XXXIII

When Cassiopeia entered the room, her pink-haired cousin , Mad-Eye Moody, Professor Lupin and a pair of other people she didn't know were sat around what used to be the dinner table, staring straight at the girl in a way that made her shiver.

" Miss Malfoy," her former professor – the one who actually taught at Hogwarts— said slowly.

Cassiopeia tried to keep her head up and her posture tall from showing how uncomfortable she was with the whole situation.

" Sir."

The door closed behind her, and Sirius walked in, sitting with them just as Mrs Weasley came to his son's girlfriend side.

" Is this really necessary?" she questioned, resting a hand on the girl's back. "Alastor, she's just a child!"

" She's old enough, Molly," Moody hissed. "Sit down, Malfoy."

Keeping her face clean and neutral, the girl complied.

' Tonks ' put a glass in front of her silently, but the girl didn't move her eyes from the group.

" Drink. We have some questions."

The girl didn't protest, chugging the content down in seconds. It was juice, but Cassiopeia knew it was spiked.

It didn't take more than a few seconds for them to start bombarding her with questions.

" What is your name?" Tonks enquired.

" Cassiopeia Black Malfoy."

" If you weren't named Cassiopeia, which name would you have?"

" Vega," she blurted out, remembering a conversation she had had with her mother once, when she told you the ideas of names she had for you and Draco. "Or Libra. My mother wanted it to be a constellation name, it runs in the family."

" When is your birthday?" Sirius questioned.

" 13 th of August."

Something inside Cassiopeia was wrong and she could clearly feel it. She wasn't thinking, she couldn't hold her words back or even filter them.

" What are your parents' names?"

" Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. What is wrong with me?"

Moody stared into her eyes, finding the grey irises to be moving from face to face in the room.

" That's what a truth potion feels like. Why did you tell George Weasley your father recruited you?"

Cas tried holding back the full honest answer but it didn't work, and the words came out of her lips without any permission.

" Because I trust him and I tell him my secrets, and I was scared of what that means. I still am."

Everyone became silence and the blonde felt as Mrs Weasley walked behind her.

" I think that's enough."

" Why did you come here?" Lupin asked.

" Because once I say a definitive 'no' to my father, there will be no place to be in the world," the teen felt tears pricking from her eyes, filled with embarrassment. "And George said he would do anything to protect me, and if that means coming here and asking for your help, then so it be."

Cas' breath was coming hard, and her face stone cold as sweat mixed with her tears. She was trying to fight. They were invading her space , they were trying to break her . She just couldn't let that happen.

" What about the Order?" Tonks tapped lightly on the table.

But Cassiopeia just felt confusion, staring at her cousin.

" What Order?"

Everyone fell back into silence, and Mrs Weasley coached the girl into standing up.

" That's enough," she held the girl and the teen felt like she was about to get sick. "Come on, dear. You look like you've seen your own ghost."

" Why didn't you join the Death Eaters?" Sirius Black enquired before his young cousin could leave the room.

She turned to her head to him with the coldest look she'd probably ever given anyone.

" Sirius!" Molly said in a disapproving tone.

" Anyone who preached death to their own people has some deep problems, Sirius Black. I love my parents, and I love them enough to understand and accept they are not perfect and can be wrong. And they are wrong," she said coldly. "I may be cold, or put myself first, and all of the things you see as wrong in a Slytherin but I have pride, but I have principles. Most of us do."

" Come on," the woman pulled her son's girlfriend with her. "Interrogating a child… What an overreaction! Poor girl!"

The two left the room together, and before Mrs Weasley could sit her down on the couch, George popped onto his girlfriend's side.

" Are you okay?"

" I'm gonna get sick," she answered frantically, trying to keep her breath steady.

" Is that normal?" her boyfriend asked, confused and worried, while pulling his wand. " Accio, can."

An empty trash can came to his hand, and he was quick placing it in front of his girlfriend and moving a blonde lock to behind her ear.

" It's an emotional reaction," someone said behind him and Cassiopeia could identify Granger's voice. "Kinda."

The grey-eyed girl glared at her and the younger witch shifted on her spot.

" The potion causes a lot of distress and she is clearly fighting it. That's how Malfoy's is reacting to all of that."

George turned to her and then to his girlfriend again.

" So we just have to get her to calm down?" he sounded less worried.

" Essentially."

He sat by Cassiopeia's side, holding her hand, and the girl soon felt the pulling on her body before apparating in another room.

There were two beds made there, and the girl quickly noticed her stuff closer to one of them. He put her on it, leaning down and helping his girlfriend out of her shoes while she took off her jacket, still feeling her stomach twisted in knots.

" Do you know how long the potion works?" he questioned shyly.

" More than a couple of hours if they got it from someone decent," the girl spat before losing what was left of her breakfast in the can in her hands.

He hesitated, sucking his own lips in and scratching the back of his head.

" Can I ask you a question?"

" I hope it's not the combination of my safe, or how my first kiss went."

George chuckled.

" Nothing like this," he rolled his eyes. "I, uh… Why me?"

She just stared at him in confusion.

" Why do you like me? Why do you date me? We're so different and, still, we're together! Why did you choose me?"

" But I never chose you," Cassiopeia looked into his eyes. "You chose me."

Her boyfriend's face changed in confusion.

" I did?"

He nodded gently.

" You smiled to me first, you held me first, you saved my life… You were there before I even knew you were there, you chose me before I knew it."

He continued to stare at her.

" Really?"

Cassiopeia nodded silently.

" You could have said no if you wanted to."

" Why would I?" the girl said frankly. "You were the first guy ever who made me laugh, and you never expected anything from me. I can be myself and you'll never expect anything from me, I can be myself and you'll never be disappointed. Even if I'm wrong or I don't know any better, you're there to teach me how to be a better person with empathy and an open heart."

To that, George smiled, blushing all over his face and neck.

" And I like when you do that," she pointed shyly. "You look absolutely adorable when you're embarrassed and when you're doing something you love or even talking about it - your eyes start shining like two huge stars."

George blushed even more and his girlfriend reached out to caress his cheek with her hand, feeling how hot his skin was in comparison with hers.

" And your hair is amazing. The colour, the texture, the way it falls on your face..."

He shook his head, smiling more and kissing her palm.

" Okay."

George got up silently, sitting on the other side of the bed, and the two of them laid on the mattress hesitantly. When both their heads were rested on the single pillow, he moved his hand down and held her, lacing their fingers together.

Cassiopeia's heart – which had slowed down while the two talked – started racing again while the two remained silent side by side. They'd never been that close – physically - , especially lying on a bed. The long twin mattress didn't leave space enough for her and George to fit comfortably, which left the two of them completely squeezed against one another.

" Would you have told me all of that if you hadn't taken the potion?" he whispered.

" No," Cas without thinking, although knowing that her truthful words hadn't come from the potion, but the way they came out had. "Not at once, at least."

Her boyfriend took a deep and long breath.

" Okay."