Squib On The Run (sequel to Squib In The basement)

29. Acceptance And Forgiveness

The moment only lasted a few seconds in real time, but for Cassiopeia it felt like a thousand years.
"I've missed you so much" admitted Cassiopeia as she gripped Sirius tighter.
"And I you... Let me look at you" replied Sirius, as he pushed Cassiopeia back and stared into her eyes.
The pair inspected each others faces for a while, taking in all the new changes in the other's appearance.
"You don't look too good Cass" commented Sirius.
"You're one to talk. Seriously, is there not a mirror in this place" teased Cassiopeia.

"What are you doing here?".
Harry's question reminded Cassiopeia that her and Sirius were not alone, and it brought her back to the present.
"When I heard that Sirius had been spotted near Hogsmeade, I had to come up and look for him. So I walked all the way here, just in case I caught a glimpse of him" revealed Cassiopeia.
"You walked from Surrey to here, just for me?" Questioned Sirius.
"I would go to the end's of the earth for you Siri" answered Cassiopeia.
"And I you" replied Sirius, as he rested his forehead against hers.

"Sirius, in case you didn't know, she's a murder. She killed two people" announced Remus, interupting the happy reunification.
Instead of frowning, Sirius smiled, "I heard that you killed mother. Well done".
"You shouldn't condone her behaviour, what she did was wrong" scolded Remus.
"She killed our mother, I don't see anything wrong with that... I once threatened to kill her for you, but back then you didn't want me to, because you wanted her alive. But I promised that if she hurt you again, I would kill her. So, I assume that she did something bad once I was in Azkaban, and that's why you killed her" said Sirius.

Cassiopeia lowered her eyes and extracted herself from Sirius's arms.
"What did she do?" Questioned Sirius.
"I don't want to talk about it" mumbled Cassiopeia, as she closed off her body, and took a step back.
Her eyes flicked to look at the children in the corner of the room, praying that she didn't have to tell her story in front if them.
"Merlins beard Cass, what did she do to you?" Demanded Sirius.
"Who cares what Walburga did, Cassiopeia is the one in the wrong. She killed a mother and her infant son" reminded Remus.

Cassiopeia looked over at Remus with hatred in her eyes, "Did you really think that the child was hers?".
"What do you mean?" Frowned Remus.
"Do you really think that my aging mother, whose husband had been dead for months, was able to get pregnant, and give birth to a healthy son?" Snapped Cassiopeia.
"Well, a lot of people suspected that Orion was not the father, as he had been dead too long. But they were too scared to confront Walburga about it"
"My mother's ovaries had died years before her miraculous pregnancy. She couldn't have any more children".

"But then who carried the-" started Remus.
"Me! The child was mine!" Interupted Cassiopeia.
"Mother stole a child from you?" Questioned Sirius.
"Not exactly... She's the one who made me have the child in the first place, so that she could have an heir" revealed Cassiopeia.
"What do you mean she made you" frowned Sirius.
"I don't want to talk about it" muttered Cassiopeia.
Sirius stepped forward and took hold of her wrists, "Tell me what happened, or I'm only going to think the worst".
"Whatever your version of the worst is, is probably nicer than the truth" admitted Cassiopeia, as she pulled herself out of Sirius's grasp.

"Please, just tell me" begged Sirius, softening his tone, so that he didn't frighten her.
"She drugged me and let a man have his way with me, until I got pregnant. That's all I'm going to say" informed Cassiopeia.
An uncomfortable silence filled the shack, as everyone processed what Cassiopeia had said.
"You- you were raped" said Hermione bravely.
"That's what you didn't want to tell me, because you thought I was too young to understand" added Harry.
"When I first met you, you were too young to hear such an ugly tale, which is why I kept it from you" admitted Cassiopeia.

"Who was the father?" Quizzed Sirius, unable to hide the anger in his voice.
"Don't make me say it, please" begged Cassiopeia.
"I have to know Cassie. I have to know who did this too you" insisted Sirius.
"No, you don't"
"Tell me! Please!".
Cassiopeia sighed, "Well, you know what our mother was like, she didn't like people outside of our family, getting involved in our business. So, she used someone she knew well... And let's just say that if the baby had grown up, he might have had his father's bleach blonde hair".
"Lucius" spat Sirius.
"Merlin's beard" mumbled Remus.