Post Tenebras Lux

Chapter Fifteen

Life seemed different for Cassiopeia Black as she entered her third year at Hogwarts. The thirteen going on fourteen-year-old girl was slowly sinking into despair as she pushed all those she loved away. Narcissa and Cassiopeia hardly looked at each other, let alone talked. Modesty and Bertie saw less of her but thought nothing of it since she started dating Mulciber. Sirius wasn't even acknowledged by his cousin most days. 

The girl was no longer the naive child she had been for her first two years at Hogwarts as she realised what was awaiting her. The only reason she had agreed to date Mulciber was so Bellatrix and her parents would stop writing to her to tell her what to do, as although she was still a child, they were pushing her to fulfil her so-called destiny. 

Mulciber was keen to be seen with his girlfriend as much as possible but to the Pureblood's disappointment she was usually nowhere to be seen. The issue with their relationship was that they were fundamentally very different people. The former was already obsessed with the Dark Lord and spent a large portion of his time discussing the man he was yet to even encounter, with anyone that would listen. While the latter, preferred to not think about her joining the cause as even the thought caused her to shudder. It wasn't only his obsession that Cassiopeia hated, but also how self-centred he was. Especially as he wasn't particularly clever or handsome. Mulciber in return found Cassiopeia far too distant and cold but thought little of it as he could show off that he was dating the youngest Black sister. There was no love between them as neither even cared for the other. 

Rabastan Lestrange was another constant in her life and was growing increasingly grateful that he was there to control Mulciber. The latter adored Rabastan greatly as the Lestrange could easily influence all of the students in Slytherin. It was only Cassiopeia that he failed to manipulate. 

Cassiopeia increasingly felt like the house she had grown up in - beautiful but lonely. Although she was constantly watched by her fellow students, no one looked past her facade. 

Even though her friends were yet to detect the darkness behind her eyes, her cousin Sirius Black had noticed it immediately and was alarmed at how far away she now felt to him. She was succumbing to the darkness and that was exactly what he had hoped would enver happen. He had believed she was stronger than their family but now he could feel himself fear that he had gotten his cousin horribly wrong. Especially, as those she had chosen to surround herself with were all children of death-eaters and were all vocal about their hopes to follow in their parent's footsteps.

Three questions were constantly thought about: Was she just another Black? Would she become as infamous as her sister? Or were his fears simply causing him to overthink and exaggerate the change in her?