Dark Stars

Intro

"Please, Sirius, don't go. What if Voldemort finds you? What if something terrible happens?" Scarlett implored, her voice trembling as she clutched a toddler on her lap, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I can't stay, Scar. Harry needs me. I must be there for him," Sirius replied, his resolve unwavering even as he felt the weight of her sorrow.

"And what about your daughter, Cassiopeia? She needs you too! It's always about the Potters-don't you care about your own family?" Her scream echoed in the dimly lit room, thick with despair.

"The Potters are my family," he retorted, frustration seeping into his tone.

"They can manage without you for just a day!" she shot back, desperation mingling with anger.

"That's not an option. Voldemort has tracked them down. James and Lily are gone, and I won't sit here while my family is hunted."

"We are your family too!" Scarlett's voice cracked with a mix of grief and fury. "And I'm sure Dumbledore can handle things just fine without you!"

"I don't care if Dumbledore can manage. I just want to be there for my godson. Stop being so fucking selfish," he insisted, his eyes hardening.

"Go then, but don't expect your wife and child to be waiting for you when you return. We are leaving," she hissed, her heart breaking under the weight of his indifference.

"It's not like I wanted to marry you. I only did it because of a drunken mistake that got you pregnant," Sirius spat, venom lining his words as he stormed out, leaving Scarlett alone with a child in her arms.

In a whirlwind of emotion, Scarlett gathered her belongings, and with a flicker of determination, she disappeared, apparating to Regulus's hidden sanctuary. Few knew that Regulus had never died; it had all been part of Voldemort's grand deception, a ruse to lure his enemies into complacence regarding the Horcruxes. As one of the few privy to this secret, Scarlett made her way to the only ally she could trust.

"Scar? What happened? Come in! It's freezing out here!" Regulus exclaimed, concern etched across his face as he ushered her into a shadowy mansion draped in lush purple blossoms, a stark contrast to the turmoil she had fled.

Once inside, she recounted the harrowing events that had unfolded that night. Regulus, consumed by fury at his brother's betrayal, insisted she stay with him, vowing to protect her and his young nephew.

...

In the first few years that followed, life seemed to find its balance again. Cassiopeia blossomed under the care of her mother and the watchful eye of Regulus. Bellatrix, despite her infamous reputation, visited frequently, eager to solace her long-time friend. When Bella discovered the truth behind Scarlett's sorrow, rage ignited within her, nearly driving her to confront Sirius; only Scarlett's frantic pleas stopped her in time. Barth Crouch Jr., the best friend of Regulus, often dropped by, and Cassiopeia delighted in their playful camaraderie, as he lavished her with gifts of daggers and training in both combat and dark arts.

As the years rolled on, Cassiopeia nurtured an unyielding fascination with dark magic and weaponry, you can tell she and Bella got along. By the tender age of seven, she already possessed a repertoire of formidable spells and was skilled in legilimency, mastering wandless magic far beyond her years.

However, the fabric of their delicate existence began to go downhill with the sudden death of Scarlett. The loss shattered Cassiopeia, though Bella stood as a pillar of support, and Barty attempted to entertain the grief-stricken child. Eventually, Cassiopeia stifled her sorrow, convinced her mother had gone to a better place. But when Bella was imprisoned in Azkaban, rage ignited anew within the young girl, fueling her quest for power.

At the age of eleven, Cassiopeia enrolled at Durmstrang, the institution famed for its focus on the dark arts, eager to forge her own path in a world that seemed determined to break her spirit.