Growing Pains

After talking to Oliver, I made my way up to my dorm. I walked in to see three 4-poster beds and my stuff sitting next to the one on the far right next to a window. I immediately recognized the other two girls in the room as Angelina and Alicia. “What are the odds!” Angelina said as she jumped up to greet me, “I just knew we would be together.”

“There are not many other first-year Gryffindors girls, Ang,” Alicia joked, “I’m still happy you’re here, Cass! I really enjoyed talking to you earlier, before we got interrupted. Who were those boys anyway?” Alicia questions. 

“They’re Fred and George Weasley, we basically grew up together,” I said. 

“Weasley? As in related to Charlie and Percy?” Ang questions. 

“Yeah, actually. I’m pretty close with the two of them as well.” 

“Wow, four kids, that’s a lot,” Alicia said quickly. 

“Oh, that’s not even all of them! There’s one older boy, named Bill. And then one younger boy named Ron and a younger girl named Ginny!” I laughed along with them. 

“And you grew up with them, so it’s basically eight! My head would explode!” Ang laughed. 

We spent most of the night like this. We talked about our lives, though I kept most information about my brother, Sirius, and knowing the Potters a secret. I learned that Angelina and Alicia were excited to try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, though they both understood they probably weren’t going to make it until next year. Growing up with the Weasley boys, I knew all the ins and outs of quidditch but had no interest in playing. I promised when they finally made the team, I would be their cheerleader. Angelina told us that a boy named Lee Jordan already tried chatting her up and we couldn’t stop laughing. We talked for what felt like hours until Ang decided she was ready to turn in and Alicia agreed. Not feeling sleepy yet, I went to the restroom to wash my face, brush my teeth, and get my pajamas on, before heading downstairs. 

I got comfy on the couch in front of the fire and opened the book Remus had given me as a present before I left for Hogwarts. It was an old, tattered copy of Pride and Prejudice. He told me it was Lily’s. She gave it to him on my fourth birthday and told him to give it to me when I was old enough. Inside the book was a picture of our happy little family; myself, her, Remus, James, Sirius, and baby Harry. The picture was taken on Harry’s first birthday. I kept it in the book for safekeeping and also to remind myself of her. I read a few pages before I felt a weight next to me on the couch. I finished the sentence I was reading and looked up from my book to see George. “What are you doing up this late? We have classes tomorrow, ya know? Wouldn’t want you falling asleep in class on the first day,” he said, with a worriedness in his voice. 

“Alicia and Ang went to bed and I just wasn’t tired yet,” I said, looking down at the picture I put in the crease of the book to hold my place. 

“What’s that?” George asked. I handed him the picture. 

“My family,” I said, so softly I wasn’t sure he heard it. He studied it for a while before speaking up. 

“I only recognize you and Remus, who are the other people?” He asked, pointing at Sirius, James, and Lily. While Molly, Arthur, and the older boys knew what happened to me and Remus, I had never talked about it with anyone else. 

“Well, it’s the Potters, Lily and James. The little baby is Harry. The man with the long black hair is… my uncle,” I hesitated in saying his name aloud. George was smart, I knew he would remember Sirius as soon as he heard his name. It took me years to understand the situation, but deep down I knew he was innocent. Having to explain that to George when the evidence was so firm against Sirius was not something I wanted to do. 

“Wait… the Potters? The ones that stopped You-Know-Who? I thought I recognized them from the paper. It can’t be, you’re pulling my leg, Cass, I don’t believe it,” he remarked.

“I’m as serious as a heart attack, George Weasley. They were good friends with Remus and… my uncle. All four of them basically raised me until… until I came to the Burrow, actually.” I didn’t want to sound sad about coming to the Burrow after they died. It was such a small part of my life I spent with Lily, James, and Sirius, I almost felt guilty for being so upset about losing them. I confessed this to Remus one time, and he hugged me and cried. He told me he wanted me to miss them, they were such a huge part of my life, even if it felt like our time together was cut far too short. 

“Well, I’m glad we got you. You really are the third Weasley twin, you know that, right? Well, I guess we would be triplets, but you get it,” He looked at me, and I could tell he was serious. George was different than Fred in that way. Not that I ever had a problem telling them apart. To me, it was shocking that people couldn’t tell them apart. They were completely different in my eyes. George, for instance, knew how to be serious. Maybe it was a maturity thing and maybe Fred would come around, but George was always my shoulder to cry on. He wanted to hear what I was feeling and when I couldn’t voice it, he would let me sit with him and cry. It was a while before he spoke up again, “Do you want to talk about what happened with the Sorting Hat? If you say no, I’ll let it be, I promise. I just wanted to give you the chance.” 

I didn’t know how to word my feelings. I sat there for a minute before answering, “It was going to put me in Hufflepuff,” I said bluntly, “I told Remus before we left that I was scared it wasn’t going to put me in Gryffindor. All the important people in my life, James, Lily, Uncle Sirius, Remus, your mum and dad, your brothers, they’re all Gryffindor. I felt like… like I would let them all down if I wasn’t in Gryffindor. When she put it on my head, it started saying how kind and patient I was. It told me Remus was no doubt a Gryffindor… but I wasn’t. It’s my fault I got sorted in Gryffindor. I started begging it not to put me in Hufflepuff,” I didn’t realize but I started crying during my rambling. George was quiet. He moved closer to me and put his arm around me. He still had the photo in his hand. 

“You would have done amazing anywhere the hat would’ve put you. And I know they would have been happy for you too,” he pointed down at the picture, “You are kind and patient, but you’re also brave and daring and courageous.” 

“Thanks, Georgie,” I whispered, wiping my tears away while looking at the smiling faces in the picture. 

“Cass, can I ask you something?” I sat up and moved away from him. “Did you say… Uncle Sirius, like Sirius Black?”

Shit. Did I accidentally slip during my ranting? I wasn’t even paying attention. What was I going to tell him? After thinking it over, I simply answered with, “Yes.” 

He looked at me blankly, “Like, the same Sirius who sold out Lily and James?” 

“I don’t think he did George. I don’t want to fight about it, but I know my Uncle Sirius. I know it wasn’t him. And I don’t expect you to believe me, I understand. The evidence is… solid. But I know,” I said hesitantly. He looked at me with concern on his face. 

“If that’s what you believe, Cass, then I believe you,” he said calmly, but not convincingly. All of a sudden, we someone coming through the portrait and quickly snapped our heads to see who it was. 

“What are you two still doing awake? You both have an early morning tomorrow,” Charlie said, walking further into the common room. 

“I came here to tell her that, but you know Cass, she’s incredibly stubborn,” he joked. I slapped him on the arm.

“Am not, I just wasn’t tired, you git. Sorry Charlie, we’ll head up now,” I said, putting the photo in the book and closing it as George and I stood up. George hugged me before heading toward the stairs

“Goodnight Cass, night Charlie,” George said as he walked out of sight. Charlie waved at him and then turned to me. 

“Is everything alright, Cass?” Charlie asked, noticing my probably red eyes. 

“Yeah, I’m fine, just overwhelmed and homesick is all,” I said rubbing my eyes. He started to guide me up the stairs and toward my dorm. 

“You know we're all here for you, just say the word. Oliver told me he spoke to you earlier, he’s a great guy. And you know I’m here for you if you need me and so is Percy, even if he’s a git sometimes,” we both chuckled, “And clearly George, and I’m sure Fred as well, have your back. You belong here, Cass. I’m proud of you. Now, go get some sleep. It’s going to be a long and exciting day tomorrow. Goodnight,” He said as we reached my dorm. I hugged him goodbye and he kissed my head before I quietly opened and closed my door. I put my book on my nightstand and climbed into bed. I finally fell asleep thinking about how Lily, James, and Sirius would react to me being sorted into Gryffindor. I hope I make them proud.