little miss black

-131-

No one had ever seen Remus like this. Usually, he was good at hiding his emotions, staying composed throughout even the hardest of situations, but this was something different entirely. He flat out refused to leave the dormitory, not even coming out for meals. Sirius, James and Peter were taking turns going down to the kitchens to get him food, and regular bars of chocolate. Remus barely touched any of it, simply lying in bed staring at the ceiling.

The funeral was approaching, and all four of the marauders had been excused from classes for the day to attend. Sirius only hoped it would bring Remus some closure.

It was different when a loved one was killed. There was someone to blame, someone to get angry at, a way to get revenge, but cancer doesn't work like that. Remus couldn't go and hex the shit out of an illness, even if it had taken one of the people he loved the most.

Cass couldn't even imagine the pain he was going through, never being particularly close to her parents (for obvious reasons). She imagined that's how she would feel if Euphemia or Fleamont Potter died.

On the morning of the funeral, Remus stumbled downstairs in his best (and only) dress robes. They was clearly a hand-me-down, looking rather threadbare around the elbows. Sirius followed not long after, also in his dress robes. The clear difference in their backgrounds was evident as ever, Remus slouching slightly with his tie loose and Sirius standing bolt upright, his collar starched and his tie pulled up to his neck. He was tense, he hated dress robes, they reminded him of the Black family.

James and Peter weren't far behind, both of them suitably dressed. James was very much being a mother hen, handing Remus a handkerchief and fussing over his dress robes. He tutted at the small stain on the sleeve, fixing it with a quick spell.

"We're off." James announced to the girls. Cass leapt to her feet, flinging her arms around Remus.

"Good luck today." She murmured in his ear. Remus nodded, giving Cass a saddened smile. She placed a quick kiss on his cheek, turning to do the same to Sirius. "Look after him today." She whispered.

"Course." Sirius said, swallowing thickly. Cass gave James and Peter hugs before the four of them trouped out of the common room. Cass sighed, rubbing her forehead as she sat down next to Lily.

"Death is a fucking bitch." Lily said. Cass looked up in surprise.

"Yeah." She agreed. "It is."

"Fuck death." Lily said. "I'm ready to beat him up."

"I think a lot of people would probably help." Marlene muttered. "Hey Lils, have you read Tales of Beedle the Bard?"

"No, what's that?" Lily asked, scrunching her nose up in confusion. Marlene, Alice and Cass gaped at her.

"What's that?" Alice said. "Only the best book of children's story's every written!"

"Babbity wabbity is my personal favourite." Cass said. She smiled, a wave of nostalgia running over as she recalled listening to Andromeda read the book to her, Sirius and Regulus in the attic of Grimmauld place, the rush of disobeying Walburga and Orion coarsing through their veins — stories were a big no in the Black household.

"Babbity what now?" Lily said. Marlenes eyes widened.

"Oh you're actually serious." She said.

"Marlene, funnily enough I was raised by muggles. I'm a muggle-born, of course I haven't heard of whatever shite you're on about." Lily rolled her eyes.

"Shite? Shite she says!" Alice said. "You wait Lils, I think I have a copy in my trunk."

"Why were you asking anyway?" Lily said.