Arc Two: Delusional Reverie
Chapter Four: Waltz
The next day swiftly came and it seemed as if the entire castle had forgotten about the ruined portraits. Students and teachers alike were buzzing at the Quidditch match that was to be occurring today. Even Severus, who did not typically mind the tournament, felt positive at his house playing against Ravenclaw. He gave a mild nod of encouragement towards the Slytherin table as cheers filled the Great Hall. The captain of the Slytherin team was trying to rile up the Ravenclaw captain, but the prefects quickly put it to a standstill.
"It's so competitive..." I muttered to myself as I bit into my breakfast waffle. It tasted so nice... My mind almost completely forgot about Dumbledore's task and focused on the potato goodness in my mouth and the commotion going around.
"Have you seen a Quidditch match before, Cassandra?" McGonagall asked before taking a glass of water. Despite Gryffindor not playing, she was still on high alert for the outcome.
"Not exactly. I know the extremely basic rules but I've never seen a match. There wasn't enough time with my workload." I admitted.
Severus looked at me in the corner of his eyes. He knew exactly what game McGonagall was about to play.
"Perhaps it would be a good idea for Severus to take you." she chuckled lightly at his slightly embarrassed expression.
"I was going to do so regardless," he informed McGonagall, clearly not happy to be receiving teasing from someone that wasn't me.
"How kind of you, my darling Severus." I patted his hand to which he gave a frustrated grunt about. "Okay, okay, I'll stop messing with you! But there's something I want to do before we go."
After breakfast, we headed to the Entrance Hall's side room. I had come to realise that the portrait that was attacked yesterday was none other than Greta Catchlove who wrote the book Charm Your Own Cheese. There was an additional version of the same portrait at the location we arrived. Now, the interesting thing about these portraits is that the person inside can move between paintings and there Greta was minding her own business. She was quite a large witch dressed in bright red robes, blonde hair and bright blue eyes that contrasted with the darkness in the background.
An artist can instil the personality of the portrait's inhabitant as a method of preserving said person. Therefore, this Greta was well and alive in her own right. Assuming she hadn't completely forgotten what happened yesterday, she should be able to give us some valuable information.
"Hello, Greta." I greeted her formally but she was not prepared for our arrival. At the first sound of my voice, she let out a scream and threw herself out of frame.
"I believe you may have frightened her," Snape said as he watched me stare blankly at the empty portrait.
"Okay, come on. This one is hardly my fault. I can understand when people feared me at the Ministry but... to think I believed I had mellowed out a bit..." I pouted.
Moments later, once Greta realised that we weren't a group of delinquents, she poked her head back into the painting.
"What do you want? Here to gloat?" she interrogated with a sour expression. She wasn't in the mood to cooperate, it seemed.
"Not at all. I'm very sorry about what happened to your portrait in the Grand Staircase." I began. "I was hoping you could tell us about what happened so we can catch the culprits."
Greta placed her arms on her hips in mild irritation.
"I have a feeling you won't go away until I answer you." Snape and I shared a secret glance of "she's caught us". "Fine. Come close and listen because I won't repeat it again."
Who knew it was possible for a painting to have such sass?
"I was simply minding my own business, rearranging my famous cheeseboard as one does." She pulled out a wooden platter that was filled with multiple green glowing kinds of cheese. "When out of nowhere, a student wanders up to my portrait with a wooden sword in their grip! Of course, I interrogated him precisely what he was doing and why he had such a thing but he didn't show any recognition of me! Then they lifted the sword and slashed right through me! Oh, it was horrendous!" She began to uncontrollably sob. "He-he ran away to the upper levels as I fled for my life to another portrait for safety."
I grabbed Severus's sleeve and dragged him away to a more secluded corner away from the weeping Greta.
"Doesn't it sound like what Dumbledore said happened to that girl? Losing full autonomy of their bodies and doing things they never would have done otherwise? It could be Ruberion!"
"Quite," Severus replied as he readjusted his cloak from me pulling. "Their lack of response may be from his influence but there is no conclusive proof. Without knowing just who said student was, it is impossible to confirm our theory."
I felt somewhat deflated but he was correct at the end of the day. It was a lead but a lead can always be mistaken. Plus, if we were wrong, it could throw everything into chaos when it was all a misunderstanding.
As we continued to discuss our next plan of action, a group of Slytherins dressed in bright green face paint and carrying large banners dashed past. They noticed Snape right away and ran even faster before he could reprimand them.
"I guess that's our cue to get headed to the stands." I prompted and we made our way outside.
This was hardly my first time seeing the Quidditch pitch as I frequently saw it on my walks, but I had never observed it with such vigour pouring out from inside and outside. Floods of people were all herding towards the pitch's interior and from the hill, I could see so many flags supporting Ravenclaw and Slytherin. The calls of excitement were almost deafening and we were hardly anywhere close yet!
My heart began to accelerate with mild anxiety. I had never been in such intense conditions before... Nervously, I reached for Severus's hand and grasped it firmly. At first, he seemed unsure if we should do such action in public.
"Dumbledore gave us his blessing. It's about time we make it at least somewhat public." I submitted to which he passively agreed. It made me happy to finally stop pretending we were less than we were simply because we were afraid of what others would think.
There were a few surprised looks and some students whispering "I knew it!" to each other but it turned out that people have a lot else on their minds than if two adults are together. Kind of crazy how good the world is when people pay attention to their own business, huh?
The pitch itself was a large oval-shaped arena with three large rings that towered high in the air on both sides. Across the entirety of the field's circumference stood tall stands decorated with the colours of Ravenclaw or Slytherin in preparation for the match. If one were to fall from the stand, it would likely be fatal. Some of the more timid observers preferred to watch from the lower rim but the view was less suitable and had no seating.
For my first ever match, I wanted to experience it all. That included climbing the wooden structure of the pitch that ricketed from every step. The vast majority of spectators were now settled into their positions which left Severus and I one of the last to make their way to the top of the tower. Severus climbed the stairs in front of me but kept a close eye to make sure I was following without issue. Almost at the top, I pressed my foot onto one more step.
There was a sudden emptiness in time. Something was missing as if it had been ripped away. Only darkness remained... and then light.
I blinked rapidly as I was thrown back to where I was before, except I had keeled over with Severus holding onto my arms. The change to bright light burnt into my brain as I tried to adjust to what occurred. I firmly regained my footing and followed Severus once more to the top. There were already several seats filled with students of all houses. They were too enveloped in the spirit of the match to notice that we had joined them.
We took our seats amongst everyone and it was announced that the match would be beginning very shortly. Severus gave a slightly worried gaze from my tumble.
"I'm fine, Severus, don't worry. I think I blacked out for a moment but that's all." I reassured him but he didn't seem fully convinced considering the circumstances.
That's true... Why don't I feel so... concerned about this? It wasn't normal for me to faint and with Ruberion being a potential threat, shouldn't I feel alerted? Yet... all I could hear was my head telling me everything is perfectly fine.
"If you insist, but you must tell me if you begin to suffer any detriment," he advised a little too severely.
"Promise and cross my heart."
"Look at that shot! That was absolutely b-e-a-utiful if I do say so! Ten points to Ravenclaw!" the announcer sang out and many of the spectators erupted into cheers. The match had just begun its second half and Ravenclaw and Slytherin were barely any points between them. Whoever caught the Snitch would be the ones to end it. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time with my heart pounding against my chest in anticipation. Every time a Slytherin Chaser approached the goalposts, Snape grew a small grin. He would never say it but he was exceptionally proud of his house when they deserved it.
"COME ON, SLYTHERIN!" I let out at the top of my voice to the surprise of Severus. Apparently, when it came to sports, my Ministry-enforced behaviours and formalities vanished as if they were never there.
"Oh, what's this!? Ten points to Slytherin for that shot!"
"HECK YEAH!"
"Cassandra, you really ought to calm-"
"There's no time for that, Severus!" I yelled back, gripping the wooden boundary with all my might. A member of the Slytherin team suddenly got pelted by a Bludger and began to grip their broom in fear of dropping to the sandy floor below them. "COME ON! THAT WAS A FOUL!"
I've never felt so alive. Screw the Hound of Dreams and Ruberion. This was my element.
"Hold on now! What's going on with Ravenclaw? There's a Bludger going right towards you, mate! Move!"
I looked frantically around the pitch to see what the announcer was referring to and I spotted it. One of Ravenclaw's Beaters was frozen in place. Their broom was suspended perfectly in the air and didn't move an inch. It was as if they had been petrified.
"What are you doing!? It's going to hit-" As the announcer was building up, a Bludger hit the Ravenclaw Beater square in the chest and pelted him off his broom. They hit the earth with a cracking thud. The field went silent.
I saw a different figure take the announcer's microphone and begin to speak into it. It was Madam Hooch who I could identify by voice only. "Keep playing!" she ordered and the game went back as if nothing had ever happened.
Several people ran down to where the Ravenclaw Beater had fallen and put him on a stretcher to remove him from the field. Still, he did not move. Was he conscious? How horrible...
"It looks like the Slytherin Seeker has spotted the Golden Snitch! Go on!"
"THAT'S RIGHT! GO ON!" I cried out. I'm definitely losing my voice after this.
Though I couldn't see it, Severus somehow did not appear embarrassed at my behaviour. In fact, he seemed joyed to see me happy after such draining times. He admired my spirit. Perhaps this is another side to the passive Cassandra as I had spoken to him about his different personalities.
"They've got the Snitch! Slytherin wins!"
"WOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I and hundreds of others let out. More to Severus's style, he gave an approving clap.
"That was the best. thing. ever." I squealed as Severus and I left the stands to go to the grounds.
"I did not think you would get so... intense." he replied with a meek look.
"When's the next match? It better be soon."
"There are only six matches, Cassandra. The next will not be until May."
"You're kidding! Looks like I'll have to binge-watch some old World Cup matches but it won't be the same."
We continued our walk and conversation but as we approached the entrance to the castle, Flitwick appeared and pulled us over.
"I assume you two were at the match just now?" he asked to which we gave confirmation. "Good, that saves having to explain it. You must come to the Hospital Wing. The student has awoken and they wish to speak to you, Cassandra."
"About what?" I asked.
"It would be better if you heard first-hand," Flitwick said and the three of us made our way to the Hospital Wing.
Upon our arrival, Madam Pomfrey was already attending to the needs of the Ravenclaw who sat upright in one of the beds I was familiar with after my stay the previous term. Their right arm was in a white sling and there was a bottle of unpleasant looking medicine on the table next to him.
"Miss Juniper, he wishes to speak to you." Madam Pomfrey said as she noticed us. "You know I do not like entourages. Please be quick."
Of course, I was to stay and Snape had no intentions of leaving. Although we said nothing, Flitwick took this as a sign that his presence wasn't required.
"I will leave this to you two then. The best of luck." he said rather dejected. He still had not quite gotten over my rejection. Seeing Snape and I together after our feuding felt like an additional hex to the chest. No matter how much he respected my decision and was a gentleman about it, he could not help the queasiness he felt each time.
I approached the student's bed and their eyes met mine. They were sorrowful and depressed despite being such an open and friendly green. Snape being there likely didn't help those nerves considering his reputation for strictness.
"Professor Juniper and... Professor Snape. Sorry for troubling you." he began.
"It's not a trouble at all. It looked like you took quite a hit out there." I indicated towards his bandaged arm. He became more like his usual self at my understanding nature.
"This? Nah, that's nothing out of the ordinary. It'll get me out of my Ancient Runes essay and..." He smirked at Snape. "My Potions essay?" he said hopefully.
"No." was all Snape replied to the boy's disappointment. I had to give him credit for trying such a stunt.
"Whatever. Professor Dumbledore came and spoke to me and said I should relay what happened to you. I was in the air, obviously, and was ready to beat a Bludger right back at that asshole-"
Snape raised an eyebrow at the boy to cut him off.
"-At the Slytherin Chaser that was about to score when I went all still. Couldn't move a single bone. It was as if I had been pushed out of my own body, you know? I was desperately trying to move all I could but then everything went black like I passed out. Next thing I knew I woke up here after apparently falling off my broom. Good game, by the way." he conceded.
"Did it feel like you had been hit by a spell?" That was the only explanation I could think of...
"We're allowed to keep our wands on us but we're strictly prohibited from hitting other players or their brooms. Nobody is dumb enough to do that or Hooch would disqualify us in a second flat!" He spoke with such faith and belief in his team's goodwill.
"And nothing like this has happened before?"
"Never. Was quite surprised myself when it happened. I'm glad to be back in my body!"
People don't just go stiff like that... Had Ruberion been trying to control the boy but couldn't for some reason? What would he even want with a Quidditch player in the middle of a match anyway? It made zero sense.
"I see... You should focus on getting better now. If you think of anything else, please let me know." I told him and he slumped down to put his head on his pillow.
"Shall do, Professor." Snape and I turned to leave but the boy called out for me once more. I returned to his side but I motioned for Snape to wait outside.
"One last thing, Prof. I've seen the way Snape and Flitwick look at you. Which one is it? You can tell me." he said smugly.
"Wh-"
"But if it's neither of them, you can always come and see me." He winked confidently.
"That may work on the girls in your year but I think you should remember you're still a student." I lectured him. "And Severus and I are very happy together."
He let out an audible gasp. "Lissa owes me five Galleons. She had her money on Flitwick."
"You... bet on who I'm dating?" I felt my face go slightly red.
"Well yeah. Anthony is going to be pissed! He bet twenty that you turned them both down!" He began to cackle with laughter.
"How... kind of you." I muttered before leaving. Snape waited for me just outside the door.
"What did he say to you?" he asked as he added an arm to my waist.
"Nothing that matters. Don't worry." I replied. There was no way I was going to tell him the truth.
"Somehow I doubt that."
"I told him how ravishing you are. Next question?" I planted a quick kiss on Severus's cheek and that was enough to shut him up on the topic, thank Merlin.
That night, I lay in bed with the moon giving my room a pale glow from the windows. There was something oddly soothing about it despite most of the awful things happening to me occurring under the moon's guidance.
Everything was silent. I closed my eyes and tucked myself deeper under my warm sheets. My mind drifted to thoughts of Severus and soon... to nothing.
...
I found myself atop a sea of grey clouds. The sky above me was a deep black. I had seen this scenery before... Where...?
"Good evening." a voice spoke out behind me.
It was that black haze from before... Fear penetrated my system at its sight.
"No, you can't be- The Hound is dead. This is a nightmare. You're not real." I stumbled over myself and tried to calm my pulsating heart.
"That you are right about. How pleasant of you to have recall what you did!" The voice that came from the haze was much different than the Hound's. The Hound sounded wise and placid. This delivery sounded jolly as if it were a cat playing with a mouse. It gave the mouse hope of escape but the cat knew fully well that there was no chance. It was going to kill the mouse in the end.
"What? Who are you? Reveal yourself!" I ordered, pointing a finger directly at the haze.
"My dear Cassandra, how do you not remember me after all the time we have spent together? I'm so hurt! Wait, that's entirely my fault."
The fog disapparated and for a short spell, I was entirely alone. And then... I saw him.
A tall man with long silver hair that reached his chest began to approach me. His icy blue eyes were brimming with confidence and glee. He had such a strong jaw and a cat-like mouth with how it pointed at his smile. How could someone look so beautiful and trustworthy but be so misleading and cruel?
To top off his frigid appearance, he wore a white undershirt underneath a long black cloak that contained golden accents across its collar and edges. He looks so regal and composed as if he were living in the past but his face didn't quite meet the ageing that would reflect it.
[Artwork by juniperfawnart]
"Ruberion Hollander, at your service, Your Grace." He took my hand, kissed it and took a deep bow. His devious amusement did not break. "How may I be of use to you?"
This is Ruberion Hollander... I came to understand the tale Dumbledore had spoken of. How he was able to trick and manipulate people... how that girl trusted him with her life...
"What's your game here?" I stared him down as I tried to not let my will slip from me.
"Cassandra! You wound me! To think I believed we had such a connection, you and I..." His face went sullen. "But! It is because of me! I'm only not strong enough for you!" He began to dance around like a ballerina, throwing his weight with each step.
"Okay, stop that!" I yelled and crossed my arms impatiently. "Why don't we just start from the beginning?"
His eyes began to sparkle at my suggestion. "My princess! You would take such pity on detestable scum as I? Where to start? Where to start?" His hands twirled theatrically before concluding with a finger on his lip. "I have a perfect idea."
He spun towards me and clapped. The endless darkness became replaced with a gorgeous ballroom. The floor was a stunning ochre that mirrored the chandeliers above us as if we were dancing on glass. A soothing melody began to play. We were the only two present.
He grabbed one of my hands and laid his other arm on my waist. Suddenly, he began to lead me into a dance. I had to grab ahold of him so I didn't go flying.
"Your memories say you have a fondness for this type of dancing. The fact I would be doing it with you is marvellous. Now, where was I? Ah!" He gave me a short spin before gripping me tighter.
"The Hound... It met those children for me. I was content for the meanwhile but then... I met you. Yes, you were not part of the plan but..." He bit his lip seductively. "I could not be happier with such beauty. I chose you, Cassandra. You killing the Hound, now, that threw me back but you are all I need."
"You are the Hound's master?"
"Of course. He was born of me. But that is not what I want to focus on." He removed his hand from my waist and placed it under my chin, tilting my head up to meet his eyes. "My sweet duchess, you have captivated me."
This isn't right. When I went to protest, no words came out of my mouth...
"This is not our first encounter. We have spoken many times since then, but you always forget me. I was never strong enough to have you remember me but..." He paused. "I want you to retain me. I want you to reminisce about me in every waking moment... And when you return to me, your face will brighten as it recognises me... I will be strong enough for you."
He gave a deep sigh. "Do you hate me, my lady? Am I still too revolting, no, abhorrent, for you?"
My mind felt blank. My head returned with a shaking no. How..?
"My dearest, my sweet, my beloved... I will make you mine. We will be one the same." With a forceful jolt, he pulled me directly to press against his chest. His argent hair acted as a curtain to hide my vision to the outside. His azure eyes were obsessive and dangerous. "How is it that you are so gorgeous? The moon and the stars pale in comparison to your complexion."
As the song reached its end, he dipped me down and moved himself up my body to meet my face.
"Alas, it seems our time together is reaching its climax. I will wait for you, Cassandra. Remember me. Because..."
He pressed his face so close to mine. His lips were barely above mine. If he moved a single inch, there would be contact.
"I love you."
At those words, Ruberion and the ballroom faded away to nothingness.
I awoke suddenly. I felt my cheeks. They were stained with tears.