Black [1]

Chapter 14

Christmas seems to go by fast, and while I can't say it was filled with presents in my case, it was fun. There weren't many other students so I could mess around with Taylor, the two of us acting like children by dressing up in weird outfits and running around the castle. Her brothers called us stupid, but we didn't care. She put makeup on me, too - I've never been interested in it, but she's a pro - but I took it off straight after, feeling like a clown. We were allowed to both stay in the Gryffindor dorm so we wouldn't be alone, although it made it a little harder to sneak out to Sirius like I promised.

I ended up going to see him about three times. Once on Christmas, once on New Year's, and once in general. I didn't stay long, but at least I got to see him. I can't exactly officially go out so I'm still at a loss of buying things that could help him out, like normal clothes to replace the tattered ones he has, but he tried to assure me it was fine. It wasn't exactly the first Christmas together that I planned, but considering the circumstances, that's okay. Once we get his name cleared, everything will be perfect.

I'm walking through the corridors on the first day back, chatting to Madison about another one of my strange dreams. If anyone asked me what it was about, I wouldn't have been able to tell them. All I know is that my father was there, along with Remus, and Aiden, and Hermione, and Harry, and even Ron. There was someone else I don't recognise, too, but I try (and fail) not to dwell on it. It'll happen eventually, and I'll find out. I can't do anything for it in the meantime.

"Hey, Cassia!" I whirl around when I hear the voice, not recognising it at first, but the laughter dies on my lips from Maddie's joke as my gaze lands on Carlie walking over with two of her goons, bag slung over one shoulder. She looks perfect, per usual. What would make her wholly perfect would be a serious improvement in her character, but I doubt that's possible. I just turn around and mutter to Madison to keep going, us ignoring the brat that Aiden sadly calls a cousin.

"Awe, Cassia, don't go," she pouts behind us, voice sickly sweet. "We were just having fun. After all, the latest newspapers haven't said anything about your Dad. That's good, right? He's resisted the urge to murder innocent people, for once. Good on him!" Maddie scoffs beside me, and my mind goes back to what Hermione said. She said boys are annoying. I beg to differ. Girls are the annoying ones.

"You know, I blame your rudeness on parenting. Oh wait," she pretends to have sympathy in her voice, as if remembering something. "You really don't seem to have luck in the parental department. Your adoptive parents are dead. Happened to be right after your Dad escaped Azkaban. What a coincidence. Actually..." She pretends to consider. "It's really not."

There's laughter from her goons, some people starting to pay attention to what's going on, but I just grit my teeth so hard my jaw starts to hurt, trying to block her voice out. "First your Mum died when you were a baby, at the hands of 'the Dark Lord'. I bet Voldemort's not actually as powerful as everyone says he is. Your mother was probably just weak."

That's when I stop walking, my fists clenched by my sides.

My mother wasn't weak.

"Then your Dad was thrown into a high-security prison for the rest of his life after carrying out the bidding of the very person who killed your mother!" She's standing right behind me now, every word of hers pricing into my skull. "Never trust a Black. Then again, your Mum probably knew that, but maybe she was just a slag seeking attention and didn't mean to have–"

I whirl around and punch her right across the face, and I feel no regret doing it.

Of course, I'm not so evil that I break her nose, although I know I could do it. No, I just punch her across the jaw to teach her a lesson. She's been giving me this crap for years, and I'm done with it. I'm not even paying attention to the cheering and applause, saying lowly and threateningly as Carlie clutches her reddening jaw, "Say whatever you want about me, but never mention my family again, or you will find me very unpleasant."