Cassie Potter - Lady Gryffindor

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Sirius couldn't believe that James had gotten the portraits done, but Merlin was he glad that he did. Sirius had spent so long in Azkaban going over all the things he would say to James if he was there and now he was faced with his portrait. Harry was happy to see his parents in any form that he was bursting with excitement to get the portraits home that neither he or Sirius had noted Cassie's absence. Godfather and godson rushed into the house and carefully enlarged the portraits they had been carrying, placing them against the wall. James was grinning in his portrait and Lily had a soft smile on her face.

"Lils." Sirius spoke.

"Sirius Black. Harry." Lily said turning her gaze to her son.

Harry stood frozen at that moment, having never heard his mother's voice other than when dementor's were close. Sirius gave Harry's shoulder a squeeze. Harry leaned into his godfather. He looked from one parent to the other.

"Think he's in a bit of shock lilyflower. Pads you got old mate." James spoke.

Sirius let out a bark of a laugh. Harry jumped at the sound.

"Well it's been while Prongsy. I'm 35." Sirius said chuckling as James pulled a horrified face.

"35! Merlin. Shame you got old Pads."

"Shame you didn't Prongs." Sirius said, choking on his sobs.

Harry hadn't stopped watching the interaction, he'd heard stories of their friendship and bond but to see a glimpse in person meant more than he could say. He leaned over to give Sirius a one armed hug. Sirius leaned into his godson, pulling him closer. Seemed they both needed it.

"Alright you two, that's enough. We've waited a long time in storage and all you two want to do is cry." James said.

"James!" Lily admonished from her portrait.

Sirius and Harry let out a chuckle before Harry finally found the courage to speak to his parents.

"Mum. Dad. I'm so sorry, I never wanted you to die for me, I-"

"Harry James Potter, don't you dare apologise to us. We are your parents and it was our job to keep you safe. Oh sweetheart, I need you to listen to me, it was not your fault. No matter what happened, your dad and I would have always made the same decision. You were the priority darling, we are just so sorry we didn't get to see you grow up."

"But mum, if I hadn't been born then you wouldn't have died."

"Harry. Your mother and I were at risk no matter what, it was war and we were fighting in it. You are not to blame, we trusted the wrong people son. We should've listen to your aunt, she knew something was wrong and we didn't listen. Harry,son. I need you to listen to me real good okay? I have never been so happy to be dead because I died for you. If it was a choice between my life and yours, there would be no choice. Do you understand?"

Harry could feel the tears falling.

"Oh Harry, I know how hard it is darling. I wish I could make it better but at least you grew up with Cassie and Sirius. You were safe."

Harry turned sharply to look at Sirius, who's face had hardened. They didn't know. Of course they didn't know they were portraits who had been kept in a damn vault. How one earth could he tell his best mate that he had let his son down. Where was Cassie, he needed Cassie? How had he not noticed she wasn't by his side.

"What? What is it?" The Potters spoke at the same time.

"Well er you see, I wasn't raised by them. I was uh raised by Aunt Petunia."

"YOU WERE WHAT?! We made it very clear in our wills that you were never to be placed with her!"

Harry flinched a little as his mother yelled. "Um well mum, the thing is-" but he never got to finish he was cut off by Sirius.

"The thing is Lily, no one else knew that I wasn't really your secret keeper. I was sent to Azkaban for betraying you and for allegedly murdering 12 muggles. They thought I was the traitor."

"Pads, what? You'd never do that, surely Dumbledore fought for you."

Sirius laughed but not his usual bark, this was a hollow laugh. "Dumbledore left me to rot and had your wills sealed whilst Cassie was planning your funerals."

Harry took that as his queue to explain.

"Sirius went after Pettigrew, he found him but Pettigrew started shouting about him Sirius betraying you both and then he caused the explosion that killed the muggles, he cut his finger off in the process and vanished into the sewers as a rat. There was no trial for Sirius, despite Aunt Cassie trying. She fought for us dad, she really fought but Dumbledore convinced them that I was safe and that maybe she was in league with Sirius since they were engaged. It wasn't their fault."

James looked away from his son, no it wasn't their fault, it was his.

"I am so sorry son. Pads I failed you, I was so convinced that we had done the right thing I never thought to make sure anyone else knew we'd switched. I set you up to rot in prison and I left Cassie behind."

"Prongs it wasn't your fault, we all thought we were doing the right thing. It was war and it was scary. We made mistakes, unfortunately those mistakes lost us both of you."

"Maybe we should talk about this another time, how is school Harry?"

The conversation went on and on for hours before Sirius thought it time for bed. Sirius eventually found Cassie sobbing on their bed. She was clutching a letter in her hand and curled up in a ball. He immediately went to her and wrapped his arms tightly around her. She turned towards him and buried her head in his chest.

"He wrote me a letter and I never got to say goodbye Sirius. He got to say goodbye but I never did." She sobbed. He tightened his hold on her.

"Oh love, you can say goodbye now. His portrait is out there, you can tell him everything you wanted to tell him in life. It'll be alright." He held her until she cried herself to sleep. Eventually he drifted off to sleep himself.