XXXII

" You can practice in pairs," Potter announced. "First, the Impediment Jinx and then Stunning again."

George pushed up his sleeves, exposing part of his forearms just as Cassiopeia tied her hair up and away from her face.

" Hey, Malfoy," her boyfriend called, and she just knew he was about to pull a bad pun. "I don't think we need to train the second one, cause I already get stunned any time you look at me."

Several people sniggered, rolling their eyes, and Cassiopeia chuckled, shaking her head in denial.

" Don't expect me to go easy on you just because you're cute, Weasley."

He gave her a large smile, one of those she absolutely loved seeing.

" I don't expect less than the best from my girl."

After 10 minutes of the Impediment Jinx, Potter got the cushions and spread them, and the group got ready to start with Stunning again. Right off the start, to many people's surprise and erupting a great deal of pride from his girlfriend, George had managed to throw her all across the room with a swing of his wand.

" Are you okay?" he questioned, running in the girl's direction and offering his hand so she could get up.

" You're great!" the blonde gave him a smile, taking the offer, and was surprised to see what was over the two.

" George, look."

A mistletoe.

The redhead complied, chuckling while he helped her get on her feet.

" Shall we?" he leant a bit in her direction, and Cassiopeia took his face in her hands, kissing him gently.

George put his hands on the sides of her waist, but the two didn't have more than a couple of seconds before someone called them out.

" Get a room, you two!"

The blonde rolled her eyes, moving away from her boyfriend just as he blushed crimson.

" Go find a girlfriend and get off of my ass, Smith," she snarled back, unaffected, and smiled sweetly to George. "We can kiss more later."

. . .

The next morning, Cassiopeia woke up with a message from George in her diary stating his father had been injured and that he would explain more himself when the time allowed, later, asking her to keep it a secret, but the girl knew that already.

When Christmas break came around, the Slytherin had to meet Granger and a pink haired girl she remembered from her first years in Hogwarts in a bathroom in King's Cross and Apparated into a street she knew too well.

Number Twelve Grimmauld Place was where Cassiopeia Black Malfoy had spent part of her younger years when her grandparents were still alive, and it had the same dark and creepy air around and inside it as she remembered, but got her just ultimately confused.

What was she doing in there?

Before the blonde could ask the pink-haired woman, though, she was engulfed in a hug just as soon as her feet stepped into the place.

" You're here," George said against his girlfriend's neck before releasing her.

" Yeah," she nodded. "George. This… This place..."

" Belongs to the Black family, yes," a man moved to her front.

Cassiopeia didn't need two looks to recognised him. Sirius Black.

" George and his mother were very insistent on bringing you along with Hermione," he continued. "When I was younger I thought my family would never surprise me again but there you are, doing so," he noticed. "Cassiopeia Black Malfoy, aren't you?"

" Exactly."

He nodded slowly.

" I'm Sirius Black, your first cousin once removed," he offered her a hand to shake. "You already met Tonks. She is the daughter of your mother's sister, Andromeda, you probably have heard about her. Although Narcissa and Bellatrix may have been hiding her existence just as well."

" They tried but I know about her story. And I've seen Tonks in school."

I just didn't know she was family.

"Cassiopeia !" Mrs Weasley walked into the room. "There you are!"

" Hello, ma'am," Cas said politely. "It's very ni-"

" George told us about your parents and what they are trying to do to you," she interrupted the girl. "Didn't take much to convince the others you need help, especially Sirius and Tonks."

Her greyish eyes moved to the man but he said nothing.

" Thank you."

" Molly," the group heard someone calling, and she glanced over her shoulder.

" Come with me, dear. There are some people who need to talk to you."