3. Useful Friendship
The birth was last of laughter and joy. As the dark side took the offensive sending death eaters to burn both muggle and wizard villages. Werewolves that followed Greyback killing anything left alive with great satisfaction. The main headquarters for the light side was stationed at Hogwarts, which closed down since the death of Albus Dumbledore. Towers used for watch outs, the grounds as resting places for the trained dragons, and magical animals, and the great hall as a makeshift hospital. Giving the wounded a hard stare Cassandra walked through the great hall, her black cloak billowing behind her as her long silky raven hair swung from side to side. "Death Eater!" A hiss sprang from a body that laid on the ground. Ignoring it was the best she could do, it's not as if she could blast the bloody bastard. As she approached a group of men standing around a table, Ron took notice of her first and whispered to Harry who only nodded and kept talking to the older men surrounding him. Stopping short so that she was out of ear range, Cassandra knew the wounded laying on beds were looking at her with a mixture of fear and hate. She was wearing the robes of a Death Eater, and wore the serpent pin given only to the Dark Lord's favorites proudly as a fasten for her cloak. Her coal outlined eyes traveled along the bodies, till she felt a light tap on her shoulder.
"Follow me Lemercier." Ron said icily as he and her walked out of the great hall up a maze of staircases to the highest tower, which was once the Ravenclaw tower. Her House years ago. He pushed through another set of doors that led through a small staircase then another set of doors to the landing of the tower. Stepping onto it, she noticed another figure already there. "Wait here." At that Ron disappeared. It was like the light side, their distrust had grown deep to the point where she was not allowed to apparate to a certain place within the headquarters. Nor was she allowed anywhere alone, except her private rooms while staying on the light side, which was situated in the dungeons turning around she faced the mountains, she knew that there was a protective barrier there death eaters had died trying to penetrate it.
"Cassandra." Turning around quickly she faced Harry Potter, who motioned for the figure to leave. At once they were alone. "Have you gone to see him?" Motioning at her attire
"Yes... Do you wish for me to go back?" As she talked she looked over the 21 year old male, the one man that her master has been dreaming to kill for 21 years. He had outgrown his look of a lanky teenager. His eyes were filled with death and harden to emotion. "Do you wish for me give him a message?"
"Funny." smirking at her comment she walked a littles way and leaned back on the waist high wall, watching him approach her and stand beside her, mimicing her stance. "I'm sorry about everyone's behavior towards you... Ginny and I try to tell them... If they only knew-"
"It wouldn't change Potter... Stop apoligizing, being merciful isn't a very good trait during time of war... Have you been practicing your occlumency? I would be greatly disappointed that you've neglected them, 10 months of occlumency down the drain." Reaching into her robes she pulled out an orb, small and portable. "Look into this." He nodded and took hold of it, glancing down at the orb it started to shine within, showing burnt houses and wizards lined up against a wall, being murdered one by one. "This is a village up north in Ireland, close to Belfast... What's very interesting is, why would Voldemort be sending armies of Death Eaters there?" Arching an eyebrow, she slowly took the orb from Potter's hand and tucked it back into her robe.
"To protect something..." Pushing himself off the way he paced up and down the landing, muttering to himself. "The second to the last of the Horcrux... He caught on?" Looking at Cassandra, she only nodded.
"As you destroyed his Horcruxs one by one, he started to slowly deteriorate, but he's still as strong as ever. The last Horcrux must be destroyed, if you're going to have any chance in betting him." Stopping short his pacing he nodded in agreement. "But Harry this time, you musn't destroy it the moment you get it. You understand me?"
"Yes Cassandra... And you? Will you be coming with me again to retrieve the Horcrux? You know I'd rather you go with me, then have Ron tag along... Just in case." His eyes held a questioning look, as he went back to standing next to her, he couldn't help but noticed that he had outgrown her, his chin was parallel to her nose. They had been together for four years, close to the moments when Dumbludore was laid to rest. He remembered it clearly.
Just as Harry left Ron and Hermione to themselves he started for Hogwarts, when something caught his eye. By the lake stood a hooded figure watching the gathering of wizards and witches. Slowly it faced him. Harry Potter... A woman's voice whispered in his mind, he twirled around to find no one near him. Potter... The Chosen one... The one to defeat the Dark Lord... He glanced around himself wildly till his eyes rested again on the hooded figure. Making a beckoning motion with it's hand, the figure went off into the woods that surrounded the lake. At once Harry followed, his wand clutched in his right hand, stumbling through the woods he managed to keep the figure within eye distance till it suddenly stopped in a clearing. "Hey! Who are you?" He yelled as he struggled out of the trees into the clearing, the figure's back to him.
"Your only chance in killing Voldemort." It said softly, the same voice that whispered in his head. Taking off her hood she slowly turned around. "My name is Cassandra Lemercier, one of the Dark Lord's trusted advisors-" At once Potter whipped his wand at her, but she merely flicked it with her wand that extracted from her sleeves. "Don't try anything stupid and let me finish."
"You have the nerve of coming here..." He hissed, Cassandra shook her head and lowered her wand. "You were there weren't you? During the surprise attack? Come to see the damages you've done!"
"No. I was in Malfoy Manor when Draco appirated back bloody and broken, it was only then I knew of what happened..." She looked straight into his eyes. "The death of Dumbledore was the moment my duty towards you was apparent... Dumbledore had two spies Potter. Myself and Severus-"
"WHO BLOODY BETRAYED HIM!" He yelled, nodding Cassandra raised her hand.
"Severus will pay for what he did, but Potter he didn't know I was also a spy. I was made a death eater by the orders of Dumbledore once I finished my years in Hogwarts. A year ago. From that moment I received my mark, I was also initiated into the Order of Phoenix, just that it was only Dumbledore that knew of it..." Sighing she knew that Potter didn't care about her past, but he had to understand in order to trust her. " From then on Dumbledore gained knowledge from both Severus and myself... But now that Dumbledore is dead... And Severus is no longer faithful to the light side, I take it as my duty to fulfill what both had not finished."
"I don't trust you."
"You don't have too, but in order for you to kill Voldemort you're going to have to do what I say..." Silence elasped between them, with the birds singing softly in the background, she watched as Potter thought over what she said. If she were him, she would have blown herself up to millions of pieces no questions asked... Mercy... He showed her mercy.
"How do I know you're not lying? How can I truly trust you?" She placed her wand against her temple and, slowly she extracted a memory from her temple. With her other hand she took out a small bottle and placed the slivery substance in the bottle. Corking it closed she glanced over at Potter who still stood with his wand on guard, tossing it toward him she watched as he caught it with one hand.
"Dumbledore has a pensieve in his office... I'll know when you wish to contact me." Placing her hood back on, she melted into the woods leaving Potter with the bottle and a confused head.
Harry sat at the desk of Dumbledore the protraits surrounding the desk, looked around the room mournfully. It has been two days since the funeral and students were readying themselves to go home, the last day Hogwarts will ever be opened. He had asked for some privacy from Hermione and Ron and went up to the office by himself. Sitting there he remembered his treatment of Dumbledore which wasn't so well. Reaching into his pocket he took out the bottle which that woman gave him... Cassandra is it? Setting it down on the table and walked over to the pensieve and carried the heavy china bowl back to the desk. There he stood contemplating... Should he? Should he look into the memory? Making up his mind, he uncorked the bottle and watched as the slivery substance fall into the bowl, tossing the bottle aside he took his wand out. Bending low he closed his eyes as he felt himself dive into the bowl.
Opening them he found himself in the Headmaster's office, but he was not alone. There stood the same girl dressed in the same cloak, as she stared intently at Fawkes who in returned stared at her. Dumbledore himself was looking out of his telescope, recording certain stars on a parchment next to him.
"Orion is very bright tonight, his belt exceedingly." Dumbledore said non chantedly, marking it down and going back to his telescope. Cassandra only glanced up at him and turned her attention to the portaits on the wall, all of the headmasters gave her a very serious and hard look. There was only one that gave her an interesting look, and that was from none other then Phineas. Stepping close so that she was starring up at him, he leaned forward and too gave her a caulating look, a phantom of a smirk on his lips.
"Your grandfather was great in the dark arts... Then again he was a decsended from Merlin, and of course his family have had a great many wizards in the line before him. All of them worthy for Salazar Sytherin himself to teach, if he were alive then. I believe he traveled the world and brought back more dark magic from the East, then retired to a gentlemen's life of luxury and enjoyment."
"No he started to teach, actually only one pupil, who was worthy enough to gain his attention. Tom Riddle but he'd rather be called Lord Voldemort." She listened to the few gasps of the other Headmasters as they whispered amoungs themselves at this new knowledge. She heard one whisper 'I taught her grandfather! How shameful!' She didn't break her eye contact from Phineas as he stared cooly at her. Harry Potter couldn't help but hate Cassandra's air of royalty, she reminded him greatly of Draco.
"Cassandra. Cassandra come tea is ready and we have things to discuss of... Harry Potter and the dark Lord." Dumbledore said quietly, he had observed Cassandra and noticed her reaction to be gleeful at the gasps and whispers of her family name. She had grown under her father's wing, and grew up to know that the Lemercier were to be feared and respected. Perking up at his name, he followed Cassandra from where she was standing to a seat across the desk from Dumbledore tea ready for her. Taking a sip she started non-chantedly.
"I expect you want ot hear some news from the other side?" He nodded which gave her more encouragement to talk. "The Dark Lord was non to happy after fighting and losing in the ministry..." 'So this meeting was after... Must be during the summer holiday.' Potter thought to himself. "He punished Bellatrix and made Professor Snape his closest advisor, I took Professor Snape's place as trustee in his advisory concil. It consists of Lucius and Nacissa Malfoy, Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange, Peter Pettigrew, Severus Snape,and myself. Yet I feel that there is one more... No one has yet to mention him or her... The Dark Lord then questioned Severus numerous times on Hogwarts and yourself..."
"As I expect."
"Then he questioned me, both in my loyalty and Harry Potter's doing. I told as much that Potter is secretive and hard to befriend... Also that it was too late for me to do just that, for I graduated just a month ago. I could feel him swimming through my mind but I had closed it off... Headmaster... He is thinking of attacking a few wizard and muggle villages and Hogwarts soon... He won't let us know his plans, but I sense that it has to do with the Malfoy child... Draco." At that Dumbledore got up and looked out the window which overlooked the quidditch field.
"Can you gather proof of these attacks?" He turned toward her, giving her an appraising look.
"I can on the villages for I was allowed to sit in during the talks, but not of Hogwarts. Do you wish for me to gather more information Headmaster?" He shook his head and smiled down at her.
"No Cassandra you've done well rising within the ranks of the death eaters in such a short time. I need you to be secretive, no one must know of your doings. You will go on to learn your tradesmark as a healer, and you must continue to strengthen your occulmency... For in the future when you know the time is right, you might have to teach it as well." At that the sounds of the stairs being moved brought their attention to the door. "It must be one of the Professors, come leave through the fireplace." She got up quickly and collected a handful of floo powder if threw it into the fire which turned a light blue. He watched as she turned around and shouted. "Lemercier's Living Quarter's." At that moment Potter was yanked around his middle and was dumped back on the floor of the Headmaster's office. Glancing around him the protraits were also looking at him.
"Did you like what you saw Potter?" One asked
"She came nearly everyday... You know she's been watching over you? Dumbledore's orders... She was part of your DA if you don't remember." Another one said.
"Yes... She's quite the actress... Being stiff and rude... Dumbledore not noticing her fondness for him... Pity when he died, she came straight here, demanded for him. Had to talk some sense into her, have her finally realize that he was truly dead.." Phineas said. "Then of course she ran off when her mark started to burn and-" That that moment the door opened to Hagrid.
"Der you re Arry. Come long. Time to go ome." At that he placed the memory back into the bottle and went off with Hagrid, Phineas words in his mind.
"Potter?" He snapped back to focus to see Cassandra giving him a curious look, "As I was saying... I'm not going to be accompanying you, it's too risky on my part. But if you do go, bring Remus not Ron... I'd reckon that the Dark Lord added werewolves to his army in Ireland." Giving him a fair warning, she pulled her robe tighter around herself. "I'd best be going..." He nodded and motioned towards the door which was opened by the same figure that stood with her, when she was waiting for Potter.
"Take Care Cassandra," Giving her arm a supporting grip, she backed away and started to turn towards the stairway. "Bring her down to the Apparation Circle."