The Noble and Most Ancient

Prologue

Daphne. 

Fred. 

Bellatrix.

Tom Riddle.

Colin. 

All those whose deaths Cassie blamed herself for. He could hear himself mumbling in his sleep. And he saw her sitting at the kitchen table every morning, staring at one point until the children got up. No matter how much time passed, no matter how many people told her she was innocent, Cassie wouldn't believe it.

Sirius' death had started it all.

And she lived it every day.

"No one is punishing you, Cassiopea." She shook her head. "Believe me."

"How are you looking at me? It's Daphne's fault. I went with her when she made the Vow with Fred. I knew about the baby. I didn't stop her. How come you don't hate me?"

"Do I hate you?" Kol laughed, dropping to his knees next to his wife. "Even after a thousand years, even after a thousand wars, I could never hate you." He caressed her cheek.

Sometimes he saw himself in Cassie, understood why they were both in Slytherin. He could see how she protected her family, how she would burn the world down so they could be okay. But he couldn't understand one thing. Why did she still care what the world thought? Did she still care so much that she wasn't like Sirius but like Emma? 

"I... We have to find a way to save him."

"Cassie, of course we'll find a way. But. You won't help him if you don't sleep." Her blue eyes met his. Her tears were killing him, but he had to look at her. "We got along, didn't we. Together till the end?"

Cassie nodded. She patted little Alastair on the cheek. "Be brave boy my love. Survive for me."

And right then and there Kol and Cassie both promised to whatever was listening to them at that moment that they were going to protect their little children no matter what was going to cost them.

****

Draco Malfoy met his nephew two days after some healer fixed him up. "Fix it" wasn't the right word, according to Cassie. To cure him. If Kol's words were to be believed, little Alastair was well enough to die that night. But the boy was healthier and stronger than anyone Draco had ever known.

"Do I even want to know what you offered in return?" Draco whispered to Cassie as Hermione played with Alastair. Kol had already left for work and probably wouldn't be back until late in the evening. 

"Nothing to threaten our children," her eyes followed every movement of the children in the room. Severus who had just turned 3 was running around the room with Daphne and Walburga while Regulus sat calmly at Hermione's feet. "What she wanted...a drop of Salazar Slytherin's blood."

"Blood magic?!" Draco almost screamed. "What were you thinking Cassiopea?!"

Cassie snorted. "I was protecting my child. I don't think there's anything wrong with that!"

"Who did you get the blood from?" Draco looked at each of the children in the room. Any one of them could have been a victim sooner or later. 

"From Kol." Draco felt like laughing. "We both know what we're risking..."

"We? Cassie, you don't have Slytherin blood." Draco studied his cousin's face so intently as if it might break otherwise. "Right? You don't?" 

"No. But I am the strongest witch, Drake." She shook her head. For a moment, Cassie looked at the children again, as if she didn't know if they were safe or not. "My blood would be more useful. That's why we gave both."

"Cassie? Do you know what he can do with Kol's blood? With your blood?"

"She's a healer. She won't do anything that could endanger the children."

"A healer you found at the last minute healing a baby for blood? Cassie, that's something you should have thought about!"

She looked down at her hands folded in her lap. "Don't you understand? Wouldn't you do the same thing for your children?"

Draco saw Cassie swallow. "It wasn't something I had to think about. I just want my kids to be OK."

Like Sirius did.

For the first time in years, Draco saw what Cassie had become after Sirius' death. It had broken her in several places. For the first few years, she seemed to do everything simply because of the pain. After it was all over - after her Sirius had brought her back - she considered, she was smart. And then she became a mother.

She had become reckless. Too reckless.

"If this blood brings us trouble, Cassiopea Riddle Black, I will personally kill you."

Cassie smiled. "Of course, Draco. I didn't think otherwise."

Draco leaned back in his chair.

He wanted to believe Cassie that this healer wouldn't do anything. But with the blood of an heir to Salazar Slytherin - Voldemort's - only Merlin knew what he could do. And with her blood, any blood magic in this world could be done. Obviously Draco had 11 children to think about, his wife and his cousin. At least he had to protect them.