Remember Me

Cassandra woke in her dormitory. It was the Christmas holidays, which meant Lavender and Parvati had left. Hermione was still in the hospital wing, though she was being let out today. The silence unnerved her. It was too silent, too still.

Kicking her legs out of bed, she saw a pile of cheerfully wrapped presents at the foot of her bed.

Christmas…she had entirely forgotten about it with recent events. Cassandra curled up near the pile and sorted through them. The large one was from Debbie and John…hopefully they wouldn’t notice her suspicious lack of presents to them this year. She had meant to get them in Hogsmede. Tonks had sent her one…and Hermione. She then picked up two small parcels and felt her heart sinking down into her stomach and her body sagged.

Cass – Happy Christmas! Ron.

To Cass, Merry Christmas! From Harry.

She lay back on her bed and closed her eyes, the presents falling out of her hands. Harry and Ron…

Harry, who was still in the hospital wing and still hadn’t woken up. He had shown no signs of improvement and Madam Pomfrey was getting increasingly worried, though she tried not to show it. Though she was giving Harry more golden potion than ever, and performing complex spells, none of it made the slightest difference.

And Ron…

Ron was still missing. Cassandra had run all over the school, desperately calling his name thousands of times but had no reply. Hermione had taught her a homonum revelio spell which would tell her if anyone was around, and Cassandra had tried it right there and then and had been almost blown off her feet by the spell, as so many people were still in Hogwarts. Ron’s trunk was still under his bed, his belongings still in his dormitory, but he seemed to have disappeared from Hogwarts. Cassandra had sent an owl to Ginny, who had sent one back also panicking about Ron, for Ron was not at The Burrow with them. She could not understand where he was, and ached with fear inside for him.

And then a new worry entered her head, making her squeeze her eyes up tightly and grip her arms. She had never thought of this before. The Fidelius Charm around Debbie and John’s house was broken. What if that meant she could never go back there? Would she ever be able to see them again, or would one letter a week be the extent of their communication? She wrapped her arms around her. She couldn’t stand it, couldn’t stand it.
Worry for Ron, worry for Harry, worry for herself consumed her. And she didn’t know what to do, didn’t know how she could do anything…

Cassandra got dressed, without even looking at the presents on her bed.

*

“Merry Christmas Cass!”

Cassandra looked up and smiled, though it was the last thing she felt like doing. “You too, Dean.”

“Did you like my present?”

Cassandra raised her eyebrows in surprise, her mind flitting back to the pile of unopened gifts still lying on her bed. She wasn’t even aware that Dean had got her a present.

She looked at Dean, who was grinning eagerly at her, a flush of hope in his eyes.

Act.

“Yeah!” she grinned. “Thank you so much, it was lovely!”

His grin deepened and a faint touch of red crept into his cheeks. “Thanks.”

Thank God he couldn’t get into the girls’ dormitories.

“Have you seen-“

“He hasn’t appeared in the dormitory all night, Cass, sorry.”

He knew the procedure by now. She would ask him if Ron had turned up, he would say he hadn’t and wait a bit while Cassandra bit her lip and glanced anxiously towards the dorm.

“C’mon, let’s go to breakfast,” Dean said.

“Sure.”

They walked down the marble staircase into the Great Hall, studiously ignoring Malfoy, who was sitting at the Slytherin table with a crowd of Slytherin’s, Ravenclaw’s and Hufflepuff’s sitting round him. This struck Cassandra as odd, and she craned her neck to try and see their faces, to see if they were blank and empty but Dean pulled her away before she could see.

The Great Hall was decorated with twelve large Christmas trees, glittering and sparkling, filled with real fairies that fluttered around them. Snow seemed to fall from the enchanted ceiling.

Cassandra was still trying to catch a glimpse of the people clustered around Malfoy when the post came in, and a tawny owl flew right in front of her, holding his leg out.

She untied the letter and read it quickly, scanning down in. As she did so her eyes widened, became blank and lifeless, and the blood drained from her face. Dean turned round and saw her.

“What-“

But Cassandra had silently slipped off her seat and left. Dean followed her.

She was running, running out of the Great Hall and along passageways he had never been before. It was darker her, with flaming torches casting some small light onto the walls.

Cassandra ran, and he only just managed to keep her in sight.

She began to slow down and he saw what she was looking at. Draco Malfoy was leaning against the wall, laughing with his friends. Dean ran near Cassandra, and saw her face.
She was white, her eyes huge and rimmed with red, and had a defenceless anger in them. She didn’t seem to notice him.

“Malfoy!”

Her shout echoed around the room, and Malfoy turned his head, looking surprised.

She stormed up to him, her wand pointing at his heart.

“You foul, horrible, evil Death Eater!“ she screamed. “Look at what you’re doing. You don’t know what it’s like!” Cassandra was breathing heavily, her voice higher than usual. “Imperiusing people! Controlling them!”

Malfoy raised his eyebrows and grinned round at the Slytherin’s.

“Oh yeah,” he swaggered up to her. “And what’re you going to do about it, James?”

Cassandra’s mouth creased up. She looked as if she was fighting back tears.

“Crucio!”

Malfoy fell, screaming and writhing to the floor, yelling in pain and agony, and Cassandra was standing there watching him, vindictive pleasure on her face.

Dean leapt forwards and seized Cassandra’s arms, dragging her away from Malfoy and forcing her wand down. The Cruciatus Curse lifted, and Malfoy lay there, panting on the stone floor. Cassandra was struggling to free herself, glaring at Malfoy, but Dean didn’t let her go.

“What is going on here?” said a smooth, greasy voice and Severus Snape stepped into view, his dark black eyes darting to where Malfoy shaking on the floor and Dean holding Cassandra back.

“It was James,” said Malfoy, his voice weaker than usual. “She..."

"She used the Cruciatus Curse on him," drawled Theordore Nott, looking uninterested as Snape turned his stony gaze onto Cassandra.

“He deserved it!” she snarled, her eyes bright. “He’s been Imperiusing people all year! And his father-“

“Silence,” said Snape. “Miss James, follow me.”

Dean was unsure whether to let Cassandra go or not, but did so anyway. She stalked off with her head held high after Snape.

And Dean wondered what on earth could have been in that letter.

*

He found her later in the corner of the common room, sting down against the wall, her face still white and scared, the letter still clutched tightly in her hand. Dean went and sat next to her.

“Hi,” he said uncertainly.

She did not answer.

“Was Snape alright?”

She shrugged. “Well, didn't expell me, that's a bonus. But said that if I didn't have to stay here because of the broken Fidelius Charm and stuff, I would be packing my bags right this moment."

“Oh.”

He didn’t know what to say, how to make her feel better.

“What was in that letter?”

He had not meant to say it, but curiosity had overwhelmed him. Cassandra blinked.

“It’s from Debbie. Y’know, my adoptive mother. And it’s about John.”

“Who’s he?”

“My adoptive dad. Debbie's husband It’s-“

She broke off, and Dean saw that her silver eys had filled with tears. He had never seen Cassandra cry before.

“What?”

She looked him in the eyes, and the same defenceless anger was in them.

“It’s John! He’s been put under the Imperius Curse by Lucius Malfoy!”

She began to sob, deep, racking breaths, tears pouring down her face which was bright red.

“Debbie…Debbie only just got the news today, and…and it means John’s a…a Death Eater!” Cassandra wailed, emitting loud, broken sobs. Dean put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close. She rested her head on his chest, crying freely.

They stayed like that, Dean stroking Cassandra's hair a little awkwardly until she calmed down a little.

“Why doesn’t Harry wake up, Dean?” she asked through her tears.

And Dean understood, and knew, and rested his head on hers and could not think of a word to say.