Potter's Girl / Butterfly Effect.

43. After

[ tw : very slight mention of homophobia in this chapter! non-violent. i will put a line of asterisks (*) before it is mentioned and after, where it is safe to continue reading :-) ]

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE;

AFTER

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Dear Cedric,

hi.

   "Oh, this is beyond pointless! It's not like he's going to read it–"

   "Give it a try, Cassie," said Remus softly, prodding her writing arm back toward the paper. She grimaced and lifted her quill again.

Hi. I don't suppose you're going to be reading this anytime soon. You're dead.

I don't understand this stupid exercise.

   Remus, who peered over her shoulder, frowned. "Try harder than that. Go on, nobody's going to be reading this."

   Cassie mimicked his facial expressions as she turned back around, then scoffed. "You're reading this," she pointed out in a mutter, returning the tip of her quill to the parchment.

So.... how's death? Met any cool people yet? Or should I say ghosts – oh, Merlin, I'm probably being insensitive. Oh wait, you probably know him by now! Well, give Merlin my regards.

   "Cassie," said Remus, his brow knitted together. "You're not trying whatsoever."

   "Well spotted."

   "This is an exercise to relieve you of your bottled up emotions–"

   "I don't have any bottled up emotions!" The level of volume in which she said this very much contradicted the statement. "I cried for days after he died, is that not enough for you people? Do you want me to be some fragile piece of rubbish that everyone can walk on eggshells around!?"

    Remus said nothing. She continued right over his allotted speech time anyway.

   "It's– it's not as though anything I say or write or do will bring him back, right? 'No spell can reawaken the dead, Cassie, I trust you know that' – no shit, I know that! Everybody knows that. It means he's gone for good, and no amount of crying or yelling at the universe will do him any good!" She was now freely pacing around the empty classroom, her letter lying forgotten on the desk and the tin of ink upturned after she stood with such fervency. "Atticus won't talk to me, Harry hasn't even made eye contact with me in days, Hermione's all, 'Every cloud has a silver lining' – Shut the bloody hell up, Hermione, it doesn't! – Ron... well, Ron's Ron, and I'm appreciative of that, but still!"

Immediately, Cassie realized she was still speaking to her godfather, and clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes widening. Remus only nodded slowly.

What? She had practically blown up, said at least two curses, insulted a plethora of people – including her Headmaster – and all he had to offer her was a nod? She'd been at least expecting a 'language'...