The Clockwork Locket || SIRIUS BLACK

The Challenge

Winter now had Hogwarts clutched firmly in its jaws. The late autumn weather that had been struggling to stay had finally been quashed, and each morning was laden with snow and burdened by clouds. The arrival of snow also brought upon the students a sense of wariness, as it was not uncommon for someone to be pelted with enchanted snowballs by people from other houses whilst walking across the grounds, and Peeves had taken it upon himself to knock loose icicles from the banisters outside in an attempt to impale any who hadn't the sense to watch out for the poltergeist.

In the week leading up to the last Hogsmeade trip before the holidays, an eerie hush had fallen over the castle, the kind of stifling silence only observed during the time of exams when all years had to take their midterm tests. House common rooms became refuges for students unable to snag a seat in the overcrowded library, which forced many other students to seek out random spots around the castle to host their games of Exploding Snap or to simply escape the confines of studying as James, Sirius, and Peter had taken to doing, which unfortunately meant that Remus and Cassie were to be dragged along, as well.

A small explosion that nearly singed off her eyebrows made Cassie look up from her Herbology notes with a scowl. Peter was doing some sort of victory jig as he collected quite a few Knuts from both Sirius and James, whose faces were covered in a fine layer of soot.

"All right, I'm going back to the common room," she announced, stuffing her notes back into her bag and standing. "I can't concentrate 'round you lot." She nudged Remus's knee with her foot. "You coming?"

"I thought you'd never ask," he said, sliding his thumb in the place he had left off in his Ancient Runes book and accepting her proffered hand to be helped up.

"Nerds," James jeered when they made to walk out of the secret passageway they had been holed up in on the third floor, hidden behind a tapestry of thirteen witches dancing around a sacrificial fire. The Marauders had proudly told her that they had found it their first year, and she had only shaken her head, not even bothering to ask how they'd managed that.

"Sorry that I'd rather pass my exams than continue to watch Peter rob you of all your money," she retorted. Peter snickered, shooting her a thumbs-up as James rolled his eyes.

"We only have one more exam tomorrow," he pointed out. "Then the day after that is Hogsmeade, baby!"

"Yes, only one more exam that I have to pass still." She sniffed. "My parents would ground me until graduation if I got anything lower than an A." She frowned then. "Not that I've ever really gotten a lot of O's or even E's..."

"I say blow the whole thing off just to knot their knickers," Sirius said, leaning back against the wall and stretching his legs out. "Then they'll have zero expectations the next time."

"That sounds like a lovely idea if I had a death wish," she deadpanned. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I really need to finish looking over these Herbology notes."

She marched out from behind the tapestry with Remus in tow, slightly abashed at her shortness. The last fortnight had been strange in terms of her friendship with Sirius, and it wasn't sitting well with her at all. He and Marlene had gone public with their "dating" (a loosely applied term, in their case), and ever since, she had barely gotten a chance to talk to him beyond the occasional greeting, for it seemed Marlene was always glued to his side.

The blonde witch had been ecstatic when she'd announced that she and Sirius were official, and it seemed that all she ever did anymore was talk about the handsome Marauder. She had even taken to sitting with the boys at meals, coaxing the other girls into joining even though she always seemed to pay more attention to her boyfriend than them.

Cassie didn't really mind the seating arrangement, as she had been sitting with them for weeks already, but she could tell Lily was quite uncomfortable since James seemed incapable of not acting like a git in front of her. Alice always cast longing looks down the table to where Frank Longbottom usually sat, but she hadn't voiced her displeasure -- yet. Cassie wasn't sure how long that would last if Sirius and Marlene kept snogging at the table, though. There had already been more than one occasion when she had lost her appetite after seeing some tongue thrown in.