Chapter 19 Pachysandra Spectabilis
I woke up the day before the hearing. My stomach was in knots already.
"He's going to be fine. You Know he's going to be fine." I tried to convince myself as I put on a pair of shorts and a sports bra under my t-shirt.
I was going to fly around the property.
I needed to get some time to myself. It was hard here, because Draco was usually barging into my room so that he wouldn't go insane. The Dark Lord wanted my company some of the time. And I still didn't truly feel safe. So I was going to fly around the property and find a space that was mine.
So I walked out of my room with my broom over my shoulder.
"Cassie?" Draco called down to me.
I looked up to see him staring down from the banister at me.
"Draco, I'm going out for a few minutes."
"Do - do you want company?" He asked, looking like - well like a puppy.
"Thank you, but not this time. I just want to get away and be by myself." I said and quickly left the house.
I hopped onto my Firebolt and kicked off the ground. I flew fast for a few minutes to put some space between me and the Malfoy Manor. And space between me and the Order.
I just needed space.
I flew around aimlessly, slowing down when I came across a grove of trees.
"This is a good spot to land." I said to myself.
I landed outside the grove, and put my broom over my shoulder and walked into it. After being surrounded by the trees, I paused and took a deep breath and closed my eyes.
I heard the dry breeze blowing through the branches and trunks. The buzzing of different bugs, both regular insects and magical. Something scuttling across the ground, and water.
I opened my eyes and followed the sound of water. I reached a little pond and there was a little waterfall coming out of a rock formation.
I put my broom against a trunk and took off my shoes. I looked around to make sure I really was alone, and took off my pants as well. I didn't want it to get wet.
So I walked into the pond, making sure it wasn't deep and didn't have any grindylows at the bottom. I was surprised with how warm it was. I walked in deep enough for my knees to be covered, and then walked around to check out the waterfall.
It was big enough to where I could fit into it, and so I walked back to where I had put my clothes and took off my shirt, but left on my undergarments.
'No use getting everything wet.' I thought to myself.
I decided to swim across this time, practicing my breast stroke that I learned at a summer camp back when I was eight and had to swim with my peers.
The swim back to the waterfall was shorter than the walk, but it helped that I had made webbed fingers and feet for myself. I wasn't going to attempt to make gills without someone to help me.
When I made it back to the waterfall, I took a breath and swam under it.
The water pushed me under, but I was able to come up the other side on a current.
I found a little cave, it was round with smooth walls.
It didn't feel magical, which was kind of disappointing, but also a relief.
"Hello?" I called out.
My voice was muffled by the waterfall, but nothing jumped into the water. So I climbed out, cautiously sticking to what light the sun was shining into the cave.
The cave was empty. It didn't even have spider webs in it, no bones from some animal eating. And the ground was a smooth rock.
It was also warm, as I wasn't shivering when I got out of the water.
"Hello!" I called out louder.
Again, no echo. Just the sound of my voice and the waterfall.
I laid on the smooth rack and spread my legs and arm out and just breathed.
"I'm finally alone." I said with a sad smile.
I must've been in that cavern for a long time. When I finally came out of the cave, the sun was in the middle of the sky and looking to start going down for the afternoon.
"I better get back." I told the waterfall.
I dove back into the water and swam back to my clothes and let my skin air dry before putting them on.
I grabbed my broom and looked around the grove. I still didn't see any animals or bugs, but I didn't think twice about it.
I got on my broom and kicked into the air, looking down at the landscape and making sure I would remember what it looked like when I came back.
When I raced towards the Manor, I knew I was ready to face them again. I was feeling lighter, more grounded into who I was. I also felt looser and generally more open to returning to my role.
When I got there, Narcissa was standing outside the front doors.
"Aunt Narcissa?" I asked her, putting my broom over my shoulder when I landed on my feet.
"Where have you been?" She asked stiffly.
"I - I needed to be alone." I answered.
"For three hours?" Her eyes flashed.
"I don't have a watch, I didn't know how long I was gone." I couldn't help cowering under her stare.
She stared at me before pulling me into a tight hug.
"I understand needing time and space, but never leave this house without telling someone where you are going." She whispered into my ear.
I hugged her back, holding my broom awkwardly behind her.
"I'm sorry." I whispered back.
"It's okay."
"But - Aunt Narcissa, Draco watched me leave?" I pulled away from her.
Her eyes flashed but her expression didn't change.
"I see. Well, come in and get something to eat. I know you haven't eaten yet." She gave me a pointed look and I smiled sheepishly at her.
"Did you get what you needed?" She asked when she led me into the dining room.
"Kind of? I'm still a Seer. And I'm still a teenage witch. But I'm more rooted into it." I answered as honestly as I could.
On the table was an assortment of sandwiches and fruit for me.
Draco was sitting across from the other set place, pointedly not making eye contact.
"Draco -" I started to say something.
But as soon as I said his name, he started eating.
"You don't have to respond, but I'm still going to talk." I told him.
He proceeded to eat faster.
"I needed to be alone. And away from the situation. I'm going back and forth between the Order and here and I'm still trying to get visions for the Dark Lord, and have to pick and choose what I say because being a Seer really, really, really, sucks.
And while I do enjoy your company I just needed to get away. It - it gets to be too much and I can't afford to crack under the pressure that I'm under. I don't get to see my friends, I don't know if I still want to call them my friends.
I don't even know what I'm supposed to be doing! I'm - I've never Seen my life up to this point and I'm freaking out. So if running away to ground myself in peace and getting away from my current situation upsets you, then I don't know what I can say or do to make it better." I said.
He didn't pause in his eating but it did slow down.
I wasn't sure what else to add so I also started to eat.
I didn't realize just how hungry I was until I went for a third helping of sandwiches and fruit.
When I finally looked up Draco was staring at me with raised eyebrows.
I didn't want to say anything since I already said what I felt I needed to say.
Draco sighed.
"I understand what you're saying, but I'm still hurt that I wasn't included." He finally grumbled out.
"I am sorry for hurting your feelings. But I'm not sorry for my actions." I responded with a nod.
His nose twitched at that but he didn't say anything else.
We sat there awkwardly for a few moments before he huffed and folded his arms.
"I don't forgive you, but I won't hold it against you." He finally said.
I grinned at him, "that's all I can ask for."
Draco and I made up and were hanging out in his room. I was laying on my stomach on his bed with my feet crossed in the air. He was sitting at his desk copying his notes from potions class into the book from last year.
"So why are you copying the notes?" I asked, not fully understanding.
"Have you noticed that Severus doesn't teach out of the book?" He asked.
I had to think back on that. I did write most of my potions stuff on parchment and then threw them in a pile I mentally labeled 'potions'.
"Ye-es?" I said.
He let out a snort and shook his head, "so because we don't use the books, I make the adjustments in the books."
"Then why doesn't he write the potion books?" I asked.
Draco shrugged his shoulders.
"So… why keep the books?"
Draco sighed and I couldn't help my grin and I had to cover my face so that when he turned, he wouldn't see it.
"Because, Cassie. I want to be the next potions master, or write the new curriculum for the school." He told me with annoyance.
My draw dropped.
"You want to be a teacher?" I asked.
His mouth opened and closed a couple of times while his face said he wished he could go back in time.
"I - uh - no - uh." He stuttered.
"I want to be the transfiguration teacher!" I told him.
He blinked at that.
"Really?" He asked.
"Yeah! I'm really good at it, and also," I changed my blonde hair to pink and then back to blonde.
"You don't want to be an Auror?" He asked tentatively.
"I don't know what that is." I answered.
He looked at me.
"It's a dark wizard catcher." He answered, his voice low.
I blinked at that.
"Do they only catch dark wizards?" I asked, keeping my voice low as well.
"I think so, I'm sure there are other things they do, but it's mostly catching dark wizards." He turned away from me.
I tilted my head to the side.
I noticed as his shoulders hunched over and he started to write faster.
"Draco… how many times have they come?" I asked, keeping my tone light.
He paused in his writing.
"Twice a year, ever since I can remember." He whispered.
I got up and hugged him from behind, putting my head on his shoulders.
"I'm sorry." I whispered.
"It's not your fault. But - but they almost got him our second year. Somehow they got an anonymous tip about our basement in his study. But someone tipped father off and he was able to get out any incriminating evidence. But I just don't understand how anyone outside of the people who already knew could have said something." He put his hand on my arm.
Second year… Anonymous tip…
My heart dropped.
Ron had mentioned that he was going to send a letter to his dad about something that was said in the Slytherin common room.
I didn't dare say anything because I wasn't sure what came out of it on Mr. Weasley's end. But if Draco still felt this strongly about it, three years later… It might put us a couple of steps behind in our friendship.
"Hey, they didn't take him now did they? He's still here. He's safe." I murmured.
Draco nodded and I held onto him for a few more moments.
Lucius Malfoy was not abusive. Strict, yes. Abusive no. He never hit Draco from the stories I've been told, but he was hard to please that's for sure.
He patted my arm so I let him go.
"Thank you." He said to me,
"Any time." I placed a light kiss on his temple and went back to the bed to lay down on it.
"Cassie?"
I looked up from my book.
Draco had a slight blush on his cheeks.
"Yes?" I asked him.
"Do - could - could you give Harry a letter for me?" He asked, suddenly turning shy.
I couldn't help the grin on my face, again.
"Ooooh!" I teased him.
"Shut up!" He turned away from me, but then turned back, "so, will you?"
"Of course! However, I don't think I'm going to be able to give it to him tomorrow."
"I don't have it written yet, but I will before we go back to Hogwarts." He said, his back still turned to me.
"Okay, Draco." I said, wanting to leave him alone so that he wouldn't start to get defensive.
I was glad that I had told him that I may be bisexual, because it seems to me that Draco either is, or he may be gay. But when he was ready to say it, or start acting on it, I would still have his back.
I woke up the next morning at six o'clock sharp in the morning.
'I'm with you, Harry.' I thought as I put on the clothes Narcissa had laid out for me.
It was a quaint dress that would reach under my knees, which I was grateful for. It was a soft royal purple which I'm sure was to match the Minister's robes as his favorite color seemed to be purple.
But when I put it on, I didn't like the color. It… it didn't look right.
Thankfully, Aunt Narcissa knocked on my door and was able to see what I was seeing.
"I don't want to make my skin darker," I showed her what I meant by doing so, and suddenly the dress looked like it fit me.
"Because I'm not this color, I'm lighter." I showed her and then the dress just looked wrong again.
"I see." She tapped her wand to start trying different shades of purple, but none of them seemed to look good with me.
"We have to go." Mr. Malfoy's voice was outside.
"I know, dear." Aunt Narcissa was frowning at my dress before making a noise in the back of her throat and changing it to black, with emerald green around the hems of the sleeves, and the skirt. She also added an emerald green belt to be put around my waist.
I slipped on the black heels I had worn to the dinner party and Aunt Narcissa handed me my purse, which she turned black to match my dress. Out of her pocket she pulled out a little circular thing and put it in my bag. Then she walked me out of my room
"I thought we agreed on purple?" Mr. Malfoy said, looking at my dress with a disapproving look.
"She doesn't look appealing in purple." Aunt Narcissa said, and gave Mr. Malfoy a peck on the cheek.
"We'll eat when we reach the Minister's office, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if we come a little hungry." Mr. Malfoy said and held his arm out for me.
I was feeling mixed emotions about the word 'appealing' Aunt Narcissa had chosen to use.
Hurt that she would be so blatant about it.
Disappointed that I would have to try and find a purple color for the rare occasions when I really wanted to wear purple.
Sick.
Mostly sick.
I was being groomed.
I was being groomed for a specific person.
I was not told I was being groomed for a specific person.
I hate that my vision was right.
I didn't get much more thought on that before Mr. Malfoy led me - more like pulled me - down the stairs into the foyer and then Apparated us away.
When we reached our destination, I didn't recognize the people who were walking around in wizard robes in the clean building we were in.
The floor was tiled a blue color, and the ceiling had a bunch of glowing numbers and symbols floating around. Some of the witches and wizards would look up and either frown or give a victorious nod.
"Lucius!" A hand reached out.
"Adrien!" Lucius was quick to grab it and shake it.
"And this must be Miss Cassiopeia!" Adrien had a shock of red hair, but no freckles on his cheeks.
I recognized him from previous Death Eater meetings.
"Hello! Cassie, please. Cassiopeia is a mouthful." I let out a giggle.
"Of course, of course!" Adrien nodded with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Come this way! The Minister does apologize in advance, they had to move Potter's hearing time to eight this morning." Adrien turned around and led us through the crowd to an elevator.
I looked at Mr. Malfoy who returned my expression for just a second.
'Oh, Harry, I sure hope you're here.' I thought to myself as we stepped onto the gold elevator.
"The Minister is in courtroom ten in preparation for the hearing. It starts in an hour, but I'm sure the Minister will be delighted to see you." Adrien was speaking but I couldn't really hear him.
It sounded like I was swimming as we went down the elevator.
I hardly noticed that we were the only three people in the elevator.
"Department of Mysteries." A disembodied voice said.
We stepped off the elevator and walked down the hall.
"If you don't mind waiting here, I imagine they would be done momentarily." Adrien gestured for us to stop in front of a door and then left us.
"Um, sir?" I whispered.
Mr. Malfoy nodded for me to continue.
"Why don't they put us in Minister Fudge's office?" I whispered.
He looked around and then down at me.
"Adrien, is one of us." He hissed under his breath.
I nodded my understanding but still didn't understand why we just didn't go to Fudge's office. My stomach still dropped though, I couldn't believe this was happening right now.
Why am I even here today?
To celebrate when Harry is expelled from Hogwarts? How pompous!
I was slowly starting to get angry as we stood there for twenty minutes.
"May I pace for a minute? I'm getting nervous." I asked, keeping my voice quiet.
Mr. Malfoy looked down his nose at me but he let my arm go.
I walked ten steps away from him, trying to keep on my toes so that my heels didn't click against the floor. I turned around, walked five paces towards him, turned around, walked ten paces away, turned around, walked five, turned; walked ten, turned; walked five, turned; walked ten.
When I felt a little bit better, I returned to Mr. Malfoy's side. But I didn't take his arm right away. Instead, I pulled out the circular thing Aunt Narcissa and opened it.
It was a compact mirror. And I was so grateful that she put it in. I had forgotten to morph my scar away that morning. So I did so.
"Thank you." I murmured, my back straight and my chin up.
Mr. Malfoy had noticed the change in me, but didn't say anything as a crowd of men and women came out from a staircase I hadn't noticed before. The crowd was led by Dumbledore, who gave a polite nod to Mr. Malfoy and I.
Mr. Malfoy and I returned the nod of acknowledgement.
"This is the Wizengamot." Mr. Malfoy murmured close to my ear.
My eyes were wide as they kept coming.
'Harry was tried by the WHOLE Wizengamot?!' I thought in an outrage.
I hadn't seen Harry yet, but the Minister did come up wearing a black robe with an important looking hat on his head.
"Ah! Lucius!" Fudge greeted Lucius with a handshake.
"Hello, Minister." Lucius nodded.
"Ah! Miss Zwart, a pleasure to see you again." He held his hand out.
"The pleasure is all mine." I said in a tone that I didn't recognize.
Mr. Malfoy nodded in approval.
"He produced a corporeal patronus, Lucius! Unbelievable, that boy-"
"I see, Minister. Such a shame that Dumbledore came to defend the boy." Lucius sniffed.
"Cassie, Potter said that you both learned how to produce a corporeal patronus?" Fudge turned to me.
I was taken aback by that.
"- it's more the attitude behind the vandalism, Harry. Muggle-baiting might strike some wizards as funny, but it's an expression of something much deeper and nastier, and I for one -"
Mr. Weasley stopped at the top of the stairs. Harry was standing next to him, looking so much lighter than the last time I saw him.
I didn't dare make a move to go to them. I had worked so hard to be in the Minister's graces. Even though it was mostly how I dressed and said words to get on his good side, it was work nonetheless!
"Well, well, well… Patronus Potter." Mr. Malfoy had turned and noticed Mr. Weasley and Harry.
"Hello, Cassie." Harry said, sounding winded.
"Hello, Harry." I said, keeping a polite tone.
I gave a polite nod to Mr. Weasley who returned it.
Harry was looking between me, Minister Fudge, and Mr. Malfoy. I noticed that he squinted at me a bit more.
"The Minister was just telling me about your lucky escape, Potter," Mr. Malfoy drawled. "Quite astonishing, the way you continue to wiggle out of very tight holes… Snakelike, in fact…"
I internally flinched at that.
I looked over at the Minister who was watching me with closed off eyes.
I made myself look as uncomfortable as possible. Mostly because I already was!
Mr. Weasley had put a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Yeah," Harry nodded, "yeah, I'm good at escaping…"
Mr. Malfoy turned his sights on Mr. Weasley.
"And Arthur Weasley too! What are you doing here, Arthur?"
"I work here." Mr. Weasley responded shortly.
"Not here, surely?"
I couldn't see Mr. Malfoy's face, I was trying to breathe and figure out if I needed to say anything.
"I thought you were up on the second floor… Don't you do something that involves sneaking Muggle artifacts home and bewitching them?"
"No," Mr. Weasley's grip tightened on Harry's shoulder.
"What are you doing here anyway?" Harry had asked the question to Mr. Malfoy.
But it felt like I was the one the question was meant for.
"I don't think private matters between myself and the Minister are any concern of yours, Potter," Mr. Malfoy smoothed his robes down, and I heard the faint jingle of gold coins.
'SERIOUSLY!?' I thought to myself, but kept my face schooled like I knew why we were here too.
"Really, just because you are Dumbledore's favorite boy, you must not expect the same indulgence from the rest of us… Shall we go up to your office, then, Minister?"
"Certainly," Fudge nodded.
He turned his back on Harry, and led us to a set of stairs that worked, almost like an escalator.
"I don't understand how dementors got out without being ordered too." Fudge said, keeping his voice quiet.
Mr. Malfoy raised an eyebrow at that and looked at me.
I wasn't sure how to react. I knew that we were working on getting the dementors to come to the Dark Lord's side, but we didn't have enough influence to order them just yet.
Then my stomach betrayed me by growling.
"Oh! I'm so sorry Minister!" I said, pressing a hand against my stomach.
"I'll send for some sausages and toast. I didn't realize you had come hungry." Fudge said with a laugh.
"I woke up late," I lied. "I - I was really nervous to come and see you…" I trailed off.
Fudge cleared his throat and gave a couple of nods, "of course, of course."
Mr. Malfoy gave my arm a squeeze, but it didn't hurt so I think he was trying to say good job to me?
I didn't get a chance to think about it because we had entered Fudge's office.
I took my time looking around at all the different certificates and pictures he had hanging on the wall.
Some I didn't recognize, others I did from what he put in my letter.
He had some plants in his office and I recognized a Pachysandra Spectabilis from Herbology our third year.
It was a flower with no real magic, it liked to croon at you and flourished with positive words and feelings. I had called it 'The Happy Plant', which got Neville to smile and helped get him to talk to me again.
I enjoyed that class because they all looked so healthy. But this one looked sad.
The leaves were a sickly crunchy brown color. The petals were barely hanging onto their stem, and the colors were faded. The soil looked dried out as well.
"Hello, beautiful." I said softly to the plant.
It wiggled under my breath.
"You are absolutely gorgeous and you are doing amazing in this room." I said, smiling as the pink and white petals danced and struggled to stand up.
"Are you familiar with that plant?" Fudge asked me.
"Yes, sir." I turned around to face him.
"Why don't you tell me about it?" Fudge asked as he removed his Wizengamot robes to reveal royal purple robes in a striped pattern.
"It's a Pachysandra Spectabilis. It flourishes with positivity and compliments. Um - it should be water every couple of days, and require minimum sunlight if it's getting enough positivity." I said, trying to remember it.
"And how do you think my spectabilis is doing?" He asked, looking quite proud of himself.
I turned back to the flower, and it had already started to wilt again.
"I - uh - I don't mean any disrespect, sir. But it's doing quite poorly. You've got a spectabilis that needs positivity and you've got it as far from your desk as possible. Also, since I don't know the origins of who gave it to you or if you got it for yourself, I would recommend regular house plants that you don't have to take extra care of.
With Pachysandra and any other plant related to the spectabilis they require a lot of care. A Minister of Magic who is just so stressed out from all of the work you do to take care of the wizarding world, I think you should rehome it."
I realized halfway through that what I was saying was going to be taken the wrong way. And Mr. Malfoy's eyes were flashing towards me dangerously. And the Minister was glowering at me.
I flinched. I said the wrong thing without fully thinking about it.
I turned back to the plant and started thinking positive thoughts.
Harry was not expelled.
Harry was going back to Hogwarts.
I'll get to see him at Hogwarts.
We can play Quidditch together.
We can suck at potions together.
Study together.
We can do all of the things together because he wasn't expelled.
The Pachysandra was struggling to stand up again, and I took it to the Minister and put it on his desk.
"Sometimes, sir. The best thing to do for something we want to care about, is to let it go somewhere where it can be cared for." I said, keeping my voice soft.
I pulled away my positive thoughts and it went back to falling over.
Fudge was glaring at the plant and then turned to ring a bell on his desk.
A witch wearing the brightest pink outfit came in.
I didn't dare make any faces at her, but she - she looked like a toad!
"Dolores, please escort Miss Zwart to the waiting area so that Lucius and I may conduct business." He said stiffly.
"Of course, sir." She said sweetly.
I stood up and put my purse on my shoulder.
"Don't forget to take that thing." Fudge spat behind me.
I quickly reached behind and grabbed the Pachysandra and walked after the lady.
"Come along, Miss Zwart." The lady didn't look behind her.
"Yes, ma'am." I nodded and followed her down the hall towards a seating area.
"You may wait here until the Minister is done with his business." She kept the same sweet voice, but it made my stomach curl.
"Thank you, ma'am." I nodded again and sat down with the plant in my lap.
"Hmph, you are a polite one, aren't you Miss Zwart?" She asked.
I wasn't sure how to answer that.
"Very well." She turned on her heel and walked away.
I sat there, trying not to be miserable, but also a little happy.
Maybe he won't be interested in me anymore and that vision won't come to pass.
The Pachysandra was already reflecting my emotions by being half miserable and half happy and I felt bad.
'Didn't Sprout say it would take a while for a plant to bond with a new owner? If you're already bonding with me, then you've been starving really bad.' I thought about the plant.
It struggled to stand up, and I heard a little cough come from one of the petals.
'I don't know how to take care of a starving plant.' I thought, picking it up and rotating the pot.
'But first, I think I'll get you a different pot than this ugly brown one. Maybe one with a light blue color, or even green?'
The leaves wiggled a little more. I couldn't help my smile and I watched as a leaf turned from a sickly shade of brown to a bright yellow color.
'Alright, I'll take care of you. I think I'll write a letter to Neville, he'll know what I can do to take care of you.' I put the plant in my lap and waited patiently for Mr. Malfoy to come out of his meeting.
I didn't have to wait for too long. There was a clock in front of me and I had watched the long hand move for twenty long minutes when the Minister's door opened and Fudge and Mr. Malfoy were shaking hands.
"Thank you so much for your donation. The charity you have chosen to give it to will be so grateful." Fudge was saying.
"Of course, of course." Mr. Malfoy nodded his head graciously.
Then they turned to me.
Fudge looked down to the plant in my lap and his eyes flashed.
Mr. Malfoy looked at me and his face clearly said to 'get up!'
So I stood up and bowed to Fudge.
"Thank you." I said, not really knowing what I was supposed to say.
"Hmmph." He closed the door to his office and Mr. Malfoy held his arm out for me.
"We're going home, thank you for your help Dolores!" Mr. Malfoy waved his walking stick to the woman at the desk.
"Thank you for your donation, Lucius!" She waved her stubby little fingers.
"What were you thinking?" He hissed in my ear as we walked towards the elevator.
"I haven't been given a script! What was I supposed to say?" I hissed back.
" 'You're doing a phenomenal job, Minister!' 'This plant looks super healthy!' Anything but the vomit you spat out!" He hissed, his grip on my arm tightening.
"I'm not going to lie! The Pachysandra was dying! He was doing a terrible job!" I responded, wiggling my arm out of his grip.
It only tightened harder.
He didn't say anything when we were in the elevator.
I recognized a wizard with a square jaw, he had been on the Harry Retrieval Squad a couple weeks ago. I didn't give him a second glance but I did make my fidgeting obvious so Mr. Malfoy had to loosen his grip.
But when we reached the main level to exit the building, his grip tightened once more.
"You have been lying all summer. You could have said a couple to the Minister of Magic!" He hissed and Apparated us.
When we landed in the foyer, I tore my arm away from and brought my scar back.
"Why do I have to lie to the Minister of Magic?" I asked loudly.
"Cassie!" He hissed at me.
"Why have I been dressing up? Why have I been put on a parade for that man? Why have I been described as 'not appealing' when I wore a purple dress this morning? Why was my dress originally the same shade of purple as the Minister's robes? What are you planning for, Uncle Lucius? What are you scheming behind my back?!" I felt my voice creeping higher and higher.
"Cassiopeia!" He shouted.
His hair had started to frizz out from its sleek ponytail he had it in.
"Answer my questions!" I shouted back.
"Enough!" The Dark Lord's voice hissed.
Mr. Malfoy backed off, but I stayed rooted in my spot.
"What is going on?" Voldemort asked, his voice quiet.
Nagini slithered from the drawing room to Voldemort's feet.
"I - She - I." Mr. Malfoy had to take a breath and steady his hands.
"I have managed to get information on who is going to be the next Unspeakable apprentices and made the donation as you have requested, my lord." Mr. Malfoy said.
"Thank you, Lucius." Voldemort nodded and then turned to me.
Nagini seemed to be slithering in smaller circles around his feet.
"Cassie, what is the matter?" He asked, his voice still calm.
"I want to know why I'm being groomed for the Minister."
His red eyes flashed dangerously.
"My dear, I was under the impression that you Knew you were being groomed." He hissed.
"No, sir." I shook my head. "I had a vision of that man and me -" I paused. " -I had a vision, but I didn't realize it was because a decision was made without my input." I risked glaring at him.
The Pachysandra had started to wilt in its pot again.
"I see." He nodded.
We stood there for a few moments longer in silence. I wasn't sure what had happened.
"Lucius, will you show me what happened please? Cassie here won't be able to show me with her natural protection." Voldemort turned to Mr. Malfoy.
Mr. Malfoy had a flash of discomfort but it was only a flash.
Something happened and Voldemort turned to me after a minute.
"Cassie, have you truly not known?" He asked slyly.
"The only Seer thing I knew was the vision of him and me. Anything else was the context. How I had to wear the black dress to his dinner party. How I had to dance with him when he wanted to. How, today, I was supposed to wear purple to match his robes but I'm not appealing in purple."
Aunt Narcissa flinched at that.
"Cassie, you have a duty to our cause -"
"And shouldn't I be informed of what that duty is, sir?" I bit back.
His eyes flashed.
He took a deep breath.
"You will be going to spend the week with your father again. I will summon Severus." He turned on his feet and stalked into the drawing room.
Aunt Narcissa, Mr. Malfoy and I stood in the foyer. My eyes flicked between the two of them.
"You adopted me. I thought I was going to be safe!" I hissed at them and then ran up the stairs with my Pachysandra in my hands.
I flung my door open and started to throw random things into my trunk before pausing and looking at the door.
Draco's face was pale and he looked frightened.
"Were they really doing that?" He whispered.
I nodded and returned to packing.
I put the Pachysandra on my desk so that I could pack up with both hands.
"What happened?" Draco asked, his voice no longer a whisper, but obviously not wanting to make me mad.
"Fudge had that Pachysandra Spectabilis in his office. And I recognized it from our third year in Biology and he asked how he was going with taking care of it and I told him the truth! Obviously the truth was he was doing a terrible job of it and needed to either give it to someone who could take care of it, or do better. And he kicked me out of his office! And now! Now the truth is out that they were trying to groom me for him!" I spat as I packed up my books.
"Groom?" He asked.
"Yes, groom. As in, prepare me on a silver platter and deliver to the Minister of Magic's bedroom to do as he pleases." I said, my cheeks pink with embarrassment.
"They - they wouldn't!" He said.
I closed my trunk with a snap and turned to Draco.
I cleared the space between the two of us and put my hands on his shoulders.
"They did." I said firmly.
He was still in denial. I could see that.
"And now that their plan has failed, I'm being punished by being sent back to Sirius. Or making sure they don't hurt me so they're sending me away."
There was a crack! from downstairs.
Snape had arrived.
"But the point is," I lowered my voice, "they don't care. They care about blood purity and making all the right people happy so that they can have the world they want! And I will not stand for it. Especially when it's my body on the line."
I stepped away from him and walked back to get my trunk and the Pachysandra.
Draco stood there.
I paused next to him again.
"You are in shock. And I know me going away isn't going to help you -"
"Can I come with you?" Draco asked.
I closed my mouth with a snap, hurting some of my teeth.
"I don't know if they'll let you." I answered, rubbing my tongue on the teeth that were still tingling.
He scrunched his nose up and turned on his heel to walk out of my room.
I followed behind him.
"Mother?" He called out.
There was a scuffling sound from the drawing room as we made our way downstairs.
"Yes, dear?" Aunt Narcissa stepped out of the drawing room.
"May I go with Cassie, please?" He asked.
There was a crash from the drawing room and Aunt Narcissa closed the door behind her.
"No, Draco. You must stay here. The Dark Lord -" there was another crash.
Snape stepped out and was glaring at me.
"Let's go." He drawled.
I looked at Draco and tried to convey all the thoughts and feelings to him that it was going to be okay. We were going to be okay.
Snape grabbed my arm before he could meet my eyes and Apparated us away.
I wheezed when we landed in an unfamiliar library.
"We're not going to headquarters just yet." Snape said slowly as he gave me a minute to catch my breath.
"Then where are we going?" I asked, checking on my plant.
Snape walked over to the fireplace and pulled off a pot.
He opened it and showed me the powder.
"Dumbledore's Office." He said clearly.
"Do I say, Dumbledore's Office. Or is there a specific wording?" I asked, placing my trunk on the floor.
"Just say, Dumbledore's Office." He glared at me.
"Yes, sir." I said back and took a pinch of the Floo powder.
I threw it onto the unlit fire, where it burst into green flames.
"Dumbledore's Office!" I spoke clearly and stepped into the flames.
I tucked my elbows in and waited until I saw the familiar desk.
I stepped out when I did and Dumbledore looked up, a flash of surprise in his eyes until Snape entered behind me.
"Hello, Cassie." Dumbledore greeted me.
"Albus, they did not consult me on this. I had no clue what was going on." Snape spoke before I could.
"What happened?" Dumbledore asked, putting down his quill.
"They were grooming me. For Fudge." I clipped.
Dumbledore took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"They didn't talk to me either." I added.
"Did you have a vision? Or a feeling?" Snape asked.
"A vision of me and him in a… predicament… but no other feeling or warning." I confirmed.
"You had a vision of him and you?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes. I didn't think it would come true because of the lack of contact we had at the time. But - but then we went to a dinner party the other day and I had to wear this dress and dance with the Minister when he came up and asked for one. And that's when I had an idea of what was happening.
But today - today I was supposed to wear this," I gestured to the dress I was still wearing, "in a purple color but I wasn't 'appealing' enough because purple doesn't suit my complexion. And when we were in Fudge's office I saw this," I held up the Pachysandra Spectabilis who was still wilted, "and I started to take care of it with positive words and he asked me how well he was doing taking care of it and obviously I told the truth and then he kicked me out of his office and -"
I took a breath. I didn't realize I was talking fast, "- and then Mr. Malfoy was livid that I did that and when we got home we got into a shouting match and I asked why I was being groomed for the Minister and the Dark Lord told me I had to go stay with my dad for a week."
I finished while breathing heavily.
Dumbledore had let me talk without interruptions.
He then turned to Snape.
"You, truly, had no idea?" He asked, his voice dangerously trying to be calm.
"No, Albus." Snape shook his head.
"From what I gathered, only Narcissa, Lucius, and Voldemort knew." I added, my grip tight on the brown pot.
Dumbledore nodded and tapped a piece of parchment.
He wrote on it quickly and tapped it again to have it folded like an airplane.
"Pomona should be in the greenhouses. This will lead you to her. Why don't you take a minute and when Severus and I are done talking, I will send him to you." Dumbledore said as the paper plane floated next to the door.
"Thank you, sir." I nodded.
I turned on my heel and walked out of his office and stood on his step as it carried me down.
"A student?" The griffon statue asked when I stepped out.
"Yes, sir?" I questioned if it was a he or she.
He looked at me quizzically.
"Hogwarts business?" He asked.
I shrugged as the memo danced down the hall.
"I've got to go, see you!" I waved politely to the griffon statue and hurried after the memo.
Hogwarts seemed to like that it had a student walking around her halls before the start of term. Every passageway I took seemed to lead to a different hallway to a different passageway and over and over again.
"Hogwarts," I put a hand on a cold wall, "I really need to get to Professor Sprout. I have a plant that needs some care."
I held the Pachysandra up.
There was a groaning sound and I felt some of the walls shifting and the paper plane zoomed towards a tapestry.
"Thank you!" I patted the walls and hurried after the plane onto the grounds.
There was something different about Hogwarts with no students around. It was awfully quiet.
The greenhouses weren't far from the castle, which I was very appreciative of. And the memo bumped into the door of greenhouse two.
I opened the door and the memo zoomed on it.
"Oh!" Sprout's voice sounded from the back somewhere.
"Professor?" I called out, not wanting to spook her more.
"Who's there?!" She called out.
"It's Cassie Zwart." I said, not daring to go in.
"Oh! I see, okay, come on in dearie! I'm in the back." She called out.
I stepped into the warmth of the greenhouse, and my Pachysandra started to wiggle.
"Hello!" Sprout greeted me with a friendly smile.
She was elbows deep into some dirt and a potting project.
"Would you like some help?" I asked, taking in the dark green plants and how they moved elegantly.
Almost trance-like.
"Oh thank you dear, but I'm afraid not. This is a Venomous Tentacula, and I only let seventh years handle them."
"Because they're venomous." I nodded my head in understanding.
She let out a laugh.
"What have you got there?" She gestured with her nose.
I held up the Pachysandra, it was wiggling so weakly.
"It's a Pachysandra Spectabilis, but it was poorly taken care of. So it was given to me, and I'm not… I'm not sure I have enough positivity to get it healthy on my own." I explained.
"Oh dear, I like to think that everyone has enough positivity to take care of a spectabilis." She said kindly.
I nodded, a sad smile on my face.
"What do you think needs to be done first?" Sprout asked.
"I'm thinking of a new home. Like a new pot home, not rehoming it again." I said quickly.
Sprout nodded again.
"You know where the pots are. And! Since you are at Hogwarts, I don't see why you can't change it up to give it more color." She added with a wink.
My smile was genuine and the Pachysandra's yellow leaves had turned a lighter yellow, looking much better than the icky brown from earlier.
I walked over to where the pots were. I held up my new plant and compared the sizes.
I decided on a pot that looked to be an inch and a half bigger than the one I had. Then I went to look at the different soils.
"Dragon dung fertilizer would be the best bet for now. If the spectabilis has been unwell for a while, it'll need all the help it can get." Sprout added from her spot in the green house.
"Thank you, ma'am." I got a small bag of the fertilizer and put it on a table where Sprout could see what I was doing, but not be in the reaching area of the tentacula.
I put the pots down as well and walked over to the familiar bucket with dragon skin gloves. I put a pair on and then went to get some actual soil and get started on my project.
"Before you get too dirty, would you like to borrow an apron?" Sprout asked gently.
"No thank you. I don't mind if this dress gets dirty." I said and purposefully wiped some soil on my dress.
That earned me a chuckle and we went to work together.
I pulled my wand out of the pocket of the dress and tapped the pot.
"Conversus Ad Flavo."
The brown pot turned to yellow.
"Viridi Macula."
I tapped on various places and put on green spots to go with the yellow base.
"That's pretty." Sprout complimented.
"Thank you. I think that for a plant that is meant to be happy, it should have a happy home." I said, checking my work and nodding in approval.
I gently pulled out the spectabilis and got to pulling out the dry soul from its roots.
"I haven't touched on it in class, but on the shelf behind you is some powder that'll help with rejuvenating the roots on an almost dead plant." Sprout spoke up.
I turned around and looked up to the shelves.
There were different sized jars and all with different labels.
The one that said "Jubi-leaf!" looked like the right one to me so I pointed to that one.
"Is it this one?" I asked.
I waited for Sprout to finish what she was doing for her to look at me.
"No, the one next to it, the 'Root Recovery' one."
I looked to see a smaller jar on the right side and it said 'Root Recovery'.
"Oh, thank you." I said sheepishly.
Sprout let out a chuckle and another memo came into the green house and hovered in front of Sprout.
"Open." She said and it unfolded.
I went back to my plant and started to put some of the 'root recovery' powder on the roots. I walked over to the water bottles and got some with just regular water and pulled the trigger to see if I needed to change the setting. But lucky for me, it was on a mist option so I took it and sprayed the roots.
"You don't want to use the elixir potion?" Sprout asked curiously.
"I don't want to shock it. I don't fully know how long it's been in this condition and I'm worried that I'll kill it if I use a lot of magic on it." I answered.
"I see." She nodded, a smile on her lips.
"I think you would have been a great addition to Hufflepuff." She said after I put the 'Root Recovery' bottle and the spray bottle away.
"Thank you, but I don't think I'm kind enough." I admitted.
"Of course you are!" Sprout exclaimed,
I laughed as I thought back to all the times I wanted to throttle Ron and Harry for their stupidity.
"I've seen you introducing yourself to the first years. We've noticed that you'll help them with their studies. That's a kind trait, and I'm only a little disappointed that no one in my house thought to do that." She told me.
"I'm sure they have tried, I've got the advantage of being friends with Harry Potter, and family with Draco Malfoy. If I went with the last name Black it probably wouldn't have gone the way it is now." I said.
She made a noise in the back of her throat but we went back to work.
On the table I dumped a little bit of the fertilizer and more of the soil onto a pile and started to mix it together like I was taught.
"I'll have to give you ten points at the start of term." Sprout said as I put some of the mixture into the pot.
"Professor?" I asked, not looking up from my project.
"You are doing a fine job of repotting that plant. I must have taught you well." She had a smile in her voice.
"Thank you, Professor." I smiled too as I put the spectabilis in and started to fill the pot with more soil.
Before I put the rest of the soil mixture in, I grabbed a handful of fertilizer and put it in the pot for good measure. Then I topped off the rest with my soil mix, leaving a little space to fill it with water.
I put the newly potted spectabilis down and started to clean up my mess.
Just as I was putting my soil mix into a new bag, the door opened.
"Zwart." Snape said from the entrance.
"I'm cleaning up my mess. I'll be right out." I answered.
"Very well." He drawled.
"You don't have to clean up, I can do it." Sprout said.
"No, no. I made the mess, it's only right that I clean it up." I insisted as I put the bags where I had them.
"Oh alright." She huffed.
I let out a giggle as I picked up the old brown pot and added it to Sprout's pot collection.
I picked up my yellow pot with green spots and went over the glove box and took off the gloves I borrowed.
"Thank you, Professor Sprout." I turned around to face her.
She gave me a wave and a wink.
I returned her wave and then walked out to see Snape with his arms crossed.
He sneered at my, now dirty dress.
"We're going to use the fireplace in the Great Hall to return to my study." He turned on his heel and started to go back to the castle.
"Yes sir." I started to follow him.
'His study? Is that where we went before here?' I asked myself.
He sniffed as we walked.
I didn't have anything to say. If he wanted to tell me what he and Dumbledore talked about, then that was on him.
"The Weasley's are expecting us." He said when we reached the entrance hall.
"Okay." I nodded.
He pulled out a little bag from his cloak and held it out to me.
"What am I saying?" I asked him as I took out a pinch of floo powder.
"Spinner's End Study." He said.
"Spinner's End Study." I repeated slowly.
He nodded and went first this time.
After the green flames died I waited a moment longer and took a deep breath.
"I'll be back, Hogwarts." I called out to the castle.
The walls groaned in response.
I smiled as I threw the powder into the fireplace and called out, "Spinner's End Study!"
I'm back! I'm so sorry that we're coming up to a year without updates. Life got in the way. But I'm here and the juices are flowing!
