May 23, 1976 - Hogwarts

"Severus. Severus. Are you coming, then?"

He startled, blinking his eyes open to meet Cassiopeia's disapproving frown.

"Sorry," he murmured, noticing the simple but elegant evening dress that she wore before he remembered what it was for. "Yes -give me a moment, and I'll be ready,"

He wandered to his closet ungracefully, practically feeling Cassiopeia's tilted gaze against his back as she stood in the entrance to his dorms. He'd promised her to get ready for Slughorn's club meeting in the hours prior, but he'd lost track of time.

Of course, no such thing existed inside his mind, and the simple task of filing away a memory - one that had been bothering him for the past week - must have taken more time than he'd expected.

Curious.

From the back of the closet, he pulled out the clothes which he kept for events such as these, then turned to Cassiopeia, offering an awkward smile.

"Would you mind?"

"Don't waste time," she responded with a nod, before closing the door.

"Mr. Snape! Miss Nazyalensky," Slughorn exclaimed. "How lovely to see you both. Come inside, come inside."

They were heralded into his office, which had been expanded into a sizeable room, now holding a circular dining table, and several sofas and armchairs set up near the fireplace. Around ten students milled about, and though most of them took little care in their appearance, there was one -

"Severus, Cassiopeia," Regulus greeted, bestowing them both with an easy smile. "Lovely to see you again."

"Regulus," Severus acknowledged him. "You've found yourself amongst the select group, then?"

"Oh, it's just my name. I assume if brother dear hadn't gotten himself disinherited, he'd have been the one here."

"Perish the thought."

Regulus laughed. "It's clear, though, why he's invited you two - rising stars, the word around here is."

"All Severus' work," Cassiopeia replied.

Severus shook his head, amused. "Let's not argue about it again," he said dryly. "Besides, Regulus, do you know when Slughorn plans to start the evening? I'd hoped to leave before midnight, but if he keeps waiting for the late arrivals, I worry that may not be the case."

"I'm afraid I don't know," Regulus spoke, his eyes straying towards the door. "Do these often stretch out so late?"

Severus opened his mouth to answer, but at that moment Slughorn's booming voice announced the new guest.

"Goddamnit," Severus muttered. "Why?"

"No idea," Regulus commented, "She's never been a great student, and her name is meaningless. So, something must have changed, but what exactly…?"

As Lily entered the room, Severus met Cassiopeia's eyes. They, at least, knew.

"That is everybody, I believe," Slughorn said, leading Lily inside. "Why don't we all get settled, and we can start supper?"

There was a swell of noise as the fifteen or so students made their way to the table, Regulus pulling out a chair for Cassiopeia, before two spots from her left - Severus giving him a grateful nod.

Of course, as fate would have it, Lily sat opposite them, ducking her head so as not to meet his gaze.

Food appeared in front of them, and the table settled into a low murmur of conversation, cutlery clinking against plates as the students finally got to enjoy their meal.

Lily, presumably feeling alone and nervous, merely pushed the food around her plate, darting glances towards the others.

Severus paused his racing thoughts. He didn't need to know that. He wouldn't have known, if he hadn't been paying such close attention to the damned girl. Again.

"Is anything the matter?" Regulus drawled, pouring himself a little wine. "You look… tense."

Severus' eyes darted to Cassiopeia's, and he noticed that she was listening to their conversation. "Lily."

"Ah… I had heard some things."

Severus shook his head imperceptibly. "I need to get my mind off of her. She's… unimportant."

"Sauvignon Blanc?" Regulus asked, offering him the bottle.

"No, Regulus. I've no desire to be deprived of my faculties."

"Your loss," he shrugged.

Later that evening, after supper had been finished, and Slughorn had ceased his carefully crafted questioning, they were given a half-hour to socialise, and though Cassiopeia and he had originally planned to beg off the rest of the night, those plans had changed suddenly, as they surreptitiously watched Regulus strike up a conversation with Lily Evans.

"Lily, yes?" he asked, giving her a friendly smile. She nodded, her gaze at her feet. "Regulus Black, it's a pleasure to meet you."

She startled, her gaze flying to his face. "I'd prefer not to talk to you - Black."

"Has my dear brother been talking behind my back?" Regulus asked, his voice falsely innocent. "You mustn't believe the things he says, I'm afraid he often gets a little… jealous."

Anger flashed across Lily's face. "Don't insult him, snake."

"Oh dear me, how very sensitive," the younger Slytherin crooned. "Has he asked you to be his lap dog, or are you doing it out of the goodness of your heart?"

"Stop it," she hissed, her eyes fiery. "You don't deserve to be his brother."

Regulus laughed incredulously. "Oh, how my heart is wounded," he responded dramatically, before his tone suddenly changed, the words low and charged. "I wish I never had been."

"I think everyone would have preferred it."

"Oh, no, Sirius would be off decaying somewhere, if it wasn't for me," Regulus answered, and again his tone was serious, angered even, as though there was something more to his words, before he added lightly, "I'd say you deserve better, but…" he shrugged, leaving her to stand at the back of the room, before she turned and fled to Slughorn, certainly hoping to make her leave.

"Why did you rile her up?" Severus asked curiously, when he had returned.

"Other than wanting to mess with her, you mean?" he asked, and at Severus' nod, added with a mischievous smile: "I wanted to spend the evening with you lovely people - I had to get rid of her somehow."

"Regulus…" Cassiopeia admonished playfully, and Severus watched, with perhaps a hint of jealousy - as he bestowed her with a glowing smile.

"Don't bother yourself with it," he replied. "Now, tell me, what made you want to come here? Neither of you seem the type."

Laying in his bed, unable to sleep, Severus looked back on the evening the three of them had shared, a pit of guilt slowly growing in his stomach.

The very thought was sickening - that Regulus assumed he would need to remove Lily Evans from their vicinity, if he wanted to spend a nice evening with his friends.

It hadn't seemed that way at the time, but -

Why? Why was he drawn to the girl as he was? Always seeking her out with his eyes, obsessing over her every move. He barely noticed when he did it too, the action coming to him almost as naturally as breathing. It was like a spell - one that he could not break free from.

For a moment, his thoughts stopped on that idea - a spell, an enchantment - but moments later, he threw it from his mind, filled with self-disgust. Of course he was desperate to grab onto any excuse.

No, it was his actions that had caused this - only his own. He needed to do better. By Cassie, by his friends, by everyone, really.

To hell with Lily Evans.

Yet even as he spoke the words in his mind, filled with conviction, he could already feel failure sneaking up on him, just waiting for a moment to strike.

May 29, 1976 - Hogwarts

"Minerva?" Cassiopeia asked, looking up from the small bowl of water she was struggling to painstakingly transform into sand.

"Yes, lass?"

"If you don't mind me asking, I was curious to know…" she trailed off for a moment, hesitant. "Has the Headmaster made any comments, recently, regarding the organisation of a group?"

It was an awfully vague question, inane, really, but Minerva's expression suddenly became guarded. "…He has discussed something of that nature with the other staff."

"Not with you?" she asked, before she could hold her tongue.

Minerva paused. "I'm sorry, Cassiopeia, but I'd prefer to keep the information to myself. I'm unsure how you even know of that particular plan of his, but I don't believe it is anything students should be involved with. The details are… unimportant."

The younger witch gave her a kind of pitying look, laying down her wand. "Minerva… I'm afraid students are already involved. Two, at the very least, but I suspect more."

Her Master took in a breath, closing her eyes. "I feared so. I have warned Albus, repeatedly, that these things are not for children to deal with… Alas, my advice is rarely heeded. I'm unsure if it is his stubbornness, or if he remains angry with me."

"Could it not be both?…At the very least, if the Headmaster was as intelligent as people say, he would have taken your counsel to heart."

Minerva shook her head, giving a soft sigh. "I am not in the habit of asking my students for advice, but I would like to know your thoughts," she said quietly. "Do you think I should confront him about his plans, or would be simply ineffective antagonism?"

Cassiopeia paused, feeling the weight of the situation. When she finally spoke, she chose her words carefully. "I… don't know many details about the group he plans to form. However, from the knowledge I have, it does not seem to be the type of organisation that has any place in a school, and I worry that membership could be… coerced - if not purposefully, than through the very nature of its structure," she explained. "Nonetheless, I'm unsure if I would advise you to seek out more information, at least in any obvious way… Pardon me for saying so, but I believe the Headmaster has lost much of his trust in you, ever since he has realised that you do not completely match his… beliefs."

Minerva nodded slowly in agreement. "I believe you may be correct. Thank you, Cassiopeia."

"Of course, Master," she said, before returning to her work.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a little of the tightness around Minerva's mouth ease at the honorific, and a little light return to her eyes.

June 3, 1976 - Hogwarts

"Legilimens."

Severus' attack struck her unexpected, his consciousness entering hers mere seconds after she had settled herself on the floor, unprepared in the slightest for his intrusion on her mind.

She attempted to slam down her shields, but it was too late, and she felt his presence slip inside her inner mind - everything open and visible to him, as though she knew nothing of Occlumency at all.

Her own mental presence, with no knowledge of how to block his intrusion now, stood by almost helplessly, her every exertion batted away by Severus as though it were a mere annoyance, and not the force of her entire mental strength.

They had agreed to this last week, as a way to strengthen her abilities. She just hadn't realised how truly powerless, here, she was.

Severus stood in her mind for a moment longer - a lesson to remember the dangers of being unprepared. Idly, he watched the swirl of thoughts and memories pass him by as he allowed Cassiopeia to attempt to force him out, certain that at this point in her training she would be powerless to do so.

One of them, glowing a darker colour than he expected for the kinds of memories which occupied daily thought, caught his eye. Almost unconsciously, he moved closer, in moments his consciousness standing just near it, so close in moments, as it moved past him, he was sucked in.

The emotions and sensations which suddenly overwhelmed him, were not at all what he had been expecting.

Strong arms pinning her against the wall, crowding her, possessing her. Searing lips against her skin, desperate. A warm breath, flowing against her naked skin -

Severus jerked away, cutting off the spell. They returned to reality, an unspoken thought passing between their connected gaze.

He broke eye contact first, his cheeks filling with red.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"No, it's alright."

They settled into silence for a moment, before Severus spoke again, his curiosity overwhelming him.

"Who was that, if I may ask?"

He heard Cassiopeia's astonished laugh. "Severus - what on earth?" she shook her head. "It was nobody."

His gaze returned to her face, and propelled by her answer, he quirked his eyebrow at her, disbelieving.

She remained steadfast. "It is, Severus, just a… creation of my mind. Nothing more. He doesn't exist. Not that this is any of your business."

"No, of course not. I was just… curious."

She laughed, almost incredulously, once more, her face coloured by a lovely flush. "Alright. Just - don't mention it again."