Sister
It was well past curfew when she finally returned to her dormitory—not the usual late where exhaustion would lull her to sleep, though tonight, she supposed, was an exception. Astoria, it seemed, took her beauty sleep very seriously; good for her. Jasmine's bed was empty, likely off somewhere with her usual clique. Cassiopeia tread carefully, her steps as light as a house elf’s, ensuring she didn’t rouse her slumbering friend. She knew that if she did, Astoria wouldn't hesitate to pester her for every detail about the dinner, and frankly, Cassiopeia couldn't bear the thought of reliving it right now.
She stepped into the bathroom, her dress slipping off effortlessly, pooling at her feet like liquid silk. She gazed into the mirror, a sigh escaping her lips. The reflection showed nothing more than a girl who would give anything to go back to the simpler days of childhood. She imagined how the dinner tonight might have unfolded if only the guests were the same as those from a few years back. A bittersweet smile tugged at her lips as she reminisced about the days when life was simpler, laughter more genuine, and conversations unburdened by hidden agendas. Now, everything felt like a performance, and she longed for the days when she didn't have to wear a mask.
She thought of her brother. She had never truly understood his way of living. Was he happy? The question lingered in her mind, adding another layer to her already heavy heart. She wondered if he ever felt the same, wishing to escape the present and return to a time when everything made sense.
Taking the silver comb, she began her nightly routine with slow, deliberate strokes. When she was certain her hair was thoroughly combed, she set the comb down. Splashing her face with cold water, she looked in the mirror once more. She couldn’t tell if the drops sliding down her pale face were from the water or tears. The uncertainty deepened her sense of melancholy, blurring the lines between her emotions and reality.
Whatever it was, she wiped it away, determined to erase the traces of her vulnerability.
Morning arrived far too soon. Cassiopeia opened her eyes to the sound of humming, a familiar melody she couldn’t quite place. The clock read 8:12. Judging by the softness of the hum, she knew it was Astoria, getting ready for breakfast.
“Oh, you’re awake! I hope I didn’t wake you!” Astoria said, looking over with an awkward, pursed-lip smile.
Cassiopeia managed a small, reassuring smile in return, her mind still foggy from sleep and the lingering weight of last night’s thoughts. “No, it’s fine. I was just about to get up anyway,” she reassured her friend.
"I was just about to head to breakfast. Would you like me to wait for you?" Astoria asked.
Cassiopeia considered it carefully, unsure if she was even hungry. She decided she would prefer to stay behind this morning. "That's alright, I think I'm going to skip today."
"Are you sure? Would you like me to bring you something?"
She thought about it for a moment. "Sure, if you get a hold of an apple, I'll be around here."
Astoria nodded with a warm smile. "Of course. I'll be back soon."
As Astoria left, Cassiopeia lay back down, listening to the fading hum of her friend's melody and trying to find some peace in the quiet room. Jasmine must not have come back to the dorm last night, judging by the neatly made bed.
She sat up in bed, uncertain of what she had in mind for today. Not that she had any plans, really.
"Ladies do not slouch on the bed. Get up and get ready!" Her mother's voice rang in her head, a stern reminder of her duties. Even though her mother wasn't present, Cassiopeia had internalized that voice, making it a constant presence in her mind.
With a resigned sigh, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up, deciding to face the day despite her lack of enthusiasm.
She was in the bathroom, tying a black ribbon in her platinum hair when a sudden knock made her flinch. She thought it might be Astoria back from breakfast, but then, why would she knock on her own dorm door?
Cassiopeia made her way to the door slowly, suspiciously slipping out a, "Who is it?"
"Daphne!" came the familiar voice.
Cassiopeia relaxed slightly and opened the door, standing in the doorway looking at the two best friends. When you look at them, they simultaneously appear so much and yet nothing alike. However, when it came to their voices, it wasn't hard to discern the two; even a blind person could tell them apart. Pansy spoke faster, her voice higher-pitched, while Daphne's words came out more slowly, with a distinct rasp to her tone.
"Astoria left for breakfast some time ago," she informed them, assuming Daphne was looking for her little sister and Pansy was there simply because wherever Daphne went, Pansy followed and vice versa. It seemed the two girls always came in a pair.
Daphne smiled, her eyes scanning the room briefly. "That's alright. We actually came to see you, Cassiopeia."
Cassiopeia's brows shot up in surprise. She stood there, looking at them as if they had just asked her to Avada them.
"Aren't you going to invite us in?" Pansy's question made her move from the doorway, letting them in, still confused.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of my brother's girlfriends visiting me?" The confusion turned into an immediate look of suspicion.
Daphne took a seat on her sister's bed, glancing briefly at the items on Astoria's nightstand, probably checking if any of her possessions had found their way to her sister's room. Finding nothing out of place, she looked back up at Cassiopeia.
Pansy leaned on Cassiopeia's bedframe, her usual smirk on her always perfectly set face. She looked at her best friend's sister with a mix of curiosity and amusement.
"We wanted to talk to you about something," Daphne began, her tone serious but not unfriendly. "Something important."
Cassiopeia's suspicion deepened, but she nodded, waiting for Daphne to continue.
Pansy chimed in, her voice still carrying that playful edge. "Don't worry, you're not in trouble. We just thought you might want to be involved in a little... project we're working on."
"A project?" Cassiopeia echoed, her interest piqued despite herself. "What kind of project?"
Daphne exchanged a glance with Pansy before responding. "It's about your brother. We need some help…”
"Lately, Draco has been..." Daphne struggled to find the right words to describe the older Malfoy.
"An arse? A bitch?" Cassiopeia offered a few options. She had tried to understand her brother's attitude since coming to Hogwarts, but even when she acted kindly toward him, he had turned away. Hell, all of his friends had been nicer to her than her own brother. Yes, she had come into his territory, but it wasn't like she was trying to hang out with his friends or him, for that matter. Even last night, when she felt bad for him, he had gone back to his dorm without even saying goodnight.
The older girls let out a chuckle. "Well, something like that," Daphne said, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "And we were thinking of surprising him somehow, to get his mood back up, 'cause, you know, it's not fun when a Malfoy isn't in the mood!"
Oh, she knew.
"Yeah, I can't help you with that. It seems that you know him better than I do. Maybe you've noticed, we're not the closest," Cassiopeia admitted. She wasn't proud of it, but she knew it was a fact. But one thing she did know was that Draco hated surprises. "But I guess I can tell you he isn't into surprises..."
The blonde witch leaned back on the bed, her arms holding most of her weight: „So, no surprise?“ She looked between the two girls.
„You should probably just get him surrounded by the whole friend group, a few drinks, and jelly slugs, I don't think he needs much more...“ It seemed as a passing thought, there were a few things Cassiopeia knew made her brother happy, it wasn't hard to figure.
Pansy pushed herself off the bedframe, a smile plastered on her pretty face. „You're right, will do!“ Her friend followed, Daphne got up. „Thanks, little Malfoy!“ It seems the nickname will stick.
„You're of course invited!“
„I'll pass!“ She was sure her brother wouldn't like to see her around his friends again, especially not when the night was supposed to be for him. And however much she liked to go on his nerves, she had decided to sit this one out.
„As you wish, you can come by any time!“ They wasted no more time running off to prepare whatever there was to prepare. Leaving Cassiopeia alone, once again in her dorm.