"Where are we going?" Cassandra asked, trying to keep up as he dragged her down the hall and toward the dungeons. "Dad? Can't you slow down a bit, at least?"

"No." He pulled her into his office and closed the door. "Sit."

She did as she was told, carefully watching as he walked about the room, going through different bottles and vials, flying through them, seemingly searching for one.

"Can you at least tell me what's going on? Or what that thing was that you and the headmaster were talking about?" Her eyes narrowed and she stood. "Tell me something at least!" she shouted at him. "Is there or is there not a way to control my magic?"

The bottles began to quiver and she gasped, eyes darting around at the glass jars. His hand shot out, steadying one before it could fall to the floor. He straightened and turned as she fell back into the chair, gripping the arms.

"Deep breath," he advised. "Calm yourself, Cassandra."

"Trying."

"You're desperate for answers and you're frustrated," he guessed, eyeing the jars. "That makes you upset, which can also make you angry and I would rather not like to end up in St. Mungo's."

"What do you mean? Why would you go there?"

"Your magic is reactive to your emotions. The more you feel the more your magic will build until there is no other place for it to go. You were angry with Miss Bones, weren't you? Angered and frustrated enough that you wanted to hurt her?"

"I just wanted them to stop. I would never actually consider hurting anyone! Really! Not even Bellatrix!"

"Magic is a tricky thing. Especially when it is so closely tied to your emotions the way yours is. The more you feel the more magic you release and the harder it is to control. Even with a wand."

"So how do I control then?" she demanded. "I've tried everything and nothing seems to work! Nothing!"

"Are you certain of that?"

"Yes…." She eyed her father. "Though I'm guessing you have something else in mind?"

"Occlumency."

"What?"

"A rather difficult skill. It is intended to shield the mind from being viewed—an act known as legilimency. Through the use of legilimency, a person is able to gain information from your very thoughts and feelings, and is able to use that knowledge for his own personal gain. Occlumency will protect you from this."

"And you think teaching this to me will help? How, exactly?"

"To become a true occlumens will take years upon years of practice. It is not something that can be easily mastered in a night. However, there are certain aspects that may prove useful to you. In order to use Occlumency, your mind must be calm and focused. By learning to do this you will—hopefully—have a better control on your magic."

She sat up. "You really think so?"

"It is worth a try." He sighed. "However the practice for Occlumency is not an easy task. Especially not when you are still in your first year."

"You mean it's dangerous?"

"Yes. I tried to train your mother in this art, and even that was difficult to accomplish."

"You taught mom Occlumency?"

"A small amount. Some have a gift for it while others do not. Elaine was a talented witch her in time, yet sadly even she could not master the art."

"Then why'd you teach her?"

"The Dark Lord, It is how he gets information. He looks into the mind of those he wishes to interrogate and will continue to probe their thoughts until there is nothing left. It is one his more...cruel acts of magic. I had hoped that teaching Elaine Occlumency would offer her some sort of protection against the Dark Lord."

"Why would she need protection? She was a Death Eater. She followed him."

"Not at the beginning. Elaine was...strangely complicated at the best of times. Even I wasn't aware of when her allegiance changed. There's a chance it never changed even after she received the Dark Mark."

"You never told me any of that. Never told me much of anything about her."

"I can tell you that Elaine would've wanted you to be safe from the Dark Lord as much as I do. Which is why I had planned to teach you this, actually. I was, however, hoping to wait until your fourth or fifth year, but it would seem that now would be a good time to begin."

"Great. So how do we do it? How do we get started?"

"Not that simple. Occlumency requires training. Which means that you must be able to protect yourself from having someone enter your mind. Therefore it requires me to look into your mind while you attempt to stop me. Do you understand?"

"But if it's so complicated...why teach me in the first place? I mean, it's not like You-Know-Who is actually going to try to use legilimency on me, right?"

"Perhaps not to the extent he may use on an auror, but he still uses it to gain insight into what his own Death Eaters are telling him."

"Oh." She glanced up at him. "And there's no better way to teach me?"

"I'm afraid not." He looked at her. "If there is anything you do not wish for me to see, I can teach you a spell to remove the memories from your mind and they can be stored safely away until the lesson is over."

"I think I'm alright."

"Then take this." He handed her a vial. "A calming draught. It will help provide some assistance. The first few times are a bit of a shock. Afterwards you will be on your own."

She nodded and took the vial from him, downing the contents. "It won't hurt, will it?"

"Not physically. It all depends on what sort of memories there are and how you will react to them. There are always memories that are bound to be painful." He sighed and took out his wand. "Any more questions?"

Cassandra shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Then calm your mind and take a deep breath," he advised, pointing his wand at her. "Legilimens."

She gasped as images flooded through her mind in a blur of colors. She could feel the emotions there, could feel them as if those memories were happening all over again. She could hear the distant voices echoing around her, could begin to see outlines of people around her. One such shape was more distinct than the others.

"Concentrate," Snape urged, his voice distant and echoing in the mess of noises around her. "Concentrate, Cassandra. Clear your mind. Keep your emotions calm…."

The shape blurred and suddenly everything changed. She gasped, standing someplace she couldn't recognize. There was distant laughter there, a small feeling of joy….

Then everything blurred into the halls at Hogwarts. She could hear the shoutings, could feel the invisible glares surrounding her, only a hundred times worse as if all of her memories had been crowded into one thing….

She gave a shout as she suddenly fell to her hands and knees, the cold stone floor swaying beneath her. Cassandra shakingly looked around, trying to steady her breathing as she saw the glass jars that had cracked, some of them oozing contents onto the shelves. She looked up, seeing her father's shocked face, one hand steadying himself against a table.

"Are you—are you alright?" he stammered.

"I think I saw...something…. I don't know what any of it was…." She bit her lip, blinking back tears.

He walked over, knelt down, and hugged her. "We'll stop for tonight," he murmured. "How about some tea instead, hm?"

"With the peppermint candies you always put on top?"

"Always."

Cassandra sighed and finished packing up her trunk, shoving away the different things she had brought with her into whatever small space she could find. She closed it and paused, seeing the Potions book sitting on her bed.

She reached over and grabbed it, sitting on her trunk as she flipped through the old pages, reading what her mom had scribbled into the margins. Some potions she recognized, while others they had never touched on. A few of the recipes she saw had been corrected on the board per her mother's changes.

There was a soft knock and she looked up in surprise, seeing him standing at the doorway.

"How did you get into the tower?"

"Anyone can enter so long as they provide the answer to the riddle," Snape explained. "Though I believe the knocker gave me an easier one…. Then again, she always had said I was more of a Ravenclaw than a Slytherin."

"Did she always write in these?" Cassandra asked, holding up the book for him to see.

"Yes." He nodded for her to stand as he took out his wand, vanishing the trunk down to his chambers. "There are six others just like that one. She was always far better at Potions than I ever could hope to be."

"But you're the professor here," she argued, stashing the book into her bag as she followed him out of the room.

"Dumbledore's decision. Not mine. If I had my way, she would've been the Potions professor and I would've taken the Defense Against the Dark Arts position."

"You'd probably be better than Quirrell. All he ever does is lecture us about theories and everything. At least then we might actually get some practice with our wands once in a while. Though I think he's been on edge about something recently."

"Probably the Dark Lord. He's been summoning people lately."

"About what happened over the holidays? He's still mad about that?"

"It is important that the ministry not locate where we are. Or else they'll attack and every single Death Eater on the premises will be either forced into hiding or dragged away to Azkaban to be forced into the company of the dementors."

She shuddered. "Dementors…. Would not want to meet one of those. Especially after reading about them."

"You've read about dementors?"

"There's a lot of things you can read about when you don't really have to go anyplace with anyone." She stopped, biting her lip. "Dad?"

He stopped as well and turned to face her. "Yes? What is it?"

"Do I have to ride the train back? Can't I just use the floo network instead and go home with you?"

"Something wrong?"

"I just really don't want to ride back...by myself…."

He nodded in understanding. "Of course."

Cassandra smiled and followed him the rest of the way, easily keeping up with his longer strides. The halls seemed strangely empty with a large majority of students already boarding the train back to King's Cross. A few passed them, and she hung back, looking more like she just happened to follow Snape, before catching up with him once the others had gone by.

"Severus!" McGonagall called out, stopping him in the halls. "Cassandra, dear? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be on your way to the train?"

"She has elected to travel home with me instead," he explained.

"Ah. Very well then. I trust you'll behave over summer?"

She nodded. "I will, Aunt Minnie."

"If I could have a word with you in private?" McGonagall asked.

She looked up at the two adults before seeing the look of resignation on her father's face.

"Make it quick," he snapped. "You know where my chambers are?"

"Yes…."

"I'll be along in a moment."

Cassandra glanced at the two of them before walking down the hall. She quickly darted around a corner, pressing herself up against the wall. There was a pause as the two waited, thinking that she had vanished before they spoke.

"Well?" Snape asked.

"I do hope you have an idea to help with her magic," McGonagall pointed out with a hint of worry in her voice.

"Of course. She'll spend the summer studying Occlumency. Hopefully it will help."

"Occlumency? That's a very advanced branch of magic, Severus. Do you thinks she'll be capable of such a thing?"

"It will take time, but I believe she is capable of it. Given from what' I've seen of her first lesson, I'd say that she has some talent for Occlumency."

"If you think so…." McGonagall lowered her voice. "The longer we—"

"I know," he interrupted. "Trust me. I know. Now, if you'll excuse me. About time I was at my flat once again. And I suspect Cassandra is anxious to be home."

"As to be expected."

Footsteps approached and she went to dart down the hall. Before she could, a hand reached out and grabbed her arm. Cassandra winced, her cheeks reddening as she turned to face her father.

"Don't think you can hide that easily from me," he pointed out, releasing her arm. "You've been trying that since you were old enough to get into my potion stores at home. At least this time I don't have to worry about how many bezoars I have on hand or whether or not the latest vial of Veritaserum has gone missing."

"That bad?"

"Very. Though I do have to admit that the Veritaserum one was rather interesting. You were an...entertaining...child growing up. Can still recall the day I had come home and she was very confused as to how a small broom was tap dancing around the kitchen. Turns out you had somehow gotten your hands on her wand."

"I'm guessing you mean mom?"

"Yes."

They reached his chambers and she grabbed her trunk, pulling it over to the fireplace. She grabbed a handful of floo powder and flooed out of the castle, stepping out into their flat. Snape followed with his own things and waved his wand, sending the trunks up to their respective rooms.

There was a noise and he grabbed her arm, pulling her back behind him as he scanned the room. A house elf appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, her ears perking up as she saw them.

"Keesy?" Cassandra asked in surprise, stepping out from behind him.

"You know this elf?"

"Yeah. You-Know-Who assigned her to me while I was staying at the manor…." She glanced at the elf. "But I don't know why she's here exactly."

"Master sent Keesy to see that Miss Cassandra was alright," the elf squeaked. "And to deliver a message that Severus Snape is to see master at once."

"Great." Snape sighed. "As if I need more places to be. Cassandra, wait here with...Keesy." He shot a wary glance at the elf.

"I will."

"Good." He nodded and disapparated with a loud crack.

"Would Miss Cassandra like something to eat?" Keesy asked.

"I'd like an explanation," she muttered, walking over to the sofa. "They were talking about something. And I want to know what."

"I don't know if Keesy can help with that. Keesy doesn't know this place like she knows the home of her master."

She sighed and fell onto the sofa. "He's keeping something secret from me. I can tell. Just want to know why…."

Voldemort sat in the dining room, eyeing the wand in his fingers, a silver teacup set out next to him. There was a loud crack and Severus walked into the room.

"You wished to see me, my lord?" he asked.

"Yes. I trust Cassandra will be staying with you over the summer?"

"She is my daughter."

"Then I hope that you will be making progress with her magic."

"Yes, my lord."

"Good. Off with you then, Severus. Oh, and do keep the elf with you. Keesy will be monitoring your progress."

"Of course." He turned to leave.

Voldemort stood only for something to flash inside his mind. An image of Cassandra standing there as he placed a hand on her shoulder, almost as if he were guarding her in a way….

"I happen to care for my own reasons, Severus," he called out after the Death Eater, a smirk on his lips.

"My lord?"

"Do be careful next time. Who knows what sort of secrets you may let slip the next time?"

"Yes, my lord." He continued out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Perhaps Cassandra is a way to finally learn what secrets he's hiding? Elaine had only gotten me so far, but Cassandra…. She is a rather clever girl, after all. And whatever secrets you've been hiding from me are bound to be hidden from her—something I'm certain she'll want to discuss.

He nodded to himself, putting the idea away for another day. He disapparated from the room and into the dungeon, walking toward the man just as Bellatrix was finishing up with her curse.

"Careful now, Bella," he purred, walking toward the man. "We still want him to talk, after all."

She cackled, grinning as he approached. Bellatrix took a slow step back, letting him examine her work. He sighed and moved his wand, the invisible chains lifting the prisoner, forcing him to look up at the Dark Lord. He smiled, seeing the instant fear in the man's gaze.

"P-p-p-please, my lord," he begged.

Voldemort knelt down and dragged the tip of his wand against the man's face. "You do realize what the punishment is for failing me, don't you? I know you do." He reached over and rolled up the man's sleeve, showing him the Dark Mark. "It was explained to you on the day that you took this. And now you're here because you failed me."

"I-I-I did-didn't mean to! Please! S-sp-spare me!"

" 'didn't mean to'?" He gripped the man's throat, his long fingers digging into the flesh. "I made your orders very clear, didn't I? You were to ensure that her first year went well, and look at what happened. Look at what you failed to do."

He entered his mind, forcing him to see the same images. Cassandra walking alone in a hall, being abandoned by the other group of Ravenclaws, being laughed at during her Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons. He released the throat and the images vanished.

"I-I-I did my best! Hon-honest!"

"And yet it still happened." He stood, sneering at the whimpering man. "And you are of no further use to me, Quirrell. Not as a Death Eater and certainly not alive."

"My-my lord! P-please!"

He pointed his wand at him. "Avada kedavra."

The killing curse shot out, hitting Quirrell, the body falling to the floor. He turned and put his wand away, seeing Bellatrix staring at the body.

"Don't pout," he chided. "It doesn't suit you. Oh, and do clean up the mess."

"I am not a little servant, you know. Why don't you have that little witch do it for you instead? Let her see the blood early!"

"I told you to clean it up, Bella. I won't ask again. In the meantime, perhaps you do have something of an idea. It may be worth my time investing in a better solution. Oh, and don't get any blood on my floors like the last time. I just had the marble polished."

Cassandra sighed, rolling over in her bed. She gasped, limbs flailing, eyes snapping open as she hit something hard. She groaned and rolled over, propping herself up on her arm as she shook her head. She couldn't recall the last time she had actually rolled out of bed.

She went to reach for her blanket only to fall back, shocked when she didn't find her bed there. She stood, wincing as she fell back onto her hands and knees, doing her best not to vomit. It felt like that time she had apparated with Voldemort when the aurors had attacked, but she couldn't recall apparating with anyone.

She tried to stand again, slowly moving this time. She reached out in the darkness, finding a stone wall to steady herself against. Cassandra slowly walked forward, trying to feel her way, squinting to try and see if she could make anything out.

There was a shape ahead. She stumbled over to it, finding a pair of metal bars and a set of stairs leading up to another door. She gripped the bars, doing her best to stay on her feet.

"Hello?" she called out. "Hello? Anyone up there? Anyone? Let me out!"

She groaned in frustration, hitting the bars with her fist, What she wouldn't give to have a wand on her right now. Even if it wouldn't do her any good, it would at least be something!

Cassandra sighed and stepped back, squinting around to see if there could be another way out. She let out a scream as her foot slipped on something and she tumbled over an object. She tried to stand, only to freeze as her hand landed in something wet and sticky.

She squinted, seeing a familiar shape. "Hello? Professor Quirrell?" She reached forward, feeling his wand in his hand. She grabbed it, and turned it around.

"Lumos."

She screamed and dropped the wand, scrambling back as the light showed her the scene before her. The walls shuddered in response, cracking around her. Bits of stone fell from the ceiling and she curled up, covering her head with her hands to protect herself.

Help me. Dad, someone, anyone. Please. Help me.

"Sir? Sir?"

Severus frowned, annoyed at the voice that had disturbed his sleep. His eyes narrowed, seeing the faint outline of a creature. He grabbed his wand and lit it, recognizing the annoying—if sometimes useful—house elf.

"What? And this better be important."

"Miss Cassandra, sir. She's not in her bed."

"What?" He tossed off the covers and quickly walked down the hall to her room, the elf at his heels.

He stopped, seeing the empty bed. His eyes narrowed as he searched the room for her, heart thumping in his chest. He paused, seeing the table by her bed where her wand lay. He walked over and picked it up, fingers curling around the wood. Whatever had happened, his little girl was bound to be terrified and defenseless.

"Find her," he ordered the elf. "Now! I want my daughter back this instant!"

"Yes, sir! Keesy will find her, sir!" The elf vanished as he walked out of the room, searching the rest of the flat for any trace of where she might've gone.

"Where are you?" he whispered, pacing around the room. "Cassandra. Where are you? What happened to you? Please be alright. Please be alright."

Something creaked open and she flinched, wincing from the light. The door was forced closed and she slowly turned, hearing footsteps on the stairs. A wand lit up and she went over to see who it was, stopping once she saw the person there.

"Bellatrix? What is this place? Where am I?"

"Riddle Manor, of course." She smiled. "Like it? Silencing Charm on the door."

Her eyes narrowed. "You're the one who stuck me in here?"

"Of course, stupid girl! I did tell the Dark Lord that you should have an introduction to your first death at an early age. And what better time than this?"

"Let me out!"

"As you wish." She opened the bars and stepped inside, blocking her exit. "Crucio."

Cassandra fell to the floor, screaming as the pain hit her. She kicked and thrashed at the agony, trying to get away from it. She gasped for breath once the curse had been lifted, shaking from the pain.

"Not very good, is it?" Bellatrix walked toward her and knelt down. "Hard to see what the Dark Lord sees in you."

She weakly reached her hand toward her forearm. Now that she knew where she was, she could….

"Ah." Bellatrix gripped her arm. "You were trying to call him, weren't you? Like I'd ever let you do that! In fact…." She held Cassandra down and took out a knife, dragging the blade across her skin over the Dark Mark.

She screamed, struggling against the older witch.

"There! No more calling him!" Bellatrix stood. "Hm… It would be easier to kill you, but that's not as much fun, is it? Don't worry! We'll have plenty more tomorrow!" She walked over to the gate and closed it shut, locking the bars behind her. "Oh, and don't try to escape with your pitiful excuse for magic. Or else all of the manor will come crashing down on top of you, and we wouldn't want that." She smiled and cackled as she left, the sound echoing throughout the room.

Cassandra groaned and winced as she tried to roll over, forcing herself to do something about the cut in her arm. She fumbled in the darkness, doing her best to rip off a strip of unstained pajamas to use as a bandage. She wrapped it around her arm, hoping that would do something even if she could already feel it beginning to bleed through the fabric.

She crawled back over to where she had dropped the wand, clenching her teeth together as every movement ached with pain. Her fingers clutched at the stone, trying to find it. She smiled as she finally felt the wand, holding onto it with relief.

Her arms gave way and she fell onto the stone, clutching the wand close to her. It wouldn't do her much good in a fight against Bellatrix, but at least it was something. She had hope in something. Now if only her father could find her again.

Severus apparated into the manor, furiously searching around. This was where the elf had told him she was.

"Severus?" Barty asked. "What are you—?"

He was cut off as Severus crossed the room, grabbed him by the collar, and pinned the man up against the wall, his wand pointed at his throat.

"Where is she, Crouch?"

"Who?"

"Cassandra. Where is she?"

His eyes widened with surprise. "She's not with you? Merlin's beard! I don't know where she is! You're sure she's here?"

"Yes."

"Well I haven't seen her." His eyes narrowed. "Haven't seen much of Bella either…. Merlin's beard!" He yanked Severus's hand off of him. "I know where she is!"

He followed the Death Eater down one of the halls and toward the stairs. Barty yanked open the door and ran down the steps, pointing his wand at the bars to unlock them.

Severus lit his wand, shining it around in the darkness. "Cassandra? Cassandra? Where are you?"

"Here!" Barty called out.

He walked over to where the Death Eater was kneeling.

"She's still alive," he pointed out. "The other one…."

"I don't care for the dead." Severus knelt down and picked his daughter up.

He disapparated to one of the rooms above and gently set her down on the bed. He took out his wand, unbandaged her arm, and waved it over the wound, muttering a spell to stop the bleeding. He sighed and bent over, gently kissing her head.

"I'm glad you're alright," he whispered. "I'm here now. I'm here."