Chapter 4

Hogsmeade Encounter

DARK POV

The foolish child thought she could escape me by transferring here. She was a stupid little girl to think location would stop me. Her power signature is so unique that tracking it was child's play. Hiding at Hogwarts, what arrogance she possesses. Unlike Voldemort I don't fear that meddling headmaster. And anyway, I need never go near the castle, not when they allow the children to come unprotected to this quaint little town.

My followers and I will have little trouble capturing her and while we're at it we might as well kill Harry Bloody Potter. Yes, I'll take her prisoner so that her blood can flow for me later. Then I'll kill Harry Potter, something Lord Fucking Voldemort has been incapable of accomplishing. After that I will use her power and become unstoppable. Then I will kill Voldemort and take his powers as well. Soon I will become the dark god I am destined to be!

DRACO'S POV

Cassandra and I headed with the rest of the students toward Hogsmeade. After shopping for about an hour we headed to the tea house. It is the place couples go on there first few dates and we thought it'd be a good first date place for us as well. Cassandra ordered a cup of herbal chamomile and ginseng. She suggested peppermint for me. I agreed because I love mint teas. We both ordered small sandwiches as well.

I starred into her eyes and reached for one of her gloved hands. She was wearing lavender silk gloves which perfectly matched her blouse of light amethyst. The silk was smooth in my hand, but I wanted to hold her hand. She smiled at me and slowly took her hand back.

I looked at her with a question in my eyes and then smiled slightly as she took her gloves off and put them in a pocket. Her fingers were long, slender and pale. They ended in manicured perfect nails. She took my hand and before I could enjoy the sensation of her hand in my own images flooded my mind.

I saw a boy huddled in under a thread bare blanket curled in a dark closed space. I could hear his sobs and taste his tears. I saw a large venomous serpent sinking its fangs into a man I knew as Arthur Weasley (That happened last year?) I heard screams of fear and could feel intense pain. (I know that pain, its Crucio.) I see a lake with a small island and on it is a stone archway. (The Veil of Mysteries, an heirloom many ancient families have. Ours is on one of the Black properties bequeathed to mother) A beautiful silver dragon with light silvery-blue eyes looks at me with understanding as it stands on a field of green, the green of Cassandra's eyes.

The images stop and I hear softly in my mind, Sorry Draco, I didn't expect any leakage through my shields. I thought, How? To myself as I starred at her with astonishment.

She smiled and her voice sounded again within my mind, I have many powers, Draco, which goes beyond simple magic. I am a mage and my thoughts have a power all their own. I wear the gloves because skin contact causes a circumvention of my mental shields. Whatever images just flooded your mind was a slight leakage through my shields even though I was prepared. If I hadn't been prepared, the flood might have damaged your mind severely.

I tried to think to her, So this was only a hint of what would happen if someone were to grab you without your knowledge?

She smiled wider, "Yes, the only ones who have an immunity of sorts are my family because they were constantly with me as I grew up."

"Oh," I feel strange knowing these secrets, knowing that Voldemort may one day torture them out of me. "So what was I seeing?"

She shrugged, "I don't really know what images are sent or received. If you told me what you saw and experienced I could tell you what they were and meant."

Our teas arrived then and I shook my head. I didn't want to know what those images meant. Part of me was frightened by what I'd seen and I really wanted to just leave well enough alone. I simply held her hand and starred into her enchanting eyes, the eyes of my only love. We stayed there for awhile speaking quietly or just being with one another. We headed out after paying our waitress. I was still holding her ungloved hand as we left the tea house.

HARRY'S POV

I felt incredibly uncomfortable all day. The sun was bright, the air warm, and everyone seemed happy. I don't know why but I felt certain horrible things were coming. Ron, Hermione and I had finished all our little errands and were heading toward the Three Broomsticks when the shit finally hit the fan.

First I noticed Draco and Cassandra exiting the tea house, holding hands. Then I saw the dark wizards, thye attacked too quickly for me to grab my wand out of my pocket and use it effectively. When am I going to learn? They swarmed us, stunners flew everywhere while numerous disarm spells rebounded through the air. I had my wand out only to feel it fly from my hand seconds later. The dark wizards grabbed Ron, Hermione and I; they weren't dressed like death eaters and the voices that threatened us into submission had French accents. There were twelve of them holding hostages while the thirteenth, their leader stood over Draco Malfoy who was sprawled on the ground; Draco was wiping a small trail of blood from his mouth.

The leader held his wand on the fallen Slytherin dragon and said, "If you value any of their lives, mage, you will surrender to me." His voice was cold, harsh, cruel, and accented in a slight French accent. It was not Voldemort's voice; it was too human to be.

I watched Cassandra who stood still in the center of this strange tableau. She looked at him and she said, "You think their lives matter to me? I could care less about them and you know you cannot touch me magically. Did you honestly think hostages would cause me to surrender to you?" Her voice had been cold and uncaring. I feared I was wrong about her.

"Obviously then you won't mind my followers killing their hostages or the death of your boyfriend," he replied just as coldly.

"Kill them, it doesn't matter to me," she said flippantly.

Angrily he said, "Kill the Hostages." As his followers raised their wands all twelve released us and dropped their wands. The twelve dark wizards began to scream as blood gushed out of noses, ears, eyes, and mouths. I felt sick at the sight of the gore and heard Ron retch somewhere near me.

"Ada..." the leader's voice was cut off as he sailed through the air and landed with a thud against a tree. A chill seemed to enter the air as Cassandra stalked toward his downed form.

Her voice dripped with hatred and scorn, "Did you honestly think I would be defeated by the likes of you?! I would allow you or your darkness to hurt these innocents? I would let my power fall into your possession when you are barely worthy of your own?!" She was yelling by the last and as she spoke he had been hoisted in the air by an invisible force. The passion in her words told me I hadn't been wrong, she was a light witch.

The dark leader's head rolled as he mumbled something. A scream of the word, "Burn!" was torn from her throat and the dark wizard burst into blue-white flames. His scream of agony ended as abruptly as it had begun. He was dead within seconds and the flames faded.

That was when I noticed the five Aurors. One strode quickly toward Cassandra, his wand was still pocketed. I scrambled toward her, afraid he would take her away. She had saved us by murdering thirteen people without uttering a single curse. I could feel the terrifying energies roaming Hogsmeade. I knew she was the reason I could feel them and the reason they were so strong. Cassandra is special, but I don't entirely know how.

Third Person Storyteller POV

The Auror who approached Cassandra De-Winter was young, maybe thirty at the oldest. His dark brown hair was trim and proper. His dark blue eyes reflected concern. He approached the volatile young woman and stopped about three feet from her. His voice was soft and gentle as he asked, "Sandy, Sandy can you hear me?"

Cassandra stood rock still except for her lips and hands. Her lips were moving as a quiet French song slipped past while her hands clenched and unclenched. Draco Malfoy cast a fetching spell to bring her knitting needles and a ball of yarn from the castle while the town's attention was on Cassandra. Cassandra seemed oblivious to the Auror's voice as well as everyone else around her while she softly sang.

The young auror took another step closer and tried to get her attention again, "Sandy, Sandy can you respond? Can you hear me at all?" His gentle voice was filled with concerned love. Draco walked up to her on the other side and felt jealousy boil up inside him as the young auror spoke with loving familiarity. Draco said nothing to the man as he placed a needle into each of Cassandra's hands. He was very careful not to touch her hand with his own.

The young auror looked from Cassandra to Draco and said, "Good thinking young Mr...?"

"Malfoy," said Draco.

"You are a friend of Sandy's Mr. Malfoy?" asked the auror.

"She's my girlfriend," Draco said defiantly. He wanted to get this auror away from his Cassandra.

"Really?" he sounded surprised, "I didn't know little Sandy had a boyfriend."

Something about the tone of voice clicked in Draco's mind. This auror wasn't a rival for or a danger to Cassandra. He was family. "Who are you sir?"

"I'm Adrian Dupuy, Cassandra's cousin," the auror replied.

While this exchange took place Cassandra knitted. By now she had a strip of knitted cloth seven inches wide by six inches long. Her entire demeanor was much calmer. She didn't pause as she looked up at the two young men in front of her. "Thank you for remembering that knitting was my quickest control," Cassandra said quietly to Draco.

Draco looked at her and smirked, "No thanks needed, I just wanted you back to normal. I acted out of pure selfishness."

She smiled brightly, "That's my silver Dragon."

Before Draco or Adrian could reply another, older male voice called out, "Sandy, sweetheart, are you okay?" The voice belonged to a man with shoulder length gray hair whose youthful face showed him to be not more than forty years old. Jared De-Winter hugged Cassandra tightly as he reached the three young people.

She sagged into her father's embrace. "No," she sobbed into his chest. "I killed, daddy, I took thirteen lives." She gripped his robes so tightly as she cried that her knuckles turned white.

"Shush, its okay sweetie. You did nothing wrong. They were dark wizards; they would have killed everyone in Hogsmeade if you hadn't stopped them. Don't cry," his voice was soft and full of love.

Cassandra shook in his embrace and then pulled back slightly. Her tear streaked face looked imploringly at her father. "Daddy let me walk the Other-world."

"No!" his voice was almost harsh and Cassandra burst into torrents of new tears. She pulled violently from his arms and flung herself into Draco's startled embrace.

"I need to go. I need to walk there. They understand; they can ease my pain. Please let me go to them." Cassandra's mantra was terrifying in its intensity.

Draco could barely hold her as his mind was trapped in a whirlwind of emotion, images and darkness. In fear he screamed or at least thought he did. The mental barrage vanished and was replaced by guilt. He thought his forgiveness to Cassandra. Her mantra was quieter but still fierce as she whispered it.

Jared looked at her with despair, "Please sweetheart, please don't go to other-world. Please I don't want to loose you. You were gone an entire lunar cycle this summer. I'm scared you'll vanish forever."

She looked toward her father. Her back was to Draco as he still held her with as much comfort as he could. She spoke softly, lost, "But they are the only ones who can help... its all wrong here." Jared's face creased with emotional agony at the tone of Cassandra's voice.

Harry Potter stepped forward at that moment. Something stirred inside him and instinctual knowledge propelled him to speak, "That's not true Casey. I understand." He reached out and placed a gentle hand against her cheek.

Draco's arms were around Cassandra's waist and he could clearly see Harry over her shoulder. Harry had stepped between her and her father. Draco saw Harry's emerald eyes glaze over with whatever images flashed through his mind. Draco wondered what Harry was seeing.

The caring contact created a link between Cassandra and Harry through which truth flowed. Harry saw himself as he had been at four, as Cassandra had seen him in her mind. He heard the voice that he always dreamed was his mother's; he knew it was Cassandra's voice. He saw the archway, it was identical to the one Sirius had fallen through. He saw Sirius, bed ridden and recuperating slowly, Cassandra was at his side. He saw a silver dragon with silver-blue eyes which slowly morphed into an image of Draco. He saw the Dark Mark burned into pale flesh and watched it vanish under a lightening bolt of crimson red. He felt complete.

"Please Casey," Harry whispered when the flood faded, "Share your pain with me. Let me help you now as you helped me bare mine back then."

Tears formed in her eyes again, but she reached out and pulled Harry against her. This forced Harry to embrace Draco as well. He wrapped his arms protectively about them both. It felt right to Harry. In that moment Draco felt the intensity of the connection between Harry and Cassandra. They shared a soul-bond that was deeper than soul-mates.

"Thank you Harry," Cassandra's voice was muffled yet strong. The boys and she released their three way embrace. Draco hadn't remembered bringing his arms around Harry as well. She smiled wanly and looked once more at her father. He had watched the exchange and wondered that the boy-who-lived had been able to touch his daughter without horrible consequences, and his speech about helping bare the pain made Jared wonder if this was perhaps the 'he' she had always spoken of. "I'm sorry daddy. I won't go to other-world. I have the other half of my soul now and will be fine. I just wish it hadn't taken so long to really find HIM." As Cassandra then hugged her father, he knew beyond a shadow of doubt that Harry Potter was the little boy Cassandra always saw in her childhood. He agreed with his angel, they should have saved Harry Potter from the abuse he remembered her speaking of in concern for 'him'. She then hugged her cousin. She turned back to link arms with the two boys and the trio headed back toward Hogwarts.

FLASHBACK------17 YEARS AGO

Cecilia sat in the small French café, her rounded stomach visible in her tasteful muggle dress. She smiled as the auburn haired green eyed Lily Potter walked over to her. Lily's stomach was a mirror image of the young mediwitch's. The former Ravenclaw students exchanged a pleasant greeting and placed their lunch orders.

Cecilia grew quiet and then said, "Lily we need to stop meeting for lunch."
"Why?" asked Lily in concern. They were in a muggle café, but even here dark wizards may lurk. Lily glanced for sign of one, but she didn't see any.

"I need to protect my child, Lily. You are in the Order of the Phoenix and being your friend has become dangerous."

"C... don't do this. Don't let Voldemort win!" Lily said angrily to her best friend.

"I'm sorry Lily, but Fernzin is in with Voldemort and there is no way in hell he won't tell his master about our friendship."

"All the more reason to fight, you could join the order. You can go into hiding, like James and I will if things become too dangerous. Just please don't let him win!"

"I can't do that Lily, neither can Jared. We've decided to become completely neutral in this conflict. I'm a healer, and Fernzin has gotten Voldemort's word that our estate will be a war free zone. I'll care for any wounded who find their way to me, no matter the side they serve."

"How can you do that?! Those men are monsters. You'd be doing the world a favor by plunging a dagger into them when they're down," Lily's voice was hysterical.

Cecilia stood up as the muggle patrons looked at the pregnant women, pregnancy wasn't supposed to induce complete psychosis. She dropped enough muggle money to cover her and Lily's meals plus a generous tip. Her soft hazel eyes met the emerald orbs that had so been a part of her life and said, "Goodbye Lily, I hope I'll see you when this is over. I hope our children will have the chance to meet." With unshed tears glistening in her eyes she turned and walked away. She never looked back and always regretted her choice.

Lily dumbly stared after the best friend she'd ever had. She held in her tears as she stood. Her memories of such happy times at Hogwarts flooded her mind and she wiped the stray tear that refused to cooperate. She had to be strong for James and their unborn child. Perhaps when this was over she and Cecilia could be friends again. A cold chill passed through Lily Potter. She knew in that moment that she would never see Cecilia again on this side of death. Lily just didn't know which of them would die first.

AN

I hope to be able to update this fic at least every two weeks or so... I have the Dark Heirs story as well and because that is so long reaching I hope to type that one faster than this. Thank you for reading my demented stories -

REVIEW RESPONSES

kamui5: you will learn Harry's Secret soon... it's not "big" but it would vastly change the way the wizarding word views him if it became public knowledge

Malfoy Angel: Thank you

anna may: Thank you very much... I have year six and seven sorted out in my head... it's just a matter of putting those ideas to paper/computer...