Sticks and Stones

CHAPTER ONE: Cassiopeia Malfoy

BEING A MALFOY is tough, especially when you don't want anything to do with your family. Cassi had this problem, especially when she saw how her family talked about muggles and muggle-borns. 'Why are they like this?' she thought to herself as she walked off to her room while her twin was laughing at a horrible comment her father made about muggle-borns, whom he called mudbloods. She hated that name for them.

"Going to bed, Cassiopeia?" Her mother said as she passed by her.

"Yes. And please start calling me Cassi, Mother," she replied as she opened her door and walked inside. Immediately she walked to her window and climbed out into the tree that grew right outside. Climbing that tree was kind of like her little safe space. She came here whenever she was sad, or angry, or feeling really strong emotions, like right now. At least she had a friend.

"Dobby!" she called. The house-elf materialised next to her.

"Is something wrong, Mistress Cassi?" Dobby said, sitting next to her on the bough.

"Kinda. Our letters came yesterday, right?" she asked.

"Yes. and Dobby knows what Mistress is going to ask, which is why..." Dobby reached into his rag and pulled out an envelope with a red seal. Cassi wished she could give Dobby something new to wear other than that tattered pillowcase, but she knew her father would blow his top at her. Dobby handed her a Hogwarts letter, and she opened it and read it. Her heart leaped at the thought of being away from her father for a whole year, but she also had a nagging dread that constantly bit at her thoughts.

"Dobby?" she asked.

"Yes, mistress?"

"Do- do you think I'll be put in slytherin?" she asked. Dobby paused before replying,

"Slytherins have a tendency to be selfish and vain. You are none of those things. Dobby does not think that you will be in Slytherin. You've stood up for Dobby for eleven years, miss. You seem more good-hearted and brave than anything," Dobby said, smiling at Cassi. Cassi smiled back, wiping her teary eyes.

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"Father! Can I get a broom?" Draco said, pressing his face against the window of the display case of the new Nimbus 2000. Cassi rolled her eyes. Why was her brother such a spoiled brat? She looked around Diagon alley and smiled at all of the shops and smiling people.

"Draco, first years aren't allowed broomsticks. You know this." Her mother said. Draco rolled his eyes and moved away. Cassi tugged at her father's sleeve.

"Father?" she asked.

"Yes, Cassiopeia?" Lucius said, looking down at her.

"Uh- May I have some money to go and get my wand?" she asked.

"Of course." Her father replied, handing her 20 Galleons. "Get yourself something nice as well, dear," he said, patting her head. Cassi felt a pang of guilt as she walked away. Her family was caring towards her and loved her... some of the time. Most of the time they were rude and abusive towards her. Not physically, but mentally and emotionally. Her father occasionally cast harmful spells at her, though.

"OOPH!" Cassi grunted as she ran into someone. "Oh goodness, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?!" she said, getting up immediately and helping the boy pick up his things. She noticed he had ragged clothes and broken glasses that were currently on the floor. She picked them up and handed them to him.

"It's alright. What's your name?" the boy asked.

"Cassiopeia Malfoy. You can call me Cassi though," she said, extending her hand. The boy shook her hand. "And your name?" she asked.