Sky full of stars {Harry Potter Fanfiction}

26. She's a Keeper

Kat and I didn't sleep very much that night. Both of us were too worried about Cassie to sleep, even though Sasha had been dispatched to collect a strong sleeping potion from Draco (as it turned out he kept a stash in his dormitory in case of emergencies) in case she had nightmares.

Even though Cassie slept like a baby, neither of us were willing to leave her alone. I stared at the ceiling, counting every drop in the chandelier. Anything to keep my mind from tracing back to the details in Cassie's story.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" I asked Kat, scrunching the duvet up in my hand. "She—I don't know how she kept it secret for so long. Only her family knowing..."

Kat's hand clumsily met mine, and she squeezed my fingers. "I know I'm a steel fortress with feelings and stuff, but... when I told you about my mother leaving, it helped."

"Really?" I thought about that night so long ago in the forest, with Kat sobbing in my arms about her absent mother. "You were so upset."

Kat leaned across Cassie's sleeping body so her afro curls tickled my neck. "I was. But it felt good to tell somebody, to let the monster out of the cage. It still hurts to think about my mother, but... it's easier. You helped me, Lyra."

Feeling a surge of pride that I'd helped Kat, a stone dropped in my stomach. "Cassie had a big monster to let out."

Kat squeezed my fingers again. "But these monsters, Lyra, they sit on our chests. Letting it out, helps you breathe again. Cassie might be able to breathe easier."

I hoped so.

**

Over the coming weeks, it became clear to us all that Cassie was breathing easier. She had bright days---when she told jokes to make us snort pumpkin juice and demanding piggy back rides from Harry up to Divination—she also had her dark days.

Maybe it was because she opened the most vulnerable part of herself to us, forcing her to relive everything, or maybe she just wasn't hiding the darkness anymore.

But when Cassie had a bad day she would glaze over, wrap her arms around herself and not speak. Sometimes she would pull strands of hair out without realising until she had a clump in her hand. With gentle monologues from Daphne, an encouraging smile from me or a rare hand-hold from Kat, and Cassie would be pulled back from the darkness to us.

I worried about Cassie all the time, and I knew that would never change. But at least now I knew the signs and had an idea of what was going on in her head.

Another positive was how quickly people took to Remus as Defence teacher. He was easily battling with Mum for beloved teacher—Remus had such a perfect demeanour to be a teacher, he made the lessons interesting but was also willing to have a joke with students.

And as September blurred into October without a single sighting of Dad, I finally felt as though I could relax. Yet at the corner of my mind was an itch I couldn't satisfy, which was making me physically restless—which Fred didn't fail to notice.

"What is it?" he asked without looking up from one of his idea journals. I was lent up against him underneath our favourite Willow Tree, but I couldn't keep still.

"Nothing." I played with my pedant, hoping he'd believe me. "Carry on drawing."

Fred's pencil paused over the drawing of an imagined logo for his and George's practical joke shop idea. For a second I thought I'd fooled him, but then he poked my nose with the pencil.

"Lyra—I know when something's up. I'm like that cool muggle guy Sherlock Gnomes." He poked me with the pencil again.

"I'm thinking about joining the Quidditch team." I blurted out. I reached into the pocket of my skirt. "Cedric left trial information cards in the common room... Try outs are this weekend..."