The Life and Lies of Cassiopeia Rosier- Regulus Black

.forgiveness and promises.

.all the hardest, coldest people you meet, were once as soft as water. And that's the tragedy of living.

Lily and I hurtled down the hallway with so much force, we almost sent some innocent Ravenclaw second years over the edge of the balcony as we ran down the grand staircases. I would have felt badly, but was in too much of a hurry to care. Lily's proclamation that love is the only thing that we have on The Dark Lord sent my mind reeling to something Professor Slughorn had explained to us third year when Cecelia Fortescue tried to use a love potion on Ezra Wood. I hoped desperately that I was right.

We came halting to a stop in front of the great golden Gargoyle. I racked my brain trying to remember the password when Lily cut in rather quickly.

"Sugar Quills." She stated, and much to my surprise, the Gargoyle leapt aside allowing us entrance into the grand study beyond.

"How did you know the password?" I asked her.

She laughed a bit, "When you associate with the Marauders, you find yourself in Dumbledore's office once or twice a week."

I wanted to smile, but I couldn't. My heart still ached from my confrontation with Regulus earlier, and I didn't know if the hole in my heart would ever truly heal. Love is a terrifying thing, and the fact of the matter is that we condemn ourselves to unspeakable heartbreak the second we give our hearts to another.

I walked forward and rapped my knuckles against the hard wood of the door. Dumbledore's voice sounded from the interior of the room. I couldn't quite decipher what he had said, but took it as permission to enter.

Sure enough, the Headmaster sat within, the look on his face told me that he was not surprised to see me. The bewilderment only settled upon his features as his eyes landed on the striking redhead next to me.

"Ms. Rosier, Ms. Evans, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Good evening Professor Dumbledore." I said quietly nodding my head.

He gestured to the large, overstuffed chairs in front of his gigantic claw footed desk, motioning for us to take a seat.

"I have an urgent matter to discuss with you Professor." I started after I had become settled in my seat.

His eyes flicked over to Lily and I knew immediately that he was concerned with her safety. This wasn't supposed to be something that she was to get involved in. It was a perilous game of shifting alliances, and never knowing who to trust. She had her whole life before her, yet here she was, insisting that she stay here for me. I admired her courage.

"She wouldn't let me come without her, but she knows what I am, or soon to be." I told him, casting my eyes downward in shame.

Dumbledore's expression turned troubled.

"You do realize Ms. Evans, what you are getting yourself into? Voldemort shows no mercy. Not to anyone. If you are to be caught aiding Ms. Rosier in any way, he would not hesitate to end your life." Dumbledore explained to her with a stern look in his eyes.

Lily narrowed hers. "So it is perfectly acceptable for Cassie to throw her life away, and you don't say anything to her about the value of her life, but when it comes to me, I get a talking to about how dangerous this is?"

She was angry, and Dumbledore could see it. I was shaken a bit at the fact that she had called me Cassie to someone else's face.

"My motive in asking was never to place less value on the life of Ms. Rosier than your own, but simply to alert you to the unspeakable dangers that await you should you choose to associate with her in any way. Cassiopeia knows what a perilous journey this is. I am simply ensuring that you do also." Dumbledore said gently, slightly taken aback by Lily's outburst.