Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

"This is not how I planned to spend my Saturday evening," Snape grumbled as he followed along behind Cassie who had out her map of the school and was checking that they wouldn't run into anyone on their way.

"You have to cancel a hot date?" Cassie snickered with a raise of her eyebrow at the man. Frankly, she really was interested. Did he date? Did professors actually have a life outside of the school?

"I might have…you'll never know," he smirked at the prying teen.

Cassie just laughed and continued to look for people who might cross their path on the way to the secret passage out of the school. "Tonks already left, so unless you want me to break a school rule and just leave campus, then you're going with me. I thought the idea was to keep me from getting expelled…"

"You could just stay in your dorm," Snape rolled his eyes but continued to stay in the shadows as they walked through the school. "Remind me why we're sneaking out again? You're with a professor who happens to also be your guardian, we can just walk out the front gates."

"Dumbledore might cause problems, and I'd like to avoid him," Cassie opened the passageway that led to Honeydukes. "Plus, isn't this more fun?" Snape might have scoffed at that, but Cassie would swear he looked like he was having a good time, no matter how much he grumbled.

"Ah, Severus, welcome!" Remus beamed at the man and Cassie as he opened the door to his small flat wider for them to enter.

"Lupin…it does seem fitting somehow that you own a prank store," Snape sneered as he walked in. "I dread the first Hogsmeade weekend coming up."

"Zonko's was here long before me…the Weasley twins just provided more quality products," Remus laughed as he made his way to his small kitchen to start tea.

"Tonks," Snape gave the woman who finally looked like herself again a small nod. "I hear your classes have been going well."

"It's not like I could do worse than a Death Eater, a fraud, and a man possessed by Voldemort," she snorted. "I think Remy is still ranked best with those who had the lot though."

"Not everyone can top perfection," Remus laughed playfully as she kissed his cheek with a grin.

"Just don't try to eat any students and you'll beat him," Snape raised an eyebrow at the man challengingly.

The room went deadly quiet as Remus's face dropped in shame. Cassie quickly cleared her throat. "Erm, so I made the quidditch team. I'm one of the new chasers." She glared at Snape for killing the mood, but he didn't look repentant at all.

"Congratulations, Cas!" Tonks smiled and tried to bring things back around. "You'll do so good!"

"Let me know when the first game is. I want to come," Remus offered, taking the kettle off the stove and pouring it into a teapot. "You're going to be a great chaser."

"Hey, Snape, how is the memory potion coming along?" Tonks asked, accepting her tea and sitting down on the couch with Remus while Cassie and Snape both took armchairs.

"It should be ready in two weekends," he commented. Cassie rolled her eyes that it was fitting the potion would be ready the weekend before Halloween.

"I've been reading up on that potion, Severus," Remus commented hesitantly. "It sounds horrible…especially if Dumbledore has been messing with your mind over years. The pain will be excruciating."

Cassie stood up to reach over and punch Snape in the shoulder. "You didn't tell me that! You can't just put yourself in pain like that and not say anything!"

"I can and I will," Snape glared at her. "And kindly refrain for assaulting your professors."

Cassie just glared back at him. "I've been trying to make this whole thing work with you. If you say you truly want to make a go of this, you can't keep things like this from me. What would you do if it was me that didn't tell you I was going to put myself in pain?"

"I'm the adult," the man scoffed.

"And I've been kidnapped, abused, starved, faced Voldemort four times, been tortured by my own father, seen my uncle and a fellow classmate murdered in front of me, been tortured by a professor, kidnapped by another one, and had another try to wipe all my memories, not to mention almost dying by a giant snake, a dragon, and a troll…I think I've lived through enough to show that I can handle whatever you throw at me," Cassie loomed over him with her hands on her hips. "I might only be fifteen, but you cannot treat me like a fifteen-year-old or this whole relationship thing is never going to work between us!"

"Merlin, Cassie!" Tonks gasped out. "I didn't know about the half of that! We're going to have to have a serious talk!"

Snape actually did look a little abashed at that. He also looked a little green around the edges if Cassie were being honest. "My apologies," he finally said slowly.

Remus just reached over and pulled Cassie onto the couch and into his arms like he'd never let her go again. "I was trying to prove a point, Moony," she huffed but didn't pull away. "You're not helping me look all angry and imposing."

"You have a long way to go to even approach imposing," Snape smirked at her, but for once didn't glower at the werewolf who had his arms wrapped around his goddaughter. "I didn't want to burden you with the knowledge, and frankly, I didn't think you would care this much."

"What?!" Cassie squawked indignantly as both other adults in the room looked at the man sadly. "Of course, I care you idiot!"

"You've hit a professor and called him an idiot…" Snape raised an eyebrow. "I think you're getting too comfortable being away from the school."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you'll find ways to take points from Gryffindor next week because of it, but my point stands."

"The potion is necessary, and I'd rather have my memories back than avoid pain," Snape explained, ignoring the irritating emotional talk. "So, my point stands as well that there isn't anything we can do about it…now, please explain your comment about being tortured by a professor…" he ended with a glare, not having missed that comment.

Tonks stood, "I'm getting firewhisky. You're going to need it after you hear about what Umbridge did."

"Indeed?" Snape took in Tonks's expression as she rummaged through the cabinets and the amber flash in the werewolf's eyes.

"Before you all start drinking…any plans for finding Harry, or determining if he's still alive?" Cassie asked the group.

"He's not still alive; I can assure you of that," Snape told them all firmly with a tinge of sadness. "I cast an inheritance spell on some items of Lily's I had already. Her line has ended…"

Tonks and Remus paled and sighed. They had all known it, but hearing it confirmed tore away the last bits of hope they had. Tonks poured generous portions of the whiskey into three glasses. "You're sure…it can't just be that his magical signature is disguised like Cassie's was?" Remus had to ask even though he trusted that Snape knew what he was talking about.

"I wish I was mistaken…but I had a lock of her hair from when we were kids," the man ran a hand over his face, covering the sad expression he couldn't keep from his features. "That would have worked even if he had no magical signature."

"So, finding out what happened to him then," Cassie sighed and curled up closer to Remus on the couch, trying to offer any comfort she could.

"I'm sure my memories will help with that," Snape accepted his glass and took a large sip. "Until then…what did that vile woman do to you?"

Cassie nervously paced in front of the greenhouses that Sunday. She knew Neville would be tending to some plants Professor Sprout had left in his care. He'd said they were doing well but required a lot of attention. She couldn't believe how nervous she was. It's not like she hadn't known her friend for over five years now; hadn't slept in the same dorm; hadn't chatted late at night. Everything was different though now, and she was actually hoping to change things a little more. "You got this," she mumbled firmly to herself. "You're a Gryffindor and a Black. Sirius would be proud of you for trying…"

She took in a deep breath and opened the door to the greenhouse. Neville was in the back, bent over a tiny plant with an eyedropper he was using to drip some kind of potion onto its leaves. "Cassie!" He looked up and smiled broadly at the girl as she walked through the rows of what looked like baby mandrakes to get to him.

"Hey, Neville," she nervously smiled and then cleared her throat, leaning in what she was hoping was a casual manner against the worktable. "Erm, so I was wondering…well, there's a Hogsmeade weekend next weekend. You've helped me so much…and you're such a great person…erm…"

Cassie trailed off as Neville looked at her in confusion. His kind blue eyes sought hers out with a question in them. "What's wrong Cassie? Your father isn't giving you any more trouble, is he?"

"No, no," Cassie frantically waved her hand. "He just wants me to look over that book he sent a week ago. I'm still working on it. It's…disturbing, but not terrible."

"What is it you need then?" Neville put down the eyedropper and turned his full attention to his friend, concern now on his face.

"Well…wouldyougotoHogsmeadewithme?" Cassie rushed out all in one breath, wincing at the end.

Neville stared at her in confusion for a couple more seconds before a tentative smile started forming on his lips. "I'm not exactly sure what you just said…did you just invite me to Hogsmeade?"

Cassie took in a deep breath, kicking herself for being so ridiculously awkward. "Yes, Neville, yes I did…would you like to go on a date with me to Hogsmeade next weekend?" She asked clearly so there would be absolutely no misunderstanding. "I'd like to take you to lunch and maybe walk around some."

Neville's smile grew to light up his entire face. "I'd really like that Cassie," he finally answered, causing her to breathe out a sigh of relief.

"Oh good…I wasn't looking forward to things being awkward for a while if you said no," she laughed. "Also…unrelated, but you said you weren't that great on a broom, would you like a few lessons sometime? It's one of the few things I'm actually good at."

Neville laughed loudly. "That explains why Luna has been hinting that I need to learn how to fly recently…and I don't believe you for one second that you aren't good at a great number of things. So, yes, I wouldn't mind a few flying lessons either when you get the time. I know you've been busy getting ready for your Potions placement test…and that book you're having to read."

Cassie grimaced at that last part. "The book isn't terribly bad overall, but the spells all have elements of pain and suffering, even if it's the castor and not the one hit with the spell. Honestly, it just makes me feel like I need a shower every time I sit down to read it," she shivered at the end.

Neville's smile fell and concern lit up his face again. "Do you want any help with it? I'm assuming it's dark arts, right? I don't know anything about them, but I can help you figure it out if you want."

Cassie shook her head vehemently. "No! There's no reason the both of us need to go through reading that. Besides, Severus said he'd help if I needed it."

Neville shook his head and picked up a watering can to tend to the plants. "I still can't believe you call him that."

"Me either, but he's coming around. We're actually getting on quite well recently. He's been telling me a lot about Regulus, and he's brewing me a potion to help with my headaches," she perched on a stool to watch her friend in his element. It was quite impressive to see him in a situation he was so self-assured and confident.

"How is your health?" He glanced up to ask. "I've noticed quite a few potions by your plate in the mornings."

"I've had a few health issues, but nothing major," Cassie waved off his concern. "The potions are mostly just vitamins now. Severus just worries. He wasn't in my life for most of it, so I think he's over-compensating some."

Neville raised an eyebrow in disbelief at her. Cassie almost laughed at how Snape-like it was. "All right…but I want the scoop on what it's like to have our dreaded Potions professor as a godfather. Does he make you tea?"

"Yes, he does…and he gave me chocolate biscuits the other day too!" Cassie exclaimed with a chuckle as Neville laughed and continued to care for the plants.

"Black," Draco Malfoy sneered as he roughly pushed past Cassie out of DADA class one Tuesday.

Cassie was done…she was tired, frustrated, irritated at Voldemort for the extra work, on her last nerve with Claudia and Bethany's pranking, and stressed about her placement test. "Cousin Draco," she stopped and turned what she called her imitation Umbridge smile on him, dripping with so much sweetness it was menacing. She could feel Hermione wince beside her, knowing something was coming. Luckily Ron had hurried on ahead to the loo, or she knew he would make this all so much worse.

Draco just scowled at the familiarity of the girl. "What do you want?"

"Would you please instruct your owl to stop dropping letters in my eggs? It's frankly bad manners, and I would hope your parents would have trained a family bird better than that," she smiled even sweeter at him.

"My family's owl has no reason to be delivering letters to a blood-traitor like you," he hissed out in anger.

Cassie leaned forward after making sure no one except Hermione was in listening distance. "Maybe your family has no reason, but that doesn't mean someone staying at your manor hasn't been regularly sending me letters," Cassie said darkly, her smile falling and leaving behind the menacing look. "Please have a chat with your owl, or I might have to really start complaining about him."

Draco Malfoy had turned red, then pale, then green throughout Cassie's whispered warning. She smirked at him and gave his left arm a little pat, making him wince. "See you around, Cousin."

"Was that really necessary?" Hermione sighed as they left the stunned Death Eater behind.

"No, but he's been writing home to his parents about me obviously or my father wouldn't even know I'm a sixth year. He should know who that information is being conveyed to. Besides, he's up to something, and old habits die hard for me apparently," Cassie sighed and rubbed her aching head. The headaches seemed to be getting worse, and she really hoped Severus finished the potion for her soon.

"What do you mean he wouldn't know you're a sixth year?" Hermione looked very confused.

Cassie stopped as she realized she hadn't told Hermione how old she was. "Hermione…I'm only fifteen. My birthday is on Halloween. I should be a year under us, but Harry was supposed to be in this year."

"Oh," Hermione blinked at her, stunned for a second. "Does that mean I need to get you another present?" Hermione quickly recovered and smiled at her friend.

"Definitely not!" Cassie laughed. "You could help me get ready for Hogsmeade next weekend though."

"Why do you need to get ready for Hogsmeade?" Ron asked, slightly out of breath as he caught up to them. "Aren't we just going down to the Three Broomsticks?"

"Nope. I'm ditching the two of you. I have a date," she grinned at Ron happily.

"What?" Ron gaped in surprise. His surprise turned to a glower as he looked around, a protectiveness creeping in. "Who is it? We need to have a chat."

"Bloody hell, no!" Cassie scoffed at him. "I told Remus he couldn't scare him, so you aren't allowed either."

"What about me?" Hermione grinned.

"You're scarier than Ron, nope," Cassie shook her head firmly.

"Lavender!" Hermione called over the girl who quickly left Parvati at the door to the library to join them.

"What's up?" She asked when she got near, with the normal flick of her hair and bat of her eyelashes at Ron that always had Cassie rolling her eyes at her new friend.

"Cassie has a date for Hogsmeade and needs help getting ready," Hermione explained while Cassie just sighed and accepted that her life was no longer her own.

"I'm out! See you all later," Ron rushed away, escaping towards where Seamus and Dean were heading out of the castle.

Lavender pouted a second before turning her entire attention back to Cassie. "Well, we'll start with the hair, then makeup…do you even own a dress?"

Cassie winced. "Unfortunately, yes."

"Right," Lavender looped her arm through Cassie's. "Tell Aunt Lavender all about this bloke as we talk plans."

Hermione chuckled and followed along behind her captive friend. "She hasn't even said who it is yet."

"And I'm not telling either…I don't want him to be scared away before our date," the girl glared at them.

"So…not a Gryffindor then…" Lavender nodded.

"What? No! I just don't trust you idiots!"

"Ah, so he is a Gryffindor," Lavender smirked over Cassie's head to a laughing Hermione.

"She's got you there," Hermione acknowledged between laughs.

By the time Saturday rolled around, Hermione and Lavender both had figured out exactly who Cassie was going to Hogsmeade with to Lavender's delight and Hermione's knowing looks. Ron was thankfully still in the dark since he seemed to be stalking around looking for who he needed to threaten to not hurt his friend/sister. His actual sister, Ginny, even got pulled in the day of to handle Cassie's hair since Hermione claimed she was useless, Lavender nominated herself for makeup, and Parvati just didn't care.

"Lunch in Hogsmeade does not warrant this level of production," Cassie scoffed in complete shock at the girls taking up every sink in the bathroom and at the group that would randomly attack her with lip-gloss or a curling iron.

"We wear uniforms every day, enjoy the novelty of looking your best," Lavender explained as she grabbed Cassie's chin to apply mascara. Lavender herself was dressed in a gauzy blue dress and had her hair in tight braids and red lipstick already applied.

"What are your Hogsmeade plans Hermione?" Cassie asked her friend who she was shocked was also putting on makeup in the mirror. She didn't think Hermione wore makeup, but she was just starting to realize that it was just subtle instead of overstated.

"I'm going with Ginny and Luna. Ron said he was busy…probably with Dean and Seamus. They want to check out the new Weasley Wizarding Wheezes store, and I'd prefer to just hang out and maybe check out the bookshop," she explained with a shrug.

"Erm, Hermione…" Lavender looked at her a bit sheepishly. "I thought you knew…Ron's going with me."

Cassie smirked at Hermione's stunned look. Usually, her friend was in the know more than this, and even Cassie had figured out that Lavender liked Ron. As she took in Hermione's look, she frowned. Did Hermione like Ron? No, definitely not. She always seemed so exasperated at him, and they were just so different…right?

Hermione made some non-committal comment and went back to her make-up. Cassie watched her more closely now though. The smell of hot hair and perfume made the air hazy between them as she watched her friend. Hermione definitely seemed upset, but Cassie wasn't sure if it was just that she hadn't known or that she was genuinely upset. "Aaah!" Ginny dropped Cassie's shower bag she'd been going through looking for a hair tie like it was a blast-ended skrewt.

"What's wrong?" Cassie pushed Lavender out of her line of sight to see what had upset Ginny.

"There's maggots in your bag!" The girl recovered enough to nudge the bag over with her foot.

"I really, really hate them," Cassie took in a deep breath and let it out again before she stood to look in the bag and see the damage.

"Claudia and Bethany," Hermione explained to Ginny with a disgusted look at the bag.

After deciding it wasn't worth saving, Cassie banished it with her wand. "Well, I guess I'm going shopping in Hogsmeade today too," she sighed. "I hope Neville doesn't mind looking at toothpaste and shower gel with me."

"As long as you two stop by Professor Lupin's store as well," Ginny glowered out towards the common room since the two girls weren't in the bathroom with them.

"I'm really been trying to turn over a new leaf and be the bigger person," Cassie tried to calm herself and not rush out to curse her dormmates. "I was so angry last year. I just wanted this one to be a calm and peaceful year."

"Cassie, Luna's dormmates didn't let up on her until she started booby-trapping her stuff," Ginny warned her. "I'm all for world peace and all, but sometimes you need to put the fear of magic in some people to get them to leave you alone."

"I'll drop by the store, Ginny," Cassie promised. Besides, she'd already promised Remus to stop by and see the store on his big day. The store had been open for a while, but its official grand opening was going to be when the students could first drop by. She'd heard that Fred and George would more than likely stop by as well, and she really did miss those two.

"Right…so, I deem you gorgeous!" Lavender exclaimed as Cassie awkwardly shoved her feet in some black-strappy sandals with as low of a heel as she could possibly find when she'd been shopping with Tonks.

Hermione looked at her friend assessingly as she stood in the off-the shoulder black dress that went down to just above her knees and had a black ribbon that wrapped around the middle in a crisscrossing pattern. Cassie's hair was pulled up into a ponytail, and she was wearing all the make-up that Tonks had forced into her bag. "You definitely look like a girl," Hermione smirked at her.

Ginny scoffed at the older girl and crossed her arms. "You're beautiful, Cassie. Hermione just doesn't know fashion. Neville's going to just melt when he sees you."

Hermione put her arm around Cassie's shoulder and whispered in her ear. "You do look really good you know…nothing like Harry. How are you taking this?"

Cassie pulled down on the bottom of the dress and tried not to chew on her lip and mess up the lip gloss. "It's weird…" she whispered back. "I don't know if I'm ever going to be comfortable in a dress and with make-up…"

"I really don't think Neville will mind," Hermione grinned back at her. "I do think he'll like the look though, even if it's not something that happens often."

Cassie nodded. She felt naked and very uncomfortable. It's not that she really minded wearing the dress and make-up and all, and it's not even that she didn't feel pretty. It was really just that she'd never worn anything like it ever, and it just didn't cover enough in her opinion. She also couldn't get it out of her head that if she had to fight Death Eaters, the outfit was extremely impractical.

She steeled herself and followed the rest of the group of girls out of the bathroom and down to the common room. "You look great!" Ron exclaimed as Lavender Brown grabbed onto his arm to pull him towards the portrait hole.

"Of course, I do," she grinned back at him. "You're not too shabby yourself." Ron looked like he actually had put in a little effort, wearing a newer pair of slacks and a button up shirt.

Hermione and Ginny rushed out to meet up with Luna, leaving just Cassie who smiled nervously at the gaping teen who was holding a red rose by the fireplace. "Hey…that for me?" She asked, motioning to the flower.

Neville slowly nodded his head. He was wearing black slacks and a blue shirt that both complemented his eyes and showed that he did actually have muscles. Cassie smiled at the effort he seemed to have put into getting his hair to behave as well. "You look really good, Neville," she said as she took the rose and conjured a vase for it. She placed it on the bookshelf to grab when they returned.

"You look…wow, just wow," Neville smiled brightly and shook his head.

"Thanks…I never wear dresses," Cassie hated that she was blushing now.

Neville offered an arm and Cassie took it, feeling more girly than she had since she turned back into a girl, but she could admit that it wasn't that bad. "So, what all do you want to do in Hogsmeade?"

"Anything besides Madam Pudifoot's," Cassie shuddered at her last date, with a girl.

"I see the girls have been filling you in," Neville laughed as they started down the stairs. "That place really is quite ridiculous though."

"Erm, I need to stop by the general store," she went between embarrassed and angry. "A couple dormmates pranked my shower bag, and I need to buy all new."

"What did they do to make you have to toss the whole thing?" He asked in shock.

"Maggots," Cassie grimaced.

"Ew…" Neville looked horrified at what they did. "That's not a prank. You had to toss your entire shower bag…that's destruction of personal property."

"I could have cleaned it out, I guess," she sighed. "I'd never get that image out of my head though every time I pulled out my toothpaste."

"I mess with earthworms and bugs all day in the greenhouses, and I would have tossed it," Neville frowned. "Let's stop by the new Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. I know you never met Ron's twin brothers, but they will definitely have something you can put in your stuff to keep people from wanting to get into it. Plus, you'll really like Remus Lupin."

"I do really like Remus Lupin," Cassie smiled up at him and chuckled. "He was Uncle Sirius's best friend. I met him this summer."

Neville looked a little shocked at that but smiled happily. "Great! Now…lunch. Three Broomsticks or do you want to go fancier? There's a really nice Italian place on the edge of town."

Cassie had never been to the Italian place before, and it did sound more date-like. "Let's do Italian. I really like pasta."

"Hmm…and cheese and tomato sauce," Neville smiled happily at her. It seemed she made a good choice in his opinion.

"Neville!" Ron finally caught of glimpse of who Cassie was with as they all walked down to the town.

"Uh oh…you're about to meet protective Ron…not to be confused with hot-head Ron or angry Ron," Cassie warned him.

"Wow, you already know him so well…" Neville winced as the redhead left a chuckling Lavender to walk over to them. "I'm just lucky Harry isn't here. The two of them ganged up on Dean when he was dating Ron's sister. I think he slept with one eye open for a month." Cassie couldn't help the laugh that escaped.

"Neville, she may be new, but she's still basically my sister…" Ron began seriously to his dormmate.

"And she can take care of herself," Cassie glared at him from where she was still holding onto Neville's arm.

"Yes, but…"

"Your date is waiting on you, Ron," Cassie continued her glare and motioned towards Lavender who seemed to be enjoying the show more than feeling abandoned.

Hermione came up behind him then and grabbed his arm, physically pulling him back to Lavender. "Thanks 'Mione!" Cassie called to her friend who was quietly lecturing Ron already.

"Have fun," Luna grinned at them as she walked off with Ginny to grab Hermione before he embarrassed Ron too much.

"Well…that went better than I imagined," Neville sighed.

"Yeah…" Cassie winced. "You haven't officially met Remus or Severus though. I vote we just avoid any area Severus is chaperoning."

"I second that motion!" Neville raised his free arm in a mock vote.

"Don't worry…hang around long enough and you can torture me with your gran. I've heard enough stories at this point to already be afraid," Cassie smiled at him. Neville's gran really did sound terrifying.

"So…you want to keep me around for a while?" he smiled broadly at her.

"Hmm…let's see if you slurp your pasta. Might be a deal-breaker," she joked as they reached the outskirts of town.

Up Next: Hogsmeade Part II, and Snape's memories...