Grimmauld Place settled into summer the way an old creature settled into sleep—slowly, with creaks, complaints, and the occasional offended portrait muttering about standards or the insulting presence of muggleborn brats.
Though these were quickly silenced if not by Sirius then by one they feared more than the lord, the young heir himself.
For the first time in months, there was no bell to wake them, no timetable dictating movement, no looming exam hovering like a guillotine.
School was over.
Cassius should have been relieved.
Instead, he sat cross-legged on his bed, parchment spread before him, eyes narrowed in deep concentration.
Across the page, a meticulous web of notes, diagrams, and timing schedules formed the skeleton of what could only be described as retribution.
Operation: Tailtale Heart.
Sirius Black had many virtues.
Restraint was not one of them.
The "pup" comment alone warranted retaliation, seeing as how Cassius had long since earned his own maurader name when he assisted with the revamping of the Map into its second version.
But that was just the tip of the iceberg, Sirius was meddling in his personal life, now perhaps that was just his way as an elder, but to Cassius he took it as a challenge, a further escalation to their ongoing prank war, only Sirius had gotten personal.
Involving non-combatants into the war, by using well known thorns to get on his case, mainly Molly Weasley with regards to her only daughter Ginerva (Ginny).
Cassius tapped his quill once, adding a final annotation.
Phase Three: Psychological Impact. Non-lethal. Maximum embarrassment.
Satisfied—for now—he folded the parchment and slid it into a warded folder.
Revenge, like wine, benefitted from patience.
Outside his door, Grimmauld Place lived.
Downstairs, the sitting room had been claimed by the girls in a loose sprawl of cushions, tea cups, and magical magazines.
Ginny lay upside-down on the sofa, hair spilling over the edge, idly flicking a Chocolate Frog card into the air and catching it again.
"I still can't believe we don't have homework," she said blissfully. "It feels against the rules, all my brothers were moaning about needing to study over the summer."
Hermione, seated upright with a book—Detailing the rise of modern transfiguration—snorted. "You'll be bored in three days."
"Incorrect," Ginny replied cheerfully. "I'll be feral."
Cho smiled faintly from her place near the window, polishing her broom with slow, careful strokes. "I think we're all just… decompressing."
Daphne lounged with elegant stillness, sipping tea beside Astoria, who was engaged in an intense staring contest with a self-stirring spoon.
"I still don't understand," Astoria said at last, "how we went from nearly dying in a dungeon to… this."
Luna lay on the carpet, tracing patterns in the air with her finger. "That's how adventures work," she said serenely.
"The calm bits are where the story catches its breath."
Hermione glanced up. "You know, statistically speaking—"
"No," Ginny said immediately. "No statistics. You'll scare the calm away."
They laughed, the sound light and unburdened.
~
Even Grimmauld Place seemed to approve.
In the kitchen, Stellatrix sat at the table, sunlight brushing her hands as she stirred honey into her tea.
Daphne and Astoria sat with her, the conversation gentle, unforced.
"I used to think quiet meant weakness," Stellatrix said softly. "Now I think it's… healing."
Daphne inclined her head. "Power doesn't need to announce itself."
Astoria nodded vigorously. "Cassius never does. He just happens."
Stellatrix smiled at that. "Yes. He does."
The house creaked fondly.
~
Cassius emerged later that afternoon, composure intact, revenge postponed, only to be ambushed by Hermione at the foot of the stairs.
"Good," she said briskly. "You're free."
"I wasn't aware I'd been captured," Cassius replied.
"You are now. Group meeting."
He allowed himself to be shepherded back into the sitting room, where the others immediately turned to face him with expressions ranging from hopeful to suspiciously excited.
"What did I miss?" he asked.
Ginny sat up. "We're bored."
Cho added, "You're tense."
Daphne finished, "And Sirius suggested you'd work yourself into a state before July."
Cassius blinked. "He said what."
Luna rolled onto her side. "So we decided to help you relax."
"That sounds ominous."
Hermione beamed. "We're going to Thorpe Park."
Silence.
Cassius processed the words carefully, as though they might explode.
"A muggle amusement park," Hermione clarified helpfully. "Roller coasters. Simulated danger. Fun!"
Ginny bounced. "I want the spinny ones!"
Astoria raised her hand. "I want the ones that claim to be able to make you scream."
The girls had already well started their plans, during his days of seclusion preping for his revenge, his glory, and the coming surprises brought about by the forthcoming school year.
But he did admit the girls had a good point, taking even just a single day off from his busy schedule of running helter skelter all over the place running himself ragged to have fun wouldnt be the worst thing in the world.
Cassius glanced at them—six familiar faces, relaxed, earnest, utterly unconcerned with prophecy, politics, or impending war.
Perhaps… just this once…
"Fine," he said at last. "End of June. One day."
Ginny whooped.
Astoria tackled Daphne in celebration.
Cho smiled.
Hermione scribbled something in a notebook titled Itineraries.
Luna clapped softly. "The nargles will love it."
Cassius suspected that was a lie.
~
June drifted by in warm, lazy days.
There were breakfasts that stretched into afternoons. Evenings spent listening to Sirius tell wildly embellished stories while Kreacher pretended not to listen.
Stellatrix grew stronger, laughter brought about easier, color returning to her cheeks.
Cassius during this time did not relent, his training if anything was increased, his practice taking him beyond the might of the six girls once more, however seeing his dedication, they also doubled down to increase their own magical prowess, some even commenting about joining a dueling tournament next year to secure the same trophy as Cassius.
At the thought of that Cassius's mind had already turned to competing in the real dueling championships, the ones against masterclass wizards rather than age restricted ones, though who had the time.
If Cassius wanted to fight those behemoths of the magical world, it might need to wait until he was ready to start his war.
On the final day of June, the decision was made.
They stood outside Grimmauld Place, trunks shrunk and secured, the street quiet under a pale summer sky.
"Everyone ready?" Cassius asked.
Six nods.
He stepped forward, raised his wand, and pointed it sharply at the road.
"I need to get away," he said clearly.
There was a distant bang—then a deafening screech of brakes as the purple triple-decker appeared out of thin air, narrowly missing a lamppost.
The door flew open.
A conductor leaned out, grinning wildly. "WELCOME TO THE KNIGHT BUS—!"
All the girls cheered, while Cassius simply sighed, resigning hismelf to his fate aboard this wizarding world deathtrap, bound for the greatest amusement park within Britain to date.