Friends, Foes and War

࣪𖤐 Y5 | 9 . Christmas Eve '95

➵ MARJORIE — TAYLOR SWIFT
'What died didn't stay dead. you're alive, you're alive in my head.'

The kids arrive back at Grimmauld Place only minutes before nine pm— the train ride taking slightly longer for some odd reason. When Cassie saw Remus for the first time at the station, she hugged him so hard he almost passed out. She hadn't seen him in weeks.

Cassie opens the door to number twelve to see a very happy Sirius Black. "Dad!" she beams. He chuckled and hugs her as tightly as he can.

"Oh I've missed you, pup." he says into the side of her head before kissing it.

"Alright, alright, let everyone past." Molly ushers. Cassie leaves Sirius' side and trails into the living room as Harry hugs him. She sighs with a smile and hugs Victoria.

"How've you been, pickle?" she asks, sitting down on one of the sofas.

"I've been okay— better than I thought I'd be. How about you?"

"Much better, actually. Your dad— well, Remus—signed me up for this muggle thing called therapy—you heard of it?" When Cassie shakes her head, she continues. "Well, it's where you sit down with a professional and talk about your feelings, they give you advice and things to do to help you cope."

"Oh really? How's that been going?"

"Quite well actually, I didn't realise how much I needed to get off my chest." Victoria chuckles and Cassie smiles. "Enough about me— how've you and Enzo been?"

"Oh! We've been okay— same as usual, really. Draco has been a bit of a prick but that's nothing new."

"Oh really? What'd he do this time?"

"Well, him and I were arguing and he said 'Why am I friends with a depressed, annoying werewolf with a dead brother?' and then Enzo punched him in the face."

Victoria gasps, "Oh Merlin! What a cunt! Not Enzo, of course."

Cassie laughs, "He is exactly that. He hasn't spoken to us in weeks— which is for the best. He's been hanging out with Marcus Flint just to get on my nerves."

"He is just like his parents, I'm telling you. Sirius would agree."

"What'you talking about me for?" Sirius smiles, sitting down next to his daughter and wrapping his arm around her.

"We were discussing how all of the Malfoy's are attention-seeking, rude little pricks." Cassie answers before Victoria can. Both her and Sirius burst into laughter, not expecting her to say something like that. Cassie starts laughing too, "It's true, isn't it?" Victoria and Sirius carried on laughing but nodded as well.

Laughing with Victoria makes Cassie feel like Cedric and Amos are still here and laughing with them. It's like he's sitting in the chair opposite them, chuckling like a maniac. Amos would be next to Victoria as the both of them laugh in the same way they always did.

"What are you three giggling about?" Christopher asks, sitting opposite them— ruining the image Cassie had of Cedric sitting there instead. She shakes her head and the smile slowly fades.

"Cassie just said something hilarious about the Malfoy Family." Victoria answers, still slightly chuckling.

"Don't even get me started on that family— Enzo told me what he said to you the other day. I had never been so proud once he told me he punched him afterwards." Chris sighs.

"Yeah, Malfoy ran off crying as well." Cassie adds, the smile creeping back. Chris, Victoria and Sirius chuckle, all of them not expecting anything different.