"Cassie—" Pansy's voice was shrill as she plopped herself down beside Cassie at the Slytherin table. "You actually fucking kissed him?!"

Cassie barely looked up, yawning as she rubbed her eyes. "Yep."

"And you're just... fine about it?" Pansy asked, her voice full of disbelief. "What does this even mean? Wait—does Theo know? Are you and Cole, like, dating now?"

Cassie gave her a sideways glance, smirking. "Relax, Pans. It was just a kiss. Don't start planning a wedding."

Pansy blinked, then collapsed onto the couch beside her. "You're insane. He's probably head over heels for you now."

Cassie chuckled darkly, leaning back  "That's his problem, not mine."

A familiar voice interrupted. "Morning."

"Speak of the devil," she muttered

Cassie looked up to see Cole walking toward them, his hair slightly messy as if he just woke up. Pansy raised her eyebrows, shot Cassie a knowing look, and promptly stood. "Well, I'll leave you two to... whatever this is."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Subtle as always, Pans."

Cole slid into the seat Pansy had vacated "I wanted to talk about last night. The kiss..."

"What about it?" she asked, her tone almost lazy

Cole hesitated, then blurted, "What did it mean? Are we something now?"

Cassie let out a low laugh "Something? That's cute, Cole. But let's get one thing straight—last night was a moment. A fun one. Don't read too much into it."

"So, it didn't mean anything?" he asked, his voice quieter now.

Cassie shrugged nonchalantly, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. "I'm saying we're better off as acquaintances. You're great, Cole, but I'm not looking for... all that."

He leaned back, clearly trying to mask his disappointment. "Right. Acquaintances."

 "Don't take it personally. You're a good dancer, though."

Cole chuckled weakly, standing. "Well, good to know I've got that going for me. See you around, Cass."

"Mhm," she said nonchalantly, not even giving him a last look glancing down the table. Theo was deep in conversation with Blaise, laughing at something he'd said. The tension from their argument the night before seemed to have vanished, replaced by a strange, unspoken understanding.

He glanced her way, and their eyes met briefly. Cassie raised an eyebrow, and Theo gave her a curt nod before returning to his conversation. They were being friendly—oddly formal, even—but there was something weird about it- Like they'd both decided to pretend nothing had happened.

***********************************

The next few weeks at Hogwarts were a chaotic blur. There was the scandalous Skeeter article leading to Hagrid's absence, something about his "unsuitable" background. It had set the Great Hall abuzz for days, though Cassie couldn't have cared less. And then, of course, the Second Task was done—Harry Potter had, predictably, pulled some ridiculous stunt, and Dumbledore had awarded him extra points for what cassie called "valiant stupidity." course, the Golden Boy could do no wrong.

Cole, meanwhile, had taken to ignoring her entirely. It was almost amusing—he'd practically turned into a ghost whenever she was around. Not that she minded. Things with Theo had started to slide back into something resembling normal. Almost.

The group finally set off for a Hogsmeade weekend together, the last two having been called off because of Cassie getting in trouble—again. Blaise had made a point of reminding everyone, loudly and frequently, 

Cassie rolled her eyes as they trudged through the snow-dusted grounds. "If you keep whining about it, Blaise, I might just find a way to get this one canceled too."

"You're insufferable," Blaise muttered, shoving his hands into his coat pockets.

"Better than being boring," she shot back and Blaise scowled, clearly debating whether it was worth arguing further.

"Shut up guys-" Pansy cut in, crossing her arms. "Lets head to Honeydukes first. I need to restock before all the good stuff's gone."

"Madam Puddifoot's!" Daphne added enthusiastically, earning groans from the group.

"Absolutely not," Theo said flatly.

As the bickering escalated, Cassie and Theo trailed slightly behind, completely uninterested in the debate.

"Honestly, they could split up and be done with it," Cassie muttered, shaking her head.

 "Too much logic for this group."

Cassie chuckled, . "Did you read that bit I told you about last week? The one in that old spellbook I found?"

"About the rune-binding curse?" Theo asked, his brows knitting together in thought.

"Exactly. I think it's brilliant," she said, her eyes lighting up. "Imagine using it in dueling—temporarily locking someone out of their wandwork? It's subtle, not flashy, but devastating at the same time"

"It's genius," Theo murmured He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping. "We'll need a strong medium to anchor the rune."

"Dragonbone would work. I read about a similar binding spell in Ancient Hexcraft and Defensive Magic—it used dragonbone as a focus for channeling intent. If we can modify the matrix to sync with the runes"

Theo nodded "It could amplify precision. We'd have to account for potential rebound, though"

"Easy enough," Cassie replied confidently. "Let's test it in the Room of Requirement later this week."

"Deal," Theo said with a smirk.

Their exchange was cut short as Blaise, now thoroughly exasperated with the group's indecision, turned to them. "Three Broomsticks later?"

Cassie nodded absently, her gaze wandering. "Sure."

The group finally settled on Honeydukes first, filing into the shop amid the rush of students. Cassie lingered near the entrance,  Something about the day felt... wrong.

As they strolled through the village later, a flash of movement caught her eye

Suddenly, something caught her eye—a flash of movement amidst the bustling crowd. She stopped short

"What is it?" Theo asked, noticing her sudden halt.

Cassie didn't answer immediately. Her sharp gaze followed a large, shaggy black dog weaving through the crowd, a folded newspaper clutched in its mouth. Her stomach twisted with unease. It was familiar. Too familiar.

"What's wrong?" Theo asked

Cassie didn't respond immediately. Her eyes tracked the dog as it padded up to a trio of figures not far away.

Potter. Of course.

"Hello, Sirius," Potter said, his voice low but carrying enough for her to catch it.

Cassie's jaw clenched. Her nails dug into her palms as she fought to keep her expression neutral.

Theo followed her gaze, frowning. "What are you looking at?"

She didn't answer. Her mind was racing, her blood boiling.

Cassie's sharp gaze locked onto the dog as it wagged its tail and sniffed eagerly at Potter's bag. The movement was unassuming, but when it sharply turned toward her, a low growl escaped its throat.

she snapped her head away, feigning indifference as if she hadn't noticed anything unusual.

That scum.

"Cassie?" Theo's voice broke through her thoughts, but she merely shook her head, her attention fixed on a display window she didn't actually see.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched the dog trot around a corner, Potter and his pathetic gang in tow, laughing softly among themselves.

"I don't think she saw you, Sirius," Weasley muttered, his voice barely audible over the chatter.

Cassie's lips curled into a cold smirk.

Wrong, Weasel. Dead wrong.

"I recognize that scum anywhere," she hissed,

Theo looked at her sharply, confused. "Who are you talking about? "

Cassie's glare hardened, her eyes still fixed on where the dog had vanished. "Look at him. My pathetic excuse for a father, sneaking around with Potter."

Theo's mouth opened in shock, but no words came out. He glanced back toward where Potter and his friends had been.

"Sirius Black?" he asked, 

Cassie didn't reply, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"What are you going to do?" Theo asked, his voice cautious.

Her eyes narrowed. "Pay him a visit. What do you say?"

Theo hesitated, glancing toward the fading figures of Potter and his gang. "Draco won't like that, Cass."

 "Draco doesn't dictate my life. I do."

Theo opened his mouth to argue, but before he could, Cassie turned toward the group. "Hey, we're just heading to Quality Quidditch Supplies!" she yelled over the overlapping chatter.

Blaise, Pansy, and the others muttered vague agreements, too engrossed in their own plans to notice when she slipped away.

Theo was quick to follow, falling into step beside her. "You're serious about this?"

Without responding, Cassie pulled her wand from her pocket, murmuring the incantation for a Disillusionment Charm.

Stay close," she muttered

Sirius led Harry, Ron, and Hermione to the very foot of the mountain, where the ground was covered with boulders and jagged rocks. It was easy for him, navigating on four paws, but the trio struggled, their breathing heavy and labored as they climbed higher.

At a distance, hidden behind a rocky outcrop, Cassiopeia and Theo watched in silence.

"Why are we following them?" Theo whispered, crouched low beside her.

Cassie's eyes narrowed, her gaze fixed on the black dog leading the trio higher up the slope. "Because I want to know what that bitch is up to."

Theo hesitated "You mean... your father?"

She turned to glare at him, the sharpness in her eyes enough to make him recoil slightly. "Obviously."

They crept forward, moving stealthily from one boulder to the next, careful to keep their distance. Sirius eventually led Harry and his friends into a narrow fissure in the rock. Cassie waited for a beat before motioning for Theo to follow.

Inside, the cave was cool and dimly lit, the scent of damp stone filling the air. At the far end of the cave stood Buckbeak the hippogriff, tethered to a post, his fierce orange eyes flashing as the trio approached.

Cassie's attention snapped to Sirius as he transformed back into his human form, his ragged gray robes hanging loosely over his thin frame. Her jaw tightened at the sight of him, her fingers curling into fists.

"That's him," she hissed softly to Theo, who nodded, wide-eyed.

"Damn, he looks—so starved."

"Chicken!" Sirius rasped, pulling a crumpled piece of newspaper from his mouth and tossing it onto the cave floor. Harry handed him a bundle of chicken legs and bread, which Sirius immediately began devouring.

"What are you doing here, Sirius?" Hermione's said reproachful 

"Fulfilling my duty as godfather," Sirius replied hoarsely, his voice thick with sarcasm.

Cassie's teeth clenched. Duty? What a joke.

Theo, sensing her anger, placed a tentative hand on her shoulder, as if to calm her.

"Don't worry about it," Sirius continued, his tone lighter. "I'm pretending to be a lovable stray." He grinned, but as he caught the worry in Harry's expression, his tone grew more serious. "I want to be on the spot. Your last letter... well, let's just say things are getting fishier. I've been stealing the paper every time someone throws one out, and by the looks of things, I'm not the only one who's getting worried."

He nodded at the yellowing Daily Prophets scattered on the cave floor, and Ron picked them up, unfolding one to glance at the headline. Harry, however, continued to glare at Sirius.

"What if they catch you? What if you're seen?" Harry demanded.

"You three and Dumbledore are the only ones around here who know I'm an Animagus," Sirius shrugged, his tone casual as he tore into another chicken leg.

"So does Cassiopeia," Harry said, scowling.

Sirius froze, the humor draining from his face. His hand holding the chicken leg faltered as his expression hardened.

"I'm sure Dumbledore can handle her," he said dismissively, taking another bite.

"You don't know her like we do, Sirius," Harry snapped. "Dumbledore barely has control over her. The other day—"

"Leave that," Sirius cut him off "What's up with you, Harry?"

Cassie's lips pressed into a thin line, her jaw tightening as her knuckles whitened around her wand. Her narrowed eyes darted toward Sirius, but she said nothing. The silence was louder than words, and it made Theo shift uncomfortably beside her.

"Cass—" Theo began, his voice low, but a single glance from her, sharp and seething, silenced him immediately.

Ron nudged Harry and passed him the Daily Prophets. Therewere two: The first bore the headline Mystery Illness of BartemiusCrouch, the second, Ministry Witch Still Missing — Minister ofMagic Now Personally Involved. 

Harry scanned the story about Crouch. 

"They're making it sound like he's dying," said Harry slowly."But he can't be that ill if he managed to get up here. . . ." 

"My brother's Crouch's personal assistant," Ron informed Sirius."He says Crouch is suffering from overwork"

 " Mind you, he did look ill, last time I saw him up close," saidHarry slowly, still reading the story. "The night my name came outof the goblet. . . ." 

"Getting his comeuppance for sacking Winky, isn't he?" saidHermione, an edge to her voice. She was stroking Buckbeak, whowas crunching up Sirius's chicken bones. "I bet he wishes he hadn'tdone it now — bet he feels the difference now she's not there tolook after him." 

"Hermione's obsessed with house-elfs," Ron muttered to Sirius,casting Hermione a dark look.

 Sirius, however, looked interested."Crouch sacked his house-elf?" 

"Yeah, at the Quidditch World Cup," said Harry, and helaunched into the story of the Dark Mark's appearance, and Winkybeing found with Harry's wand clutched in her hand, and Mr.Crouch's fury. When Harry had finished, Sirius was on his feetagain and had started pacing up and down the cave. 

"Let me get this straight," he said after a while, brandishing afresh chicken leg. "You first saw the elf in the Top Box. She was saving Crouch a seat, right?" 

"Right," said Harry, Ron, and Hermione together."But Crouch didn't turn up for the match?""No," said Harry. "I think he said he'd been too busy." 

Sirius paced all around the cave in silence. Then he said, "Harry,did you check your pockets for your wand after you'd left the TopBox?" 

"Erm . . ." Harry thought hard. "No," he said finally. "I didn'tneed to use it before we got in the forest. And then I put my handin my pocket, and all that was in there were my Omnioculars."

  "The elf wasn't the only one in that box," Sirius said, his brow furrowed. "Who else was sitting behind you?"

"Loads of people," Harry said. "Some Bulgarian ministers... Cornelius Fudge... the Malfoys..."

Cassie stiffened at the mention of her family, her grip on her wand tightening as the words hung in the air.

"The Malfoys!" Ron exclaimed loudly, his voice echoing around the cave. Buckbeak tossed his head nervously at the sudden outburst.

"Anyone else?" Sirius asked,

"No one,"

"Yes, there was," Hermione interjected quickly, glancing nervously between the group. "There was Ludo Bagman..."

"And well—Cassiopeia," she added, her voice quiet but still pointed.

Sirius paused for a moment, then waved his hand dismissively. "Oh yeah," Harry said, frowning. "Cassiopeia was also standing right where the mark was casted."

Sirius merely shrugged, his tone almost lazy. "Oh, please—like she knows how to cast a Dark Mark."

Cassie tilted her head, her expression cold and calculating as she let the Disillusionment Charm drop. She waved her wand casually, the flick of it revealing her form from the shadows. Theo flanked her immediately, stepping into the light with an air of quiet tension, his eyes scanning the group.

"You don't give me enough credit, Sirius," she drawled, 

The room froze. Every single person seemed to pause, caught off guard by her sudden appearance.

"Cassiopeia," he murmured, his voice low his gaze locked on his daughter.

"Hello, father," she replied, her tone dripping with mockery, her wand twirling idly between her fingers. "Didn't expect to see you slumming it in a cave."

Theo remained silent beside her, He was sizing up the group, eyes flicking between the faces of those he recognized, his body poised as if ready to move at the slightest provocation.

"This is a private conversation," Sirius growled,

 "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I interrupt your little heart-to-heart with your godson dearest? How touching." " Her gaze shifted to Harry, her lip curling in a scowl. 

"Who's this, then?" Sirius suddenly asked, his tone cold and dismissive as he turned his gaze toward Theo. He sneered, clearly unimpressed by the young man who was standing beside Cassie.

Theo raised an eyebrow, his jaw tightening, but he didn't answer immediately. Instead, he glanced at Cassie, who gave him a small nod, 

"Someone you don't need to worry about Sirius," Theo scoffed. "But if you're so keen on knowing, I'm Theodore Nott."

Sirius scoffed, his lips curling in disdain. "A Nott?" he sneered. "Figures. The company you keep is just as questionable as your choices." 

 Cassie's eyes flashed dangerously as she took a step toward her father, her expression darkening with every step. "Watch your mouth, bitch," she said lowly, her voice sharp and venomous. "You wouldn't want the Minister receiving a little tip, would you? You know, let them know a fugitive is wandering freely around Hogwarts. That could be fun." 

Harry, who had been standing a few steps back, took a step forward, his fists clenched. "You wouldn't," he muttered, the words filled with anger. 

 Ron immediately reached out, grabbing Harry's arm to stop him from advancing further. "Calm down, mate," Ron hissed under his breath. "Don't make it worse." 

 Cassie ignored Harry's outburst, her cold smile never wavering. "Weasley's getting smarter, Potter," she mocked. "Maybe you should take a tip, yeah? You wouldn't want to get on my wrong side, would you?" Her eyes glinted with a dangerous promise. "Because trust me, you're not going to like the consequences."

 Sirius stared at her, fury bubbling beneath his calm exterior, but Cassie didn't back down. There was something about her, something that unnerved him. Despite the anger,  he could see it—how alike they were. The sharpness in her eyes, the way which she threw her words like daggers, the way her anger flared without warning. It was like looking at a younger version of himself.But there was something else--

 There was a flicker of recognition in the way she held herself, the same sharpness in her eyes that he had seen in Bellatrix when she was young, before the madness fully consumed her. The venom in her tone, the way she carried herself with such cold authority—it was too familiar.

For a moment, his anger faltered as he stared at her, his mind racing. Was this what Bellatrix had once been like? Had he failed her, too? And now, was he failing her as well as well?

Cassie rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed, her voice dripping with disdain. "Can't believe I wasted half an hour over you," she muttered, shaking her head. "Well, you better not be seen here again, Sirius. Unless, of course, you want me to let the Minister know about your little cave hideaway. Then we can see who'll be left standing when the dust settles."

Cassie left without another word, Theo right behind her.

"He is really an asshole," Theo muttered under his breath, a scowl etched on his face. "Literally, Cass, how the fuck do you tolerate him?"

************


The next few chapters are gonna be fillers till the ending- which is not far away next 3 or 4 chapters im planning to finish this year-

liek i said before ill be speeding all of this up cos- well who cares hat harry does- and year 5 is gonna be golddd

and - well- eh i hate sirius-

anddd- well lmk any feedback u have for the next chapss--

till next time 

mxriddle