Stars {Remus Lupin} ✓

41. IT'S MY MUM

| CHAPTER FORTY-ONE |

IT'S MY MUM.

EVER SINCE THAT DEFENCE AGAINST the Dark Arts lesson, Cassiopeia Black and Remus Lupin had become inseparable. Whenever you spotted one somewhere, the other wasn't far behind. As they strolled through the school grounds, Cass spotted that he wasn't in the best mood, however, the Full Moon had already been and gone that month. 

Subconsciously, her hand tightened its grip around his as she finally stopped walking, resulting in him coming to a halt. Her eyes were swimming with worry as she placed her palm against his cheek. Her lips upturning in a soft smile when she noticed his eyes closing briefly, his head subconsciously nuzzling itself further into her hand. 

"You okay, love?" Her voice was so soft, causing Remus' stomach to practically explode with butterflies. He couldn't believe his luck. The fact that the most beautiful girl in the entire school was with him, by choice. 

Remus sighed sadly, "It's my mum," He told her, his eyes swarmed with emotions, "She's ill, this time for real," He added. When the Marauders and Cassiopeia all first met, every month Remus would tell them that he was going back home to visit his ill mother, hoping that that excuse would put anyone off the scent of what was actually happening.

Cass felt her heart growing heavy as she stepped closer to her boyfriend, "Oh, Remus. I'm so sorry," She breathed out, her eyes glazing over with tears ever-so-slightly. She had met Hope Lupin a couple of times before, and the woman was never short of love. The woman took a twelve year old Cassiopeia into her kitchen, giving her all the biscuits and chocolate she wanted as she tended to a wound the young girl had on her shoulder. 

Meeting Hope Lupin was the first time Cass experienced motherly love, before then experiencing it once again with Euphemia Potter. Which resulted in both women having an incredibly special part in Cassiopeia's heart.

The Slytherin gently wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's torso, bringing him closer to her as he let his long arms wind around her shoulders. Remus let his head fall onto hers, his cheek pressing against her soft black locks. 

"I want you to come with me..." Remus said in a small voice, "Next term break. I want you to come and stay round at mind, that is, if you want, of course," His voice wavered towards the end.

Cassiopeia felt herself smiling into Remus' chest, her body filled with warmth as she gave him a quick squeeze, "I would love that, Remus."

-

THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE start of their sixth year, Cassiopeia and Remus weren't together. The latter of the two was up in the boys dormitories with the rest of the Marauders, the boys were catching up whilst planning their next 'amazing' prank.

Cassiopeia was down by the Black Lake with the girls. All of them seemed to be doing their own thing whilst still being with one another. Liv and Marlene were gossiping away on who they would rank the hottest boy at Hogwarts. Alice and Lily were revising whilst Cass was reading a muggle book she borrowed from Remus whilst stroking Buddy's fur as the sun beamed down on them through the leaves of the tree they were all huddled under. 

As she was about to turn the page, the Slytherin suddenly noticed a loose piece of parchment stuck between Lily's books, the handwriting was eerily similar to a certain spectacled Gryffindor boy. Tilting her head slightly, Cassiopeia took a quick glance and noticed the top 'To my Lilypad'. She really didn't need anymore than that to know who the note was from. 

Placing her bookmark in Remus' book, the black haired girl turned to look at the redhead, an amused smirk plastered on her face. 

Lily must've felt eyes on her as she looked up, "You alright, Cass?" He question grabbed the rest of the girls' attention as they all seized what they were doing and turned towards the pair.

Cassiopeia couldn't wipe the smile off of her face as she nodded, "Oh, I'm great, Lily. Or should I say..." She made it obvious to look at the note, "Lilypad."

Blood rushed to Lily's cheeks as she turned as red as her hair, her gorgeously green eyes widened and looked away from the Slytherin, shoving the parchment into her open satchel. All the other girls had now inched closer, still looking confused.

Cassiopeia tilted her head, "So...You kept it."

Lily glanced down at her lap nervously, "I-I don't know what y-you're talking about," She stammered, "Maybe we should-should be getting back to the c-castle," She was about to shove all her books into her satchel when Cassiopeia placed her hands over Lily's, stopping her.

"Lily, you don't have to hide it," The Slytherin smiled, "Do you...like him?"

Lily opened her mouth, her eyes darting from each of the girls, "No!" She exclaimed, yet no one seemed convinced, "I-I don't--think so."

The four girls shared a surprised look. None of them were expecting that, they were used to Lily simply insulting James and then changing the topic. 

"He's just been...different recently," Lily added in a small voice. Her cheeks were redder than cherries as she refused to look at any of the girls.

"In what was?" Marlene questioned, tilting her head.

Lily shrugged, "I-I don't know," She sighed, running her hand across her flustered face, "He's been less..intense recently and--and it's nice."

All the girls squealed excitingly as they moved closer to their redhead friend with wide grins. Cass watched as Lily nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks still bright red and her eyes focused on the black cat that moved closer to her. The Slytherin knew all about James' crush (obsession) with the redhead Gryffindor and since he was one of her closest friends, she vowed to help him finally get his girl.