Friends, Foes and War

࣪𖤐 Y5 | 2 . The Commencement of Fifth Year

➵ LITTLE FREAK — HARRY STYLES
'I was thinking about who you are, your delicate point of view, I was thinking about you.'

Cassie's heart pounds with a mixture of excitement and nerves. It feels horrible arriving on platform nine and three quarters without her brother at her side. Every year for the past four years, Cedric has walked through this wall with her. This year, she has to do it with his ghost.

Cassie takes a deep breath, bracing herself. Her knuckles turn burgundy from the unintentional tight grip on her trunk trolley.

In reality, Cassie isn't going through the platform alone. She has Enzo and her dads. If anything, she's the complete opposite of alone.

Cassie isn't alone. Cassie is lonely.

She is lonely in the sense that her brain is so against herself that it's convinced her into being constantly glum and low-energised. She is lonely in the sense that there is one person that she doesn't have by her side, and that completely sabotages her own mind. Cassie is was lonely in the sense that she doesn't have the comfort of her big brother with her, which is something she had gone her whole life with.

"Can I speak to you quickly, pup?" Sirius asks, motioning to a room off the side of the platform. Cassie nods and follows behind him into the dull room. She takes a seat next to him, unsure of what he's about to say. "I know going back to school this year isn't going to be easy, Cassie. I can see it on your face, you hate the idea of wandering the Hogwarts halls without the comfort of knowing your brother is alive and well. You hate the thought of being an only-child and it's killing you."

Has he just read her mind?

"But I need you to know that you have so many people around you that love you. Me, your dad, Enzo, Pansy, Mattheo, Blaise and all of your other school friends, and even Poppy. I could go on forever if you let me." he adds, taking both of his daughter's hands into his.

She nods, "I know but— dad, none of those people you listed were Cedric. That's what upsets me. I know how loved I am, and I'm incredibly grateful for everyone, but none of them will ever be Cedric."

He sighs, "I know, pup. I know. But you know that we love you more than anything, don't you?" Once she nods, he carries on. "Me and your dad will always be here for you, Cassie. I swear to you on my life we will never leave you."

"I don't know how I'm going to do a whole school year without him, Dad. How am I going to play against Hufflepuff again?"

"Nobody would blame you if you couldn't play a match against them. They could always get someone from the reserve team."

"I know but if I let my team down, it makes me look weak. Looking weak is one of my biggest fears. I'm not weak. I don't want to be weak."

"Exactly. You are stronger than you'll ever know, Cassie. Not once in my life have I ever thought you were weak." Her father rises from his seat and holds his arms out for her to embrace him. She's the same height as him now so hugs were slightly odd. "I love you to the moon and back, pup." he whispers in her ear, making her melt with happiness. Cassie truly loves her dad.

"I love you more."

—

Cassie sits on the train in between Enzo and Theo, her head on Enzo's chest. She's completely spaced out in the silence. She has nothing to say to them— and neither do they, clearly. You'd think all the stuff going on with Voldemort's rise at the moment would affect Cassie's relationships with her friends, seeing as most of their parents are Deatheaters.

If you thought that, you'd be correct. Something is different in the air this year. Everyone is more quiet; more secretive. Nobody speaks in case of spilling all of their darkest secrets. Something happened over summer but Enzo and Cassie wouldn't dream of asking them about it.