Safer in the Forest (A Sirius Black Fanfic)

Chapter 4: Orion

"But I love Halloween, and I love that feeling: the cold air, the spooky dangers lurking around the corner." –Evan Peters

***

            Cassie finds herself lingering after Quidditch practice. She'd claimed she wanted some extra practice, but really, she just wants to gaze for a few minutes. Being on a broom allows her to see Hogwarts' grounds from a new perspective; she wants to take advantage of that.

            From her spot near the top of the highest hoops, Cassie takes in the scenery slowly. The castle is illuminated like always, a spectacle of light against the sky. Tonight is Halloween, so she can make out the pumpkin candles that float around the Great Hall as the Halloween Feast starts. Besides the Great Hall, there are lights in almost every other window. Shadows pass by the frames, some familiar like Mrs. Norris, and others unrecognizable.

            Cassie turns her attention to the Forbidden Forest. She hasn't forgotten the feeling of sitting in the meadow with Sirius. It's the most reassured she's ever felt; it was as if nothing bad would ever happen to her again. She supposes it's something everyone craves. From her spot in the air, she can't see it, but, then again, she doesn't exactly know where to look. She wonders how Sirius found it; he didn't tell her no matter how many times she rephrased the question.

            After staring at the stars until her neck started to ache, Cassie flies back to the ground and trots up to the castle. She doesn't want to miss the feast; she's heard that the Halloween Feast is the best. Cassie turns the corner and almost smacks right into Remus.

            "Oh! Sorry, Remus. I didn't see you."

            "It's okay, Cassie, but I really have to go." Remus practically runs away from her. Cassie shrugs it off; he's probably feeling sick. She feels bad for him; she feels like he's always getting sick, and when he's sick, he doesn't get much sleep. The other night, she found him out cold in the library over a stack of books. He'd been trying to finish a Potions essay that was due the next day, but because he'd been ill the entire week, he had to finish it all in one night. Cassie had called Sirius over, who draped his cloak around Remus and carried him to the Gryffindor Common Room. Cassie then finished his essay, trying as hard as she could to match his handwriting. (She thought she did a pretty good job.)

            Cassie enters the Great Hall and finds Lily has saved a seat for her. She takes it and gets a plate ready, listening to Lily's day as she eats. It's only after her plate is clean and Lily is fresh out of stories that she realizes that Sirius, James, and Peter are absent.

            "Where are the guys?" she asks Lily.

            Alice answers. "We don't know. None of them showed up at all, which is really strange."

            "The Halloween Feast is their absolute favorite meal of the year," Lily adds. "I don't know where they could be."

            "Well, I saw Remus before I came in," Cassie tells them. "I thought he looked sick. Maybe they're taking care of him?"

            They agree that's the most plausible solution.

            Cassie suddenly has a wave of fatigue wash over her. It'd been a long day: four tests, Quidditch practice, and a lot of warm food. She's ready to collapse in bed without dessert. Saying goodnight to the girls, she trails out of the Great Hall and towards the staircases.

            For the second time that night, she nearly collides with another person. This time, it's Sirius, who appears very rushed.

            "Where are you going?" Cassie asks. He's heading outside after curfew (not that that's surprising), but he's obviously hurrying. He hasn't even glanced in her direction.

            Sirius walks backwards as he answers. "I have to go, there's an, um, thing for, um, Muggle Studies that we're supposed to do outside. I'll see you tomorrow!"

            Cassie runs after him as the door shuts quietly behind him.

            "Sirius!" He stops this time, facing her from the bottom of the stairs. "You don't take Muggle Studies. Is something wrong?"

            "No, everything is fine, I just need you to go back inside." He checks over his shoulder. "Please, I can't explain right now, but—" A howl sounds from somewhere on the grounds, too close. "Shit. Please, go inside." Sirius climbs the stairs and tries to push her back inside, but Cassie resists.

            "You can't not tell me anything! What did I just hear? What are you getting yourself into? Sirius!"

            Sirius shoves her behind a pillar, hiding them from view. "I'll tell you, but you have to wait until I get back. I won't be long; I promise, I'll tell you everything when I get back. Just stay here."

            The emphasis he put on those words scares Cassie, but she nods.

            "Thank you." Sirius hastily kisses her forehead and sprints away in the darkness. Cassie sinks down onto the cold cement and waits.

***

            Sirius is back in less than half an hour. He looks like he did in the forest, slightly disheveled and worn out. He sits next to Cassie on his knees, obviously needing this conversation to go quickly.

            "There's only so much I can tell you, and I might not be able to answer your questions, but I can give you the basics," Sirius starts. "Remus is a werewolf." Cassie feels herself startle. "He was bitten by Fenrir Greyback as a child. He kept it from us for a little while, but we obviously found out; we're not completely oblivious. Ever since our fifth year, we've been helping him get to the Shrieking Shack. There's a passage under the Whomping Willow; it was planted especially for that purpose."

            "Whoa, whoa, whoa, you go down there with him? While he's a werewolf?"

            "Yes," Sirius says nonchalantly. "But we're safe—"

            "How?"

            Sirius hesitates, his eyes searching hers deeply. "I can't say that much. But know that we're safe, all of us, and Remus won't hurt us."

            Cassie runs a hand through her hair. "Is that all you can tell me?"

            "For now." Sirius stands, offering a hand to help her up. "You can't tell anyone, do you understand? Not Lily, Alice, your owl, nobody. Remus' life would be in danger if you exposed his secret."

            "I know," Cassie says. "I can relate to what it'd be like to be considered a threat."

            Sirius grins sympathetically. "Thanks for keeping this a secret. I had to make sure it was ok to tell you. I had to ask James and Peter. I'll tell Remus I told you tomorrow. But don't bring it up. He doesn't like to talk about it."

            "I'd imagine not," Cassie mutters. "Is that why you call him Moony?"

            Sirius nods. "I promise, I'll tell you everything else one day. I dunno when, but...I will."

            "Thanks for telling me." Cassie feels a new wave of tiredness replace her anxiousness. "Goodnight, Sirius. Be careful."

            He strokes her cheek lightly. "Goodnight, Cas." And then he's disappeared into the black.