Chapter warnings: Drug use and mentions of abuse. Yes, here it is when the story actually turns darker. Hope no one gets offended. Enjoy the chapter.
The next week came quickly and Cass was once again forced into a fancy dress robes, this time of an ivory colour. As she was looking at her reflection in a mirror, Cassiopeia thought she didn't look as bad with her pale skin and dark hair and eyes, if only it was for a better occasion than the celebration of the Lestrange's engagement. They arrived to the 12 Grimmauld Place right before dinner and most of the guests were already present. Her parents and sister were all smiles and when Cass 'forgot' to look pleasantly at Mrs. Black, she felt a meaningful jab on her back from her mother's wand. Quickly, she plastered a false smile onto her face although she felt her insides squirming as she looked into the cold blue eyes of Walburga Black. When her parents mingled in with the guests and paid no more attention to her, she sighed in relief and looked around for Sirius. However, he was nowhere to be seen. For a second, she had thought she found him, only to realize she was looking at his younger brother. They looked incredibly similar, although Regulus' hair was short and his eyes were as piercing as his mother's. Sighing, she walked over to him, as he was leaning against a wall with bored expression and sipping wine from a goblet, and tapped his shoulder.
"Uhm, sorry, but do you know where Sirius is?" she asked him. He only gave her one haughty look before looking away again.
"Hiding in his room, I suppose." he answered with a scoff before taking another sip of his wine.
Not wanting to spend more time with Sirius' younger brother, Cassie headed upstairs in search for Sirius' room. She found it rather easily, right next door to what seemed to be Regulus' room. Lightly, she knocked on the door.
"I said I would come in a minute!" an irritated voice snapped from inside. Cassie snorted and creaked the door open, sticking her head inside.
"Hey, it's me. I-" she froze when she saw Sirius. He was sitting on his bed, clad only in his jeans, a cigarette hanging from his lips. However, it wasn't his bare chest what caught her attention. What made her freeze on the spot was the sight of a syringe with a yellowish liquid sticking out of Sirius' forearm and his own school tie serving as a tourniquet.
Seeing her, Sirius immediately ripped the needle out of his arm and threw it aside.
"What the hell are you doing in here?" he snapped at her.
"S-sorry, I was just- just looking for you. W-what exactly were you doing?" she asked, her eyebrows raised. Sirius ran his hand through his hair awkwardly and sighed.
"Look, sorry for being harsh. What you've seen- it's a muggle thing. You wouldn't really understand, it's hard to explain." he said evasively.
Cassie's look hardened and she raised her chin proudly. "Don't you dare talking to me like that. I'm not stupid. I've read enough books and saw enough of TV at Lily's to know exactly what you were doing."
"Do you?" Sirius asked dubiously.
"I do. You were shooting up. The question is why." At that, Sirius sighed again and looked away.
"It's complicated."
"Try me." she said stubbornly. Seeing her determined look, Sirius decided he might as well tell her, though he didn't really know why. Not even James knew. But somehow, he felt that Cassie might understand his situation better than James. After all, his best friend had never been in such a situation to seek a radical way out.
"Look, you already know that I don't get on with my family. Neither do you, so you can relate, can't you?"
"Well, yeah. So, you want to tell me that this is your way of coping with the fact that your family hates you? Is it another part of your rebellion?" she asked, looking rather disappointed.
"Partly." Sirius said darkly.
"Then what else is it?" she demanded and Sirius sighed again.
"At the beginning of this school year, I came back to school rather…messed up – price for provoking my mother during the annual meeting of Blacks. But I didn't want to go to Pomfrey-"
"Wait." Cassie interrupted him. "You meant they beat you up?"
"Not only that, darling." he said darkly.
"Hexed you even?" she asked, her eyes wide open. She could relate to beatings, she herself received thrashings rather often but so far, her parents had never pulled out their wands against her, only as a warning.
"Cruciatus curse." Sirius whispered and she gasped with horror.
"Cruci- Sirius, have you told someone?" she asked.
He gave a hollow laugh. "Have you?" he countered.
"What?" she furrowed her eyebrows and Sirius snorted.
"Come on, we both know that bruise didn't get on this pretty face of yours by accident." he ran a calloused finger over her cheek and involuntarily, Cassiopeia shivered at his touch. "Have you told anyone your parents are beating you?" he asked again. Instead of an answer, Cassie cast her eyes down. "I don't need anyone to know." Sirius continued. "But when I came to school, I was sore all over, I could barely move. And James wanted to start with Quidditch practice as soon as possible. Obviously, I couldn't go to Pomfrey." Sirius said and Cassie nodded mutely, her eyes still downwards. "But then, one of the new Quidditch players James had accepted gave me this stuff – muggle pills. He said it would help with the pain. And it was amazing, I didn't feel a thing for hours. When I talked to him later, he said it was nothing and if I wanted to try a 'real stuff' then he knows… this guy." he hesitated a bit before going on. "So he introduced me to him and since then this bloke has been selling me this." he pointed at the syringe.
"Who is it?" she asked quietly and Sirius shifted uncomfortably.
"Doesn't matter." he muttered.
"Uhm, so, what are you planning on doing? Are you going to keep it up? Because this stuff kills you, you know?"
"Well, aren't you smart?" Sirius said sarcastically and Cassie frowned.
"Stop talking to me like that." she said calmly but with such a tone that Sirius sobered up and looked away.
"Look, this is none of your business. But for your information, I have enough to get me through the summer. By that time, I'll be away from here, living at James'. I won't be needing it anymore." he said and Cassie looked at him dubiously.
"Everyone says that." she said and Sirius gritted his teeth in annoyance.
"I don't need your wise input, thank you very much. I have it under control. I need you to promise you won't tell anyone." he said and Cassiopeia folded her arms over her chest.
"Most people would actually say 'please'" she said and Sirius scowled.
"Oh, I'm supposed to beg you, am I? Even if it was you who was prying into my business."
"I wasn't-"
"D'you have any idea what would happen if anyone knew about this? I would be kicked out of school. So please, stop acting like a child." he said harshly and for a while, Cassiopeia just stared at him. Truthfully, he was confusing her; one moment, he was he was nice and sweet to her, the other he was a jerk.
"You know what, Sirius? I don't have to listen to this. I came just because you invited me. And now you only act like a jerk only because I'm concerned about my friend…or at least I thought we were friends. I will leave you alone. Don't worry about me telling anyone, even if I think it would be the best thing to do." she said and turned to leave.
"Cassie, wait." Sirius called just as she was about to close the door behind her and she paused.
"No one has ever called me Cassie." she said quietly.
"It's Cass, I know. Sorry." Sirius said quickly, running his hand through his hair awkwardly.
"No, I- I like it." she said softly.
"Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you, I really am. It's just…I'm a bit overwhelmed with everything right now."
"Yes, I can see that." she shot a look at the syringe haphazardly lying on his unmade bed.
"No, no," Sirius said quickly, following her look. "I mean, this house, this family. Being here is just killing me."
"This stuff is killing you even quicker." she said darkly.
"I know. I told you, it's only temporary, until I get to James'. Shouldn't be long now. Afterwards, I'm over with it, I really am." Sirius said eagerly and Cassiopeia sighed.
"I heard it's not that easy. I'm worried about you, Sirius."
"You don't have to. I'll be fine. You must trust me. Please?" he said, looking straight into her eyes.
"All right, then." she nodded reluctantly and Sirius smiled.
"Great. You know, considering we are friends, I don't know much about you. What do you say if we go to hide in the back yard, have a smoke and just…hang out?" he said and Cass gave him a small smile.
"Sure."
"Brilliant. Just wait here for a while until I change my clothes. As funny it would be to come downstairs just in my jeans, mother would have a fit if she saw me like this."
"That might be a good idea." she nodded.
"Besides, you'd be distracted by my perfect body." he said as he closed the door behind himself. Cassiopeia actually chuckled.
"You're way too thin to be perfect, Sirius." she said and heard him huff. She had actually never noticed how thin he was, she had always considered him lanky but not thin. But now she wondered if he was so skinny because of his genes or rather because of the substance he was regularly injecting into his veins.
