Disclaimer - none of this is mine, I wouldn't mind it though.
Chapter 4 – It's a crack I'm back
"Go after her!" Bellowed Voldemort, trying hard to hand on to at least some sanity. He knew it was hopeless though. If Cassie wanted to hide, then hide she would. She could stay hidden in the underground for as long as she liked. Festering away in her own little mind with four pathetic teenagers. Four pathetic teenagers? Yes! That had to be her stumbling block.
"Wait," he said finally, his voice a pool of calm, his mouth twitching upwards into a sneer. He turned to face one of his followers, black robes rippling in the small breeze. "Severus," he started, stepping closer to the man, "I know where she is," he paused, contemplating. "And you probably do too, but that is beside the point." Leaning over so that their noses almost touched, Voldemort stared into the man's obsidian eyes. "Go back to Hogwarts, Severus and bring her, with those four children to me. I know how much she trusts you and with that old coot dead, Harry Potter is for the taking." Red eyes glinting, Voldemort turned away. "If Cassie is there she will have taken control of the ancient magic. Her wards will let you in, after all she loves you doesn't she?" His last words dripped with poison as the other Death Eaters hissed at the mention of 'love'. It was alien to them, out of their control and something so dangerous it should never be dabbled in, not if you were a pureblood anyway.
Severus nodded his head, jerkily. Obeying orders was what he did best, but this order was suicide. Sending him back to the place where he had murdered one of the greatest men ever born and where most people in the school would like nothing better than to murder him as well? It was insane, but it was an order and orders where made to be followed. So, without another word, Severus Snape apparated to Hogsmeade, pain veiling his dark eyes.
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September 1st was a dark day for Hogwarts castle. The rain lashing the windows drowned out the few, small, sad conversations scattered across the four house tables. The sorting had passed without incident. Even the 1st years, who had never experienced Dumbledore as a professor or headmaster felt some loss. The whole atmosphere of the school had changed, everything seemed darker, more deadly. If Death Eaters could enter the castle……………. Well surely You-know-who was next.
Headmistress McGonagall was speaking, addressing the gathered with a dull muteness which none had seen her wear before. Gloom seemed to have fixed her as it's epicentre and had sucked all the life from her body. Her skin seemed paler, more stretched. Her hair had more white streaks and seemed to be slowly detaching itself from her bun. She seemed thinner underneath her robes, which were hanging off her. She looked dead.
But she wasn't the only one, Hagrid seemed smaller, hunched in his chair, Flitwick was staring at his now empty plate in disbelief and Slughorn didn't seem to be breathing. The defence against the Dark Arts position had again been taken by Remus Lupin, another order member and ex-pupil. All in all, the remaining teachers were a sorry sight. There was one suspiciously empty seat, that of Professor Snape. After killing Dumbledore, he and the Malfoy boy had disappeared, he wasn't missed.
"………List is on the back of Mr. Filch's door," McGonagall continued, but no one was really listening. "So," she concluded, "it is late, off to bed, another exciting………" But she never got to finish her exciting sentence as at that moment, the doors of the Great Hall burst open revealing five rather drenched figures. The one at the front, a woman with dirty blonde hair sticking to her forehead, took a resolute step forwards and opened her mouth. She didn't get chance to speak however, because a 1st Year Hufflepuff chose that moment to faint as one of her friends pointed and screamed. Hands prised to their ears, everyone in the hall turned to look at what the screamer was looking at. More screams erupted, wands were drawn and curses cast as all eyes settled on Draco Malfoy, Death Eater and potential murderer. Draco froze, all the fear and pain coming back to him in floods as he saw the bursts of light coming towards him. Then his vision was obstructed by a figure dressed in all black, the same figure who had just flown him halfway across England and into Scotland.
Over 300 spells hit Cassie squarely in the chest but she didn't move. The curses kept flying until one bright spark realised that they weren't reaching their target and lowered his wand. Others quickly followed suit but still looked warily at where Public Enemy Number 3 had recently stood.
"I was under the impression Unforgivables were illegal," Cassie said, rubbing her heart, "but by the feel of what you just fired at me, I must have been wrong." Cassie still stood directly in front of a very bemused Draco Malfoy. Nobody had ever bothered enough for him to save his life and here was someone who had just done it twice in one day.
"Who are you?" interrupted McGonagall, suddenly alert at the prospect of another Death Eater attack.
"I," started the girl, shaking the hair out of her eyes, "I am…….." but Remus Lupin interrupted her.
"Cassie Ravens," He finished, "She is Cassie Ravens." Cassie's eyes flew to Lupin's, realisation dawning on her features. Yes, she recognised this man and at the moment, he looked little better than when he was being held captive in a cage.
"Long time, no see, Remus," Cassie said before striding forwards to the staff table. Smiling, she shook his hand and continued, "About 3 years since I last saw you, far too long.At least you're nice and human at the moment, though." She added her last part in an undertone so only he could hear her. His eyebrows shot up at her words, but she winked and all he could do was laugh.
"Yes, nice and human," he repeated, mirth dancing in his eyes for the first time in a long while. He turned towards the Headmistress, who looked at him, questioningly. "She's safe," he told McGonagall. "And besides," here he pointed at the three unmentioned teenagers, "She's brought Harry, Ron and Hermione." All eyes in the room now settled on Harry, Ron and Hermione who had been quietly trying to slide out unnoticed. They stopped in their tracks, hands poised over the door handle, at the sound of their names.
Acutely aware they were being watched and feeling he had to show that this mysterious woman was indeed 'safe', Harry said, "Yeah, she's OK, she saved our lives." He gestured to his two best friends and finally to Malfoy who he had almost forgotten was there. "And his," he pointed to Draco, malice flashing in his eyes. "Twice," he spat at the blond, "She saved him twice." A confused look fell cross Harry's face as the school again raised heir wands.
"Oh do give it a rest," Cassie called across the hall, sliding onto the staff table and crossing her legs. "You're not big, you're not clever, you're just cruel and boring. Now do as your headmistress says and," She turned straight towards Harry, eyes meeting across the Hall, both sets full of steel. "Go, to, bed!" She finished, over annunciating every word. All around her pupils and staff started to move wary of this new potential threat, leaving just Cassie, Malfoy and McGonagall alone in the hall.
"We'll be staying tonight," Cassie instructed the Headmistress, sliding off the now bare table, "And we can all save the world tomorrow!"
Smiling, she strode out of the hall, Malfoy and McGonagall following, identical looks of confusion on their faces. She passed crowds of whispering students, ignoring them completely, nose in the air to rival Percy Weasley, until she reached the top of the Great Marble Staircase. Here she turned, facing everybody assembled there. With a stomp of her foot, a ring of fire encircled her, head to foot. Throwing her head back and her arms wide she shouted:
"It's a crack, I'm back, standing on the rooftops shouting out, Baby I'm ready to go. I'm back and ready to go!" And with that she turned and strode off up the stairs, leaving a very shocked crowd in her wake.
"Well," said Harry to no one in particular , "She deffinately knows how to make an entrance."
Ready to go
Ready to go
You're weird, in tears, too near and too far away,
He said, saw red, went home stayed in bed all day,
Your t-shirt's dish dirt,
Always love the one you hurt
It's a crack, I'm back yeah standing
On the rooftops shouting out,
Baby I'm ready to go
I'm back and ready to go
From the rooftops shout it out
It's a crack, I'm back yeah standing
On the rooftops having it
Baby I'm ready to go
I'm back and ready to go
From the rooftops shout it out, shout it out
You sleep, too deep, one week is another world
(big mouth) big mouth, (drop out) drop out
You get what you deserve
You're strange, insane, one thing you can never change
It's a crack, I'm back yeah standing
On the rooftops shouting out,
Baby I'm ready to go
I'm back and ready to go
From the rooftops shout it out
It's a crack, I'm back yeah standing
On the rooftops having it
Baby I'm ready to go
I'm back and ready to go
From the rooftops shout it out, shout it out
Ready to go
Abused, confused, always love the one
Ya hurt ya hurt ya hurt ya hurt ya
It's a crack, I'm back yeah standing
On the rooftops shouting out
Baby I'm ready to go
I'm back and ready to go
From the rooftops shout it out
It's a crack, I'm back yeah standing
On the rooftops having it
Baby I'm ready to go
I'm back and ready to go
From the rooftops shout it out
Its a crack
Baby I'm ready to go x9
Well thast it for another installment. Hope you like it so far.
Coming up, Cassie blows Snapes cover. Someone breaks Cassie's heart and Voldemort comes a-visiting.
Until next time
Caz