little miss black

-127-

Cass slung her bag over her shoulder, nearly hitting Marlene in the face with her enthusiasm. Marlene ducked, squealing slightly.

"Bloody hell Cass, you almost took me out." She said. Cass smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry Marls, I'm just excited you know."

"Excited for what exactly? Two weeks of revision?" Marlene said.

"No, silly." Cass said. "I'm excited to have a break from classes, to have some time to myself and to be able to have Noah stay over without the stairs turning into a fucking slide."

"Aw, won't you miss me?" Marlene said, poking Cass' cheek.

"Course." Cass grinned. "Don't act like we won't see each other nearly everyday Marlene."

"I know." Marlene sighed. "But it's not the same is it? I don't even know why I'm going home, all I'm going to have to do is deal with my slightly homophobic family — and believe me, that's not a bundle of laughs."

"Well, if you ever need an escape from them, out sofa is free." Cass said.

"Thanks babes, I appreciate it." Marlene said.

"We're going to be late if you two don't hurry up!" Alice called up the stairs. Cass rolled her eyes, linking arms with Marlene and heading down the dormitory stairs.

"Took you long enough." Lily said."We'll miss the carriages." Marlene rolled her eyes.

"Well then we better stop hanging about here then!"

•••

Noah, Grace, Emmeline, Marlene, Dorcas, Alice, Lily, James, Peter, Sirius, Remus and Frank were all crushed into one compartment — all of them wanting to enjoy their second last train ride home. The Easter holidays meant that they were just one term closer to leaving Hogwarts, a fact none of them were ready to come to terms with.

Cass was squished between Noah and Lily, curled tightly into Noah's side. Marlene had her legs strewn across Sirius and Dorcas' laps, leaning against the side of the carriage, a cigarette between her lips.

"I wish you wouldn't do that." Lily sighed, sending a disdainful look at Marlenes cigarette.

"You say this everytime I smoke." Marlene said boredly. "It's getting rather tired."

"Well excuse me for caring about your wellbeing." Lily said.

"My being is perfectly well thanks Lily." Marlene said.

"It won't be if you keep smoking those — those — those death sticks!" Lily said. Marlene raised an eyebrow.

"Lecture someone else, would you?" She said. Lily huffed in annoyance, leaning into James.

"Oh look, we're almost there." Dorcas said quickly, eager to change the subject.

Sirius glanced out of the window, a sinking feeling in his stomach. He reached for Remus' hand, worried that Walburga and Orion would follow through with their threats in the many letters they had sent him. Remus thought him a questioning look, wondering why he had gone so rigid.

"You're coming to mine on Sunday right?"  Cass whispered to Noah.

"Of course love." Noah said. "I'll be there after lunch."