A Bright Star

The Train Ride

The end of the summer holidays came quickly, much to Cassiopeia's joy.

The Burrow was great, she had lots of fun coming up with prank ideas with the twins and playing with Ginny. She even enjoyed speaking with Percy and learning more about the Wizarding World. And by her side was Harry. It was perfect.

Well, almost.

Mrs. Weasley made her displeasure with Cassiopeia known, albeit in subtle ways. She liked to pretend Cassiopeia wasn't even in the room and oftentimes Cassiopeia caught the older woman sending disgusted looks in her direction.

This type of behavior wasn't new to Cassiopeia. She got enough of those looks and behavior at Wools, but at least there Cassiopeia knew it was because they thought she was different.

"Devil Child!" a matron had screeched at her when she had been drowning - er - bathing a five year old Cassiopeia only for the water to disappear from the tub.

Mrs. Weasley, however, had no reason that Cassiopeia knew of to be treating her in such a way.

In all, Cassiopeia was excited to go to Hogwarts. Harry and Ron spent hours on end detailing the castle to Ginny and herself. They told her of walking armor, talking portraits, and described all the professor's they'd have classes with.

"Professor Flitwick is great, he was a dueling champion." Ron had told them, helping Ginny separate her course books.

"He teaches charms. Professor McGonagall is the best," Harry continued, flicking Cassiopeia on the nose and laughing at her cross-eyed look.

"She's strict, mind you, so you'd do your best to stay out of trouble with her," Ron advised, nodding his head. Ginny and Cassiopeia exchanged bemused glances and giggled. They had heard about their brother's antics last year and found it ironic they were warning them to not get into trouble.

"I'm sure we won't be the ones getting detention for being out past curfew," Ginny retorted, giggling at the flush growing on Ron and Harry's face. One good thing, Cassiopeia noted while she giggled and stuck her tongue out at the two older boys, was that Ginny had come out of her shell since the incident at Flourish and Blotts.

Thinking of it, Cassiopeia subconsciously rubbed her abdomen. She hadn't told anyone of the strange connection she had felt to the blonde boy, Draco Malfoy, in the bookstore. It was strange, not uncomfortable, but a foreign feeling nonetheless. Now that she had felt some type of bond to him, she couldn't help the slightly empty feeling she now experienced. It felt like part of her, part of her soul or identity, was missing. With the connection no longer there tugging at her core, there was a cold shell she felt inside.

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The morning they were scheduled to board the train was one of the most hectic days of Cassiopeia's life. They were all up at cock-crow, but somehow they still seemed to have a great deal to do.

Mrs. Weasley dashed about in a bad mood looking for spare socks and quills - Cassiopeia steered right around the woman, not wanting to draw her line of fire onto her. People kept colliding on the stairs, half-dressed with bits of toast in their hands, and Mr. Weasley nearly broke his neck, tripping over a stray chicken as he crossed the yard carrying Ginny's trunk to the car.

Cassiopeia couldn't understand how nine people, seven large trunks, two owls and a rat were going to fit into one small Ford Anglia. She had tugged onto Harry's sleeve, gesturing for him to crouch down a bit and had asked him as much.

Harry reckoned that Mr. Weasley's special features were what would aid them during the journey. Proven right when they gone outside to ask if Mr. Weasley needed any assistance with the luggage.