November 5, 1974 - Hogwarts

Well, turns out that confronting Remus was not effective this time. Instead of wearing Remus down and getting him to speak, his incessant (and probably bothersome) questioning had only succeeded in getting Remus to shut his mouth and refuse to speak. Wonderful. He'd have to work on interrogation skills.

But more importantly, Black was getting worse. Well, as 'worse' as he could get before attempting murder again.

His fingers flexed against his robe, hidden from Cassie's observant eyes beneath the dinner table.

Apparently, with the beginning of the Quidditch season, Black had found out that his mother had banned him from playing. He and Potter had both joined the Gryffindor team in their second year; of course taking the opportunity to crow about their superiority.

Maybe he was being a bit harsh on Potter, though the boy was a bit of a jerk. Their relationship - acquaintanceship? - was… complicated; and while Severus still respected him a little for making Black apologize on the express, this year he seemed to have just lost his backbone. To be honest, it annoyed Severus how easily Potter bent to Black's whims. Scratch that– how everybody bent to his whims.

He stabbed his steak and kidney pie more forcefully than intended, making his friend glance towards him with concern. So much for hiding his anger.

His eye twitching, he glanced towards Black, who was once more the center of attention. This time, however, instead of making an idiot of himself, he looked angry, and was muttering something under his breath.

And still half the school positively drooled over the scion - even some of the girls in Slytherin, though there were much fewer. They were usually the ones from outside the Sacred Twenty-Eight, perhaps hoping for a beneficial marriage. Like that girl - Dory.

Severus scoffed mentally. As if the noblest house in Britain would choose someone of such low breeding for their son.

Because, through his curiosity of the girl who'd discovered them, he'd uncovered a secret - one that Dory had done much to keep hidden.

She was not, in fact, a pureblood lesser-known pureblood from outside Britain; but rather a half-blood, born of a Muggle mother and a wizard father. It had taken quite a bit of time to figure that out, but after finding an 'Orford Umbridge' it had been easier to trace her heritage.

Now, if she ever realised who she had found performing magic in the halls, he would have something to hold over her. To be honest, he didn't think he'd even regret it. While Dolores seemed... fine enough, there just wasn't too much to care about with her. She wasn't particularly smart, particularly pretty, or particularly anything. She just kind of was.

And it maybe made him just a tad angry that she worked so hard to conceal her half-blood status. While being a pureblood, he thought, would be much easier; there was something oddly nice about being unique in his status as the 'only' half-blood in Slytherin.

But he also knew that without Lucius' approval - which still had its influence two years after his graduation - life would have been much more difficult for him. So he guessed he kind of understood Dolores' view.

Severus frowned into his still-mostly-full plate. And there was something deeply uncomfortable in that realization, though he had no idea what.

"Snape! Wait up!"

Severus tried, really he did, to ignore Black. Responding would surely mean yet another duel, and even more points lost from Slytherin. And he really wanted his house to win the House Cup at least once before his graduation.

"Snape!"

"What?" he growled, spinning on his heel. Already, his hand was at his pocket, ready to pull out his wand at a moment's notice, should Black draw his.

"Calm down, Snape," Black said smirking, strolling up to him. Of course, this only served to anger Severus further. "I don't want to hex your slimy face."

"Really? I do so want to curse yours."

Anger flashed across Black's face but was quickly replaced with a smug, knowing smile. "You're wondering why Remus had no injuries."

Of course he was. "No, Black. I don't care. Leave me alone."

"Oh, really?" the pureblood drawled, "Well in that case, there's no reason to come to the Whomping Willow tomorrow evening. After all, you're not curious at all."

What the hell did that mean? But more importantly, Remus had told Black about his condition?

Black's smile dropped from his face. "I'm actually upset that you know about Remus' furry problem. It would've been more fun to send you there at the full moon, and watch you get eaten."

That confirmed it then, Severus thought, feeling a little betrayed. He'd thought the Gryffindors had just thought he was sick or something. And they know something about Remus' problem that I don't? Doesn't Remus trust me?

"You don't think Remus would regret waking up with a dead body?" he asked coldly.

"Oh, don't worry. I'd get rid of it before he could see." Black replied casually, though something seemed to flash in his eyes.

"And how the hell do you think you'd be able to take back a meal from a werewolf?"

The smile was back. "Oh, I have my ways."

November 6, 1974 - Hogwarts

Should he go or shouldn't he? He really had no answer. On one hand, he had literally no reason to believe that Black was telling the truth, or that he wouldn't try to kill him again. On the other, well, he wasn't going to get anything out of Remus anytime soon, and his curiosity was quite insatiable.

Oh damn it, he'd go.

But not charging in like a Gryffindor. No, he needed a better plan than that.

"Hey, Cassie?" he called quietly.

His study partner glanced up, peering at him through her lashes. "Hmm?"

"I'm gonna need you to do something."

"Y–Yeah?" the girl stuttered slightly, her face flushing. His own reddened in response.

"I'm going down to the Whomping Willow tonight, and I need your help."

James Potter watched the two conversing girls from the shadows of the table, trying to keep quiet. To be honest, he wasn't sure how he'd gotten himself into this situation–

Oh yeah? So it wasn't you who'd checked out a nice, romantic book, and then hadn't had the foresight to wait to read it in his common room? And then, when two Slytherins came in, had had to hide, for fear of them telling the entire school?

Shut up, he told himself, blushing. How long were they going to be talking? He wanted to get out of here, and read the books. He wasn't particularly interested in– what were they talking about?

"I'm worried. Severus said that it'd only be a couple of minutes. It's been–" Cassiopeia glanced toward the direction of the grounds. "–fifteen?"

The Sinistra girl shook her head. "Honestly, you're both a bit idiotic at times. Didn't he think you'd be worried?"

Cassiopeia frowned. "Maybe? I don't know. I think it might be his pride. Wouldn't want to have a girl save him–" she laughed bitterly, "– especially if Black's gonna be there."

Wait– Black? Sirius? What would Sirius be doing–

"I still don't think he should've believed him. What could there possibly be to see at the Whomping Willow?"

Whomping Willow? James thought, growing more alarmed every second. Sirius and Snape would be there together? Something was wrong–

"I-I'm not sure. Black told him he'd get to see a secret. Something to do with Remus, but–"

James' head banged against the top of his table, startling the two girls sitting nearby badly. That wasn't important, though, because of what he'd just realized:

Sirius was planning to hurt Snape again, most probably through his dog form. If the Slytherin lived, there would be no proof of Sirius' involvement.

"Fuck," he swore loudly, scrambling from his hiding spot. He took in the fear-filled faces of the two pretty Slytherins, and knew he couldn't leave without saying something. "Sorry, but I think Sirius' gonna hurt Snape at the Willow, and I need to go find him, bye."

He ran out of the library, ignoring Ms. Pince's screech. His heart pounded against his chest, and he realized that he might just be about to see his classmate badly hurt. By his friend - whose anger was always just a tad too strong.

"Potter– wait!" he heard from just behind him, recognizing Cassiopeia's voice . "What's going on?"

With his blood pumping in his ears he hadn't heard the footsteps behind him. "No time. Are you going with me or not?"

"Yes–Yes."

Stepping onto the grounds he transformed, hearing Cassie fearful gasp. Nonetheless, she quickly regained her nerve, using her magic to help her mount his back, gripping his antlers tightly.

With a snort to alert her, he took off. The extra weight on his back was uncomfortable, but not too limiting in regards to his speed. Fifteen seconds later they were just out of reach of the tree's branches, and he allowed the girl to slip from his back, transforming back to human.

"The knot. Press it," he gasped, realizing that he hadn't thought this through. Peter was the one who'd pressed it for them last time–

Fortunately for him, Cassiopeia was already wielding her wand, her face set in a determined look that he hadn't seen before.

"Wingardium Leviosa," she incanted, and a stick rose up from the grass, touching the knot and causing the tree to freeze just as it prepared to strike them down with its branches.

"Thanks," he said. "I think they're inside."

"It's all your fault," Black raved, as Severus lay on the floor, bound. "Just because your friend is a fucking whore and I tell her that, doesn't mean you get to blab to Mother and get me banned from bloody fucking Quidditch."

Oh, how Severus itched to hurt that bastard for insulting Cassie. Why had he ever even considered going down here? Why had he allowed himself to be taken advantage of?

"I didn't get you banned. That was Regulus–" Severus answered, interrupted by Black's angry growl, making him cringe.

"Yes. Regulus. You're turning my own brother against me. Before, he used to look up to me, and he saw the truth of our parents' insanity! And now? It's Severus this– Cassiopeia that– Lucius Malfoy this– Narcissa Malfoy that. It's all. your. fault!"

"I'm not responsible for your brother's actions– I barely know him–"

"Shut up!" Black screamed. "I don't bloody care. It's still all your–"

His raving was interrupted by the opening of the door, a sweaty and out-of-breath James Potter rushing inside, Cassiopeia behind him. What the hell was she doing here?

"Why– Sirius– the hell did you do this? Why's he–" James Potter gasped out, gesturing to his bindings. "–what are you trying to do?"

"James," Black said coldly, while Cassie kneeled beside him. "I didn't ask you to be here."

"Well I am! You're– stop hurting him. Why do you hate Snape so much?"

Black seemed to debate whether to answer, and in that moment Cassiopeia's magic finally managed to cut through the thick rope binding him.

She helped him up, and he just barely managed not to fall on her, his extremities weak with blood loss.

"Snape!" the grey-eyed boy screamed, finally noticing his rescue. He transformed, the large black dog launching himself at him with foaming teeth.

Overtaken with fear, he simply tried to turn away and protect his face. Fortunately for him, Potter had been quicker transforming into a– stag? – and batting the dog away with its flank.

Severus was frozen, unable to tear his eyes as he watched the two animals battling for control. Next to him, Cassie–

She wasn't there.

His mind wild with fear he quickly found her form, crouching next to the entrance to the room. The door had looked itself behind them, and now couldn't seem to be opened.

He rushed over to her as fast a s he could just as the Potter-stag let out a roar of clear pain.

"What do you need?" he asked.

Cassie's eyes fierce with determination to escape, she gestured to his wand. "This door is made so that only Madame Pomfrey can open it. I'll need to transfigure the key while you unlock the door - Alohomora. Ready?"

"Y-Yeah," he answered, and as she murmured the transfiguration spell and turned the key, he unlocked the door. It opened with a click.

"Leave Potter?"

Cassie pulled his weak body out the door as she answered. "Black'll calm down once you're gone - hopefully. We– I can't help him now. You need to go to the infirmary and I'll tell– Dumbledore."

The black-haired girl slipped a small twig between the door and the frame so that it wouldn't close completely. Immediately, they heard the noise inside cease, and the growls from dog-Sirius lessen in strength.

"Come on," Cassie said to him, softly, the two of them climbing up the narrow pathway underneath the tree. He felt his heartbeat start to slow, but as they finally reached the opening of the tunnel, his limbs started to shake.

"Hold on, Severus. We're going to Madame Pomfrey."

"Y-Yeah," he replied, and watched as Cassie pressed the knot that Black had pressed in dog-form when snatching him from the grounds. The tree froze, and the two of them walked as quickly as they could outside of it's reach, finally both collapsing on the ground, the adrenaline that had sustained them completely leaving their bodies.

"S-Sorry, Severus. One minute, I promise," Cassie said into his hair, as they rested in a heap against the grass. He felt her cold, clammy fingers against the skin of his arm, and realized that his felt the same.

"Oh, Merlin," he breathed, feeling tears burning his eyes, finally realizing what could have happened today. "Oh Merlin."

His companion turned to him, and he saw the exhaustion in her eyes. Nonetheless, she grasped his face gently in her hands, brushing his messy, sweaty hair behind his ears. "You're safe now," she assured him.

And as the moonlight fell upon her face, she pressed the softest, sweetest of kisses to his lips, a melancholy smile on her face. He froze, unsure what to do, and in his heart pleading with her to do it again - Lily be damned.

"I'm sorry, Severus," she said gently. "I just– really needed that. Okay?"

And he nodded, simply; because what more was there to say?

•••

That was unexpected, honestly. I'd expected the first kiss to happen at least several chapter later, but tell me what you think. And I know I'm not the best at action scenes, so please forgive me - I don't think they'll be too many of those for at least some time. And finally, I would please, please ask you to vote in my poll on whether there should be mature scenes between Cassie and Severus later on - and my thanks to those of you who voted, and everyone who has left a review on my story. I hope every single person reading this has the most wonderful of days today; and you know what, the most wonderful of weeks too. Thank you!