Cards, Fire & Cinnamon - F.WEASLEY

25

───── ❝Day of Dread ❞ ─────

She woke early on December first and immediately looked out of the window for snow. It was no secret that she loved snow, seeing the castle covered in a thick layer of dusted power made everything better for just a moment. Snow also meant that Christmas was coming. Nope, tonnes and tonnes of rain. The paths outside were flooded with water and mini streams covered the paths.

After showering, she headed downstairs to meet Draco. He smiled at her as she approached, his arm looped around her waist. "You look different," he paused then gasped theatrically. "Did you actually sleep last night?"

"Very funny Bleachy, you know you need to fix your roots. They're getting a brown tinge, or is that... Ginger?" she gasped, pretending to look through his hair. Draco laughed sarcastically and they continued down to breakfast. They sat in their usual seats and Cass took a few bites from a piece of toast. She turned her attention to the letter that arrived on the table and her mind stopped. She felt as if she had been swallowed into the ground. The letter was addressed to her sure but it had her Aunts writing on the front. Usually, it was his or the nurse. For once, Cass found herself wanting to be kept in the dark,

'Cass,

As I'm sure you've figured out, something happened last night. I hate that I have to write this to you. Roger took a turn for the worse early yesterday morning. The nurse assured me he wasn't in any pain through it all, they had the bear documentaries on and everything. He passed on later that evening. I am so so sorry Cass. I'm here if you need anything and he loved you so much, he wanted you to remember that. He only talked of you after you left, how proud he was of the woman that you had become. He laughed at how much like your mother you are. Again, I'm so so sorry Cass.

Tara.'

Her heart shattered into a million pieces. She went into a daze. Everything around her blurred, voices of people muffled. Draco tried to get her attention but she just couldn't hear him. With a clatter of toast, she ran out of the hall as fast as her legs would carry her. She refused to cry in front of people and right now, she needed that blue jumper she stole. She was still in a daze, running at full speed, when she crashed into someone. Cass let out a strangled sob as she turned to see who it was.

Hia gaze narrowed in concern and he looked at the girl frantically. It wasn't hard to tell she was broken. Fred gently wiped a few of the tears on her face away. Cass sank into his touch, feeling the need to fall into his arms so all the pain would fade away. But something within her told her she couldn't, that stupid small part of pride that overruled most things. She hopped up, untangling her legs from his, and ran again. "Cass!" he shouted after her, getting up himself. Fred wasn't stupid, he knew what was going on and all he wanted to do was help. Before he could move to chase after her, Draco came running past.

"I got it," he called to Fred, hoping he would get the gist.

"But-" he stammered as Draco got further away.

Draco stopped and turned around, "Fred trust me, go. You'll do more harm being there."

Cass reached the common room and ran straight through it, knocking her hip on a chair. Blinding pain shocked through her body but it was nothing compared to the shattering moments earlier. Still in the blind daze, she reached her bedroom. Nova picked up in confusion and hurtled over to her, immediately pawing at Cass's legs. She didn't notice it and began to tear clothes from her wardrobe, throwing them in a pile at her feet. A sea of black and green later, she found what she was looking for. She pulled her robes and school jumper off, feeling like she was being suffocated underneath them and pulled the jumper over as a replacement. The familiar, comforting smell of her Dad made the tears flow even quicker. She collapsed onto the pile of clothes and broke down. She sobbed like a child and screamed out in pain, she couldn't handle it anymore.