way to go, tiger | Lorenzo Berkshire

࣪𖤐 Y6 | 9 . Oh, Moony

TWO GHOSTS — HARRY STYLES
'We're not who we used to be. We're just two ghosts standing in the place of you & me.'

Cassie and Harry sneak out of Slughorn's party, careful of anyone possibly watching them. They don't tell Hermione or Enzo what they're doing— but they figured they'd do that later. The halls are a gloomy type of dark— the only source of light coming from the dimly lit lanterns high by the ceiling.

The pair hide behind a neighbouring wall, the sound of Snape & Malfoy's footsteps on the raggedy floors. "Maybe I did curse Black and Bell, maybe I didn't— why do you care?" Draco whispers. Cassie's head whips around to Harry. His jaw clenches but he carries on listening.

There's a loud, explainable noise that even Cassie can't make out. "I swore to protect you. I made the unbreakable vow." Snape exclaims, his voice hushed and wary. Cassie furrows her eyebrows. The Unbreakable Vow really is unbreakable. If you betray the vow, it results in death. You'd have to be insane to make an unbreakable vow. Cassie isn't sure that Harry knows what it means so she makes a mental note to fill him in later.

"I don't need protection!" Draco replies. "I was chosen for this out of everyone. Me. Not Riddle, not Zabini, not Parkinson. Me. And I don't plan on failing him."

Cassie's heart shatters at his words. The mention of her old friends only breaks her heart further. Chosen for what? Whatever it is, Cassie knows, is not a good thing.

"You're afraid, Draco. You try to hide it but it couldn't be more obvious. Let me assist you." Snape says. Cassie thinks deeply about his words. Cassie knows Draco— more so than she'd care to admit. She knows how he tends to go to unbelievable lengths to prove himself— which Cassie sometimes sees herself in. She also knows that Draco has become at expert at hiding his feelings over the years. The only one he could never seem to hide is disgust.

"No! I don't want your help! This is my moment!" he replies. This only confirms Cassie's thoughts. Because he himself had been chosen for a task, he will complete it no matter the consequences or what he has to do in order to complete it. His self-validation will forever go beyond Cassie.

The sound of footsteps slowly escapes out of earshot. Cassie sighs deeply, her head hitting the wall. Once she's sure they're no longer in the hallway, she turns to Harry.

"Do you have any idea what the Unbreakable Vow is, Harry?" Cassie asks.

Harry swallows, "Go on."

"If you break it, guess what happens to you."

Harry sighs and looks Cassie in the eye. "Death?"

Cassie nods.

Both her and Harry feel sick to their stomachs all of a sudden.

༻✦༺༻✦༺༻✦༺

As Cassie steps off the train, she searches the busy platform for her father. Once she spots Enzo making his way toward his mother and father, she knows that Remus & Victoria won't be far. She follows Enzo and sighs with relief as her dad comes into view.

He also seems to be relieved to see her in one piece. After Cassie's near-death incident, paranoia has warped Remus' brain. Every time a letter comes from his daughter, he feels immediately feel a heavy weight leave his chest. She's okay.

He wraps his arms around her, embracing her company. He couldn't be more happy to be spending Christmas with his daughter again. He missed her ever so much. "Oh I've missed you." Remus sighs.

"I missed you more." Cassie replies, just as grateful to see him.

Once Cassie greeted Victoria, Chris & Elizabeth, they all make their way to the nearest pub. Cassie takes a seat in between Enzo and Remus at the sticky table. Chris makes Remus help him order at the bar— afraid of pronouncing any muggle words wrong (which Remus laughs at rather pathetically.)