The End of Summer

1985

It was the fifth time that summer that Snape had made the journey from his home on Spinner's End to go to Wiltshire. Lucius had requested his presence more frequently at the beginning of the holiday, and Snape even had the effrontery to turn him down a few times. Sometimes, the older wizard just didn't understand that he needed his alone time, especially that soon after the school term had ended. He had spent all year instructing imbecilic students, after all. Even one less introverted than he would need an adequate amount of time in isolation, before being able to tolerate the company of others again. Sometimes, all he wanted was to be alone with his books, or in the cellar with a simmering cauldron.

But today, he had agreed to attend a luncheon at Malfoy Manor, especially at the insistence of Narcissa. As far as he knew, there was no hidden agenda behind the social call. It seemed that the married couple, along with their young son, genuinely seemed to enjoy his company. So he found himself, yet again, on his way to the large house, wondering what he would learn of the corrupt plans Lucius was deriving to drive a stake through Minister Bagnold's political career, or which pro-Muggle acts he was trying to prevent from being passed.

When he arrived at the home, five-year-old Draco immediately came running to greet him. He was excited to show off his brand new, toddler-sized racing broom, and before Snape knew it, he was being led to the back yard to watch him. It was a beautiful day out, and it wasn't particularly unpleasant to be outside, watching the small blond boy race around in circles on his shiny new toy. Narcissa seemed especially proud of the boy's skills, as if he were already destined to be the most talented Quidditch player in Britain.

But Snape's thoughts went to the other child that lived on the estate, who had yet to be seen. She was usually quite friendly when he came over and more than willing to chat with him, but the last two times he had been there, it was like she was avoiding him all together. It seemed so far today, she was attempting to do the same. "Where is Cassie?" Snape asked, as Draco continued to zoom through the trees. Apparently, the topic of the girl annoyed Lucius, as he sucked his teeth in displeasure before responding.

"I wouldn't expect to see her today," he drawled. "She made it a point that she was going to be rather busy reading for her upcoming classes, when she heard you were coming."

"That's not unheard of," Snape said. "Any Hogwarts student expecting to do well in their first term would be doing the same."

"Certainly," Narcissa chimed in, "But she hasn't cracked a textbook in three days, and she's suddenly turned scholarly, now that you're here."

"It's an excuse," Lucius added disapprovingly. "If I went in her room now, I guarantee she's doing nothing of the sort."

"You needn't bother," replied Snape. "If the girl doesn't want to socialize with a group of adults and a toddler during her summer holiday before term starts, that's her business." He said it cordially, but in reality, he was rather befuddled. As his rapport with the daughter of the Dark Lord was usually genial, he was left to wonder what reason she had to shun him now. He began to wrack his brain for something crass he had said to her as of late, but nothing came to mind, at least nothing out of the ordinary. She usually laughed it off when he spouted off something acerbic.

He knew he really shouldn't spend too much time concerned over it. In the few years he had spent teaching Potions, he had learned rather quickly that preteens could be irrational in thought and in their emotions, and whatever she was upset about was likely something he would never have predicted, anyway. But the voice in the back of his mind that curiously sounded like Albus Dumbledore, the one that constantly reminded him of his ulterior motives, told him that he must get to the bottom of it. If she was avoiding him, it would be difficult for him to look out for her.

Servants began bringing out their meal to the veranda, and they began to take their seats at the white marble table. As Narcissa helped Draco settle into his chair and used her wand to cut up a piece of beautifully seared chicken, she started to fuss over Cassie's absence. "She needs to come out here and eat," she was saying to Lucius.

"If she doesn't want to, my love, then let her go hungry. She's well aware when meals are served," Lucius responded, sounding rather disinterested.

"She's a growing girl," Narcissa argued, "She eats like a bird the way it is. And it's rude to Severus, for her to just stay inside her room while he's here."

"Really," Snape insisted. "Don't drag her out here for my benefit." But both Malfoys ignored his assertion, and were instead locked in an intense stare, silently challenging one another, as it would be considered obscene to continue arguing in front of a guest at their table. Finally, Lucius grunted, signalling his submission to his wife, and forcefully pushed back his chair to stand.

"Excuse my brief absence, Severus, as I go fetch my niece," he said. "Under normal circumstances, I would just send one of the house elves to get her, but she would refuse and it would be a waste of time." Snape forced back a smirk, as he was reminded of the girl's unwavering stubbornness. Lucius frequently complained how the two of them butted heads.

When Lucius had disappeared inside the mansion, Narcissa turned to Snape, while simultaneously trying to convince a combative Draco to eat his food, rather than throw it. "Cassie has grown more and more withdrawn, as the summer comes to an end. I think she's nervous about starting at Hogwarts."

"That's understandable, especially given her circumstances," Snape replied. The girl wasn't stupid. Of course, she was anticipating the reactions of the other students when she arrived.

"I think she might be associating her anxieties with you," Narcissa mused. "She's mentioned several times in the last month that she's not sure she wants to be sorted into Slytherin, when the time comes." The blonde witch looked rather revolted even as she said it. "But why wouldn't she be? Her entire family has been in the house, not to mention you would be her Head."

Snape merely nodded, taking a sip of the drink in front of him. This information wasn't all that surprising to him, but he would never say it to Cassie's proud aunt and uncle. The girl knew that the majority of the student population was going to have a healthy resentment towards her, and being sorted into Slytherin would only add to the apprehension.

Lucius and Cassie appeared then, both of them looking rather cross as they came through the door. Snape was absolutely certain that the two had just squabbled prior to Cassie agreeing to join them. "Hello, Severus," she said, giving him a small nod, but she looked highly uncomfortable.

"Miss Black," he greeted her. "Your aunt and uncle tell me you've been studying for your classes."

"A bit," she said, piling food onto her plate.

"Have you read anything in your potions text?" he asked her.

"I didn't think I needed to," she responded rather quickly, an amusing look starting to take shape on her features. "I thought you were just going to give me top marks, seeing as we're friends an all." There it was. That was the kind of ribbing that she normally liked to start between them.

"That attitude," he said, shooting her an icy look, trying to hide any humor he found in her jesting, "is a sure way to land detention in your first week."

She raised her eyebrows at him, taking a large bite of her food, and matched his stare while she chewed. "You're the 'scary professor', aren't you?" Snape suddenly felt exasperated, realizing that the girl was going to have a hard time respecting him in front of the other students, given their established affinity towards one another. That wouldn't do, but there was little that could be done about it now, while they were having a meal at her family's home.

Draco was throwing tantrums during the entire meal, and towards the end, Narcissa and Lucius both left to take the child inside and put him down for a nap, hoping that having both his parents there would calm him. The tense air between Snape and Cassie had alleviated considerably, as the eleven-year-old had continued to joke with him throughout the meal. One would never have guessed that she had ignored him during the last two visits. But Snape knew that underneath her humor, Cassie was nervous about the upcoming school term. So he brought it up.

"Which House would you prefer," he asked her quietly, "if you are not put into Slytherin?"

"It doesn't matter," she replied, all traces of flippancy gone now. "Any of the other three will be fine."

"You know it's likely that the Sorting Hat will want to put you into Slytherin," Snape told her. "With who your family is, your ancestry - "

"That's why I don't want to be there," Cassie said seriously.

"Everyone you're acquainted with now is in Slytherin," he pointed out.

"Again," she said, and her tone sounded so much more grown up than she actually was, a trait that rarely left her. But she had been tragically forced into the real world at very a young age. "That's another reason why I don't want to be there." Then she gave him an apologetic look. He was always a bit surprised at how sensitive she was to other people's feelings, given the witch and wizard whose genetics had made her. "Besides you, Severus. You know I like you."

With that statement, he knew it was the ideal opening to appeal to her emotions. He felt manipulative doing it, but having the girl in his house for the next seven years would put him in the best position to guide her and make sure she was on the proper path. It was paramount that she would not be corrupted by the wrong influences. That was something that Dumbledore had reiterated, that they try to ensure he was in the best position to watch her.

"Cassie," Snape started slowly. "I don't mean to frighten you. But I think this first year at Hogwarts especially, will be trying for you. As much as I'd like to tell you that the other students won't judge you based solely on your family, that's not the reality you'll be walking in to. Being in a house other than Slytherin won't change that."

She looked at him sullenly. Likely, she had already come to this conclusion on her own at an earlier time, and now she was hearing it out loud from someone she trusted. "So you want me in Slytherin, Severus?"

"Yes," he said. "While I think the other Heads are well equipped for their roles, I don't think they'll ever understand your situation like I do." He saw Cassie's lower lip tremble, like she was about to cry, but only for a moment.

"I suppose you're right," she whispered.

If Cassie was upset for the remainder of the afternoon, she didn't show it. She continued to visit with him and the Malfoys, and finally, when evening was upon them, she left to back to her room, stating that she was actually going to open her potions book, if it meant avoiding detentions, although she said it with an air of sarcasm. As Snape was heading to the front door to leave, Lucius had a request for him. The blond wizard rarely let him leave the manor without making at least one.

"Severus, just do me one favor," Lucius said, looking over to his wife before continuing. "When she's at that bloody school, just encourage her to keep the right company, will you?"

"By all means," Snape said courteously. He left then, making his way back to Spinner's End, thinking all the while, that although hadn't lied to Lucius, his agreement certainly had the exact opposite meaning.

1992

"Seriously, Severus? You're going to go to Malfoy Manor?" Cassie was fuming. The two had been enjoying a rather harmonious breakfast of porridge and coffee, and were chatting about the declining state of Cassie's flower garden, until the mail had arrived. It was a grey morning, clouds covering the sky completely, threatening to drop a large amount of rain on Cokeworth's residents and leave a chill in the air. The owl had delivered an invitation for Snape to attend a luncheon the next day, and Cassie had incorrectly assumed that he would have rejected the offer from Narcissa without hesitation.

"I am," Snape stated, evenly. The aura in the room, having started out tranquil that morning, was quickly matching the ominous gloom outside.

"Why?"

"Cassie, don't start. You know why. I have to preserve affiliations with the Dark Lord's inner circle," he insisted, and Cassie was shaking her head as he spoke. "Don't act like this is new information. I'd really rather not fight about it again."

"I just hate it!" Cassie spat. "It was bad enough before, having to put up with them, but with the recent crap that Lucius has pulled? How can you consider going into his home and having a bite to eat with him, like it's nothing?"

"I don't have much of a choice," he replied, and Cassie let out a grumble of irritation. "If anything, my agreeing to have a meal with them even after all of that, will help lift the target on your back."

"You're mad," Cassie hissed.

"Cassie, if you would use your head and stop letting your emotions control you for a moment, then maybe you'd realize that the best course of action would be for you to make amends with the Malfoys," he implored. "Lucius is diabolical, and he's skittish about what you might do to ruin him. I think that's evident with what he's swayed Fudge to do in the last year - "

"No," Cassie interjected, looking at him like he was speaking a foreign language.

"Listen to me," he continued. "If you mend your relationship with the Malfoys, then the Ministry may, consequently, start to ease up on you - "

"There's nothing to mend!" she spat angrily, getting up from her chair so she could slam her dirty dishes into the sink. "They're rotten, vile people, and I won't do it!"

"Then pretend," Snape insisted. He was remaining composed and logical as he tried to reason with her. It was only aggravating her more. "You would benefit from being able to live your life without Fudge breathing down your neck, Cassie."

Cassie stared at him in disbelief for a few moments, not realizing that her mouth was hanging open until she intended to speak again. "I'm not going to do it, Severus! And besides, I'm not capable of just pretending like all is forgiven. I'm not exactly Miss Stoic!"

"You are a highly skilled Occlumens. Not many witches or wizards can boast that. If you just learned suppress your emotions all of the time, not just when closing off your mind, it would benefit you immensely," he stated, and she glared skeptically.

"I don't want you to spy," she blurted then.

"What?" he asked her, seemingly caught off guard.

"I know that's what you and Dumbledore have planned for when my father returns. But Severus, I can't stand the thought of you going to him willingly and putting yourself in danger! And the fact that you're even bringing something like this up to me, to repair my relationship with someone as foul as Lucius Malfoy - "

"Not authentically, Cassie!" he asserted.

"I know that," she said. "But he stands for everything we'll be fighting against, and you're going to be a guest at his dinner table and act like you're pals. Doesn't that bother you?"

"The issue of it bothering me or not is irrelevant," he said silkily. "I'm doing what I need to for our cause, just as you are with your training."

Cassie sighed, knowing he had a valid point. She found herself once again wishing he wasn't always so perceptive. "I just wish you would find a safer way to do it."

He gazed at her silently for a few moments, appearing to be considering something, and then said, "The only thing for certain, is that when the Dark Lord returns, no one will be safe." His statement was dire and conclusive, and Cassie felt understandably pessimistic then.

She didn't argue about Snape going to see the Malfoys again. She knew he had made up his mind, that staying cordial with her aunt and uncle was part of the grand scheme to make sure he was still trusted by the Death Eaters when it counted most. She kept it to herself that the thought of him being friendly with Lucius after everything he had done to her, made her want to be sick. The last thing she wanted to do was start another unresolved fight, or make him feel insecure.

"Check in on Draco for me, will you?" Cassie asked Snape the next day when he was preparing to leave for the manor. While she didn't like to admit it, there was a part of her that felt bad the she rarely saw her younger cousin anymore, as unpleasant as he was the majority of the time.

"Certainly," Snape replied. They embraced, exchanged loving words, and then he was out the door, heading to Malfoy Manor to be with the family that Cassie despised. As bothered as she was with the entire situation, she could only spend a few seconds contemplating it, however, as she had her own plans to attend to.

She went out to the street, absentmindedly patting her pocket one more time to ensure that her wand was still there, although she rarely went anywhere without it. But this was the first time in a while that she was going anywhere public within the wizard community, and there would always be a small part of her that feared another unprovoked attack, like the one she had suffered in Hogsmeade. She hoped she wouldn't be too jumpy today.

Making her way to the dead end street that she and Snape always used when they Apparated somewhere, she disappeared with a small pop, and then in an instant, she was in the heart of Diagon Alley. It was a bit unsettling, to go from the isolation of Spinner's End, to the hustle and bustle of the busy shopping area, and within the first few seconds, two people had bumped into Cassie as they hurried past. Normally, Cassie liked to enter the alley through the Leaky Cauldron and do a bit of window shopping, or browse through some of the book shops. Today, however, she wanted to get to Gringotts quickly, ideally before too many people recognized her.

Starting to make her way through the crowd, she kept her eyes fixated on the white staircase that led to the doors of the magnificent bank. If people were giving her strange looks, she was willing herself not to notice. "Cass!" someone called, and although she was not entirely thrilled that attention was being drawn to her, Cassie was relieved to hear a familiar voice. She started to look through the sea of faces, and then saw that Tonks was making her way towards her, smiling ear to ear as she all but pushed a plump brunette witch out of the way to get to her.

"Hi, Dora!" Cassie exclaimed, and the cousins caught each other in a warm embrace. The two had planned to meet up today, Tonks being able to take a bit of time off to see her, and Cassie needing to visit her vault. She was excited to see the young Auror and catch up a bit, even if their time was likely limited due to her rigorous training schedule. What she wasn't expecting, was to see Alastor Moody, making his way through the crowd a few steps behind her.

"Hope you don't mind," Tonks muttered under her breath before the wizard was within ear shot, "He all but invited himself along."

"No, not at all!" Cassie said.

"Black," Moody said gruffly as he reached the two witches. "Good to see you're out and about, not letting Fudge subdue you into hiding."

"Well, I haven't been out much," Cassie admitted, feeling a bit sheepish then. "I've really only been to Muggle towns and avoiding places like these, as of late."

"Might as well get used to them staring," Moody replied, his eye whirring around, likely surveying the crowd around them, "they're already taking notice of you."

Cassie looked around a bit then, and indeed, she saw that people were starting to stop and point, and some were whispering to each other. She huffed, feeling fed up already, as all she wanted to do was go about her business undisturbed, something she had been somewhat able to do for the majority of her young life. People that didn't know her had always been a little apprehensive of her, because of her family. But since the attack in Hogsmeade, and the subsequent hysteria from the Ministry and Daily Prophet, it was like she had transformed into a pariah.

"Don't pay them any mind," Tonks said, starting to push Cassie through the crowd, and shoot the gawking shoppers a glare. "We've got your back."

"I didn't come to ruin your little reunion," Moody was saying as they walked. "There's a witch we've been on the lookout for, that's been stalking Gringotts."

"So you're working," Cassie mused.

"She watches for people pulling out jewelry, precious stones, things like that. Then she'll follow 'em and snatch 'em," Tonks told her. "Nothing too crazy. But she put someone in St. Mungo's last week."

"Maybe she'll show," Cassie said. "I wouldn't mind having a go."

"If she does, you will do nothing," Moody warned her. "Don't give Fudge any ammo." They had reached the top of the white stairs leading to Gringotts, and Cassie was thankful to walk through the doors and get away from the many eyes that were watching them from the street.

Cassie huffed. "So essentially, I have to be intentionally useless, or get thrown into Azkaban?"

"Once you're out of his line of sight, you won't be," Moody said then. Cassie was perplexed by this statement, and when she looked at Tonks for clarification, her cousin was looking at her with excitement on her features.

"Your training, at Academia de Luta - " Tonks started, but Moody abruptly cut her off with a grunt.

"Not in such a public place!" he chided. Tonks immediately stopped talking, but threw Cassie an enthusiastic wink.

Feeling confused about what Moody and Tonks had just referred to, Cassie went up to the next available goblin. She left the two of them in the lobby to go to her vault, pulling out a small amount of galleons from the large pile that was contained within. When Bellatrix and Rodolphus had been locked up in Azakaban, Cassie had been left with a portion of their estate, which had been put under the Malfoys' control up until she had turned seventeen. But the wealth she was entitled to was something she disliked using unless absolutely necessary. She pulled money out for essentials, and occasionally, if she could get Arthur and Molly to accept anything, she would give some of it to them. They, like her, saw it as tainted.

Today, however, she would be transferring some to the Weasley vault without a note, so they would have no choice but to take it. She had learned that they had five sets of Gilderoy Lockhart books to pay for, along with Ginny's first year supplies. She hadn't yet had the argument with Arthur about offering to pay for any of it, but knowing that he would adamantly refuse her, the Slytherin in her decided to go this route, and do what she needed to do to get her way. The other task she had to complete, was to convert another sum of gold into Muggle money, and then send it off to Andrea and her children.

"Any signs of the jewelry mugger?" Cassie asked Tonks when she was finished. She was still in the lobby, quietly surveying the witches and wizards that were waiting in line by the counters, but Moody was gone.

"None," she said, "But Mad-Eye started muttering about black market vampire fangs and took off, so I'm staying here until he returns."

"You must be learning a ton from him," Cassie said.

"He's brilliant," Tonks said, beaming. "Best there is, everyone tells me."

"You haven't grown sick of each other?" Cassie teased.

"That's another story," she said, smirking. "By the way, my mother told me an amusing little anecdote, although it was so farfetched I told her it couldn't possibly be true."

Cassie sighed. By the way her cousin was talking, she knew where this conversation was heading, and as luck would have it, Moody had reappeared and was now heading towards them again. "That's nice," she replied curtly.

"What, you're shy, all of a sudden?" Tonks continued.

"I'd just rather not talk about it in front of your mentor, is all," Cassie hissed.

"Mad-Eye doesn't mind," Tonks said then, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "I tell him everything. Isn't that right, Mad-Eye?"

"Yes, you do have this irritating habit of not being able to shut your mouth, Tonks." he grumbled. "My investigation just now proved fruitless. Let's move on."

The three of them started to move towards the doors, and Cassie hoped that Tonks had been distracted from what she had been alluding to. But she knew her cousin was a lot more stubborn than that. "So come on, Cass, give me the details!" she demanded as they went down the staircase towards the street.

"Dora," Cassie warned quietly.

"Details of what?" Moody asked, and then Tonks started laughing.

"Oh, Cass, stop being such a prude. Mum says you're seeing Snape, and I don't think she would have come up with that on her own!" Moody kept his head straight forward as they continued to walk, but for some reason, Cassie was sure that his magical eye was now pointed right at her. She felt more on display now than she ever did when she Apparated in the middle of the crowd that day.

"You're right, I am," Cassie said. "So you know. Why are you acting like a birdbrained schoolgirl?"

"God, you're even starting to sound like him," her cousin jeered. Cassie playfully shoved her, and then Tonks continued. "Well, what I didn't say to Mum, but I probably should have, was that I noticed something funny."

"I don't think your sense of humor is on point today," Cassie grumbled.

"So you're not staying at the Burrow, and I know that because Charlie told me." Tonks said, "And you're not staying with the Malfoys, we've been hearing at work that Lucius has been feeling pressured from the Muggle Protection Act. He's been trying to keep the Ministry from raiding his manor by arguing that he's forbidden you from staying there, like that somehow makes him a saint."

"That's lovely," Cassie said sarcastically.

"So that leaves me to ponder," Tonks said, dramatically raising an eyebrow. "Where are you staying, my dear cousin? I know it's not with my parents!"

"Well, my dear Dora," Cassie said, linking an arm with her as they walked. Moody was continuing to lead the way, and they were nearing the Leaky Cauldron. "Under normal circumstances, I might try to deceive you. But seeing as you're a skillfully trained Auror now, I think that it would only make me look foolish. So why don't you tell me where you think I've been staying?"

Tonks started to laugh again, and then she gleefully asked, "You've been living with him, haven't you?"

Cassie couldn't help but smile, and it only made Tonks laugh louder. As they entered the pub, Moody turned to shoot them a disapproving look, and he muttered, "Sodding women," under his breath as they headed towards an empty table in the corner. As they settled into their seats, he immediately began to observe the rest of the room, as if he were expecting an upheaval at any second.

"You'll have to have me over for dinner sometime," Tonks said. "As long as the ol' professor will have me, of course."

"He won't have a choice," Cassie said, feeling quite jovial that her cousin was being so accepting about the whole thing, but with the way Moody was studying her now, like he was scrutinizing her intently, she started to feel uneasy. "Of course, with how busy you are, and me leaving soon, I don't know when we'll have the chance."

"When are you going?" Tonks asked her, and a waitress stopped by. Moody rashly waved his hand at the two witches, indicating that the two of them should stop their conversation immediately. Once they had ordered their drinks, he gave them a sharp nod.

"Towards the end of August," Cassie said. "Assuming that Fudge doesn't try to stop me from leaving the country."

"Shouldn't be a problem," Moody interjected lowly. "From what I've heard, he's elated to get you onto another continent."

Cassie was astonished at the Auror's statement. "What does he think I'm aiming to do? Overthrow the Ministry?"

"Sure thing."

Cassie ran her hands through her hair, exhaling in exasperation. "Any chance his paranoia well lessen while I'm away?" Moody was going to answer her, but the waitress had come back with their drinks, and he was instantly tight-lipped.

"Not if Lucius Malfoy keeps feeding him lies," Tonks said softly after Moody had deemed it safe to speak once again. Cassie could feel her blood start to boil.

Moody may have sensed her growing frustration, because he said, "Take a swig of your drink, Black. We'll worry about Malfoy while you're away. You've got to keep your wits about you while you're in Brazil."

Cassie, who had been obeying the Auror and was taking a long, deep drink from her mug, looked at him questioningly. "Oh? Do you know Martese Machado? Is he difficult?"

"Dom Machado is a master of his craft, and rigorous in his curriculum, from what I understand. But that is not what I'm referring to," Moody said. "What you need to be cautious of, is the dark witch that has been gaining momentum there."

"What?" Cassie asked him, feeling absolutely clueless. "What are you talking about?" She watched Moody and Tonks exchange knowing glances, and it was so reminiscent of Dumbledore and Snape doing the same when they were keeping something from her, that she felt the indignation in her grow tenfold. But she swallowed it down.

"I was wondering if you'd been informed," Moody said then. "Of course, we at the Ministry have only recently found out about her activities. The magical governments in South America have been trying to control her advances for some time, it seems, but she continues to move across borders and gain followers. The Brazilian Minister of Magic, Luis da Gama, met with Fudge only last week asking for assistance."

"Is Fudge going to give him any?" Cassie asked softly.

"No," Moody replied. "It seems that he does not feel the need to get involved. Thinks that it's North America's job to help."

Cassie glanced over to Tonks. The expression on her face was solemn and steadfast. "What does she do?"

"Seems one side of her family originates from an untouched tribe in the Amazon," Tonks told her, "Uses it as an excuse to kill Muggles for destroying the forest, and naturally anyone that opposes her."

Cassie took another drink of her ale, and then she looked at them somberly. "Why are you telling me this?"

"So you can stay vigilant," Moody growled. "I don't know how well known your background will be when you go down there, but there's no doubt in my mind, if Sauda Sombria finds out, she will be interested in you."

"Yeah?" Cassie said darkly, the determined look on her cousin's face mirroring how she felt right then. "Well I'm interested in her, too."

For some reason, when Cassie returned home and saw Snape that day, she didn't immediately tell him what she had learned from Moody and Tonks. Rather, she asked him about her time at Malfoy Manor. He told her that it had been rather uneventful, that Lucius and Narcissa had been courteous with him as they usually were. Lucius had taken it upon himself to purchase Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones for the entire Slytherin Quidditch team, and had pretty much demanded that Snape name Draco as Seeker right then and there. Then, he had questioned Snape on Cassie's plans to go out of the country. Apparently, the entirety of anyone associated with the Ministry knew that she would be going to South America soon.

Cassie told Snape that she had gotten the money they had discussed sent off to Andrea, and that Moody had made a surprise appearance during her visit with Tonks. And then, casually, she slipped in what they had told her about the dark witch Sombria, like she was telling him about the weather. When what she had said registered to him, he looked overwrought, his black eyes gleaming with apprehension.

"We'll be sending you directly in harm's way," he remarked, and his voice was tremoring ever so slightly. Cassie couldn't remember the last time she heard him sound like that.

"Moody said she's been moving across South America," she said quietly. "It's a big continent. She probably won't even come across little old me. And if she does, I can handle myself."

"Unless she finds out who you are, and specifically seeks you out!" he snapped. "Cassie, this is dangerous!"

"And yet Dumbledore is still having me go," she replied. "If you believe for one second that he doesn't already know about her, then you're kidding yourself." He was silent for a few seconds, and she knew that for once, she had made a point that he couldn't logically debate with her.

"This is the first time in your life that I can't directly watch over you." Snape looked absolutely defeated, and Cassie felt tears start to form in her eyes as she watched him struggle to maintain his composure. She knew he was terrified.

"I'll be okay," she told him, and she was a little surprised that she believed it herself. "I'm going to miss you horribly, Severus, and it's going to be a huge change for both of us, not being able to see each other all the time. But we're going to get through it."

For the first time since Cassie's training in Brazil had been set in stone, she and Snape set out to make a concrete plan. They agreed, that as long as their schedules allowed, they would make it a priority to see each other once per month, with her coming to Hogsmeade. If it was deemed safe, and if Snape was able to get away from Hogwarts, then they would try to get him to Brazil for extra visits. But Cassie, even after reassuring him that she would fine while on the same continent as Sauda Sombria, didn't want her love anywhere near the danger. She knew it was hypocritical of her, but she didn't care.

In the last week leading up leaving for Academia de Luta, Cassie kept her self quite busy. She visited the Burrow twice, being sure to give Ginny her well wishes for starting at Hogwarts. Her time spent there was generally jovial, but at one point, Molly burst into tears, stating that it would be so hard to have one child in Egypt, a second in Romania, and now a third in Brazil. It made Cassie completely lose it as well, even with Fred and George continuing to crack jokes to try to lighten the mood.

Tonks was able to break away from her training one afternoon, and she, Cassie, and Snape all had lunch at Andromeda and Ted's house one day. She was relentless in her teasing of Cassie and Snape's relationship, to the point that Andromeda had to scold her like she was still a child. Ted, while clearly making more of an effort to be sociable with Snape, still intermittently grilled him with random questions, and shot him stern looks across the room when he would instinctively touch Cassie's arm while she talked. Like when Cassie had left the Weasleys, she was quite emotional, and she was a bit frustrated with herself when she started to cry again, this time when Andromeda had her arms wrapped around her.

Just like that, the eve before she would be leaving was upon them. Dumbledore would be meeting them at the house in the early morning to take them to the Portkey. Cassie was just grateful that Snape was able to come with as well. Of course, she knew delaying their goodbye wasn't going to make things easier when the time came. But every second she had with him was precious. They made a dinner of beef roast and potatoes together, sipping on wine, and then they made their way to the couch, like they had done on so many other summer nights. But tonight, they were both much quieter than usual, the casual chit chat at a pause during this demure phase. Cassie's mind was elsewhere, thinking of the unknown that was to come, and she knew that Snape was likely lost in the same thoughts. Several times, she almost declared that she had made up her mind, that she wasn't going after all, that the whole thing was stupid. But then she would remind herself of why she was going, that everything was in anticipation for what was presumably coming in the future. If she didn't go, if she didn't take steps to prepare, could she live with herself knowing that she had given up that chance?

Eventually, the couple made their way upstairs to their bedroom, and Snape tenderly pulled Cassie into his arms, encircling her in a warm embrace. "Cassie," he whispered, burying his face into the nape of her neck, "I'm so proud of what you're doing. You know that, don't you?"

She didn't answer him, as tears were starting to blur her vision, and didn't want to sound distressed. She had been so determined to put on a brave face for him up until the very end, to convince him that she was sure in her decision to go. But she felt anything but right then, as he held her in his arms, and she knew that this would be the last night that he could for a long time. His very presence had been the one reassurance that she could count on, and now she wasn't sure what she was going to do without it in her daily life.

Feeling her tremble, Snape lifted his head, and he looked down upon her distressed face. "Don't cry," he said gently. "Please, don't cry, Cassie."

"I can't help it," she said, her voice breaking like she had worried it was going to, and he started to wipe away her tears with his thumb. "I'm sorry, Severus, I know I'm killing the mood."

"You worry about the stupidest things, you silly girl," he said, and his brusque words enticed a small smile out of her. He kissed her, and even in their distress, the undeniable, impermeable attraction between them ignited their appetite for one another. In seconds, sadness transformed to desire, and Cassie felt his tongue caressing hers, searching for something kindred in the physical contact. When he lifted her shirt over her head, exposing her skin to him as she'd experienced so many times before, she felt a sense of synchrony, of devotion. He had become so familiar to her, that he was like an extension of her very being, and it was almost inconceivable to think that soon, they'd be so far apart.

He gingerly guided her back towards the bed, moving over her, his lips and hands moving in harmony to draw the most enjoyable sensations from her body. He was so well versed in how she was wired, that he expertly rendered pleasure out of her, coaxed moans from her throat like he was conducting a chorus. Tonight, he didn't need to give her an elixir to heighten her senses, or a satin ribbon to fasten her wrists with. All they needed was the two of them, and their love for each other.

As he guided himself inside of her, making her gasp in serenity, he kept his coal black eyes locked on her bright blues. He wanted to commit every moment of this night to memory, knowing that many days would pass before they would have this opportunity again. Slowly, assuredly, he started to pump in and out of her wet heat, and her hands were roaming over his pale skin, trying to retain the feel of him on her fingers. It was as though they were both fearful of the other one abruptly disappearing from existence, the way they were desperately groping at each other, trying to hold on for dear life.

After, Cassie curled up next to him, unwilling to allow any space between them as they laid together in bed. She would forgo sleep tonight, even if it meant they would be sweaty and too warm to rest adequately. All she cared about right then, was being nestled up against his body, her skin against his, and being able to feel his heart beat as she laid her face on his chest. All that mattered in the world right then, was him.