little miss black

-83-

The cool evening air was exactly what Cass needed. She leant against her usual pillar in the courtyard, lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag. She sighed contentedly, closing her eyes, stupid Sirius and his stupid smoking habits. The last thing that Cass needed was lung cancer or something, and that is what smoking lead to. Cass knew this, it was hard not to when almost all smoking packets had 'smoking kills' printed on them. At that point in time, she decided that she could deal with the potential consequences in exchange for the temporary relief the cigarettes gave her.

"Fancy seeing you here." Sirius said. Cass' eyes snapped open.

"Come to gloat?" She asked, rubbing her head.

"Course not." Sirius said. "Remus told me what happened-"

"I figured he would." Cass said. Sirius leant on the wall beside her.

"Are you okay?" Sirius asked softly.

"I'm always okay." Cass said.

"Don't pull that shit with me Cass." Sirius said. "It if you are, at least give me a fag to get through it." Cass rolled her eyes.

"I'm about one hundred percent sure you have your own in the left breast pocket of that jacket." She said.

"I'm impressed." Sirius grinned, withdrawing them. "Seriously Cass, you shouldn't go to Hogsmede anymore. It's too dangerous."

"I know." Cass sighed. "There won't be that many more weekends anyway, probably one after exams."

"It's fucking bullshit." Sirius said angrily. "Why can't he just leave you alone?"

"I've embarrassed him." Cass said simply. "I got away, he now no longer has a future wife and it's also shown that he can't exercise control over someone."

"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard." Sirius said. "Arranged marriages are the worst thing."

"I don't disagree." Cass said. "But the Noble House of Black does." Sirius made a face of disgust.

"Well fuck them." He snapped. Cass smiled wryly.

"Toujours pur my dearest Sirius."

•••

Exams approached a lot faster than Cass had anticipated, and she was suddenly very grateful that Lily had forced her to revise so much. Cass sat in the corner of the common room, her head in a book, the night before their first exam: Charms. She looked up as Marlene collapsed into a chair beside her.

"Remind me why I said I would help Dorcas with Charms." She groaned. "She is the worst."

"Hey! I heard that McKinnon!" Dorcas shouted from across the common room.

"Just stating facts here Dor." Marlene called back. Dorcas raised her middle finger and threw a pillow in their direction. It missed Marlene by a few feet.
"And that babe, is why you are not a quidditch player." Marlene laughed.

"Watch out." Cass said as Dorcas jumped on top of Marlene. "Too late."

"Ouch!" Marlene groaned. "Dorcas no! I'm sorry!" Dorcas started tickling her sides. Cass shook her head in amusement.

"You two are going to be the death of me." She laughed. Marlene was squealing loudly.

"For goodness sake you two! People are trying to revise!" Lily said, coming over to them with her hands on her hips.