Chapter Seven: The Witch Who Never Was
There standing in the doorway was a slim figure of a girl. She was carrying something in her arms. Harry couldn't quite see who it was over the line of Professors, but when he heard Professor Smith squeak. "Cassie!" Harry jumped up from his seat and rushed past the Professors and to the door where Professor Smith was already standing next to the weak Cassandra. Harry looked at her and the first thing he noticed about her was that the beautiful blue eyes he remember seeing over the summer were now a golden color. Also she now had long locks of auburn hair. There was a thin cut that seemed to be healing on her right cheek, and she was wearing the same clothes as she wore the day she dropped Harry off in London, but they were now extremely dirty and very torn. They looked as through they would fall right off her at any minute, but that was more from the weight that she had lost than the wear and tear of the clothes. She stood swaying from side to side, threatening to collapse under what little weight she did have.
"Cassandra." Said Harry and he took a slow step forward, but Cassandra didn't look at him. Her eyes were fixed on the ground just in front of her as if she didn't even hear Harry. Then Professor Dumbledore walked toward her and stood a little less than two feet away from her. Cassandra looked him in the eye.
"Severus." Was the only word she uttered. Harry looked down at what she was carrying and was shocked to see the unconscious Snape in her arms. How is she carrying him when she is about to fall over herself? Dumbledore motioned for two of the other Professors to get Snape from Cassandra, and they did. They set him on the ground and Harry saw that he was in very bad shape. There was dried blood caked on his face, there was also blood on his robes.
"He must have gone through a lot in the last couple of weeks." Thought Harry. Then Harry looked back at Cassandra who was again staring at the ground her face void of expression. She seemed to be swaying a little less now that she wasn't carrying Snape, but she still looked as through she was about to collapse.
"Cassie." Said Professor Smith. Cassandra slowly turned her eyes toward the pale and very grave Professor.
"Alex?" whispered Cassandra with a horse voice and slowly started to tip over, but Harry quickly rushed forward and caught her. Dumbledore turned to the students you were staring on in amazement and spoke to them.
"Prefects will you please escort you houses back to your dormitories." Said Dumbledore. "Harry you will stay here with us. Ron and Hermione you both will also help us get these two to the hospital wing." All the students walked by the group of Professor and the three students slowly as they looked to see close up what had happened. After the students had all gone, Professor Dumbledore floated Snape ahead of him and Professor McGonagall floated Cassandra, they began to walk towards the hospital wing with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Professor Smith close behind. The other Professor helped the students along to their dormitories.
When they had gotten to the hospital wing Madam Pomfrey hurried about trying to help Snape and Cassandra. Harry, Ron and Hermione stood back and watched as Madam Pomfrey, with a little help from Dumbledore and McGonagall healed Professor Snape and Cassandra, not long after Snape awoke with a start.
"You are alright Severus." Said Dumbledore calmly. Snape see that it was actually Dumbledore lay back down and looked around him.
"How did I get here?" said Snape bewildered.
"I am afraid I cannot answer that question, and since you do not know, then the only person who can answer your question is laying in the bed next to you." Said Dumbledore. Snape looked over and the small figure of Cassandra lying in the bed next to him. She was as white as the spotless sheets that she lay on. "Will she be alright?" asked Snape.
"Poppy is working on her right now. I do not know the extent of her injuries and cannot make an accurate statement about that, but she was the one who brought you here Severus." Said Dumbledore gravely. Everyone looked at the unconscious form of Cassandra in amazement. Madam Pomfrey examined her quickly and was reporting to Dumbledore whenever she found something wrong with her.
"Her right leg is broken in two places... Multiple burses and cuts all over her body... The Cruciatus Curse!" Madam Pomfrey stood up and looked at Dumbledore. "The Cruciatus Curse was used on this girl many time Albus." Tears formed in her eyes as she continued looking over the girl. Madam Pomfrey turned Cassandra onto her side to see if there was anything wrong with her back. "Oh good lord!" exclaimed Madam Pomfrey and motioned for Dumbledore to come over to see. Dumbledore went over and looked at Cassandra's back where Madam Pomfrey pointed, there was a moment where Harry thought he saw a shocked look fly across his face.
"What is it Albus?" asked Professor McGonagall. Dumbledore straightened out and looked at the rest of them.
"They use a whip on her back, and there are old scars here. It was done to her before." Said Dumbledore. "Poppy do everything you can for her." Dumbledore helped Madam Pomfrey put Cassandra on her back and let her get to work. Then he walked over to the others who had been waiting anxiously. He turned and looked at Harry. "Harry you can stay here if you wish." Then he turned to Ron and Hermione. "You both can stay with Harry, but none of the other students are allowed to go near the girl." Said Dumbledore, but the last half was directed more to Madam Pomfrey than anyone else.
Harry went to Cassandra's side out of the way of the hurrying Pomfrey around trying to get Cassandra healed. Harry watched Madam Pomfrey as she worked and didn't notice Ron and Hermione pull up chairs and seat themselves near the bed. He didn't notice as Dumbledore spoke quickly with a completely stunned Professor Smith and soon after that all of the Professors, except Snape, left. Harry watch as Madam Pomfrey put rags covered in a foul smelling potion on the whip lashes that covered Cassandra back, mended Cassandra's broken bones and other thing to help the pale girl. It was nearly morning when Harry realized that everyone had left to go to sleep, so he got up and headed for the Gryffindor tower, noticing that Snape had also gone sometime earlier. He walked down the dark corridors in silence thinking about Cassandra and how she could of gotten Snape and herself away from Voldemort when he heard voices coming from the next corridor.
"Alex I don't know how she did it." The voice of Snape came from around the corner. Harry stop in his tracks and listened. "All I know is that she was there with me in the room where you-know-who had us, and then she was carrying me through the forest. That is all I remember."
"Nothing else?" Professor Smith's cold voice sounded very anxious. "Severus you know what will happen to all three of us if he finds out what happened fourteen years ago."
"I know what might happen, but now I am more concerned at what will happen now that he knows that she is alive and here at Hogwarts... You know what he was trying to make her do Alex."
"Yes!"
"He was trying to make her kill Harry." Harry felt as though he couldn't breath. "He was tried to make her into the little girl he always wanted her to be, but just as before she won't let him make her."
"But Severus what about that one time with the Longbottom's?" asked Professor Smith.
"Well what would anyone done after almost four years of torture to make you do something. I do blame her for anything she did... God she was only nine years old Alex." Said Snape. There was a moment of silence and then Snape spoke again.
"She cannot be allowed to talk... no one can know about what happened Severus. It is important for both of us..."
"It is late Alex I think we should retire." Harry heard movement coming his away and moved quickly to get behind the statue of an ugly witch. Harry watched as Snape and a very upset Smith walked past him and disappeared around a corner.
"What were they talking about with Neville's parents? How was Cassandra involved with that?" thought Harry as he walked the rest of the way to the Gryffindor tower. When he got to the picture of the fat lady he had to wake her up to give her the password. She said something about not ever being able to get enough sleep because people were waking her up at all hours of the night and then let Harry in. There wasn't anyone in the commons room when he got there and the fire that was lit that night had already gone out. Harry began to wonder exactly what time it was when he saw the suns first rays of light came through the window. Harry wasn't feeling tiered so he when upstairs to his room and got ready for another day. When he was done cleaning himself up he went back to the commons room to find a couple of people were wake and talking between each other about what happened the night before. They asked Harry if he knew anything that they weren't told by McGonagall the just after they returned to the tower.
"What did McGonagall tell you?" asked Harry.
"She said that the girl and Snape got away from you-know-who, but no one knows how they did it. How is the girl anyways?" asked a seventh year.
"I know just as much as you do." Lied Harry. He really didn't want anyone to know exactly what was going on, because he didn't want anyone to have ideas. He had, had an experience with that his second year at Hogwarts. When people thought he was the heir of Slytherin just because he could talk to snakes. Harry got a book and was reading it over in a corner of the commons room when Ron and Hermione came down from their rooms. They were heading back to the hospital wing, thinking that Harry was there when they found him in the commons room.
"Harry there you are." Said Ron. "Why didn't you come to bed last night?"
"I wasn't tiered, but sit down you two I have something to tell you." Said Harry and both Ron and Hermione sat down to listen to Harry's story about all the things that happened in the last couple of days, from what Professor Smith told him about the ring, to what happened in the corridors when he was walking back from the hospital wing.
"Why would Snape and Smith be scared about you-know-who find out something that happened fourteen years ago?" asked Ron. Harry and Hermione both looked at him and shook their heads. "What?"
"Ron, come on. Fourteen years ago was the year that you-know-who went to kill Harry." Said Hermione.
"It was also the same time that everyone thought that Cassandra died. I think they helped her hide from the wizarding world." Said Harry. "But how and why did they do that?" asked Ron.
"I don't know, but I would like to find out." Said Harry. Harry got up and started to pace the commons room. The three of them thought in silence for a while.
"I need to go to the library." Said Hermione suddenly. She got up and ran out of the commons room. Harry and Ron looked at each other and laughed. They had gotten use to Hermione running out to the library like that all the time.
"So Harry do you want to go get some breakfast?" asked Ron. Harry nodded and they both walked down to the Great Hall to grab some breakfast. When they got there the hall was almost full of students eating breakfast and talking, but when Harry got started to walk into the hall it went silent. Everyone was looking at him with sorrowful expressions, which told Harry that everyone knew exactly who Cassandra was to him. Harry looked at Ron and they sat down and eat breakfast. As they eat Hermione ran into the Great Hall and sat down next to Harry. She looked around.
"So I guess everyone knows what's happened." Said Hermione.
"Guess so." Said Harry. He looked up and shot a warning look to the people at the next table. Everyone went back to their conversations and food. "Hermione what did you go running off to the library for."
"I don't want to talk about it here, lets go to the hospital wing." The three of them got up and walked out of the Great Hall to the excited whispers of all the other students. They walked to the hospital wing quickly as Hermione told them why she went to the library.
"I went to find out exactly what a Dream Walker is Harry." Said Hermione. "I found some references to Dream Walker, and they all said that a Dream Walker is a woman would can go into peoples dreams and change them somehow. The one thing I found very interesting is that they was a Dream Walker who was a follower of you-know-who, a very powerful supporter..."
"Oh yeah. The Lady of Dreams, but that is just a story. No one ever saw her. She is just a legend that made up to explain would he got to be so powerful. Nothing else." Said Ron.
"Well fact or no we can take chances. The books also said that Dream Walkers could actually make people do things. You know like the Imperius Curse, but much more powerful. Dream Walkers are very rare. They say that one Dream Walker is born once every two hundred years." Said Hermione. They both looked at Harry to find that he had a very concerned look on his face, and for good reason.
"Dream Walker?" thought Harry. "Could Cassandra be a Dream Walker? She was in his dreams a lot over the summer, and he did have a lot more dreams about Voldemort, but could she be a Dream Walker and could she be the Dream Walker people say was a big supporter of Voldemort?" These questions filled Harry's mind as they entered the hospital wing to find Sirius standing over Cassandra's bed looking rather upset. When Sirius saw Harry, Ron and Hermione standing in the doorway he walked up to them, stopped looking as though he wanted to say something to them, but then he just walked out of the hospital wing with one look back at Cassandra. The three of them looked at each other with questioning expression and headed for Cassandra's bed.
Cassandra was still lying on the bed where Harry had left her the night before. She had not woken up yet. "She is so pale." Said Harry as he brushed some hair from her face.
"I wonder how she got away from you-know-who with Snape, and with a broken leg.' Said Hermione as she took a closer look at Cassandra.
"I wonder..." said Harry. They sat in silence for a while when there came a sudden out burst from the corridor.
"She is here. I got an owl from a concerned parent saying that she was here, and I wanted to see if it is true." Came the familiar voice of the Minister of Magic himself, Cornelius Fudge. Harry looked up just in time to see Fudge walk through the hospital wing door and right up to Cassandra's bed, not even caring to notice the three students who sat next to the bed. "So it is her!" said Fudge with an anxious voice.
"Yes it is her." Said Snape, who appeared at the door with Professor Dumbledore right behind him.
"So why wasn't I informed the moment she got here?" asked Fudge. Harry was confused, why would the Minister of Magic need to be informed that Cassandra was here at Hogwarts.
"Truthfully Cornelius I didn't see the need to." Said Dumbledore. Fudge looked outraged at this comment.
"Didn't see the need to Albus. You of all people know who this is and what she has done in the past." Retorted Fudge. "I will have her sent to Azkaban the moment she wakes."
With that everyone in the room step forwards in anger. Snape stepped in between Fudge and Cassandra. "You will do no such thing Fudge." Said Snape.
"Who do you think you are?" yelled Fudge. "Who are you to give me orders?" Everyone was watching Fudge as his whole face turned a very bright color of red at no one notice that Cassandra had woken up. She stood up and walked weakly to stand next to Snape.
"Cassandra?" said Harry. Cassandra turned and smiled at Harry, but the smiled soon disappeared when a wave of dizziness overcame her and she swayed a little.
"Fudge is right. I have done things in the past." Said Cassandra and Harry noticed that the American accent had disappeared totally. Cassandra took a couple more weak steps towards Fudge and said "But..." Then she whispered into Fudge's ear. Fudge's expression quickly turned from an expression of absolute anger to one of complete shock as Cassandra finished whispering in his ear and entered to her bed.
"Well then. I mush be off." Said Fudge quickly, shoving his hat back onto his head started to walk out of the hospital wing, but stopped at the door. "Dumbledore, we will be talking about this later." And with that he left. All eyes turned to Cassandra, who was staring back at all of them.
"Harry, Ron, Hermione." Said Dumbledore and all three of them looked up at the Professor. "I must ask you three to leave us to talk with Cassandra for awhile." Harry, Ron and Hermione left the hospital wing very confused about what happened with Cornelius Fudge. They talked between each other about it for a while before abandoning the topic for a game of wizard's chess back in the Gryffindor's common room. Later that night Harry went back to the hospital wing to see if he could talk to Cassandra only to find that Cassandra was asleep once more.
The next week flew by quickly and the Gryffindor Quidditch Team had practiced every hard for the up coming game against Slytherin that weekend. On Saturday Harry woke with a start from a dream that he could not remember. He dressed and woke Ron. They went down to the Great Hall for breakfast where the rest of the team was already eating. They joined the rest of the team. Harry looked up at the teacher's table to see something very interesting, Cassandra. She was sitting at the table eating and talking with Professor Snape, who looked happy. This shocked Harry greatly as he had never seen Snape happy as he did while talking to the golden-eyed Cassandra. Harry elbow Ron and motioned for him to look up at the teacher's table.
"Now that is interesting." Said Ron as he took a bite of toast, but then put it right back now. "Oh I can't eat anything. I am too nervous." Everyone looked at Ron with a smile.
"Oh Weasley." Said Malfoy from the Slytherin table. "Hope you don't fall off your broom.
"He won't." exclaimed Hermione as she entered the Great hall and joined Harry and Ron.
"Everyone knows that he only made the team because of his friendship with the captain and his two brothers on the team as well." Said Malfoy.
"He made the team because he was the best for the team." Retorted Fred. Everyone at the Gryffindor table was standing ready to fight everyone at the Slytherin table and would have done so if Snape hadn't spoke first.
"Enough of this. Both the teams will go to their locker rooms and get ready for the game." Said Snape and both the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams left the Great Hall. The Gryffindor team went to their locker room. A nervous air hang in the room as the Gryffindor team sat for a while in silence. When Harry figure out something to say to the team he spoke.
"Okay you guys. We all know the rumors following around out there at Ron was only put on the team, because he is my friend and that his brothers are on the team, but we all know that, that is not true. He picked Ron because he was the best, and Ron really needs to know that right now, because it will be his first time out there and we don't want him to think otherwise while we are playing. We all need to remember the strategies that we have been practicing all those long hours to make prefect. We are the defending Quidditch champions and we will not lose to Slytherin. So lets go out there and win like I know we can." Said Harry. The nervous air quickly changed to one of excitement as Harry spoke, and when he was done everyone jumped to their feet.
"Lets go." Shouted Fred, and they all grabbed their brooms and headed toward the Quidditch field. Harry could hear the voice of Lee Jordan, a friend of Fred and George, as he announced the entrance of the teams.
"And as everyone knows the Gryffindor team has a new keeper, Ron Weasley. Show them what you are made of Ron." The teams lined up in the middle of the field and the two captains stepped forward. Harry looked rather small as Marcus Flint the Slytherin captain towered over him.
"Now shake hands." Said Madam Hooch the referee of the Quidditch matches. "I want to clean game." This was more directed to Marcus than to Harry. Harry and Marcus shook hands. Marcus squeezed Harry's hand so hard that he thought his hand would break before Marcus let go with a smirk. Everyone got on their brooms and were off into the air. The Gryffindor team took a practice flight around the stadium. They are in formation as they turned around the Gryffindor end of the field and flew towards the Slytherin side. Everyone cheered, but the Slytherin people as they past, Harry in the lead. As they turned back towards the Gryffindor goals Harry saw the Slytherin team, who were also in formation heading directly towards them.
"Lets get them Harry," whispered George into Harry's ear. Harry nodded his head and the whole team went straight at the Slytherin team playing a big game of chicken. Harry stared down Marcus who was in the lead for the Slytherin team. Both the teams got closer and closer neither team wanted to be the first to pull away. They were only feet away when Harry saw doubt run through Marcus' eyes. Harry closed his eyes waiting for the crash, but it never came. When Harry opened his eyes he noticed that the entire Slytherin team had pulled up at the last moment leaving the path clear for the Gryffindor team to fly straight ahead. The crowd exploded with cheers as though the Gryffindor had already won the game.
"Okay. Let get to the game." Yelled Madam Hooch. Everyone took their positions and all the balls were released to start the game. Lee Jordan's voice filled the stadium as the action unfolded.
"Gryffindor in possession of the Quaffle." Said Lee, but after that Harry wasn't totally listening. He was looking for the snitch. When Harry thought he saw a glint of gold from the other side of the field, but his view was blocked as Malfoy flew in front of him.
"Well, well. How is the cousin." Laughed Malfoy.
"Malfoy, no wonder you are such a bad seeker, you talk to much." Said Harry as he flew higher to find the snitch. Malfoy followed him?
"I thought you would have been happy to see Snape go." Said Malfoy to Harry's shock. How could Malfoy talk like that in the middle of a Quidditch game?
"What is this your new strategy? To win by boring the other team to death with talking." Said Harry as he caught sight of the snitch hovering just off the ground under the Gryffindor's goal. Harry went into a steep dive toward the ground and Malfoy followed. He was picking up speed as they raced toward the snitch. The crowd seemed to hold their breaths as the two seekers got closer and closer to the ground. Harry watched as the ground speed up to him and in the last second he pulled up so that his broom barely brushed the grass of the Quidditch field and headed toward the Gryffindor end were the snitch was still hover in front of the goals. He heard a loud thud as Malfoy, not being able to pull out of the drive, slammed right into the ground. They crowd was talking excitedly as everyone looked to see if Malfoy was alright, but Harry didn't have time to stop and see if Malfoy was getting back on his broom, he had the snitch to caught.
It was only feet away, before it took off. It flew straight up past the busy beater and chasers. Harry had to do a little fancy flying to get around them but he was above them in no time chasing after the snitch that seemed to be climbing higher and higher with every second. Harry reached out his hand to get the snitch and gripped hard around the snitch when he began to fall. He quickly turned around to see the ground, and how high he actually was. When he looked down to see the ground, noticing he was about two hundred feet above the ground, he saw that all the other people on brooms were falling as well.
"What is happening?" thought Harry as the ground speed up to meet him once again, but he couldn't control his broom. If he fell from this height he would never make it, while everyone else wasn't that high off the ground they might come out with a broken bone or two, but he was twice as high as they were. Panic filled Harry as he tired everything he could, but he couldn't think clearly as he began to hear the frantic screams of the people in the stands as they watched the players fall from the sky. Harry watched as the couple of people, who were closest to the ground hit hard, and then the others hit the ground soon after. He had watched as Ron fell; he hit the ground and then stood up. "Good Ron is okay." Thought Harry, but what about him he was still falling and there was no way of slowing down.
"Dumbledore!" thought Harry. "Dumbledore will save me." Harry tried to look around to see if he could see Dumbledore, but he was nowhere around. "Where is Dumbledore? Why isn't he doing anything to help?" It was to late now. Harry was going to hit.
He saw the horror in Ron's expression before he closed his eyes ready to hit the ground, but then, with his eyes closed, he saw a bright fast of light. He waited a long time for the impact but it never came. When he opened his eyes he was staring into the terrified faces of the other Quidditch players as he was hanging in mid air. "Harry!" shouted Ron and he ran over to Harry. Harry's head was inches above the ground, as he looked how close he got. Then he stood up and showed a confused Madam Hooch the snitch he had in his hands. She looked at him in shock.
"Gryffindor win!" squeaked Lee Jordan as Harry notice Professor Snape, Smith and McGonagall were running towards him.
"Are you okay child." Said McGonagall breathlessly.
"Yes. I am okay. Where is Dumbledore?" asked Harry and McGonagall looked at him with a shocked expression.
"But Harry Dumbledore left this morning to the Ministry to talk with Fudge. He isn't here." Said McGonagall.
"Gone, but how..."
"That is what I like to know." Said Snape, but he wasn't looking at Harry. Snape had turned around to look at a figure in a black hooded cloak, who was walking away from the field. Cassandra?
"What I want to know is why did all the broom stop working?" asked Professor McGonagall, who didn't notice Snape at all. McGonagall went up to Madam Hooch and was talking to her when Hermione joined Harry and Ron on the Field.
"Are you okay?" she said quickly.
"Yes I am fine, but is everyone else okay?" asked Harry and he went to find the rest of his team to make sure that they were all okay. Fred and George had a couple of burse and Angelina had a broken wrist, but all of the others where okay. Ironically the only person who was seriously injured was Malfoy who was still unconscious from the dive that he couldn't pull out from. Madam Pomfrey was already running around trying to get all the injured players to the hospital wing. She insisted that all the players see her in the hospital wing no matter if they only had a small cut or little burse.
After Madam Pomfrey looked over everyone the Gryffindor team headed up to their tower to celebrate their victory. Harry and Ron walked together back to the tower talking about the game. "So Ron I heard you didn't let a single Quaffle through the goal." Said Harry and Ron turned bright red.
"Yeah, they didn't even score one time." Said Ron as they entered the commons room. A great explosion of sound greeted them. All of the Gryffindor had set up a little party with a great banner across the commons room that read; 'Ron you're the best. Way to go Gryffindors.' Harry smiled. It was about time people started to see Ron for what he could do. The party continued until Professor McGonagall showed up to put a stop to the party as she always did, but she also did something that surprised Harry.
"Harry I need to see you in my office." Said Professor McGonagall. Harry followed Professor McGonagall through the corridors to her office where, Snape and Smith where waiting for them. Harry took a seat in front of McGonagall's desk. "Harry we had a couple of questions for you about what happened at today's Quidditch game." Said McGonagall. Harry nodded.
"Harry when you were chasing the snitch, did you go higher after you caught it?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"No the moment I caught the snitch the broom started to fall." Said Harry confused, why did they ask him that question? "What's wrong?"
"Well the fact is Harry that snitches aren't suppose to go that high." Said Snape. Harry looked shocked he didn't know that there was suppose to be a limited on how high a snitch could go.
"What do you mean?" asked Harry.
"Harry, at Hogwarts the snitch has a limited to how high it can go for the safety of the seekers. This was put in place for just the reason as was shown today." Said McGonagall
"But Professor why did the brooms stop working?"
"We haven't figured that out yet Harry, but it had to be some powerful dark magic. Brooms can't be easily tempered with." Said Snape.
"Harry, what I really want to know is how you stopped yourself before you hit the ground, because none of the other Professor were able to." Said McGonagall.
"I don't know Professor. I thought one of the Professors stopped me." Said Harry. Then Harry noticed that Professor Smith was getting really anxious and soon Professor Snape noticed as well.
"If you will please excuse me Professor McGonagall I will go and find out why the brooms stopped working." Said Smith and without another word she left McGonagall's office. McGonagall and Snape looked at each other and then back to Harry.
"Well Harry. If you cannot tell us any more about how you stopped then you are free to go." Said McGonagall. Harry got up and walked to the door, but stopped.
"Professor... There is something I would like to tell you. When I was about to hit the ground I closed my eyes and when I did that I saw a flash of light." Said Harry. "Then I opened my eyes again and I was hang in mid air. That is all I know about why I stopped."
"Thank you Harry.' Said McGonagall. Harry nodded and left the room, as he walked down the corridor to the Gryffindor tower he heard his name being called from behind him.
"Harry." Called Snape from in front of McGonagall's office. Harry turned around and started to walk back to where Snape was standing. "I need to speak with you for a moment." Said Snape and he walked down the corridor to a point where they could speak without anyone coming up to them. Snape looked around and made sure that no one was around. "I need to warn you that when I was the prison of the dark lord I heard something. He has someone here. I am not sure who it is, but I know that they are here, and they are watching you."
Harry stood there staring at Snape in shock. "Malfoy." Said Harry. Snape nodded and looked again to see if anyone was around.
"That is very possible that Draco is watching everything and reporting to his father, but I got the feeling that there was someone else who is in a position of doing something." Said Snape.
"What about Professor Smith. I overheard Malfoy saying something to her a couple months ago."
"No I am watching Alex and it seems that the death eaters are wanting to get a hold of her just as bad as me." Said Snape. "The thing is Harry I think that it might be someone that we haven't considered yet." Harry nodded. He understood.
"Thank you Professor." Said Harry. Snape nodded back a Harry and walked away. Harry stood there for a moment thinking, 'Who?' A couple of names flew by in his head, people who Harry thought might be a spy for Voldemort, and Cassandra was among them. She lived with Voldemort for six years and was back with him for the last two months, but there was the dream that he had about her been tortured, it felt so real. How could someone who was tortured like that be on his side? In the end Harry concluded that it probably wouldn't be Cassandra.
Harry decided to go to the hospital wing to see her. He walked down the many corridors and finally found himself standing in the doorway to the hospital wing, where Cassandra was still up sitting in a chair by the window. Harry slowly walked towards her. She didn't seem to notice Harry was there; she was sitting in the chair staring out the window in the cold night as she stared Harry notice that she was rocking slightly and humming the familiar song that she did over the summer. Harry went to put his hand on her shoulder and when his hand touched her shoulder she jerk away.
"No!" exclaimed Cassandra, Harry back away from her. She slowly turned to see Harry standing right behind her shocked at what just happened. "Oh I am sorry Harry." Her voice was so weak it seemed as through she didn't have any energy left in her.
"Are you okay?" asked Harry.
"Yes I'm fine." Said Cassandra, but Harry knew that she was lying. You could tell us by looking at her that she wasn't fine. She just looked really tiered, almost to the point where Harry wondered how she was able to even sit up. Her back was touching the chair because it was still too sensitive from where she had being whipped. Harry looked at her with great sadness. Why did anyone have to go through anything like that? He had been tortured by Voldemort before, but it wasn't nearly as long as she did, but still that was too much for anyone to stand.
"Are you sure, Cassandra?" asked Harry and Cassandra turned and smiled a bittersweet smile at him.
"Yes my dear boy. I am sure." Said Cassandra and she turned back to the window.
"Er... Cassandra?"
"Yes."
"Can I ask you some question?" asked Harry and Cassandra laughed.
"I know the questions that you want to ask. How did I get away from Voldemort?" said Cassandra and Harry was amazed that she said his name. Harry thought that she wouldn't be able to speak Voldemort name, and Cassandra sensing his surprise spoke. "Yes my dear boy. I am not afraid to speak his name, unlike so many others who are frighten to say his name. I know what he is capable of Harry, and I am the one who has a reason to fear him, but I don't fear him, because I know that he is not all-powerful. He is very powerful, but there are ways of stopping him, like you have shown the world, Harry."
"Yes. I understand that, but how did you get way from Voldemort?" asked Harry.
"I just got every lucky, Harry. Lucky that his Death Eaters weren't watching me as close as they should of." Said Cassandra as she ran her hand through her auburn hair.
"Cassandra what happened to you. I mean... well..."
"What happen to my hair and eyes?" Harry nodded. "Well Harry there are many spells, enchantments, and potions that can change a person's appearance. I have assumed many different personalities, Harry. I have been many different people in order to hide from his shadow. This Harry." She started to play with her hair. "This is the way I looked before I started to hide from him, but this is not the way I was born. I had blue eyes when I was little, but when I was six, Voldemort took me away from everyone I knew. He used to experiment his spells on me, to make sure that they wouldn't kill him. That is what happened to the way I look." Harry sat shocked. He stood where he was thinking for a long time. "Harry, it is getting late and I am really tiered."
"Oh yes. I will see you later then." Said Harry and he turned and left the hospital wing as Cassandra got back into her bed. When Harry got back to the commons room Ron and Hermione was waiting up for him. He told them what McGonagall, Snape and Cassandra had told him. They stayed up discussing what Harry told them for a while until they went to bed.
There standing in the doorway was a slim figure of a girl. She was carrying something in her arms. Harry couldn't quite see who it was over the line of Professors, but when he heard Professor Smith squeak. "Cassie!" Harry jumped up from his seat and rushed past the Professors and to the door where Professor Smith was already standing next to the weak Cassandra. Harry looked at her and the first thing he noticed about her was that the beautiful blue eyes he remember seeing over the summer were now a golden color. Also she now had long locks of auburn hair. There was a thin cut that seemed to be healing on her right cheek, and she was wearing the same clothes as she wore the day she dropped Harry off in London, but they were now extremely dirty and very torn. They looked as through they would fall right off her at any minute, but that was more from the weight that she had lost than the wear and tear of the clothes. She stood swaying from side to side, threatening to collapse under what little weight she did have.
"Cassandra." Said Harry and he took a slow step forward, but Cassandra didn't look at him. Her eyes were fixed on the ground just in front of her as if she didn't even hear Harry. Then Professor Dumbledore walked toward her and stood a little less than two feet away from her. Cassandra looked him in the eye.
"Severus." Was the only word she uttered. Harry looked down at what she was carrying and was shocked to see the unconscious Snape in her arms. How is she carrying him when she is about to fall over herself? Dumbledore motioned for two of the other Professors to get Snape from Cassandra, and they did. They set him on the ground and Harry saw that he was in very bad shape. There was dried blood caked on his face, there was also blood on his robes.
"He must have gone through a lot in the last couple of weeks." Thought Harry. Then Harry looked back at Cassandra who was again staring at the ground her face void of expression. She seemed to be swaying a little less now that she wasn't carrying Snape, but she still looked as through she was about to collapse.
"Cassie." Said Professor Smith. Cassandra slowly turned her eyes toward the pale and very grave Professor.
"Alex?" whispered Cassandra with a horse voice and slowly started to tip over, but Harry quickly rushed forward and caught her. Dumbledore turned to the students you were staring on in amazement and spoke to them.
"Prefects will you please escort you houses back to your dormitories." Said Dumbledore. "Harry you will stay here with us. Ron and Hermione you both will also help us get these two to the hospital wing." All the students walked by the group of Professor and the three students slowly as they looked to see close up what had happened. After the students had all gone, Professor Dumbledore floated Snape ahead of him and Professor McGonagall floated Cassandra, they began to walk towards the hospital wing with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Professor Smith close behind. The other Professor helped the students along to their dormitories.
When they had gotten to the hospital wing Madam Pomfrey hurried about trying to help Snape and Cassandra. Harry, Ron and Hermione stood back and watched as Madam Pomfrey, with a little help from Dumbledore and McGonagall healed Professor Snape and Cassandra, not long after Snape awoke with a start.
"You are alright Severus." Said Dumbledore calmly. Snape see that it was actually Dumbledore lay back down and looked around him.
"How did I get here?" said Snape bewildered.
"I am afraid I cannot answer that question, and since you do not know, then the only person who can answer your question is laying in the bed next to you." Said Dumbledore. Snape looked over and the small figure of Cassandra lying in the bed next to him. She was as white as the spotless sheets that she lay on. "Will she be alright?" asked Snape.
"Poppy is working on her right now. I do not know the extent of her injuries and cannot make an accurate statement about that, but she was the one who brought you here Severus." Said Dumbledore gravely. Everyone looked at the unconscious form of Cassandra in amazement. Madam Pomfrey examined her quickly and was reporting to Dumbledore whenever she found something wrong with her.
"Her right leg is broken in two places... Multiple burses and cuts all over her body... The Cruciatus Curse!" Madam Pomfrey stood up and looked at Dumbledore. "The Cruciatus Curse was used on this girl many time Albus." Tears formed in her eyes as she continued looking over the girl. Madam Pomfrey turned Cassandra onto her side to see if there was anything wrong with her back. "Oh good lord!" exclaimed Madam Pomfrey and motioned for Dumbledore to come over to see. Dumbledore went over and looked at Cassandra's back where Madam Pomfrey pointed, there was a moment where Harry thought he saw a shocked look fly across his face.
"What is it Albus?" asked Professor McGonagall. Dumbledore straightened out and looked at the rest of them.
"They use a whip on her back, and there are old scars here. It was done to her before." Said Dumbledore. "Poppy do everything you can for her." Dumbledore helped Madam Pomfrey put Cassandra on her back and let her get to work. Then he walked over to the others who had been waiting anxiously. He turned and looked at Harry. "Harry you can stay here if you wish." Then he turned to Ron and Hermione. "You both can stay with Harry, but none of the other students are allowed to go near the girl." Said Dumbledore, but the last half was directed more to Madam Pomfrey than anyone else.
Harry went to Cassandra's side out of the way of the hurrying Pomfrey around trying to get Cassandra healed. Harry watched Madam Pomfrey as she worked and didn't notice Ron and Hermione pull up chairs and seat themselves near the bed. He didn't notice as Dumbledore spoke quickly with a completely stunned Professor Smith and soon after that all of the Professors, except Snape, left. Harry watch as Madam Pomfrey put rags covered in a foul smelling potion on the whip lashes that covered Cassandra back, mended Cassandra's broken bones and other thing to help the pale girl. It was nearly morning when Harry realized that everyone had left to go to sleep, so he got up and headed for the Gryffindor tower, noticing that Snape had also gone sometime earlier. He walked down the dark corridors in silence thinking about Cassandra and how she could of gotten Snape and herself away from Voldemort when he heard voices coming from the next corridor.
"Alex I don't know how she did it." The voice of Snape came from around the corner. Harry stop in his tracks and listened. "All I know is that she was there with me in the room where you-know-who had us, and then she was carrying me through the forest. That is all I remember."
"Nothing else?" Professor Smith's cold voice sounded very anxious. "Severus you know what will happen to all three of us if he finds out what happened fourteen years ago."
"I know what might happen, but now I am more concerned at what will happen now that he knows that she is alive and here at Hogwarts... You know what he was trying to make her do Alex."
"Yes!"
"He was trying to make her kill Harry." Harry felt as though he couldn't breath. "He was tried to make her into the little girl he always wanted her to be, but just as before she won't let him make her."
"But Severus what about that one time with the Longbottom's?" asked Professor Smith.
"Well what would anyone done after almost four years of torture to make you do something. I do blame her for anything she did... God she was only nine years old Alex." Said Snape. There was a moment of silence and then Snape spoke again.
"She cannot be allowed to talk... no one can know about what happened Severus. It is important for both of us..."
"It is late Alex I think we should retire." Harry heard movement coming his away and moved quickly to get behind the statue of an ugly witch. Harry watched as Snape and a very upset Smith walked past him and disappeared around a corner.
"What were they talking about with Neville's parents? How was Cassandra involved with that?" thought Harry as he walked the rest of the way to the Gryffindor tower. When he got to the picture of the fat lady he had to wake her up to give her the password. She said something about not ever being able to get enough sleep because people were waking her up at all hours of the night and then let Harry in. There wasn't anyone in the commons room when he got there and the fire that was lit that night had already gone out. Harry began to wonder exactly what time it was when he saw the suns first rays of light came through the window. Harry wasn't feeling tiered so he when upstairs to his room and got ready for another day. When he was done cleaning himself up he went back to the commons room to find a couple of people were wake and talking between each other about what happened the night before. They asked Harry if he knew anything that they weren't told by McGonagall the just after they returned to the tower.
"What did McGonagall tell you?" asked Harry.
"She said that the girl and Snape got away from you-know-who, but no one knows how they did it. How is the girl anyways?" asked a seventh year.
"I know just as much as you do." Lied Harry. He really didn't want anyone to know exactly what was going on, because he didn't want anyone to have ideas. He had, had an experience with that his second year at Hogwarts. When people thought he was the heir of Slytherin just because he could talk to snakes. Harry got a book and was reading it over in a corner of the commons room when Ron and Hermione came down from their rooms. They were heading back to the hospital wing, thinking that Harry was there when they found him in the commons room.
"Harry there you are." Said Ron. "Why didn't you come to bed last night?"
"I wasn't tiered, but sit down you two I have something to tell you." Said Harry and both Ron and Hermione sat down to listen to Harry's story about all the things that happened in the last couple of days, from what Professor Smith told him about the ring, to what happened in the corridors when he was walking back from the hospital wing.
"Why would Snape and Smith be scared about you-know-who find out something that happened fourteen years ago?" asked Ron. Harry and Hermione both looked at him and shook their heads. "What?"
"Ron, come on. Fourteen years ago was the year that you-know-who went to kill Harry." Said Hermione.
"It was also the same time that everyone thought that Cassandra died. I think they helped her hide from the wizarding world." Said Harry. "But how and why did they do that?" asked Ron.
"I don't know, but I would like to find out." Said Harry. Harry got up and started to pace the commons room. The three of them thought in silence for a while.
"I need to go to the library." Said Hermione suddenly. She got up and ran out of the commons room. Harry and Ron looked at each other and laughed. They had gotten use to Hermione running out to the library like that all the time.
"So Harry do you want to go get some breakfast?" asked Ron. Harry nodded and they both walked down to the Great Hall to grab some breakfast. When they got there the hall was almost full of students eating breakfast and talking, but when Harry got started to walk into the hall it went silent. Everyone was looking at him with sorrowful expressions, which told Harry that everyone knew exactly who Cassandra was to him. Harry looked at Ron and they sat down and eat breakfast. As they eat Hermione ran into the Great Hall and sat down next to Harry. She looked around.
"So I guess everyone knows what's happened." Said Hermione.
"Guess so." Said Harry. He looked up and shot a warning look to the people at the next table. Everyone went back to their conversations and food. "Hermione what did you go running off to the library for."
"I don't want to talk about it here, lets go to the hospital wing." The three of them got up and walked out of the Great Hall to the excited whispers of all the other students. They walked to the hospital wing quickly as Hermione told them why she went to the library.
"I went to find out exactly what a Dream Walker is Harry." Said Hermione. "I found some references to Dream Walker, and they all said that a Dream Walker is a woman would can go into peoples dreams and change them somehow. The one thing I found very interesting is that they was a Dream Walker who was a follower of you-know-who, a very powerful supporter..."
"Oh yeah. The Lady of Dreams, but that is just a story. No one ever saw her. She is just a legend that made up to explain would he got to be so powerful. Nothing else." Said Ron.
"Well fact or no we can take chances. The books also said that Dream Walkers could actually make people do things. You know like the Imperius Curse, but much more powerful. Dream Walkers are very rare. They say that one Dream Walker is born once every two hundred years." Said Hermione. They both looked at Harry to find that he had a very concerned look on his face, and for good reason.
"Dream Walker?" thought Harry. "Could Cassandra be a Dream Walker? She was in his dreams a lot over the summer, and he did have a lot more dreams about Voldemort, but could she be a Dream Walker and could she be the Dream Walker people say was a big supporter of Voldemort?" These questions filled Harry's mind as they entered the hospital wing to find Sirius standing over Cassandra's bed looking rather upset. When Sirius saw Harry, Ron and Hermione standing in the doorway he walked up to them, stopped looking as though he wanted to say something to them, but then he just walked out of the hospital wing with one look back at Cassandra. The three of them looked at each other with questioning expression and headed for Cassandra's bed.
Cassandra was still lying on the bed where Harry had left her the night before. She had not woken up yet. "She is so pale." Said Harry as he brushed some hair from her face.
"I wonder how she got away from you-know-who with Snape, and with a broken leg.' Said Hermione as she took a closer look at Cassandra.
"I wonder..." said Harry. They sat in silence for a while when there came a sudden out burst from the corridor.
"She is here. I got an owl from a concerned parent saying that she was here, and I wanted to see if it is true." Came the familiar voice of the Minister of Magic himself, Cornelius Fudge. Harry looked up just in time to see Fudge walk through the hospital wing door and right up to Cassandra's bed, not even caring to notice the three students who sat next to the bed. "So it is her!" said Fudge with an anxious voice.
"Yes it is her." Said Snape, who appeared at the door with Professor Dumbledore right behind him.
"So why wasn't I informed the moment she got here?" asked Fudge. Harry was confused, why would the Minister of Magic need to be informed that Cassandra was here at Hogwarts.
"Truthfully Cornelius I didn't see the need to." Said Dumbledore. Fudge looked outraged at this comment.
"Didn't see the need to Albus. You of all people know who this is and what she has done in the past." Retorted Fudge. "I will have her sent to Azkaban the moment she wakes."
With that everyone in the room step forwards in anger. Snape stepped in between Fudge and Cassandra. "You will do no such thing Fudge." Said Snape.
"Who do you think you are?" yelled Fudge. "Who are you to give me orders?" Everyone was watching Fudge as his whole face turned a very bright color of red at no one notice that Cassandra had woken up. She stood up and walked weakly to stand next to Snape.
"Cassandra?" said Harry. Cassandra turned and smiled at Harry, but the smiled soon disappeared when a wave of dizziness overcame her and she swayed a little.
"Fudge is right. I have done things in the past." Said Cassandra and Harry noticed that the American accent had disappeared totally. Cassandra took a couple more weak steps towards Fudge and said "But..." Then she whispered into Fudge's ear. Fudge's expression quickly turned from an expression of absolute anger to one of complete shock as Cassandra finished whispering in his ear and entered to her bed.
"Well then. I mush be off." Said Fudge quickly, shoving his hat back onto his head started to walk out of the hospital wing, but stopped at the door. "Dumbledore, we will be talking about this later." And with that he left. All eyes turned to Cassandra, who was staring back at all of them.
"Harry, Ron, Hermione." Said Dumbledore and all three of them looked up at the Professor. "I must ask you three to leave us to talk with Cassandra for awhile." Harry, Ron and Hermione left the hospital wing very confused about what happened with Cornelius Fudge. They talked between each other about it for a while before abandoning the topic for a game of wizard's chess back in the Gryffindor's common room. Later that night Harry went back to the hospital wing to see if he could talk to Cassandra only to find that Cassandra was asleep once more.
The next week flew by quickly and the Gryffindor Quidditch Team had practiced every hard for the up coming game against Slytherin that weekend. On Saturday Harry woke with a start from a dream that he could not remember. He dressed and woke Ron. They went down to the Great Hall for breakfast where the rest of the team was already eating. They joined the rest of the team. Harry looked up at the teacher's table to see something very interesting, Cassandra. She was sitting at the table eating and talking with Professor Snape, who looked happy. This shocked Harry greatly as he had never seen Snape happy as he did while talking to the golden-eyed Cassandra. Harry elbow Ron and motioned for him to look up at the teacher's table.
"Now that is interesting." Said Ron as he took a bite of toast, but then put it right back now. "Oh I can't eat anything. I am too nervous." Everyone looked at Ron with a smile.
"Oh Weasley." Said Malfoy from the Slytherin table. "Hope you don't fall off your broom.
"He won't." exclaimed Hermione as she entered the Great hall and joined Harry and Ron.
"Everyone knows that he only made the team because of his friendship with the captain and his two brothers on the team as well." Said Malfoy.
"He made the team because he was the best for the team." Retorted Fred. Everyone at the Gryffindor table was standing ready to fight everyone at the Slytherin table and would have done so if Snape hadn't spoke first.
"Enough of this. Both the teams will go to their locker rooms and get ready for the game." Said Snape and both the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams left the Great Hall. The Gryffindor team went to their locker room. A nervous air hang in the room as the Gryffindor team sat for a while in silence. When Harry figure out something to say to the team he spoke.
"Okay you guys. We all know the rumors following around out there at Ron was only put on the team, because he is my friend and that his brothers are on the team, but we all know that, that is not true. He picked Ron because he was the best, and Ron really needs to know that right now, because it will be his first time out there and we don't want him to think otherwise while we are playing. We all need to remember the strategies that we have been practicing all those long hours to make prefect. We are the defending Quidditch champions and we will not lose to Slytherin. So lets go out there and win like I know we can." Said Harry. The nervous air quickly changed to one of excitement as Harry spoke, and when he was done everyone jumped to their feet.
"Lets go." Shouted Fred, and they all grabbed their brooms and headed toward the Quidditch field. Harry could hear the voice of Lee Jordan, a friend of Fred and George, as he announced the entrance of the teams.
"And as everyone knows the Gryffindor team has a new keeper, Ron Weasley. Show them what you are made of Ron." The teams lined up in the middle of the field and the two captains stepped forward. Harry looked rather small as Marcus Flint the Slytherin captain towered over him.
"Now shake hands." Said Madam Hooch the referee of the Quidditch matches. "I want to clean game." This was more directed to Marcus than to Harry. Harry and Marcus shook hands. Marcus squeezed Harry's hand so hard that he thought his hand would break before Marcus let go with a smirk. Everyone got on their brooms and were off into the air. The Gryffindor team took a practice flight around the stadium. They are in formation as they turned around the Gryffindor end of the field and flew towards the Slytherin side. Everyone cheered, but the Slytherin people as they past, Harry in the lead. As they turned back towards the Gryffindor goals Harry saw the Slytherin team, who were also in formation heading directly towards them.
"Lets get them Harry," whispered George into Harry's ear. Harry nodded his head and the whole team went straight at the Slytherin team playing a big game of chicken. Harry stared down Marcus who was in the lead for the Slytherin team. Both the teams got closer and closer neither team wanted to be the first to pull away. They were only feet away when Harry saw doubt run through Marcus' eyes. Harry closed his eyes waiting for the crash, but it never came. When Harry opened his eyes he noticed that the entire Slytherin team had pulled up at the last moment leaving the path clear for the Gryffindor team to fly straight ahead. The crowd exploded with cheers as though the Gryffindor had already won the game.
"Okay. Let get to the game." Yelled Madam Hooch. Everyone took their positions and all the balls were released to start the game. Lee Jordan's voice filled the stadium as the action unfolded.
"Gryffindor in possession of the Quaffle." Said Lee, but after that Harry wasn't totally listening. He was looking for the snitch. When Harry thought he saw a glint of gold from the other side of the field, but his view was blocked as Malfoy flew in front of him.
"Well, well. How is the cousin." Laughed Malfoy.
"Malfoy, no wonder you are such a bad seeker, you talk to much." Said Harry as he flew higher to find the snitch. Malfoy followed him?
"I thought you would have been happy to see Snape go." Said Malfoy to Harry's shock. How could Malfoy talk like that in the middle of a Quidditch game?
"What is this your new strategy? To win by boring the other team to death with talking." Said Harry as he caught sight of the snitch hovering just off the ground under the Gryffindor's goal. Harry went into a steep dive toward the ground and Malfoy followed. He was picking up speed as they raced toward the snitch. The crowd seemed to hold their breaths as the two seekers got closer and closer to the ground. Harry watched as the ground speed up to him and in the last second he pulled up so that his broom barely brushed the grass of the Quidditch field and headed toward the Gryffindor end were the snitch was still hover in front of the goals. He heard a loud thud as Malfoy, not being able to pull out of the drive, slammed right into the ground. They crowd was talking excitedly as everyone looked to see if Malfoy was alright, but Harry didn't have time to stop and see if Malfoy was getting back on his broom, he had the snitch to caught.
It was only feet away, before it took off. It flew straight up past the busy beater and chasers. Harry had to do a little fancy flying to get around them but he was above them in no time chasing after the snitch that seemed to be climbing higher and higher with every second. Harry reached out his hand to get the snitch and gripped hard around the snitch when he began to fall. He quickly turned around to see the ground, and how high he actually was. When he looked down to see the ground, noticing he was about two hundred feet above the ground, he saw that all the other people on brooms were falling as well.
"What is happening?" thought Harry as the ground speed up to meet him once again, but he couldn't control his broom. If he fell from this height he would never make it, while everyone else wasn't that high off the ground they might come out with a broken bone or two, but he was twice as high as they were. Panic filled Harry as he tired everything he could, but he couldn't think clearly as he began to hear the frantic screams of the people in the stands as they watched the players fall from the sky. Harry watched as the couple of people, who were closest to the ground hit hard, and then the others hit the ground soon after. He had watched as Ron fell; he hit the ground and then stood up. "Good Ron is okay." Thought Harry, but what about him he was still falling and there was no way of slowing down.
"Dumbledore!" thought Harry. "Dumbledore will save me." Harry tried to look around to see if he could see Dumbledore, but he was nowhere around. "Where is Dumbledore? Why isn't he doing anything to help?" It was to late now. Harry was going to hit.
He saw the horror in Ron's expression before he closed his eyes ready to hit the ground, but then, with his eyes closed, he saw a bright fast of light. He waited a long time for the impact but it never came. When he opened his eyes he was staring into the terrified faces of the other Quidditch players as he was hanging in mid air. "Harry!" shouted Ron and he ran over to Harry. Harry's head was inches above the ground, as he looked how close he got. Then he stood up and showed a confused Madam Hooch the snitch he had in his hands. She looked at him in shock.
"Gryffindor win!" squeaked Lee Jordan as Harry notice Professor Snape, Smith and McGonagall were running towards him.
"Are you okay child." Said McGonagall breathlessly.
"Yes. I am okay. Where is Dumbledore?" asked Harry and McGonagall looked at him with a shocked expression.
"But Harry Dumbledore left this morning to the Ministry to talk with Fudge. He isn't here." Said McGonagall.
"Gone, but how..."
"That is what I like to know." Said Snape, but he wasn't looking at Harry. Snape had turned around to look at a figure in a black hooded cloak, who was walking away from the field. Cassandra?
"What I want to know is why did all the broom stop working?" asked Professor McGonagall, who didn't notice Snape at all. McGonagall went up to Madam Hooch and was talking to her when Hermione joined Harry and Ron on the Field.
"Are you okay?" she said quickly.
"Yes I am fine, but is everyone else okay?" asked Harry and he went to find the rest of his team to make sure that they were all okay. Fred and George had a couple of burse and Angelina had a broken wrist, but all of the others where okay. Ironically the only person who was seriously injured was Malfoy who was still unconscious from the dive that he couldn't pull out from. Madam Pomfrey was already running around trying to get all the injured players to the hospital wing. She insisted that all the players see her in the hospital wing no matter if they only had a small cut or little burse.
After Madam Pomfrey looked over everyone the Gryffindor team headed up to their tower to celebrate their victory. Harry and Ron walked together back to the tower talking about the game. "So Ron I heard you didn't let a single Quaffle through the goal." Said Harry and Ron turned bright red.
"Yeah, they didn't even score one time." Said Ron as they entered the commons room. A great explosion of sound greeted them. All of the Gryffindor had set up a little party with a great banner across the commons room that read; 'Ron you're the best. Way to go Gryffindors.' Harry smiled. It was about time people started to see Ron for what he could do. The party continued until Professor McGonagall showed up to put a stop to the party as she always did, but she also did something that surprised Harry.
"Harry I need to see you in my office." Said Professor McGonagall. Harry followed Professor McGonagall through the corridors to her office where, Snape and Smith where waiting for them. Harry took a seat in front of McGonagall's desk. "Harry we had a couple of questions for you about what happened at today's Quidditch game." Said McGonagall. Harry nodded.
"Harry when you were chasing the snitch, did you go higher after you caught it?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"No the moment I caught the snitch the broom started to fall." Said Harry confused, why did they ask him that question? "What's wrong?"
"Well the fact is Harry that snitches aren't suppose to go that high." Said Snape. Harry looked shocked he didn't know that there was suppose to be a limited on how high a snitch could go.
"What do you mean?" asked Harry.
"Harry, at Hogwarts the snitch has a limited to how high it can go for the safety of the seekers. This was put in place for just the reason as was shown today." Said McGonagall
"But Professor why did the brooms stop working?"
"We haven't figured that out yet Harry, but it had to be some powerful dark magic. Brooms can't be easily tempered with." Said Snape.
"Harry, what I really want to know is how you stopped yourself before you hit the ground, because none of the other Professor were able to." Said McGonagall.
"I don't know Professor. I thought one of the Professors stopped me." Said Harry. Then Harry noticed that Professor Smith was getting really anxious and soon Professor Snape noticed as well.
"If you will please excuse me Professor McGonagall I will go and find out why the brooms stopped working." Said Smith and without another word she left McGonagall's office. McGonagall and Snape looked at each other and then back to Harry.
"Well Harry. If you cannot tell us any more about how you stopped then you are free to go." Said McGonagall. Harry got up and walked to the door, but stopped.
"Professor... There is something I would like to tell you. When I was about to hit the ground I closed my eyes and when I did that I saw a flash of light." Said Harry. "Then I opened my eyes again and I was hang in mid air. That is all I know about why I stopped."
"Thank you Harry.' Said McGonagall. Harry nodded and left the room, as he walked down the corridor to the Gryffindor tower he heard his name being called from behind him.
"Harry." Called Snape from in front of McGonagall's office. Harry turned around and started to walk back to where Snape was standing. "I need to speak with you for a moment." Said Snape and he walked down the corridor to a point where they could speak without anyone coming up to them. Snape looked around and made sure that no one was around. "I need to warn you that when I was the prison of the dark lord I heard something. He has someone here. I am not sure who it is, but I know that they are here, and they are watching you."
Harry stood there staring at Snape in shock. "Malfoy." Said Harry. Snape nodded and looked again to see if anyone was around.
"That is very possible that Draco is watching everything and reporting to his father, but I got the feeling that there was someone else who is in a position of doing something." Said Snape.
"What about Professor Smith. I overheard Malfoy saying something to her a couple months ago."
"No I am watching Alex and it seems that the death eaters are wanting to get a hold of her just as bad as me." Said Snape. "The thing is Harry I think that it might be someone that we haven't considered yet." Harry nodded. He understood.
"Thank you Professor." Said Harry. Snape nodded back a Harry and walked away. Harry stood there for a moment thinking, 'Who?' A couple of names flew by in his head, people who Harry thought might be a spy for Voldemort, and Cassandra was among them. She lived with Voldemort for six years and was back with him for the last two months, but there was the dream that he had about her been tortured, it felt so real. How could someone who was tortured like that be on his side? In the end Harry concluded that it probably wouldn't be Cassandra.
Harry decided to go to the hospital wing to see her. He walked down the many corridors and finally found himself standing in the doorway to the hospital wing, where Cassandra was still up sitting in a chair by the window. Harry slowly walked towards her. She didn't seem to notice Harry was there; she was sitting in the chair staring out the window in the cold night as she stared Harry notice that she was rocking slightly and humming the familiar song that she did over the summer. Harry went to put his hand on her shoulder and when his hand touched her shoulder she jerk away.
"No!" exclaimed Cassandra, Harry back away from her. She slowly turned to see Harry standing right behind her shocked at what just happened. "Oh I am sorry Harry." Her voice was so weak it seemed as through she didn't have any energy left in her.
"Are you okay?" asked Harry.
"Yes I'm fine." Said Cassandra, but Harry knew that she was lying. You could tell us by looking at her that she wasn't fine. She just looked really tiered, almost to the point where Harry wondered how she was able to even sit up. Her back was touching the chair because it was still too sensitive from where she had being whipped. Harry looked at her with great sadness. Why did anyone have to go through anything like that? He had been tortured by Voldemort before, but it wasn't nearly as long as she did, but still that was too much for anyone to stand.
"Are you sure, Cassandra?" asked Harry and Cassandra turned and smiled a bittersweet smile at him.
"Yes my dear boy. I am sure." Said Cassandra and she turned back to the window.
"Er... Cassandra?"
"Yes."
"Can I ask you some question?" asked Harry and Cassandra laughed.
"I know the questions that you want to ask. How did I get away from Voldemort?" said Cassandra and Harry was amazed that she said his name. Harry thought that she wouldn't be able to speak Voldemort name, and Cassandra sensing his surprise spoke. "Yes my dear boy. I am not afraid to speak his name, unlike so many others who are frighten to say his name. I know what he is capable of Harry, and I am the one who has a reason to fear him, but I don't fear him, because I know that he is not all-powerful. He is very powerful, but there are ways of stopping him, like you have shown the world, Harry."
"Yes. I understand that, but how did you get way from Voldemort?" asked Harry.
"I just got every lucky, Harry. Lucky that his Death Eaters weren't watching me as close as they should of." Said Cassandra as she ran her hand through her auburn hair.
"Cassandra what happened to you. I mean... well..."
"What happen to my hair and eyes?" Harry nodded. "Well Harry there are many spells, enchantments, and potions that can change a person's appearance. I have assumed many different personalities, Harry. I have been many different people in order to hide from his shadow. This Harry." She started to play with her hair. "This is the way I looked before I started to hide from him, but this is not the way I was born. I had blue eyes when I was little, but when I was six, Voldemort took me away from everyone I knew. He used to experiment his spells on me, to make sure that they wouldn't kill him. That is what happened to the way I look." Harry sat shocked. He stood where he was thinking for a long time. "Harry, it is getting late and I am really tiered."
"Oh yes. I will see you later then." Said Harry and he turned and left the hospital wing as Cassandra got back into her bed. When Harry got back to the commons room Ron and Hermione was waiting up for him. He told them what McGonagall, Snape and Cassandra had told him. They stayed up discussing what Harry told them for a while until they went to bed.