In A Fight With The World

"I'm sorry for that you know..." Lyssa muttered, looking down. "...I never even realized it...."

Cassie shrugged again, having no idea what to say.

"Suppose we should get going," Lyssa said. "I want to get outside and finally be able to walk around."

"Yeah," Cassie said with a nod. The two headed towards the doors

"Can we go to your mum's?"

"Sure," Cassie replied.

And so they went off to Sam's.

"Hey Mum," Cassie called opening the door. "Cassie!" Lizzie shouted from somewhere in the house. She appeared in the kitchen doorway and than came over and hugged Cassie tightly. "Yeesh, miss me much?" Cassie said smiling and hugging her sister back. "You're an idiot," Lizzie said letting go of her sister. "Seriously, Mum has been going utterly balistic." She looked sideways. "Hiya there Lyss." "Where is mum?" "Grocery shopping," Lizzie smiled. "Come on, she'll be home soon."

"Hey," Lyssa said to Lizzie. Then she looked at Cassie. "You neglected to tell your mother what was going on? Are you daft?"

Cassie shrugged. "I wasn't in the mood the day I found out, and well yeah." She shrugged again. "I think I'm going to die of an overhugging today." Lizzie rolled her eyes. "Wait, found out what?" "That I was cleared." "Huh?" "Nevermind Lizzie."

They all went inside the house and sat around the living room, waiting for Sam to get home from grocery shopping.

Sometime later, Cassie heard the key jingling in the door. "Hello Lizzie," Sam said opening the door. "Hey Mum!" Lizzie replied. "Lizzie, come help me bring some bags in." Sam replied coming into the kitchen. "Coming," Lizzie replied getting up. Sam froze, and dropped the grocery bags that she was holding. "Cassie, oh god!" Sam came over and hugged her tightly. "I was so worried." "Mum," Cassie said. "Your hugging a bit hard." Sam didn't lessen her hug.

Lyssa sat on the couch, watching the mother-daughter moment, feeling out of place and awkward once again at the Evans household. She just sort of leaned against the arm of the couch and maybe even tried to blend into it a little.

"Mum, mum, I'm fine, I'm fine. We're fine. We've been pardoned." "You what? Oh thank goodness, you two worried me so much." Sam withdrew from Cassie and hugged Lyssa for a brief moment.

Lyssa looked down at her lap after the hug. "This will probably come off as something weird to say, but it...feels so weird to be free, like completely free, after nearly a year of not..."

Sam smiled softly at her. "You two don't get yourself into any more trouble, okay? You nearly killed me, I'm sure your mother is just as worried, wouldn't be surprised."

"We don't get into trouble. Trouble gets into us," Lyssa said, cracking a smile. Then it turned to a frown. "I wouldn't know how my mother feels. Nor, can I really check. I've been banned from the grounds. If I go to find out Lucius will probably try to kill me or something."

"I'm sure your mother would kill him if he tried," Cassie muttered under her breath.

"He'd know I was there before I was 5 feet on the grounds," Lyssa said, not even managing a giggle at Cassie's comment, true as it was. "I wouldn't even make it to her in the manor."

"True," Cassie said with a slight frown.

Suddenly Lyssa's face brightened. "I could just Floo into mum's study or her room or something. I'd have a greater chance of running into her before him if I were in the house."

Cassie nodded. "Yes, that could work."

"But, first I would need Floo powder..." Lyssa muttered, having forgotten that detail.

"I have some," Sam said much to Cassie's surprise. She disapeared upstairs into her room, coming back down holding a small pot. "Since when have you had floo powder?" "For years." "Why?" "Just in case."

Lyssa smiled a little. "Thanks, Sam," she said. She grabbed a little and walked over to the fireplace, tossing it in. Then she looked back at Cassie. "If I'm not back and if I haven't contacted you by dark, assume I'm dead." Then she turned back to the fireplace, and very quietly, so as to not be overheard and followed, said, "Narcissa Malfoy's study in Malfoy Manor." Then she stepped into the green flame that had appeared and was whisked out of sight.