Every day that passed, the sense of dread in Cass increased.

She felt like she was running out of time.

And she was. Not as fast as her brain would have her believe, but she was.

So, the first thing she did when term started was set a schedule. She designated time for top-secret research, then for her business, then for school. In that order.

Perhaps she'd later regret how much she planned to neglect her schoolwork but it felt so unimportant right now.

She spent the first week of school holed up in the library trying to research vanishing cabinets (and how to repair them) without much luck. By the end of the week, her eyeballs felt like they were on fire from reading so much. She'd only give herself another week or so before calling it and starting on practical experiments.

The she was called into the Headmaster's office on Thursday. Cass knew it couldn't have been for anything bad. She hadn't really done anything yet. But the dread built in her stomach all the same. He couldn't know.

She had to take a second before going inside to make sure she didn't look too worried sick.

But then she walked in... and Potter was sitting there. And it occurred to Cass that she had done something that might warrant punishment already. But surely Dumbledore was too busy a man to be dealing with a student punching another.

"Thank you for joining us, Cassiopeia," Dumbledore said from behind his desk. "Please, have a seat."

Cass did as he said, her guard still up.

She didn't look at Potter.

"I have been delaying this in the hopes that you chose to... reveal to Harry your situation, Cassiopeia. But I realise now you won't do that. And I apologise preemptively for saying anything you might be uncomfortable with Harry hearing, but I'm afraid the situation calls for it," said Dumbledore.

And Cass knew what this was about. Fuck.

She didn't have to look at Potter to know how confused he must've been.

Dumbledore took a breath. He had that look on his face he sometimes got when talking to students. Like they were all defenceless little kittens or something. "I called you both here because Sirius Black's will was discovered during the summer. It was a bit unclear and some things were crossed out and written in, so it took some time to decipher it completely. But it's been done and ratified."

Harry cleared his throat. Not quite interrupting Dumbledore but kind of interrupting him. "I'm sorry—Professor, I want to hear this but I don't understand why she's here. Is it because she's Sirius's second cousin once removed or something? He couldn't have left her anything."

Cass wouldn't have minded punching him again.

Dumbledore hit Potter with the pitiful kitten eyes. "I'd been hoping Cassiopeia would tell you this... the only reason why Sirius didn't was out of respect for her wishes. The reason why I'm telling you is because decisions need to be made regarding Sirius's estate." Dumbledore paused. Probably for dramatic effect. "Cassiopeia is Sirius's daughter."

Well, now she had to look at his reaction.

Potter's eyes were so wide they looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets. He choked on his own spit. Cass had to hold in a laugh.

"No, she's not," Potter choked out.

It was quite fascinating to Cass, as much as she'd tried to keep Potter from finding this out, to watch Potter's entire world-view shatter in front of him.

Cass had spent the past five years butting heads at every corner with Potter. She knew him well enough. And she knew he'd never be able to reconcile her being the daughter of his beloved godfather.

"Sirius probably never told you about this because it was too painful for him but... back during the first war, the mother of his unborn child was kidnapped and murdered by Death Eaters. It had been believed until recently that she suffered a miscarriage in captivity. We were wrong. That child was born and became Cassiopeia Malfoy."

Harry remained quiet. Though Cass could almost hear his brain vibrating.

"Sirius and Cassiopeia only found out about each other late last year. I assume that has to do with the... rough edits to his will. Which brings us to the matter at hand. Sirius left some gold for Cassiopeia. And the rest of his estate to the both of you, including Grimmauld Place and his personal possessions."

"Can I see it?" Potter blurted out. He cleared his throat. "The will."

Dumbledor raised his wand slightly, and a piece of parchment flew into Potter's hands. It wasn't long. He read it quickly. Then he spent a minute scowling to himself before looking up at Dumbledore again.

"I don't want the house," Potter blurted out. "She can have it if you're not... using it anymore."

Cass didn't especially want the house either, but she wasn't about to refuse prime London real estate.

"I'm afraid it's a little more complicated than that, Harry," Dumbledore said. "Black family tradition dictates that the house is handed down to the next male with the name 'Black'. Since there is none, it seems like Cassiopeia, as Sirius's closest living relative should be the one it passes to. There shouldn't be an issue there except that... it is highly possible that an enchantment was put in place to prevent anyone who is not a pureblood from owning the house. Since Cassiopeia's maternal family has proven... difficult to track down, we have no way of knowing if she is in fact, a pureblood, and therefore it's... uncertain if she'll be accepted as owner."

That gave Cass pause. She hadn't thought about it in those terms... but the old man wasn't wrong. Cass very well could be a half-blood. She wasn't sure what to do with that.

"However," Dumbledore continued. "There is a simple test we can perform to determine the true ownership of the house. You see, if you've both inherited the house, you've also inherited..."

Cass caught up just as Dumbledore flicked his wand, right before the house elf dropped into the office floor.

Dear Merlin, Cass had hoped she'd never have to interact with Kreacher ever again. He looked worse for wear. Somehow more than usual.

"Kreacher won't, Kreacher won't, Kreacher won't," Kreacher cried, pulling hard on his ears, stomping his feet.

So, his usual charming self. "Kreacher won't go to the Potter brat and the traitor's child. Kreacher won't, won't, won't."

Cass kept a mental list of everyone who knew her secret. It wasn't too long. She usually forgot Kreacher was on it, but he was probably the likeliest to blab. It'd be somewhat of a relief to be his master. If just to keep him from going straight to Bellatrix.

"Kreacher, be quiet," Cass ordered.

Kreacher shut up immediately.

"You are ahead of me, Miss Black," Dumbledore said. "Now, Harry, if you please, give Kreacher another order."

"Kreacher..." Harry said, unsure, "Sit."

Kreacher dropped his butt down to the floor.

"Well, that settles it," Dumbledore said. "It seems like Sirius knew what he was doing. The two of you are rightful owners of Grimmauld Place and of Kreacher."

"She can have him," Harry said without missing a beat.

"If you might allow me to make a suggestion... you could send him to work in the school kitchens. The other elves can keep an eye on him there."

One of the Headmaster's less hare-brained ideas.

"I'm fine with that," Cass said.

After a beat, Harry ordered the elf to go work in the kitchens.

"Good," Dumbledore said. "There is also the matter of the hippogriff. Hagrid has been taking care of him but if you prefer to make other arrangements—"

"We're also sharing Buckbeak?" Harry snapped. "The same Buckbeak she tried to kill? Did Sirius know—"

"Harry," Dumbledore warned softly. "Sirius knew about the incident with Buckbeak and Cassiopeia, yes. He left him to you both, and you can't change that. You must both agree on what to do with him."

Potter huffed. "He should stay with Hagrid. He's probably happy there."

"I agree," Cass said.

"Excellent. Hagrid will be thrilled. Now, lastly, is the matter of Sirius's personal effects. Most of them are gathered here." Dumbledore waved his wand and a large trunk levitated into the room, dropping beside Cass. "I'll leave it to you to go through it and decide what you each want to keep. I trust there will be no problem with this task."

He said it like a warning.

Cass nodded, stood up. She cleared her throat. "Thank you, professor."

"Of course, Cassiopeia."

Potter took his time with his goodbyes, which gave Cass time to get out of the office and halfway down the corridor before Potter caught up to her.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

Reluctantly, Cass stopped walking and turned to face Potter. She raised a brow. "Going to my dorm?"

"Who decided you're keeping the trunk?"

"Chill, Potter. I'll give you some stuff... after I go through it."

Potter didn't seem too pleased with that response. He exhaled sharply. Then he took a step back, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I just don't understand... How can you—"

Cass knew exactly what he meant. How can you, a soulless hateful bitch, be the daughter of someone like Sirius? This was exactly why Cass had been trying to avoid this exchange.

Cass's jaw twitched. "I know you're upset about it. But guess, what? I don't care, Potter. I am his daughter, his next of kin, and so I will go through his things and I'll decide what you can have."

Potter glared at her. He stayed quiet for a moment but before Cass was out of earshot he said, "Being related to him doesn't make you his family."

It felt like he'd rammed a dagger through her heart. She kept walking. She would not let him read her reaction on her face.

When she got to her dorm, Cass locked the door behind her and opened the trunk. She took a deep breath, but she still felt like there was a fist wrapped around her heart.

She divided things into three categories. Clothes, letters and photos, and miscellaneous trinkets.

Looking at the clothes hurt especially. They still smelled like him. Cass spent at least ten minutes with an old Pink Floyd shirt clutched to her chest.

It took some time to sort through the letters. Sirius apparently kept every letter he got. Most were from Remus and Cass herself, some from Harry, and some from members of the Order Cass didn't know.

But one letter in particular caught Cass's eye.

It was addressed to her.

Her heart almost stopped.

She could barely read it with her shaking hands.

Dearest Sugar,

Hey, kid. How's it going? Hope you're not studying too hard for those OWLs because I know for a fact you'll nail them. You've got your mother's giant brain, you're set. But seriously, put the books down every so often, go out and feel the air on your face, it'll do you good.

Been going especially crazy cooped up in here for the past few weeks. Remus hasn't been around much, that's probably why. Just me and Kreacher in here. And Buckbeak (can't forget him!) I think they're both getting tired of my terrible singing though. Speaking of singing, I checked out the album you told me about, and you were right, it's amazing, and unlike anything I've heard before. I see why you like it so much. I also read the book you mentioned, I finished it in a couple of days, couldn't put it down. I don't remember the last time I read a full book (even before prison). You're a good influence on me, kiddo.

Thanks for trying to keep me entertained. I know I bitch a lot about being bored in here but I promise I'm fine. (If you have any other music or book recommendations, I'd definitely appreciate them though).

Your letters keep me company too. I read them again and again and I don't get bored of them. You sound just like your mother. You said you wanted to know more about her, and I'm sorry I don't know more. I'm sorry I couldn't save her. You might have been a surprise for both of us, but a very welcome one. And I loved your mother for what we made together. I don't know if we would've stayed together after you were born, if things had been different. Why lie to you, we weren't sure if our relationship would work in the long run. But we both knew we wanted you and we wanted to figure it out together.

It was my mistake to let her stay with me during the war. I should've sent her far away when I found out she was pregnant. I tried to tell her. To get her to go stay with her parents in Finland. But her sister was here and so she wanted to stay. Your mother wasn't afraid. Not of the war, not of magic, not of finding out she was sixteen weeks pregnant on a random Tuesday. She was strong. She wasn't one to back down so easily.

I'm sorry I didn't do a better job protecting her. I would've given my life for you both. For years, a day didn't go by where I didn't curse every god for not taking me instead of the two of you.

I shouldn't be telling you this. I don't want to put this on you. And I don't have a way with words like you do.

I guess I'm just... afraid that you don't know how much I love you. I wasn't around to show it for so long, and now I'm scared you have no way of knowing. Especially after my little episode when I first met you. I guess I was scared it wasn't real. You weren't real. Then I was afraid of what the Malfoys had done to you. And I couldn't bear it. It was just easier to be abrasive. I regret it now. But just talking to you for a few minutes, I knew. I knew it was really you. And I knew that somehow, against all odds... the Malfoys hadn't made you into a little she-demon. You reminded me so much of myself and I loved it and I hated it at the same time.

I'm sorry. I shouldn't badmouth the Malfoys. I know you still love them, and that they've been your parents in every sense of the word (as much as it makes me want to hurl). And you're within your right to love them, Sugar. They took care of you when I couldn't. Even if they didn't raise you as I would have, they kept you clothed, fed, physically safe, when I didn't.

Remus told me you're close to finding Linnea's family. I hope you can meet them soon, they're great people, and I'm sure they will be elated to hear from you.

You have no idea how much I love this enchanted notebook. It's the best gift I've ever received. I love being able to talk to you freely. Even if I do tend to write things out before transcribing them to the notebook, like I'm doing now. Maybe it's a bit dumb, but I guess I'm scared to say the wrong things. I've only known you for two months and I've already said the wrong thing more than once. I don't want to fuck up any more.

Not to mention how much I start rambling when I write to you. There are just so many things I want to tell you, Sugar! And not nearly enough time. Which reminds me I wanted to tell you too that I think you should reconsider talking to Harry. I actually think you two have a lot more in common than you realise. And I think you could be good friends. But no one wants their dad telling them who they should be friends with come on Sirius.

I wish I could turn back time.

I love you. I cried earlier thinking about how much I wish I could be wherever you are. Like a parasite you can't get rid of... just your whole life.

Shit. That sounds fucking weird. Kicking myself on your behalf, Sugar.

Always love,

Dad (is it too soon to sign like that? Shit)

Sirius

Ah fuck it,

Dad

She felt as if he were right there beside her when she read it.

It must have been one of, if not the last letter he'd ever written her. Because she couldn't recall getting anything similar from him at the time. He must not have gotten the chance to transcribe it onto his side of the two-way notebooks that Cass had spent a fortune on.

Or maybe he had changed his mind about sending it at all. None of his other letters had been so... deep. And the way it was written seemed at times more like he was writing a diary than a letter.

All the same, Cass appreciated getting to read it now.

It took Cass an hour to calm down enough so she could continue sorting through the trunk.

There were no more unsent letters addressed to Cass, but there was one addressed to Potter.

It probably didn't count as a felony if you opened mail that was never sent to the addressee. So, Cass took the liberty to read it.

Harry,

I'm not sure when Sugar is telling the truth but I guess I wanted to write this now just to be ready when it happens and put my thoughts together. Also, I'm bored.

So, if you're reading this, you finally know that Sugar (or I guess "Cassiopeia Malfoy" to you) is my daughter. You're probably a bit upset and no doubt confused about it. That's understandable. Honestly, when you've told me things about her before, I've thought she sounded like a stuck-up brat (don't ever tell her I said that, I mean it).

It took me a while to wrap my head around it. I thought she'd died in utero. It was disorienting to find out she was alive. It was hard to believe it at first, even with the paternity test. I was deathly scared to meet her. I was deadly scared that my daughter, my precious angel who I'd been so excited to meet all those years ago was not only alive but might have been some snooty blood purist.

I was honestly sure she'd just agreed to meet me so she could disown me as her father... so she could make it clear I was nothing to her. So, I got a bit defensive (as I'm sure you are now). I tried to act indifferent and pretend like meeting her wasn't the best day of my life. I honestly don't know how I kept that up for more than two seconds after meeting her. But being her father's daughter, Sugar had gotten the same idea. She pretended like it was all some boring chore she had to get done. Needless to say, this turned out to be a bit of a rocky first meeting.

Luckily for me, I quickly realised I needed to get my head out of my arse and I finally just... talked to her. Honestly. I told her what I'd been afraid of, how much I'd missed her. And she was honest with me in return. Turned out she'd been harbouring some of the same fears. She was afraid I'd hate her for being a Malfoy, for being who she was.

I know it's going to be hard for you to see Sugar in a different light. That she hasn't always been the nicest to you and your friends, that the two of you like to be at each other's throats. But as someone who knows you both very well... I think if you worked things out, you could be great friends.

It's okay if you're not quite buying it yet, and you might think me a bit biased when I say this, as her dad, but Sugar is great. She's so smart, and she has impeccable taste in music, she's understanding and caring, if you've got her on your side, she'll fight like hell for you, and she's so funny (that's how you know she'd mine). She is a gift to have in your life.

Life dealt her a bad hand (I'm sure you know a thing or two about that). She grew up with people who have an extremely fucked up concept of love and family. It's a true miracle that she still grew up so good. But the way she was raised also means that she doesn't have many people she can truly rely on, not a lot of people who are a good influence in her life. I think you'd be a good influence on her, Harry, and she on you.

I just want you to think about it. Maybe get to know her a little bit.

Here, I'll even help you break the ice with her. Ask her why I call her Sugar.

Sirius