Cassie and Severus stayed up very late. Lying in bed was enough to distract them from doing anything but manhandle each other, the result being that they only got a few hours of sleep. The morning came quickly. At first, the only sluggish thoughts going through Cassie's mind were of the wizard with his arm draped across her chest and his face crammed into the crook of her neck. She hoped he would stay asleep for a while. The memory of making a promise to him last night, that she would tell him what had happened to her wand, came flooding back to her. The peace generated from feeling his skin on hers and the sound of his heavy breathing would be short-lived.
Almost like he had sensed her wish for him to stay in dreamland and subconsciously deciding to deny her, Severus started to stir. A soft moan left his lips as he stretched his arms and nuzzled his face into her hair.
"Good morning, Cassie," he murmured lowly, inhaling deeply before starting to plant soft kisses on her neck.
"Morning, Sev." A small, naive part of her hoped that he would forget. But that brilliant mind of his would never be able to.
"Are you ready to tell me?" he asked her with that same tender resonance. She didn't have to be a fortune teller to know that his tone would change drastically as soon as she started talking.
Cassie sighed sharply. "No."
His lips abruptly left her skin and he pulled his head away so he could look at her directly. "Cass, you promised me - "
"I know, Severus. I know." He sat up, running his hand through his hair. Just like that, his mood had shifted from tranquil to irritated, and she hadn't even started yet. "Can you just promise me something?"
"I am not obligated to grant you any sort of reassurance," he snapped, his black eyes locked on her.
"I'm going to tell you!" she reassured him bitterly. "I would just appreciate it if you at least tried to keep your cool, Sev."
"Why does that matter?" His nostrils flared, and she knew she was making his anticipation worse.
"Oh, I don't know! Because we get about forty-eight hours to see each other every month, and I'd like to keep them as harmonious as we can?"
He huffed at her, shaking his head. Then after a few moments, he said, "I'm not going to promise you anything. But I will try." Her annoyance soared as she realized he was throwing her own words at her. He was referencing her last trip home when he had implored her to vow not to do anything irrational.
"You know what, Severus?" she seethed quietly. "I'm not going to tell you." His eyes flashed dangerously at her statement, and part of her was satisfied that she was striking a nerve, just as he had done with her moments ago. "I'd rather just let you see."
His demeanor swiftly changed again, his eyebrows raising slightly in surprise. "You intend to let me enter your mind?"
"I think it would be better in the long run, Sev. You're just going to keep imagining the worst. At least you can witness the truth this way."
"I haven't performed Legilimency on you since last year," he pointed out lowly.
"So? I have nothing to hide from you," Cassie said, her eyes searching his. "I'm trying to be as open as I can. I hope it will make you worry about me less if you know everything."
"If that's how you would like to proceed, Cassie."
Her stomach was in knots as she anticipated the backlash she was going to receive, regardless of her attempts to be completely honest with him. But there was no taking it back now. She turned to face him, sitting cross-legged in the bed. He faced her as well, his legs spread on either side of her as he scooted himself closer. Their faces only a couple of inches apart, he cupped both sides of her face gently with his hands. When she was this willing to open her memories to him, he didn't need his wand. It was a reminder of how skilled he was, that he could attempt to invade her mind at any time when she wasn't expecting it, but he didn't out of respect.
"Are you ready?" he asked her softly, his black eyes penetrating hers so deeply that she felt her breath catch in her throat. It didn't matter how many times she looked into them, they always had a visceral effect on her.
She closed her eyes, drawing a shaky breath. "Yes."
In seconds, he was in her psyche. She attempted to bring forth the day that they had gone to the hospital in Manaus so he wouldn't have to page through her mind like a book. She was suddenly reliving healing the Muggle patients and the alarm she had felt when she saw the old woman struck with the infarcire curse, how she was helpless to do anything about it. He felt her growing panic as the boy missing his skin entered the department, and the horrific sight of the victims of the contractura hex.
Severus witnessed the short debate between Machado and Diego, feeling the alarming sense of determination that washed over Cassie as she watched Miremba go after him, knowing that she had no choice but to interfere if they were to live. She was taking out masked members of Cavaleiros da Floresta and saved Miremba and Diego from their attackers.
And then she was disarmed. Sombria made her appearance shortly after, and Cassie's heart ached as she was forced to go through losing her wand again. But it was almost gratifying to see her hold her ground against the powerful dark witch from this viewpoint, and Cassie felt a renewed sense of purpose.
This was the entirety of what she had intended to show Severus, so he could understand her need to do what she had done that day. He pressed on, and she struggled a bit on the bed as she tried to slow down his advances. His large hands kept her head in place as he continued, and without warning, he was watching her lose control as she argued heatedly with Machado. He saw the rocky shoreline that her master had moved them to, and the surge of power that came out of her. At the point that Machado had successfully knocked her out and her memory went dark, she felt Severus start to pull out of her, but she felt the sudden urge to keep him in. He had seen this much. Maybe it would be better in the long run if he saw more.
She let him see the aftermath of that day, of Machado's charred skin when her power had accidentally hit him. He listened to the wizard's announcement that Sombria had killed hundreds in Manaus and that she was intending to go after Fernanda da Gama, an innocent child. Finally, Severus left her mind.
"Severus," Cassie said, short of breath once they had disconnected. He was already scrambling off the bed in a frenzy. "Please, stay calm, please - "
"Don't tell me to stay calm!" he barked at her, making her flinch.
"Try!" she snapped back at him, and he glared at her angrily.
"You're a careless, arrogant fool!" he sneered. "I thought you were smarter than that, Cassie!"
"Fuck you," she replied lowly, glowering at him.
"Do you realize," he snarled, suddenly taking a few steps toward the bed, his indignant face bearing down on her, "That you have now made yourself a target? That she won't rest until she has killed you?"
"She doesn't know who I am, Severus! She doesn't know where we live in the forest, or that the academy even exists - "
"How long will it be before that changes? Obviously Machado expects her to attack Castelobruxo, and yet he has you stationed there!" He shook his head, letting out a growl of indignation as he pulled his face away from her.
"It's not just me! It's all of us! Miremba and Diego would be targeted too, and they're taking the same risks I am - "
"I don't care about them!" he shouted, "I can only handle worrying about you!"
"Stop worrying!" Cassie said, exasperated as she clamored to her knees on the bed. She reached out to touch him, but he flinched. She stood then, attempting to press her body into his to soothe him as much as she could, but he stepped away. "You saw what I can do, Severus! If anyone has a chance at beating her, it's me."
"Why this persistence that she is your responsibility, Cassie?" he asked her desperately. "Why can't you just leave it alone?"
She had him cornered in the bedroom now, and she grabbed his hand, grasping it roughly as he tried to yank it away. She held on anyway. "How can you ask me that?" she said firmly. "You saw what she and her followers did to those innocent people. You're suggesting that I do nothing and continue to let it happen?"
"Defeating her will not atone for your family's sins," he retorted quietly. "It changes nothing."
"I'm well aware of that," Cassie said, stepping closer to him. "But at least I can try to stop history from repeating itself." He was avoiding her gaze now, and she raised a hand to his cheek to turn his face toward her. "Listen to me, Severus. I know it makes you anxious. I would be a blubbering mess if you were in this much danger and so far away. But I need you to understand that this is something I have to keep doing."
It was one of the rare times that she saw the Potion Master's eyes glistening with tears. It broke her heart. "I can't lose you," he whispered. Cassie felt tears start to form in her eyes, barely able to watch him in this much anguish any longer. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his face down to her, and pressed her forehead to his.
"You won't," she said, sniffling softly.
"Don't," he hissed quietly. She didn't know what to say. She kissed him lightly then, embracing him tighter. It was a helpless feeling, not being able to reassure him. But there was something inside her that knew all of this was bigger than them. She just didn't know how to convince him at that moment, when he couldn't see past his need for her.
She pulled him back to the bed, letting him settle into her arms with his face nestled into her neck again. They were silent for some time, as Cassie knew he needed time to handle his racing thoughts. She didn't know how long they stayed like that before Severus spoke again.
"Cassie," he said faintly, his hot breath brushing her skin. "Your abilities are extraordinary."
"I don't know about that." She traced her fingers soothingly over his back as she spoke. "We can call it that when I have them under control."
"It's more than I imagined," he admitted. "Much more."
"Me, too. It's scary."
A sense of peace had returned, despite the emotions that had run so high that morning. After a while, they had to force themselves to get out of bed. Cassie wanted to get their trip to Diagon Alley out of the way, and then they planned to go to the Burrow for a visit.
Returning to Ollivanders wasn't something Cassie had anticipated doing. The idea of her wand being destroyed in such a crude manner had never crossed her mind as a possibility. Now that she and Severus were approaching the wand shop, she felt a renewed twinge of mourning as she remembered her first visit as a preteen. Narcissa had taken her, and she only had to try ten wands before hers chose her.
Like most of Diagon Alley this time of year, Ollivanders felt incredibly empty compared to how busy it usually was during the summer holidays. The bell chimed on the door as they entered, and at first, Garrick was nowhere to be found. Severus was slowly moving through the aisles, gazing at the unending boxes of wands, when the shop owner appeared without making a noise.
"Severus Snape," he greeted them, "And Cassiopeia Black. I wasn't expecting a visit from either of you."
"We weren't expecting to have to," Severus told him.
"Which one of you lost your wand?" the older wizard asked gently.
"I did," Cassie said. "It was destroyed in a duel."
"I see," Ollivander said, nodding solemnly. "Were you able to give it a proper burial?"
Cassie and Severus exchanged a glance. "No. It was disintegrated completely," she said.
"I'm sorry." The wandmaker's voice was full of genuine remorse. Cassie felt a pang of guilt, feeling like she should have done more to protect this man's handiwork. While she felt lost without her original wand, Ollivander seemed downright miserable. "Well, let's get started, shall we?" He came out from behind the counter and started to look at the boxes, his eyes narrowed in contemplation. "Cassiopeia. Eleven inches, made of ebony with a core of dragon heartstring. Quite unyielding," he was saying as he opened a box. "I wonder if it would be wise to start with something similar."
The first three wands with dragon heartstring were not a match, to say the least. One of them seemed to shock her as soon as she touched it as if it were unwilling to even let her try it. Ollivander moved on to those of similar consistency but with unicorn tail hairs. Still, no luck.
The first hour of trying different wands passed and Cassie had tried almost two dozen wands. Severus looked particularly unimpressed.
"Do you think that was the only one?" she asked him quietly as Ollivander went behind the counter to fetch one from the storeroom. "What am I going to do if none of them choose me?"
"We will figure something out," he said silkily. That sounded very ominous, and Cassie was about to ask him to elaborate when Ollivander came back.
"I wonder," he muttered, "if trying something completely different is warranted." He pulled a light brown wand from its case. "Like father like daughter, perhaps?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Severus asked lowly, his black eyes glittering maliciously. Cassie placed a hand on his forearm, a silent warning to behave.
"This is one of my few with a phoenix feather core," the wandmaker explained. Cassie held it for about three seconds, the tip of it starting to spurt green flames, and Ollivander snatched it back. "No, no! That won't do."
They continued, lucky that no other customers came in, because their search seemed like it was never going to end. Finally, Ollivander sighed.
"You could try going to my Hogsmeade branch," he said, "But I am not convinced you will have much luck there."
"Why are none of them responding to me?" Cassie asked. She was feeling desperate. There was no way she could safely go back to training without a wand. She would be an easy target for Sombria, ripe for the picking.
"You are in a stage of transition, aren't you, Miss Black?" His question caught her off guard.
"I suppose I am," she told him.
"The internal confusion of your own identity is befuddling to the wands."
"So I'm screwed, is what you're saying?"
Ollivander looked at her sadly, and Cassie was about to give up completely when Severus spoke.
"There is another wand that has bonded with you, Cassie," he said quietly. Cassie looked at him in surprise, and it took a few seconds for her to comprehend his meaning.
"I can't possibly use that," she hissed.
"It may be your only option," Severus told her, his tone apologetic. "Where is it?"
Cassie looked between the two wizards, whose eyes were locked on her. Ollivander looked suddenly hopeful. "My vault."
"Splendid!" Ollivander exclaimed. "You must go to Gringotts at once. I think you will know immediately if it is a viable option, but I'd like to analyze its response if you would oblige me."
"Sure," Cassie muttered. Severus ushered her out of the shop, sensing her unease. "Severus, this is absurd!"
"You aren't going back to Amazonas without a wand," he snapped, grabbing her hand and leading her in the direction of the wizard's bank. "You might as well give yourself over to Sombria, then."
Cassie cursed under her breath quietly but followed him nonetheless. Of course, he was right.
She hated going to her vault under normal circumstances, usually to pull out the minimal amount of gold she needed to live her life. It reminded her of her connection to the Lestranges and to the Death Eaters, something she wished she could sever. This was something entirely different. When they got there, Cassie froze at the entrance, and the goblin that had accompanied them snorted in displeasure.
"Cassie," Severus said lightly, pulling her out of her thoughts. Cassie sighed, taking a step into the vault, and went the back corner without hesitation, as she knew exactly where her mother's wand was. It had stayed in the same spot in a black velvet drawstring bag and had not been moved in years. Cassie had always been irrationally afraid to touch it as if Bellatrix's influence would somehow emanate from it. Now she had no choice.
"Let's go," she said irritably with the bag in hand, wanting nothing more than to drop it and leave it there.
Severus must not have known what to say. He remained silent as they made their way back to Ollivanders, his fingers interlaced with hers as he led her down the street. All Cassie could think about was the unending list of atrocious things that her mother had performed with this wand. She wasn't sure she was going to be able to handle using it.
Cassie thrust the black pouch towards Garrick as soon as they reentered the shop. "Yes, yes," he said softly as he pulled the wand from its confinement. He turned it over in his hands like he was examining the most exquisite treasure. "Twelve and three-fourth inches. Walnut, dragon heartstring core. Unyielding." Cassie hated that he used the same word to describe it as he had when speaking of hers. Even though she knew this might be her last hope, she wished that it would suddenly reject her.
"When is the last time you used it?" the wandmaker asked.
"I was six."
"And you had no problems with it obeying you?"
Cassie shrugged. "It was the only wand I used when I was a child. I guess I didn't know the difference between a loyal one and a bucky one."
"But you were able to perform magic successfully?"
"Spells, charms, hexes," Severus interjected quietly. "It seemed to warm to her without issue." Cassie took a few moments to study his stoic expression. She wondered what memories from his Death Eater days he was suddenly recalling.
"Well," Ollivander said, handing it to Cassie, "There's only one way to find out if it will do the same for you now."
Taking a deep breath, Cassie took it from him. She knew instantly that this wand was going to work for her. It was warm in her hand, almost invigorating to hold. Ollivander wanted proof, so she performed a simple charm that produced a contained blue flame and then extinguished it without issue.
"Congratulations, Miss Black," Ollivander said sincerely. Cassie felt like vomiting.
She willed herself to be in a better mood as they stopped at the Leaky Cauldron for a bottle of wine to bring to the Burrow. It wasn't working.
"Cassie," Severus said as they exited the pub, "Are you all right?"
"No," she admitted. "I can't stop thinking about what my mother did with this thing."
"That 'thing' is what will keep you safe when you go back to the academy," he said bluntly. "You can't let those types of thoughts distract you."
"Is it that easy to just forget that she used it to torture the Longbottoms, and countless other people? That she killed people with it?"
His black eyes were staring into hers now as they stood in the street. "I have used my wand to perform a number of heinous acts. Does that mean I should throw away that affiliation and subject myself to a lesser one?"
"That's your prerogative." She kept walking, wanting to get to a spot where they could Disapparate safely. She was quickly growing tired of his relentless logic. "I'm done talking about it, Severus. Can we just go see Arthur and Molly?"
He sighed, shaking his head slightly. "Yes, Cassie."
She was greeted with enthusiastic, warm hugs as soon as they stepped into the Weasley household. It was always odd being there when it wasn't crammed full of people, especially now that Ginny had started at Hogwarts. Cassie was sure that Arthur and Molly were ecstatic to have company in their home, regardless of who it was.
Trying to put on a fake demeanor of happiness only worked for a few minutes before the Weasley matriarch picked up on it. Arthur and Severus were seated in the living room while Molly and Cassie were opening the bottle of wine in the kitchen, and Cassie knew her guise was up as soon as Molly frowned at her.
"What is bothering you, dear?"
"Nothing, Molly."
"Oh," Molly said, waving her hand at her indignantly, "You don't have to hide things from us. I can't imagine that your training has all been butterflies and fairy dust."
Cassie wanted to unburden herself fully and tell her of everything just then, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Making Severus constantly worry about her safety was bad enough. She didn't want to be another source of stress for the Weasleys, as good as their intentions might be. So she decided to divulge only part of it.
"My wand was destroyed," she said quietly. "We went to Ollivanders today to find a new one, and none of them worked. I have no choice but to use Bellatrix's now."
Molly's hand went to her chest in surprise. "That is a good reason to feel glum."
"Yeah."
"Well, don't you worry about it," the redhead said, handing Cassie a glass full of wine and taking her by the hand. "If you want to talk about it, we will. If you don't, my lips are sealed."
"I don't. Not now, anyway."
Molly smiled at her. "Shall we join the boys?"
Arthur asked many questions about Cassie's time in Brazil. She only spoke of the training and her peers, intentionally leaving out the fact that there was a dangerous witch on the loose that was out for her blood. She was grateful when the topic of the conversation turned to the Weasley children, and suddenly Severus was the one being grilled.
"How is Ginny doing?" Arthur asked. "She's been saying in her letters that everything is going swimmingly, but sometimes I feel like she just says that so we don't worry."
"I can't speak to her overall experience," Severus said, "But she is doing well in Potions."
"Does she seem to have many friends?" Molly inquired.
"I don't involve myself in the social lives of students from other houses," he said curtly. Cassie smirked, as she knew he was trying his best to remain courteous as the questions kept coming. He had to reassure them that Ron and Harry were staying out of trouble since the Whomping Willow incident, but couldn't offer a similar statement about the twins. It seemed they were as mischievous as ever.
"So what is it like working with Gilderoy Lockhart?" Molly asked then, and Cassie noticed that her cheeks reddened a bit at the question. She snorted into her wine glass as Severus' expression darkened considerably.
"Unpleasant," he deadpanned.
"Oh, I can't imagine that's true!" she said.
"It is," Cassie chimed in. "I've only met him once, and that was enough - "
"You've met him? Did you get an autograph?" Molly exclaimed.
"No."
"Oh, well the next time you do, will you get one for me, dear? I can't ask that of Severus, of course. It would be unprofessional."
"Highly," Severus said icily. Arthur, who had been watching the entire exchange with a bemused look on his face, was now shaking in silent laughter.
The visit was just what Cassie needed. As she and Severus left the house, she felt refreshed, her heart just a bit lighter than what it had been before.
"You're not going to tell them about Sombria?" Severus asked her softly as they walked down the gravel road. They could have Apparated back to Cokeworth already, but they were enjoying the feel of the uninhabited, relaxing country atmosphere.
"I can't," she said. "They have enough kids to worry about. And Harry, now. I don't need to add to it."
"They already worry about you. How do you think they'll feel if they find out you were trying to spare their feelings?"
Cassie raised her eyebrow at him in disbelief. "Look at you, Mister Sentimental."
"Just keep in mind that there are others besides me that care about you."
"Is that your way of guilt-tripping me into staying away from danger?" she asked suspiciously.
"No, Cassie," He stopped walking so he could grab her hands in his and look at her directly. "But it gives me a small sense of peace knowing that someone else has your best interest in mind. You owe it to them, to be honest."
"So insightful," she sighed as he leaned down to press his forehead against hers. "When did that happen?"
"Maybe you're influencing me to some degree," he purred, giving her a sweet kiss. They started to lazily walk down the road again as Cassie contemplated his words.
"They care about you too, you know. You're basically their son-in-law," she teased. He let out a small bark of a laugh.
"Arthur and Molly are only ten years older than me," he pointed out.
"Doesn't matter. They would make better in-laws than the Malfoys. Or my real parents. So let's just stick with the Weasleys."
"Why this talk of in-laws?" he inquired, raising his eyebrow at her.
"It's just where my mind went," she admitted. He shook his head, and she laughed. "Oh, come on, Sev. You can't tell me you've never thought about it. We've lived together, we love each other. Remember?"
"Of course I remember, you silly girl," he said. He took her arm, and they appeared in Cokeworth with a loud bang. They continued their leisurely pace as they walked down the sidewalk toward the house.
"So have you?"
"Have I what?"
It was Cassie's turn to shake her head. He was too smart not to catch on to what she was getting at. "Thought about it."
He sighed. "If I say that I have, you're not going to become all giddy and irrational, are you?"
"I'm not guaranteeing anything."
Severus seemed about to answer her, but their light-hearted conversation was swiftly derailed when a witch dressed in navy robes came into view. She was standing directly in front of Severus' house, and the closer they got to her, it was clear that she was in distress.
"Cassie Black?" she asked, and Severus placed a hand on her arm to signal her to stop walking toward the stranger.
"Who wants to know?" he hissed lowly. It was rather suspicious having an unknown witch in Cokeworth looking for her, but for some reason, Cassie didn't sense that she was a threat.
"My name is Maria. I work for the Brazilian Ministry of Magic," she explained quickly.
"Oh," Cassie said, caught completely off guard. "What are you doing here?"
"Martese Machado sent me to get you."
"For what?"
"Sauda Sombria and her cavaleiros are attacking Castelobruxo, I need you to come with me - "
"Oh my god," Cassie gasped. The witch was holding out a crumpled cigarette carton, indicating that she should touch the Portkey immediately.
"Wait!" Severus said defiantly. "How do we know you aren't lying? That you're not here on Sombria's behalf?"
"Please, sir, we don't have time to debate this! We need her back at the school now."
"Severus," Cassie said, turning to him. "I have to go." She reached her hand out to touch the Portkey, but he grabbed it midair. "Severus!" she protested.
"I'm coming with you," he hissed.
"What?" Cassie asked heatedly. "You are not, you aren't familiar with the forest or the school - "
"You might have the strength and the training, Cassie. But I have the experience in these fights. You aren't going unless I follow!"
"No!"
"Please," Maria implored desperately. "There is no time for this. She could have stormed the building by now!"
Cassie locked her eyes on his, frantically searching them. Would he really be this irrational? Or was she being the overprotective one? "I can't worry about you, too, Severus," she said bluntly.
"You won't have to. I can take care of myself."
She wanted to argue further, to tell him that she would be safer if she didn't have to constantly monitor his whereabouts. But she knew without Maria saying it again, that there was no time. Fernanda da Gama and the rest of the students were in danger.
"Fine!" Cassie barked. She raised her hand to the Portkey, and Severus did the same. The three of them were transported instantly, and Cassie stumbled a bit as she tried to ignore the vertigo that followed with traveling in this manner. Ignoring her adverse feelings toward using her mother's wand, she pulled it out of her robes so she was ready for whatever was coming next.
Maria hadn't transported them to the camp. Cassie was becoming so familiar with the forest now that she knew they were close to Castelobruxo, while fortunately still deep within the trees. They needed the cover while they took a moment to grasp the situation.
There was shouting, and loud bangs that sounded from the school. Unrelenting metallic clangs were sounding through the forest, indicating that spells were being hurled at a powerful shield charm.
"The followers wear tan robes and yellow and blue masks," Cassie told Severus quickly. "And you have to stay close to me because the caipora don't know you - "
Right on cue, five flame-haired dwarves rushed at them, yelling in their native tongue and jabbing arrows at them. They seemed particularly angry that Severus, and unknown intruder, was with them. One caipora snapped its fingers, and Cassie had to block the binding hex from hitting him.
"No!" she shouted, grabbing onto his arm. "Amigo. Aliado!" Maria repeated the message and the caipora eyed them warily. Finally, they turned to go, obviously having bigger things to worry about at the moment, while still muttering to each other.
"Those are the caipora?" Severus had his wand in his hand, ready to get started.
"Only a fraction of them," Cassie told him. "But they're dead useful." She turned to Maria, who was trying to get a view of what was going on through the trees. An explosion sounded, followed by indiscriminate yelling. Had they not been in such a dire situation, Cassie would have considered the irony that Sombria claimed that defending the forest justified her actions, yet was allowing this destruction to happen on her behalf. "Okay, Ministry worker," she said solemnly, "What's the plan?"