In the Shadow of Azkaban

Volume II: Alternate Ending IX

Kassia's Point-of-View
North Ford Bog
October 1900

Sebastian and I managed to locate the safehouse after our encounter with a few Ashwinders. Over the last two years, their society reassembled.

The crusted blood on my skin easily broke apart and sloughed off with the heat from the shower. I moved the sponge from my arms to my face and then my legs.

Sebastian had been dabbling in dark curses again, and he casted one that resulted in impaling a wizard. His blood squirted across my entire front.

I preferred working with Antoinette; Sebastian was impulsive and selfish when it came to duels. Combat always proved dangerous while I fought beside him.

Once I felt relatively clean, I stepped out of the shower and looked at myself in the mirror. My skin was tanned from enduring battles all summer, and small white slivers traveled up my skin. Scars.

They served as a reminder that all of the constant war had meaning. Or at least I would pretend it would. My hair fell against my back. Soft, shiny. Not brittle like before. But the skin under my eyes appeared dark with some lines embedding into my skin.

Aesop would have wanted me to take a break. His sultry voice pleading with me, 'Kassie. Just stay with me.' But he wasn't here. And by Merlin, if I didn't distract myself every second, I would have broke down crying.

I waved my wand in front of my reflection, casting a beautification charm. The rosiness returned to my cheeks while my eyes brightened. I looked happy.

My wand motioned once more to dress myself quickly, and I pulled the bathroom door open.

Sebastian stood with papers in his hands, his brows furrowing in what appeared to be confusion. It could have easily been anger, though.

"Kass. Look at The Daily Prophet." His hands shook when he folded the paper into my grasp.

My eyes widened at the headline: Infamous Gaunt Sires a New Heir.

I skimmed the poorly written article to see the baby's name. Morfin Gaunt. A boy.

A loud exhale moved against my lips as Sebastian just stared at me, expecting a response.

"What do you want me to say, Seb? That I'm surprised. Because I'm not. Caractacus sold him off to another Pureblood family. It is what it is." I shoved the paper back into his chest and pushed past him.

It's my fault he suffered the same fate as Marat. At the same age, too. But he hadn't wanted help from us. He let us know when he burned the letter from me at the Burke Estate.

"Come on." Sebastian gestured. His arm outstretched toward mine while his fingers wiggled, enticing me.

"Fine." I retorted. I grabbed his hand in mine, and we both shrunk and contorted until we reached Manor Cape via apparition.

"Kassia!" Antoinette's voice filled the space. Before I was even aware of my surroundings, her arms were around me.

"How was it? Were you two able to infiltrate the camp?" Her eyes reminded me of Sebastian's. Wide, full of curiosity. They both got unnervingly excited about murdering Ashwinders.

Sebastian cut in, "Toi, you should have seen this one curse I came across. A hole developed at the man's base of his skull, and it extended vertically like he was impaled. Blood was everywhere. You would've loved it!" His arms were flailing around as he explained each intricate movement of the man's death.

"Alright, alright." I calmed them down. "Not everyone wants to hear the gory details." I shook my head and ambled over to the kitchen, deciding if I would be able to eat after that conversation.

Thankfully, both of the psychopaths ceased their gruesome talk when Lailah appeared.

"Daddy! You're home!" Her timbre rose with each word and matched how excited she was.

Sebastian knelt down, waiting for her to run up to him when he called, "My little moon. Get over here."

The pitter-pattering of her feet was interrupted when Sebastian scooped her up off the floor and began swinging her wildly around the room. Her giggles were incessant, providing me a nice break from my own thoughts.

"Father, for the last time, I'm not a moon. I'm a girl!" Lailah contested. She always had to be right.

"My mistake and my greatest apologies." Sebastian set her back onto the floor and bowed his head at her. With his wand, he swirled the wood to conjure a rose. "Forgive me?" He handed her the flower, and she inspected it in her fingers for a few moments.

"No." Her words were plain, and she skipped upstairs at her triumph.

My hands pressed into the countertop, watching the interaction. Sarcasm seeped from my tone, "That's how you know she's related to me and Morganna." I winked at him and turned back to the cupboard.

Served him right. He played the role of her father well, but she wasn't his. And the fact that he used that nickname for her. His moon. Ugh. The audacity he carried disgusted me.

At least one good thing had arose from the situation though. Now that Marvolo had left Hogwarts, I wondered if Antoinette would consider sending Lailah there when she was of age.