Chapter Text
"FREDRICK, GEORGE, AND CASSIOPEIA GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!" Molly's voice roared from the kitchen.
"Yes, Molly?" Cassie said with a smile as she walked down the stairs of the Burrow, followed by Fred and George.
Cassiopeia Hope 'Weasley' walked into the kitchen, the letter her muggle family sent still in her hand. Although Cassie had wizarding parents, they died early on in her life therefore she was sent to live with a nice muggle couple, Mike and Jane Kowalski. Once she turned eleven, Albus Dumbledore once again moved her to live with a new family, the Weasley's. They were happy to take her in and she felt like part of the family within days. Going into her first year at Hogwarts, she was surprised to find that she was referred to as 'Cassie Weasley' instead of 'Cassie Kowalski' in the sorting even though that was the name she went by in primary school. Three years later, Cassie was preparing herself for her third year at Hogwarts.
"Why is Percy's hair pink?" She asked with less volume in her voice.
"I don't know! Ask Fred and George!" Cassie said as she put her hands up in surrender.
"Fred? George?" Molly asked hesitantly.
"Yes, we did turn his hair pink," Fred replied.
"But you see," George said not noticing the death glare being thrown at him from Molly. "He was acting like a pompous prick so it was justified."
"Language!" Cassie said as she snickered.
"Like you are any better!" He retorted.
"Hey! Molly is still mad at you!" Cassie said motioning to a fuming Molly.
From there, Molly went ballistic. It was so loud, it shook the whole house. While Fred and George were getting yelled at, Cassie snuck away to wake up Ron.
"Ron!" She said as she whacked him with a pillow.
"What?" He grumbled as he turned around to look at her.
"We are leaving to go to the Leaky Cauldron in two hours. Have you even packed?" Cassie asked.
"No, have you?" He said pointing an accusing finger at her.
"Yes Ronald, I have been packed since I found out we are going!" Cassie retorted.
A low "Oh" was all Ron could get out before Cassie dragged him out of bed.
"Bloody hell! What are you doing?" Ron practically cried.
"Waking you up," Cassie said as she turned to look at him "It seems you need assistance?"
"I'm up! I'm up!" Ron said as he was getting up.
Cassie walked out of his room to go get dressed. As she passed the bathroom, she could hear a raging Percy, trying to wash the pink out of his hair.
"Nice hair Perce!" Cassie said as she passed the bathroom.
"It's not funny!" He replied.
"Sure," She said as she locked the door to her room.
After she got dressed, she heard pecking at her window. Cassie turned to see Hedwig, Harry's owl, with a letter addressed to her.
Cassie,
I heard you were coming to the Leaky Cauldron today, Hermione got here yesterday and she hasn't shut up about seeing you. I am excited to see you as well. I blew up my aunt. I haven't told Hermione. See you soon.
Sincerely, Harry
"What are you doing?" Ron asked, knocking on the door.
Cassie walked over to the door and unlocked it.
"I got a letter from Harry, apparently he blew up his aunt," She said as she handed the letter to Ron.
"Blew up his aunt?" He asked while reading it over.
"Don't ask me, this was all I got." She said, motioning to the letter. "Who just casually says "I blew up my aunt' without an explanation?"
"I don't know! At least you got a letter!" Ron shouted as he exited Cassie's room.
"I swear he favors you," He mumbled as he was walking down the stairs.
Cassie let out a chuckle and grabbed her trunk. While she almost fell three times dragging it down the stairs, she made it without too many bruises. Making her way to the fireplace, Percy (with spots of light pink still in his hair) called out the Leaky Cauldron and disappeared into the green flames, signaling that it was her turn. She picked up a handful of Floo Powder and clearly stated "The Leaky Cauldron" before disappearing just like Percy (she wished Percy would actually disappear). She barely got out of the fireplace before she was smothered in a hug by Hermione.
"I have missed you so much! How was your summer? How was Egypt? You got taller!" She started rambling.
"Slow down Mione," Cassie laughed. "I want to hear about your summer! How was France?"
"It was great! I went to the beach all the time. Oh! I need to bring you-" Hermione was saying until she got cut off by a screech.
"Get this bloody cat away from Scabbers!" Ron said as an orange blur jumped up at his jumper pocket.
"Bad Crookshanks! Crookshanks no!" Hermione said as she picked up the cat.
"That bloody thing is yours?" Ron accused.
"Yes! Crookshanks is mine! He is a very intelligent cat!" Hermione retorted.
"Make that evil cat stay away from Scabbers!" Ron said as he cradled the rat in his arms.
"Crookshanks has feelings!" Hermione said as she stroked her cat.
"If you don't get a hold on that bloody cat, Scabbers won't have any feeling!"
"Woah, woah," Cassie said, stepping between them. "Let's calm down."
While Cassie tried to break up Ron and Hermione, no one noticed Harry standing at the top of the stairs watching the scene with amusement.
"How about you guys sit down and we can talk this through?" Cassie said as she made her way to a table.
When she looked up, she saw Harry silently laughing.
"Harry!" She said as she ran up the stairs to hug him.
"Hi Cass," He said, hugging her back.
She broke away and smiled at him.
"So, Summer huh," Harry said, scratching the back of his neck.
"Oh it was great," Cassie said waving him off. "But I would like to know how you blew up your aunt and what compelled you to write 'I blew up my aunt' in a letter."
"We can get ice cream at Fortescue's, yeah? I'll tell you, Hermione, and Ron all about how I blew up my aunt," He asked, walking down the stairs next to Cassie.
"Of course."
☽
After making a few stops for their school books, the quartet made their way to the ice cream parlor in silence before Hermione broke it.
"Did you really blow up your aunt Harry?"
"I didn't mean to," said Harry, while Ron and Cassie struggled to contain their laughter. "I just- lost control."
"It's not funny guys," Hermione said sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."
"So am I," admitted Harry. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." He looked at Ron and Cassie. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"
"Probably because it's you, I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to go digging for me first because Mum would have killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening at dinner." Ron explained.
"Excellent!" said Harry happily. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"
"Ronald has got a new wand," said Cassie, motioning to Ron. "Fourteen inches, willow, unicorn hair, something like that."
"Mum already got all our books," Ron said, shrugging. "What about those Monster Books, eh? Mum said the assistant nearly cried when she said she wanted three."
"What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asked, pointing to not one, but three bulging bags in the chair next to her.
"Well, I'm taking more subjects than you, aren't I?" said Hermione. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies-"
"Why are you taking Muggle Studies?" Cassie asked. "We already know all about the muggle world, why take a class on it? Although, it would give an easy good grade."
"It'll be fascinating to study them from the Wizarding point of view," said Hermione earnestly.
"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked Harry, while Ron sniggered. Hermione and Cassie ignored them.
"I've got to go to Gringotts, anyone coming along?" asked Cassie.
"Let's all go, I want to pick up some money from my vault as well," said Harry.
They all walked to Gringotts together and talked about their summers.
"Cassiopeia Hope Black Weasley and Harry James Potter, here for your keys?" the goblin asked with a disgusted look on his face.
Cassie couldn't help to think 'Black'? Maybe another middle name she never knew about. She accepted the key that was given to her, confused as to what was going on.
That was not her key.
"Excuse me, sir? This isn't the normal key I get," Cassie asked the goblin as they were walking to the vaults.
"You are Cassiopeia Hope, correct?" He asked, the disgusted look not leaving his face.
"Well yes but-" She was cut off by the goblin.
"Then I see no problem here," The goblin retorted.
As they were driving, they turned into a completely new wing of Gringotts they have never been in before.
"Excuse me?" Hermione spoke up. "Why are we in this wing? I thought this was the Sacred Twenty Eight wing?"
"It is," The goblin said as he stopped in front of a vault. "Here's your stop Miss Black."
"You mean Weasley," Cassie corrected with a sneer. That goblin was quite rude.
"Whatever you say," The goblin said as he took the key and walked up to the vault.
As she walked up to the vault, she read 'Toujours Pur' engraved in the door.
"Always pure," Hermione mentioned as the goblin took Cassie's key, and unlocked the door.
As the vault opened, there were mounds of Galleons stacked up to the ceiling. There were all sorts of things in there like jewelry, goblets, books, and furniture.
"Bloody hell! I didn't know you're rich!" Ron said as he entered the vault, along with Harry and Hermione.
"Are you sure this is mine?" Cassie asked the goblin. "Why have I never been here before?"
"This is all in your name," The goblin said. "You are of age to come to your personal vault."
"Oh, alright then," Cassie said hesitantly, peering down at the galleons that lay at her feet.
"Well? Are you taking anything?" The goblin snarked impatiently.
"Um yes," Cassie said, crouching down and taking a reasonable amount of money.
As they were going to Harry's vault, Cassie was smothered with questions.
"Why do you have your own vault?"
"Why is it in the Sacred Twenty Eight wing?"
"How are you rich?"
"Why was he calling you Miss Black?"
"I don't know!" Cassie exhaled.
"You should ask Mum, she probably knows why you have a vault," said Ron.
When they got back to the Leaky Cauldron, they found Arthur sitting at the bar reading The Daily Prophet.
"Harry!" he said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you?"
"Fine, thanks," said Harry as he, Cassie, Ron, and Hermione joined Arthur with all their shopping.
Arthur put down his paper, and Cassie saw the now-familiar picture of Sirius Black staring up at him.
"They still haven't caught him then?" she asked.
"No," said Arthur, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs to try and find him, but no luck so far."
"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron. "Not that Cassie needs any more money, right?" Ron asked, looking at Cassie.
Cassie wasn't paying attention to what Ron said because she was too busy looking at the picture of Sirius Black on the paper. Black. No. She refused to be related to a mass murderer no matter how much money she gets out of it. She regretfully noticed the similarities between herself and the haunting picture. Other than his black hair, they looked fairly similar. Their facial features and structure look the same. This whole day has been so strange.
"What did you just say, Ron?" Arthur asked with a worried face.
"Well, when we went to Gringotts, the goblin gave Cassie a new key," Ron explained. "And she kept asking if it was the right key and he said it was and that she had 'come of age'. So when we got to the vault, it was in a completely new wing and the vault was filled to the brim with money and jewels."
"Cassie, Ron, come with me," Mr.Weasley said as he grabbed their hands and walked them over to Arthur.
Cassie and Ron exchanged a worried glance as they made their way over to the table Molly was at with the twins, Percy, and Ginny.
"Family meeting!" Arthur said as Ron and Cassie sat down.
"Cassie, Ron, tell Molly what happened," he said.
They explained their trip to Gringotts and how they got in the vault. Molly looked a little shocked at first but she easily covered it up.
"Why do I have my own vault?" Cassie asked once they finished their story.
"Well, your parents left it to you, and apparently you are now of age to enter it," Molly told Cassie.
Cassie decided not to pry with the whole Sirius Black thing because there could be tons of Blacks. Cassie and Ron walked back over to Hermione and Harry.
"What happened?" asked Hermione.
"They just explained that it was the vault my parents left me before they died," Cassie said.
The rest of the family walked over to greet Harry.
Ginny, who had always been very taken with Harry, seemed even more heartily embarrassed than usual when she saw him, perhaps it is because he had saved her life during their previous year at Hogwarts. She went very red and muttered "Hello" without looking at him. Percy however held out his hand solemnly as though he and Harry had never met and said "Harry, how nice to see you."
"Hello, Percy," Harry said, trying not to laugh.
"I hope you're well," said Percy pompously, shaking hands. It was rather like being introduced to the mayor.
"Very well thanks-"
"Harry!" Said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply Splendid to see you old boy-"
"Marvelous!" said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing Harry's hand in turn. "Absolutely spiffing!"
Percy scowled
"That's enough now!" said Molly.
"Mum!" said Fred, as though he'd only just spotted her and seized her hand too. "How really corking to see you-"
"I said that's enough!" said Molly, depositing her shopping in an empty chair.
"Hello Harry dear, I suppose you've heard our exciting news!" she pointed at the brand new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!" she said, swelling with pride.
"And last," Fred muttered under his breath.
"I don't doubt that," said Molly, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."
"What do we want to be prefects for?" said George, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."
Ginny giggled.
"You want to set a better example for your sister!" snapped Molly.
"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," said Percy loftily. "I'm going up to change for dinner...."
He disappeared and Cassie heaved a sigh.
"We tried to shut him in a pyramid," she told Harry. "But Molly spotted us."
Dinner that night was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlor, and the eight Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione ate their way through five delicious courses.
"How are we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asked Fred as they dug into a sumptuous chocolate pudding.
"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," said Arthur as everyone looked up at him.
"Why?" Percy asked curiously.
"They are for you, Perce," said George seriously. "And there'll be little flags with HB on them-"
"-For Humongous Bighead," said Fred.
Everyone but Percy and Molly snorted into their pudding.
"Why is the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, in a dignified voice.
"Well, as we haven't gotten one anymore," said Arthur."-and as I work there, they're doing me a favor-"
"Good thing too!" said Molly. "Has everyone packed?"
"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," said Percy in a long-suffering voice. "He's dumped them on my bed."
Cassie leaned over to Harry and whispered "See, Bighead," in his ear.
Harry snorted into his water.
"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Molly called down the table. Ron scowled at Percy.
After everyone finished dinner, they all went up one by one to get ready for bed.
Harry and Cassie were hanging out in his room when they heard angry voices through the wall. They got up to see what all the ruckus is about when they heard Percy shouting.
"It was here, on the bedside table, I took it off for polishing-"
"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron roared back.
"What's happening?" Cassie asked.
"My Head Boy badge is gone," Percy said, rounding Harry.
"So is Scabbers's rat tonic," said Ron as she checked under his pillow. "I think I left it at the bar-"
"You aren't going anywhere until I find my Head Boy badge!" shouted Percy.
"We can get the tonic, we are both packed," said Harry.
They were halfway along the passage to the bar, which was now very dark when they heard the angered voices of Arthur and Molly Weasley. Harry and Cassie shared a worried glance and turned to walk away until they heard their names. They stopped in their places and moved closer to the parlor door.
"...makes no sense to not tell them. Dumbledore said 'when the time is right' and I think the time is right!" Arthur was saying heatedly. "Harry and Cassie have the right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child and ignoring Cassie's true heritage! They are thirteen years old and-"
"Arthur, the truth would terrify them!" said Molly shrilly. "Do you really want to send them back to school with that hanging over them? For heaven's sake, they're happy not knowing!"
"I don't want to make them miserable, I want to put them on their guard!" retorted Arthur. "You know what that group is like, wandering off by themselves-they've even ended up in the Forbidden Forest! But they mustn't do that this year! When Harry ran away that night, anything could have happened! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up, I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him."
"But he's not dead so what's the point-"
"Molly, they say Sirius Black is mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been a month, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet, we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after-"
"But Harry and Cassie will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts."
"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts."
"But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry and Cassie-"
"Molly, how many times do I need to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted to keep it quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Black's been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'He's at Hogwarts.....he's at Hogwarts,' and 'she's in her dorm.... she's in her dorm'. Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry and Cassie dead. Black lost everything the night that Harry stopped You-Know-Who, that's what drove him to murder his wife, and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that...."
There was silence. Harry and Cassie leaned closer to the door, desperate to hear more.
"Well, Arthur, you must do what you think is right. But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore. I don't think anything could hurt Harry and Cassie at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's headmaster. I suppose he knows about Harry's involvement in all this?"
"Of course, he knows. We had to ask him if he minded the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrances to the school grounds. He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed."
"Not happy? Why shouldn't he be happy if they are there to catch Black?"
"Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards," said Arthur heavily. "Nor am I, if it comes to that....but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black, you sometimes need to join forces with those you'd rather avoid."
"If they save Harry and Cassie-"
"-Then I will never say another word against them," said Arthur wearily. "It's late, Molly, we'd better go up..."
Harry and Cassie heard chairs move. As quietly as they could, they hurried down the passage to the bar and out of sight. The parlor door opened, and a few seconds later footsteps told them that Arthur and Molly were climbing the stairs.
The bottle of rat tonic was under the table they had sat at earlier. Once Molly and Arthur's bedroom door closed, Harry and Cassie, made their way upstairs. Fred and George were crouching in the shadows on the landing, heaving with laughter as they listened to Percy dismantling his and Ron's room in search of his badge.
"We've got it," Fred whispered to Harry. "We've been improving it."
The badge now read 'Bighead Boy"
Harry and Cassie forced a laugh, still shocked by the information that they heard minutes earlier. They gave Ron the rat tonic and went to their rooms.
"Tomorrow let's tell the others what we heard," said Cassie.
"Ok, on the train," said Harry. "Goodnight Cassie."
"Night Harry."