Post Tenebras Lux

Chapter Twenty-One

It was a strange sight to find Cassiopeia Black stood in the entrance to the Great Hall staring in apprehension at the Slytherin table. Her eyes scanned the table for somewhere to sit but she could see no place. Narcissa was sat alone, quietly eating, but she and Cassiopeia had not yet reconciled as they were far too proud. 

Mulciber walked past her, making sure to knock her shoulder with his own. Cassiopeia was quick to grab his arm and tightened her grip and she whispered, "Do that again, and I will hex you into oblivion. Do not forget who I am!" The boy visibly gulped as he quickly apologised and scurried away. 

Immediately afterwards, she caught eyes with Sirius, who simply raised his eyebrow at her. It was common knowledge that as soon as they had returned to Hogwarts, Cassiopeia had broken up with Mulciber and that he had not taken it at all well. 

At every opportunity given to him, he would try to offend her only for her to remind silent as she did not care what the boy thought of her. To make matters worse, boys from all four of the houses asked her out. It seemed that every week, she had a few new suitors, all vying for her attention. Not that she ever encouraged them. Instead, she found it all rather amusing. 

Cassiopeia shook her head at her cousin - pleading for him to leave her be - and then she walked over to the Slytherin table and sat opposite Rabastan. The boy had been trying to spend as much time as possible with her since she broke up with Mulciber, even saying that he was happy he could finally have her all to himself again. 

Rabastan looked up at her and smiled, "It feels like forever since I last saw you - you aren't avoiding me, are you?"

"We've only been apart for a few hours. It is not my fault we do not sit next to each other all of the time."

"We should speak to our professors - tell them we'd like to be sat together."

Cassiopeia simply grimaced in response as she thought about how the more he liked her, the more she disliked him. He was beginning to smother her with his constant talk about the Dark Arts, the Dark Lord, and how terrible muggles were. He had become nothing but her dull friend. She had become disillusioned with the Dark Lord and his cause and in fact, her beliefs were slowly resembling those of her traitor cousin - not that she would ever tell Rabastan that. 

"Is everything okay?" Rabastan asked her, "You look deep in thought."

"I'm just a little tired - nothing to worry about."

Suddenly, his eyes flickered between her and something behind her, "Your cousin and his friends are looking over here again."

Cassiopeia sighed, "Why does that matter?"

"They always do!"

"Then surely you must be used to it by now," Cassiopeia retorted, "I thought you didn't care about Gryffindors."

"I don't trust them. Not when it comes to you."

Another sigh slipped out, "That sounds awfully like you don't trust me, Rabastan."

"Of course I trust you."

"Then stop talking about my cousin and his friends!"