Cass's slacking started catching up to her within the next few weeks.
Snape had already lectured her about it in the last couple of months but had given up fairly soon. Cass didn't think she'd get called out on it by anyone else until she was called into McGonagall's office about a week before Christmas break.
"You haven't been doing any of your homework, Cassiopeia," McGonagall said sternly.
Cass shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I know."
If this was any other teacher, maybe Cass would've been more nonchalant, but McGonagall was a special brand of scary. It was infuriating how much Cass didn't want to cross her.
"You're a good student. You have been for the past five years. I know that you are... going through a difficult situation," McGonagall's eyes had softened. "That's why I've been so lenient with you these months. I know there is no set timeline for grief... but you have to get back to life at some point, Cassiopeia. If you don't do well on your NEWTs, it could affect your whole life. I think it's worth making an effort to get back into things, even if it's difficult."
Cass couldn't help the contemptuous look that crept up on her face. What did McGonagall know about her life?
Well... Cass was fairly sure the witch knew about her and Sirius's... situation. Most high-ranking members of the Order did. Not that the professor had ever acknowledged it.
Cass could tell from the look McGonagall was giving her that this was meant to be an in for Cass to talk about Sirius. McGonagall was letting Cass take the first step.
It would've been sweet, if it weren't so misguided.
Cass put on her best smile. "Thank you for the concern, professor. I'll do better, I promise."
"Can you believe that lady? Trying to tell me what I'm going through," Cass huffed to her friends later, in the Slytherin dorm.
Pansy scowled. "She wasn't wrong about everything though. You have been acting out of character."
Cass glared at the girl. "And please do tell me, Pansy, how have I been acting out of character?"
Cass could think about twenty different ways she'd been doing that, but she didn't want her friends to notice any of them.
Pansy crossed her arms over her chest, gearing up for a fight. "I'll tell you an easy one. Millicent saw you outside the Charms classroom chatting to none other than Hermione Granger, like you were friends or something."
Well... that had happened. No way around that, really. Cass hadn't thought that would get back to Pansy. "What's it to you who I choose to talk to, Pansy?"
Pansy scoffed. "You've got to be joking. You were talking to Granger, Cass. Granger."
Cass shrugged. "So what? I asked her for some Charms notes. I don't know if you've noticed but she's a massive nerd."
"You could've asked someone else!"
Oh, Pansy was starting to grasp at straws. This would be over in a second.
"I asked Granger because she's the best in our class. Or should I have asked Miss Barely-Scraped-An-A-In-Charms? I don't think so, Pansy."
Pansy's jaw clenched. She'd gone red in the face, but she couldn't come up with something else, angry as she was.
Cass didn't exactly enjoy riling up Pansy, but the two had always had an odd relationship. They were friends but they fought constantly, Pansy was often jealous and overly sensitive, it made for a rocky relationship. Sometimes Cass wasn't even sure why they were friends in the first place. Maybe they were only still friends because of the habit of it.
Cass didn't feel the need to break off her friendship with Pansy at the moment though. They would make up, in time. They always did. But Cass didn't feel particularly inclined to play nice at the moment. Quite the opposite, in fact.
The next day, Cass found Granger and without preamble declared, "I'm helping you get ready for Slughorn's party."
Granger, who had been caught off guard looking for a book in the library, gaped at Cass. "What?"
"Did you not hear me correctly or are you seeking clarification?"
Granger frowned. "I'm... not sure."
Cass rolled her eyes. "And you're supposed to be the smart one. Meet me in the kitchens an hour before the party." Cass gave the girl a once over. "Actually, make that two hours."
"So, I know you're not completely tasteless, you actually managed to look somewhat decent at the Yule Ball two years ago," was the first thing Cass said when Granger finally arrived, a half hour late. "What intrigues me is why you have never once again tried in the time since."
Granger seemed uncomfortable. "Well... I had help with the Yule Ball. My mum picked the dress, and I got an older girl to help me with my makeup. And honestly? I only put in that much effort because I wanted Viktor to look at me, and I knew you'd go all out."
Cass blinked once, scoffed. "He would've only had eyes for you even if you'd worn a paper bag over your head. He was obsessed with you. For some unfathomable reason." Maybe that last bit was unecessary to add, but Cass couldn't help herself still.
A blush crept up Hermione's cheeks.
Cass stood. "I pulled this for you. Check it out, let me know if you like it."
Granger walked over to the rack, where one of Cass's old evening gowns hung.
It was a simple cream gown, with a long lacey cape a few shades darker draped over the dress, long through the back, with the front going just down to the waist. It was elegant but not too flashy.
Cass could tell from Granger's face that she was into it.
"You're really going to let me borrow this?"
Cass shrugged. "I've worn it before." She motioned to the low bench next to her work table. "Now sit. I'll do your makeup."
Hermione complied.
Granger's complexion had cleared up a lot in recent years though she still carried around giant bags under her eyes no doubt from staying up studying. It took Cass a second to figure out the shades to make the dark circles disappear. Then, she settled for some light eye makeup. Granger wasn't the type for anything too flashy.
"I know I've given you shit about it before, but your nose is one of your nicest features. It makes your face interesting, unique," Cass said.
Hermione seemed genuinely surprised. She raised a hand to touch her arching aquiline nose, Cass swatted it away. "I used to hate it a lot. But my mum sold me on it. She says it's a gift from my ancestors."
Cass finished Hermione's makeup pretty quickly. It left enough time to deal with her hair and help her into the complicated dress.
"You know," Hermione said, right before making her way back to the Gryffindor tower to meet her date. "This doesn't mean I forgive you... for everything."
"Wouldn't have it any other way."
"All the stuff about my appearance... it might have affected me but I could forget about it eventually. But you've called me a Mudblood. That I'm not sure I can forgive, even if it was only that one time."
That sobered Cass up real quick. "I know. I understand that. But that one I am sorry about. I didn't know what I was saying back then."
Hermione nodded curtly once, then she continued on her way.
Cass headed back to the Slytherin dungeon to finish getting ready. She didn't have much time after helping Hermione, but she'd mastered enough makeup spells in her lifetime to get it all done fairly fast. She wore a light blue shimmery gown with sheer sleeves, the bodice hugging her curves exquisitely.
Cass's date, a seventh year named Alonysius Clark looked a little too eager to be escorting her, which Cass kind of hated. She'd said yes for one reason only, and it wasn't Clark's sweaty palms on her shoulder.
And as much loved a good excuse to dress up, this particular event wasn't all fun and games for Cass. No, tonight she was going to actually try to murder Albus Dumbledore.
Well... not directly, but it would definitely be the most active attempt so far. This was no experiment.
One could say it was almost a true assassination attempt. Cass wouldn't even have tried it if Narcissa hadn't sent her the fancy bottle of mead with a cryptic (though decipherable) message.
It would be a sloppy attempt, not at all her style. Cass didn't even know exactly what poison was in the bottle. Giving it to Slughorn would be a guarantee of practically nothing. But on the very off chance that it worked... actually, Cass didn't want to think about that. She was only doing this as a Plan B.
She went about it methodically, quickly. While the last guests arrived and everyone was mingling, sampling the hors d'oeuvres, Cass walked past the gift table and seamlessly hid the bottle amongst the other gifts.
And just to be safe, she'd dropped off another gift basket wrapped in cellophane, clearly containing an assortment of soaps.
Cass's heart beat heavily in her chest as she walked back over to her table.
She thought of Orion, her fragile body in her bed, her thin blonde her falling out in clumps on her pillow, the smell of healing potions always clinging to her. She'd be safe if it was the last thing Cass ever did.
Cass's stomach still turned. It took everything in her power not to go back and get the damn bottle.
She had to leave the room. She couldn't bear to be in there anymore.
Cass headed out, made a beeline for the nearest bathroom. It was the prefects' bathroom. She hadn't been a very good prefect lately but she still had the right to use it.
She leaned on the sink, breath heaving, mascara running. After a second, she looked up at the mirror and almost immediately met a pair of familiar green eyes.
"What the—" She turned around.
Potter didn't even have the decency to look apologetic. "Are you alright?"
Cass raised a finger. "No. We just talked about this. Just because I'm Sirius's daughter doesn't mean you now have to care what happens to me, Potter. So, stop it."
He raised his hands in surrender. "I didn't follow you because of that. You seemed upset. I wanted to make sure you were... okay."
"Yeah, and why would you care that I'm okay?" Cass spat.
Potter seemed slightly exasperated. "I dunno, Cass, because I'm a decent human being?"
Cass tried not to take note of the fact that he'd called her Cass. (Because he couldn't have possibly taken notice of the way Cass flinched every time someone called her Cassiopeia now. He couldn't have noticed or cared that she didn't want to be called Cassiopeia anymore. So, she didn't think about it).
She scoffed. "Right. Saint Potter. We both know you wouldn't have followed me or try to inquire after my well-being if you didn't know... what you know about me."
"Believe me, that's not the reason why I followed you." He seemed earnest. Which was... weird. He couldn't have possibly gotten over their whole... fucked up relationship within a few weeks. For the past year, Cass had worked under the assumption that Potter's hate for her would override his... love for Sirius. It seemed like a stupid thought now. But Cass would cling to it with all she had.
"Right. I almost forgot you're stalking me now," she said, sardonically.
"Okay, sure. Let's say I followed you and asked if you were okay because I think myself a saint and I'm stalking you and nothing to do with the other thing. Now can I ask if you're alright?"
Cass had no idea how, but she'd almost forgotten why she'd been freaking out in the first place.
"Now you respond like it's just same old me and I don't know about Sirius," Potter prompted.
Cass took a breath. "I'm fine. Leave me alone, Potter."
Potter nodded. "That's more like it. I'll leave you alone if that's what you want. Do you need me to... get your date or something? What's his name again... aluminum or something?"
Cass shook her head. "No. I'll be back in a second. Don't say anything to Alonysius."
Potter looked at her for another second with those damned green eyes. He seemed oddly... calm. "O...kay. I guess I'll be going now."
Cass turned away from him. "You do that."