Arc 1: Immaterial Bonds
Chapter 8: Conches Scatter

SNAPE'S POINT OF VIEW

It had been two long months since Cassandra's departure. The castle felt empty without her there. Every day, I researched to see if there was some way to bring her back but there was nothing, as she said. I hope she is doing well. She always complained about how much she hated being there so no doubt she was unhappy to have returned.

I wouldn't admit it aloud, but it hurt somewhat that she hadn't sent any letters by owl. I assumed that she was too busy. She wouldn't throw away the moment we shared like that. I saw her face when she tried to leave... she was broken at the seams.

Typically, I would spend my time in the Dungeons preparing potions and marking the lamentable excuses of essays some of the students would come up with. Today, I decided to take a walk through the castle grounds for a change of scenery. Now the middle of December, the snow had piled up much higher than its earlier counterpart. However, it did this every year and was not anything out of the ordinary.

I wound up in the courtyard I had seen Cassandra sitting in after speaking to a student. I assume it was about the investigation. A drop of guilt befell me. I was unnecessarily cruel to her. She didn't deserve it. Pushing her away never amounted to anything good.

I sat down on the same bench as she had done. What would she be doing right now? Perhaps writing some new laws or reviewing trials? She had changed a lot since she came here. She likely was taking a new approach towards it all. Maybe she could be happy there.

That thought made my heart feel slightly weak but it was soon forced to consider other matters when an owl flew down to my side and dropped a piece of paper in my lap. For a moment, I thought it could be a Ministry owl but it left in such a hurry that it was impossible to tell.

Unwrapping the paper revealed a mess of writing but I recognised it even in its rushed form. It was Cassandra. This was not the type of letter I was expecting.

Crystal Lake. GW provider. Check storage. Mono.

My breathing went heavy. Had she figured out a way to do something? Was this way of telling me she needed my help? With not a moment to lose, I headed straight for my storeroom.

If everything is to be believed as truth, she must be indicating something in here. The ingredients stored here were of my own private collection. They were extremely difficult to get ahold of which made them appealing prizes to any delinquents wanting to make advanced potions.

There were hundreds of ingredients that varied in colour, size, consistency and form. I looked once more at the note. "Crystal Lake. GW provider. Check storage. Mono." An idea struck my mind. Climbing the ladder to reach the higher shelves, a small container stood out to me. Inside, it contained a sample of Gillyweed that I had sampled from the Mediterranean Sea. It was purest when obtained directly from its natural place of growth, but there were other locations where it was artificially grown.

Now, if Cassandra was referring to Gillyweed, then there must be further hints through those artificial Gillyweed providers. To my fortune, my logbook had information on the providers for the ingredients that I purchased across the world. Turning to the appropriate page, only two companies were listed:

Crystal Lake
Maple Aquarius

There Crystal Lake was listed alongside Maple Aquarius. My experience from Maple Aquarius had been profoundly negative in the past which was why I decided to obtain my Gillyweed from the source. The last word of Cassandra's note was the most worrying. Mono. As in... monopoly? Was something going to happen to Crystal Lake that would leave Maple Aquarius as the sole Gillyweed provider? Cassandra must have anticipated something was going to happen and decided to warn me. This could be the way to get her back. She would be safe with me once again.

CASSANDRA'S POINT OF VIEW.

Every moment I could, I would turn and look down at the Ministry lobby to see if I could identify Snape walking among the countless hoard of people. Sometimes, I thought that I could see his long black cloak or his wavy hair but it was never quite him. That was until...

It was an easy mistake to think someone else was Snape, but it was impossible to not identify Dumbledore at a mere glance. However, I still rubbed my eyes to be absolutely certain and there was no mistaking it. By his side also walked Snape as his loyal companion. He figured it out...

With bated breath, I watched as they rode the elevator to the top floor to where my father would be working. I need to get get out of this office but Umbridge was right outside and my wand had been confiscated. Looks like I need to do this the Muggle way. She was bound to be returning at any second.

I picked up my paper bin, emptied the contents haphazardly on the floor and stood by the side of the doors with the bin in my readied grip. As if she knew I was up to mischief, she opened the door and slowly walked into the centre of the room when she realised that she couldn't see me.

"Cassandra, dear, I don't think now is the time to be playing silly games. We don't want to have to be punished like a child, do we?" She pulled her wand out at the ready.

Her back was completely exposed. I slammed the door shut and threw the bin on top of her head so that she couldn't see anything apart from its plastic interior. Then, I kicked her shin and she sprawled to the floor. Her wand fell from her grasp and I snatched it up.

"No, I think you're the only one being punished here today." I taunted as I cast "Muffliato" to silence her screams and "Incarcerous" to bind her where she lay. It was impossible for her to get help without her wand, not being able to see and not being able to move. I tucked her wand in my pocket and stealthily left the office.

I made my way to the Minister's office but I wasn't completely able to go undetected. Constantly, I was asked where I was going and answered that Umbridge needed me to urgently go see the Minister for unspecified reasons. I did my best trembling with anxiety impression each time. Once I made it to the Minister's office, I could hear voices inside talking rather aggressively. I pressed my ear to the door to get a better listen...

"Minister, I do hope you understand what would happen should news of this get out."

"And what of it? It has my daughter's signature on it, not mine. She will take the fall instead of me and I will be seen as the poor father whose daughter went astray."

"That is beyond despicable. You wouldn't dare."

"You have no proof regardless. Your threats are meaningless to me and will only harm Cassandra."

The room went silent. It was true: the legislature had my signature of approval on it and there was no way to prove that I hadn't done it willingly. ...except...

I burst through the door and all three heads in the room turned towards me.

"What are you doing here!?" Fudge bellowed at the top of his voice.

"Cassandra..." was all Snape could say when he saw my battered appearance. I must look worse than I thought.

"I believe Miss Juniper has something she would like to add." Dumbledore spoke with promise and turned to face me.

"You say that there's no proof but I have proof!" With heavy steps, I marched towards my father and displayed my hands for all three men in the room to see.

"Do these look like the hands of someone who had been doing anything willingly? This spilt blood and scars were caused by your undersecretary who tortured me to sign whatever she, and by extension I mean you, wanted! We have everything we need to expose your corruption and you know it. I'm sure Maple Aquarius won't be pleased to not be the sole provider too."

Dumbledore had never looked so proud. Fudge went deathly pale as it hit him that he had no other options but to concede.

"Fine. What is it that you want?" he spat and refused to turn his head up.

Dumbledore looked at me as if asking for permission to continue. I nodded my head.

"I believe it would be most sensible to revert any of the laws that were enforced since Miss Juniper was kept prisoner by you. Second, you must grant Miss Juniper her previous titles and give her back her wand. Third, and which I believe to be most reasonable, is for you to tenure your resignation."

The veins on Fudge's forehead looked like they were about to burst from agony. They were reasonable demands but meant he would lose everything. But this still wasn't what I wanted.

"No, not that last point." I spoke up and Dumbledore raised his eyebrow at me. "I don't think he should have to resign. If he resigns, then we lose all control over him. What I think is the best choice is for him to have to be reviewed by a scrutiny committee to evaluate if he's been negligent in his duties periodically. We can keep an eye and make sure he doesn't get off freely." I smiled directly at my sweet father.

"If... that is what you want." Fudge submitted. He opened one of the drawers of his desk and took out my wand. Begrudgingly, he handed it back to me.

"Thank you, though I shouldn't have to say that for getting back what is rightfully mine. Oh, and one last thing..." I looked at Snape and Dumbledore with a devilish grin. "I'll be legally changing my last name now. It would be so shameful to be associated with the minister who got caught taking bribes, don't you think?" Oh, how the tables turned.

"Very well... Are you going to leave now?" Fudge almost pleaded. He had no morale left.

There was nothing left for us to do here. Dumbledore, Snape and I approached the fireplace in the office to use the Floo Network to return to Hogwarts. Dumbledore went on ahead but Snape wouldn't leave until I had done so first. Suddenly, I gasped as I realised what I had forgotten.

"I can't believe it slipped my mind! You should go to my office as Umbridge will be waiting for you with some very choice words." I pulled out her wand from my pocket and it was clear to Fudge how I had escaped. "I'd go quickly if I were you." And with those words, I snapped her wand in two and threw it on the floor.

"Right, we'll be off now. See you, Father! Oh wait, you were hardly that to me to begin with. Seems rather redundant to keep thinking of you as one so don't address me as your daughter anymore. Bye!" and with that line, Snape and I went back to Hogwarts once more.

When we reappeared at Hogwarts, we were in Dumbledore's office. For a moment, it felt like I was dreaming but it was real. I was back home. All of it overwhelmed my mind and I gently fell to the floor in exhaustion. Both men came over to inspect me.

"Are you alright, Cassandra?" Snape worried as he gave my back some supporting weight.

"I'm... fine, I think. I'm just so happy to be back..."

"Hogwarts suffered a great loss when you left. We are honoured to have you back." Dumbledore noted as he watched on.

"One of the conditions was that Fudge restored your positions. What will you do now?" Snape asked, still not moving away from me for a moment.

I contemplated deeply and rested my hands in my lap. "I guess... I'm still a part of the Ministry. With the Minister now being watched, I'm sure he'll be behaving himself in future which means I have much greater freedom to decide what I want to do."

"And what is it that you wish to do?" Dumbledore prompted expectantly.

"I want to stay here and finish what I started. I want to figure out what happened to those five students. After that, I don't quite know. The Ministry still needs me." I sighed as there was no denying that last fact.

The two began to ask me questions about what had happened during my time at the Ministry. It was difficult for Snape to withhold his anger as I retold how Umbridge tortured me. He would take frequent looks at my hands which were slashed with wounds.

"I guess they can't be healed, right?" I asked with a weak laugh.

"Unfortunately not. Wounds caused by Dark magic are incredibly difficult to mend. These were caused with an extreme case of malice." Dumbledore relayed reluctantly.

It was unfortunate but all scars do fade somewhat over time. Maybe in the distant future, my hands will begin to look normal again.

There was one more thing I had to know.

"Dumbledore, there is one thing I do wonder if you could help me to understand."

He gestured for me to ask my question.

"Fudge had these photos of me that were taken while I had been here. Some of them were rather... private." I looked at Snape and he knew what moment we shared.

"Point is, I'm wondering who would have taken those photos. It can't have been someone at the Ministry because they would've been caught at a moment's notice!"

"I would think carefully over your time here, Miss Juniper. Did anything stand out as strange to you?"

Various incidents played out in my mind. At first, they seemed unconnected in the slightest and then it hit me. All three photos were taken at the same time a certain individual made themselves known.

"My god... It was Filch. Filch took those photos. He was helping Fudge!" I declared to an unsurprised Dumbledore.

"I was worried you would accuse Argus and it's sorrowful that I have to agree with you. He confessed his wrongdoings before Severus and I left for the Ministry. I believe he realised he would be caught otherwise."

"Did he say why?"

"Men need not always have a motive for the things they do. Sometimes they act out of pointless spite and feelings." Snape's eyes diverted away. "It would appear he found a specific distaste for you. The reason why I do not know. Rest assured, I will be having a serious discussion about his future at this school."

"I will leave you two alone for a time." Dumbledore declared before heading further into his office and into his chambers. It was just Snape and I now.

We looked at each other for a split second before I pulled him into a tight embrace. Whatever tears I had been holding back before were flowing freely.

"I thought I'd never see you again." I choked as I laughed pathetically. "You figured out my note."

But here I was, sitting by his side and being held as I felt his warmth once more. We wouldn't have to be apart...

Snape felt embarrassed slightly at my weak praise. "It wasn't a very hard one to figure out."

"Yeah, but I had no way of knowing if you understood before I saw you enter the lobby!"

I began to cough feebly. My body was beginning to give away.

"We must get you to the hospital wing. Rest now."

My eyes began to flutter closed but not before I felt Snape picking me up in his arms... What happened after was a mystery but it was one that I was happy not knowing the answer to.

All that matters is that I'm back where I belong.

...

"Cassandra..." a voice called in the back of my mind...

Was this... a dream?

"Cassandra... can you hear me?" it asked.

"Yes... I can hear you." I replied with slight fear in my bones.

"You have so much potential, Cassandra... There's so much more for you out there. You can do great things... that nobody else can. But you don't care about that, do you? What you wish for... is to have a loving family. Parents there for you to cherish you. Protect you."

The voice was right.

"It's what I've wanted... ever since I was a little girl." I admitted.

"What if I could make it come true?" it replied.

"You can't do that. My mother is dead and I no longer have a father."

"I can do the impossible, Cassandra. Come to the..."

The voice cut off before I could hear the end of its words. I faded deeper and deeper into sleep.