My birthday is on Wednesday by the way.

Chapter 14: Year Seven Begins

"You're late, Severus," the Dark Lord said as Professor Snape walked in. "Please, have a seat," he said, gesturing to the seat right next to him. Snape took the seat.

"The Order is planning to move Harry Potter from his current place of safety Saturday next at nightfall," Snape said.

"Really? I had intelligence that they weren't moving him until the thirtieth, the day before he turns seventeen," the Dark Lord said.

"I also know the Order is planning to lay a false trail. That must be it," Snape said.

"I see. Also, it appears that Harry Potter's wand and my own share a core. I cannot force the wand to duel him. Therefore, I must use someone else's wand for me to duel him successfully," the Dark Lord said. "So I know who not to ask, who has a phoenix feather as the core of their wand?" Kassidy and only Kassidy raised her hand.

"Oh, what kind of wand do you have, Kassidy?"

"Fir and phoenix," Kassidy answered, twirling her recently cut hair. She had cut it to shoulder length, long enough to put in a ponytail, and dyed a piece of it blonde.

"So does anyone want to give me their wand?" the Dark Lord said. Nobody spoke up.

"How about you, Lucius? I don't see a reason why you would require a wand anymore," he said, standing up and walking over to Draco's father.

"My Lord?" Mr. Malfoy said.

"Your wand, Lucius. I require your wand." Mr. Malfoy reluctantly handed his wand over.

"What kind is it?" the Dark Lord asked.

"Elm and dragon heartstring," Mr. Malfoy said before Voldemort snapped the snake head from the wand, the wand still useable, and returning that piece to Mr. Malfoy.

"Yes, this will be sufficient," the Dark Lord said with a smile as he returned to his seat at the head of the table.

"Wormtail, bring in our special guest," the Dark Lord said, and the Muggle Studies teacher hovered in, held up by Wormtail by magic.

"Severus, do you recognize our guest?" he asked. "Draco and Kassidy, you two might as well. But you've probably never taken her classes. This is Charity Burbage, Muggle Studies professor at Hogwarts. She teaches of how Muggles are not so different from us. She recently wrote a defense for the Mudbloods and how we should accept their thievery of magic."

"Severus… help," Professor Burbage said.

"Avada Kedavra," the Dark Lord said, killing her, and Charity fell with a crash onto the table. Many Death Eaters jumped back in their chairs. Draco fell out of his.

"Dinner, Nagini," the Dark Lord said, helping his snake onto the table.

"I wish we didn't have to come back to this poor excuse for a school," Draco said as they got on the train.

"Agreed, but we have to. Dark Lord's orders," Kassidy said.

"I know, but I can still hate this place."

"I hear Harry's not coming to school this year."

"Oh really?"

"Neither are his friends, Hermy One and Weasel Bait," Kassidy said.

"Well, this school year just got a little bit better," Draco said.

"And all the mudbloods were banned from showing up," Kassidy added.

"Really? Finally, the worthy people are allowed and the unworthy not."

"Miss Williams, why don't you come up here and demonstrate the Cruciatus curse for us?" Professor Carrow, the new Dark Arts teacher said.

"Gladly," Kassidy said. One Hufflepuff student who had been given detention was pushed into the room by Professor Carrow.

"This is your subject. Give a good aim and mean it," Carrow said.

"Crucio!" Kassidy said, causing the student to go into convulsions, screaming. Many students flinched in their seats, some hid their faces behind their hands, some plugged their ears, and a few were enjoying the sight.

"Stop! Please!" the student cried out.

"I think that's enough, Miss Williams," Carrow said, and Kassidy let up.

"Does anyone else want to give it a go?" Carrow asked. "Mr. Longbottom, how about you?"

Neville Longbottom looked up, glaring at the teacher.

"No."

"Detention, Mr. Longbottom. Mr. Malfoy, how about you give it a go?"

"Okay," Draco said, and walked up to the front of the room. The Hufflepuff student was removed from the room and a Gryffindor student was pushed out.

"Cruc-"

"Stop!" Neville Longbottom shouted. "This is wrong!"

"Double detention, Mr. Longbottom."

"No! I refuse!"

"You're Gryffindor, right? Miss Williams, escort Mr. Longbottom to Professor McGonagall's office, would you please?" Carrow said.

"Gladly," Kassidy said, standing up.

"You're with them? Carrow and them?" Neville said as Kassidy escorted Neville to his head of house's office.

"Wasn't it obvious from the beginning, Longbottom? He chose me summer before sixth year," Kassidy said, pulling her left sleeve up to reveal the Dark Mark, black as the ink her quill used.

"You're the one who killed Dumbledore!" Neville said.

"Bingo."

"You traitor!" Neville shouted, pulling his wand out.

But Kassidy was faster. "Crucio!" she shouted, causing Neville to fall to the ground in screaming convulsions.

"You'll suffer the same fate as your parents, Neville. Yeah, I know about your parents. My cousin Bellatrix tortured them into insanity using the very curse I'm using on you. Do you still visit them? Do they even know who you are?" Kassidy taunted before she let up.

"But now is not the time, nor the place," Kassidy said as Neville stood up, catching his breath.

"You monster! No wonder you're in Slytherin. You're as bad as they come!"

"You've got that right, Longbottom. And if I were you, I'd be careful what you say to Amycus Carrow," Kassidy said.

It was May. Professor Snape had gathered all of the students in the great hall.

"If any of you have any knowledge of Mr. Potter's movements, I advise you to speak up. Now," Snape said. It was silent for a few seconds.

"As it seems, Headmaster, despite your extensive precautions, you still have a hole in your security," Harry Potter said.

"What are you waiting for? Grab him!" Pansy Parkinson said.

"The rumors are false. I was not the one to kill Dumbledore. A student killed Dumbledore. I am not permitted to say which one," Snape said, "unless he or she steps up on their own. And I highly doubt that will happen." Snape pulled out his wand, and Professor McGonagall got in front of Harry, wand out. The two held for a couple of seconds before McGonagall shot fire at Snape, who blocked. She sent another one, which he also blocked. She sent two more, also blocked by Snape, who then proceeded to flee.

"COWARD!" McGonagall shouted after him. The houses of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff cheered, while the house of Slytherin remained quiet.

"Students out of bed! Students out of bed!" Filch shouted.

"They're supposed to be out of bed you bumbling idiot!" McGonagall said. "But please escort Miss Parkinson and the rest of Slytherin house out of here."

"Where to?"

"The Slytherin dungeon will suffice," McGonagall said, causing the other houses to cheer.

Kassidy grabbed Draco's hand, who nodded in response, and the two snuck out of the crowd. She summoned their broomsticks from a nearby cupboard and Draco broke the window, allowing them to escape. Many Slytherin students noticed and turned around to see Kassidy and Draco fly out of the window on their brooms.

"My Lord, we've arrived," Kassidy said when they reached where Voldemort was hiding.

"Draco, go join your parents. I must speak to Kassidy privately," the Dark Lord said. Draco nodded and went to find his family.

"I have procured the Elder Wand from Dumbledore's grave, but it is not working for me. You see, its allegiance is not to me. Its allegiance is to the one who killed its previous owner. Its allegiance is to you, Kassidy. If I kill you, the wand's allegiance will finally be to me, and I can kill Harry Potter," the Dark Lord said.

"My Lord…"

"Nagini… Kill."