Hello!

Nice to have you back again. I am happy that you continued reading until now.

Starting from this chapter I will cease adding titles to every paragraph for the time being as the time leaps between the paragraphs will get way shorter since Cassiopeia is now in Hogwarts. She won't be as influenced by her parents as before (not getting as many life lessons from them), because she meets new people and gets older. To make a long story short, the headings will just be added when Cassiopeia is influenced by her family or learns something substantially new. Maybe I will add them later on more often again.

Have fun!


Hogwarts castle loomed above us, it was even bigger than I thought it would be. I had visited Hogsmeade with my parents before but from that distance I hadn't realised how imposing it truly was. There were so many details I hadn't spotted before. Such as the number of turrets between the larger towers. All in all it appeared even more magical from close up.

Slowly I became aware that I had sat wide-eyed and slack-jawed in the tiny boat way too long and straightened myself feeling embarrassed. Hopefully nobody had watched me.

"Welcome back Cas! I thought we've lost you."

No such luck. I frowned at Sirius. We sat beside each other in the middle of one of the tiny boats as it moved across the Great Lake.

"Get off my back this once Sius."

"Ouch! I'm deeply wounded." He clasped his chest theatrically as though he were in pain but grinned at the same time.

I rolled my eyes at his antics. "Certainly you are."

"I truly am. Your behaviour almost compels me to think that I shouldn't have left my new friends to sit with you. But my altruistic nature - " I snorted. " - and the circumstance that for whatever reason you are my favourite cousin kept me from embarking another boat..." He sighed.

"Knock it off you nitwit, can't you stop exaggerating for once?" I laughed.

"Since when do you call me such horrid names? I am stupefied with horror."

"Stop being silly!"

"That would be boring. And you do like my marvellous sense of humour."

"I don't!"

"You liar!"

"I'm not a liar. Your sense of humour is severely lacking."

"You didn't just say that! Take that back!", he said with feigned seriousness.

"Why should I? You've started it... nitwit."

"Ninny."

"Dork."

"Loon."

"Wally."

"Turnip."

I burst out laughing "Turnip? Really? I am appalled by this stinging insult." "Well, ..."

"Can't you two quit it already?", asked the girl in front of us as she gave us the evil eye. We quieted down somewhat.

"I guess I should be quiet for once.", whispered Sirius after a short while.

I nodded but couldn't stop grinning. "Let's savour the moment.", I whispered back.


A lesson regarding Hogwarts Houses:

"Gryffindor!"

What? How could that happen? This should not have been allowed to happen! A Black in Gryffindor was an unprecedented event! That's just not done! The family will be mad with anger!

How could that happen?

The queasy feeling I've had since we entered the Great Hall intensified immensely and I thought I was going to be violently sick. My heart palpitated even faster in my chest and my already sweaty hands started to tremble uncontrollably.

I almost didn't notice Sirius standing up from the small stool and removing the Sorting Hat. He was as white as a sheet and my heart went out to him. I was overcome by emotions.

All decent Black's were sorted into Slytherin. Everyone told me that. Did that mean Sirius wasn't decent? Where does that leave me? I will be sorted into Slytherin. That was clear in my mind since I was small. I was never worried about being placed in another Hogwarts house. Well, until now. What would happen if I would be sorted elsewhere?

Father would regard me with cold eyes. Mother would send me to the kitchen at dinner again. Bella would lose her temper. Cissy would be disappointed. Meda... Meda probably wouldn't care. My grandparents would stop talking to me, just like the rest of the family. People would whisper behind my back at balls and banquets. I could imagine what they would say... The Black daughter that doesn't fit to her family, what a disgrace. They would rumour if I would become a Blood-traitor, who would stain the reputation of my family.

I wouldn't be able to show up at home if I became a Gryffindor or a Hufflepuff. I wouldn't succeed in making my parents proud of me.

The ringing in my ears kept getting louder and a lump in my throat seemed to have the aspiration to steadily increase in size. More and more I was struggling for breath. Somewhere far, far away I vaguely heard someone call my name. I realised I had to step forward.

I nearly took no notice of what I was doing as I moved forward, sat down on the stool and donned the Sorting Hat. Once the hat had slid down enough to cover my eyes and ears and the noises in the hall had become muffled, all my thoughts revolved around one desire:

Please Slytherin! Please Slytherin! Please sort me into Slytherin! I beg you, I must go to Slytherin!

Again and again I repeated my plea in my head. I was oblivious to the silent voice that talked to me. Panicked I didn't hear what it said. I didn't want to hear what it said. Under no circumstances did I want to be sorted into another house. I wasn't entirely sure how the Sorting Hat determined the house affiliation of the students and I didn't want to give it a chance to contemplate another house for me. That's why I continued pleading without respite.

After a while, maybe after a couple of seconds, maybe after a couple of minutes, I heard a loud sigh and finally, finally:

"Slytherin!"


A lesson regarding friends:

I thought about my father's words during the feast.

Select friends that will be useful for you later on.

My parents had inculcated me with that mindset since I was small.

Your best bet would be to solely spend time with the right wizards and witches. Surround yourself with proper people.

I observed the other Slytherin first years, I had a nodding acquaintance with most of them from social events I had attended with my parents. Around me sat sons and daughters of the Carrow, Bulstrode, Crabbe, Greengrass, Parkinson, Mulciber, Avery, Crouch, Rowle and Trembley families. We all made polite small talk, beyond doubt the others were trying to estimate as well who would be a worthy friend.

The only one I've never seen before was a boy whose family name was unknown to me: Snape. He stuck out like a sore thumb between the other students, being apparently unwashed and wearing ill-fitting clothes.

I wondered whether he was one of those wrong wizards I shouldn't spend time with, if he was what my family described as scum.


Good evening father and mother,

I am pleased to be able to tell you that I was sorted into the noble house Slytherin.

Andromeda and Narcissa send their regards to you. Our journey to Hogwarts was pleasant.

Next week I'll write you how my first week of school went.

Hopefully you have an enjoyable evening!

Yours faithfully, Cassiopeia


"There was a good many lowlifes among the first years.", remarked Alecto Carrow the moment we arrived in our dorm room.

"My brother was right, the school is heading south.", agreed Urania Bulstrode. "I guess it was to be expected with such a headmaster."

"Surely we'll soon be taught how smashing Muggles are." Alecto shuddered in disgust. Several girls grimaced.

"But none of them got sorted in Slytherin.", interjected Janne Crabbe with a sedate voice.

"Who knows? Is one of you acquainted with this peculiar Snape boy?", asked Rose Parkinson. All of us shook our heads.

"In that case it is likely that he is a Muggle-lover or Mud-blood.", she concluded.

"Ugh!", came from Urania.

"- Do you know how your cousin ended up in Gryffindor?", asked Babetta Greengrass and looked at me full of curiosity.

"A Black in Gryffindor..." Janne looked as if she could not grasp the basics of such a circumstance.

"Is he one of them, a Blood-traitor?", hissed Alecto.

"No!", I objected. "Of course not. Sirius wouldn't do a thing like that, he would never behave like them. Certainly it was just a stupid mistake." Gryffindors were against the old families and traditions, so obviously he was not like the rest of his house. Why should he be against his own family?

"Are you sure about that?", asked Rose.

"Without a doubt!"

"I'm sorry I asked, I didn't want to offend you, but something must have convinced the Sorting Hat that Gryffindor might be the best choice for him...", said Babetta cautiously.

At a loss I looked down at my hands. "My parents think I am no worthy Black." Sirius himself had said that to me. Could they be right? I shook my head firmly.

Silence ensued.

"- What do you hope for our first year?", asked Babetta a little while later.

"Well, I want to meet new people.", answered Rose.

"But you already know all the important ones.", countered Urania.

"On the contrary, I just have a passing acquaintance with them, I don't really know anyone. Besides isn't it fascinating to observe them all outside of formal events?"

Janne shrugged her shoulders.

"I guess some people will behave differently.", smiled Babetta.

"I'm looking forward to learn more about magic." I said.

"Do you mean new spells?", inquired Babetta. "I am chuffed about that as well."

"That's intriguing too, however I really want to know what magic actually is. What brings it into being and why does it behave like it does?"

"I..."

"That the professors hopefully aren't as pathetic as I think they'll be. But I anticipate the worst.", interposed Alecto.

"That I won't come into contact with too many dregs.", said Urania.

"Lots of good food.", pondered Janne with a dreamy look on her face. Urania and Rose started giggling.

"As if we were in Hufflepuff...", murmured Alecto and Janne blushed.


A lesson regarding views:

"Sius! Sirius!"

I had awaited his arrival in front of the Great Hall to intercept him before breakfast.

"Hi Cas." He didn't look as pale as in the evening prior.

"Can we talk?"

"Yea."

"- Maybe not here?" All and sundry didn't need to catch what we would talk about. Black family affairs always remained in the family.

"Fine with me." He turned to the boy with untidy black hair besides him. "You can go ahead, I'll meet you in a minute."

We silently walked down a couple of corridors until we arrived at an empty chamber. I closed the door behind us.

"How are you?", I asked.

"Splendid. I've never been better."

"Sius..."

"Not too bad." He shrugged.

"Can I be of any help to you?"

"Why?"

"Why? There was never a Black in Gryffindor before you."

"... I know, but how do you want to help me with that?"

"Well, that will be a problem for our family, they will be shocked. I can..."

"What about you?", he interrupted me with a piercing look. Never before had he scrutinized me like that and I didn't understand why he did so now.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Is it a problem for you?"

"I don't... No. You are still yourself. Just because you are a Gryffindor doesn't mean you are a Blood-traitor."

"And if I were one?"

"... Why are you asking that?"

"Because I don't think they do anything bad, I don't think they betray us. I understand their views. Doesn't that make me one of them?"

I shook my head in disbelief. "Why - why do you think so? It's against everything our parents ever taught us. They ruin everything that's fine and proper."

"How exactly do they ruin our society Peia?", he asked defiantly.

"They impose their opinions on our culture, our traditions... You are well aware of all that."

"But what bad things do they do exactly to do that?"

"They support Mud-bloods, Muggles and other abnormal creatures."

"And why is it bad to fight prejudices?"

Shocked I remained silent.

"Peia, think for yourself. Please don't trust everything our families told us blindly. You surely realise how short-sighted it is to be against everyone that's different from us."

"... But... They change our society to their ideals... They want to weaken us... They steal magic...", I responded insecurely.

"That's rubbish! How can anyone steal magic, pray tell?"

"No proper wizard knows that..."

"Listen to me, it's simply not true, that doesn't make sense. No one steals magic. Muggle-Borns do not want to weaken us."

"And why do you presume to know that better than all the others we are acquainted with?"

"Because none of them can argue conclusively why they think like they do."

"What ... In a nutshell – you are opposed to everything our family stands for...?"

For a long time he simply looked at me. "I guess so."

I gulped, I was completely at a loss. The girls in my year appeared to be right, he was a Blood-traitor. The boy I grew up with approved everything that offended common decency.

"Cas.."

"I just don't understand why you think like that! Within a day you ignore everything that's ever been taught to you..."

"I thought like that for quite a while."

"Our family will be deeply disappointed by that - our reputation will suffer should someone find out. Is that all the same for you?"

"I am just trying to be myself. If they cannot accept me for who I am I don't need them..."

"Sius..."

"Do you like the way I am or can you not accept me either?"

"... Do I even know you?"

"But, of course! I didn't change over night, I just never told anyone what I think."

He slowly approached me, but I evaded him. "Cas... Peia..."

"Sorry for being in such a fluster... I still like you, even so this is a lot to comprehend. I – I need time to think."

Sirius tensed up even more and raked his fingers through his hair. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to add something, before he changed his mind and simply nodded.

I was so furious and confused by him, but he looked so heavy-hearted as he stood in front of me with downcast eyes, that I was unable to dissuade myself from hugging him. More precisely I leapt towards Sirius and then nearly suffocated him with how tight I held him. I didn't want him to think that he was alone and I didn't want to let him go because once I did I couldn't stop things from changing further. All of this was way too much for me. I only stopped when he was gasping for breath.

"Sorry.", I said sheepishly and blushed, while I stepped away. I hardly ever embraced people or got embraced, as of now I suspected that I was awfully bad at it. Perhaps I should comfort people with words only...

My train of thoughts was interrupted when Sirius pulled me close once more.


"This lesson is really ridiculous...", whispered Franek Rowle to Hias Trembley. The two of them sat one row before me.

"It's enough to put you to sleep.", complained Mendel Avery. "How can it be that a ghost teaches us?"

"Dumbledore... sodding Blood-traitor...", responded Thibault Mulciber quietly.

"It's a crying shame!", said Mendel.

"You should tell your delightful father of this miserable circumstances.", adressed Thibault Barty Crouch Jr mockingly. Barty merely gave him the evil eye.

Thibault and Mendel laughed. "Not enamoured by your old man?"

"Why should I?", hissed Barty.

"Not a Blood-traitor after all?", asked Mendel surprised, Barty kept silent.

"What about you? You said you aren't a Mud-blood, but for all that you spend all your time with one." Thibault and Mendel turned to Severus Snape. Franek and Hias raised their eyes as well, apparently eager to hear Severus answer.

"Stop calling her that!", he whispered enraged. Who were they talking about? I hadn't observed Severus much up to now. I looked at Babetta besides me quizzically, but she appeared to be just as clueless as me.

"That's a yes to Blood-traitor." The boys grimaced.

"Just because I am friends with Lily doesn't mean I am a Blood-traitor.", countered Severus. "I am a Prince."

So he descended from a Pure-blood family after all? Mendel and Thibault looked likewise astounded.

"- That doesn't mean much if you like Mud-bloods.", remarked Thibault eventually.

"Stop calling her that!"

"- Is there a problem over there?"

Professor Binns had halted his dreary lecture and looked towards us. Severus voice had grown louder with his last words.

"- No Professor.", he replied with crimson cheeks.

Professor Binns scrutinized him for a moment ere he continued with the same sleep-inducing voice.


A lesson regarding heritage:

To Andromeda, Narcissa and Cassiopeia:

Walpurga just now related her sons signal failure to your father and me. I think you are aware what an immense debacle this is. Our family was never and should have never been connected with the depraved spawn of this foul house.

Additional to this disgrace this boy is the firstborn son and therefore at this point in time the Black's heir.

We expect you to set him straight. Give your best to shape him into a suitable heir, at least as good as can be expected under the circumstances. Not by any means should this scandal be worsened. It's bad enough as it is, it staggers the imagination to consider what would happen if he started accepting this vermin's opinions.


"We have to talk to him."

I looked at Cissy silently. I doubted that we could discourage him from picking up the Gryffindor's beliefs. After all he already seemed to share them. However I wouldn't say that, otherwise Sirius problems would become larger still.

"I don't think he'll become a poor heir apparent.", said Meda.

"I hope so too, but what if he becomes a Blood-traitor?", asked Cissy.

"That certainly won't happen.", answered Meda.

Cissy shrugged. "Either way we should follow our parents instructions. At the very least we should ask him if he sticks with the other Gryffindors. If he does we can caution our family. After all a lot of damage control will be called for in order to guard our family against gossip and tittle-tattle of all kinds."

Meda sighed. "I can talk to him."

"Are you sure? Shall I tag along?", asked Cissy.

"No, thanks, I think he'll talk more open when just one of us three surveys him."

"As you may think fit, tell me how it went. What do you think Peia?"

"I don't mind.", I murmured. I was wary about telling them that I had talked to Sirius this morning. He should decide what he wanted to tell them.

"Is everything all right?", queried Meda with concern. I nodded.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, sure... I am just tired, the castle, the lessons, the whole lot is just so unfamiliar." I attempted a smile.

Cissy and Meda looked at me sceptically but didn't comment anything.

"Okay... Are you in agreement?", asked Cissy.

"Yes."

Meda would handle a discussion with Sirius well, at home she was always tranquil during disputes about politics. And she would know better than me what to say to our and Sirius parents. I was sure she wouldn't want to make his situation worse by telling them the wrong things.


A lesson on forming personal opinions:

In the evening when I lay in my bed I pondered the events of the past two days.

I thought about my arrival in Hogwarts, my new classmates, but mainly about why in Salazar's name Sirius didn't think it was a problem that he was in Gryffindor.

After all they were, in Bella's words, a rowdy bunch of Mud-bloods and dirty Blood-traitors. Nevertheless he didn't mind them.

Come to think of it, did he even think that they were Blood-traitors? I bet he didn't. He had doubted that they even did bad things to ruin our society. In his opinion they didn't do anything wrong, nothing to weaken us.

Sirius didn't think Mud-bloods weakened us. He said no one could steal magic. Was that true? … I asked myself often enough how anyone could steal such a thing. But our family and our acquaintances thought they are the worst. So they must do something bad, why should they think so otherwise?

Even if they didn't steal our magic, and I was not persuaded that they didn't, they change our world to their beliefs. I was certain of it, there was evidence to that. I was taught enough about politics to realise that they spurn a great number of views of the old families.

How can Sirius support them despite that? They were against all values our parents hold dear. How can he ignore everything we were taught? How can he be against his own family?

He'll drag our reputation through the mire with his new allegiances. How can he not care about that? Does he really dislike our family so much? He must, otherwise he wouldn't upset them like that. But why? Where did he get that mindset?

I was at a loss and I hated that he thought like that. I hated that I felt miserable because I felt as if I went against our parents as well just because I didn't argue with him more vehemently. I hated that my parents would now be disappointed in me if they knew that I tried to comfort him.

I was so very upset with Sirius due to the fact that he dragged me in this tight spot.

I always wanted to make my parents proud. I truly wanted to become a worthy Black.

Being a proper Black daughter meant opposing Sirius views, his house, his new friends and I was unable to do that. I certainly liked none of this, but I couldn't sadden him by arguing with him non-stop and I couldn't end our friendship. Therefore I couldn't be the daughter my parents wanted me to be on that front. I would miss him too much, he was too important to me.

So all that was left was being upset with him and hoping for the best.

But even though I hated his opinions and didn't understand why he had them I started to question my own. And I was all the more upset with him for it.

Because although Sirius could be a reckless moron, he was smart. He wouldn't have such opinions for no reason. After all he said he didn't believe some of our families beliefs because none of them could argue conclusively why they thought like they do. His beliefs had to make sense, even if I disagreed with them.

So I came to the conclusion that I would learn more about his views. I would be unable to find any peace of mind before I formed my own opinions. If his opinions were indeed as stupid as I thought them to be I could at least explain to him why I thought so with ironclad proofs. Maybe then I could convince him to reconsider them. I decided that I would show him how one could substantiate the statements of the old families with the result that he wouldn't be able to ignore our families teachings any longer. Perhaps he would stop being a Blood-traitor after that.