tw: death, animal blood

TIGRESS LANDED IN FRONT OF MALKA, BEARING A LETTER. Malka tore it open, obviously, to a note from Itsy reminding her to eat her vegetables and fruits. And to prove her point, Itsy had sent her a small package of cherry tomatoes, some of which had dents from the owl flight. Malka gave two or three to Tigress as a treat, before pocketing the paper bag which held the rest.

She went to Transfiguration next, where she struggled to keep up with Professor McGonagall as she spoke of transmutation and metals, though it was technically essential information for her. She took notes dully as McGonagall talked, trying to jolt herself awake every five seconds. Thank Merlin the class was large and no one noticed her. 

Because today was the anniversary of her mother's death. It had now been three years, but the scabs from her wounds of loss had not yet fully healed. Malka could still recall the last conversation they had.

"Malka Mei, I'm going to Rome for a quick visit to the Fracassi's. Be good for Itsy and Bitsy," she'd said, and Malka had only hummed in acknowledgement, stuck in a book. She hadn't even had the chance to say anything to her mother before she died.

The announcement came a few hours later. The Fracassi daughter had been experimenting with dangerous mixtures without the knowledge of her parents, and she had accidentally incinerated her home, her parents, and Malka's mother in an instant. The Italian Ministry had to obliviate at least thirty Muggles near the scene.

"You seem distracted," Reg shrugged, giving Prancer a pat on the nose as the latter slowly chewed through figs.

"No, I don't," Malka said, and that drained out any chance of laughter between them that day.

Right after class, she'd headed straight up to her room for a long morning nap, and it was quite needed. Fifth year studies were catching up to her, and with the stress of being in Care of Magical Creatures for the first time, she was struggling to keep everything up. She headed blearily to lunch, where she was lectured by Cass about how bad History of Magic was without her.

"Mal. Mal. Are you listening to me?" Cass waved three fingers across Malka's line of vision.

"Hmm?"

Cass sighed impatiently. "I said that there had to be a way to kill a ghost,"

"Nope, I don't think so," Malka yawned. "It's more spiritual, how their souls can't accept death yet,"

"Ugh, you're boring," Cass said. "I need to get rid of Binns somehow,"

"Good luck with that," Malka said, turning back to her eggs and mash.

"I just wish..." Cass began, and even in Malka's half-attentive state, she could see how Cass got distracted. She followed her friend's line of sight, and she saw Clorfan Greengrass in the Slytherin table, his shoulder-length blond hair cut so it was a mass of curls on his head.

"Oh. Clorfan got his hair cut," Malka observed.

"Y- yes," Cass said, swallowing. And Malka turned to look at her, confused. "Though I'm not sure that style suits him. I rather liked the fringe better- accentuated the face, you know,"

"-Why are you being weird?"

"-I'm not being weird," Cass said defensively. "It's just a haircut,"

"If it was just a haircut you wouldn't be pointing it out," Malka narrowed her black eyes. "You're not over him,"

"What? No, I-"

Malka raised an eyebrow as Cass fiddled with the charm on her necklace.

"Okay. I might not be over him," Cass mumbled, shoving some bacon in.

Malka grinned slightly. That was progress.

But grim news lay ahead, with The Daily Prophet's new report of another Muggle killing. This time two brothers. Malka opened it up next to Cass as they peered anxiously at the paper.

Two brothers, 38 and 30, were slain with the Killing Curse at ten p.m. last night. Wounds show that they were tortured with the Cruciatus Curse beforehand. Specific involvement of persons is unknown, but the Ministry suspects this is one in the established long line of Muggle mass murders that has yet to cease, and has to do with the extremist movement spearheaded by the mysterious figure Lord Voldemort. We ask any individual with information to step forward, for the safety of both communities.

"Well. They're actually naming him now," Malka said lowly, as students around them also read the headlines. "But that's horrible,"

"Yeah. I heard Bellatrix Lestrange was spotted at an attack," Cass whispered, eyes darting around.

"Bellatrix Lestrange?" Malka clarified, and when Cass nodded, Malka subtly snuck a glance at Reg. He was looking passive, a stone mask over his features, but his mind was whirring with not-concealed-enough emotions.

"Merlin, I hope Mister Black isn't involved on the wrong side of this mess," Cass said.

"Cass, don't assume such things," Malka chided, though her heart spiked at the insinuation.

"Well- sorry, Mal, but it's true. Everyone knows how his family is; he could be dragged into it," Cass correctly pointed out, and Malka swallowed in worry.

Their meal went by in an anxious flurry, but things took a turn as Cass and Malka strolled out of the Great Hall.

"Cassana!" someone called behind them, and Clorfan appeared with his new hair and some baby's breath in his hands.

"I- Clorfan," Cass said in surprise, before her expression turned shy as she rocked back and forth on her heels.

"Cassana, I know you're sick of me, but I promise this is the last time- you've been avoiding telling me whether you really want to-" he began, looking like a lost puppy.

"Oh, Clorfan!" Cass said, throwing her hands up in the air. "I'm sorry, okay? Everything I told you- everything I said...was a lie,"

Clorfan blinked, as the stray first year walked by in confusion. "You didn't want to break up with me?"

"I- no," Cass said, letting out a choppy sigh. "And I'm sorry for lying to you about that- Alecto and Lucinda made me. And I told you I hated you, but I don't, and I'm sorry and I'm sorry-"

But Cass didn't have the chance to finish, before Clorfan had taken several steps in front of her and cradled her cheekbones in a tender embrace as he wrapped her in a kiss. Cass let out a small noise of relief at that, as their hands grasped at each others' clothing in something that was beginning to be a bit inappropriate for a public setting.

"Looks like our predictions were correct?" Regulus said, approaching her from her left and nodding to the happy couple. 

"Indeed, Mister Black," Malka cracked her first smile of the day, letting out a giggle as she watched Cass pull Clorfan's hair. Regulus nodded to her, before swinging back to walk in line with the rest of the students.

Her mother would be proud of her today, she knew it in her heart.

━━author's note ━━

cass and clorfan are the cheesy soap couple every one of my fics needs