December 17, 1975 - Malfoy Manor

As Lucius promised, they soon set a date to travel to Gringotts, and sort out her account. It was a typical thing to do, he told her, and would mean less of a hassle when he wished to transfer money to her.

She refused the aid at first, of course, but Lucius was insistent. She didn't bother with any more politeness after that - both of them were quite aware of her questionable financial security.

There was a lightness in the air, as the four of them made their way to the bank. All around them, snow swirled through the air like light clouds, and the shops and houses which lined the streets on either side of them were lined with all manner of decoration, from thick, fragrant garland and wreaths, to delicate, teardrop-shaped lights that hung in the air, and flickered with the wind.

Cassiopeia took it all in, revelling in the beauty. Manchester had never even bothered.

Lucius led them inside Gringotts, the bank's formidable architecture seeming even more imposing than before. The air inside her was warmer, thankfully, and Cassie rubbed her fingers in an attempt to reduce the icy numbness that had settled across her skin. Wizards - it seemed - did not quite enjoy the idea of gloves.

Maybe it interferes with the transmittance of magic? she wondered fleetingly, soon distracted by the diminutive, yet commanding figure that approached them. The goblin didn't speak, only gesturing for them to follow him towards the back of the room, and a pair of doors.

As they were about to enter, Lucius pulled Narcissa aside for a moment, speaking to her quietly before turning back to face them. "I've a few errands to run, but they shouldn't take long. Narcissa will stay with you until I come back."

With a firm nod, he turned and left, his silver, winter cloak trailing behind him like smoke. The goblin frowned a little at his disappearance, before sizing Narcissa up with his gaze, and gesturing for them to come inside.

"I am Griphook," he said, having given them time to settle into some comfortable chairs. "Unfortunately, Ragnuk is… unavailable…. for the time being." He smiled then, his eyes gleaming with an unnerving glee. "What can I do for you, Lady Malfoy?"

Cissa seemed unperturbed, seemingly handing over a sheaf of paper, and allowing the goblin to quickly read them over. When he was done, his gaze turned to Cassiopeia, a mocking smile spreading over his face.

"Miss Nazyalensky… you wish to open up a new account?"

Before she could answer, Narcissa interrupted firmly. "First, we wish to ensure that no other account is available to her."

Griphook bared his teeth slightly in anger. "Very well. Your hand, Miss Nazyalensky."

Cassiopeia, who had thus far been cautiously watching the exchange, extended it carefully towards him. Griphook took out a small, brightly colored stone, as well as a blade.

"No need to be dramatic," he muttered, making a small cut across the pad of her finger, and allowing two drops of blood to fall onto the stone. It pulsed green. "So it seems. I'll be a second."

With that, he pocketed both the stone, and the knife before stepping out of the office, the door just barely managing not to slam behind him.

"What was that stone?" Cassiopeia asked curiously, some of the tension leaving her now that she was alone. "I've never seen anything like it."

Severus looked intrigued as well, leaning forward to rest his chin on his hands, as they waited for Narcissa to explain.

"I'd imagine it to be a rune-stone, though without examining it I can't be sure. It looks as though it's been saturated with the same magic as the spells which guard individual vaults, though how it differentiates between people's blood I haven't the slightest - "

Griphook strode back inside. "There is one account."

"Whose is it?"

The goblin pursed his lips, his expression becoming even more scronful, before he presented her a key. Cassie took it, curiously tracing over the silver ridges.

"Mr. Nazyalensky's - your grandfather's," he explained impatiently. "Vault number 249."

"And can Cassiopeia get a statement of the contents of her vault, Griphook?" Narcissa interrupted, her severe tone washing away the goblin's expression. "I shall remind you that the Malfoy family are under no obligation to continue our business with you. Your behaviour, certainly, endears me to sever our ties."

"Of course, Lady Malfoy," he said, the slightest undercurrent of sarcasm running through his voice. "Here it is."

Cassiopeia gripped the parchment, feeling her heartbeat quicken as she allowed herself to unfurl the sheet. She exhaled. It was not much, but more by far than she'd expected. Enough money to last her a year or two out of school, and a small property in the countryside. And... a house-elf.

"May I see it?" Narcissa asked, quickly scanning over the statement. "This is all of the Nazyalenskys' wealth?"

The goblin shrugged. "Some amount of it is sealed, awaiting a male heir, but it is not much."

Cissa frowned, but handed the paper back to him. "Very well. Please transfer five thousand galleons from Lucius' account. Cassiopeia - will you be wanting to see the property today?"

"I'm a bit tired," she replied, shaking her head."The key, though, is it in my vault?"

"It is. Do you have any other business with the bank?"

Cassiopeia and Narcissa met each other's eyes. "No, that'll be all, thank you."

The goblin snorted, before escorting them from the room. Once he'd returned to his desk, Narcissa hurried over to join Lucius at the door, leaving Cassie and Severus with only their own company.

Something caught her eye. "What's that, Severus?"

"What?" he startled, almost like he hadn't realised they'd walked outside. Noticing the direction of her curious gaze, he scowled, burning his hands in his robes. "It's nothing."

Embarrassment was practically radiating off of him - she could see in the striking redness that had run its way down his pale cheeks.

"Severus," she said sternly, grabbing his wrist, and pulling his hand towards her. He didn't resist, though he immediately turned his head from her. "Oh… that's beautiful."

It was. All across Severus' palm and fingers were dark, inky drawings - flowers, leaves, and the like - all arranged in a kind of beautiful mosaic that slowly trailed off towards the front of his forearm.

"I got bored," he said defensively. "It isn't anything."

She smiled slightly, releasing his hand. "It's lovely, Severus. I didn't know you could draw."

Cassiopeia turned onto her stomach, propping her book against the pillows that were settled on the back of her bed. She blinked tiredly, her arms exhausted from hours of holding her book up over her face, and tried to remember the last sentence she'd read...

Knocking on her door brought back some clarity, and she sat up in order not to appear so exhausted.

"Come in," she called, assuming it would be Severus, but smiled in surprise when instead it was Narcissa's face that greeted her. "Cissa. Did you want anything?"

"Could I come in, love?"

"Of course."

She cleared away the other scattered tomes from across her duvet, replacing the whole of them in a stack on the floor. Narcissa watched her from across the room, only padding over to sit on the bed when she was done.

For a second, the elder of them watched Cassie with a kind of sad fondness, before she shook her head. "I was going to tell you tomorrow, but I saw that you had the light on…" she said, before sighing, clearly reluctant, "... I've just been told the Dark Lord will be returning earlier than expected, unfortunately. I wish I could have known about it sooner."

"Oh," Cassie said. "Don't worry yourself over it too much. It'll be fine."

I was going to tell Severus too, but he's already asleep. I'm surprised you can't hear his snores from here. Cassie laughed softly, imagining Severus sprawled out across his bed, hair laid out like a dark halo across his face. And snoring.

"You can't exactly go home," she frowned. "And besides, I am certain he'd be able to sense the traces of your magic. He'd want to know then, why you left…"

"I understand."

"That's good, then, but just - be careful please…" she trailed off, her gaze becoming hazy and unfocused. For a few minutes, the two of them sat in silence, before Cassiopeia spoke:

"What're you thinking about, Cissa?"

"Me? Oh, nothing, love…" she said vaguely, before her lucidity returned suddenly. "Did you know that Andy had a baby?"

Cassie blinked. "She did? That's wonderful."

"It is… and, well, she's not much of a baby, now - she's two - but I've only just found out last week. I - " she paused, taking a moment to compose herself, " - I wish I could see her."

"Cissa…" She looked so lost in that moment; Cassie didn't know what she could do, what she could say, other than gently encircle her with her arms. Oh.. Narcissa was fragile, so much more fragile than she seemed. As soon as Cassiopeia tightened her embrace, she broke down, tears streaming across her face.

"I just want to see my niece; I just want to have my baby," she whispered thickly. "Lucius - he's running himself ragged; my family's falling apart - and everybody, everybody is waiting for me, but I just can't. I just can't. Cassie - I can't go through with it again. I'm an absolute failure; of an aunt, of a wife, of a-a mother - but I can't."

She pulled away suddenly, struggling to wipe her tear-stained cheeks with her trembling hands. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't burden you with such things - they're not your struggles to bear."

"I don't mind," she said softly.

"No, I can't. You're - you're my family in all but blood. You don't deserve - " she didn't continue, instead slipping from the bed, and wrapping her night-robe tighter around herself. "I do apologise, love. I'm just - I'm under a lot of stress at the moment. And finding out, today- no, I shouldn't have."

Cassiopeia looked at her fondness. "I think you forget, Cissa, that I'm not exactly a little girl anymore." The corners of her lips are upturned wryly. "I can bear it - I'm not entirely a stranger to feeling that way."

Narcissa looked unconvinced, so she softened her voice. "I'm glad I could provide you some comfort - I really am. Don't feel guilty about it; Merlin knows you've helped me enough over the past few years."

The older woman bit her cheek, reaching out a hand to softly tousle her hair. "You're too kind, Cassie. I truly do appreciate it."

December 20, 1975 - Malfoy Manor

She first met him face-to-face a day after he'd arrived. He hadn't changed much from when they'd first met, she'd noticed, at least in terms of appearance, even his mere presence was as disquieting as ever. They'd passed each other by with the barest nods of acknowledgement, Cassie's heart fluttering like a caged bird long past when he'd disappeared out of sight.

She had no idea, then, what to make of his summons to his private office.

His strange, violet eyes gazed at her with a calculated interest as she stepped inside, a look of such intensity it was beginning to unnerve her. His stare slipped past her seconds later, and she closed the door behind her, feeling as though she'd just been sized up, and found deeply wanting.

She took her seat across from him, and still he did not speak. It was a power game now, she knew, but she would not take that bait. If he wished to sit in silence with her for the next four hours, so be it.

She could not, however, completely hold his gaze.

"Cassiopeia," he spoke finally, smirking as she startled. "It's been a long time since we've truly met, has it not?"

"Yes… my lord. It has."

He traced the rim of his glass, and for the first time Cassiopeia noticed that he was drinking wine.

"Tell me… you seem to have an affinity for wandless magic… do you not?"

"How - ?"

"I have eyes and ears inside of Hogwarts… more than you could even dream of," he smiled, the sight eerie overlaying his pale, bloodless face.

She spoke carefully, feeling wrong-footed. "I haven't been able to replicate the events under a non-threatening situation as of yet, but then again, I have made no great efforts to try to."

The slightest hint of disappointment flashed across his face. "Ah, pity… I had hoped that perhaps you were showing the same talents as I had… No matter. Only, I would hope that I shall be informed if any developments occur?"

"Of course."

"Good girl," he smirked, taking a sip of the dark alcohol, and savouring it contemplatively. "I've asked the Malfoys to hold a small… celebration, in a few days. You'll be going, I trust?"

News, to her, and she didn't know whether to await or dread it. "If you and the Malfoys wish it, my Lord."

He met her eyes. "I do… Yule is an important day for my followers and I; it would be a shame not to utilise its potential."

She hated to admit her lack of knowledge, but her curiosity got the better of her. "Yule… is it a more potent solstice than others?"

"For rituals, yes. You do not know, of the powers which can be harnessed on that day…?" he trailed off, his smirk cruel now. "But of course, how could I forget?" He looked her over. "Still, you doubt my methods? Raised by Muggles, how much have you lost? Do you not mourn the knowledge that has been locked away from you?"

"I do not deny that a magical upbringing would have bettered my life."

"What do you propose then, girl?"

She took a deep breath, attempting to calm her heart, and held his gaze. "Muggleborns are the result of squibs, are they not? Keep squibs in our community - let them form the underclass. Until, however, there is no such thing as a Muggleborn, take from their world, and raise them as magical. They will know no other world than ours, and will have no incentive to introduce Muggle blood into our society. Within a few generations, we will have cleansed our world."

"And tell me, why should I not go the easier route?"

His voice was dangerous, she recognised, but there was no going back now. She spoke slowly, watching his face for any sign. "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Grindelwald set off to accomplish the same task as you, and only managed to decrease our already fading numbers. It pains me to see precious magical blood spilt, but it will only continue to be so if we allow Muggleborns their continued existence. After any culling, within a few generations there will always be more to kill."

There was silence for a moment. "I do not think you realise the danger of the game you're playing, Cassiopeia. Ask Lucius… I am not someone to be trifled with… And yet, your bravery amuses me - " his lips twisted, " - not many would have the courage to contradict me so."

"Does my proposal merit consideration, at least?"

He hummed dismissively. "Perhaps. Though I'd there are more important things to occupy your mind with than these asinine schemes… A Slytherin, and yet you have not even passing knowledge of the ancient rites?"

"It is not the type of information that can be found in Hogwarts' library, I'm afraid."

"Dumbledore," he sneered, before standing from his desk. He walked over to a bookshelf on his right, carefully selecting a dusty tome off its shelves, before handing it to her. She shivered at his proximity. "An introduction to rituals; I would advise you to read it," he said, his eyes seeming to pierce through her very soul.

"I will."

"Good. Now leave me - I have more important matters to attend to than considering the inane proposals of foolish little girls."

•••

Thank you SilentMayhem, and Stephanie MRV. I hope all of you reading are staying safe, and that you have a wonderful day.