After the incident she had had with the fire Cygnus came down hard on her she was only allowed to leave her room when she was going for her lessons with the dark lord at Bellatrix's, the only reason he let her do that was because he was terrified of Voldemort and wanted to please him. Bella was resenting her too treating her coldly and she looked slightly deranged as she pushed herself to the limits trying to please him, even her own husband was wary of her actions.

But even though her own sister was treating her like that it was okay because the dark lord would help her through it. He was helping fill a hole that was growing in Cassiopeia's chest and in return he was growing to care for her and surprisingly he was letting down his walls around her, he was softening with her. It terrified him.

When Narcissa and Lucius were married Cassie had agreed to be the flower girl just to appease her father in hopes that he'd go easy on her, she had barely spoken to her sister since she had moved into the manor. It was killing Cassie to play happy families when all's she wanted to do was set fire to it all. The one thing that kept her from losing it was the fact that she was learning, learning how to do more and more importantly learning how to control it. It was all thanks to Lord Voldemort.

The days were coming and going and every time she felt that anger rise up inside her she would push it down. Voldemort told her to use fire as an outlet and get it all out but she couldn't do that when she was at home or Cygnus would be waiting with some new and cruel way to punish her.

Though she didn't mention the things her father put her through in much detail to the dark lord because she feared it would result in him being killed and although she despised him he was still her father, biologically anyway. So he got a sugar coated version of it, sometimes she thought that he could tell she was lying about it but he respected her privacy and let it be.

Before she knew it the weeks had come and gone, it was her birthday and she was to endure another family meal. She wanted more than anything for voldemort to attend but he explained that he couldn't and Cassie understood, he sent her a gift instead. It was a locket, silver and bronze with a snake on it and runes carved around it. Once she had a suitable dress on and barely managed her hair she made her way to the dining room.

She noticed that she'd started to take notes in her head, just like Voldemort did when he entered a room of people. she looked around the table and marked them down, her father at the head of the table with a blank stare and cruel smile, her eldest sister who looked like she had gone mentally wit her wide eyes flicking from person to person, her husband Rudolphus who looked like he would rather be anywhere but here. Then there was Lucius Malfoy who looked proud and had his hand placed over Narcissa's like he was protecting his property, finally Narcissa, her favourite sister who used to mean everything to her. Cassie laughed to herself looking at her, she looked like a life sized doll with a fake smile plastered on her face and her free hand resting on her perfectly round baby bump.

"Happy birthday sister" Narcissa spoke quietly as they sat in the living room after dinner.

"Thanks" Cassie replied in a bored tone.

"How long are you going to be mad at me" she huffed.

"To be determined, now if you'll excuse me I have things to do" Cassie pushed passed her and went to leave but was stopped by Cygnus.

"Just where do you think your going" he bellowed catching the attention of the others in the room.

"Well father id rather not waste time with formalities I know I'm going to be locked straight back in my room again when my sisters have left so I thought i'd just skip ahead." She gave him a deceitful smile.

"Why you little-" he backhanded her across the face making her fall to the floor unsteadily.

"Father, stop it please it's her birthday" Narcissa pleaded with Cygnus.

"Yes it is, that also happens to be the day she killed my wife!" He yelled.

"That was not her fault and you know it she was a baby she didn't have control over that" Narcissa shouted back.

"Go girl, too your room now before I do something worse in the midst of company" he spat at Cassie as she slowly got up and raced to her room.

Once she was in the safety of her room she paced up and down wearing out the souls of her shoes, she spoke Voldemort's words in her head 'direct your emotions' she did just that. She focused her power and tried to focus it on the fire again, but in trying to make it stay in the fire place her magic boomed in different directions smashing the windows and mirrors in its path. When it was done and the fire was back to normal she was drained she sank into her bed.

And she dreamt of flames, the world on fire.

———————————————————————

Day after day she waited for those hours that she could finally be herself, Cassie knew that if she lost control in front of the dark lord there would be no repercussions. He didn't like to make it obvious but you could see in his blatant actions that he was favouring her, his usual ice cold front seemed to melt away when they were together.

Every time the dark lord had set a lesson for Cassie he'd always let it run over, if she was upset over something he'd listen to her, if it was anger then he helped her let out that rage, if she was tireder than usual then he'd sit and wait while she napped, he was even happy just to sit and read with her. That soft spot was getting deeper and deeper.

The best thing to him was when she was happy, she was full of smiles and sarcastic remarks and that's what drawed him in. This child was all the best parts of himself when he was young. Cassie had this thing about her that made it seem like she knew something no one else did, her wit and dark humour was at par with his.

Lord Voldemort had never had a parental figure in his life but if this is what it felt like then his mind would never be able to figure out how anyone would abandon their child. The way his parents abandoned him.

"You know you still haven't told me how old you are" Cassie questioned whilst they were out in the garden sparing, "is it because your embarrassed?" She laughed between breaths.

"I haven't entertained your question because it's irrelevant and unimportant" he said as he easily blocked each punch she threw.

"Yeah yeah whatever helps you sleep at night" she landed a hit to his side.

"Concentrate Cassiopeia" he pushed her backwards, "less talking more combat"

"You know for the so called dark lord you really are stupid" she stood her ground.

"You dare to insult me?" He half laughed.

"You dare to underestimate me" she raised her eyebrows cheekily.

Just as he went to respond cassie darted left, then right and then head butted him in the stomach and swung herself down to knock him off his feet.

"Why you little nuisance" he gasped catching his breath.

Cassie let out a full belly laugh and then turned towards the Lestrange estate walking a few paces. "Next time don't go so easy on me"

Lord Voldemort slowly climbed to his feet chuckling to himself, she really was extraordinary and soon the whole world would know it.

When Lord Voldemort returned inside the house before he was going to hold a meeting he happened to walk passed one of the sitting rooms, inside were a couple of his death eaters who had arrived early. He was about to enter the room when he overheard a part of their conversation

"So none of you agree that our so called dark lord is playing favourites with a stupid child" one spat.

"Watch you mouth Avery, that child could flay the flesh of your bones" this he knew was Rabastan.

"I'm just saying, is it wise to be following someone who shows weakness" Avery said through his teeth.

Before anyone else could get a word in the door shot open and the dark lord strode right over to Avery, no body moved an inch. The colour drained from Avery's face as he started stringing out apologies but it was no use, without even reaching for his wand he put both of his cold hands either side of his head and snapped his neck like it was a chicken bone and not the human vertebrae.

"Does anyone else want to question there loyalty to my cause?" He stood hands together looking at the men in the room.

Instantly there was a chorus of 'no my lord' and every one of them dropped onto a knee.

"Good." He gave them an animalistic grin.