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The Decree didn't stop the students from meeting, and the group now had a name. D.A. - Dumbledore's Army. The first meeting was a success, and the following was already scheduled.

Cassiopeia couldn't lie, she was feeling excited and happy with the whole 'DA' thing. She had learnt spells she never thought she would be able to do, and was actually happy.

"Are you gonna cheer for me in the game?" George enquired.

The two were in their usual hiding spot, with him leant onto the closest wall and Cassiopeia between his spread legs.

"You know you'll be playing against my brother, right?" the blonde girl arched him an eyebrow. "And my house."

He nodded a bit and shrugged.

"Well… You see. I'm your boyfriend. You certainly like me more than you like him," he teased. "Right?"

Cassiopeia chuckled. There was no need to dive into that rabbit hole.

"You should go," she pointed. "You start Defence Against the Dark Arts in ten minutes."

He pouted but gave her cheek a kiss before leaving his girlfriend's side and soon after Cassiopeia sat back, returning to her stud. Her next class – one George and Fred would also attend – would be Transfigurations and she was still unsure she could perform the Advanced Conjuration Spell perfectly. The girl had set a pile of books on the other side of the library, and wouldn't rest before bringing all of them together. Cassiopeia left when she heard the bell, quickening her pace to get to the classroom, but stopped when a cold hand caught her elbow.

"Cassiopeia!"

Eleanor's green eyes were as big as two plates glued together, and her skin looked paler than ever. It was like she's just seen her own ghost.

"Elea-"

"I need to talk to you," she pulled the blonde girl along with her to a corner while other students entered the classroom just a few steps from you, and George and Fred stopped a few steps away from the two, with her boyfriend staring and giving the two Slytherin girls a worried look. "It's very urgent."

The Malfoy frowned, opening her mouth and closing it for a moment, confused.

"What's wrong?" the blonde girl enquired.

But the brunette didn't answer. The line of students had finished entering the classroom and they needed to get inside.

"Meet me after class. It's really important."

She moved away from her friend, but Cassiopeia held her hand.

"Are you okay?"

The dark haired girl stared into her friend's eyes for a moment, green irises filled with fear and underlying desperation.

"Just meet me. Please."

"Okay."

She entered, leaving her with her jaw a bit slack.

When Cassiopeia turned her eyes to the two redheads in front of her, her boyfriend had taken a small step forward.

"Is everything okay?" he whispered, looking worried.

The grey-eyed girl nodded quickly, moving into the classroom and earning just a glance from McGonagall.

"Let's get started."

. . .

Cassiopeia played with the cord around her neck nervously, rubbing her palm against her thigh while waiting for Eleanor to show up and quickly stood up as soon as her friend entered the room.

The two were alone, and she rushed to sit down by the blonde's side behind the recliner.

Eleanor hugged her cousin tightly, resting her head on her shoulder.

"Cassiopeia…" she whispered.

Everything crossed Cas' mind at the moment. Maybe someone had hurt her or something bad had happened to someone in her family. What if her father was taken to Azkaban? No… Narcissa would have sent her daughter a letter already if that was it.

"What happened?" she questioned when the brunette sat back on her heels.

"My father sent me a letter," she said with a cold face. "He said they waited too long already, time enough has passed. I'm an adult."

Cassiopeia frowned. She was an adult for a long time now. What was the big deal with it?

"They said I should follow..." she breathed deeply, her voice returning filled with distress. "That I should follow the family steps."

"How?" the blonde girl questioned, but she already knew where her words were taking them to.

"The Dark Lord wants to meet me," she whispered, only loud enough for Cassiopeia to hear. "They want me to become a Death Eater."

Cassiopeia took a long breath, feeling her chest hurt. The Malfoy girl was not surprised. Her father had given her the choice to stay away but she didn't know how long his patience would last.

"What are you gonna do?"

Eleanor just looked into her friend's grey-blue eyes.

"You already know," Eleanor reached out, holding her hand tightly. "Cassiopeia, I was raised for this. I know every spell, we know every spell. We know how to do things, we know what's right, we know He is right. He's the best choice. How can I say no? How can we say no?"

The blonde girl swallowed hard, keeping her face neutral. She wasn't lying.

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to," Cassiopeia reminded her friend. "You know that, right?"

She felt her eyes green digging into her own, and the brunette cousin bit her lower lip.

"What about you?" she questioned. "Wouldn't you say yes?"

The tone of her voice and the underlying implications made Cassiopeia shiver.

"I thought we were talking about you, Eleanor. When did this turn into a conversation about me?"