The weather had worsened over the next few days, making it difficult to navigate through the snow as Cassiopeia-Hera and Elena made their way to Hogsmeade. It was their very last visit to the quaint town, before leaving Hogwarts for the Christmas break, and Elena was fully intending to spend it enjoying herself. 

Though the weather had worsened, it was not the ideal weather she needed to complete the animagus process, and it made Hera very anxious. She was hoping to have finished the process before she had to leave Hogwarts so that she wouldn't have to do it under the gaze of her aunt and her uncle. 

Fate was definitely not on her side. 

The two girls finally made it to the Three Broomsticks, after trudging through the snow, the warm air of the pub enveloped them. Elena sighed as she finally felt the warmth return to her body. 

"Wow! This is so awesome!" It was Elena's first time in The Three Broomsticks, and she was amazed at the atmosphere that greeted the..

Although it was her second time visiting The Three Broomsticks, noticed so much more than she did than the last time she was there. It wasn't what Hera was used to, not like the formal tea parties that she and Aunt Narcissa attended, but a much more casual place with a warm and lively atmosphere. She could feel herself instantly relax, just by taking in her surroundings, with boisterous laughter, the smell of homely food in the air as well as the warmth coming from the fireplace.

It felt amazing.

Elena dragged her much taller friend to a seat, in the far corner away from the centre of pub, where it was only a little bit quieter. "Merlin...why didn't you tell me about this place sooner? It's so cool, I almost feel like a grown up!"

"A grown up?" Laughed Hera as she settled into her seat. "Why a grown up?"

Elena took off her gloves from her hands and stretched them as they enjoyed the warm air. "Well, it's got a pub-like atmosphere, you know. My dad would never let me enter one 'till I'm eighteen."

Hera's eyes wandered around the pub, "Well, I never thought of it that way...I was way too nervous the last time I was here." She said as she reminisced about her meeting with her uncle.

"Hi! What can I get for yuh's?" Came a voice. It was a pretty lady, with blonde coiled hair - which was what Hera's hair would've looked like in blonde if she hadn't straightened it every morning. She looked merry, with rosy cheeks and a sweet smile, "Third years?"

Elena nodded, "Yes! We heard about the butter beers...are they as good as we hear they are?"

This made the woman laugh, "Yes, yes. I'll get yuh both them butterbeers." She hummed as she walked away leaving the two girls alone.

Hera leaned in to whisper to Elena, "Was that Madam Rosmerta - the one that the seventh year boys have a crush on?"

"Oh definitely." Elena responded. "So, what are you and the Malfoys' doing for the holidays?"

"Well nothing exciting, really..
probably just going to stay at the Manor again while Aunt Narcissa finds excuses to hold tea parties or dinner parties." Hera took off her own gloves and stretched her fingers as she looked down on her scarred knuckles. "Will you be returning to Asia?"

The shorter of the two shook her head, her shint black hair moved back and forth. "My father will be in England, so we'll be enjoying the snow here, rather than in the East...you better write to me."

"As if I have any other choice." Hera said, chuckling to herself.

Two people suddenly walked by the small window the girls sat at, catching their attention. "Did you just see that?" Elena asked, as her best friend nodded in response. "That was Blaise and Daphne!"

"Did they make up?" Hera asked, as Madam Rosmerta placed two pints of butterbeer on their table, before hurriedly leaving to tend to the rest of her customers. "How would I know? The last we heard of them, it seemed like they were having an argument."

"Who's having an argument?" Came a sudden voice, making the two girls jump in their seats. Troy joined them, by pulling out a chair to sit at their table.

The girls exchanged knowing looks, before diverting their attention to the newcomer. "Why are you sitting with us?" Hera questioned.

"Can't I join my friends for a butterbeer?"

Elena rolled her eyes, "No, especially since we aren't your friends."

Troy feigned hurt as he clutched the material of his sweater. "I am hurt. I really thought we were friends, Elena."

Hera took a sip of her butterbeer and looked out the window to avoid being dragged into the conversation. Both Elena and Troy were still bickering as she turned her attention to the both of them, and the setting they were in.

The atmosphere of the pub, the happiness she felt while she was with her friends without being under the watchful eye of her family, Hera kept silent.

It was then that she realised that this was the last time she could enjoy her freedom before heading back to the place she called...

Home.

♧

The carriage ride to Malfoy Manor was a silent one...well when she tuned the sound of her cousin's constant word vomit, Hera almost enjoyed watching the all too familiar ride back to the Manor. She had been homesick, missing the comfort of her bed, and the privacy of her own room - without having to deal with the drama of her fellow roommates.

Though she was happy to be back home, she knew that as soon as she stepped through the Oakwood doors of Malfoy Manor, she would have to resume her duties, and finish the Animagus process that had been delayed for the past week.

The pressure was on.

It was important to her, and she wasn't willing to become a failure in the eyes of Aunt Narcissa and Uncle Lucius. Even to the parents she had no recollection of, she knew she had to make them proud, and completing her first assignment would be a cause for celebration. The pride of the Lestrange - the only heiress to the family name.

She didn't exactly know how to feel but she knew that she had to carry the weight on her shoulders. There was no room for error, so she was adamant on succeeding on her first try.

"Miss Cassiopeia!" She heard a voice squeak as soon as she entered her room.

A small figure appeared from the corner of the room, tripping over their own feet as they rushed to greet Hera. "Oh Miss Cassiopeia, Dilly missed you so much!"

"And I you!" She had a smile on her face as Dilly clapped happily. That was when she remembered she had something in her trunk.

With Dilly on her tail, Hera opened her trunk to see all her things neatly packed, with the things that she had bought from Hogsmeade the day before. She took the parchment bag, and showed it to the small house elf.

"I've got something for you and the rest of the elves," She started, giving her a tiny smile. "Promise me you'll share it, and you'll hide it away from everyone else?"

Dilly couldn't hide her excitement, as she was given the small bag of cookies. "Yes, miss! Dilly keeps her promise!"

And with that, the small house-elf disappeared with the click of her fingers, leaving Hera alone in the room. She took the time to look at her surroundings, readjusting herself to her bedroom.

It had only been a few months since she had last stepped foot in her bedroom, but it felt like an eternity. She had missed enjoying the privacy she didn't have when she was in her shared room in the Slytherin Dungeons, as well as the comfort of her own bed.

Walking towards the door which lead to the balcony, Hera drew back the curtains to look out into the Manor's Garden. It looked beautiful, even though it had very few flowers growing and with the snow falling so delicately on the leaves...it looked so empty.

The Malfoy Manor felt completely hollow compared to the Hogwarts Castle, where students filled the halls with laughter and excitement - making the young girl miss the company of her best friend.

She left the curtain to fall back into its place before lying down on the comfortable surface of her bed and stared up to the high ceiling.

The  Manor had become so much colder than what she remembered, and she didn't know why.