The Last of the Blacks

Chapter 44: Hate

Cassie leaned back in her chair. Draco and Hermione were standing in front of Mr Malfoy's desk, which now was hers. They were looking down, cheeks red.

Kol and Daphne were standing on both her sides, ready to kill for her.

"So," she said, killing the silence, "you have brought us some... Filthy Muggleborn with messy hair, which she hadn't washed in quite some time. Whore, I suppose. Jumped in Potter's bed once or twice. Maybe in some of the Weasleys'..."

"Hey!" Hermione said offended. "Stop insulting me!"

Cassie looked at her, dead in the eyes, blinked a few times and laughed. "Darling, I am not insulting you. I describing you."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You were right. She is a bitch."

"Only to people who give Love Potion to my brother!" Cassie hissed.

This word. This fucking word was the only way she would like to call Draco. Because he was there. Always and forever. Just like Daphne and Kol.

This was their small family, the family they chose.

"I won't allow you to stay here," Cassie said. "And aunt Narcissa won't. What exactly," she turned to Draco, "have you done to Potter? Let me remind you that he mustn't know that I run the Death-Eaters."

"We changed his memory," Hermione said. "He thinks that Draco has told him about Voldemort's plan to kill the Minister."

Kol and Daphne were looking at Draco, Cassiopea was looking at Draco. Not mad, but... Disappointed.

Ever since they became the Snakes, the golden group of the Slytherins, the rulers of that fucking house, they promised not to lie the others. They promised. They swore.

Whatever. He didn't lie, Cassie reminded herself. If he had lied, he wouldn't had cry back then.

She trusted Draco her life every day, but she wouldn't trust Hermione. Not anymore.

Cassie maybe was the baddest bitch of all, she maybe was the worst person there ever was. That's how she knew whom she could trust and whom she can't.

She couldn't trust Hermione.

Yet she looked at the young lioness. "There are people who may not agree with my decision," she said like all of them were inside her head. "So I ask Draco, Daphne and Kol to have a vote. If you should stay or not. Come with me."

She stood up. Hermione froze.

"We will wait outside the door," Cassie said calmly, trying not to get offended by the scared look Hermione gave her. "I won't vote so I see no point in staying here. And you shouldn't be here while they vote."

Hermione blinked a few times. Then she looked at Draco.

"Don't look at him!" Daphne hissed. "Out!"

Cassie walked to the door, followed by Hermione. She knew the Gryffindor couldn't hurt her. Some Death-Eater had taken her wand.

She was completely safe. She was in the Malfoy Manor, surrounded by Death-Eaters, loyal to her and only her. No one could hurt her.

Then why her pendant was shining in black?

*********
Some papers, burnt in 1987-1996

Dear father,
Happy birthday. I hope you are doing well. Well, I hope you are still alive, because I have no idea how well you can be in Azkaban.
Uncle Remus said that there is in fact a worse place than Azkaban and that was hell. Do you believe in hell?
I think I have been there. You know that after mom's death I wasn't able to tell what's real and what's not? Auntie Andy and that good man Dumbledore helped me with it.
Professor Dumbledore once said that you were probably the bravest man alive. Back then I didn't believe him. I still don't. Will I ever believe in this, father? Are you in fact the bravest man alive?
Whatever. Happy birthday.
Cassiopea A. Black
3rd November, 1987