Chapter 14
The three still sat outside of Hog's Head Inn, waiting for Harry to come back. Hermione was worrying about whether or not Harry would get caught, but Cassidy was wondering what Sirius Black could possibly want with Harry.
But then again, he was a follower of You-Know-Who, right? Maybe he was mad at Harry for beating his master's arse twelve years ago, and wanted to kill Harry for him. Cassidy furrowed her brows and sighed. Harry really was going through it, wasn't he? She looked up at Hermione and Ron, and while Hermione was still rocking and muttering to herself, Ron seemed to look off into space. Cassidy shifted a bit closer to him, and he looked up at her, as if he just remembered that she was there.
"You alright?" Cassidy murmured. Ron nodded slowly, not keeping eye contact with her.
"You sure?" Cassidy doubled down, raising an eyebrow. Ron laughed quietly, looking up at her. "It's nothing. Just... Malfoy."
"What, when he said your family lived in a bin?" Cassidy asked slowly. Ron winced at the memory, but slowly nodded.
"Look, Weasley," Cassidy put her arm around his shoulder affectionately. "You're one of the funniest, smartest, and coolest wizards I've ever met. Those types of people usually come from amazing families, yeah?" Ron looked up at her, and Cassidy noticed how the snowflakes fell perfectly on his ginger eyelashes, how she could draw constellations in his freckles, and how her heartbeat was increasing by the second. She drew her arm back, clearing her throat nervously.
"The point is... er... your family's fantastic, and they definitely don't sleep in a bin. The Burrow's wicked, I love it there." Cassidy grinned at Ron, and Ron smiled slowly back at her in response.
"Thanks, Cass." He whispered, and the way he said her name made her heart flutter.
"No problem, Ronniekins." Cassidy replied playfully, looking away, and pushing the odd feeling she was having down. Ron watched the way her lips moved when she said that silly nickname; he didn't know why.
Hermione suddenly stood up, brushing snow off her robes a little too forcefully. "Harry's been gone a long time," she said quickly, her voice higher than usual.
"Yeah, 'Mione, you're right... I wonder where he could've— look!" Cassidy pointed to the floor, where Harry's footprints were fast appearing. Ron and Cassidy stood up as well, watching in dismay as Harry knocked over a choir of goblins.
"C'mon, we need to go." Cassidy said, and the group immediately took off after Harry, knocking over the choir of goblins a second time. They kept running and running, Cassidy in the lead, her bows and curls bouncing as they ran further and further away from the crowds. Neville caught sight of her as she ran.
"Oh hi Cass, I was wondering if—"
"No time sorry Nev!" She said in a rush, still running. Ron seemed suspiciously smug.
Finally, they followed Harry's footsteps to a clearing, where a boulder lay. His footprints ended there, so he must've been sitting on it. Cassidy was the first to reach the boulder, crashing to her knees while Hermione and Ron stayed behind, hesitating.
"Harry? Harry, I know you're there, please talk to us." Cassidy said quickly, looking into the empty space that she was so sure Harry occupied. Hermione and Ron started to walk towards the two, worried, and Hermione kneeled next to Cassidy.
Cassidy's eyes widened when she heard sniffling sounds.
"Harry? No, no, no, please don't cry, what happened?" Cassidy said frantically, slowly reaching out to grasp the Invisibility Cloak and pull it off. Harry was revealed then, shoulders shaking, and head bowed. After a moment, he looked up at her, eyes filled with tears.
Cassidy didn't have to say anything and Harry didn't have to say anything, he just looked into her eyes and she looked into his, blue on hazel, and he crashed into her, hugging her tightly because there are some things only understood by two people that have been down into a Chamber together and have had impossible responsibilities thrust on them at such a young age. And Cassidy hugged him back, not asking any questions yet and letting his tears dampen her favorite winter coat but she didn't care, she didn't care because Harry was one of her best friends.
A long moment passed before Hermione spoke.
"Harry...what happened?" She asked softly. Harry drew back from Cassidy, looking at Hermione with tears still in his eyes.
"H-he was their friend. And he betrayed them." He sniffled, and Cassidy had that sinking feeling in her stomach. No. It couldn't be true.
"Harry—" Cassidy started, but Harry's eyes suddenly filled with a blind rage.
"HE WAS THEIR FRIEND!"He screamed, not at Cassidy, not at Hermione, but at the world, at the world for being such a cruel and horrible place full of people like Sirius Black.
"I hope he follows me," Harry said, shaking with rage. "Because when he does, I'm gonna be ready."
"Harry, you don't know what you're talking about." But even as the words left Cassidy's lips, she knew they were useless. She knew they were stupid and meaningless, because Black had killed his parents. He had every right to be angry.
"Yes, Cassidy, I do know." Harry said coldly. "When he comes, I'm gonna kill him."
Hermione hesitantly put her hand on his shoulder. "Harry... you don't mean that," she said softly, but her voice wavered.
"Yes, I do, Hermione," Harry snapped. "He's the reason my parents are dead."
Hermione's breath hitched, and Cassidy saw it—the brief flash of fear in her eyes. "Harry, listen to yourself," she tried again, firmer this time. "You're not a killer."
Harry turned away from Hermione, and silence filled the clearing they were all in. Snowflakes fell around the four Gryffindors, making something so painful and aching something beautiful and quiet. In the silence, Cassidy heard her father's voice in her mind.
"Don't go looking for Sirius Black. Please. It's all I ask of you. It's all your mother asks of you."
She swallowed, looking up at Harry's broken expression, his rage, his hurt.
And it was right there and then that Cassidy Sweet knew she had to break the promise she made to her father last summer.
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Christmas passed, snow melted, classmates came back from their holidays, and it was a new term.
In the Gryffindor common room, Cassidy kneeled in front of an empty canvas. Her long, new braids were tied into a messy bun, and she wore an old sweater Ron said he "didn't need anymore because it was getting too small." She hadn't noticed herself, but there was a new sharpness to her features, something shifting in her appearance. Some people had started to look twice before passing her by. Things were changing, but only a little.
"Are you gonna keep kneeling there, or are you actually gonna sketch something?" Dean Thomas sat cross-legged next to her, his honey brown skin reflecting the flames of the fireplace. Cassidy sighed, scratching the back of her head as she stretched lazily. Her golden stud earrings caught the light of the lanterns around them.
"I feel terribly uninspired, Dean." She groaned. "Maybe we can try this another time, yeah?"
Dean nodded, though there was a silent question in his gaze. "You done some new makeup or something?" He asked. Cassidy raised an eyebrow. "No, why?"
Dean scrutinized her for a moment, before shrugging and getting up, taking the canvas with him. "Nothing. Don't worry about it. Later." Cassidy hummed in reply, watching Dean leave.
She looked around, and noticed only Lavender and Parvati giggling by the fireplace, probably about Cedric Diggory or something silly. She got up, slipping on some sandals, and knew exactly who she wanted to visit.
Professor Lupin.
Cassidy pulled her sweater tighter around herself as she stepped out of the Gryffindor common room, the warmth of the fire fading behind her. The castle was quieter than usual, most students either asleep or scattered in their dorms, still sluggish from the transition back to school after the holidays. Her sandals clicked softly against the cold stone as she made her way through the dimly lit corridors, the torches flickering like ghosts in their sconces.
She usually took extra Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons with Professor Lupin—something he had insisted upon after their very first lesson when she faced her first Boggart, which was her dad's dead body. Even with all that happening, Lupin could tell just how much she loved the subject. And even though their meetings weren't scheduled, she had a feeling he wouldn't mind her stopping by.
Something in her gut told her he might have something useful to say.
When she arrived at his office door, she hesitated for a moment before knocking lightly. There was a shuffle from inside, a pause, and then a weary but welcoming, "Come in."
Cassidy pushed the door open. The office was small but cozy, dimly lit by candlelight and the moon filtering in through the high window. There was a stack of papers on his desk, a steaming cup of tea beside them, and, of course, a large wardrobe in the corner she had long since learned not to question. Lupin himself was seated behind his desk, looking up at her with tired but kind eyes.
"Ah, Miss Sweet," he said, setting down his quill. "Bit late for a lesson, isn't it?"
Cassidy shut the door behind her, giving him a lopsided grin. "I'd say it's never too late to practice hexes, sir."
Lupin huffed out a quiet chuckle, though he still looked at her with that quiet perceptiveness of his. "Something on your mind?"
Cassidy hesitated before shrugging, stepping further into the room. "Dunno. I guess I just wanted to talk."
Lupin nodded in understanding, gesturing for her to sit. "Talking is good."
Cassidy plopped into the chair across from him, crossing her legs. For a moment, she just studied him. Professor Lupin was unlike any other teacher at Hogwarts—he was soft-spoken but firm, kind yet incredibly sharp. There was something almost familiar about him, though she had never quite placed why.
"So. You say you knew my dad, right? That he was a brave, loyal man." she asked suddenly, before she could second-guess herself.
Lupin's eyebrows lifted slightly, and for just a fraction of a second, she thought she saw something flicker across his face—something knowing, something deep.
"Yes, Cassidy, I did say that," he said simply.
"Did you meet at school? Work?" She asked eagerly, leaning forward.
Lupin hesitated. "We were... acquaintances at school. I wasn't close to him, but I knew of him."
Cassidy leaned forward. "What was he like? When he was younger, I mean. Before—before everything."
Lupin took a slow sip of his tea, considering his words carefully. When he spoke, his voice was softer than before.
"Your father was a good student.. He had a way of making people laugh even when they didn't want to." His mouth curved upward slightly, as if recalling something. "He also had a knack for trouble, though. Not quite as much as... his other friends, but he was no stranger to bending the rules."
Cassidy smirked. "Sounds about right."
Lupin studied her, his expression turning thoughtful. "You remind me of him, you know."
Cassidy tilted her head. "How so?"
Lupin hesitated. "You have his determination. His ability to see things others don't." His gaze flickered, just for a second, to the necklace resting against her sweater.
Cassidy tensed. It wasn't the first time someone had looked at her necklace like that, but it was the first time a professor had.
She swallowed, shifting slightly in her seat. "Professor..." she started carefully. "Do you know something about my necklace?"
Lupin exhaled through his nose, setting his tea down. "I feel that it's... special."
Cassidy frowned. That was vague. "Yeah, well, I figured that much." She absently thumbed the cool metal of the pendant. "Special how?"
Lupin looked at her for a long moment before shaking his head. "That's something you'll have to discover in your own time."
Cassidy let out a frustrated sigh. "Why does everyone say that? If there's something important about it, why not just tell me?"
Lupin's expression softened. "Because some things are better learned than told. And some knowledge comes with a weight you might not be ready to carry yet."
Cassidy bristled at that, narrowing her eyes. "I'm not a kid."
Lupin's lips quirked, just slightly. "No, you're not. But you're still young. And there are truths in this world that even adults struggle with."
Cassidy was quiet for a moment, chewing on his words.
Finally, she sighed, shaking her head. "This is bloody annoying, you know that?"
Lupin chuckled. "I do."
Cassidy slumped back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. "At least tell me this—does my dad know something about it?"
Lupin's expression didn't change, but there was something too careful about the way he answered.
"As for that, I am not sure. But he might."
Cassidy's frustration only deepened, but she knew she wasn't going to get anything more out of him tonight.
Lupin leaned forward slightly. "For now, just be careful with it, Cassidy. And trust yourself."
Cassidy exhaled sharply through her nose. "Right. Be careful, trust myself. Got it."
Lupin gave her a small smile. "Good. Now, would you like to at least attempt some spellwork, or was this just a visit to torment your poor professor with impossible questions?"
Cassidy grinned despite herself, rolling her eyes. "Oh, you wish you were that lucky, sir. Go on then, let's see if I can knock you flat with a hex."
Lupin chuckled, standing and retrieving his wand. "I'd like to see you try."
And as Cassidy got to her feet, wand in hand, there was still frustration bubbling in her chest—but there was also something else.
A feeling. A certainty.
Lupin knew something. And she was going to find out what.