The journey home from Kings Cross to the manor had been a rather tedious affair. Their father had informed them that their mother was waiting to greet them at home, but after that he hadn't uttered a single word, nor would he look at them. His jaw had been tense and he'd sported a murderous expression, causing Draco to place himself between his father and his sister.

Cassie kept her head down and her mouth shut. The only time she'd made a noise was when she'd cleared her throat as Draco's bowtruckle had been peeking out of his pocket. The last time she had felt this nervous was the night her father had first hit her, since then it had just been fear. The uncertainty was what kept her on edge.

The only thing that kept her mind off of the man across from her and the heartbroken expression of her best friend was thoughts of seeing her mother again and the tight, comforting hold that Draco had on her hand.

She breathed a sigh of relief as the minute they reached the manor, her father had swiftly walked in the direction of his study without another word. Barely seconds after the door had closed, their mother came rushing towards them looking quite disheveled.

Within a split second, Cassie was wrapped up in one of her most favourite hugs. She felt her tears drip onto her head and seep into her hair, but that only made her hold her mother righter.

"I was so worried." She breathed, her voice breaking. "You nearly died."

"It's okay, mum." She whispered softly, rubbing her back. "I'm okay."

Her mother pulled back with a grim smile, wiping furiously at her tears. "I should be the one comforting you."

"I'll let it slide." Cassie teased, just as Lopsy appeared next to her.

"Welcome home, mistress." She beamed up at her.

"It's good to see you, Lopsy." Cassie smiled.

"Can Lopsy get the miss anything?" She asked.

"No thank you, Lopsy. I think I'll retire to my room." She replied, looking at her mother who nodded her approval.

"You must be exhausted." Her mother commented, pulling her into another hug. "I'll have Lopsy bring you some tea in the morning. Sleep well, darling."

"Thank you." She smiled, pulling away as Draco kissed her cheek and bid her goodnight.

It wasn't that late and Cassie hadn't been lying when she said she was exhausted, but really she just wanted an escape from everything.

She flopped down on her bed and stared at the constellation painted ceiling. The longer she looked, the more the stars morphed into Fred Weasley's face. She turned with a groan, facing the wall as tears streamed down her face at the unfairness of it all. She just wanted to take it back.

Soon, we all will be forced to make a choice between what is right and what is easy.

She knew what Dumbledore had been referring to when he'd said it, but in that moment, she couldn't help but put everything in perspective.

Cassie had made the hard choice and what she thought was the right one to make. A little selfish part of her wanted to take it all back and go back to how it was, but she knew that couldn't happen. Her love for him and her friends triumphed over any selfish feelings she held. Their safety came first and as far as Cassie was concerned, she was a threat to that.

Resolute, she had made up her mind not to answer any letters should any of her friends send them; she wouldn't even read them.

However, barely an hour later, that resolve was wavering as she had received a very unexpected letter from a 'Blaize Zanini'. She wanted to read it, but she knew she couldn't. It took all of her willpower to tuck it away into her private drawer where she kept all of her letters locked.

That night she was crying for a very different reason, one other than from a beating. She cried over the boy who stole her hurt. She cried over the boy who's heart she had broken.

Some people were just so hard to forget.

Deep down, she never wanted to.