chosen - harry potter

Chapter 1 - The Summer of the World Cup

After Cassia got home from the train station, she thought she could sleep for a week. She was exhausted from the year that she had. From the overwhelming amount of homework to assisting in the freeing of Sirius Black, she had had quite the experience. She genuinely hoped that her next year at Hogwarts could have some semblance of normalcy, but she was beginning to give up on the notion.

"Something big is coming to Hogwarts this year!" Arthur Weasley proclaimed excitedly one morning, the Weasley family and Cassia and Will happily eating their breakfast.

"No!" Cassia said, dropping her head in her hands. "Not again!"

"Nothing bad!" Arthur said quickly. "Something fun! A great honor."

But Cassia didn't want a great honor. All she wanted, more than anything, was a restful year. At least one where no one's lives were threatened.

One day, both Ron and Cassia received a letter from Harry, inviting them to 12 Grimmauld Place, where he and Sirius were living together. Hermione couldn't convince her parents to let her go, for Sirius had been on Muggle news for his escape from Azkaban, but not for his name being cleared. They used Floo Powder, traveling to the house together.

They stepped through the fireplace, looking around. The interior looked old, with gas lamps lighting the walls. Though Cassia could see that care had been placed into renovating the old home, though. New-looking wallpaper had been plastered on the walls, the chandeliers were polished and glimmered above her, and the carpet looked as though it had recently been cleaned.

"Cassia! Ron!"

Harry walked toward them, giving them both a side hug.

"This place is incredible," Ron said, looking up at the glimmering chandelier.

"Come, sit down," Harry smiled. "Sirius is in the kitchen."

The three sat down on the sofa, talking to each other happily. Sirius stuck his head out from the kitchen.

"Do you two need anything? Tea? Butterbeer?"

"Butterbeer," Ron and Cassia said. He grabbed two bottles from the fridge, tossing them to the two.

"It's good to see you both," Sirius smiled. "Unfortunately, I'm very busy sharing the news of my freedom with some old friends. Make yourselves at home," and he disappeared again into the kitchen.

"Is it everything you hoped for Harry?" Cassia asked, sipping her butterbeer.

"Much more."

"It'll be much easier to contact you now," Ron said. "We won't have to rip any bars off of your window again."

They all talked until the sun went down, playing a game of Exploding Snap. Ron left for the bathroom, and Harry suddenly had a serious look on his face.

"Cassie, I wanted to apologize to you, by the way."

Cassia furrowed her eyebrows, looking at him confusedly. "What for?"

"For leaving you to find Sirius after you hit your head."

"Harry," Cassia laughed lightly, "it's fine. We were all in danger. I couldn't expect you to look after me when a million dementors were coming after you."

"I just," he looked down, finding his words, "feel like if I'm putting you in all of these dangerous situations, I owe it to you to not leave you when you're down. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Oh," Cassia said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want anything to happen to you, either, Harry. That's why I'm always there."

"I know. And I know you can protect yourself but I..."