Chapter Fourteen

Cassie's Secret

"I'm surprised you're not sat with your boyfriend," Mia grinned the next morning at breakfast.

"We decided it's best not to live in each other's pockets," Lily said nonchalantly, piling her plate with eggs and bacon. "We'd probably get fed up with each other if we spent too much time together."

The post arrived and Lily scanned the skies.

"Looking for a love note?" Mia asked.

Lily rolled her eyes.

Amongst the post owls were dozens of official looking owls delivering the Daily Prophet to those students who had subscribed to it. Normally this was inconsequential, but today people were quickly gathering around the paper in little groups and whispering excitedly, stealing not-so-subtle glances over at the Hufflepuff table.

"Hey, what's going on?" Lily asked after a couple of minutes of this. "Give me that," she said, snatching a copy of the paper from a nearby first year. She spread it out on the table between Mia and her and they read:

BELLATRIX AND RUDOLPHUS LESTRANGE'S SECRET GRANDDAUGHTER – A HOGWARTS FOURTH YEAR

By Rita Skeeter

Rita Skeeter, writing for the Daily Prophet, can exclusively reveal that the notorious Death Eaters Rudolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange (nee Black) have a granddaughter. Hufflepuff fourth year Cassie Andrews may seem like an ordinary young witch when, in fact, she is the granddaughter of two of Lord Voldemort's highest ranking followers. Until a recent interview with Lucius Malfoy, also a former Death Eater, now incarcerated in Azkaban, this information was not widely known, but now the Prophet can reveal all.

Known only to a select few, Bellatrix and Rudolphus Lestrange had a daughter, named Cassiopeia, whilst they were in Azkaban. Malfoy estimates she was approximately five or six years old at the time of the Mass Breakout from Azkaban, in January 1996, whereupon the child was handed over into the care of her aunt, Narcissa Malfoy.

Cassiopeia Lestrange was raised in secrecy – perhaps only her parents, aunt and uncle, and Lord Voldemort himself ever knew of her existence. According to Malfoy, his wife kept the child locked in a room, and she was allowed out only for short, escorted walks around the garden. It has been reported that Cassiopeia was a strange and unusual child, unable to control herself or her magic.

However, at the age of seventeen or eighteen, Cassiopeia managed to escape from her room and go down to the local village, where she met a Muggle boy. She spent several evenings a week with him for two months, and at some point during that time, they conceived a child.

Shortly after giving birth to her daughter, whom she named Cassie, Cassiopeia, who had always been mentally unstable, committed suicide.

Narcissa Malfoy took over care of Cassie, and she was raised in the relative secrecy of Malfoy Manor. At the age of eleven, Cassie headed off to Hogwarts with her fellow first years. She was sorted into Hufflepuff – an interesting choice for a Death Eater's granddaughter, perhaps? With her Muggle father's surname, Cassie Andrews has flown under the radar until now, but her teachers will no doubt want to keep a close eye on her to see if she shows any tendencies toward the dark magic of her ancestors.

(Narcissa Malfoy was unavailable for comment).

Lily and Mia looked at each other in a stunned silence. Then they turned to scan the Hufflepuff table, but Cassie wasn't there.

"D'you... d'you think Al's seen this?" Lily asked.

Mia looked along the table to where Al was sat, reading a textbook and working his way steadily through a bowl of porridge. "Probably not," she said.

Lily got up and took her Daily Prophet with her, despite the first year's protests. Mia followed as Lily walked over to her brother and tapped his shoulder.

"Al. You have to see this."

Al looked up. "Huh?"

"It's Cassie," Lily said succinctly, shoving the paper under his nose. "Read this."

Al read, his face becoming graver and graver as he did so. When he'd finished, he turned and looked at the Hufflepuff table.

"She's not there," Mia said.

Al reached into his bag and pulled out a tatty looking piece of parchment. "I've got to find her," he said. He tapped the piece of parchment with his wand and muttered, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good... okay, that's a lie, but I'm sure Granddad would've approved anyway." At once, inky lines began to appear, spreading out from where Al's wand had touched, until the Marauder's Map was formed.

Al stood up and wandered out of the Great Hall, his eyes glued to the Map. Mia looked at each other in a stunned silence.

The first year whose paper Lily had taken walked up and asked tentatively,

"Can I have my paper back now?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Lily said, shoving the paper at him.

Al found Cassie in a disused classroom on the first floor. The tiny black dot, labelled 'Cassie Andrews' was like an oasis in a desert of parchment. The real Cassie was curled up under the teacher's desk, and she looked up as Al's shadow fell across her bolt-hole.

"Go away," she sobbed.

"No chance," Al said, sitting down beside her and putting his arm around her. "Oh honey, I saw the paper."

"You and half the wizarding world," Cassie sniffed. "Everyone will hate me!"

"No they won't," Al said firmly, brushing the hair back from her tear-stained face. "It's not your fault your grandparents were Death Eaters. I don't hate you, and nor will anyone who cares about you – Lily, and Mia, and the rest – they just want to know you're okay."

Cassie shook her head. "I can't go out there," she said. "I can't face everyone."

"We don't have to go anywhere yet," Al promised, still holding her tightly.

"I can't stay here!" Cassie said, starting to panic. "I'll have to leave Hogwarts!"

"Shh, honey, you're working yourself up into a state," Al said. "It's gonna be okay, I promise – in time, at least."

They sat in silence for several minutes, Al stroking Cassie's hair and making shushing noises.

"What have you got first?" Al asked.

"Potions," Cassie said. "I can't go, Al. Everyone's gonna stare at me, and-"

"Professor Cooke won't let them," Al said firmly. "Why don't we see if we can catch her before lessons so she can reassure you?"

"No – I can't go out of here!" Cassie said. "Al, please-"

"Why don't I go find her and get her to come here, then?" Al suggested. He stood up and scanned the map.

"She's in her office," he said. "I'll go and get her." He crouched back down and kissed Cassie again. "I'll be back soon, honey."

With that, he hurried out of the classroom. Lily and Mia were just leaving the Great Hall as Al walked down the stairs.

"Al, did you find her?" Lily asked.

"Yeah," Al said shortly. "Look, Lil, I'm trying to persuade her to go to lessons, but promise me when she does, you won't stare at her, or ask her about it, or anything."

"What do you take me for?" Lily demanded.

Al didn't answer, just hurried down the stairs to the dungeons. According to the map, Professor Cooke was still in her office, and sure enough, when Al knocked on the door after stowing the map back in his bag, Professor Cooke called,

"Come in!"

Al opened the door. "Good morning Professor," he said. "Have you seen the Prophet?"

Professor Cooke nodded grimly. "Have you seen Cassie?" she asked.

"Yeah," Al said. "She's hiding in an empty classroom. She's really upset – says she can't go to lessons because everyone will hate her. But she's got Potions first, and you're her head of house, and so I wondered whether you'd be able to come and talk to her."

"Of course," Professor Cooke said. "Lead the way."

In the classroom, Cassie was still curled up under the desk.

"Cass?" Al said. "Professor Cooke's here. Why don't you come out and talk to her?"

Slowly, Cassie crawled out from under the desk and got to her feet. Al hugged her.

"Everyone will hate me, Professor," Cassie said eventually, lifting her head from Al's chest but not letting go of him.

"They won't hate you," Professor Cooke said. "You're not a Death Eater. I expect they'll be interested in you for a while until something more interesting comes along. But there are other students here who are descended from Death Eaters. In time, things will return to normal, but they'll do that quicker if you try your best to help them. Al said you don't want to go to class – if you don't, then it'll become a big thing when you eventually do return to class. And the longer you leave it, the bigger a thing it will become."

Al could feel Cassie shaking against his chest, so held her more tightly as Professor Cooke continued.

"So, how's this for a plan – you and Al take a walk outside and get some fresh air," she suggested. "Everyone will be in class now, so you won't have to see anyone. And then when you're ready, you can come into Potions and I'll keep everyone distracted. They're a nice bunch, anyway. How does that sound – Albus, are you supposed to be in class?"

"No, I've got a free," Al said. "How about it, Cass?"

"Okay," Cassie said eventually. "I'll try."

"Good girl," Professor Cooke said. "And if you ever want to talk, you can always come and find me. And if you don't want to talk, then that's fine too."