It had been an uncountable eternity before they'd broken the embrace, which had come dangerously close to crossing the lines o

It had been an uncountable eternity before they'd broken the embrace, which had come dangerously close to crossing the lines of passion. It was, despite her assurances, Cassie who pulled back first.

Sirius smiled faintly. "Not as sure as you thought, I see."

Cassie looked at him reproachfully, and then allowed herself a rueful grin. "I guess not." Her expression grew grave. "Sirius…I'm just…not ready to lose someone else right now."

He nodded. "I understand." His tone held a sympathy born of shared experience. "So…you'll be wanting to get back to the Ministry, then."

"I suppose…" Cassie suddenly looked around in surprise. "I don't believe this…I completely forgot—what'd you do with my broom?"

"Broom?" Sirius asked quizzically.

"Yeah, my broom—how do you think I got here, genius?"

A look of comprehension and hesitation dawned on Sirius' face. "Oh…that broom." Clearing his throat and running a hand through his hair, Sirius glanced sideways at Cassie. "I do recall a pile of broken wood…one of the hexes must've gone wild."

Sirius couldn't repress his amusement at the crestfallen look on Cassie's face. "It's not like you were riding a Firebolt, Cass."

Green eyes flared. "That broom was a classic! The Mercedes of the wizarding world!!"

"'Mercedes'?"

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Never mind," she muttered. "I'll Apparate home."

After exchanging goodbyes (which in this case involved an intimate embrace), Cassie Apparated back to her own home. Glancing around at the rather Spartan living room, the first thing that caught her eye was a letter in the fireplace. Wondering who would write to her with the knowledge she hadn't been home for three weeks, Cassie knelt down and dusted the envelope off—revealing the Hogwarts crest.

Dumbledore, thought Cassie as she opened the letter. Still kneeling by the fireplace, she quickly scanned the parchment…and blinked. Surely she hadn't read it right…yet when she perused it a second time, it read the same:

Cassie,

As you are no doubt aware, Hogwarts is in need of a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. No one is willing to accept the job; however it occurred to me that you might be willing to accept the job as long as it was temporarily—one year only, until we can find someone more permanent. If you choose to accept, please send your owl back promptly. I'd like to speak with you personally, before the term starts, so if you could arrange to visit Hogwarts on the 25th of August, I'd appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

Cassie glanced at the date; the 25th was in two days—Dumbledore must've known she'd be coming back this week. No doubt Sirius had contacted him, but Cassie could never shake her suspicions that the old headmaster was somehow psychic. Well…it wasn't like she had anything better to do. Grabbing a spare piece of parchment and a quill, she quickly scribbled:

Dumbledore,

I'd be happy to accept the position, and you can expect me on the morning of the 25th.

Sincerely,

Cassandra Crichton

Never having been great shakes at letter writing, Cassie folded the parchment and whistled softly. A brown, speckled owl flew in the open window and landed on her desk with a soft hoot. Tying the note around its leg, she patted its head softly. "You oughtta know the way to Hogwarts by now…go on." The owl nipped her fingers in response, and flew out the window.

Cassie sighed, turning from the window and heading into the small bedroom. Pulling open the drawers of a very battered wooden dresser, she began pulling out her clothes—a task that took about 3 minutes. She tended to travel light, as her work demanded she be able to pick up at a moment's notice, but aside from that she simply wasn't much for clothes. Gazing wryly at the makeshift shelf on the opposite side of the room, she reflected that her books were going to be more of a problem—the jam-packed shelves took up the entire wall. She'd have to leave them—after all, the Hogwarts library should be quite enough of a consolation prize.

Twenty minutes later, Cassie tossed the duffel that contained the majority of her worldly possessions onto her sagging mattress. Glancing at her watch, she decided she had just time enough to swing by the Ministry and let Fudge know she was back—if she made a sudden entrance, she might get lucky and give him a heart attack.

The crack of dawn on the 25th found Cassie already up and dressed. A brief raid on the kitchen produced no satisfactory results, so Cassie gave it up and prepared to Apparate. She'd be walking a goodly way, since you couldn't Apparate directly onto Hogwarts grounds, but she didn't mind too much—a walk would do her good, after being immobile for so long.

An instant later, she appeared on the outskirts of an empty field. Ahead of her, distant and impressive atop a hill overlooking a lake, was the castle. Bewitching her duffel for feather lightness, she hoisted it over her shoulder and began the long trek.

Upon arriving at the massive front doors, she was surprised to see someone awaiting her. It was a man, thin and made even more sallow by his all-black clothing. His hair, too, was black, shoulder length and unwashed. Cold eyes stared down an over-large hooked nose at her.

"Well well well…just the man I didn't want to see," Cassie remarked in false joviality.

Severus Snape's eyes narrowed as he sneered. "The feeling is mutual, I assure you, Chrichton…but if Dumbledore wishes to start hiring teachers out of pity rather than talent, then I'm sure it's none of my business—follow me." With that biting remark, he swept off down the hall. Cassie suppressed the irritation she felt at his comment—it would be so temptingly easy to deck the man, but aside from the fact that punching his lights out would be a less than auspicious start to her job, he was trusted by Dumbledore—God only knew why, but he was.

A cold silence on Snape's part, and a heated one on Cassie's marked the walk to the Headmaster's office. Halting at the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance, Snape suddenly broke the silence with a curt: "Chocolate frog." Cassie raised a puzzled brow, when a hidden panel swung open. Noting the password, she followed Snape up the spiral staircase.

Upon opening the door and entering the office—which she'd only seen on those fairly frequent occasions when she'd gotten into serious trouble—she was greeted by a smiling Dumbledore.

"Cassie…welcome. Please, sit down…" he took on a graver countenance. "There are a few things I need to explain."

While a glowering Snape stood over her shoulder, Cassie listened to Dumbledore go over and elaborate on all the events of the last four years. For the most part she was calm, although there were moments when she abruptly realized she had ceased to breath, so tense was the narrative. Finally, Dumbledore fell silent, and Cassie simply leaned back to catch her breath. After a moment, she leaned forward with narrowed eyes.

"Headmaster, I apologize in advance for this," her gaze flickered towards Snape for an instant. "But I don't trust him." She now turned her full gaze on Severus, wondering if she should have made a better attempt at tact. Cassie could care less what Snape thought, but out of respect for Dumbledore she was trying to keep a handle on her temper.

The headmaster was about to reply, but the greasy haired Potions Master beat him to it. "It's obvious you've been spending too much time with Sirius Black, Crichton—if I cared to sink to your level, I might question your loyalties where he's concerned."

Cassie was out of her chair with a fist half raised before she remembered her vow to not to lose control while in Dumbledore's presence. Slowly, green eyes flashing, she sank back into her chair.

Dumbledore frowned. "I will have no more displays of childish behavior—from either of you." He cast a stern look at Snape. "As for your question, Cassie, I can only say that I trust Severus as much as I trust Sirius."

Severus exchanged some of his triumphant smirk for a sneer. Cassie only nodded, although she still couldn't suppress her loathing for Snape. It was hard to trust a man who used to be a supporter of the very side he now claimed to be against, no matter what he'd done to prove his loyalty—which wasn't much, in Cassie's opinion.

Cassie forced herself to look up and meet the penetrating gaze of her headmaster. After several seconds, he smiled. "If you have all your things, you can move in immediately, Cassie. Severus, would you be so kind as to show her to a spare room?"

Snape looked as though he'd rather eat nails, but nevertheless he nodded curtly and swept silently out the door, leaving Cassie to catch up as best she could.

As evening fell, Cassie found herself sitting on her bed, staring silently out the westerly facing window. Her new living quarters were still rather bare, but for now she hardly noticed: her mind was hundreds of miles away, right along with her heart—and both were intent on Sirius. With a faint frown, she drummed her fingers against the headboard, deep in thought. She wasn't used to this at all: she was a grown woman, not a lovesick teenager, and she should have the restraint to wait until a convenient time to meet Sirius. Still…

Glancing at her watch, Cassie started. The single golden hand was hovering in the darkened half of the watch face; it was time for dinner. Hurriedly pulling her hair back with a single clip, she donned a fresh robe of navy blue and hurried down to the Great Hall.

The usual House tables had been pushed aside, and the staff table looked distant and small on its lonely dais. Most of the teachers were already present—including, to Cassie's distaste, Snape. Unfortunately, whether by coincidence or mutual dislike, the only seats open were those on either side of the Potions Master, and the one across from him. Cassie quickly seated herself in the chair across.

Dumbledore smiled, his half-moon spectacles glinting in the candle and torchlight. "Well, it appears that with the exception of Professors Trelawny and Binns, we're all here. Tuck in, everyone."

Cassie glanced over the spread with an inward sigh. Some days, she thought the only reason she'd taken a job that kept her overseas was to avoid British food. Thinking longingly of a California style pizza complete with pepperoni and avocado, she served herself minimal portions of the lighter dishes.

As fate would have it, Cassie was placed between Professor McGonagall and Hagrid—the latter who, she was surprised to learn, had taken charge of Care of Magical Creatures lessons. Caught between Hagrid, whose subject she'd always enjoyed, and McGonagall, whose Transfigurations classes she'd barely passed, Cassie naturally fell into conversation with the genial gamekeeper.

"Actually, I doubt I'll be staying more than a year. Teaching's fine, but…I just don't know," she replied to Hagrid's query on how long she'd be staying.

He chuckled. "Ah, yeh'll get used to it. 'S hard sometimes, but it's fun work…'sides, if I can make it, yeh'll do fine."

Cassie lifted her gaze slightly and found herself facing the icy gaze of Snape. "I hope you're right," she muttered fervently.

After dinner, Cassie didn't immediately head back to her rooms. This was partly to avoid Peeves the Poltergeist, who was hanging about the stairwell that led to her corridor, and partly because she doubted she'd be able to sleep tonight. After temporary suspension during her time with Sirius, Cassie's insomnia was back in full force.

Maybe if I walk far enough I'll wear myself out, she mused silently. Somehow she doubted it, but anything was worth a shot at this point.

A snide voice suddenly broke into her thoughts. "Trouble sleeping?"

Turning slowly, Cassie fought the reflex to land a solid punch on Snape's hooked nose. "Why don't you cut out and save me the trouble of telling you what to go do with yourself."

"Save your breath…you'll need it when you're begging me to take over your job."

Cassie gave a sharp laugh. "Dream on, Snape. The day I beg you for anything is the day I take an overdose of hallucinogens."

"Not something I'd put past you, given your record of irresponsible behavior."

"If I wanted to dish out a really low blow, I'd bring up your record, which if memory serves is hardly a pretty picture," Cassie shot back vehemently.

Fire burned under the icy veneer. "Watch your mouth, Crichton—it'll land you in Azkaban one of these days. If you're lucky you might even get to share a cell next to Sirius Black, when they catch him…oh, but I forgot: the Dementors will be giving Sirius his last kiss once they've caught him…"

Fighting back a stab of panic at the mention of that virtual death-sentence, Cassie took a threatening step forward as she hissed: "Face it, Snape—the only reason you're going out of your way to make my life hell is because you can't stand it that I kicked your ass without a wand when we were kids—and I still could."

"Believe me, Crichton, I have better reasons to dislike you than a foolish childhood grudge. Now if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to." With that, he stalked off, leaving Cassie to glare after him for a moment before storming down the corridor towards her room.

Slamming the door behind her, Cassie closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall, taking a deep and controlled breath. God, that son of a bitch knew just which buttons to push…not that she'd made it particularly difficult, she reflected ruefully.

"I'm not even going to ask."

Cassie froze, her heart contracting in mid-beat. Slowly, cautiously, she opened her eyes. There, sitting casually on the bed, was Sirius.

All her previous vows to remain restrained and mature dissolved as she spoke haltingly. "What…the hell…are you doing here?"

Smiling, Sirius slid off the bed. The next thing Cassie knew, his arms were wrapped around her. "I wanted to see you," he answered quietly.

His hands were running through her hair; it was impossible to concentrate with him so close. Disengaging herself and taking three steps back for good measure, Cassie managed a disapproving frown. "How did you get in here?"

Sirius moved towards a small oak coffee table and seated himself in the armchair next to it. "Floo powder—I came here from Remus Lupin's house."

Now that she'd had a moment to collect herself, Cassie was becoming irritated. "Did it ever cross that overly macho mind of yours that if anyone had come in here while you were waiting, they'd be handing you over to the Dementors right now?"

His face darkened. "Did it ever occur to your over-reactive temper not to throw a tantrum until after you thought things through?"

"No." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, but she didn't particularly care—after all, it was true.

Sirius broke into a bemused grin and shook his head. However, on seeing Cassie's glare of disapproval, he made an effort to reassure her. "I highly doubt anyone except a house-elf would be going through your room in your absence, Cass."

Softening slightly, Cassie moved over to the bed and settled into a cross-legged position, cupping her chin in her hands. "I'm sorry I snapped. It's just…" here she cut loose with a colorful expletive. "If I never saw Snape again it'd be too soon—what'd I ever do that has him wound so goddamn tight?" Belatedly, she remembered.

Sirius looked wry. "I imagine that your little attempt to rearrange his features has something to do with it." His jaw tightened. "Not that I blame you; I wouldn't mind wiping the deck with him either."

Cassie snorted. "You don't have to wipe the deck with him—you almost got the bastard killed in your sixth year, remember?"

"Don't remind me," Sirius growled. "He deserved it." Moving to sit beside Cassie, he added, "In any case, I didn't come here to talk about Snape." Tentatively, he reached out to touch her cheek. "You're a far more attractive conversation piece."

Feeling the heat rise in her cheeks, Cassie ducked her head. "Just promise me you won't do this again."

He shushed her. "I won't get caught, Cass."

Bitterly, still staring down at her hands, she remarked, "It's funny: you're the one they almost killed, and I'm the one who's more afraid of them."

Grasping her chin, Sirius turned her face towards his. "Believe me, Cassie, I am not about to get careless where the Dementors are concerned."

She stared intently into his dark brown eyes. "Just promise me."

Sirius smiled faintly. "I promise." He paused. "…mother."

Laughing, Cassie reached out behind her and snagged a pillow. Swinging it over her head, she smacked him soundly. With an evil grin, Sirius seized a second pillow and delivered a blow of retaliation.

Before long, the situation had escalated into a full-scale pillow fight.