Stars {Remus Lupin} ✓

47. I'M SORRY I DIDN'T PROTECT YOU WELL ENOUGH

| CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN |

I'M SORRY I DIDN'T PROTECT YOU WELL ENOUGH.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN years, Cassiopeia wasn't spending her half-term break at Hogwarts. By the looks of it, neither was Regulus. She noticed the boy walking past the compartment she shared with the girls, and without a second thought, she shot out of her seat, muttering something about going to see the boys before exiting the compartment and walking straight towards her younger brother.

"Reg," She called out.

The youngest Black stopped dead in his tracks. He turned around and gave his sister a tight-lipped smile, "Cass," He greeted, "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Yeah, I can say the same thing about you," She told him as she got closer, "What are you doing?"

Regulus looked confused, "Erm, just going to the bathroom, why?"

"I meant what are you doing going back home?"

Regulus sighed, he weaved his hand through his dark locks, "You know I need to go."

Cassiopeia couldn't hide her worry. As good as the girl was at hiding the emotions from her face, her bright eyes always gave her away.

"Don't worry about me, Cass, please."

"How can I not? You're my baby brother. When I'm not trying to fit you into shoe boxes I need to look out for you, don't I?"

A genuine smile graced his lips as he laughed. Cassiopeia felt her own lips turn upwards, she hadn't seen a happy look on her younger brother's face for a very long time, "Where are you off to?" He finally asked, clearly trying to change the topic, "I have a feeling you're not going back home?"

Cass felt heat rushing to her cheeks as she shook her head, "You won't tell right?"

"Of course not," He promised, holding out his pinkie.

With a grin, the two Slytherins interlocked their pinkies together. Keeping them up in the air as Cass spoke up again, "Going to Remus'."

Regulus smirked, "Of course you are," He chuckled lightly as their fingers finally unclasped.

"You should've told me you were going back home. I would've given you Buddy, since Kreacher hates him so much."

The blue eyed boy grinned, "Definitely would make the trip more exciting. Where is he?"

"Hagrid's looking after him," The Slytherin girl shrugged, smiling warmly as she thought back to Hagrid's reaction when she asked him if he could cat-sit for her. 

A comfortable silence filled the air between the siblings, however, it was one that gave Cassiopeia more time to think about her brother and about what was now happening at their home. A sad look was quick to overtake her features, "I'm sorry I didn't protect you well enough."

Regulus sighed, "Your protected me perfectly, Cass," He told her, placing his hand on her shoulder and squeezing it comfortingly, "This was just something neither of us could prevent. Don't blame yourself for this, okay?"

Cassiopeia wasn't convinced but she nodded nevertheless, "Okay."

-

"ARE YOU SURE THIS IS okay?" Cass questioned her boyfriend for the hundredth time as they walked hand-in-hand through the train platform. 

Remus sent her a wide grin and nodded, "Stop worrying, Cass, of course it's okay," He told her as he squeezed her hand comfortingly, "My mum misses you a lot. Talks about you coming round constantly."

That one simple statement caused the happiest look to grace Cass' face. She had never felt wanted by her own parents, so feeling wanted by someone else's parents was a strange - yet incredibly - comforting feeling. One that she definitely wouldn't get sick of. One that made her feel invisible. 

Her piercing blue eyes finally landed on Hope and Lyall Lupin. They both looked tired whilst Hope looked a little fragile and pale. However, as soon as they spotted their son walking towards them, the tired looks on their faces were replaced with grins, ones that only widened when they noticed his hand clasped tightly in Cassiopeia's.

As soon as the girl noticed the smiles on both of the adults faces, the anxious feeling seemed to slip away, leaving her more excited than nervous as they finally reached the married couple.

"Remus, hello my dear," Hope greeted her son, bringing the lanky boy into a tight hug before she practically pushed him away and focused on the black haired girl, "Cassiopeia, look how much you've grown," Hope gushed, placing her hands on the girl's cheeks and looking at her lovingly, "You've turned into such a beautiful young woman," She added before bringing the girl into a hug.

"Thank you, Mrs. Lupin," Cassiopeia said politely as she wrapped her arms around the shorter woman, trying not to squeeze too hard.

Hope was quick to pull away, shaking her head, "No, no, I've told you before, there will be no Mr or Mrs here. Just call me Hope," She said in a firm but friendly way as she brought the girl back into her arms.

Remus was grinning like a Cheshire cat as he watched the scene before him. A warm feeling spread through his chest as he kept his eyes on his girlfriend whilst she warmly greeted both of his parents. The grin didn't fall from his face when she caught him watching her, instead, it somehow intensified as his heart began to race in his chest, violently smashing his ribcage. He hadn't seen Cassiopeia looking that happy in a long time and it was most definitely a breathtaking sight.