Safer in the Forest (A Sirius Black Fanfic)

Chapter 2: Equuleus

"All punishment is mischief; all punishment in itself is evil." –Jeremy Bentham

***

            The feeling of a real bed is like bliss. Cassie has been sleeping on an iron rectangle that the Ministry thinks passes as suitable sleeping material since the beginning of the summer. She practically melts into the fabric.

            "Bet that feels nice, doesn't it?" Lily asks, who is sitting on her own bed hugging a pillow.

            "You have no idea." Cassie sits up, eyeing Lily suspiciously. "Why are you being nice to me and not treating me like I'm a monster?"

            Lily grins slightly. "I read your testimony in the Daily Prophet. I could tell you had no intention of killing the man. As a fellow girl who is always on guard, I understand."

            Cassie is relieved that someone understands. "I didn't even mean to stupefy him! He scared me because he yelled something and came at me. I panicked."

            "As far as I'm concerned, a lot of people share a similar view with me," Lily says. "Only a few people are overanalyzing everything. Right Alice?"

            A girl with black spiky hair has entered the room. "What's that? Oh, absolutely. I'm Alice. It's nice to meet you!"

            "Nice to meet you, too," Cassie says.

            "Can I ask something?" Lily asks, looking slightly nervous now. When Cassie nods, she goes on, "Why are your parents in Azkaban?"

            Cassie exhales deeply. This isn't something she wants to share just yet, but she'd feel bad giving her the cold shoulder. It might even make her suspicious, so she replies honestly, "They were killers." Lily gasps. "I never knew until they were caught. Trust me, I'm not for that life. I know that makes it sound like my case is a lie, but I didn't find out until they were towed off to Azkaban. I'm not evil." Cassie thinks she sounds small.

            "I believe you," Lily whispers.

            "Can I tell you something straight out?" Alice asks. "You're going to get rude remarks and unnecessary comments from people. But don't let it get to you. They're all a bunch of self-absorbed pricks."

            Cassie grins. "Don't worry. My middle finger gained a lot of strength being in Azkaban."

*** 

            Apparently her fist gained strength, too. It was only second period, Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. Well, it was three minutes before class started. Lucious Malfoy had made such a show, Cassie couldn't satisfy herself by just ignoring him. So, as Lucious repeatedly reenacted what he thought must've happened between Cassie and the man, Cassie stalked right up to him and socked him square in the nose.

To her surprise, he punches her back, right in the mouth. She tastes blood but feels all of her teeth intact. Just as she has pulled out her wand to do some dirty work, Professor McGonagall appears with a menacing glare.

"Both of you to the hospital wing, and then come see me to get your detentions," she barks. The rest of the class files in as Lucious and Cassie strut to the hospital wing, Cassie following Lucious because she doesn't know where to go.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he asks.

"Says the one who was making fun of someone when he doesn't even know the full story," Cassie snaps, but she has to stop talking because she's dripping blood on the floor.

Madam Pomfrey patches them both up quickly and whisks them off to class. Cassie can't believe she's gotten a detention on her first day. Sure, she has a temper, but the whole school is going to overdramatize it. She knows it. She just hopes McGonagall understands enough to not send her to Azkaban after one day.

"Is it true?" James asks at lunch. "Did you punch Malfoy?"

Cassie nods. "Yeah, and I regret it."

"Why?" Sirius asks. "I wouldn't."

"The whole school is going to believe I'm psycho now." She takes a sip of pumpkin juice then cringes. She hates pumpkin juice. "I wanted to make a good first impression."

"Pfft." Sirius runs a hand through his hair. "First impressions mean nothing. You still have time to show them you're a good person."

"So you guys believe my story, too?"

"Of course," James says; Sirius nods. "Moony—I mean Remus—might have a harder time accepting it, but he'll come around."

"Tell me about the fight," Sirius says. "Tell me everything."

Cassie raises an eyebrow. "He was making fun of me, I punched him, he punched me, we both got detention."

Sirius frowns. "That was boring. Was there blood?"

"There was in my mouth," Cassie says, shuddering at the thought of the irony taste. "That sucked because then I couldn't even talk, y'know? I tried to yell 'fuck you' but there was blood dripping all over the place."

This earns a laugh from both of them.

"Malfoy deserves a punch every day," James says. "Let's go, we'll be late for Herbology."

As Cassie accompanies them to the greenhouses, she says, "Why do you care about being on time? I didn't think you two were very lenient towards the rules."

Sirius smirks at her. His teeth are sharper than the normal wizard, and his eyes reflect the clouds on a stormy day. "Oh, we're not."