As they prepared to return to Hogwarts, a somber atmosphere hung over them. Bellatrix was clearly irritated and restless, displaying unpredictable behavior. The reason behind it was unknown to everyone.

On the other hand, Narcissa appeared more affectionate than usual, wanting to keep Draco and Cassi close at all times. However, Draco was not receptive to Narcissa's tight hugs, which almost suffocated him. So, Cassiopeia took on that role instead.

Without a doubt, she wasn't complaining as the older woman smothered her between her legs, closing her thighs around her head so tightly that she blocked her breathing. Hands gripping her hair tightly between her legs, keeping her mouth working on her pussy with dexterity.

"That's it my beautiful girl" she gasped in delight "Sush and good girl to mommy" she exclaimed in ecstasy as she cummed

Cassiopeia pulled away slowly, a wide smile, her face wet with fluids, hair dishevelled and chest heaving.

"I'll miss you, pet" Narcissa gasped, caressing her face.

"Me, my mouth, my ass or my boobs?" Cassi teased in a whisper.

"All of you, my dear," she said with devotion. "Your beautiful eyes, that wonderful smile, your laughter, your scent, and I forgot to mention your-" Narcissa whispered softly in her ear. lowering her hands between her legs making the girl moan as two slender fingers penetrated her swallowing the sound with a kiss.

"I love you" she whispered softly against the older woman's lips.

"Say it again" Narcissa ordered, her eyes closed.

"I love you" Cassi repeated slowly, panting, putting everything she felt into her words.

"I love you" Narcissa gasped between kisses, "My soul and my whole being cries out for you"

Cassiopeia sighed, trying to control her breathing as the woman fucked her, her fingers deliciously slipping in and out in a slow, precise rhythm "Narcissa." She gasped bringing her lips together briefly , sloppy, passionate. "I think I do des the first time I met your eyes"

"How much?" She questioned with a devilish grin making quick circles on her clit.

"I'd kill for you" Cassi giggled before kissing there once more. Head hanging back as an orgasm hit her hard.

Cassiopeia didn't lie when she said she
would kill.

(...)



Draco had a somber expression as he sat on the train. And rightfully so, the circumstances were becoming increasingly complicated, and he found himself facing the difficult choice of either reluctantly assassinating Dumbledore or facing Voldemort's hatred.

While Cassiopeia was immersed in a book about curse proficiency, she was called by Blaze to meet the new Potions professor. According to Blaze, as soon as the professor knew her name, his eyes lit up.

Upon arriving at the professor's compartment, Cassi was met by an older man, slightly bald but with an extremely friendly smile. In addition to the professor, there were a few other classmates, one from Ravenclaw and another from Gryffindor present in the compartment.

"Ah, welcome," said the professor joyfully, inviting them to sit. His eyes gleamed with enthusiasm.

"And you must be Miss Gaunt?" the professor inquired, extending his hand, introducing himself as Horace Slughorn.

"Cassiopeia Gaunt Black, sir. Pleasure to meet you," she replied with a friendly smile.

The professor blinked before smiling broadly. "Another Black?" he asked perplexed. "You know... I taught the whole Black family, except Sirius, it's a shame... Your smile looks familiar," He commented thoughtfully.

Cassi chuckled lightly. "Everyone seems to say that. Apparently, I have my father's smile."

"Ah, yes... Regulus Black! Your father was one of my best students," said the professor proudly. "Impressive... Daughter of Noctua and Regulus. I didn't know they were together."

Cassi smiled at that. "It was a secret wedding, very few people were invited, much to my grandmother Walburga's dismay," she joked teasingly.

The professor seemed slightly upset about not being invited. She smiled, settling into the compartment. Recovering, he looked at her with fascination, then at the other students. Then, Harry entered alongside Neville.

"So good to see you, so good to see you! And you must be Mr. Longbottom!" Neville nodded, looking fearful.

With a gesture, Slughorn indicated they should sit facing each other in the two available seats, closer to the door.

"Well, do you know everyone?" Slughorn asked the newcomers.

"Blaze Zabini, in the same year as you, of course... This is Cormac McLaggen, perhaps you've already met? No? The lovely young Cassiopeia Gaunt, and this is Marcus Belby," the professor introduced.

Cassi looked up at Harry and smiled gently, hoping he would return the greeting. Harry seemed embarrassed but then smiled.

She sighed inwardly.

"Well, this is very nice," Slughorn said warmly. "An opportunity to get to know you all a little better. Here, grab a napkin. I brought my own lunch, the trolley, as I recall, has plenty of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, and an old man's digestive system can't handle those things anymore... Pheasant, Belby?"

Belby jumped and accepted what looked like half a pheasant.

"I was just telling young Cassiopeia here that I had the pleasure of being the professor of both her parents," said Slughorn to Harry and Neville, now passing around a basket of bread.

"Noctua is an exceptional witch. It's no wonder she's the most famous alchemist of the century. By the way, how is your mother, Cassiopeia?"

Cassi swallowed hard. She's deceiving Voldemort by pretending to be a double agent. She thought bitterly.

"Very well, professor. She's working on a new project at the moment," she replied gently.

"I'm sure it will be exceptionally extraordinary," the professor clapped cheerfully.

Then, he began to question each of his colleagues, and Cassi noticed his strategy. He used his position as a professor to make connections and create a network of contacts, possibly for future favors. A true Slytherin.

When Cassie and Blaze returned to the compartment, Draco was dramatically lying in Pansy's lap.

"What happened here?!" Blaze exclaimed, angry, banging the door against some obstacle.

Cassi turned to see her friend struggling with the door, but then it abruptly opened, and he fell sideways into her lap.

It was a confusing situation, and she swore she saw a white sneaker floating up to the luggage rack before disappearing. Draco seemed to have seen it too.

Potter?

Blaze huffed as she pushed his face away from her chest. Draco, laughing, stretched out on two seats and rested his head in Pansy's lap, who looked very pleased to play with his hair.

Cassi rolled her eyes amused.

"So," Draco asked, "what did Slughorn want?"

"Sucking up to well-connected people," Blaze replied grumpily, "not that he found many."

"Who else did he invite?" Draco asked irritably.

"McLaggen from Gryffindor," Cassi explained, pulling out a package of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and offering some to Blaze.

"Ah, I see, he has an important uncle at the Ministry," he commented rudely, grabbing a bean before she could offer.

"Your mother didn't teach you manners, Draco?" she teased playfully.

Draco stuck out his tongue and lay back again to focus on the conversation.

"...And another one called Belby from Ravenclaw..."

"No, that guy is an idiot!" exclaimed Pansy.

"Ah... and Longbottom and Potter," Cassi commented, sensing Draco's outburst coming.

Draco sat up suddenly, almost choking on the candy.

"He invited Longbottom?"

"I suppose so because Longbottom was there," Blaze replied nonchalantly.

"What does Longbottom have that would interest Slughorn?"

"His parents were good Aurors, among the best," Cassi commented.

"Potter, the precious Potter. Obviously, he wanted to get a look at the 'Chosen One,'" Draco sneered. "Well... I lament Slughorn's poor taste. Maybe he's getting senile. It's a shame; my father always said he was a good wizard in his time. My father was sort of his favorite. Slughorn probably didn't know I was on the train, or..."

"I wouldn't expect an invitation," Blaze explained.

"He asked me about Nott's father when I boarded. Apparently, they were good friends, but when he found out old Nott was caught by the Ministry, he wasn't happy and didn't invite Nott, did he? I guess Slughorn isn't interested in Death Eaters."

Draco looked slightly annoyed and then looked at Cassi and burst out laughing. She bit her lip to hold back her laughter.

The journey was relatively smooth. Then, as they changed and got ready to leave, Cassi saw Draco hesitating.

"Don't do anything stupid," she warned dryly, leaving Draco to deal with Harry.

As she approached the carriages, it was the first time she could see the Thestrals.

(...)



After the sorting of the first years, Cassi saw Harry running to the Gryffindor table, completely late, with a nosebleed and looking out of breath.

"Damn it, Draco, what did you do?" she whispered quietly.

"Just a little lesson for him to stop interfering," Draco mocked, popping a grape into his mouth.

"Both of you. I swear... Why don't you treat him better? Maybe then he wouldn't be so hostile," she said exasperatedly.

"Potter has always been rude, Cassie," Draco defended himself. "I tried to be his friend since our first year. But he had to be a jerk."

"A cute jerk that you like. Admit it," she whispered softly.

"Shush!" Draco exclaimed, pushing her aside with flushed cheeks.

"What happened to his hand?" Pansy gasped suddenly. She wasn't the only one to notice. Dumbledore's right hand was dark and lifeless.

Whispers spread through the room, and Dumbledore, correctly interpreting them, just smiled and concealed the injury, shaking his purple and gold sleeve. "There's no need to worry," he said in a gentle tone.

"Now... welcome to the new students; welcome back to the returning students! Another year of magical education awaits everyone..."

"Mr. Filch, our caretaker, asked me to announce that all products from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes joke shop are banned... Those who wish to try out for the House Quidditch teams must sign up with the respective House captains, as always. We are also looking for new Quidditch commentators who are invited to do the same." He paused briefly before continuing.

"This year, we are pleased to welcome a new member of the faculty. Professor Slughorn." The wizard stood up, his bald head gleaming in the candlelight, the large belly under his vest shadowing the table. "He is an old colleague of mine who has agreed to take up the post of Potions Master."



"Potions?" The word resounded throughout the hall as people wondered if they had heard correctly.

"At the same time, Professor Snape," Dumbledore continued, raising his voice to drown out the murmurs, "will be taking up the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"No!" exclaimed Harry so loudly that many heads turned to look at him.

"What an idiot," Draco huffed.

"Finally, we have a decent teacher," Cassi sighed in relief.

The entire Slytherin table erupted in louder applause than the other houses.

The entire hall buzzed with whispers at the news that Snape had finally achieved his most cherished desire. Dumbledore, seeming indifferent to the sensational nature of the news he had just given, said nothing about other appointments and waited a few seconds until absolute silence was obtained before continuing.

"Not all present in this hall know that Lord Voldemort and his followers are once again at large and growing stronger."

The silence seemed to expand and contract as Dumbledore spoke. Draco pretended not to hear, playing with his fork.

"At least pretend," Cassi growled next to him, pinching him.

"Ow," he exclaimed irritably.

"I cannot emphasize enough the danger of the present situation and the care that each of us at Hogwarts must take to ensure that we remain safe. The magical fortifications of the castle have been reinforced during the summer, and we are protected in new and more powerful ways, but we still need to scrupulously defend ourselves against the carelessness of students and staff. I therefore ask that you respect any security restrictions that the professors may impose on you, no matter how inconvenient they may seem, particularly the rule of not leaving your beds after curfew. I implore you that if you notice anything strange or suspicious inside or outside the castle, you report it immediately to a staff member. I trust that you will always act with the utmost respect for the safety of others and your own."

Dumbledore's blue eyes scanned the students' ranks, and then he sat back down. Draco sighed dejectedly.