Warning: chapter details a panic attack

September 1, 1970 - Hogwarts

"We're almos' here," Severus said softly, shaking her awake. She opened her eyes, and blushed at the closeness of Severus' face. He leaned back himself, his face flushed.

"Cassie, come on. Sev, get out! We have to get changed!" Lily yelped, and Iris chirped at her excitement.

"You're insufferable," Sev grumbled, but moved outside. He was already in his robes, but the girls had worn muggle clothes and needed to get dressed.

Lily seemed completely at ease with changing in front of Cassie, but the older girl hid herself in the corner, pulling on her robes with embarrassment. It was quite cold outside, so she decided to keep on her trousers, not having been able to buy the thicker robes.

Lily donned her cloak, twirling around the compartment happily, and almost losing her balance. She laughed delightfully, collapsing on the seats. "I love these!"

Smiling, Cassie quickly folded her clothes and stuffed them back in her trunk, while Lily did the same. At that moment, one of the boys banged on the door, throwing it open seconds later.

"Aww," James said, looking disappointed. "You're already dressed."

Sirius laughed from behind him, thumping him on his shoulders. Severus huffed at the two, pushing past them to enter inside.

"Peter's still gettin' dressed," he said, sounding exasperated. "We gave up waiting for him."

"Hey," Sirius said, throwing himself on the seats in a move similar to Lily's, "It's not his fault our legs were getting just a bit too tired."

The train screeched to a halt, and Sirius informed them that they should leave their things on the train for the elves to pick up. Iris hooted sadly at Lily, who quickly reassured her that they would see each other the next day. The two had bonded quickly, over the last two weeks, and Cassiopeia suspected that Iris might be Lily's familiar.

As they exited onto the windy station, a loud voice instructed the first years to gather around him, while the older students headed in a different direction.

"First years here!" the man exclaimed, holding a large lantern up. "Gather 'round, kids."

Their group moved near him, Severus and Sirius glaring at each other when they were smushed together. Apparently, the tension between them had not yet dissipated.

"My name is Silvanus Kettleburn, kids. I'm the Care of Magical Creatures teacher here, but it's also my job to 'scort you all to the castle. Now, we're travelling there by boat, and there's space for four–" the Professor continued explaining, but Cassiopeia couldn't hear anything else. The blood was rushing in her ears, pounding at her skull, and she felt nauseous and dizzy. She gripped Severus' arm, digging her nails into his sleeve.

"What's wrong?" Severus asked quietly, urgently. She shook her head, the panic clawing her throat making her unable to speak. She didn't want to go in the boat, in the water.

'Wha' di' I say 'bou' talkin' back ta me?' her father growled, impossibly loud and tall in her six-year-old mind. 'Wha' di' I say?'

'D-Don' do it,' she whispered, backing into the bathroom door, trying to get away from him.

'Exactly,' he said angrily, lunging towards her. She screamed, pushing open the door and trying to close it behind her.

'N–No, please. I didn' mean ta do it,' she begged, as he overpowered her and entered the tiny room. He gripped her shoulder tightly, leaning her over the sink. He opened the tap, filling his hand with water while she screamed and fought. He pressed the hand to her nose and mouth, causing her to choke and get water up her nose.

Thankfully, he brought his hand down several agonisingly long seconds later, finally allowing her air, her breath coming in frightened gasps.

'Neve' talk back ta me 'gain, unde'stood?'

'Yes,' she gasped, and her father left, digging his nails into her shoulder tightly one last time.

Suddenly boneless, she slid to the floor and wept. Her father had never acted so violently when ma had been alive, but in the month following her death he had gotten increasingly aggressive, until this–

She dared not talk back to him again.

When she remembered where she was, Hogwarts with Severus, and not in the bathroom, she calmed down slightly. She could do this, the water in their river had never scared her before.

"I'm okay," she whispered shakily to Severus, swallowing to try and combat the dryness of her mouth. "I'll tell you later."

Severus was still looking worriedly at her, and she glanced around fearfully to see whether anybody else had noticed. To her relief, only Lily was looking towards her, but her friend also looked worried.

She shook her head, mouthing, 'Later'.

She, Severus, and Lily sat in one boat, while the boys sat in another. They were joined at the last moment by a brown-haired boy with blue-gray eyes, who they vaguely heard introducing himself as Remus.

"Onward!" Professor Kettleburn yelled, once everybody was situated, and the boats rushed forward. Cassie closed her eyes tightly, and gripped Severus' arm, trying to stop the panic from overwhelming her again.

Eventually they arrived at the front steps of the castle, having just had to duck their heads as they swam underneath a mossy bridge. James, from what Cassie heard, had grabbed a piece of the vine, and flung it at another kid – judging from the loud, 'Hey!' that sounded from somewhere on her right.

"Out you get!" the Professor stated, hopping from his boat easily. Inspecting him closer, Cassie noticed he was missing several fingers, and had a few scars raking down the side of his face.

Severus exited the boat first, holding out a hand to help both her and Lily step onto the land.

"Thanks, Sev'rus," she said with a smile, feeling much better now that they were back on land. They were led into the entrance hall, stopping when a stern, yet kind-looking Professor greeted them.

"Thank you, Silvanus. I'll take them from here."

"Good luck!" Kettleburn shouted jovially, then ducked behind a wall and disappeared.

The Professor cleared her throat to bring back their attention, and the twenty-or-so of them looked at her expectantly.

"Good evening, children. My name is Professor McGonagall, and I am the Transfiguration professor at this school, as well as the Deputy Headmistress and head of Gryffindor House. In a few moments we will enter the Great Hall, and you shall be sorted into your new Houses."

The Professor then went on to explain the house system, all the while leading them through the corridors. She said that their houses would be like their family, caring and responsible for each other. Severus and Cassiopeia exchanged a glance, truly hoping that if it were true, their House would be much better than their family had been. McGonagall also explained to them the point system, as well as the Quidditch House Cup.

She finished her speech right as they arrived in front of a huge pair of doors. The witch gave them a moment to collect themselves, then pushed them open, leading their group inside.

The Great Hall was, as the name suggested, gigantic. The walls were so tall that they seemed to stretch to the sky, and on second glance–

"Tha's beautiful," Cassie marveled, as the the first-years looked up into the enchanted ceiling. It looked almost real, the only flaw of the illusion a slight shimmering near the very edges.

McGonagall led them to stand in front of a tattered, old-looking hat, which sat on a singular, wooden, stool.

"I'm worrie',' Cassie whispered to Severus, biting her lip. On her other side, Lily was nervously twirling her fingers, and Severus was tense.

"You'll be fine," he said brusquely, trying to overcome his own worries. He felt bad, however, when Cassie looked hurt. "I promise," he added more gently, and was rewarded by a tiny smile.

The hat burst into song, but Cassie was more worried about talking to Severus.

"But wha' if I'm no' wit' you?" she asked. Severus felt a pang of happiness – that Cassiopeia cared so much for him.

"We'll still be friends," he said resolutely, and Cassie smiled.

"And me?" Lily asked from the other side.

"Always."

"When I call your name, step forward and sit down," McGonagall proclaimed loudly, causing them to look up in surprise. They had almost forgotten where they were.

"Avery, Auberon!"

The strongly-built black haired boy passed them, sitting on the stool with no expression. He didn't seem miserable, just not as...excited as they were.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat yelled out, startling some of their group to take a half-step back. It was loud.

"Black, Sirius!"

Sirius gave them a grin, then raced off towards the hat. He threw himself onto it, and smirked when the hat immediately yelled out,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The red-and-gold table burst into cheers, as did the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. The Slytherins simply stayed quiet, though looks of unease passed between them. A Black had never not been sorted into Slytherin.

Sorted next were a couple of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs before Lily's name was called. She bounced towards the front of the room, her worry dissipating, and sat expectantly under the hat.

"GRYFFINDOR!" it yelled out a minute or two later, and Severus' mouth twisted. He had known, really, that Lily would not be a Slytherin, but he'd hoped to have a friend with him.

And if Cassiopeia wasn't sorted with him, either? He'd be alone - and he hated how the thought made him feel. He didn't want to be dependent on anybody but himself. He'd learned early on that people were not to be trusted, because if you couldn't trust your own father– he clenched his fists, not wanting to go down that path. And yet Cassie, and to a lesser extent Lily, had wormed their way into his heart, so close that a betrayal from one of them would be unthinkable, and might even break him.

Lupin, the sickly kid the Gryffindors had met in the boat, was sorted next, into Gryffindor. A pity, he'd seemed okay in the couple of minutes that they'd known each other.

"Nayzalensky, Cassiopeia!"

Cassie glanced at him wildly, before gathering herself and strolling to the seat, her dark hair fluttering behind her.

'What do we have here?'

Cassie twitched, hearing an unknown voice in her head. 'How can you speak? Do you do this with everybody? Can you tell me why you placed Sirius in Gryffindor? His family will not approve, but I don't know if I should care– he was mean to Severus.'

'With questions such as those, I don't know whether to place you in Ravenclaw or Slytherin.'

'And if somebody doesn't ask you questions, then how do you sort them?' she asked, wonderingly.

'I search their memories, child.'

Cassie panicked, trying as hard as she could to think of nothing. 'I don't want you to see my memories. Especially if you're going to tell somebody what you see.'

'Don't worry, I'm contractually obligated to keep these discussions confidential.'

'You signed a contract? Not literally, I mean. But you must be a couple hundred years old, at least. What if your or someone else has figured out a loophole?'

'There is no loophole, child.'

'Somehow, I'm not sure whether to believe you. You could just be saying that,'

'You do have some barriers in your mind, but they are quite weak,' the hat said, ignoring what she was saying. 'I rarely see this, but there are exceptions. Children from bad homes mostly,' the hat said sadly, and Cassie almost growled.

'Don't act like you're sad. You're an object, I find it hard to believe you have feelings.'

'Alas,' the hat sighed. 'You may not believe me, but I do in fact have feelings.'

'Can you just sort me, already? Severus is starting to get worried.'

'You care for him an awful lot, your bond is stronger than most.'

'I do,' she answered. It was a simple truth, her friend was perhaps the most important person in her life.

'Why?'

'He is kind, even if he doesn't often show it. He cares for me, he-he reminds me of my ma. She cared for me too, even if she wasn't like Lily, easy with her affection.'

'The girl is quite kind, and I considered placing her in Hufflepuff. Yet, she has a fatal flaw that does not fit with their ideals.'

'What is her fatal flaw? Will she stop being friends with me and Severus because of it? Hufflepuffs are supposedly loyal., and you're saying–'

'I cannot answer that, child, but I can say–'

"SLYTHERIN!"

Her heart pounding, she stepped down from the stool, sending an apologetic smile at Lily, and a very relieved grin at Severus.

Peter Pettigrew was next from their group, and Severus didn't know what the hat had seen in him, to place him in the House of the Brave. The small, pudgy boy was almost painfully shy and fearful, twitching and darting like some kind of animal.

Immediately after him James Potter was sorted into Gryffindor, and Severus resigned himself to Lily's new friends being all Gryffindors. Truthfully, he wasn't all that bothered. Cassie was in Slytherin, which had much better chances of having him in it, than Gryffindor.

Some ten-or-so kids later it was Severus' turn, and he struggled not to look like an idiot as he walked up to the hat in his tatty robes.

'Hello, Severus.'

'Hat.'

'Your heart is set on Slytherin, but I am unsure. You are awfully brave, even if you do not yet know it.'

'No, I would not stand being in a house with those three idiots. Black is terrible.'

'I see that I will not convince you,' the hat sighed. 'Very well, but know that the path you walk will not be easy. You might even come to regret it, child.'

'I will not,' he answered stubbornly, shaking his head.

'Well, you have cunning and ambition in spades, so I am not entirely disappointed,'

"SLYTHERIN!"

Severus practically floated off towards the green-and-silver table, though his face was carefully neutral. He sat down next to Cassie, greeted by a brilliant smile from his friend, and neutral nods from the children around them.

Tayla Williams was the last to be called, but he wasn't paying much attention, too overjoyed to be in a house with Cassie.

Professor Dumbledore made some sort of address, but quickly realized he was being completely ignored, while the students waited for their food. He clapped his hands, instead, and a veritable feast appeared in front of their eyes.

"This is...so much, Severus," Cassie said quietly, staring at the rich food in front of them. It was overwhelming, and the smell was even making her slightly nauseous.

The two of them started to eat, very carefully, knowing that their stomachs were not used to such rich food.. As they ate, the people around them conversed cautiously, asking pointed questions with false casualness, and getting to know their new dormmates.

"Slytherin has more new students this year than expected," Avery remarked. "I know most of the people in our year, but the name Snape is unknown to me, and Nazyalensky only vaguely familiar."

The Slytherins around them perked up their ears, all the while pretending that they were paying absolutely no attention to what was going on around them.

"I woul' think no'. My mother is a Prince."

"A good family, though your mother was quietly disowned, wasn't she?"

"I am unsure," he answered quietly, Cassie squeezing his hand beneath the table, "Our extende' family was no' something tha' was talked about often in our househol'."

"Of course," Avery answered, surveying them critically. "My name is Auberon Avery. A pleasure to meet you."

They shook hands, and Cassie's hand was kissed by Auberon, making her blush slightly. "Mine as well."

Avery's silent acceptance of them prompted the rest of the first-years to introduce themselves, as well as some of the second-years sitting closest to them. The dinner finished on a good note, with light, superficial, conversation being made between them.

Finally, the dinner was over, and Professor Dumbledore bade them goodnight, instructing the prefects to lead them to their common rooms. At the Slytherin table, two sixth-year prefects rose to their feet, the entire table standing after them.

While the older year-group went back to their common room by themselves, the prefects led the first years to the side for a moment, to introduce themselves.

"My name is Lucius Malfoy, and this is Emma Vanity. We're your sixth-year prefects this year," the blond-haired boy declared, gesturing to his partner. The female prefect was tall and severe-looking, with sharp features and brown, bob haircut.

"In case you did not know, the Slytherin common room is located in the dungeons," Lucius explained, leading them down the corridors. "It's exact location is to be kept secret from all other houses, no exception."

"The password to the room changes every week, and will be posted on a notice-board, which we will show you later," Emma took over, her voice strong, and her mouth smirking. "The next two days are also the only days where we will be helping you access the common room, so if you weren't paying attention now–" Emma glared at them.

"Our Head of House, Professor Slughorn, does not usually hold house meetings, but rather we speak for him. Consider this his beginning-of-the-year speech," Lucius added, switching topics.

"There's a set of bathrooms here," Emma pointed out, as they passed a set of doors. "There is one in each dorm room, but these are always also have larger showers than the dorms, and off course, if you become a prefect you get access to the Prefects' bath," she said with a smile.

"Yes, Emma," Lucius replied, seeming slightly exasperated by the girl. Finally, they stopped in front of a normal-seeming section of the dungeon wall, at first seemingly having no identifying marks.

Severus and Cassie glanced at each other. How were they ever supposed to remember what wall it was?

"Aurelius Verus," Lucius intoned, Emma smirking at him. The wall in front of them shimmered, a portrait revealing itself.

"This is the portrait you will see here from now on. I'm sure you can guess why–," Lucius looked at them expectantly.

However, when Lucinda, a shy, mousy girl, started to speak up, Emma shut her down. "First lesson for all of you: don't show off your knowledge when it doesn't give you an advantage."

"But, I wasn't–" Lucy argued softly.

"Lesson two: don't talk back to me."

Emma smirked down at the girl, who blushed with embarrassment. Lucius shook his head and sighed.

"Passssword?" the snake in the portrait hissed. It seemed to fold down inside of itself, and a woman transformed from its body.

"This is Selene," he explained. "She has been the gate-keeper of the Slytherin rooms for the past thirty years - after the last portrait was slashed by a student, in the wake of refusing to grant entry to them. The student in question? A Gryffindor, whom a Slytherin had revealed the portrait to. Both were severely punished," Lucius paused. "The password this week is Argentum Regium."

At his words, the woman put her arms out to both sides of her frame, and touched them. The wall seemed to melt away, revealing behind it the lavish common room.

"Come inside," Lucius commanded to the first-years, who followed him obediently. Cassie and Severus were both amazed at the beauty of the space, and looked around in wonder, as did most of the others. It was gigantic. Filled with dark-colored furniture, expensive fur accents and intricate carved candles, to provide extra light. A fire was roaring in the back of the room, next to two large windows which opened up into dark, swirling water.

"I won't keep you long, I know this has been a tiring day," Lucius said with a smile, gesturing for them to sit. Cassie and Severus found themselves on a black leather couch at the front, and the two of them sat near each other, taking comfort in the others' presence. The older years sat in the back of the room, conversing quietly and watching them.

"We have a few simple rules in Slytherin, ones that you will follow always. Rule one, Slytherins stay together. There will be no fighting or unrest between us out in the open, and any conflicts are to be resolved in private," he surveyed them seriously. "We are already at a disadvantage, in that the school is opposed to us. We cannot also be opposed to each other, and give them any advantage over us. Rule two, do not get caught. A staff member, unless it is our Head of House, will always take the side of a non-Slytherin over you - and will be quick to place blame on a snake if there are any suspicious circumstances. As it stands, the best way to avoid that is to simply never get caught. And our last rule, help out your fellow Slytherins. While out there in the real world, we will be pitted against each other, for the next seven years this is your family. Older students will help you out, and when something is seriously wrong, you can always come to the prefects. Which leads me to this. Your fifth year prefects are Evan Rosier and Narcissa Black–"

The two older students stood up for a second from their places. Narcissa was a kind-looking girl with long blond hair, and grey eyes; and Evan was powerful-looking, with deep brown hair and piercing blue eyes.

"–you know us, of course, and the Head Boy and Girl this year are Matthew Lyander, of Gryffindor and Lena Hyreen, of Hufflepuff."

Lucius saw that the first-year's eyes were slowly starting to close, and sighed gently. "Off you go. Girl's dorms to the left and boy's to the right. Two to a dorm."

Cassie gave Severus a sleepy hug. "G'night, Sev'rus."

"Night, Cassie," Severus answered her, making his way to the dorm room. He walked down the stairs, turning to the right at the first landing, along with the other boys. He chose the room closest to the stairs, snagging it before anyone else.

It was spacious, certainly bigger than his bedroom at Spinner's End. There were two four-poster beds next to each wall, and his trunk appeared with a pop at the foot of the bed on the right. A bookshelf sat against his wall, and opposite it was the entrance to the bathroom. The furthest wall simply held a large window, in a style similar to the ones in the common room.

A knock sounded on the door, and a boy – Augustus?– opened it. "Hello. Severus, right? Can I room with you?"

"Sure," he answered reluctantly, and the brown-haired boy smiled with relief. His trunk also popped into existence, along with a carrier for some kind of animal.

"You have a familiar?" Severus asked curiously, as the boy unlocked the latch.

"Yes, this is Tavian, my half-kneazle," he answered, as a royal-looking white cat with gray markings exited the carrier. "He's half-Siamese."

Tavian sniffed Severus' outstretched hand, and decided that he had found him worthy. He purred and meowed, rubbing himself against Severus' hands.

"I'm gla' he likes me," Severus said, then stood up and grabbed his pyjamas out of his trunk. "You're Rookwood?"

The boy glanced at him with bright, brown eyes. "Yes, Augustus Rookwood."

"Hmm," he hummed speculatively, then climbed onto his bed, drawing the forest-green curtains closed. He stripped out of his robes and trousers, pulling on his threadbare pyjamas. He'd brush his teeth tomorrow, he was just too tired today.

He folded the old clothes, and placed them on his trunk, then climbed under the covers, resting his head on the pillow - softer than anything he'd ever touched before.

It was merely a few moments before he was asleep - dreaming of what would come in the future.