Bound by fate, sealed by love

Chapter 1

"Mother! Father!" I avoid people on the platform, dodging ambling students bustling around in a feeble attempt to find their loved ones. As soon as I spotted them, I could help bounding over and throwing myself in my parents open arms, melting into their warm embrace as they wrapped their arms around me.

"Hello darling" My mother cooed, running her hands through my hair and pulling away from me to give me a delicate smile "You've grown up so much. I'm so sorry we couldn't see you at Christmas... we had a few-" My father cuts her off, sending a frown her way that I couldn't help but notice despite how discrete he had tried to be.

"Business to deal with. But we'll make it up to you sweetheart" He finishes the sentence for her, but that only piques my curiosity. He then flicks his fingers together, and Brambles, a rather old looking elf with a bright smile on his face appeared, tugging at the bag slug over my shoulder. 

"Let me take master's bag" His voice was cracking slightly, and I offer him a smile. After a rather long argument with my father, during Christmas of my second year at Hogwarts, I had finally convinced my parents to treat the house elves with a lot more respect, though my parents still have some trouble sometimes, and their manners often slip especially around their other pureblood friends. This had caused them to be a LOT nicer to us, even with their unwavering loyalty before.

"Hey Brambles, thank you" I slip it off my shoulder and hand it to him casting a toothy grin at my parents as I at the edge of my skirt "So.... when we get home can we-" I'm cut off by my mother coughing lightly, who winces and motions for me to follow her as she turns to leave the station quite briskly "What's happened? Mother? Father?" 

Neither one of them say anything until we reach the back of the station even with my constant questions, where it was much less crowded. My mother hold a hand out, to both brambles and I with a faraway look on her face, and we both take it.

In a second we'd apparated, and I stumble to a halt, almost forgetting what that was like, before looking around in confusion "Mother? Are we... are we in the Malfoy manor?" the large crystal chandeliers were so familiar to me, from numerous visits and odd meetings that my parents and the Malfoy's seemed to have so frequently, though I don't think I'd been in this house or seen them in almost two years.

"Hello Cordelia, Gregory" Mrs. Malfoy greets, sweeping into the room with a small, sad smile resting on her flawless face "And my, Cassiopeia, my I haven't seen you in a long time, you've grown beautifully" Behind her, Lucius Malfoy looms, his hair flowing down his back, his lips moving into a thin smile when he sees me. 

"Have you been shown to your room yet Cassiopeia?" He tilts his head and me and I spin around before screwing my nose up in confusion "What's going on?" I keep my voice lowered, because I knew neither one of my parents would like to be disrespected in front of the Malfoys. They may love me, but as a high ranking pure blood family, they had a reputation. 

"Ah, you haven't told her yet?" Lucius inquires, and my mother let's out a small sigh, one of those fake sighs she let's out when having a conversation with one of her friend.

"Our house... it's being...." She pauses, trying to think of the right word before continuing "Is being used for something. For this summer, we'll be staying with the Malfoy's as they've graciously allowed us so" That faraway look had yet to melt off her face, and I was only noticing the light wrinkles as she pursed her lips.

"Used for what? Why can't we go home?" My shoulders slump, all of this so sudden. I'd been waiting to go swimming in our pool and play in the gardens or down by the river basking in the warm glow of the sun. Now, I wasn't entirely sure if that would happen because I knew I had to behave in the presence of other pure blood families and now we'd ALWAYS be in the presence of a pure blood family.