Cassie was felt like shit. No. Not just shit but the durtiest and most stinky shit that was ever been on this earth. She was hoping her father and uncle felt the same way.
She had stole from the twins. Fred and George were the best of the best. And they have always been a great company. Always smiling, always joking. She had actually met them first. When they heard her family name, all they did was sitting next to her, saying, "We are purebloods, if you must know. My name is Fred and that handsome man over there is Gorgeous... I mean George."
Hermione, after weeks of not talking to her, came to her and sat on the edge of her bed. "Hey."
"Go away, Hermione," Cassie said calmly, staring at the ceiling. "I don't need your pity or conversations. I don't need your friendship."
Hermione held her breath, but did not answer. She stood up and began to prepare for her classes. Cassie lay down a little longer. She decided that the delay for DADA was worth it. Especially since she had the Marauders map.
If she could, she would spend the whole morning in her bed. Cassiopeia would curl up in her blankets, play with her hair, write to her aunt to complain to her about how disgusting things Remus and Sirius made her do, and read.
God. She loved reading. She loved how the words could get her in a world of her own - a world where she could watch how the sun rises and sets from a castle near the sea, a world where she could dance with a beautiful dark-haired king... A world where she could be anyone she wants to be, without worrying about her father, about her pureblood family, about her crazy aunt who was in Azkaban. Reading gave her freedom. Reading gave her choices, where there were none. Reading was the only thing that was fully and truly hers.
Cassie sighed and got out of her bed. She dressed herself. Still feeling like shit she ran straight to the classroom. "I am sorry, professor Lupin," Cassie said, getting a grim look from her uncle. Remus nodded to the empty seat next to Daphne and continued talking about whatever he was talking about.
"Did you get that?" her friend asked quietly. Cassie nodded. "Did it work?"
"If you ask me if I've seen you do whatever with Fred Weasley, yes, I've seen you."
Daphne blushed a little and looked over her shoulder- her eyes, finding Kol's. Then she turned to Cassie again with raised eyebrows. The Gryffindor shooked her head in denial. She wasn't in love with Kol Greengrass.
The last week they have talked. A lot. About him. About her father and Cassie told her everything. About the Map, about what her uncle said and at the end there was only one question left unanswered. "Are you going to tell your aunt?"
And Cassie really considered it. She even started the letter a few times. But as soon as she found herself telling the same lie over and over again she stopped trying. For years now she had been lying everyone. Even her family and only Dora saw through the pain and denial... She saw that under that stupid mask of the always happy Cassiopea Black, the young Gryffindor. But what was under that mask?
Cassie bit her lip as she remembered what the Sorting hat had told her three years ago. "You are going to be great if you only choose Slytherin. You are already powerful! There is only one right choice for you. But hiding what you are in order to please your family. Remember now, girl. When your mask drops, I am going to put you where you truly belong. "
And then the hat shouted the name of the Lion House. Cassie had opened her eyes and looked at professor McGonagall. Minnie had just smiled and pointed at the Gryffindor table proud that she got another Black. A really powerful Black.
And here they were, three years later, yet no one except her knew the hat's words. When you mask drops... Cassie was afraid of that day more than anything else in the world.
That's why she promised something on her mother's grave. She will not put down her mask until she graduates from Hogwarts so she could stay in Gryffindor. But after that... She could be as Slytherin as she wants.
*****
"Did you take it?" her uncle asked her after the lesson.
Cassie nodded and gave him the map. She smiled, turning around only to see Kol and Daphne waiting for her on the doorway. The boy looked at his cousin first and then turned to Cassiopea for... Help ?
"Guys, can you leave me with my goddaughter for five minutes?" Remus asked. "I promise, I'll bring her straight..."
"Actually, uncle. They're not going anywhere," Cassie said.
Her uncle turned his head to her. Even though he didn't hate anyone, Remus Lupin really loathed the Greengrass family. When she was 11, right after her first year, she asked him why. All he said was 'School drama'.
Cassie peered at the door of her uncle's study with that look of hers, filled with sadness and disappointment. Remus realized sadly that the arrival of Sirius had helped Cassie with absolutely nothing.
"Do you want to see him?" Remus asked quietly, yet the other two still heard him.
"Maybe tonight." Cassie turned around and went to her friends. Daphne started whispering as fast as she could as they were running out of time. Kol on the other hand was so calm and unperturbed. He was nothing like his mother- the always wild and unable to control herself Lydia Greengrass.
Remus turned to Sirius who had just came out of the office and raised the map. His friend smiled, "It's been a while. Let's see what Minnie is doing!"
"I can't believe you are still calling her Minnie," Remus snorted. "Shouldn't we see where Peter is?"
"Leave that to the children. Cassie's friends have a great plan."
"Do you remember Kol's mother? I believe that before she became a Death-Eater, Lydia had a thing for one of your cousins. Was it Bellatrix ?"
"Narcissa," Sirius corrected his friend with a smile. "Cissa was the pretty one. How is Andromeda doing?"
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Remus said to the map and turned his head to Sirius. "She is fine. Pretty sure she will kick my ass if she understands that I allowed you to see Cassie..."
"Remus? What the hell is showing the map?"
Moony looked at the old parchment with no surprise and read, "Miss Daphne, Miss Cassiopeia and Mr. Kol wish you a pleasant search on the Marauders Map." Remus turned his head to Sirius. "Do you see what I am subjected to every day? It's like we have a prank war... Except for the fact that she is vengeful. Just like her mother. And we made her steal from"
*****
Cassiopea Black was sitting alone on a table in the lonely corner of the library. She looked to Daphne and Kol, who were searching for Peter Pettigrew on the Marauders Map. The three of them knew that sooner or later the twins would come for it.
"Mischief managed," Cassie heard Daphne whispering. "Cassie! Come here."
The Gryffindor went to then and took the map, hiding it in Daphne's bag. She sat next to Kol, "Where is he?"
"With Ronald Weasley, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger," Daphne rested her head on the book she was reading. "The twins are running around the halls. Looking for the Map, I suppose."
"We should keep it," Kol said. "Imagine all the things we could do with this Map. So much good..."
The two girls didn't say anything. They looked at each other, discussing what they should do. They had lied to Remus and Sirius. They had stolen from the Weasley twins. But all of this for her father's freedom.
Cassie bit her lip. She ran her hand over the hard cover of the thick book under Daphne's head. "What if we tell Dumbledore?"
"Why?" Kol said. "He doesn't believe that your father is innocent. But if we have a proff..."
"He will believe us, Cassie," Daphne said.
She ran her finger across the table, imagining that her father and mother had once sat here. But it was more likely that Sirius had sat here with her Uncle James, if he had been sitting here at all.
"We could try... But first. We need to find Peter Pettigrew," Cassie pointed out.
"Um? Cassiopea Black?"
Cassie turned around just to see an first year Gryffindor. The girl's blonde hair was braided into to small braids. She was nervously playing with some red ribbon, looking at the floor.
"Yes?"
"Professor McGonagall has sent me to take you to her office. She needs to talk to you."
Cassie rolled her eyes, but still took her things and leaned forward, ostensibly to kiss Kol on the cheek, but whispered in his ear, "Call for him to the Forbidden Forest, but don't take him to Dumbledore without me."
Cassie and the girl got out of the library before the third year Gryffindor could receive an answer. The two girl walked in silence both of them drowned in their thoughts.
Why would Minnie want Cassie in her office? She hasn't done anything! Well... Not exactly. She had a detention last week... And the week before that... And every single week of this month. But she had earned Gryffindor over 100 points. She had perfect grades... She hadn't insulted Harry.
"Minnie, I swear on the Fat Lady, I," Cassie started as she was opening the door, but then... "How the fuck are you everywhere?!"
Professor McGonagall smiled at Cassie, inviting her to sit in the armchair opposite of her seat. The young Gryffindor sat and her eyes immediately found her father.
"So you two have already met," Minnie said smiling. "I am glad. I suppose Remus has something to do with it?"
Cassie looked at the two men. Remus was standing on the right side of Professor McGonagall, proudly looking at his goddaughter. Cassie remained herself to kill him and move with her aunt Andromeda as soon as this fucking year ended. Her father on the other hand was eating the biscuits from the jar. They were delicious indeed.
"Minnie..." Cassie started.
"Hold on!" Sirius said with full mouth of biscuits. "She is calling you 'Minnie'? You said this is disrespectful when I asked."
"Were you bullied because your father was in Azkaban, Sirius?" Minnie asked, shutting his mouth. Cassie once again reminded herself that Minerva McGonagall was the best teacher in this world. "Miss Black," Minnie turned to Cassie, "I have received the news for your father's innocence just a few minutes ago. And these two told me about some map that you have..."
"She doesn't have it. She didn't gave it to us..."
"Shut up, Remus. Cassie, please give them the map. They have worked very hard on it and I want to end this childish arrangement!"
"I don't have it right now," Cassie admitted. "We are trying to get to Peter... And..."
"Wait!" Minnie raised her hand. "Mister Pettigrew is in the castle?! Remus!"
Cassie's godfather took a step backwards. He was in danger, the young Gryffindor realized. Minnie was going to kill him even before Cassiopea herself. What a betrayal!
"Look, Minnie..."
"Sirius!"
"Professor McGonagall," her dad corrected himself with a sigh, "Peter has always been a rat. We are..."
"Oh, I know that, Sirius ! I had four Gryffindors out of bed every full moon and then the four of you were sleeping in my classes!" Minnie hissed at Cassie's father. "I can't even imagine how would you have raised your daughter!"
"Wonderfully!" Sirius shouted. "Better than anyone else, because as you pointed out, SHE IS MY DAUGHTER! Not Remus'. Not Andromeda's. Mine."
Professor McGonagall smiled as she was glad or proud of that answer. Cassie curled up in her chair. Her father's words hung in the air. Could it be that he actually cared about her? All the while, she thought he was back for Harry, that he had tried to break into the Common Room for Harry's sake. But now ... Now Cassie felt wanted. And she liked that.
"Cassie?" Professor McGonagall called her. "Could you please tell me what are you planning?"
"Kol and Daphne Greengrass are going to call for him in the Forbidden Forest. He will bring the trio and then we're going to take him to Dumbledore," Cassie said as fast as possible. "Any questions?"
"And how do you know that Peter will come?" Minnie asked.
"He thinks that Kol is Voldemort," Cassie said. "I don't know how or why, but that will help. I am sure."
Minnie stood up. Remus and Sirius straightened their backs as the professor took her wand. "As much as I believe in the strength of Mr. and Miss Greengrass, Peter Pettigrew can blame them for murder, too, if we don't help them."