The Last of the Blacks

Chapter 13: The Black Family

Week later, two days before the first task, Kreacher got her one of Regulus' diaries. As her father told both his daughter and the house elf, Cassiopea couldn't go into his brother's room. But he did not said that Kreacher couldn't.

And as a member of the Black family, Cassiopea could order him whatever she wanted.

"Thank you, Kreacher," she said after the elf gave her the diary. "Um... I found this," she gave him a photo of Bellatrix, Narcissa and Regulus after her father and aunt left the family. "My father said that you collected family photos and things. This is for you."

At first the elf looked at her suspiciously, but as he looked at the picture of master Regulus, Miss Bella, and Miss Cissa, he smiled. Then he turned to Cassie and bowed deeply in gratitude. "If the Mistress needs something else, Kreacher will be happy to help."

And then he left. Cassie stayed at the edge of the Forbidden Forest alone. She was holding her uncle's diary as she walked to the Slytherin common room where she sat down and opened it.

"Property of Regulus Arcturus Black. Now in the hands of his niece - Cassiopea Andromeda Black."

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Fleur Delacour was a great friend. That was the first thing Cassie thought about her. She was talking funny, but she was so helpful when it came to boys. And then she started to talk about the Triwizard Tournament and the first task.

"Zere are going to be dragons!" she complained. "And we are going to fight zem for some egg! Can you imagine?!"

"How do you know that?"

"Oh, Madame Maxime told me !" Fleur smiled. "She wants us to know everyzing about the tasks..."

"I thought that even they don't know what the tasks are."

"Zey make zem. Of course, zey would know."

Cassie thought for a minute. She knew more than Harry about the task now. She could tell him and then ask for a favor. Or she could tell Cedric.

"You aren't going to tell zat 'Arry boy, are you?"

"I am not."

She thought about Regulus's diary. At that moment, Cassie could look more than the first page, more than their names.

She hadn't told anyone about the diary. Even Kol and Daphne. If she knew, Duph would have made her give her father's diary, and Kol... Kol maybe would support her, but 'maybe' wasn't enough for her.

Cassie sent Fleur to the castle and headed for the library, where she assumed she would find Cedric. She had left the Map in her room.

"Cedric!" she smiled and sat on the table with the 7th-year Hufflepuff. "Hi. I am..."

"Cassiopea Black," Cedric said. "I know. How can I help you?"

"Well... The news reaches me that the first task will be to take a golden dragon egg from a dragon," Cassie said, smiling at him.

She really wanted him to win, but if her dad understood that she helped Cedric and not Harry, he would get mad. And Cassie had a plan. She always had a plan.

Because she was a snake. And a snake always finds a way to get away from trouble.

"How do you know?" Cedric asked.

"Never mind how I know it," she said. "Just... Trust me with this."

And she walked away. She found Harry almost five minutes later. The Golden trio was sitting in the Great Hall. Cassie sighed. Then she put a smile on her face.