Post Tenebras Lux

Chapter Twenty-Two

Back in their first week of fourth year, Professor Slughorn announced there was going to be a seating plan but as usual the students believed he would forget all about it. However, much to their annoyance, a few weeks later into the year, he finally unveiled where everyone was going to sit. Cassiopeia was neither happy nor sad about her table as she was sat with Potter, Sirius and a short Slytherin girl she had clearly never bothered to talk to. While she would have to put up with the Gryffindors it did mean she would have plenty of opportunities to annoy Potter and Rabastan was nowhere near her. 

"They have sat us together so I can help you, Potter," Cassiopeia uttered as she sat down at the table, "You know how they always put the genius and the stupid one together - hoping the stupid one will learn from the genius."

James rolled his eyes, "Thanks for calling me a genius, Black."

"Only an arrogant, stupid person would say that."

"You sound so mature," James retorted, "I forgot we were eleven again."

Cassiopeia laughed, "You know when I first met you I put your self-centred ways down to you being a naive little child and thought that as you grew up you would mature and become nicer, but hey you have managed to prove me wrong!"

"When I first met you I put your prejudiced and snobbish mannerisms down to the influence of your family, turns out it was you all along."

"And you are not prejudiced for thinking that is what my family is like?"

"I don't think it, I know it."

Cassiopeia scoffed, "You know nothing about my family, Potter."

"I know more than you think."

"There are more sides to the story than Sirius's," Cassiopeia told him as she leaned forward to glare at her cousin, "Whatever he's told you about me, isn't true."

James laughed, "Now that we can agree on. He's always gone about you being good and better than your family. I've always told him he was bloody crazy, isn't that right Padfoot?"

"Stop talking out of your arse," Sirius replied, "I want no part in your quarrel."

"Oh come on, it's fun." 

Sirius laughed before changing the conversation, "I can talk about Rabastan Lestrange if you want me to Cassie?"

"Why would I want to talk about him?"

"Sure there is nothing going on between the two of you?" 

Cassiopeia gaped at her cousin, "No. Why do you think that?"

"You two have been joint at the hip for the past couple of years. Even now, when he's sat the furthest away that he could possibly be he keeps looking at you and glaring at us."

James craned his neck so he could see the boy, "He's a little possessive. Didn't realise you were into that, Black."

"He's my friend, that's all he is to me."

"He doesn't want to be your friend," James said before laughing, "He wants you to be his Bellatrix. Be the Bellatrix to his Roldolphus."

"Oh, shut up," Cassiopeia told him, "You're both delusional."

Sirius suddenly became serious, "You will make our family proud by marrying him."

"There are other ways to make my family proud."

James glanced over at her, "Like what? Isn't Bellatrix the pride and joy of the family as she fell in love with a Pureblood and then became a most trusted servant."

"Who said anything about love? Maybe in your world, Potter. But not in mine."

James stared at her as he licked his lips, "Why wouldn't you want to be with someone you love?"

"Love makes you weak. Stop doing that!"

"No, it doesn't. Look at Lily and me, I'm only getting stronger because of it. Doing what?"

Cassiopeia wanted to burst out into laughter, "Are you seriously talking about the girl that constantly rejects you? Stop licking your lips, you look weird when you do."

"I'm awfully sorry for these two," Sirius said to the Slytherin girl, "They don't like each other. They've always been like this sadly."

The girl stared at him before smiling slightly, "It's almost as though they enjoy hating each other."