Chapter 80:
THE HEIST BEGINS

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.•°★ CASSIOPEIA had asked for black robes from Fleur, similar to something her aunt would wear. She sighed deeply, and she wore it, looking at herself in the bathroom mirror.

Bill and Fleur after all had their eyes set upon the four of them, knowing that there was something going on. Griphook had been a pain for them, and they never had a chance to speak about their plans on how to trick the goblin. Cassiopeia obviously knew that it was impossible to trick those species. She can't help but loathe, and look down upon those creatures, she hated Goblins. Or maybe it was the hatred she felt because of her family's loathing for creatures.

Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared down at the Daily Prophet in her hands after she left the bathroom to go to the bedroom. There, next to Harry's poster, her name plastered. And it was a large one.

UNDESIRABLE NO. 2
CASSIOPEIA MALFOY
--> Reward <--
9,000 Galleons on her head

Cassiopeia was wanted as well, and she knew Voldemort would want to kill her too. She was the second most wanted person in the whole wizarding world, after Harry. She scoffed, and she shook her head. At least, there were no mention of the children she killed. But she hated that thought.

She watched Harry enter the bedroom that they share, he was fixing his shirt.

"Look at this," she said, handing him the daily prophet. He lifted a brow, and he took it from her, and his eyes widened slightly in understanding.

"You're---" he snorted, "You're wanted as much as me, love."

"I know," she rolled her eyes, grabbing the Prophet from his hands. "It's bloody mad. The Dark Lord wants to kill me too, I'm guessing."

"He trusted you after all," said Harry, Cassiopeia nodded.

"Dumbledore's orders," she lets out a breath as she looked at Harry. Cassiopeia shook her head, throwing the paper on the bed. Her picture moved in the front page, a blank face on the front page. It was an old picture, a very old one. She had no idea where the Ministry had gotten it.

The air was crisp and cool as the sun began to rise over Shell Cottage. Cassiopeia stood outside with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Griphook. The plan was set, and the tension was palpable. Cassiopeia felt a strange mix of excitement and dread as she prepared for what lay ahead.

They had decided to leave without telling Bill and Fleur, not wanting to risk their safety or involve them in the dangerous mission. Cassiopeia glanced back at the cottage one last time, her eyes lingering. A pang of sorrow hit her heart, but she pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand.

"Ready?" Harry asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Cassiopeia nodded, her grip tightening on the flask of Polyjuice Potion. She took a deep breath and drank it, feeling the liquid course through her veins, she winced. "Oh hell, this tastes terrible," Cassiopeia gagged.

The transformation was quick but unsettling. She watched as her hands became longer and more delicate, her hair darkened and grew in wild curls, and her features shifted to match those of Bellatrix Lestrange. She shivered slightly, feeling the weight of Bellatrix's identity settle on her.

Hermione and Ron had used Disillusionment Charms to alter their appearances. Hermione now looked like a nondescript witch, and Ron had taken on the guise of a gruff-looking wizard, with brown hair and a beard. Harry would be under his Invisibility Cloak, with Griphook on his back.

Cassiopeia adjusted her robes, trying to suppress the discomfort of her new form. "Let's get this over with," she said, her voice now eerily similar to Bellatrix's. She took her aunt's wand from Hermione's hand.

"Just..." said Hermione, "act natural."

"Bellatrix does not act natural," Cassiopeia said, as she examined the wand. "I bloody hate this thing." She mumbled.

"It's the wand that killed Sirius," Hermione pursed her lips, and she shook her head. Cassiopeia looked at Harry, who sighed. He held her wand, keeping it safe.

Harry gave her a reassuring nod, his eyes determined. "We can do this. Stick to the plan, and we'll be fine."

Cassiopeia took one last glance at Dobby's grave, her heart heavy. She silently vowed to honor his sacrifice by seeing this mission through. With a deep breath, she turned to the group. "Let's go."

They Apparated to Diagon Alley, arriving in a secluded corner away from prying eyes. The Alley was quiet, so eerie and silent, nothing but wizards and witches who hurried along the streets. Cassiopeia adjusted her cloak and took on Bellatrix's haughty demeanor.

A number of rugged people set huddled in doorways he she heard the moaning to the few passers by, pleading for gold, insisting that they were really wizards. One man had a bloody bandage over his eye. As they set of along the streets the beggars glimped Cassiopeia. They seem to melt away before her, drawing hoods over their faces and fleeting as fast as they could, Cassiopeia looked after them curiously until the man with the bloody bandage came staggering right across her path.

"My children!" he bellowed, pointing at her. His voice was cracked, high-pitched, he sounded distraught. "Where are my children? What has He done with them? You know, you know!"

"Get off me you scum!" shouted Cassiopeia, her voice as high-pitched as Bellatrix's, trying her best to copy her aunts behaviour. "How dare you---"

The man lunged at her, reaching out for her throat: then, with a bang and a burst of red light he was thrown backwards onto the ground, unconscious. Hermione stood there, her wand still  outstretch and a look of shock visible behind her face. Faces appeared at the windows on either side of the street, while a little knot of prosperous looking passers by gather the robes about them and broke into a gentle trots, keen to vacate the scene.

A wizard greeted them, his eyes widening in surprise. "Why! Madam Lestrange...It's good to see you."

"What do you want?" She spat, Cassiopeia huffed.

"I merely sought to greet you..." said the wizard, Cassiopeia knew to be a death eater. "If my presence is not welcome..."

"No, no," said Cassiopeia, shaking her head. "How are you, Travers?"

"Well I must confess I am surpised to see you out and about, Bellatrix,"

"Why?" Cassiopeia asked, Ron cleared his throat beside her.

"Well, I heard, the inhabitants of the Malfoy Manor were confined to the house, after the...ah...escape." He replied, her eyes widened slightly.

"The Dark Lord forgives those who have served him most faithfully in the past," said Cassiopeia, her chin up high. "Perhaps your credit is not as good with him as mine, Travers."

Travers looked offended, but less suspicious. He cleared his throat, "and how is your niece, Bellatrix?" He was slightly indicating the large poster right next to Harry's on the glass of boarded up shops.

"She is no niece of mine!" bellowed Cassiopeia, adding extra loathing into her tone, knowing that it would be something Bellatrix would say. "She is a traitor to the pureblood family! Do not speak of her."

Travers nodded, and he cleared his throat once again, and he glanced at the stunned man on the ground.

"How did it offend you?" He asked, Cassiopeia's eyebrows furrowing slightly at the use if 'it'.

"Doesn't matter, it will not do so again," Cassiopeia huffed. He nodded and he glanced at her, and then at Hermione and Ron, as he was going to open his mouth, Cassiopeia interjected.

Cassiopeia forced a cold smile, channeling Bellatrix's arrogance. "I shall be off now," she said. "I have business ro attend to."

Travers nodded. "Of course, of course. Good luck with your...business."

Cassiopeia nodded dismissively and continued walking, her heart pounding. Every step felt like a test, but she knew she had to stay in character. She glanced around, making sure the others were keeping pace and remaining inconspicuous.

"You knew him?" Hermione asked Cassiopeia, her voice low.

"He murdered a few muggles and he was the one that abducted Luna," replied Cassiopeia, letting out a breath.

As they approached Gringotts, the imposing marble building loomed before them. Cassiopeia could feel the weight of their mission pressing down on her. She glanced at Hermione and Ron, who looked around trying their best to blend in.

They entered the bank, the grandeur of the interior doing little to calm Cassiopeia's nerves. Goblins bustled about. Cassiopeia strode confidently toward the counter, hoping her transformation would hold up under scrutiny.

"I would like to enter my vault." She said.

The goblin at the front looked up, and he narrowed his eyes at Cassiopeia, and her heart raced. This was it—the moment they had been preparing for. The fate of their mission rested on their ability to retrieve the Horcrux and escape unscathed.

a/n:
guys im sorry for not updating, i got logged out of my wattpad account and it took me a few days to remember the damn password💀