Tainted Blood (WATTY AWARDS 2012)

12. Back to Hogwarts

Cassi sighed as she sat on the Hogwarts Express, she was cuddled tightly into Teddy who had his arms wrapped around her, trying to comfort her as much as he could but knew that there wasn’t a lot that he could help with. He didn’t even know what she was going through even though he had lost his parents… He was only a few months old when he lost his parents, so he had grown up with his gran and godfather…  Cassi cried silently before she soon fell asleep and the boys continued to talk, they were shocked that Violet hadn’t appeared in their carriage but they tried not to worry about it. It was just as they were arriving at Hogsmeade Station, dressed in their robes that the girl walked in and immediately wrapped her arms around her best friend holding her close, they whispered a few things to each other before walking out the carriage, making the boys carry their cases back up to the castle.

It was as though the sleep had completely changed Cassi, she was still stressed and upset about her parents’ death but she was suddenly back to her usual self. Cassi walked off the carriage, holding Teddy’s hand and she made her way over the grounds towards the large castle had missed. Many people whispered words to the twins as they walked passed but they didn’t say anything, they just wanted to get in to the Slytherin Common Room where they felt like they belonged. Cassi smiled as she gave Teddy a light kiss on the cheek and made her way over to the Slytherin table while he sat down at the Gryffindor table beside Victoire. Cassi smiled as she placed her head on Sirius’ shoulder, listening to Professor McGonagall’s start of term speech… She felt safe and relaxed in her brother’s arms and she knew that he would never let her get hurt. Soon, they were eating the food and being allowed to return to the common room. Cassi and Sirius could not have been happier when they reached the familiar room and sat back in their usual seats.

Many students didn’t say a word to the twins; just let them sit in their corner with their group of followers… “So, where are you going to live now?” Violet asked her best friend softly. Cassi sighed as she looked to her twin brother, they had been torn between where to stay… Cassi had wanted to stay with the Malfoys as she had grown to love them in the week they had lived together whereas Sirius wanted to stay with the Weasleys as they had helped him out so much after he had discovered the dead bodies of their parents. “We don’t know yet, Vi” Cassi whispered softly as she ran a hand through her blonde hair which she magically straightened, making her look a lot more like a Malfoy than her mother.  “Sirius, you know… You could go live with Hermione… I could live with Draco… We would still be able to see each other and we would both be where we want to stay” Cassi said softly as she looked to her brother who looked shocked, he knew how they had both struggled when they weren’t staying in the same house. Then again, if it was to always happen they would get used to it… “We can write them a letter and asked… We can’t just make this arrangement when it might not be okay with them” he told her and Cassi nodded softly, it would only happen twice a year, Christmas and summer.

The next couple of weeks went in with a blur and soon the twins had a reply from both their parents, agreeing that they could stay at the separate houses but that they would all get together at least once a week so that they could all be together. Draco had also told Cassi that by the time they were home for summer that Astoria would have had the baby so there would be an extra family member in the house. Cassi couldn’t wait until summer so that she would get to meet their baby brother or sister. “We’ll see each other all the time Sirius, it’s not like we are being torn apart and only getting to see each other now and again… We are going to be having dinner together at least once a week. I just preferred it when I stayed with Draco and Astoria, I felt like I belonged there more than I did when I was living with Hermione and Ron” she explained and Sirius nodded softly, he understood this as he was the opposite, he felt like he belonged more at Hermione and Ron’s house than he did at Draco and Astoria’s.

Classes were so boring; Sirius and Cassi were top of every single one so were normally found sitting at the back of the class talking to each other in hushed tones.  The Professors didn’t mind the twins talking as long as they didn’t disturb the other students and that their grades stayed high but as soon as they had been warned that if their grades start to fall, they will be separated and made to work twice as hard. Cassi sometimes would wish that she was in the year above as that would mean that she was getting to spend more time with Teddy but at the same time, she was glad that she wasn’t as Teddy was beginning to get really clingy to her, saying that the happy face she had was just an act. It was the beginning of February when it happened…

“Cassiopeia, talk to me!” Teddy yelled at his girlfriend who was sat staring out over the water, Cassi sighed as she turned to Teddy with a look of rage in her eyes “You want to know what is bothering me Theodore?! YOU!!!” She had never snapped at him this bad before but he had constantly been asking her to talk about her adoptive parents but she didn’t want to, she didn’t want to think about the past… Only her future with her real parents, her step-parents and half-brothers and half-sister, she knew that the family was a little messed up but it was her family and she knew that she belonged there... Teddy was just staring at the girl who had yelled at her in shock, he had never seen Cassi act like this before. He was just about to speak when she sighed and looked into his eyes “Look, Teddy… We are too different… I think we should break up.” She said with a frown as she ran a hand through her blonde hair.

Teddy couldn’t believe what was happening but nodded, walking off back to the school grounds. Cassi stayed at the edge of the lake with a small smile placed on her lips, there had been a Slytherin that she had her eye on but she didn’t want to do anything with him seeing as she was still with Teddy but now she was single. She laughed softly to herself; her thoughts were that of someone much older, not the young eleven year old that she actually was. It was a couple of hours later that she returned to the school but instead of going to the Great Hall where everyone was, the young blonde made her way to the kitchens and asked the House Elves to make her some macaroni cheese, it was her favourite food. She smiled as the youngest elf handed it to her and she made her way back to the Slytherin Common Room away from everyone else.

When the feast had finished, Sirius looked relieved to see that his sister was in the common room at their usual seats, he ran over and wrapped his arms around her tightly “Are you okay?” he asked softly causing her to look confused “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” she asked quietly and was shocked when she heard her brother’s reply… “Teddy is going around telling everyone that he broke up with you because you seemed to be living in the past…” Cassi’s soft grey eyes suddenly turned harsh as she glared “HE SAID WHAT?!” She was ready for charging out the common room and going to find the guy but Violet and Sirius was able to calm her down as she told them the real story about what had happened and how she was the one to have broken up with him cause he wouldn’t leave her alone… She had just finished telling the story when she noticed that there was someone watching her, a boy in their year… Matthew Goyle. She smiled slightly as he winked at her before walking off.

{AN}

Don't normally do Author's Notes on this story but I need to this time... It is so ironic that as I hit to upload this chapter... The song Gotta Get Back To Hogwarts from A Very Potter Musical decided to come on my iTunes :L