23. Fooling us, fooling them

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When Neville went back to the sketch of his plant, Cass put her hand on his shoulder. Slowly, as if to test his reaction, she then rested her chin on it, watching him work. He tensed up. She could feel his muscles flex under her fingers, his body heat seeping through the fabric of his uniform jumper. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart fluttered madly. When he relaxed at her proximity, so did she.

Neville always had great calming power over her. Whenever they were together, she felt less anxious, less pressured. It was almost as if he'd cast a shield around them, protecting them from the outside world. It was always painful having to get back to it.

When she stood up and gathered her belongings, she looked at the vacant spot next to him longingly. "I want you to know something. As far as I'm concerned, this friendship should stay between us." He frowned and opened his mouth to speak, but Cass interrupted him. "Not because I'm embarrassed or anything, but because it is between us. No one else should be involved." She turned around to look at the lake for a moment before settling her eyes on Neville again. "But, if that makes you feel better, I'll talk to my friends. If they'll ever speak to me again, that is." She sighed.

"They will. You need time. I've come to terms with the fact that you Slytherins keep things buried until you can't anymore and have huge outbursts of anger." He gave a faint chuckle. "You'll get through this." He put his sketchbook aside.

"I don't think we can, Nev."

"I'm sure you can." He stood up and made his way toward her. "Theo's your brother. I know he loves you, and he probably misses you as well. And so does Daphne, and... the other one."

"Blaise." She reminded him. They laughed, looking at each other. "Thank you, Nev. I appreciate you. I really do." She squeezed his hand and left.

The following morning, her Long-Eared owl soared through the Great Hall and dropped a letter in front of her.

She stared at the parchment in disbelief. In lilac ink, France's address shone in the sun. She lived in Oceankeep, a small Wizarding community in Maine. She was alive, after all.

Cass spent the day scribbling drafts of what she wanted to tell her. She didn't know where to begin. What was she even supposed to say? She had left in September, a couple of weeks after Cass was born. Had she ever met her? Had she ever met Theo? Did she know about Amelia and Sylvia's fates?

She groaned loudly, making Pansy and Daphne turn to eye her. Professor Binns kept going with his lesson, unfazed.

Cass sat with a quill suspended mid-air, eyes unfocused, thinking. When she looked at the parchment, it was stained with ink. That was still better than what she had written so far.

After lunch, she decided to take a stroll around the grounds to help clear her mind. She didn't have to write to her after all. She knew she was alive, and that was enough. There were people there who were just as much her family that knew her better. And yet, she had decided to find Frances. It had been a good scapegoat while it lasted, but now that she knew where she was, she had amends to make. She needed to quit trying to escape and face the problems she had created. Neville was right. It was becoming an excuse. An excuse she needed to stop using. She crumpled up the piece of parchment with France's address and banished it with a flick of her wand.

As she was making her way back into the castle, she noticed a commotion outside. Professor Trelawney stood outside the main entrance with trunks at her feet. She was sobbing, clutching a violet handkerchief in her hand. She had gotten sacked. Umbridge stood before her, showing off her strained smile.

"Sybill, get back inside." Dumbledore had come out of the castle as Cass reached the scene, approaching Daphne and Theo.

"Might I remind you that, as for Educational Decree number twenty-three..."

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