OVERWHELMING QUESTIONS

Cassiopeia sat behind her desk, going through her textbooks. Thunder rumbled in the night sky as rain fell heavily. It was quite comforting for the girl, and she was glad it was raining. She looked out the window seeing nothing else but pitch black and a few of the lamps that were shining from her garden, but it was hardly visible.

She had moved her table, putting it next to the window. Inside her room is warm due to the fire that is crackling in the fireplace.

Cassiopeia had spoken to her brother about how he had found out about the Vanishing Cabinet a few nights ago. Apparently, he found out about it when he and their father went to Borgin and Burkes just before his second year at Hogwarts started.

The Vanishing Cabinet was broken. Draco knew more about it when Graham Montague was shoved inside the cabinet by the Weasley Twins last year. He explained everything to Draco, who thought he wouldn't need that information. Cassiopeia not knowing about what happened to Montague because she was too busy, barely having time to sit around the common room.

That is when Cassiopeia had added that she saw that cabinet back at Hogwarts, it was in an empty classroom. But she didn't realise it actually was the cabinet until she had laid her eyes upon the one at the shop. They looked exactly alike, and she didn't know if the cabinet was still in that classroom.

The girl lets out a heavy sigh, once again looking at the window. She took out the locket that was inside her drawer, examining it, before placing it around her neck.

Standing up, Cassiopeia went over to her bed, laid down and started to think once again. She was stuck in her own mind, losing interest in anything. Realising she didn't have any other hobbies other than reading. Reading used to help her get things off her mind, but right now, even reading the most interesting books cannot keep her mind from racing.

In three days, she will be back at Hogwarts. And she doesn't know where to start. Is it best if she could ask help from Snape? But she scratched that question off her mind, she didn't want Snape to think she was stupid that she can't even do this one task.

Should she tell Dumbledore that she and her brother were sent to kill him? She scratched that question off her mind as well. That'd be very stupid, it's like she's asking permission to kill him.

Groaning, she buried her face into her hands. Maybe jumping off the Astronomy Tower can solve all of her problems.

Cassiopeia blew out all the candles inside her bedroom, deciding that she should get some sleep. Thinking about this tomorrow would be better. She needed sleep anyway.

Then as she was so close from falling asleep, her mind decided to recall the moment from this morning. Was Harry angry at her?

"I hate myself," she mumbled.

Should she apologise? No... she shouldn't. She didn't do anything wrong. But her mother literally threatened Harry that he was going to die.

Yes...yes, she should apologise. It was very wrong of her to say that.

Anger started to bubble up inside her chest. She hated how she has to be the one to always apologise. She wishes that those little things won't bother her, the same as before when she was back at Beauxbatons. It was easier to talk bad about a person in front of them.

She's a mess.

Deciding once again, she shoved those thoughts away, closing her eyes and listening to the raindrops and thunder outside. That seemed to calm her down, and soon enough she fell into a dreamless sleep.

~~~

The day finally came, she boarded the scarlet train. The Hogwarts Express was filled with so many students, new first years, and some returning from their last.

It was loud. Chattering and the laughs of students, friends who reunited, parents and children sobbing. She carried her large suitcase, walking pass the compartments.

She had spotted Harry and the others, not too far down the hallway of the train. They were talking, Hermione pursing her lips, Ron lifting a brow, and Harry who looked quite annoyed.

Hermione was speaking, and Cassiopeia caught a bit of their conversation. "...if anything, you should ask Cassiopeia about it."

"Ask Cassiopeia about what?" questioned the girl, lifting a brow. They jumped, not expecting the girl to pop up just like that.

"Well...umm…" stammered Hermione, "uhhh... Harry thinks your brother might be a death eater..."

Shit.

Cassiopeia lets out a chortle, "I'd be the first to know now, wouldn't I?"

"Yes...but what were you doing back at Borgin and Burke's?" asked Harry, lifting a brow. "You two seemed to be on about something important."

Shit.

"Uhh...wait...how the hell did you know we were there?" The girl questioned, blinking.

"Invisibility cloak," replied Ron.

"Right." She nodded, quickly thinking about some lie that she should tell, sitting down quickly. "Our mother just, umm, instructed us to ask Borgin something. I certainly did not know why---"

"He seemed to be really frightened about what you two threatened him with," stated Harry.

"It was a letter actually," the girl lied quickly. "My mother wanted to shut down his store, if he couldn't do what we asked him to do."

"What was the thing you and Draco asked to fix anyway?" Harry asked.

Cassiopeia cursed to herself once again, she bit her lip. "This...skull that my mother has on display. It keeps talking. Mumbling or shouting words. It's scaring her." The girl answered.

"How about the one you asked Borgin to keep?" added Hermione.

"The very same replica of the skull. If mother decides to throw the other one, she'll just buy another one!" She answered. "Now stop with the questions! I'm not here to answer them, I was just here to tell you Harry that I'm sorry for what my mother had said to you. It was out of line."

"It's not a big deal," shrugged Harry. Then, he decided that he wasn't going to let go of this situation. "Are you sure your brother's not a death eater?"

She scoffed, "what would the dark lord want with a sod like my brother?"

"Exactly what I said!'' exclaimed Ron.

"I just think it's suspicious." said Harry.

"I'm actually quite suspicious about it as well," Cassiopeia added, obviously lying. But she had to, for her own sake. "Mother wouldn't let me out of my room whenever there's a meeting of some sort. And I don't know about anything that they're planning."

"Why don't they trust you?" asked Hermione.

"Because they saw me in the Ministry. They were suspicious about it, said they think I'm spying," Cassiopeia rolled her eyes, "I need to go now, I can't stay. My brother threatened me, asked if I could sit with him. Which was odd. See you later!"

She pecked Harry's lips, waving at Ron and Hermione before hurriedly getting out of their compartment. She lets out a sigh, before looking back at them and walking away to the other side of the train.

Cassiopeia spotted her brother, he was sat behind a table, in front of him being Blaise and Pansy. She inwardly groaned, well, now she has to sit with them now.

"Move over," said Cassiopeia, after she placed her suitcase on the upper rack, Draco scowled at her.

"What're you doing here?"

"Trying to find a seat?" She replied, she pushed Draco to the side who fell over. He brushed his suit, as if there were dirt.

"Thought you were with Potter?" asked Blaise, smirking.

"I wasn't, I was in the toilet," she sent him a glare. Draco rolled his eyes at her.

Just as her brother opened up his mouth to say something, but suddenly, something explodes. The inside of the train started to darkened, and it was like smoke. Dark powder fell as Cassiopeia coughed. The other students were coughing and complaining as well.

"Bloody hell was that!" coughed Cassiopeia waving her hands in front of her face. She could see again.

"Probably some first years playing around," scowled Pansy. "We'll be at Hogwarts soon."

Draco lets out a bitter laugh, "Hogwarts. What a pathetic excuse for a school. I think I'd pitch myself off the Astronomy Tower if I thought I had to continue on for another two years."

"What's that supposed to mean?" questioned Pansy.

"Let's just say I don't think you'll be seeing me wasting my time in Charms Class next year," he answered. His eyebrows were knitted together, his face twisted into hatred.

Cassiopeia remained silent, she looked out the window. She glances up the rack. She swore she saw the bag move.

Confused, Pansy glances at Blaise, who snorts derisively.

"Amused, Blaise? We'll see just who's laughing in the end." He growled.

Blaise shakes his head, smiling as he looks out the window at the darkness. Just then the small bag in the upper rack shifts once again, and Draco's eyes play over it.

Later on, the rest of the train ride was quiet, other than a few complaints and snarling of Draco next to her. She had exchanged seats with him, now Cassiopeia sat near the window. She didn't feel like talking, all she wanted to do was to tell Harry something about what she was planning. Maybe ask him for help. She could save herself, or save her entire family. Those two questions always sitting in her mind. She can't choose.

The train had finally stopped a few hours later. The night has fallen, and students walk out of the train, excited to start their new year at Hogwarts.

Cassiopeia grabbed her bag, she glanced at her brother who had his eyes narrowed.

"You go on," he said, seeing Cassiopeia who was lifting a brow at him. "I need to take care of something first."

"All right..." she nodded.

Cassiopeia walked out of the train, looking around before walking towards the gates.