"The night is the hardest time to be alive. Four A.M. knows all my secrets." –Poppy Z. Brite

***

            "Are you sure you're okay to work today?" Lily asks Cassie as they walk into the Ministry of Magic.

            "Lily, I'm fine," Cassie snaps. "It's been two weeks; I'm fine."

            Cassie hasn't told anyone about the night her parents visited her and the conversation they had. She can't tell anyone. But the next night, she saw in The Daily Prophet that her parents had been victims of Voldemort's wrath. Their bodies were found in Diagon Alley, hanging from a shop's flagpole. There was no funeral or memorial; they were simply buried after Cassie said her short goodbyes. After everyone heard about it, she had to pretend like she didn't see this coming. And she had to pretend that it made her upset. She never loved her parents—they were killers, they did nothing when Cassie got sent to Azkaban, and they tried to bribe her into becoming a true murderer, as if being a victim of killing isn't enough. They weren't good people.

            Cassie and Lily separate at the elevators. Lily works on the first floor, Cassie is on the sixth with Sirius. She hasn't seen him yet. She wonders where—

            "Cas!" Sirius is already inside the elevator. "I've been riding this thing up and down waiting for you! I'm starting to get queasy."

            Cassie laughs and steps inside. "Why the hell were you here so early?"

            Sirius shrugs, kissing her sweetly. "I wasn't. Maybe ten minutes."

            "Any updates on Voldemort?" Cassie likes to say his name; this way, she can express her contempt.

            "Not much. But you'll never guess what James told me last night."

            "Enlighten me."

            "He's going to propose tonight."

            "Tonight?" Cassie gasps.

            "Yeah! He's taking her to Hogsmeade!"

            "Bloody hell! We have to be there! Or does he not want us around?"

            Sirius grins. "He wants us to be there, just not there."

            Cassie nods. "Alright, so while they're there, we can be elsewhere."

            "I was thinking the Shrieking Shack," Sirius says with a wink.

            "No, absolutely not!" Cassie disagrees. She hates it in there, ever since she almost got killed by Remus. Okay, it wasn't that close, but it was still horrifying.

            "I'm joking, Cas." They exit on their floor and head off. "See you later?"

            Cassie nods, kissing him once more before heading towards her work place. Upon arriving, she sees an envelope on her desk from the Minister. Oh no. This can't be good.

***

            Sirius and Cassie leave James and Lily alone in Hogsmeade. Remus would've tagged along, but he had a rough night and was feeling a little under the weather. Peter had an important meeting with a mysterious "client".

            The duo walk through Hogsmeade, feeling like Hogwarts students again. They visit everywhere: the Three Broomsticks, Zonko's, Honeydukes, and even the Shrieking Shack (but keep their distance.) They're not allowed back until James has done it, much to their dismay. But what James doesn't know is that Sirius and Cassie are going to be looking through the window clandestinely.

            "I can't believe he thought I would miss his proposal," Sirius says as he peeks in the window. James and Lily are having dinner at a nice restaurant; they're the only occupied table besides two older couples in the back.

            "I think he knows you'll peek," Cassie tells him. "He can't seriously expect you to not, can he?"

            "Oh! It's happening!" They both hush and watch as James gets down on one knee and pulls out the ring box. Lily looks absolutely stunned. She was definitely not expecting this; nonetheless, she says yes loudly enough that Sirius and Cassie can hear it through the window.

            "Yes!" Sirius and Cassie yell together, jumping up from their bent position and embracing. They linger around Hogsmeade after, waiting for the newly engaged couple so that they can congratulate them and go home.

            "Lils!" Cassie shrieks as they exit the restaurant.

            "You knew?" Lily asks as they hug.

            "Of course!"

            "Congrats, Prongs," Sirius says with a wide smile. "You got Evans!"

            "Soon to be Potter," James reminds him. "Goodnight you two." Hugs are exchanged all around followed by the sound of four Apparations.

***  

            When they arrive back to their apartment, Sirius notices Cassie's low mood almost instantly. "What's wrong, darling?"

            "Nothing," Cassie tells him. Sirius notices her tone of voice. "Really, I swear."

            Sirius stares at her, trying to decipher her words. "Do you want to talk about it?"

            Cassie has a far off gaze. "No," she says quietly, "but we need to."

            Sirius kisses her forehead and sits her down on the couch. "I'll make some tea; then, we'll talk."

            Cassie can't drink her tea, but she takes it anyway. She can't look at Sirius as she says, "The ministry is moving me."

            Sirius sets his cup down on the table. Cassie does the same. It's a few minutes before Sirius asks, "Where?"

            This is the bad thing. The Ministry could just move her to another city in England, but no.

            "America." Cassie finally meets his eyes. They're unreadable, a rare occurrence for her. Cassie elaborates. "The American Ministry is going to take me in. I'll still be an Auror."

            Another few minutes pass before Sirius can ask, "Why?"

            "Safety." Cassie sees his jaw clench, his eyes still blank. "Voldemort had my parents on his side. The chances he'll want me are greater than for others. My own safety is threatened, as well as everyone else's."

            Sirius finally snaps. "And they think sending you to America will make you safe? As if he can't find you there?"

            "It's less likely."

            "Bullshit. You're safe with me."

            "Sirius—"

            "When do you leave?"

            "January fifth."

            Sirius frowns. "That's a month. Cas, I can't let you go."

            "You don't have a choice." Cassie sighs. "Neither do I. I won't be over there forever; the Minister said a year at the most, until things simmer down."

            "But you can visit right?" Sirius' eyes are desperate now.

            Cassie holds back tears. She'd been hoping he wouldn't ask this. "One night a month."

            Sirius visibly stiffens. "One night? Per month? What the hell! Cas, you can't let them do this!" He jumps to his feet, furious. "They can't take you away from me! One night a month—that's bullshit!"

            "It's logical," Cassie says sternly, rising to her feet. Sirius has some height on her, but she doesn't let it bother her. "If people see me come and go all the time, they'll get suspicious and wonder where I'm going. If I go and no one sees me return, they'll think I'm just gone and won't wonder. It's safer this way."

            "You're safe with me," he says again.

            "Try reasoning with the Minister," Cassie tells him. "This wasn't my choice."

            Sirius' eyes admit defeat. He knows he won't win this fight; he knows the Ministry is doing the right thing by sending her away. The truth is, he knows she's not as safe with him as she would be far away. He just can't admit that. He's lost too many people in his life—his parents, his brother, and he can feel Peter slipping away—to let Cassie go too. But he has to. He always fucking has to let go.

*** 

            It's January fifth. All Sirius did was blink.

            "Is this everything?" James asks as he brings the last suitcase from Cassie's room. 

            "Yep." She only has three suitcases. Enough for her and Sirius to go and the others to stay. "We'd better go." It's three, and she has to check into her apartment at three fifteen. She gives hugs all around, becoming more reluctant to go with each passing second. Sirius hasn't spoken all day.

            They Apparate right into her building (it's wizard run). The woman at the counter shows them upstairs to her place. It's big, big enough for four people to live comfortably. The suitcases are set in the bedroom and forgotten about.

            "Do you want help unpacking?" Sirius asks quietly.

            Cassie shakes her head. "I want you to take me somewhere."

            "Where?"

            "Surprise me. But make it worth my time."

            Sirius knows just the place. Taking her hand, he Apparates to the Forbidden Forest, right to the meadow. It's the same as it's always been: safe. 

            "Do I want to know how you Apparated in here?"

            Sirius chuckles. "No, you don't."

            "Are you going to get into trouble for it?"

            Sirius kisses her shoulder. "Maybe just a suspension."

            Cassie sighs but smiles.

            "We should stay here," Sirius suggests. "You're safe here."

            "Am I safe because I'm in our meadow or because I'm with you?"

            "The second one." His lips move from her neck up to her mouth. They stay there, moving and biting and tasting and roaming until they're numb from the freezing rain that has let itself inside. He Apparates back to America without breaking the kiss, only leaning away to tell her that he loves her. She loves him, too.