Toujours Jeune

*a/n welcome to the first chapter! enjoy :)

In the early hours of the day—specifically, 8 am—the only sound heard inside Malfoy Manor was the clicking of heels on the floor. As the door to an eleven-year-old witch's bedroom opened, the soft sound of snoring filled the room.

The tops of three heads could be seen peeking out from the pile of blankets on top of the queen-sized bed. The girl, whose bed was being occupied, slept peacefully in the middle with two younger boys on either side—one with soft, brown hair and the other with platinum blonde. Long, wavy, jet-black hair was fanned over the pillow and fell into the mouths of the two boys.

Narcissa Malfoy let out a small sigh as she went to wake the three sleeping children.

"Darlings, it's time to get up. The train leaves at 11, and we must not be late."

A groan left the lips of the boy with icy hair while the other boy didn't stir. The girl, however, slowly opened her eyes and let out a content sigh. A soft smile appeared on her plump lips.

"Draco, Theo, what have I said about sleeping in Cassiopeia's bed?" Narcissa questioned as she went to open the blinds, letting light into the previously dark room.

"Pfft—" During Draco's attempt to respond to his mother, the long hair in his mouth fell further into his mouth, preventing him from doing so. After he pushed the silky hair out of his mouth, he grumbled, "But it was Cassie's last night before she left! It's not fair! We don't get to see her till Christmas!"

"Well, I for one can't wait to get away from you two nosy sods." Cassie quipped as she sat up in her bed.

"Laguange Cassiopeia." Narcissa uttered.

Cassie murmured a small apology under her breath, not sounding apologetic in the slightest.

Theo, who finally graced everyone with his presence, complained, "It's not fair Cas gets to go to Hogwarts and we have to wait two more years." Which ended up coming out as mumbles due to his tiredness and head halfway buried in the pillow. The Italian and English accents mixed as Theo spoke.

Theodore's father, Tiberius Nott, originally from Italy, moved back to England when his son was three. His wife passed away when Theo was only four. It is not a surprise Draco and Theo became best friends at a young age, considering their fathers are good friends.

Being part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight had its perks, such as being friends with powerful families such as the Malfoys, Lestranges, Blacks, Carrows, and Rosiers.

"Yeah, why can't we just go now?" Draco added.

As Cassie walked into her bathroom to get ready to leave, she heard the bickering between the boys and her aunt. The latter ignored the boys complaints. While Cassie got ready, she thought about how excited she was to go to Hogwarts. To finally see the castle, make new friends, and most importantly, get away from her mother.

Her mother, Bellatrix Lestrange, née Black, known Death Eater and torturer of Alice and Frank Longbottom. She should be sitting in a cell in Azkaban, however, the Blacks paid a heavy sum of galleons to the guards to give a Polyjuice Potion to someone under the Imperious Curse to keep the Minister under the impression that the most loyal Death Eater was behind bars. Her mother only had to sit in Azkaban for two years when, in reality, she should have been in there for life. This caused a rough childhood for dear Cassiopeia.

She worried about leaving Draco and Theo behind. Worried about what would happen while she wasn't there to protect them. Her cousin and his best mate. Her family. Not the woman who birthed her. No.

Cassie left the bathroom, noticing how the two boys were still lying in her bed, her aunt nowhere in sight. She walked over to her vanity, where she started to plait her long, black hair. Cold, grey eyes stare back at her from the reflection in the mirror.