Post Tenebras Lux

Chapter Forty-One

It was almost as though their professors knew Cassiopeia and James were becoming close as every single lesson they were either sat next to or near each other. Cassiopeia was not the silent girl she had been the previous year but she was no longer purposely annoying the boy. There was a happiness to her that had never been there before - one that caused McGonagall to stop worrying as much about her brightest student. 

It was in Transfiguration that James and Cassiopeia had the best chance to talk more to each other as all the Slytherins in the class were sat far away from them. Cassiopeia was constantly giggling as James whispered jokes to her. 

Although McGonagall knew she should have been telling them off, the sight brought a smile to her face so she left the two alone. 

"You did that wrong," James pointed at her parchment paper allowing their hands to touch slightly before he moved it away. 

Cassiopeia glanced over at him, "No I didn't," She then moved her hand to point at his answer, "You did."

James narrowed his eyes as he looked at his answer again before hers, "I hate sitting next to you."

"No you don't," Cassiopeia replied, "I'm helping you improve! I did say you would one year."

"Just a little bit arrogant of you to say."

Cassiopeia raised her eyebrow at him, "It's the truth though. Probably why we are sat together all the time."

"Has nothing to do with the fact we are both the top of our classes."

Every night since James had 'accidentally' came across Cassiopeia, the two would meet in the Astronomy Tower and spend hours talking and joking with each other. The two were increasingly growing closer over time as they learned more and more about their childhoods and wishes for the future. 

"Do you like your family?" James asked her nervously, unsure about how she would respond to a subject he had chosen to avoid normally. 

Cassiopeia froze slightly but then said, "I don't dislike them," She smiled sadly, "I don't like what they stand for or the things they have done. But they are still my family. It is a tough one."

James nodded his head, "Must be hard to think about how they aren't good people."

"Bellatrix was nice to me growing up, but with time it became more apparent who she was. She has been getting madder and madder over time. She isn't my sister anymore. I don't recognise her," Cassiopeia fiddled with her hands, "Narcissa isn't a bad person though. She believes that as purebloods we are better and she dislikes muggles but she doesn't agree with the Dark Lord. You should have seen how relieved she was when she found out marrying Lucius meant she wouldn't have to be a death eater."

"I never understood how difficult it must be for you," James told her, "I have been prejudiced myself. I thought that as you were a Black and in Slytherin you were exactly like them."

"I was for a bit," Cassiopeia told him, "I was brought up on stories about how evil muggles were. You know when I came to Hogwarts, I couldn't understand why the muggles were exactly like us. It turns out my parents were fearful of the unknown, they don't want their own power to diminish."

James knocked her shoulder with his, "But you don't think that anymore, you aren't ignorant like them."

"Luckily," Cassiopeia smiled, "I would sooner die than marry Lestrange and become a death eater."

"You did say you could always marry another Pureblood."

She laughed loudly as she suddenly stood up and held out her hand, "Come on, it's getting late. I need some sleep or I will be a zombie tomorrow."

"Now, that is something I would like to see!"

Cassiopeia smiled widely as she walked away from James. There was a spring in her step as she realised she hadn't thought about the darkness inside her at all for the last few weeks. She giggled to herself as she guessed that this could possibly be happiness.

Her smile fell as she caught sight of Snape standing outside the common room door, clearly waiting for her to return. She intended to ignore him but he had other ideas, "Where have you been Cassiopeia?"

"I don't see how that is any of your business, Snape," She retorted, not wanting to waste even a second's breath on him. 

"You've been going out every night for the last four weeks," Snape pushed himself off the wall as he moved to be in front of the door, "Who are you meeting?"

Cassiopeia raised her eyebrow, "Why must I be meeting someone? Why can't I be going off somewhere to be alone?"

"I will find out what is going on here."

She glared at him, "Oh, do be quiet Snape. Remember who I am and what I am capable of doing. You don't want to get on my wrong side."

Snape stepped back, gulping deeply, "I know something's going on."

"Whatever I spend my time doing is none of your business. So keep that large nose of yours out of it. Or I will not hesitate to ruin you."

James walked away from Cassiopeia, a grin from ear to ear as he quickly made his way back to his dormitory under the invisible cloak. The fire was still crackling as he entered the common room and he threw the cloak off. As he quietly opened his dormitory door he was met with the smirks of his three best friends. 

"Evening all." He said as he tossed his cloak into his trunk before undoing his tie, "Any reason why you are staring at me like weirdos?"

Sirius was the first to speak, "Where have you been, Prongs?"

"Somewhere."

Remus laughed as he pulled out the Marauders Map, "We know where you have been."

James glared at the map as he realised he hadn't noticed that it had been taken from his belongings, "How long have you uh, had the map for?"

"Long enough," Peter teased his friend, "About three weeks to be exact."

"We wondered why you were going out every night for a week," Sirius informed his friend, "You know we were all a little shocked when we found out. We thought you may have been stalking Lily but this is far more interesting."

Remus wiggled his eyebrows as he said, "So, Cassiopeia Black?"

"I was wrong about her," James fell onto his bed, "I was so bloody wrong."

Sirius smiled to himself, "I told you so."

"She's so funny and sharp and-" He stopped himself.

"And?" Peter asked.

James shifted himself so he could see his three friends, "What?"

"You were going to say something else," Remus told him, "Has nothing to do with her appearance does it?"

"She is gorgeous."

Sirius then dramatically called out, "That's my cousin. Stop talking about my cousin like that."

James threw his pillow at him, "Don't remind me, Padfoot."

"Do you like her?" Peter asked him.

James stared up at the ceiling, "Yeah. She is growing on me. I don't know how I could ever have hated her."