Little Miss Marauder

Chapter 16 - What did you do?!

Chapter 16 - What did you do?!

James sat on the stool at the front of the hall, he was full of fear, yet the shock was still evident on his face. He waited for the hat to be placed on his head, but yet he was not fully paying attention, staring at Cassadee as she sat at the table furthest away from the doors, and sent a forced smile to her brother. A voice suddenly appeared in James head, demanding his attention, and made him physically jump causing several students in the hall to let out a small laugh. "Ahhh... another Potter" the voice spoke, in what seemed like a quieter tone even though it was in his head. "Another student bearing the same name, yet you're mind it's oh so different. You both have very different qualities, but I know exactly where you belong." Before the hat could finish James interrupted it's voice in his head. "Please, let me be with her. I need to protect her. I can't let anyone hurt her." "That Mr Potter, is why i'm placing you in this house. You care about your sister dearly, you protect her more than you protect yourself. It's got to be..." The hat stopped talking to James in his head. It began the sentence out loud instead.

Cassadee sat at her house table still in shock, looking at all of her house mates that sat around her. She knew that she didn't belong here, not only at this table, not at Hogwarts, but just in the wizarding world itself. If these people that sat around her knew her secret they wouldn't have smiled, wouldn't have been happy to have her in their house. Ignoring these thoughts, she looked up to the stool she had just come from and at her brothers face. She didn't know exactly where the hat would place him, but wasn't certain if she wanted it to be in the same as her or not. As the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR" to the hall she smiled and clapped, but was not sure what reaction was taking place in her head at that moment. Cassadee no longer knew how she should feel about anything. Everything happened so quickly that day and she wasn't sure if she could cope with it, so many emotions swirled around her head and when she felt a hand on her shoulder she lost it and bolted out of the hall.

James walked up to his sister, sitting at the Gryffindor table and sat down opposite her. She was obviously lost in her thoughts and he knew that he had to leave her alone for a while, or the situation could get so much worse. He was so happy to be in the same house as his new friends and sister, he felt that this was the best place he could be for the next few years. He began to talk to Sirius, they were both laughing about the boats incident, not bringing up why it had happened, as Sirius could tell now was not a good time to speak about it. Yet this conversation was cut short when a hush swept over the hall and footsteps thundered down the center of the hall and out the doors as he looked up. Cassadee was no longer in her seat and a shocked Lily Evans was sitting in the seat beside the ow empty space, her hand still hovering in the air. "What did you do?" James questioned, a harsh undertone in his hushed voice. Lily just stared at him, still shocked that such an intense reaction came from the girl when she was just trying to get her attention. "WHAT DID YOU DO?" James demanded, his voice much louder this time as he stood up, slamming his hands onto the table. All of the hushed whispers had now silenced, and even the teachers were staring at the commotion, not yet intervening.

"I... I... I just tried to get her attention... I just put my hand on her shoulder to get her attention..." Lily stuttered, both nervous of the boy in-front of her, as well as concerned as to why that had such an effect on the other girl. "Don't touch her. Ever." James seethed, using his concern as an excuse for his abruptness, before storming out of the hall. He just had to get to her before any incidents happened.

Sirius snapped out of the shock he was in, apologised to Lily before shouting at the rest of the hall to "Get on with your own sorry lives and keep your ugly noses out of others business." Which was a very bold statement considering that over half the hall were around twice the size of him, but they listened and turned back to the front of the hall to watch the last of the first years to get sorted. Sirius followed suit of the Potter twins and exited the hall in search of them. They were already as close as his own family, and maybe the only family he will have left by the end of the week when his mother inevitably found out about his house.

Cassadee felt her inner monster taking over, she knew she had to get out of the hall as soon as she could. She just wanted out of her own body if possible. She didn't want to live like this anymore. She wanted to be the carefree child again. How she was before her 10th birthday. Before the man ruined her childhood, ruined her life. Before he made her into the monster she was now. She didn't want the constant fear and discomfort she felt around people. She didn't want to be a burden on her brother anymore. The thought of how she had ruined his life so young killed her inside, slowly, with each time she lost herself she saw more and more of his happiness slip away. She knew he blamed her for making him grow up so fast. She did not belong here. All of these feelings were too much for a child. She was just a kid. Just a child and yet she had seen and gone through so much more pain than most adults ever see. Her negative thoughts constantly chipped away at the part of her consciousness that was able to keep her inner demon under control, but when she heard James' whispers and reassurances she began to fight back in her mind, to regain the small part of control she lost, before another incident occurred.

James stood at a distance from his sister and spoke in a calming voice before he took steps closer to her. He knew that she had to be calmer to not freak out at touch, even if it was his. He had done this so many times and each time his sister fought through it without an incident he became even prouder of her than he was before, with his respect for her courage increasing. He was not in the slightest surprised that she had made it into Gryffindor. She was so brave for dealing with what she had to everyday and was the most courageous person he knew. She just had to realise that she was still the same girl she was before that monster got to her. Once she was calm enough to look up at him, her eyes wavering between slits and her normal ones, she launched herself into his arms and they slowly sunk to the floor.

Sirius watched the two interact from afar, his eyes full of concern for both of them. He knew that the professors wouldn't let the commotion go, both from the boats and just now, that there would be whispers for weeks, but he could not care about any of that. He had to be there, if they needed him, because he sure as hell needed them. It scared him how dependent he was on two people he barely knew, but yet this day was the happiest he had in years. 

A/N: I know a lot happened in this chapter even though there wasn't really a lot happening, if that makes any sense. I'd love to know what you guys think and how I can improve my writing, I only do it for fun so I can use all the help I can get.