Visit to Hogsmeade
Cassi was filled with excitement at the thought of visiting the village of Hogsmeade. It was an opportunity granted to students from the third year onwards to explore the village, visit the shops, and enjoy some time outside the school walls on weekends.
Draco was determined to annoy her all day, making sarcastic comments and constantly provoking her. Cassi didn't hesitate to retaliate, delivering a few not-so-light slaps in response to her cousin's provocations.
"You sound like my mother," Draco complained, rubbing the area where Cassi had touched him.
"Then don't behave like a brat," Cassi retorted, lightly tugging his ear. But in a sudden gesture, she kissed Draco on the cheek, which made Pansy release a playful laugh.
⁀➷,
Three Broomsticks
The Three Broomsticks pub was bustling with people, the sound of conversations and laughter filling the air as the atmosphere grew increasingly warm and smoky. Cassi found herself at the counter, grabbing some mugs of butterbeer from Madame Rosmerta, a woman of stunning beauty and generous curves.
Madame Rosmerta had long curly hair cascading over her shoulders, accentuating her femininity. Her expressive eyes sparkled with a hint of mystery, and she had a welcoming smile that lit up her entire face. The pub owner was known for her friendliness and skill in serving drinks with dexterity.
As Cassi reached out to take the mugs, her fingers lightly brushed against Madame Rosmerta's.
She gave Cassi an enigmatic smile and winked.
Finally, Cassi managed to gather the necessary mugs, feeling slightly disoriented from the intense eye contact with Madame Rosmerta when she felt the familiar tingling in her hands.
"Do you need help with that, dear?" someone spoke from behind her, their voice brushing against her ear. Cassi felt a mix of surprise and excitement as she heard that familiar voice echoing in her ear. She already knew that voice, she had dreamt of it more times than she would care to admit, and now she felt a second heart beating stronger with each pulse.
Setting the butterbeer mugs aside temporarily, Cassiopeia turned slowly to face the person behind her. Her eyes met a pair of grayish eyes with brown undertones, and she held her breath for a moment.
Narcissa Malfoy.
Cassi felt a slight shiver run down her spine at seeing her there, so close. "Mrs. Malfoy," Cassi murmured, her voice slightly breathless from the unexpected encounter. Narcissa let out a soft chuckle, exuding a natural elegance.
"Hello, my darling," Narcissa said, her eyes fixed on Cassi's. She studied the young woman for a few moments before continuing. "Let me help you with those mugs." Cassi nodded, a smile forming on her lips. She felt grateful for the woman's offer of help.
Narcissa gently took some of the mugs, balancing them skillfully , and walked alongside Cassi to a cozy table in the corner where their group of friends was seated. Her stride was elegant, and each movement was graceful, as if she were dancing as she walked.
Upon hearing Draco's call, Narcissa made her way to him with a radiant smile. Mother and son locked eyes, brimming with affection.
"Hello, dragon," she placed the mugs on the table, giving each one special attention, and then approached Draco, showering him with kisses on the cheeks. "Mother, please!" Draco exclaimed, embarrassed by the public display of affection, which elicited laughter from the gathered group.
Narcissa looked tenderly at her son, concerned about his still-recovering arm. She carefully inspected the wound, seeking to ensure Draco's well-being. The boy pouted, admitting that he still felt occasional discomfort.
"Don't be dramatic, Draco. Madam Pomfrey did a marvelous job, and your arm barely has a scratch," Cassi intervened, comforting him and grabbing her own butterbeer mug.
"Again, she only put in extra effort because you kept bothering the woman," Draco sighed exasperatedly, grumbling about his drama being interrupted. The group laughed at young Malfoy's complaints, knowing that deep down, he appreciated the attention and care given to him.
Narcissa observed the interaction between Cassi and Draco, raising an eyebrow with interest.
"Draco told me that you've been taking care of him on my behalf. You are often mentioned in his letters," Narcissa said, raising an eyebrow, which made the young woman blush slightly, feeling exposed by the comment.
"It's like having a second mother at Hogwarts, except Cassi is the mean mum," Draco said in a cheeky manner, provoking laughter and a playful glance from Narcissa.
"She hits me, mummy. My poor ear is going to fall off from all the pulling," Draco dramatized, giving a playful look to Cassiopeia, who was becoming increasingly red due to the attention focused on her.
Narcissa let out a soft laugh at that. She approached, walking towards Cassi with a smile on her lips. Her gaze was piercing, conveying a mix of curiosity and interest.
"So, you've been assaulting my son?" Narcissa asked playfully, getting even closer to Cassiopeia.
Cassi, determined to stand her ground, repeated the phrase she had said earlier, trying to regain her confidence in the response.
"If he wasn't a brat, I wouldn't need to reprimand him every moment," Cassi said with a mischievous smile.
Draco, on the other hand, seemed somewhat offended by the comment and tried to put on a stern expression. However, the white mustache made of butterbeer foam on his upper lip made the moment comedic, eliciting a light laugh from Cassi, who quickly bit her lip to suppress it.
While laughing, Cassi felt the intensity of Narcissa's gaze on her. It was as if Mrs. Malfoy's eyes could penetrate her soul, causing a mixture of shivers and excitement. Narcissa's intense gaze evoked a range of sensations in Cassi, making both her hearts race and her legs tremble slightly.
Cassi couldn't help but feel that there was something more between them, something beyond a simple interaction. Narcissa's gaze held a depth that went beyond words, as if there were a mysterious and unexplainable connection. It was as if Narcissa could see beyond the superficial layers and understand Cassi's most intimate feelings.
An enigmatic smile played on Narcissa's lips before she finally looked away and let out a soft laugh. The exchange of gazes came to an end, but it left a profound mark on Cassi.
"What are you doing here, mother?" Draco questioned, genuinely surprised by Narcissa's presence.
Narcissa fidgeted with her nails for a moment before responding. "I would have liked to come and check on you on the day you got hurt, but your father convinced me it wouldn't be good for your ego or something," she said with a slight tone of irony.
Draco smiled broadly. "Well, I'm glad to see you, mother."
Pansy, leaning closer to Cassi, asked, "Are you joining us, Mrs. Malfoy?"
Narcissa seemed somewhat awkward in her response. "Actually... I have some matters to attend to. I just wanted to check on Draco," she briefly glanced at Cassiopeia.
"Hope to see you again soon, Mrs. Gaunt," Narcissa said with a mischievous smile before bidding Draco farewell and leaving the tavern. As she passed by Cassi, she brushed her fingers against the girl's bare shoulder, sending a shiver down Cassiopeia's spine.
That brief touch made Cassi tremble, leaving her intrigued by the intensity of the feelings that woman evoked in her. The intense gazes and the fleeting touch from Narcissa left Cassiopeia with a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.
She couldn't hide her smile.
⁀➷,
Halloween Night
The Fat Lady's portrait had been violently attacked, leaving a trail of ink splattered across the frames and fragments of paintings on the floor. The news spread quickly among the Hogwarts students, and excitement filled the castle. The students whispered to each other, speculating about what could have caused the incident and whether it was true that Sirius Black was truly on the loose.
As the rumors intensified, Professor Snape took immediate action to ensure the students' safety. He summoned all the Slytherin students to gather in the Great Hall, where the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw students were also present. The atmosphere was tense, and everyone seemed extremely bewildered by the situation.
McGonagall and Filch closed the doors of the hall leading to the entrance hall.
"I'm afraid, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard at the exits to the entrance hall, and I will entrust the Head Boy and Head Girl with this task. They should immediately inform me of any disturbances," Dumbledore added, addressing Percy, who assumed an air of immense pride.
"Send one of the ghosts to inform me," Professor Dumbledore paused as he was leaving the hall and said, "Oh, yes, you will need..."
With a casual wave of his wand, the long tables moved against the walls, and with another touch, the floor was covered with hundreds of fluffy and comfortable purple sleeping bags.
"Sleep well," Dumbledore said, closing the door as he passed through.
When most were already asleep, Cassi heard voices in the corridor, and with her light sleep, she quickly became alert.
"I checked the Astronomy Tower and the Owlery. There's nothing there," Filch said.
"Well, Dumbledore, I've checked the dungeons. No sign of Black anywhere in the castle," that was Snape's voice, Cassi recognized.
"I didn't expect him to stay in the castle anyway," Dumbledore said.
"An incredible feat, isn't it? To enter Hogwarts alone, completely undetected," Snape questioned.
"Indeed, incredible," replied Dumbledore.
"Any idea how he might have done it?" Severus asked.
"Many. One more improbable than the other."
"You may recall, before the start of the school year, I expressed my concern about you appointing Professor Lup—" Snape was cut off by Dumbledore.
"No teacher in this castle would help Sirius Black enter here. I am convinced that the castle is secure," Dumbledore affirmed.
In the following days, there was nothing else talked about in the school but Sirius Black.
The theories about how Black had entered the castle became more and more delirious. Hannah Abbott from Hufflepuff spent most of the joint Herbology class telling anyone who would listen that Black could turn into a flowering bush.
Which made Cassi roll her eyes every time.
The torn canvas of the Fat Lady had been removed from the wall and replaced by the painting of Sir Cadogan and his fat gray pony.
The Gryffindors were not very pleased with the change. The knight spent half the time challenging the boys to duels and the remaining time inventing ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed at least twice a day.
But Cassi cared little about that. What was actually concerning was the frequent looks from the professors towards her and Harry.
They feared that Sirius would "come back to finish what he started," referring to the attack on Harry's parents, where he was now supposedly in danger. As for Cassi, well, she was Sirius's niece.
The professors looked for excuses to accompany them when they walked through the corridors.
This deeply annoyed her because it hindered her when she needed to use the Time-Turner.
Draco, on the other hand, was following her everywhere like a guard dog, by order of his mother.
To add to that, Minerva made Cassi have tea with her every day and ensured that the girl studied under her supervision, where her feline eyes could watch over and ensure her safety.
But all she could think about was Narcissa fucking Malfoy.