts, I mean."

"It's all right." Cassie sensed he was smiling. "Cassie can be the same way sometimes."

"Don't I know it." Liv sighed, and Cassie decided it was time to put an end to her aunt's rambling before it got any more embarrassing.

She yawned loudly and stretched, garnering their attention as she pretended to blink sleepily. "Sorry, must've dozed off there. How long 'til we're home?"

"Half an hour, give or take," Liv said breezily. "Good rest?"

"Something like that," Cassie muttered. She glanced at the back of Remus's head, but the Marauder had gone to staring out the window, and he did not speak again until they had pulled into the driveway of the Hastings' home.

They entered through the front door and had barely set down their things before a multitude of footsteps thundered on the stairs. Ben and Mia careened down the staircase in their pajamas, the latter clutching a toothbrush and the former with a spot of toothpaste at the corner of his mouth. Evangeline Avery followed more slowly, trailing after Cassie's cousins in a long nightgown, but she watched Ben and Mia fondly; a marked change from the sad, lonely girl Cassie had last seen at Christmas. David appeared at the rear, looking haggard and disheveled.

"Sorry, dear," he called to Liv as Ben and Mia threw themselves down the last few steps. "I tried to have them in bed by nine, but—" He gestured helplessly before smiling when he spotted Cassie. "Cassie, welcome home! How are you feeling? Peckish? There's some leftover curry we got from that spot you liked last summer— oh! You brought a friend!"

"Remus Lupin," said Remus with a wave. "Good to see you, Mr. Hastings."

"David, please," Cassie's uncle said as he descended the last few steps and shook Remus's hand. "Can I get you anything? Water? Tea?"

"Cassie, Cassie!" Ben and Mia clamored, drowning out their father as they rushed Cassie as one and wrapped their skinny arms around her torso. "You're back!"

She staggered and had to brace herself against the doorframe before her cousins tackled her to the floor. "Hey, little fiends." She patted their heads and quirked an eyebrow at their mirrored mischievous expressions. "Been good to your mum and dad, I hope?"

"'Course we have; we're angels," said Ben with such an expression of practiced innocence that she felt as if she were looking at James again.

Mia tilted her head back and looked Remus up and down. "You brought the cute one home! Is he your boyfriend now?"

Liv burst into giggles, and Cassie threw her an acidic look when Remus's ears turned bright red. "No, Mia, Remus is just my friend, remember? He's borrowing our fireplace to Floo home."

"Oh." She looked put-out for only a moment before she grasped Evangeline's hand and pulled her over to Cassie. Evangeline seemed nervous, but Cassie tried for a reassuring smile. "Evie, you remember Cassie, right?"

"Of course," Evangeline said. Her voice was soft and lilting with a delicate edge that resembled Avery's. She even spoke in the same sophisticated manner that made her seem wiser beyond her years. "It's good to see you again, Cassie." Her blue eyes darted to Remus and away again when her cheeks turned pink. "Hello, Cassie's friend."

"Hello, Evangeline," said Remus kindly. "I'm Remus. It's nice to finally meet you."

Evangeline's blush deepened, and Cassie watched in amusement as she and Mia began whispering and giggling together.

"All right, all right, you've seen your cousin," Liv said, herding the small children back toward David and the staircase. "Now, off to bed with you; it's late! I'll be up shortly to read more Beetle the Bard, but only once those teeth are cleaned! Shoo!"

The kids took off, cheering, and David followed with a grateful smile to his wife. Liv shook her head with her hands on her hips.

"Well," Cassie said, amused, "I imagine they've kept you busy."

"Busy is a generous term," she said, but she was smiling. "They've gotten on like seeds in a Snargaluff pod. I guess I should tell them about Evie…"

"It's for the best," Cassie said gently.

Liv nodded before clapping her hands and turning to Remus. "Now! A spot of tea before you go, Remus? I have sandwiches, too, and biscuits."

"Might as well," Cassie said when he looked at her helplessly. "She'll try and send you home with them otherwise. And I know for a fact that you and Peter only ate Cauldron Cakes on the train. You must be hungry."

"All right," he said once it became clear he did not have much say in the matter. "That sounds lovely, Liv, thank you."

"Go get settled in," she said to Cassie. "I'll bring everything up to you shortly."

Cassie extracted her wand to use a Levitation Charm on her trunk while Liv went to the kitchen. Remus was kind enough to grab her rucksack and Osbourne's cage and follow her to her bedroom. She opened the door and switched on the light, then tapped her wand against her trunk to release the spell.

"You can put Ozzy on the desk there," she said, taking her rucksack from him before tossing it unceremoniously on her bed. "I'll open the window so he can go out and stretch his wings."

Osbourne was gone as soon as Cassie opened the door to his cage, taking off into the night with a hoot she'd come to learn was I'll be back. She flopped down on her trunk and kicked off her shoes with a sigh of relief. Remus stood in the center of her room, taking it in with a small smile on his face. It was odd to see him amidst the daisy wallpaper and chestnut furniture, standing on her woven yellow rug and gazing around as if he were at an interesting museum and not just her aunt's spare bedroom.

"It's not much," she said, suddenly self-conscious. "Most of my belongings are still at the manor, and I haven't really decorated since I figured I'd be at Hogwarts most of the time…"

"It's nice," he assured. "I think it suits you."

Cassie snorted. "Sunshine and daisies?"

"Something happy," he said. He met her eyes, and she looked away when she remembered the conversation she'd overheard in the car.

She floundered for something to say. "Your parents won't be upset that you stayed for a bit, will they? I don't want to keep you or anything."

"They won't mind. My mum goes to bed early and my dad works late. Besides, I'm seventeen now." He smiled. "It's not like they can ground me."

Cassie nodded. She got off her trunk and pushed it toward her closet door with her foot, then sat on the rug and patted the spot next to her. "Here; sit. You don't have to keep standing."

He settled himself next to her with a grunt, and she chuckled under her breath.

"Old man noises already?" she teased. He threw her a playful glare. "I thought you were only seventeen."

"I'd say something mean-spirited in response, but I'm supposed to respect my elders," he retorted.

"I'm your elder by four months, you ninny."

"That's a long time in dog years."

She grabbed a pillow off her bed and threw it at him. He dodged it, laughing. "Tosser."

"Don't be rude to your guest, Cassie," Liv said, breezing into her room with a tray of tea and finger sandwiches. Cassie accepted the tray and set it on the rug in front of them, giving her aunt an exasperated look. Liv winked back. "Enjoy, you two."

She left and closed the door behind her, and Cassie hoped she had only imagined the devious glint in her aunt's eyes as she poured tea for herself and Remus. Remus had already pounced on the sandwiches and had inhaled three by the time Cassie settled herself against the foot of her bed with her teacup.

"Your aunt's a great cook," he said between his fourth and fifth. Cassie sipped from her tea with a raised eyebrow. "These are amazing."

"I'll let her know," she said wryly. "She taught herself after she left home. She'll be pleased that someone else enjoys her cooking."

He nodded thoughtfully. "You know, I never asked – and you don't have to tell me anything – but how did she meet David?"

"Nothing as exciting as saving him from a boggart in the woods." They shared a grin. "She told me she'd gotten lost in London one night after having a few too many at the Leaky Cauldron, if you can believe it. She was curious about Muggle nightlife and decided she would have some fun. David was in his final year of undergrad at King's College; he didn't go out much, but his friends had convinced him to have a pint with them that night. They got into a darts competition, of all things, and just…hit it off, I guess. The rest is history."

"What a chance encounter," he mused. "Very sweet, though."

"Is this the part where you wax poetic about life's many chance encounters and how fate is a fickle thing?" Cassie joked.

"I don't think fate's fickle," he said, leaning against her bed and staring up at the ceiling. "I think things happen for a reason, if not always a good reason. I wasn't bitten randomly; my father's views on werewolves were what led Fenrir Greyback to my bedroom that night. Carlisle sat us together for a reason; to keep an eye on us. Alice had a reason for playing our silly game, you had a reason to help her, and those reasons led to us all becoming friends. Fate doesn't happen for no reason; we're the reasons." He winced and glanced back at her. "This is what you meant about waxing poetic, didn't you?"

She hid her smile behind her hand. "Maybe. But I like hearing you talk about this sort of stuff. It makes me think."

"Oh?" He turned his head to look fully at her. A lock of sandy hair fell across his forehead, hiding a small white scar. They sat close together, Cassie realized; she could see the faint scars and scattered freckles that she normally didn't notice, the deeper flecks of green in his eyes. He grinned at her, another small scar pulling at the corner of his mouth. "And what am I making you think about?"

Unbidden, Lily's voice echoed in her head. "He fancies you." The words tumbled from her lips before she could stop them. "Was it me?"

His brow furrowed. "Was what you?"

Her mouth had gone very dry, but she set her teacup aside, afraid she would vomit if she were to drink anything. She got the urge to laugh and brush it off as a joke, but as they sat in her room, the break from school stretching between them, a void of the unknown, she realized that she needed an answer to the rattling questions in her head or she would spend the entire holiday spiraling over all the questions she had kept inside for too long.

"The…Gryffindor girl in our year. The one you said you fancied all those months ago." She forced herself to take a breath before she plunged. "Was it me?"

His face flared red; his eyes widened. He looked away, his jaw working for several moments as if he had to force the word out. "Yes."

Her heart plummeted, then shot up into her throat like a Muggle carnival ride. She struggled to voice her next question. "Is it still?"

"Yes." That time, there was no hesitation. He looked back at her, and she was stunned by his expression. Guilt and misery warred on his features, and she stared in shock when he said, "I'm sorry."

"Whatever are you sorry for?" she spluttered. "Unless you're not telling me the truth—"

"I am," he said desperately, "and that's what makes me sorry, Cassie."

"Stop saying you're sorry," she said, baffled. "You're being honest, Remus. What are you even—"

"I'm your friend." He shoved off from her bed, making to stand up. "Only your friend. You – and – and Sirius—"

She gripped his wrist to keep him from standing. He stared at her hand as if it caused him pain, but she refused to let him go. "Sirius and I aren't together."

"He's in love with you," he said miserably.

She blinked several times. "Th-that doesn't matter right now. I'm just trying to understand why you look so bloody scared of me, Remus."

He yanked his arm from her grasp. "The same reason it always is, Cassie!" His voice became sharp; angry. "I'm a werewolf! But more than that, I'm your friend. I've just betrayed your trust in the worst way I can possibly think of—"

"I'll be the judge of that, thank you," she retorted. "You know I don't care that you're a werewolf, you bloody moron!" Her frustration rose to meet his own, biting and bitter, and he narrowed his eyes at her. "Yes, you're my friend, too – one of the best I've ever had! And nothing will change that, so just calm down, will you?"

He slumped back against her bed, the fight draining out of him as quickly as it had come. "You don't understand, Cassie. I've just ruined everything."

"Oh, don't be so damn dramatic," she huffed. "If anyone's to blame, it's me."

"You deserved an answer," he said, his voice hollow, but she waved him off.

"I ruined everything long before I opened my mouth," she said bitterly. "By fancying you back."

He stared at her, his blush creeping down his neck. "You what?"

"Oh, just bloody come here, will you?" she said, and then did one of the most reckless things she had ever done in her life. She kissed him.

He went completely rigid when her lips met his, and she only kissed him for a few seconds before drawing away, her face hot, when he remained unresponsive.

"Sorry," she gasped, pulling back. "Remus, I—"

He crushed his mouth back to hers, muffling the rest of her words and effectively silencing her once she realized what was happening. She shoved the tea tray out of the way before pulling him closer, her hands gripping his shoulders while his arms circled her back. She angled her face to deepen the kiss, and her tongue slipped between his parted lips, making him shudder.

"Cassie," he murmured into her mouth. "Cass—"

He hissed in a sharp breath when she climbed into his lap, bringing her hands to the back of his neck, up through the thick strands of his hair. His grip jumped to her waist when she dragged her fingers down the sharp lines of his jaw, mesmerized by the feel of his skin beneath her fingertips, warm and flushed and smelling faintly of cinnamon and something earthier, like moonlight on a long-forgotten forest path.

His palms slid up her ribcage, slowly, reverently, and she arched into his touch, breathing heavily. She wondered if she ought to stop, to be content with what she had already taken, but when his lips trailed down her neck, across her collarbone, she let her head fall back and her eyes close, and allowed herself to revel in a feeling she hadn't realized she had locked away for so long.

He grasped her chin gently and tilted her face back to his. Their eyes met, and her heart jumped in response, kicking against the clockwork locket; she wasn't sure whether it was the locket that was burning up, or just her when she took in his wide pupils and swollen lips. He swallowed thickly and rested his forehead against hers, his breath ragged and warm on her skin.

"That was…" He licked his lips and drew back slightly, shaking his head.

"Nice?" she supplied, rather breathlessly.

A smile flickered and dimmed on his face. "Nice, yes. And selfish."

"Then I guess that makes me selfish, too," she said. "No, look at me, Remus; I mean it. I'm not letting you use this as a reason to – to hate yourself or something. We'll figure out what this is and deal with it, all right? Together. Like always."

"Yeah." He tried to smile again, but it did not reach his eyes. "Yeah, you're right. I-I should be going, though. We'll write."

"Right. Yeah. 'Course." She slid off his lap and climbed to her feet, fixing her hair and shirt while he stood and collected himself. "Er, I'll show you to the fireplace."

He followed her to the living room, grabbing his trunk on the way. Liv and David were nowhere to be found, so Cassie assumed they were still with Ben, Mia, and Evangeline. She located the tin of Floo powder on the mantle and handed it to Remus.

"Thanks." He gave her half of a smile, his eyes skirting over her face as if it hurt to look at her. A tight coil formed in her stomach at the look. "And tell Liv thank-you, too?"

Cassie rocked on her heels, stuffing her hands into her back pockets so they would not fidget. "I will. Say hello to your parents for me?"

"I will." He stepped into the fireplace with his trunk and a fistful of Floo powder. They locked eyes one last time, and Cassie felt the wall building between them, brick-by-brick, like the hearth that separated them. She wanted to tear it down screaming.

"Remus—"

"62 Forrester Road!"

He was eaten up by emerald flames, and then it was only her and the empty black hearth.

Dearest Cassie,

I've scarcely been home forty-eight hours, and Dad's already got me running the shop like I'm the owner instead of him. It's summer! You know how busy it gets here! And instead of letting me enjoy my holiday, I have to stand here and sling ice cream and watch everyone else enjoy their holiday. Save me, please? I'll clean your aunt's house top to bottom – no magic! She doesn't even have to pay me! Please, Cass, you're my only hope!

I'm half-serious. Honestly, this place would fall apart without me. And the tips aren't so bad…

How's your family? They doing all right? I'd love to meet them! Maybe we can all have dinner together at some point over the break? Let me know what you think! Take care of yourself, Cassie.

Your most beloved,

Alice

Cassie put Alice's letter to the side for the time being, her attention on the other two envelopes Osbourne had delivered to her that morning. One was unmarked, and she had a sneaking suspicion of who the sender was, but the other was penned in a spidery cursive she did not recognize at all.

She sat at her desk, one leg folded beneath her while she rested her heel on the wooden chair beneath her, her elbows propped on the surface of the desk. The window was open, bringing in the sunshine that already promised a hot afternoon and a slight breeze that rustled the lacy white curtains and the loose parchment she had unpacked from her trunk.

Though it had only been two days since her return to her aunt's house, she had hoped Osbourne would have returned with more post, or at least received another owl with its own letter, but it seemed Remus had not written her anything yet. She tried to remain positive, citing that he was likely busy with his family, or getting a head-start on the schoolwork they had been assigned over the holiday, but every hour she went without hearing from him made the pit in her stomach grow.

To distract herself from the pit's gnawing teeth, she grabbed the unfamiliar letter and held it up to read.

C.M. Alderfair

The Bedroom at the Top of the Stairs and to the West at

15 Freesia Lane

Carriage Hills, Surrey

"Not creepy at all," she muttered as she opened the letter and unfurled a piece of parchment filled with the same spidery writing.

Miss Alderfair,

I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying the start of your summer holidays. Forgive me for intruding so soon after you just left school, but I recall you committing yourself to undertaking further studies on phoenixes and the order of their life cycle some time ago. Of course, as an expert on the matter, I wanted to reach out to you and see if you were still interested, and if you had any questions or information pertaining to the subject matter.

I shall be in your area at eight o'clock Thursday evening. We can speak more then. Please prepare for a long and rigorous discussion, and – if you can – tell no one. Private tutoring from your Headmaster could be conflated with favoritism, after all.

I look forward to seeing you, Miss Alderfair.

Until then,

Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

Cassie showed the letter to Osbourne where he sat on his perch beside the desk. "Try saying that five times fast." He stared back at her, unimpressed, then resumed grooming his wings. "Thursday evening, eh? That's in two days."

She wondered if she ought to let Liv know they would be receiving a visit from Professor Dumbledore. At any rate, she needed to prepare some believable stories that did not reveal that she had promised to give information to and work with an opposition group to the Death Eaters. She imagined telling the truth would not go over well with her aunt. At least Dumbledore had been generous enough to offer some semblance of an alibi, even if she thought his coded message was a bit kooky (quite like the man himself).

She picked up the final letter, the blank one, and opened it.

My mother and I are ready when you are. Give a time and place and we will be there.

A

Cassie tossed the note aside. Avery would have to wait until after her meeting with the Order to receive an answer. Perhaps Dumbledore or someone else would be willing to lend her another owl since sending Osbourne was too risky. He was sure to be recognized.

She leaned back in her chair and stretched.

"Finally," she said to Osbourne when he blinked golden eyes at her. "Maybe now I can actually do something."

He hooted softly, and she scratched him under his beak. "Get some sleep. It's daytime."

Another breeze rattled through the window, and she could not help but feel that it was colder than the rest.

Not a bad omen at all...

Sirius isn't completely out of the picture yet, but the last thing I want to do is write a messy love triangle. They're teenagers living through scary times and trying to find out who they are, is all. In the famous words of Katherine Pierce: "It's okay to love them both." And that's all I'll say on that.

Next Chapter: The Order of the Phoenix