A/N: I realize that I accidentally named the last chapter 21 when it was 20. Don't worry, there is no mysterious 'lost chapter,' I just counted wrong. Here you go.

Chapter Twenty-One: Busted

"Oh, my God," James Alcott gasped, looking at a folded piece of paper that had come from the university. Tears began to stream down his face.

"What is it?" Peter Granger asked.

"Cassie's blood type. She's AB positive."

"Oh?"

"Her mother was A negative and so am I." The professor suddenly looked like an old man. "She isn't mine."

"Oh, sure she is, Jamie!" his friend exclaimed. "So what if her genes don't match a bit? You raised her, didn't you?"

"Yes…like she was my own. When I wondered why…" James gulped an entire glass of scotch down. "There's never been any magic in either of our families. I couldn't imagine why my Cassie was a witch. Now I really do have to wonder."

"Was your wife…unfaithful, did you think?"

"Antigone? No, never. She was attacked once, though, shortly after we married."

"Then Cassandra's yours, James. That bastard has no right to her."

"I can see the logic in that, Pete, but it still hurts like hell. I always thought she looked like me."

"Well…maybe it's the expressions. Kids get their faces from their parents, you know." Peter sighed, hurting for his friend. "Are you going to tell her?"

"I don't know. She'll want to find out who he is, and then probably hunt him down…I don't even think John could stop her doing that."

"I noticed she's brave. That can only be taught, I think."

"Her mother was brave," James whispered softly.

*****************************************************

"I have to go where?" Cass asked her superior in horror.

"Azkaban shouldn't be too hard for an Auror of your reputation to handle," Mad-Eye Moody remarked laconically. "If a Dementor charges you, which I doubt it will, simply use 'expecto patronum' and run like hell."

"Can't we bring the Lestranges out for me to talk to them?"

"Too much of a risk. There's a leak in Ministry security and if anyone heard prisoners were getting furloughed, a rescue mission would be mounted by the Dark."

"Damn it all, can't you English learn the value of a good clandestine system yet?" Cass swore. "Even our Muggles are better spies!"

"I'm not disagreeing," Mad-Eye said calmly, almost ignoring the hysterical female's temper fit. "If it makes you feel any better, you will have a co-agent."

"John? No, don't make him go in there!"

"Severus Snape, actually. They'll listen to him if nobody else. I only hope their minds aren't too rotted through for them to be of use."

"Bit cold of you, eh, Moody?" Cass accused. "If they aren't too crazy to help us out, they're drek?"

"Drek?"

"It's the Yiddish word for shit, Alastor," Albus Dumbledore clarified, appearing suddenly from the fireplace. "Anyone care for some Peeps?" The bearded wizard popped a marshmallow chick into his mouth with a grin. Cass stared.

"You do realize the kids would die of shock if they heard you say 'shit'."

"Precisely why I don't say it in front of them."

"Albus, did Snape agree?" Mad-Eye asked.

"Yes. He's preparing to leave tomorrow evening."

"Alastor!" Cass stood up and pounded on Mad-Eye's desk. "You can't send Severus Snape!"

"You seemed fine with it a moment ago."

"The dementors'll charge him down!"

"Cassandra, Severus is perfectly capable of self-defense," Albus pointed out.

"And it isn't as if he has a family or a mate as you do, Mrs. Tyler," Moody added. "Severus Snape has said often that he has nothing to fear in dying for the Cause."

"Well, I'm not going to be a party to his death, you git!"

"Cassandra, why this sudden fear for Severus?" Dumbledore asked, looking at her with stern blue eyes that seemed able to see her soul. Cass panicked and began to improvise.

"Because Severus is too …valuable. We can't lose him this early in the war! It would be like killing your queen in chess on the second move."

"But Smut Goddess can perform his duties already," Moody pointed out, using the code pseudonym for their mysterious other source. Cass knew he meant Narcissa Malfoy and tried again.

"Because his… students love him?"

"Cassandra, that is so far from the truth I doubt if they speak the same language," Moody said disdainfully. "I heard them talking. They hate his class."

"But Severus can't go into Azkaban! If he dies it's break Her-" Cass realized what she was saying and bit the name off, "-heart."

The two men looked at the young auror in surprise. Dumbledore smiled.

"So Severus has a romantic interest at last? How astonishing. Whom is the lucky girl?"

"Er…"

"Please, enlighten us, Mrs. Tyler," Moody asked suspiciously. He doubted even a drunk nymphomaniac dryad in heat would find Severus Snape attractive.

"Er, no…I- I'm not supposed to say." Cass grinned haplessly, hoping they would leave it at that.

"And why not?" Dumbledore asked.

"Because…" Cass groped for a reason. "She's not supposed to fancy him at all." Well, that was true at least. Snape was going to be so pissed!

"Ah. Is it a married woman, perhaps?" Moody asked.

"Heavens, no! She's just…er, a Gryffindor. It wouldn't look good to the Slytherin students."

"Another professor, perhaps?" Albus asked, smiling. "I must admit, I'm quite intrigued."

"And well you should be!" Cass said suddenly. "I mean, it's really you who got them together, after all. Well done."

"I got them together?"

"Why, you were Pickering to Snape's Higgins!" Cass exclaimed, grinning broadly and hoping she didn't screw things up any worse. "I wouldn't be surprised if they married and named you godfather to a son!"

"So Albus made Severus work with his current love interest?" Moody asked.

"Precisely, and now they adore each other so, I don't think it's really fair to worry her that way. Why don't I go alone into Azkaban? It would likely be impressive enough to convince them to join our side. Anyone want a soda, what?"

She said all of this extremely fast.

"Er…no, Mrs. Tyler, I'm afraid we will need at least two agents for the Azkaban mission. Your compassion, however, is very kind." Moody gave her what may have been either a smile or a frown, it being hard to tell on his scarry face. Albus Dumbledore, however, was still smiling with a mind-reading stare.

"So, shall we be seeing them together at the dance tonight?"

"I don't know…with their schedules I don't think it's likely," Cass shrugged, still faintly pale with nerves. "But if I see the both of them I'll tell them you say hi."

"Do that," Moody said coldly. "I trust you have to prepare to chaperone the dance at Hogwarts tonight?"

"Er, yeah. Talk to you guys later." She stepped into the fireplace and Floo powdered back to the Potions room. "Gaw," she gasped to herself. "That was close."

"Wasn't it?" Dumbledore asked from directly behind her. She jumped. "I usually don't like to travel on the tail of somebody else like that, as it does tend to startle them."

"Rather," Cass gasped, glancing about the fortunately empty room. "Anything you needed?"

"Just another clue, perhaps. I'm sure you can understand my concern for Severus."

"Oh, don't worry, she's quite nice…"

"Professor Cass!" Ron Weasley called, racing into the room with his dress robes askew. "Have you seen Hermione anywhere?"

"No, why?"

"Parvati set herself on fire in Divination today…I need to find another date."

"Oh, heavens. I'm sorry, Ron…"

There was a sound remarkably like girlish laughter coming from behind a cabinet. Cass looked surprised and shook her fist.

"Out, Peeves!"

"Peeves doesn't sound like that, Professor," Ron said.

There was another laugh a moment later, but deeper and decidedly masculine.

"Does Nearly Headless Nick have a date?" Cass wondered aloud, knowing full well whose laugh it was. "Scandalous. We should leave."

The potions cabinet swung out from the wall and two figures in pajamas emerged.

"Really, Severus, that was wonderful-" Hermione saw Ron, Cass and Dumbledore and froze. "Holy shit."

Ron was frozen, jaw nearly resting on his toes with shock. Dumbledore smiled suddenly and turned back to Cass.

"Pickering, eh? How remarkable."

"Ronald?" Snape asked, trying to keep the Weasley boy from swallowing a bug. "Are you –alright?"

Ron didn't move and Hermione clung a little tighter to Severus in case a fight was coming. Absently, Snape kissed her on the forehead and Ron's eyes bulged.

"Uh-oh," Cass said.

But there was no tirade from Ron. He simply passed out right then and there with a thump.