The Oracle in the Night

chapter 2 - wilting flowers

'Wilting Flowers'

Andromeda read the title with a mixture of concern and curiosity in her voice.

'Number 4 Privet Drive was nothing special'

'That's an understatement' Cassiopeia thought bitterly. 'No, it wasn't special, it was a hellhole.'

People spoke in hushed voices, wondering why they were reading about a muggle neighborhood.

'It looked like every other house on the street. With its brick walls and red front door, there was nothing original about the house at all.

But this particular house was probably the most interestingly strange home on Privet Drive.

It wasn't the car parked out front

It wasn't the white picket fence

It wasn't the Christmas wreath hanging on the door

And it wasn't even the strangely beautiful garden in front of the house'

Many looked confused at the addition of the garden but thought about the chapter's title and figured they would know soon.

'What was most curious about Number 4 was its occupants

More specifically the little girl who lived there'

Most purebloods frowned in disgust, 'Surely the Potter spawn wasn't living with filthy muggles.

'She wasn't a Dursley like the rest of the residents occupying the house.

She wasn't large or tubby like her uncle and cousin

She wasn't tall and blond like her aunt.'

Lily grimaced at the visual, it reminded her an awful lot of Tuney.

'She stuck out next to the Dursleys

For this particular girl had messy black hair, piercing green eyes, and what was most peculiar about her was the thick long scar running down the side of her face in the shape of a lightning bolt.'

At that line people turned to gaze curiously at Cassiopeia, wondering why she was with her muggle relatives. Surely, she wouldn't be ostracized from the Wizarding World after she had lost so much.

'The girl was much different from the Dursleys. And the Dursleys were not a family that encouraged being different. She was freaky in their eyes. No, not freaky, she was a freak.'

Cassiopeia grimaced and flinched ever so slightly at the word freak. But Perseus, James, and Lily were the only ones who noticed. They all frowned in concern.

'Freak. Such a cruel thing for a six-year-old to be called. But the worst part, the Dursleys called her 'Freak' so much, the girl believed that was her name until her first day of primary school.'

Everyone in the hall adopted horror-filled looks on their faces.

Cassiopeia was looking particularly cold but if you looked closely, her hands were shaking.

Her court was turning red with suppressed rage.

But what was worse was the fact that James Potter was crying muttering curses under his breath.

''Girl,' another thing her relatives called her, for they refused to say her name. Like it physically pained them to acknowledge her. Cassiopeia, that was her name. Cassiopeia, it was her new favorite word. Cassiopeia, she never had anything for herself but now she did. She had a name now.'