Where'd your dreams go

Time won't move slow

Look out your window

Life is blowing by

Where's your heart been

And all your good friends

The hurt just won't end

You'll just have to try

Or this curse won't die

- Cursed By Yourself, Blackpool Lights

Cassiopeia Black was intelligent and regal. But what was most striking about her was her exquisite beauty. The only person who was considered to have good enough looks to rival Cassiopeia was Cassiopeia's own cousin, Callidora.

Cassiopeia was very proud of her own beauty. She was vain, and extremely jealous of her cousin's beauty. For Cassiopeia, it became a competition to see who could attract the most attention and earn the most compliments.

By the time Cassiopeia reached the age of sixteen, she was the object of many a proposed match. Many of her classmates were already beginning to have their marriages arranged for them. Cassiopeia, for all her good qualities, was somewhat flighty. Her parents knew this, and did their best to keep the marriage proposals for their daughter at bay.

On her seventeenth birthday, Cassiopeia received a rather unusual gift from her parents. It was a rare mirror, handed down from generation to generation in her mother's family.

"We believe you may finally be ready to accept an offer of marriage. This mirror has been handed down among the eldest daughters of my family for generations. When the daughter in question is ready to be married, the mirror will aid her in coming to terms with the decision. Obviously, your father and I shall set up most of the match, but we will allow you to decide on whether or not you think the young man is suited to you."

Cassiopeia stood in her bedroom, dressed in her finest clothes. She stood before the mirror, and said the phrase as her mother had told her to.

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall-

The glass of the mirror began to cloud over, and Cassiopeia's reflection disappeared. A blank face appeared in the glass.

"-which young man am I destined for?"

The jewels of the mirror glowed as it spoke. "He shall appear as if taken by another of your clan, by a rival."

Once again, cloudy wisps of smoke appeared in the mirror, taking the face away, and leaving Cassiopeia's reflection behind.

"Excellent," murmured Cassiopeia, "The mirror must mean Callidora. A challenge."

She smoothed down her dress, and squared her shoulders, prepared to do anything to get the better of her cousin.

The following day, Violetta asked her daughter if the latter had yet sought the mirror's advice.

"Yes, I did. I asked the mirror who I was destined for, and it told me. Harfang Longbottom!" she proclaimed, with the air of someone showing off a prized animal.

Violetta hurriedly glanced at her husband, her eyes clearly sending a message for help and back-up.

"Your father and I disagree; you are forbidden. You cannot entertain the fancies of Harfang Longbottom."

"That's not what you said last night! You said that I could suggest matches for myself to the two of you based on what the mirror told me! That is what the mirror told me!" she half-shouted, not caring that it seemed as if she were throwing a tantrum like a small child.

"Well then, you clearly did not listen to me properly, Cassiopeia."

Cassiopeia pretended not to have heard her mother's last comment. She continued on in her tangent. "Besides, Callidora's family evidently approve of Harfang and his family! Have you seen Callidora lately? She looks like she's been struck over the head! I don't think I've ever seen anyone who is so giggly and flustered all the time!"

"Have you not more morals than that?" Violetta berated her daughter. "Did your father and I not teach you anything? He is courting your cousin, Callidora, and it would not do to even send any form of proposal to his family, as we would not be able to feign ignorance of the match for even a second! You haven't the sense you were born with, my dear." Her final words were sarcastic and biting.

Christmas came, bringing flurries of snow along with it. Callidora and Harfang had not yet announced their engagement, but it was obvious to all that the couple's betrothal was not far away.

Lysandra and Arcturus Black, Callidora's parents, were holding a Christmas ball. Obviously, all the pureblood families were invited, and each pureblood family was expected to have at least one 'representative' present at the ball.

Cassiopeia went, wearing new dress robes, draped in jewelery. As soon as she entered the Black's ballroom, she made a beeline for Callidora.

"Callidora, my dear," she gushed. "Oh, you look so charming! Tell me, when will you and Harfang be announcing your engagement?"

Callidora looked at Cassiopeia somewhat coldly. "You sound like some over-bearing old aunt, for Merlin's sake!"

Callidora led Cassiopeia over to a table at the edge of the ballroom. "Oh, Callidora, can't I be happy for you?" Make no mistakes, Cassiopeia Black was an excellent actress.

Callidora gave her cousin a look. "I am not stupid. You always seemed to enjoy Harfang's presence when we were younger. Besides, you would attempt to steal any man whom I was courting, right out from under my nose, just for the sake of it! You're a rather spiteful, bitter person, Cassiopeia." Callidora swept away, head held high. Callidora carefully kept up the pretense that all was fine, that her comment to Cassiopeia did not bother her in the least.

It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends - Albus Dumbledore.

The two did not seek each other's company until a few years after Harfang's death. Callidora still felt hurt by her cousin, and was still slightly ashamed of confronting Cassiopeia in public. Cassiopeia grew even more bitter over the years, as she had not aged very gracefully and she had aged alone, and she longed for the beauty of her youth.

Dear Callidora, Cassiopeia wrote, won't you come and visit me soon? It's been such a long time. Perhaps we can begin to make amends.

Callidora shuffled slowly around her kitchen. She had one house elf, but Harfang had always believed in treating them properly, and today was the elf's day off. She was a little startled by a tap on the window. She slowly crossed the room, and fumbled around to get the window open. She took the letter from the owl, gave it a little water, and watched it fly off again.

She read the letter a few times. She still doubted Cassiopeia's intentions, but she accepted the invitation all the same.

Cassiopeia stood in her kitchen, instructing one of her house elves. "When Callidora arrives, you must bring out this tray. Give this cup to her, and this one to me. Understood?"

"Yes mistress." squeaked the elf.

Cassiopeia smiled. Finally, after all those years, she was so close to getting her revenge.

Callidora arrived, and the two sat down at a small coffee table. "It's been such a long time, Callidora. How have you been? Would you like a drink?"

Callidora hesitated for a moment. "Yes, please, that would be lovely."

The house elf arrived, bringing a tray with it. He handed the drinks to the two ladies, and returned to the kitchen. Cassiopeia sipped from her cup, smiling. The poison she had placed in Callidora's drink was slow-acting, but Calidora would be dead come morning. No-one would think anything of it, as Callidora was growing old.

The two ladies had a pleasant interaction. Callidora left, slightly surprised at how nice Cassiopeia had been to her.

Morning came, and Cassiopeia Black was found dead in her bed by one of her house elves. She had accidentally poisoned herself.

Cassiopeia Black had been cursed. Cursed by her own beauty, her own jealousy. She had been vain, and it had led to her downfall.

A/N: Much thanks to Liza (Forever Siriusly Sirius), for helping me out with this fic

Written for Quidditch League. Prompts used: Rare, tap on the window, Dialogue: "Your father and I disagree; you are forbidden.", Dialogue: "That's not what you said last night.", "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends." - Albus Dumbledore.

Written for The Doctor Who Appreciation Competition. Using Jack Harkness: Write about being cursed.

Written for The Through the Trapdoor Challenge. Challenge #2, Fluffy, using Extra Challenge #1: Use a song or poem as inspiration for your story.