KILLER | H. POTTER

2. SUGAR

Every day that passed, the sense of dread in Cass increased.

She felt like she was running out of time.

And she was. Not as fast as her brain would have her believe, but she was.

So, the first thing she did when term started was set a schedule. She designated time for top-secret research, then for her business, then for school. In that order.

Perhaps she'd later regret how much she planned to neglect her schoolwork but it felt so unimportant right now.

She spent the first week of school holed up in the library trying to research vanishing cabinets (and how to repair them) without much luck. By the end of the week, her eyeballs felt like they were on fire from reading so much. She'd only give herself another week or so before calling it and starting on practical experiments.

The she was called into the Headmaster's office on Thursday. Cass knew it couldn't have been for anything bad. She hadn't really done anything yet. But the dread built in her stomach all the same. He couldn't know.

She had to take a second before going inside to make sure she didn't look too worried sick.

But then she walked in... and Potter was sitting there. And it occurred to Cass that she had done something that might warrant punishment already. But surely Dumbledore was too busy a man to be dealing with a student punching another.

"Thank you for joining us, Cassiopeia," Dumbledore said from behind his desk. "Please, have a seat."

Cass did as he said, her guard still up.

She didn't look at Potter.

"I have been delaying this in the hopes that you chose to... reveal to Harry your situation, Cassiopeia. But I realise now you won't do that. And I apologise preemptively for saying anything you might be uncomfortable with Harry hearing, but I'm afraid the situation calls for it," said Dumbledore.

And Cass knew what this was about. Fuck.

She didn't have to look at Potter to know how confused he must've been.

Dumbledore took a breath. He had that look on his face he sometimes got when talking to students. Like they were all defenceless little kittens or something. "I called you both here because Sirius Black's will was discovered during the summer. It was a bit unclear and some things were crossed out and written in, so it took some time to decipher it completely. But it's been done and ratified."

Harry cleared his throat. Not quite interrupting Dumbledore but kind of interrupting him. "I'm sorry—Professor, I want to hear this but I don't understand why she's here. Is it because she's Sirius's second cousin once removed or something? He couldn't have left her anything."

Cass wouldn't have minded punching him again.

Dumbledore hit Potter with the pitiful kitten eyes. "I'd been hoping Cassiopeia would tell you this... the only reason why Sirius didn't was out of respect for her wishes. The reason why I'm telling you is because decisions need to be made regarding Sirius's estate." Dumbledore paused. Probably for dramatic effect. "Cassiopeia is Sirius's daughter."

Well, now she had to look at his reaction.

Potter's eyes were so wide they looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets. He choked on his own spit. Cass had to hold in a laugh.

"No, she's not," Potter choked out.

It was quite fascinating to Cass, as much as she'd tried to keep Potter from finding this out, to watch Potter's entire world-view shatter in front of him.