Epilogue

Cassiopeia sat alone and silently in the cabin of the train. The last time Draco had been even close to her was when she was in the hospital wing, staying there overnight to make sure his sister was fine and leaving right when she opened her eyes.

Sirius was dead, her aunt had killed him, and her father had been arrested along with the other Death Eaters. Cassiopeia couldn't go home, but she also didn't have the Black Mansion to run to now. The girl, who had always had a steady path in life and a safe future assured in front of her, now had no single idea of what she was going to do or where she would go.

" Hey," she heard by the door and moved her eyes away from the window.

Standing outside of the cabin, Granger, Longbottom, Potter, Lovegood and the two youngest Weasleys were standing silently, having just changed from their uniforms to daily clothings.

" Can we sit with you?" Lovegood questioned.

The blue-eyed girl was surprised for a moment, but nodded, untwining her hands over her long crossed legs and trying not to look defensive.

Potter closed the door behind them before sitting down after everyone else. They stared at each other's eyes silently, the tense quietness filling the small place.

" You look well," Granger tried to sound sweet.

" Thank you," the blonde teen responded, trying her best not to sound stiff. "Madam Pomfrey is very good at preventing scars. I look good as new."

She only nodded and it went back to the uncomfortable silence from before, but they all raised some conversation a while later. They tried to include the Slytherin girl, but managed to get only a few words out of her lips.

" How are you spending your summer?" Lovegood questioned looking at her, and the Malfoy girl shifted on her spot a bit.

" I'm not sure," Cassiopeia looked at her. "I…"

She hesitated before answering, taking a painful breath.

" I truly have no idea yet."

Something seemed to click on Granger as she looked at Cassiopeia, frowning and an expression she couldn't quite recognise.

" Cassiopeia ," she said her name slowly, almost testing it on her tongue. "You do have where to go, right?"

The blonde young woman forced a smile on her face, not even hesitating in lying to make sure she still looked strong and calm in their eyes. She wouldn't let them of all people think that she was lost. It's not that she had no trust on them – risking her life next to someone does wonders to a relationship – but everything has a limit.

" Of course I do," the Malfoy girl lied. "You don't think I'd risk everything without a plan b, do you?"

Ginerva turned to her brother's girlfriend, clearly believing in her lie.

" You think before you jump," she repeated what she'd said to her the other day.

The blonde nodded.

" Exactly, Ginerva."

The girl in front of her grimaced.

" You're my brother's girlfriend," she reminded her. "You should just call me Ginny."

Cassiopeia raised her eyebrows in surprise but soon recovered her posture.

" Sure," she agreed. " Ginny ."

…

Cassiopeia waited for everyone to leave the train before doing so, but that didn't help much as the students were mostly all over the platform when she stepped out.

"Cas !" she heard her name, and only had the time to turn around before George had his arms around her body and his lips over hers right after.

Everyone stopped to watch the two, but for the first time, Cassiopeia didn't care. He was her boyfriend and no one had anything to do with that, and besides, her father wasn't there anymore to scare her.

" I missed you so much," he exclaimed when the two pulled away to catch their breaths.

" I missed you too," the girl said in a soft voice, holding his hands.

The sound of someone clearing their throat behind her made her freeze. It wasn't a random someone, it's was no other than her mother.

Cassiopeia turned in silence, shielding her boyfriend with her body. She was ready for any reaction of hers, except the one that she actually had. Narcissa looked at her daughter deep in her greyish-blue eyes and put a chest right between the two of them on the floor.

" Goodbye," those were the only words her mother said before turning around and leaving with Draco.

There was no trying to coach her daughter home with her, or any questioning; she just left and didn't even look back while Cassiopeia couldn't tear her eyes from where she'd gone with her brother. Had she just been… disowned from her family? Why hadn't she said a word besides goodbye ?

" Come on," George took the chest, ignoring how everyone's eyes were on the two of them. "Let's get out of here."

Cassiopeia followed him out of the platform and she felt her cheeks hot and red when her boyfriend's mother engulfed her body in a hug.

" Cassiopeia !" she exclaimed. "It's been so long! Look at you, you're taller than I remember. You're invited to dinner with us, I won't take no for an answer."

The Slytherin girl almost froze in her spot, confused with the rapid words she was firing in the teen's direction. And she realized she didn't have much of a choice when George wrapped his arm around her waist and apparated into the Burrow.

Cas's mind, however, was still with her mother. Why hadn't she said anything? What was in the chest she had given her? What had her father told her?

" Come on," George pulled his girlfriend along with him to his room. "I need to show you our stocks. The store is opening next week and we need to teach you the basics before starting."

Cas nodded, almost dismissively, as he continued to talk.

" We've put you in charge of the potions, because, let's be honest, you're the best potion-maker we've ever met, and we know a lot of people."

The blonde opened a small smile, flattered, as he opened the door to the room to her. There, writing something down on a paper, was Fred.

"' Sup, Cas?" he smiled. "Hey, are you good with money?"

She shrugged.

" I don't really know. I never had a problem with it."

Well, not before now, she reminded herself.

The twins exchanged looks and shrugged.

" Okay, sit down," George instructed. "Let's go through this."

The three of them sat down through the details of the "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes" store, from products to creating to the restocking system. By the time Mrs. Weasley had called them for dinner, things were settled and the blonde young woman felt prepared for her first job.

She was just leaving the room when her boyfriend held her by the elbow.

" Hey…" he took a breath. "You… You got a plan, right?"

Cassiopeia shifted on her feet.

" Because if you don't, you can crash here," he offered. "We have a bed where you can sleep and it's gonna be just like your last birthday, but for a bit longer."

She gave her boyfriend a small smile.

" I told you, I'm going to be okay," she lied.

She had crafted a plan but it wasn't the best one. She'd get herself a room in the Leaky Cauldron, paying for it with the money she had in hands since Hogwarts, sell what she could to keep herself there, and pay for the inn with her salary from the store. It wouldn't be a big life and Cas would need to keep an eye on her spendings, but that's okay. She'd be fine, right?

George reached out and cupped his girlfriend's face.

" You promised not to lie to me, remember?" he whispered.

Her cheeks warmed up, but she tried to play it cool.

" Since when do you know when I'm lying or not?"

He shrugged.

" I don't, not much," he confessed. "But I know how you look when you're scared, and that exactly what I see in your eyes right now."

Cassiopeia bit her lip.

" I have a plan, George," she insisted. "Not the best plan, but one that will work."

He sighed but kissed her lips softly.

" Alright, then. I trust you," he caressed her skin. "Come on, let's go down."

She followed him downstairs in silence, holding his hand and trying to keep a neutral face while walking down. However, she stopped on her tracks, surprised when her eyes caught the sight of Mrs. Weasley talking to a very familiar pink-haired lady.

" Tonks," she settled beside them. "Hey, I didn't know you were coming for dinner too."

It was good to see her cousin. The last time the two had been in the same place was during the battle where she had hit her head, but Cassiopeia and her had exchanged several letters since then.

" Tonks here was just telling me that she came to pick you up," Molly explained, and the young girl furrowed her eyebrows in response.

" Pick me up?"

Her cousin opened a grin that was a mixture of wicked and amused.

" Kiddo, you're coming to live with me."