Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Severus Snape had woken up in some strange situations throughout his life. There were the Slytherin house parties when he was in school, which he never took part in, but that didn't mean strange things didn't happen in the dorm around him. Then there were Death Eater meetings and later pulling himself off of his floor with a killer hangover. Then Regulus's adventures he insisted Severus follow along with him on, which never ended well. Later, there were the Death Eater meetings when he would pull himself off the floor from sustained curses and beatings. This had to be one of the top of the strange though.
Severus groaned as he felt like he'd been repeatedly run over by a hippogriff then crucio'd. His head was completely fuzzy and muddled. He vaguely remembered that it was because he had new memories competing with fakes ones for dominance, but he couldn't sort between them yet. And he had absolutely no clue why there was a bare foot that looked like it belonged to a teenage girl right in front of his nose. The rest of the girl was sprawled on top of his comforter and hugging a pillow at the end of his bed, a book discarded beside her.
After another groan as Severus shifted again, the girl seemed to wake up, which meant he got kicked in the face none too gently. "Oh, hell, I'm sorry! You're awake!" The girl exclaimed before almost flipping over in the bed to get right up into his personal space to feel his forehead and check the pupils of his eyes…what she was looking for he had no idea.
"What?" Was all he could rasp out with a weak effort to get away from her. Another mystery, why was his throat so sore?
"Merlin, I'm so glad you're ok. You are ok, right?" She asked in concern, large, familiar blue eyes almost staring into his soul.
It only took a second before the memories clicked together to tell him that this is Cassiopeia, Regulus's daughter, she actually cares for him for some reason. "Cassiopeia," he rasped again. "What happened? What are you doing here?"
She looked at him with the most reproachful look he'd ever seen outside of Regulus's face. "You took that stupid memory potion by yourself! I just happened to stop by, and you were writhing and screaming…what if I hadn't come?! You'd have been all alone and on the floor! Don't you ever do that to me again!" She admonished him, a finger jabbed into his chest to emphasize the point.
"Why are you in my bed?" He asked, finally taking in that they were in his chambers and remembering that he hadn't started out in the bed.
"Every time I left, you started screaming again," she scooted closer to him, still staring at him in concern. It was very uncomfortable. "What do you need? Tea? Coffee? Pancakes? I can cook you know or have Kreacher pop to the kitchens to get you something. Where do you keep your pain potions? I can get one for you."
"Don't you want to know what I remember?" He asked, still not sure what he remembered just yet, but needed to get her off of her concern jaunt.
"No, I want you well…then we'll talk about what you remember," she glared at him. "Stay," she ordered. "I'm getting you tea and some oatmeal. It'll be soft on your throat. You really did a number on it last night. I'll just rummage through your cabinets until I find the right potion."
The girl that looked to be wearing track pants and a t-shirt with a panda on it hurried out of his room. "Bathroom, over the sink," he painfully called after her, really not wanting her to go through all his cabinets looking for the potion. He couldn't rightly remember if there was anything she shouldn't find, but he didn't want to run that risk just in case. He would run after her, if he thought he could actually stand.
Also, he was fairly positive he didn't have any oatmeal in his little kitchen, so he was only slightly interested in how she was going to make breakfast happen. Probably call her elf. He figured he should call himself blessed that it was Cassiopeia and not Tonks or the wolf he had woken up to. He assumed there would have been a rotation of them if he'd told the strange family what he'd planned on doing the night before. His back was very thankful his goddaughter hadn't left him on the floor though. Note to self…only take memory potions when already lying down.
It didn't take long before Cassiopeia entered again carrying a tray with a steaming cup of tea, an uncorked vial of pain potion, and a large bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruit on top. "Here you go, breakfast in bed," she smiled and giggled a little.
Severus shook his head. Harry Bloody Potter was in his chambers as a girl, giggling, and serving him breakfast in bed. His life really had turned very strange. He downed the potion before gratefully taking the tea and slowly sipped it. The infernal girl sat back on the bed with him and took up staring at him again. "Don't you have insipid friends or that new, ridiculous boyfriend of yours to get back to?"
Cassiopeia flushed a bit. "Nev's not my boyfriend, not yet anyway. He doesn't even know who I really am yet."
"Uh huh," he really didn't care, but he would kill Neville if he hurt his goddaughter. Which now that he thought of it…
"I'm going to murder Dumbledore!" He growled, plopping the tea back on the tray and struggling to get up.
"No! Stay!" Cassiopeia shoved him back down and put the mug of tea back in his hands. "Stay, rest up, and tell me, ok? We already wanted to kill Dumbledore…what new things did you remember to add to the list of reasons? Any assassination attempt will be more successful if you're at full strength anyway."
"Merlin," Snape ran a hand down his face in frustration. "Everything…I can't believe how many of my memories were modified!"
Cassie just nodded. "I figured, with the amount of screaming and all…"
"Cassiopeia…I…I really thought, I remembered being the reason why the Potters were targeted," Severus turned dark, haunted eyes on his goddaughter. "I've lived with that for over a decade. It's eaten at my soul every bloody day!"
"The prophesy?" Cassie asked, a dark eyebrow raised in surprise.
"Yes, I remembered hearing it and reporting it back to the Dark Lord. I remembered being the one to give him a reason to target Harry and Lily and James. Merlin, since we found out that Harry died, I knew I was the reason for his death!"
"So…the prophesy isn't real?" She asked hopefully.
"Oh, it's real," he chuckled humorlessly. "Probably one of the only real prophesies that fraud Trelawney has ever made. The largest modification to my memory, the most that bastard took away from me, was when exactly I left the Dark Lord's service and joined the Light. It was before she made the prophesy…"
"Then how did Voldemort hear about it? And how's it a real prophesy if Harry's dead? Is Neville the 'Chosen One?'" She said with air quotes at the end and real fear in her eyes for her friend.
Snape shook his head slowly, still fitting together the pieces. "No…he isn't, but it is real. I actually don't know how the Dark Lord heard of the prophesy. I do remember that I was actually in the interview with Trelawney. I'd been hired at the school several weeks before. I'd left the Dark Lord's service with Regulus. When he realized he was pregnant he came to me, and I realized what all had been done to him; we left together. You will not ask about the extent of the Dark Lord's depravity here your dad is concerned," he warned her with a significant look.
Cassie swallowed, fear in her eyes. "No, I'm not going to ask…I don't think my dad would want me to know…"
"That he would not," Severus picked up his tea to sip it again. "Just know, he got out. We left together to keep you safe. I didn't remember that though. I only remembered the false memory of leaving after the Dark Lord heard the prophesy. Dumbledore brought me along to the interview since all the other faculty were away on vacation at the time. It's standard practice for the headmaster and another member of the faculty to be present at all interviews. When she made the prophesy, Dumbledore told me to tell the Dark Lord the first part of it and only the first part. I refused, he vehemently insisted that it would help us set a trap, and that's probably the first time my memory was modified."
"Woah…"
"Yes, Dumbledore thinks the prophesy has already been fulfilled when Harry vanquished the Dark Lord and died himself as a baby," Severus broke all his personal space rules and reached out to squeeze Cassie's hand comfortingly as she looked ready to break down.
"So…it could still be Neville?" Cassie asked in worry. She really, really hoped there was no way.
Severus slowly shook his head, anger in his eyes. "Dumbledore doesn't seem to think so. That isn't a memory I have of why exactly. He must never have told me. I do have a memory though where he took you from me. I'd just gotten you from the Longbottom's house as soon as I heard the Potters had died. You were going to live with Lily as soon as someone who was in on the fidelus secret could take you to her, but they died before that could happen. As your last living godparent, I went straight to Alice and Frank to take you away myself. Dumbledore showed up at my house and insisted I give you to him. He explained he was going to place you as Harry at the Dursleys in case the baby of the prophesy was Mr. Longbottom, then the Dark Lord would come after you and not him. You were a decoy…"
"That bastard…!"
"Yes, I actually tried to kill him that time, I probably would have been successful except I was holding a baby while his hands were free. Unfortunately, he got my memory first," Severus nodded in agreement, a regretful look in his eyes. Things would have been much different if Dumbledore had been stopped that night. Severus sorted through the memories, knowing there was another one where the prophesy had been brought up. If he could only grasp the wisp of memory…Yes, there was one, years later. "There's another memory…Merlin! I actually figured out Quirrell was possessed before the school term started!"
"Of course, you did!" Cassie smiled at him. If anyone was going to figure out what was going on, Severus would have. He'd always been right there trying to stop Quirrell the entire year anyway, memory or no memory.
"I told him that Quirrell was possessed your first year, and he said that Quirrell was a necessary evil. We had to train you, Cassiopeia, to fight the Dark Lord because the original prophesy was already fulfilled, so there wasn't anyone else who could stand up to the Dark Lord. You, as his daughter, were the only one that had a chance against your father since your magic is so similar…I tried to kill him again then. He must have forgotten that I didn't know Harry Potter was actually Cassiopeia Black. I guess keeping track of which memories he'd let me keep and which he'd changed was complicated," the man sneered, a look which Cassie mirrored. "Well, he'd outed himself that Harry Potter was actually Cassiopeia Black…and another memory modification followed. Unfortunately, he was very quick with that one, and I was unsuccessful once more."
"How many times have you tried to kill Dumbledore?" Cassie couldn't keep herself from smiling just a bit at that.
"Four that I can remember now," he narrowed his eyes, looking murderous once again. "Once you've modified someone's memory the first time, it's easier to do it again after that, but I'm prepared now since I know. And he's getting slower as he gets older, and I'm getting faster as I get more experienced…I think I can beat him next time."
"Just poison him," Cassie sighed in exasperation. "You are a potions master after all."
"Uh huh," he raised a surprised eyebrow. "And the Death Eater potion master is the first and only person the aurors are going to look at when he dies of poisoning."
"Fine…when else did you try to kill him?" She rolled her eyes. She really hoped Snape and her father's genes weren't rubbing off on her too much, but she really didn't have much concern at all for the headmaster's life anymore, especially when he put her at the Dursley's as a distraction for her father to kill.
"He was the one to convince Regulus to go back to your father and make nice," he sighed sadly. "Dumbledore convinced him it was the only way to keep you safe. He had me brew a potion that would put the Dark Lord into a permanent comatose state. Regulus just had to slip it to him…he must have been caught though. I tried to convince him not to do it. Since he'd left, he was already suspected of turning traitor. I tried to convince him to let me do it instead, but he was sure he could…"
"I'm so sorry…" Cassie scooted all the way over and wrapped her arms around Severus, squeezing him tight. The man stiffened, but then slightly relaxed enough to awkwardly pat her back.
"I was the one to find Reg's body," Severus gasped in almost a sob as the memory surfaced. "He didn't even let me remember that…"
Cassie just squeezed him tighter, and Severus could feel a wet spot forming on his shirt under her face. "When was the fourth time you tried to kill him?" She asked with a sniff.
Severus gave a dry laugh at the girl trying to distract him. "I cornered him after what happened at the end of your fourth year when he was sending you, Harry, back to the Dursleys'…It just didn't make sense. If the Dark Lord used your blood to rise again, then the blood wards meant nothing anymore. Not that there were actually any blood wards anyway. He insisted I go back and spy on the Dark Lord then as well. There was a big blow up between us over the wards and Harry Potter and me spying and what little I remembered of you and Regulus…I just wanted to be done and morn losing everyone I'd ever cared about…Reg, Lily, you…He told me that Reg and you were expendable and that you, Cassiopeia, shouldn't even have existed in the first place. I basically just lost it then."
Cassie was almost wrapped around him like an octopus at this point. He'd gone from uncomfortable, to awkward, to freaked out, now to just accepting it. His oatmeal was definitely getting cold though. "You know…I was going to keep you. When Lily died, I immediately went to get you. To keep you safe with me," he said to the head of bushy, black hair on his chest.
"You'd have been so much better than the Dursleys," she sniffed, all her defenses slowly crumbling.
"That's not a very high bar," he chuckled and tried to pat her on the back again comfortingly and hopefully not awkwardly. "Don't you have people that are going to miss you at breakfast?"
"Nah, I sent Kreacher to grab a change of clothes for me after he got your oatmeal, and he told Hermione where I am."
"Merlin, do not bring Gryffindors into my quarters," he shuddered.
"You know I have a Ravenclaw friend," she looked up to smile at him.
"No one comes into my quarters…"
"Except for Tonks or Remus," Cassie added with a sly grin…that girl was definitely not a Gryffindor, whatever the hat had said.
He sneered but had to make that concession since it probably would be necessary at some point. "Fine…except for them."
"And your mystery girlfriend…"
"My what?" He raised a surprised eyebrow.
"Who else decorated this place?" She waved to encompass the bedroom furnishings that definitely looked very different than the rest of his chambers.
"Don't be a dunderhead," he grumbled and reached over her to grab his oatmeal. He could at least eat if she wasn't going to let him up off the bed. "I like my room. You will not be coming in here again either. It's highly inappropriate."
"I can't make that promise, but I'll try," she finally let him go so he could more easily eat. "You never know when I'll find my godfather passed out on the floor screaming."
"I'd say it'd never happen again, but with this on my arm," he motioned to the Dark Mark. "You never really know.
"Yeah…Hermione and I haven't found much yet. Voldemort had to have taken an already existing spell and either changed it or just created a new spell in the first place," she sighed. Cassie had really hoped to have gotten the mark off of him by now. She hated that Voldemort was able to hold Severus's life in his hands, and also make her do whatever he wanted with that threat.
"I've been researching the mark from before you were born," he looked at her kindly. "I had no real hopes that two sixth years students would find the answer when neither Regulus nor I could find anything in our research."
"I'm not giving up," she sighed tiredly. "I do however need to write up my book report on the dark arts to send to the monster later today. There's only so long I can procrastinate before he gets huffy and takes it out on you."
"Will Mr. Longbottom be helping you?" He asked, an insinuating raise of his eyebrow.
Cassie glared. "For someone who tries to stay out of the teenage drama, you're doing a good job of putting yourself into it."
"I have a vested interest in my goddaughter's life, so sue me," he shrugged with an unrepentant look.
"Yeah, well, he's only helping me with the letter. I don't want him to have to look at that vile book in any form," she shivered.
"You don't think he's figured out who you're writing to?"
Cassie shrugged. "He hasn't said anything. There have definitely been clues. I'm more concerned that he's been trying to contact Harry…me. He sent me, or Harry, a patronus message last night."
Snape immediately looked more interested in the conversation. "Mr. Longbottom can produce a corporeal patronus?"
"Yes, I taught him and quite a few of the other students last year since Umbridge was doing her best to get the worst DADA teacher award, which I'd grant even with Lockhart being one of my teachers," Cassie sneered.
"I have to admit, I'm impressed," her godfather's eyes took on a look of pride, causing Cassie to flush deeply.
"Er, no big deal," she mumbled.
"That is the definition of 'a big deal,'" he said softly. "What are you going to do about his message? You are aware my advice will be to keep your identity a secret. I wouldn't have let Mr. Weasley or Ms. Granger in on the secret if it were me though."
Cassie rolled her eyes. Yes, she could already predict his advice. "I can't send him a patronus back." With a mumbled spell and a flick of her wand, her raven patronus appeared. "Mine's changed."
Both Snape's eyebrows went up and his spoonful of oatmeal stopped in midair on its way to his mouth. "That's…Cassiopeia…you are one powerful witch," he finally said with a shake of his head.
"Er…thanks?" Cassie's patronus disappeared from where it had been flying around the room. "Well, I think I'll send him a letter with one of the school owls. Just tell him I'm fine, not to worry, and I'll explain everything soon. Which I do plan on doing…eventually. I just like things as they are now…I mean, how is anyone going to take the fact that their girlfriend was a boy they knew just months ago?"
Snape coughed what could have been construed as a laugh. "The wizarding world is very prejudiced where blood purity is concerned, but sexuality and gender doesn't tend to be an area much care about at all. I figured you'd realized that from your friend, Mr. Weasley's, reaction."
"He did seem to take it quite well," Cassie shrugged. "I think he'd really convinced himself that something bad had happened to me when I didn't show up at the beginning of term though. I think anything less than what he'd built up in his mind would have been a relief."
Snape rubbed his still sore neck and decided that a long, hot bath was in his future. This conversation was one he'd really like to push off on Tonks or the wolf. "Send him your letter for now. If he cares about both you and Harry, then the fact you are one and the same shouldn't be something terrible in the future. If it is, I'll make sure he regrets it," he finally sighed.
"Thanks!" Cassie jumped up, humoring him. She'd never let him curse Neville. "I'll leave, but I'm coming back by after lunch to check on you, and Kreacher will be here with your lunch before then. He'll also come if you call and need anything."
"I don't need to be mothered," he sneered at the girl who was picking up his finished breakfast supplies.
"Course you do," she grinned. "Everyone does sometimes, and you've been doing such a good job mothering me, I just had to return the favor." She rushed out of the room before he thought of a curse to send her way.
"Hey, Neville! Good night?" Cassie asked as she tried really hard not to look like she hadn't slept any at all the night before.
Neville put down the watering can from where he had been taking care of the plants in the greenhouse and worrying that he hadn't gotten a message back from Harry. "Hey, Cas! Yeah, I missed you at breakfast though."
"Er, yeah, bonding time with the godfather," Cassie smiled innocently and picked up another watering can to help.
Neville shook his head and chuckled, really not able to picture that. "Is there any way you could help me with Professor Haria's essay later today? I'm stumped on coming up with ten different shielding spells. I can only think of six."
"Definitely!" Cassie grinned at him. "Er, and I finished my evil book report. Would you maybe check the letter that goes with it to make sure I don't accidentally taunt any psychopaths?"
"Hmm…how about we do it over dinner?" He turned and smiled mischievously at her.
Cassie raised an eyebrow questioningly. "I'm not sure I trust that look. What makes me think we're not getting dinner in the Great Hall?"
"Well…you already know about my elf, Mitsy, and there's this nice spot in greenhouse 4…we could do a picnic. She's an excellent cook and can make whatever you want," he gave Cassie the best puppy dog eyes she'd ever seen, and she'd seen Sirius.
"I'd love to," she shook her head and laughed. "You don't have to break out the puppy dog eyes for something like that. I'll always want to spend time with you."
Cassie had to look away really quickly as she wasn't sure she wanted to see the reaction to her admission. She was surprised when her hand was tugged up and Neville laced their fingers together. "I want to spend time with you too," he told her with a large smile.
"Thanks, Neville," she smiled back at him.
"And…maybe next weekend, I can take you to this really cool room in the castle? It turns into whatever you need it to," he asked hopefully.
Merlin, Neville was going to show her the Room of Requirement. Cassie had to hold in a laugh at that. There was a slight problem with that plan though. "Er…I don't know about next weekend…" she said slowly.
"Well, of course we won't go during the feast. You have to experience a Hogwarts Halloween feast. It's epic," Neville rambled on.
"Actually," she winced, not having had good experiences with Halloween at any point in her life. "I have my Potions placement test on Friday, and then I think that Remus and Tonks want me to do something with them on maybe Saturday. Last I heard, I think they may even have roped Severus into their plans," she sighed, really not looking forward to it. "I might even miss the feast."
"What? Why? They have to know the feast is amazing," Neville was extremely confused. They had all gone to the school, they would know that Halloween was one of the best nights for the food and decorations.
"Well…it's my birthday," Cassie hated to admit, and she really hoped he wouldn't make a big deal about it.
"Your birthday is on Halloween? You're already turning 17? Wow, you're older than me," he grinned at her broadly. "You cradle-robber you."
"Actually, I'm turning 16," she winced. "I was placed a year ahead because of some weird transfer issues."
"Ok, forget the cradle-robber remark," he chuckled. "Do not turn that back on me. Well, I can show you around the castle any day, and I know what your new family means to you. Forget next weekend. Picnic tonight and castle exploring another day!"
"Thanks, Neville," she sighed, so happy it looked like he was just going to let it go.
"Now I just need to think up a good present…" he remarked as she groaned and slapped a hand to her head.
Dear Neville,
I got your patronus, and it was amazing man! You should be so proud of yourself. I told you could do it, and I never doubted you for one second. I'm sorry I haven't reached out to you. It's not because I didn't want to.
Look, Nev, there's a lot going on right now, and I need you to trust me. I'm fine. I'm actually happy. I'll tell you everything eventually, I promise you. Please, just stop looking for now.
Your friend,
Harry Potter
Neville looked at the letter suspiciously that had arrived for him at breakfast Monday morning from a nondescript brown owl, definitely not Hedwig. He looked down the table and Ron and Hermione were there, chatting with Seamus about something. Cassie wasn't at the table for some reason. Maybe she'd slept in. He'd hoped to see her that morning. His first thought of running the contents of Harry's letter by her was quickly discarded. If Harry said that he was fine, then he'd trust him for now. It bothered him that he'd gotten a letter instead of a patronus message though and that it hadn't been delivered by Hedwig.
Cassie rushed in and slid onto the mostly empty bench right beside him. "Hey, you," she smiled and pulled a plate over that she started to fill up.
"You sleep in?" He raised an eyebrow as a letter landed in Cassie's eggs from a large eagle owl that didn't even land at the table.
She glared at the letter and the departing owl. "Nah, just so caught up in all the romantic musings from your wonderful picnic last night that I had to stare into space every five minutes and be late to breakfast," she teased.
"Ha, ha," he rolled his eyes. "You were probably off terrorizing your godfather if I know you at all."
Cassie turned wide eyes on him, obviously he'd been right. "Well…someone has to look after him," she huffed.
"Yep, it's not like he isn't twenty or so years older than you and hella scary, but yeah, definitely needs someone to look after him," Neville laughed and put the bacon in front of Cassie since it was out of her reach.
"Yeah, yeah," Cassie had cast as many detecting spells as she could at Voldemort's letter, but it was clean as always…well, eggy but at least it wasn't cursed.
Neville watched as Cassie absently nibbled on toast as she read the letter and then groaned. "That bad?"
"He's sending another book," she handed the letter over to him with a dramatic eye roll. "Apparently, he was impressed with my last report. I did too good of a job!"
Neville found it hard to process that he was holding a letter from Lord Voldemort in his hands. He almost held his breath as he took the parchment and read it.
Dear Cassiopeia,
I found your summary of the book I sent amusing and insightful. You found some uses for the spells that I had never even considered. I marvel at how many you recommended could be used against your current headmaster. I trust he hasn't done anything I should be aware of? I have contacts in the school keeping an eye on your headmaster. You will tell me if he makes any overt threats against you. If you are injured, I will unfortunately have no further need of keeping your little pet alive, I hope you understand.
I will be sending you another book tomorrow. You will treat this book the same as the last. Read it and write me an in depth summary. Please pay attention to consequences to the caster in this one when writing your summary. I look forward to your report.
Your father,
Marvolo
"What does he mean by pet?" Neville asked, really concerned at that sentence.
"You don't want to know," Cassie said into her pumpkin juice.
"Wait…he's talking about Professor Snape, isn't he?" Neville blanched as he put the pieces together. "Is the professor injured? That's why you're checking on him."
"Shhh!" Cassie shushed him frantically. "He's a bit under the weather, but it's unrelated to that psycho. I already told you Severus is being used to blackmail me into doing what my father wants, yes. Just let it go though."
"This is the Dark Lord we're talking about Cassie!" Neville hissed worriedly. "You're playing with fire, and both you and Professor Snape's lives are at stake."
Cassie sucked in a breath through her teeth. "Ok…so you figured it out."
"You might have warned me not to mention the name to my gran who happened to go to school with him," Neville quirked his lip in a half smile. "Yeah, I've known for a while. You do realize just how dangerous he is, right?"
"Do you? Do you really know? If you do, why are you hanging out with me?" She questioned, having been certain he'd leave as soon as he figured it out.
"Because, you are Cassie Black. You're not Regulus Black or that other man. The same as I am not Frank or Alice Longbottom," he took her hand and squeezed it.
"All right, tell me a character flaw real quick…you can't be perfect," she smiled at him broadly.
"Merlin, no!" He laughed. "Er, when I do get angry, I can be pretty unreasonable and jump to conclusions. I also tend to avoid conflict even when I shouldn't…so yeah…"
Cassie sighed in dramatic relief. "Oh great, that was scary. I about thought I'd have to dump you already because you were too perfect."
"Yeah, that's not going to happen," he grabbed Cassie's bag as the bell rang for them to head to class.
Up Next: Halloween...
A/N: So, I'm trying to decide on another story to work on during this one. I have a few ideas, but not sure which one to focus on. I have one that has Harry as a medium that can talk to spirits and is a bit quirky, one that's a creature fic where the phoenix tears and basilisk venom from second year catch up to him and sort-of mpreg in eighth year after the war, and one that a darker time-travel one that has Harry and Draco back in the marauder's time. Any of these sound good? I've started to at least outline all of them if not written parts of them.