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I still don't own Harry Potter otherwise I'd be writing all day instead of working to pay the bills.
Dylan the Rabbit. xx
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The Silent World of Cassandra Evans.
12. House of Fun.
The soul sucking horrors were gone and Hermione was pelting along the along the corridor of the Hogwarts Express, shouldering her way through frightened students and closed carriage doors, desperate to get to her destination. Her brief encounter with the dementors had left her feeling frightened and alone and God only knew what that meant they would have done to her. Even though they hadn't spoken in over a year and a half she still wanted to be there for her. For the girl who had literally no happy memories whatsoever. She must be terrified. Hermione had to get to where she was. To hold her and comfort her. And so she ran. She ran to the black haired girl with the extraordinary, soulful green eyes and the heart of a lion. She ran to Cassie and hoped that it wasn't too late.
Fear was not an emotion that dementors were used to. Well not for themselves anyway. The two that were currently in the doorway of this particular cabin of the train, however, were becoming intimately accquainted with that emotion. It had seemed such an easy target for them, the three small human females and a broken old werewolf would have made a fine meal. Now it had all gone terribly wrong. The black haired witch had fallen to their terror for less than half a minute before they had burned through all of her, surprisingly few, happy memories and then she had simply shrugged them off before standing to confront them. They stood transfixed as the girl approached them to came nose to nose with the dark creatures, dropped the goblin dagger into her right hand and slowly smiled as the blade began to lengthen and thicken at her silent command. There was a fierce power in her, they could sense it and they were afraid. They backed away staring at the now large obsidian sword in the girl's pale, delicate hand. Fear became panic.
Hermione was about to wrench open the door leading to the carriage that she had watched her former friend enter at Kings Cross, when one of the very soul sucking demons she was coming to protect Cassie from, hit the glass with considerable force, decorating it with blood and a spiders web of cracks. She retreated quickly back a few steps behind a partition and watched in fascinated horror as a black blade exploded through the dementors upper torso. The excruciating pain was evident on it's twisted features as the blade paused, swiftly withdrew, then whipped horizontally at a slightly elevated level severing the demon's head and coating the corridor with bright red blood. She stared at the twitching corpse for a moment before looking up and straight into the glowing emerald eyes and blood splattered, smiling face of Cassandra Evans. The girl gave her a measured nod, then reached down to retrieve her gruesome prize before turning and striding back to her cabin.
Anyone who saw Hermione Granger come stumbling back through the train a few minutes later would wonder why the brightest witch of her generation was muttering two words under her breath over and over.
Too late. Too late. Too late.
As the door to the cabin closed and the blood covered girl returned to her seat Remus shivered. He was horrified (and secretly very impressed) with what had just occurred. Through the haze of the dementor induced fear that had pervaded the small space he had felt, rather than seen, the girl's anger rise like a moon tide to crash down upon their assailants with a ferocity that he never knew existed in this world. And having been on the receiving end of her mother's temper on several memorable occasions that was really saying something. But this was on a whole other level. The 'saviour of the wizarding world' and his best friend's daughter was a dark and dangerous witch who had just slaughtered two of the nightmares of Azkaban and not even broken a sweat.
The professor looked on as her friends fussed over her, cleaning her up to the best of their ability and not seeming at all phased or scared by the girl's actions. The ginger girl, Molly and Arthur Weasley's youngest he assumed, noticed his slack jawed appearance and favoured him with a small smile before shrugging slightly.
"Saving us. It's just ... you know ... what she does."
Remus was thinking that the Headmaster had somewhat over exagerrated the dark, murderous side of the young witch as he watched her embarrass the Bones girl again by kissing her on the nose. Not that it wasn't a part of her, it most certainly was, but there was also something a whole lot more to her than that. Her light side was just as strong as the dark and extremely adorable at that. He leaned back and considered that as much as she was like the young Lily in a lot of ways at least he wouldn't have to worry about her getting pregnant by accident. Not when you took into account Cassandra's, blatantly obvious preferences in the romantic stakes. The old werewolf smiled to himself and settled in to resume his rudely interrupted nap.
Cassie's arrival in the Great Hall this year was very different to her two previous entrances and a true lesson in the intimidation of the masses. The billowing black robe was revealing glimpses of the two severed heads tied to her belt by their lank hair as she sauntered up to the teacher's table, her mouth twitching in amusement when she caught the Headmaster's gimlet eye. Susan, Ginny and Luna followed in her wake observing the shudders and gasps of the other students as she passed. The three young women who came with her were making as much of a statement tonight as their angel faced friend.
Dumbledore watched darkly in mounting discontent as the new power clique of Hogwarts School seated themselves at the Hufflepuff table in blatant disregard of tradition and chatted amiably to each other until the sorting began.
While Luna was left very much alone, studiously but politely ignored, on her first night back in her common room, nobody wanting a repeat of last years display by the girl's scary and psychotic protector, Ginny and Susan were not so lucky. Susan Bones had faced a serious, sad and disappointed talking to by her peers in the Hufflepuff community with people that she had considered good friends telling her that she had made a big mistake revealling her allegiance. Hannah in particular had given her a hard time about it, all but begging the Bones heiress to reconsider before taking this lonely path to be with the school freaks. The red head was so incensed by their attitude that she ended up making some incredibly rude suggestions about what exactly they could do to and with themselves before grabbing her, still packed, trunk and storming out of the basement. Ginny Weasley's reception was considerably more unpleasant.
The crowd of angry faces that greeted Ginny's arrival in Gryffindor tower was led by her moronic older brother and his idiot pals. Ronald. The vitriol that he spewed from his nasty, ugly, jealous mouth was not unexpected but when he moved on from her, supposed, betrayal of her family and Housemates and started in on Cassie, her temper finally snapped. Her normally soft caramel eyes hardened and smouldered with a new found hatred for her sibling as without warning she stepped forward and kicked him right in his balls. As the breath went out of him and he bent over Ginny brought her knee up sharply into his face breaking his nose and putting him on his back, then wand in hand she glared at the other Gryffindor'as daring them to say another word before she too left her House in fury. Not one person returned her gaze or barred her exit. Nobody wanted to end up like poor old Ronald.
The ex lion and the ex badger ran into each other at the bottom the stairs that led to 'Cassie's' ruined tower and exchanged a pained, pointed look between them.
"You too?"
"Yeah. Bugger. I wish I'd remembered to grab my trunk."
Light skipping footseps were heard behind them as a third voice piped up.
"It's alright Gingey I met these two lovely, nargle free chaps here with your belongings outside of Ravenclaw tower and they insisted on carrying them all the way here. Isn't that right gentlemen? ... Gentlemen?"
Two identical, gangly, red headed youths came puffing, out of breath around the corner dragging both Ginny's and Luna's luggage between them and, dropping them at their feet, leaned against the wall with two similar pained expressions.
"Alright Sis." A panting Fred whispered.
"Merlin's soggy pants. What the bloody hell have you got in there Gin. Nearly bloody killed us that did." His twin brother moaned with a grin.
"Fred! George!"
Ginny flew into her cool and funny but annoying big brothers' arms. With the tears threatening now she disentangled herself from them and turned to bury her head in Luna's shoulder, sniffling slightly. Suddenly her eyes snapped open.
"You can't be here."
"Well ... "
"Thanks a lot ... "
"Next time you can ... "
"Carry your own bloody ... "
"Trunk."
The twins carried out their double act with identical faux hurt faces.
"No. It's not that ... I mean ... thank-you for binging my stuff and all ... but you can't be here. It's just that Cassie gets all jumpy and ... you know ... well ... violent ... if people know were she stays at night. Sorry."
"What more than you?" Fred whistled in fearful awe.
"Yeah, yeah. It's okay Sis. we won't tell anyone."
"You can trust us Gin."
"And so can she."
The two boys hugged their little sister and ran off back to do whatever nefarious deeds that they had planned for the rest of the night (hopefully hexing Ron, she thought) leaving the girls alone at the foot of the stairs. They giggled at the Weasley twins antics, all their anger forgotten for the moment, and started chatting as they headed up to what would hopefully be their new accomodations. Assuming they could persuade Cassie to share her room with them that is.
As it turned out Cassie hadn't needed much persuasion at all. The three homeless witches had simply turned her own patented sad puppy look, that she had herself used to get her own way in the past, back on her and the geen eyed girl had crumbled instantly. She might have valued her privacy very highly once upon a time but after the incredible summer that she had just experienced she had come to look upon these three girls as, not just her best friends, but as her family. And family shared everything. Including her pet snake apparently. Cassie smiled contentedly as she looked at her six foot python stretched out asleep across their four tangled up warm bodies and giving cute little hissing snake snores. Having family was really nice.
Four days later they were sat in Professor MacGonnagal's office waiting for their meeting to start.
Why are we doing this again?
"Because not all of us are used to not taking baths for weeks on end Cassandra Marguerite Evans."
Whoops. Susie must be in a really bad mood if her whole name was coming out. That meant that Cassie was in a crap load of trouble if she couldn't mollify the fiery red head somehow.
"Hygiene is important. Scougifys are not enough and there is only one teacher in this place that can transfigure what we need, so keep your temper under control and your wicked thoughts to yourself. Understood?"
Cuddles?
"Yes. What?"
Love you.
Ginny and Luna were still giggling at their interaction and Susan's impressive blushes when the stern looking Deputy Headmistress entered the office and sat stiffly behind her desk. Miss bones' request for a meeting after school was surprising enough for her to make some discrete enquiries among her more trusted prefects and to encourage Filius and Severus to do the same. The resulting information that all of these young women had been basically evicted from their dorms did not make for pleasant thoughts and had led the Albus Dumbledore Retirement Committee to consider ways to subtly help. Of course, Minerva, being Minerva, had decided that since it was the safety and security of three, young female students that was on the line, she would do whatever needed to be done. Subtle be damned. The older woman swept her unamsed gaze over the still smirking quartet of strange friends and raised a questioning eyebrow.
"How may I assist you ... ladies this evening?"
"Well ... ummmm ..."
A suddenly bashful Susan paused, wondering what would be the best way to approach this. It was all very well pushing for a meeting to ask for help but now that she was actually here she was thinking that Maconnagal might not be very impressed that they were intending to set up a home outside the House system. Especially since two of the witches here were her Gryffindors. Oh dear this might all go spectacularly, badly wrong. She heard a soft hissing next to her and scowled. Cassie was undoubtably discussing her hesitation with Shortcake, which she knew meant that they were laughing at her.
"Why do you think she's stopped talking Shortie?"
"She's probably just remembered that old beaky nose is your Head of House. You should comfort her."
"What like cuddle her?"
"No you mo ... I mean mistress. Hold her hand. Your red headed strumpet seems to like that."
They sniggered together and Cassie reached for Susan's hand.
As soon as she felt their fingers interlace and the soft squeeze, Susan felt all the tension leave her body and she let out the breath that she had been, unconsciously, holding. She glanced across and captured those sweet, twinkling, emerald eyes and felt her confidence return. This was for her. It was all for her.
"We need help with our accomodation professor and, after some ... discussion ... I decided that you were the best person to ask."
The semi ruined tower was in need of a great deal of work to make it habitable. Filius and Minerva had set to the task of conjuring, transfiguring and charming the necessary bed and bathroom facilities immediately, which left only repairing the lower walls and the cleaning availlable to Snape. Deciding that he wasn't going to be left to do this all on his own he decided to press gang some unwilling helpers.
"Right you four since this is for your benefit you can grab your wands and lend a hand. The spell is; effervesio. You can start with the stairs. Well. What are you all waiting for? Get on with it."
Some two and a half long hours later, three professors, four unbelievably dirty witches and one very grumpy python surveyed their handiwork with satisfaction and pride. Downstairs was a comfortable study area complete with bookshelves, desks and, upon Severus' insistance, an extensive and well stocked potions station. Above that, up the now gleaming stairs, the large circlular room had been divided into four roughly equal segments. There was a hallway entrance lounge which the outer door led to, covered in rugs and sofas facing a large fireplace, two comfortable twin bedrooms and an enormous bathroom containing toilets, showers and a huge sunken bath. The entire group witnessed Susan turning bright red and start twitching and squirming as she imagined future naked, soapy bath times with her and Cassie. The girls gushed their thanks and waved goodbye to their professors before they ran, screaming excitedly for the showers.
For the first time since she had started at Hogwarts the class for Defence Against the Dark Arts actually had something meaningful to teach Cassie Evans and had become close in the running, with charms, for her second favourite. It helped, of course, that MacGonnagal had rearranged their schedules so that she now shared all of her classes with Susie, as Ginny did with Luna. They were like the fifth House of Hogwarts. Psycho Freak House she had named them and Ginny and Luna had loved it. Susan wasn't quite so convinced but had still allowed Cassie to embroider a large, silver and red PF emblem on all of their black outer robes. Really the stuff she got away with because of Susie's massive girl crush on her was just amazing. Cassie might have to give the former Huflepuff a little more sugar soon just to keep the wheels greased. Not that she minded. She did kind of have a thing for the red head and the girl definitely knew how to kiss. That impromtu make out session in the infirmary last year had been intense and amazing, well before her brain had exploded anyway, and she really wanted to try that while in full control of all of her faculties. Yep. Susan Bones was all kinds of hot.
Professor Lupin's slightly annoyed clearing of his throat alerted her to his presence in front of her desk. Crap. She had just been caught daydreaming in one of her favourite lessons. Cassie offered him her best chagrined, apologetic Lily half smile and then smirked at Susie after his eyes shone with wetness and he retreated back to the front of the classroom dragging his sleeve across his face. Susan shook her head, rolled her eyes and mouthed the words; Drama queen, swiftly follwed by the more habitual insult of; Dork.
"Okay everyone line up."
When he saw her not moving and caught her confused looking face Lupin sighed heavily.
"Those of you who were paying attention might have heard me say that you're going to be facing a boggart for the practical portion of your lesson today."
Cassie shrugged, smiled brightly at him and joined the end of the line.
It turned out that boggarts were actually very easy to defeat once you realised that was what they were and what it was that they were trying to do. However, making an entire class full of school children face their innermost, worst fears in front of their peers didn't seem to be a particularly good idea to Cassie. It just seemed like an extremely good way to provide fodder for the countless bullies here at the school. Having been on the receiving end of some of that bullying in the past she decided that she was going to bring this lesson to a swift and premature end. She tapped the shoulder of the boy in front of her who finched, swallowed loudly and quickly allowed her to take his place. The action was repeated twelve more times with similar results and she found herself at the head of the line watching a softly crying, but determined, Hermione Granger despatch a sword wielding, blood soaked version of herself with the ridikulus charm.
Nobody laughed. Even when her boggart self was suddenly wearing a bright pink (and very short and revealing) fairy costume and the mighty sword had turned into a large bunch of flowers. The Cassie boggart shrieked and dived for it's closet. Still nobody laughed. They cringed and moved closer together away from her, obviously fearing her temper, but they absolutely, definitely did not laugh. Not at Hermione. Not at the boggart. And pointedly not at her.
Cassie just sighed at their cowardice and moved up to take her turn. Reaching the front of the classroom she smiled and waved cheerfully at a confused looking Hermione and stood in the appointed spot facing the closet. She nodded her assent for the proceedings to start to professor Lupin and slipped her knife up into her sleeve at the ready.
The closet opened and Cassie's worst nightmare stepped out to face her.
Students and teacher alike gasped as the a tall, beautiful, startlingly familiar young woman moved to stand in front of Cassie. The two black haired, green eyed witches faced off. One with shoulder length hair tipped in red and wearing a Hogwarts uniform, the other with longer, sleeker, blacker hair and clad only in light, ebony armour and blood, the heads of Luna, Ginny and Susan clasped grimly in her off hand. Their faces were identical.
Standing rooted to the spot in horror, a wave of remorse and regret washed over Hermione as she finally understood. This was Cassie's greatest fear. That the killer would take her over entirely and that she would fall to it's dark allure. Although it made sense, in a way, that the only thing Cassandra Evans would be afraid of ... was herself. Of what she could become. There wasn't much time for the bushy haired Gryffindor to get lost in introspection, however, as the younger version of the two Cassies flicked her hand out and the real lesson began.
The dagger morphed as it moved and whirled about her body. At the moment that it skimmed across the flag stone floor in it's upward arc to it's target between the junction of the boggart her's legs it had become a gleaming black and silver scythe. Cassie had decided to go the full Ruby Rose on this abomination and keeping a loose hold on the handle of her cool new weapon executed a perfect, cartwheeling vault over it's head. The action caused the scythe to sit up perpendicular to the floor and it took only a brisk forward tug of her arm to bring it flashing down in front of her, the blunt side of the blade crashing through the boggart's closet, destroying it utterly.
There were two almost simultaneous wet plops from behind her.
Cassie turned and daintilly picked her way between the two halves of the boggarts body wiping the blood from her blade and returning it to it's natural form before sitting back down at her desk and folding her hands demurely in her lap. She frowned a little and reached for her notepad as the others in the room attempted to pick their jaws up from off of the floor. Tapping her pen thoughtfully on her cheek for a moment she paused, then wrote a brief message in large letters before showing it to the professor with a contrite smile.
Sorry about the mess.
The nervous tension in the room was released. Now they laughed.
For the first time in many, long years Albus Dumbledore was unsure about his next course of action. At every turn the blasted Evans girl seemed to effortlessly evade his plans to make the appear like the next Dark Lady in training. She could be hated and reviled one moment and then in the blink of an eye turn the whole situation around with a single act of completely selfless and heroic, if unnecessarily violent, behaviour. She had even managed to acquire a loyal little band of friends who, despite his best efforts with the dementor attack he had organised on the train, still continued to stick by her. The fact that one of these friends was the Bones heiress and another was from the family of his most hardened and loyal, if not terribly bright, supporters was pretty troubling as well. This horrid little half blood hussy was outmanouvering him. The great Albus Dumbledore. He would not stand for it.
He had obviously upset Fawkes with his anger, as the phoenix was plucking out his own feathers in a display of frustration, but damn it that disgusting brat always got him so riled up when she messed up his machinations like this. With difficulty the Headmaster managed to calm himself and started to think with more of his usual clarity. This year was quite simply dismissed as a write off in terms of blackening the character of Cassandra Evans, even though Sirius may provide some entertainment if he actually succeeded in capturing the rat, Pettigrew. No it would be altogether better to wait and perhaps manufacture an opportunity to drop the girl back into the soup with his planned resurrection of the Tri-Wizard Tounament next year. A half blood dyke competing in a treasured, ancient competition like that? Oh yes that would certainly do it.
Dumbledore sat back in his throne like chair behind his desk and gave his first real smile since the beginning of term. He summoned parchment and quill towards him and, furiously scribbling a note to the International Convention of Wizards requesting a meeting, began to draw up an exciting and dastardly new plan.
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