The Clockwork Locket || SIRIUS BLACK

The Light of the Moon

The last of the February frost relented with the arrival of spring, and the grounds of Hogwarts were born anew, the grass coming in greener than ever and the trees blooming with leaves once more. Spirits were high amongst the staff and students in spite of the daunting exams approaching at the end of term. Cassie tried her best to remain calm and relaxed, but with the stress of the O.W.L. workload, she felt as if she were slipping into a pit of insanity. Add her worry about Will on top of that, and she was surprised she hadn't taken another trip to the hospital wing yet.

She hadn't made any headway with the locket, either. Night after night she stayed awake, trying to decipher the rest of the message, but to no avail. Trying to connect the links between it, her dreams, and Miranda's story was proving to be an impossible task. She felt as if the answer was dangling right above her, just out of reach, but no matter what she did, she just couldn't grasp it.

Carlisle, fortunately, was unaware of Cassie's continued involvement in trying to find whatever it was the older witch was looking for, but the clock was ticking. She was sure Carlisle was still working on trying to find the object for Voldemort, and every day she didn't crack Will's code was another day Carlisle could potentially find it before her. But what would happen if Will found it before any of them? She didn't even want to imagine what Voldemort would do to him then...

"Miss Alderfair, if you would kindly pay attention, it would be much appreciated."

Cassie lifted her head with difficulty to see Professor Flitwick frowning at her from his desk. She was supposed to be copying down the wand motions for a spell that would be on their Charms O.W.L., but her lack of sleep was making her drowsy and dumb.

"Sorry, Professor," she mumbled, picking up her quill and slowly beginning to write down the correct wand motions. Professor Flitwick went back to the lesson, and Alice leaned over to her.

"Cass, are you all right?" she asked. "You look peaky."

"'m fine," she said, stifling a huge yawn behind her hand. "Just tired."

"You've been just tired for weeks now," Alice pointed out. She peeked over her shoulder. "Is this about Sirius and the others? Are you still having a row with them?"

Cassie's grip on her quill tightened at the question, her mouth pulling into a scowl. She'd barely spoken to the Marauders in three weeks, and the reminder of it made her gut clench. Remus had tried to keep peace between all of them, but he must have realized the effort was futile, for he had backed off after only several days. James refused to even look in her direction, and Sirius had been as haughty and unruffled as ever, which increased her own anger. His blasé attitude was a slap to the face after the moment they had shared on the staircase, but her hurt was masked with too much pride to allow herself to obsess over it.

"What gave it away?" she asked Alice sarcastically. "The stoic silence, or the fact that a room turns into the Arctic Circle whenever we're all trapped in there together?"

Alice frowned, her expression unhappy. "You should at least try apologizing to them, then. You've been a stick in the mud ever since Valentine's."

Cassie's scowl deepened. "I have nothing to apologize for. They're the ones acting like gits, as if I had betrayed them..."

Alice sighed, clearly not wanting to press the issue further. "Suit yourself."

Cassie trudged out of the classroom when the bell dismissed them a half-hour later, closely followed by Lily, Marlene, and Alice.

"Cassie, you look like you're ill," Lily said immediately after they had stepped into the corridor. "Do you need to see Madam Pomfrey?"

"No," she said sullenly, ignoring the glance the three exchanged.