Summary: Cassiopeia is in many aspects similar to Sirius Black – a pureblood sorted into Gryffindor, scoffed at by her family. But during her years in Hogwarts, she finds more than just a good education. Sirius/OC. Rated M for some violence and drug use.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize, my own is only Cassiopeia and her family

Introduction

It was six a.m. and the bright morning sunrays just started to shine through a tall window into a spacious room. Nevertheless, even with their help the room stayed rather dark and gloomy, as if nothing could help it anymore. Even stranger fact was that said room belonged to a little eleven-year-old girl. As the sunrays fell onto her pale, slightly freckled, face, she scrunched her nose and her eyes fluttered. When she opened her big brown eyes, she looked around in confusion. Something was different about today, only she couldn't remember what it was. But she knew she hadn't slept half the night because of her nervosity and her current fatigue was the proof of it. But finally, she remembered, and her tired face lit up with a smile. Today was 1 September and she was going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Despite her insecurity, she couldn't wait.

This was another strange fact about the little girl – any other child of her age would be at least a bit distressed about leaving their family for a whole year. But this wasn't her case. It would be the first time she would be away from her family (if she didn't count her older sister who attended Hogwarts as well) and she welcomed it wholeheartedly. Quickly, she got up and headed into the adjoining bathroom to get washed and dressed, knowing that her parents would be expecting her downstairs. Just as she was looking for her shoes under her bed, a soft 'pop' could be heard in the room and she peeked out from under the bed. There, in the middle of her room, was standing a disgruntled old house-elf.

"Young Mistress Cassiopeia needs to get up. Master and Mistress are expecting her in the dining room shortly." The elf said and the girl rolled her eyes.

"Does it look like young mistress Cassiopeia is still asleep?" she teased the elf.

"Young Mistress forgives, Mertle only does his job." The elf said, shot her a nasty look and with another 'pop' he was gone. With a sigh, Cassiopeia returned to her task of finding her shoes.

Ten minutes of intensive search later (the second shoe was found in the laundry basket), Cassiopeia emerged in the dining room, where both her parents and her older sister were waiting patiently. Cassiopeia's family was one of the old pureblood families, which more than anything valued their heritage. Pure blood in the family and the family roots were above all. Her father, Sebastian Elderidge, would always boast about the roots of his family reaching back into seventeenth century. Her mother, Romilda, didn't come of such an old family, but her family name was still well respected. Just as many other pureblood families, the Elderidges scowled at anyone below their standard – which meant Muggles, Muggle-borns and Half-bloods. Recently, people were saying that an English wizard calling himself Lord Voldemort promised pureblood families to clean the magical world of all the scum, which had come there during the last decades – a thought with which her parents agreed wholeheartedly, as well as many of their friends. But residing in France took its toll on the income of information and because the Elderidges felt they should get more involved into the movement, recently they were discussing coming back to England.

"Finally, Cassiopeia decided to grace us with her presence." Her father sneered. "I sent the house-elf for you ten minutes ago." He scolded her.

"I'm sorry father, I was looking for something." She said and sat down on her chair.

"I clearly recall telling you to prepare everything in advance! You surely know that today is the first day of school. We need to get to London so you two can board the train." Her father continued, sounding disapprovingly.

Cassiopeia knew he didn't like her and her sister going to school by train with other children, seeing as many of the children were Muggle-borns. He had even sent a letter to the Hogwarts Headmaster when his elder daughter went to Hogwarts for the first time, concerning the means of transportation to the castle. However, Dumbledore had assured him that it was essential that all of the students went by the Hogwarts Express. Only then, her father had relented and so every year, the family went to London by Floo to see their daughter off. After all, it was a tradition. And this year, their younger daughter would join her sister as well.

"Yes, I apologize, father" She responded, knowing that no other reply was expected of her, although she stubbornly kept her eyes bored into the empty plate in front of her. Her father, however, seemed to be satisfied for he shot her one last sharp look and dug into his breakfast and the rest of the family followed his example.

"I hope you have everything else prepared." Her mother cut in, looking at her elder daughter.

"Of course, mother." Aurora replied haughtily. "I packed everything two days ago." She said and her mother gave her a proud smile. Her elder daughter wasn't the reason of her problems. Aurora was starting her fifth year in Hogwarts, and as the whole family before her, she was a Slytherin. Furthermore, this year she proudly displayed her brand new Prefect badge on her school robes. No, Aurora was as perfect as her parents could wish, with her perfect looks with golden hair and porcelain skin, spectacular results at school and courtesy. When their mother turned her look on the other side, her smile froze when she saw her younger daughter picking in her food.

"What about you, Cassiopeia?" she asked.

"I think I have everything." The young girl responded and her mother gave her a frown.

"I should hope so." She answered stiffly and continued in her breakfast.

Thirty minutes later, which seemed like a lifetime to Cassiopeia, her parents made a house-elf send their heavy trunks to London while they went to the King's Cross by the Floo. Cassiopeia had been several times to the platform but today there was something special about stepping out of the fireplace on the platform 9 ¾, perhaps because it was her turn to join the merry students on their ride to Hogwarts. She couldn't wait. Finally, she would be away from her family and maybe she could find some friends if Aurora lets her. With a snicker she thought what a blast would it be had she been sorted into other House than Slytherin. Her parents would have a heart attack. But she quickly shook the thought off. For one, these things didn't happen to her; she was supposed to get sorted into Slytherin, make plenty of Slytherin friends and after school make sure to keep the family reputation. And besides, her parents would have surely disown her. With a sigh, Cassiopeia made her way after her parents and sister. When her mother noticed she was shuffling behind, she sent her a hard look and waited for her, so she could grab her forearm in a vice-grip and lead her like a small child.

As the family was making their way through the crowd of people, Sebastian and Romilda were throwing scowls at the Muggle-borns and their parents, who seemed rather out of place on the platform. Aurora was looking around, eager to spot some of her friends, while Cassiopeia was watching everything curiously, looking for someone who could be her friend.

Suddenly, the family heard a familiar posh voice. "Oh, look, there are the Elderidges!" the female voice said loudly and Cassiopeia's parents turned to see the owner of the voice. But as soon as Romilda saw the tall, black-haired woman, her scowling face brightened with a plastered smile. There was a family of four, making their way towards them and her parents seemed to know them, although Cassiopeia didn't have any idea who they were.

"Oh, Walburga, such a long time!" Romilda exclaimed when the two families met and Cassiopeia was looking at the strange family curiously.

"Indeed. You should come to England more often. So much has been going on." She said.

"I see you are here to see your daughters off." The black-haired man spoke to her father, who nodded.

"Oh, Orion, look at it – a prefect!" Walburga said with a false smile and her mother smiled proudly.

"Yes, Aurora starts her fifth year, but it wasn't such a surprise when she received the prefect badge." She said and Aurora grinned.

"If you don't mind, mother, I think I've seen some of my friends over there. Is it alright if I go and greet them?" she asked.

"Of course, Aurora. Just go." Her mother said so Cassiopeia's sister bid her parent's friends a good day and was off. Cassiopeia didn't mind, seeing as her sister hadn't done anything to help her out of her boredom, so she was standing next to her mother and wearily listened to the conversation. Only then, she noticed the two boys who were standing next to Walburga, looking just as bored as she felt. One of them was still very young, perhaps around eight or nine, and he was patiently standing, holding his mother's hand. On the other hand, the other could be around Cassiopeia's age and he seemed to be anything but patient. He was shuffling on his feet impatiently and making a big show of his bored sighs but his mother gave him no attention as she talked to her friends.

"…and I see your younger daughter joins Hogwarts as well, this year." Walburga said and stabbed Cassiopeia with an intense look.

"Oh, yes, she does. We were seriously considering sending her to Beauxbatons, but Sebastian had a very good argument – she would only embarrass our family with her behaviour and lack of courtesy. We had hired at least five tutors for her but none of them could do anything. She's just so headstrong. So we are hoping the school will set her right, she needs discipline." Her mother said about her and Cassiopeia couldn't help but roll her eyes about it. But a slight snicker drew her attention to the older black-haired boy again and she found him snickering with amusement at her expression.

"I know what you mean; we are having the same problems with Sirius. I have never seen a child so stubborn. Sometimes, I wonder what have we done wrong with him." Walburga said and this time it was Cassiopeia's turn to giggle as Sirius (as the boy was obviously called) scrunched his nose in disgust at his mother's words. "We would like to think that school will change it but with Dumbledore and his lenient ways and support of Mudbloods, our hopes aren't high. But I already spoke to the Malfoys and my sister. They promised that Lucius and Bellatrix would watch out for Sirius. They will keep him out of trouble and introduce him to the right friends…" Walburga said.

After some time, it was finally time to board the train. Cassiopeia rather hoped to get there alone. And perhaps she wouldn't' even t mind the company of the black-haired boy seeing as they had a lot in common, but before she could say a word, Aurora was by her side.

"Take Cassiopeia with you, Aurora." Sounded the order of their father and before Cassiopeia could protest, her older sister grabbed her hand and led her to the train.

The train ride was plain awful. Aurora made Cassiopeia sit in the compartment with her Slytherin friends – all of them above fourth year and everyone of them equally horrible. There was Lucius Malfoy, who was the same year as Aurora and just like her, he was smugly displaying a Prefect badge. Avery and Mulciber, both in fourth year, were enough to give Cassiopeia creeps, just like the haughty-looking girl with long dark hair and heavy-lidded eyes – Bellatrix Black. Cassiopeia wondered that she didn't see the young boy here as well since his mother said that Bellatrix and Lucius were supposed to take care of him. She would have welcomed the company of someone of her age. On the other hand, if he associated with such people, then she didn't reckon he would be much good company either. She couldn't believe what she was doing there. The older children were joking amongst themselves and Cassiopeia shuddered at some of their jokes. Right now, Bellatrix was madly cackling as Avery was telling them about his summer break which he and some of his friends had spent by bullying and torturing Muggles. When Cassiopeia heard what had they done to one poor young Muggle, she suppressed the urge to be sick and huddled in the corner. Instead of joining the chat with Aurora's friends, she leaned her forehead against the cool window and watched the raindrops fall on the glass, trying to tune out the disgusting talk.

Her whole life her parents were feeding her with their talk about their superiority. She was told that her blood was better than the blood of others and she was to act like that. According to them, Muggles and Muggle-borns weren't worth of a second look, but treating them like that couldn't be right, could it? After all, what difference did it make, that their blood wasn't 'pure'? They were still people. Sometimes, while she had been spending long days locked in her room, Cassiopeia had passed her time by looking out of her window. Their mansion was just on the outskirts of Paris in a Muggle neighbourhood (and Cassiopeia found this fact very confusing and funny) and she liked to watch the passers-by. She knew they were Muggles but they seemed so normal. There wasn't anything different about them. Furthermore, most of them looked 'happier' than Cassiopeia felt and than everyone in her family seemed to be. They were acting casually, relaxed, not stiff and cold like her family and friends were. More than anything, Cassiopeia longed to be like them. She couldn't imagine herself living like her parents – showing no emotion except anger and spite and treat everyone like an object.

She sighed. If she was to spend the next seven years in such a company as she was now, there was not much of a chance she could change her fate of becoming just that – compassionless, heartless woman dwelling on her heritage.

This was the first chapter of my new story. I hoped you enjoyed it and please review. And don't worry, it gets even better next time