Post Tenebras Lux

Chapter Sixty-Six

Silence overcame the group as they stood in a huddle in the darkness. The only sound that could be heard was their pants as they tried to recover from running. Cassiopeia stood slightly in front as she listened out for any movement from their enemy. McKinnon was beside her and whispered, "Lumos."

"Don't," Cassiopeia quickly told the girl, "Turn it off."

Cassiopeia stumbled as she slowly moved forward. She knew they were close. Their eyes certainly on the group as they waited for them to move. 

"If it isn't dearest Cassie and her beloved friends," Bellatrix's voice echoed throughout the room but the woman did not appear.

"Stop being a coward and fight," Cassiopeia shouted back. 

Light suddenly burst into the room, illuminating the group. Cassiopeia glanced back to see how far she had moved from the group. They were on Order of the Phoenix business and once again they had been met with death eaters.

"Cass, how about you come back to us?" James asked, concerned something was about to happen, "Be a lot safer if you were with us.

She shook her head as her head darted around the room, looking to see where her sister could possibly be, "Come on Bella, you know you want to kill me. So kill me."

Sirius was immediately at her side, "What are you doing Cassiopeia? You could get us all killed."

The girl ignored her cousin and she tauntingly called out, "Oh Bellaaaa, come out, come out, wherever you are."

"Do you have a bloody death wish?" McKinnon was seething with anger as she glared at Cassiopeia, "Do you not know what she can do?"

"Do you not know what I can do?" 

Remus stepped in front of McKinnon, "Now is not the time for fighting each other. We need to find them."

"Well, we would be trying to find them if she wasn't trying to fight her sister."

"We can't find anything with death eaters circling us, can we!" 

Lily pulled her friend back, "Marlene, I trust her. Give it a rest."

Cassiopeia ripped the door off its hinges and carefully walked through, lighting her wand up as she inspected the room. The group hesitantly followed her, "I thought you Gryffindors were supposed to be brave and have no regard for your wellbeing?"

James suddenly grabbed onto her hand, "Now is not the time for stereotypes, Cass."

"Where are the death eaters?" Lily asked, fear evident in her tone.

"They've gone," Cassiopeia frowned, "We won't be able to find anything here. They will have destroyed anything useful for us."

The group all looked at each other before staring in confusion at her, "They've gone? Just like that? How do you know?"

"They have had some fun with us but there are clearly bigger things going on here. Do you really think Bellatrix would have nothing more to say to me? I know my sister, she would be talking the whole bloody time."

Sirius shook her head, "It doesn't make sense, Cassie. Why would they just leave us here?"

"Because there is something worse awaiting us."

Remus shook his head in anger, "Why does this keep happening to us? They always know where we are."

"I bet Peter's glad he isn't very well," Sirius commented, "I sure wish I wasn't here. I'm covered in bloodstains."

A coldness suddenly entered the room and Cassiopeia hushed the group again. Before anyone could question her what was going on, a dark figure loomed over them. 

"Is that-" Lily didn't finish her sentence. 

"Dementor," James quickly told her, "Everyone get back."

As the man went to get out his wand, Cassiopeia beat him to it as she yelled, "Expecto Patronum."

It was a very different sight to a few years earlier. A bright light beamed out of her wand as a doe began to encircle the dementor making it go away. Cassiopeia was surprised as she realised she was now able to conjure a full Patronus. 

"Means we are soulmates, Cass," James exclaimed as the group stared at her in awe.

Cassiopeia rolled her eyes before shouting to the group, "Let's get out of here."