Abolition

Draco sat with his arms crossed as a pink-clad Pansy yapped beside him. She had been going on and on about every fourth-year witch's dress and how horrendous they looked. Draco had stopped listening long ago, sometime when Pansy had compared Susan Bones to a horklump.

Crabbe and Goyle, dateless as they were, didn't seem nearly as miserable as Draco felt. Goyle had raided the snack table and was content inhaling shrimp cocktail while Crabbe hummed along to the Weird Sisters. Draco wished he could manage to be that obtuse, even if were just for that night.

His dejection in human form walked past, her hand clutching the Bulgarian Seeker's sleeve as they approached the punch bowl. Draco's silver eyes never left her, even as Krum's arm slinked around her waist to pull her closer.

The next song started. It was much faster than the last one, and all at once Pansy was demanding his attention again. "Draco, dance with me!" she whined.

"In a minute." Draco didn't see his date's pout. Krum was now occupied with some of his Durmstrang classmates, and Granger was heading toward Potter and Weasley. The Patil twins had ditched them ages ago, much to Draco's amusement. He could hardly blame them. The Golden Gryffindor Duo hardly made interesting company, something he had long suspected and had since learned for himself since spending so much time in Cassie's classroom.

His stomach flipped as Granger smiled at her friends. She was speaking so animatedly, while simultaneously trying to tame the curls that had sprung loose from her updo. Draco saw the exact moment that Granger's excitement morphed to anger as Weasley spouted off something likely imbecilic.

"Draco, this is my favorite song!" Pink filled his vision as Pansy stood in front of him with her hands on her hips.

"So ask Crabbe or Goyle," he snapped. Goyle nearly choked on a mouthful of shellfish at the very idea. Pansy's sharp glare told Draco there was no winning this argument. She was nothing if not relentless.

She all but dragged him to the dance floor. He went through the motions, letting muscle memory from years of ballroom dances guide him through Pansy digging her scarlet nails into his shoulder and squeezing his hand. As they danced, Draco saw Granger's periwinkle dress swirl around her legs, and she hurried away from Weasley.

"Pardon me," a stout, black-haired Durmstrang student interjected. Draco didn't wait for him to ask to cut in. He all but pushed Pansy into the other wizard's arms, ignoring her whines of protest as he headed for the doors that Granger had just disappeared through.

The entry hall contained a few people seeking a quieter environment. A likely place for the displaced Gryffindor witch to be, but she wasn't there. Draco slipped through the front doors and out onto the grounds.

Granger was under an arch made of white roses. There were blinking fairy lights all over the blasted thing, and nearby there was a large fountain that had been conjured for the ball. Such a boorish, flashy choice of seating while she sobbed her eyes out, Draco thought as he approached from behind. If she had wanted some privacy, this most definitely was not the place for it.

He surveyed who was nearby and realized that everyone else was too caught up in their own romantic endeavors to care what he was up to. He inhaled deeply before stepping up to the bench she sat upon.

"I'd have taken Krum for a better dancer," said Draco as he slid beside her. She turned away from him, wiping her face with her fingers and sniffling.

"Malfoy," she said miserably, "what do you want?"

He pulled a green handkerchief from the pocket of his trousers. His father taught him from a young age to always be prepared for the women at events like these, as they often didn't have pockets. He had lip balm and a few hairpins on him as well.

He placed the handkerchief on her lap, and she turned to look at him with astonished, tear-stained eyes. The half-smile he shot her was genuine and he hoped that for once she understood he wasn't trying to be cocky. He wanted her to think more of him.

After seeing her with Viktor Krum tonight, there were a lot of things he wanted. Seeing her crying on a bench was far, far down on the list.

"Thank you," she whispered, dabbing the Slytherin-green cloth at her eyes.

"It's nothing," he replied casually, leaning back and crossing an ankle over a knee. "Not all of us are pricks."

Granger scoffed, wiping the kerchief lightly at her nose. "If you're talking about Viktor - "

"I'm talking about Weasley."

Realization hit her and she shook her head lightly. She leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. "He thinks I'm fraternizing with the enemy. That's what he said. Since Harry was selected as champion - "

"Potter isn't competing."

"Right." A sigh of defeat left her lips. Draco noticed they were a deeper shade of pink tonight, not their natural rosy hue. He shook away the temptation to lean in and taste them.

She shivered slightly. He slipped out of his black jacket and draped it around her bare shoulders before she could say otherwise. Her deep brown eyes were locked on him, trying to decipher his motives as she nestled deeper into the warmth of his suit coat.

"Magic," she whispered.

Draco blinked. "What?"

Granger cleared her throat. "The cold - it would be easier to deal with if we could use magic."

The corner of Draco's mouth turned upward. "This will do for the time being." He scooted in a bit closer, and she didn't move away from him. They were still staring at each other, brown eyes locked onto silver. Draco's hand reached out for her elbow.

Nearby, footsteps crunched on the snow. Draco pushed himself backward. "Herm-own-ninny, there you are."

Granger worried her bottom lip, pulling her gaze away from her Slytherin companion to look up at Krum. "Viktor. I just needed a bit of fresh air." The Durmstrang champion pulled her up by her hand and away from the bench. "Wait," said Granger. She shrugged off Draco's jacket and handed it back to him before turning to follow her date. She didn't look back at Draco before they disappeared down the dimly lit path.

Draco sat in silence for a few moments. His mind was spinning from what had just happened, but the fact that it had been cut short left him disconcerted. Every fiber of his being was telling him to storm back into the Great Hall and break up whatever was happening between Granger and Krum, whether it be a dance, a snog, or an innocent conversation. What other choice did he have? To go back to Pansy and try to get a glimpse of the Gryffindor witch from the sidelines?

Marcus Flint called to him as he walked past an ice carving of Father Christmas. He ignored the thick-skulled Chaser, leaving him to his homely date. His teammates, the other Slytherins, none of them mattered at the moment.

Potter and Weasley hadn't moved. Potter looked bored while his ginger-haired companion seethed beside him. Draco followed Weasley's glare, finding Granger and Krum on the dance floor. Her smile, the one Weasley had stolen earlier in the night, was back.

Draco decided he was content to leave Granger to her present joy. Weasley, however, was turning bright red in the face as Krum spun her in his arms. Draco reached Weasley as he stood, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

"I'd leave them be," Draco warned him.

"Shove off, Malfoy!"

"Ron," Harry said wearily, "I think it's time you let it go."

Weasley stared at him, slack-jawed. As humorous as his expression was, Draco only spared him a glance before his eyes went back to Granger. The band had just ended a song and Krum had traipsed off to get refreshments. Granger dabbed her face with the green handkerchief and as she was stuffing it back down the top of her dress robes, her eyes caught Draco's. He offered her a wink and a nod of acknowledgment. He was certain that if he was near her, he would catch the blush on her cheeks.

Elsewhere in the castle, Severus and Cassie eyed each other with obvious tension. Seeking privacy, they had gone to Cassie's classroom. The beat from the live band was audible even through the sturdy stone walls, reminding the engaged couple of the Yule Ball that was only steps away. The felicity that night had promised had been a fabrication. The goblets of wine that Cassie had ingested, combined with her compromised physical state, were making her head fuzzy.

Cassie twirled the onyx engagement ring on her finger nervously as Severus ensured the classroom door was locked. He had never looked so forbearing as he turned to face her, yet he didn't speak as he gathered his thoughts.

Endless turbulent thoughts raced through her mind in those milliseconds. Severus had proposed marriage only months ago. Had she done something to make him question his decision? Had something between them changed? Had someone convinced him to reconsider, and if so, who?

His baritone voice interrupted the steady flow of agonizing thoughts. "You should sit," said Severus.

"I don't want to." Hours ago, Cassie had been so excited to put on this extravagant silver and green dress for him. Now she just felt stupid.

"Please." She let him assist her to a chair. She smoothed out her glittering skirt while he settled himself onto one across the aisle.

"Okay, Sev. I'm sitting. I'd like an answer." She expected anything and everything. He didn't love her anymore. He loved her, but not enough to promise forever. He loved her, but he loved Kalina, too. He was unsure because of...she wasn't sure what that would be. Did her Saints have something to do with it? Did she remind him too much of Lord Voldemort?

"I want to marry you, Cassie." He said it clearly and yet Cassie wasn't sure she had heard him correctly. She stared at him as his words sunk in.

"Then why don't you?"

"It's not that simple."

"It is," she countered.

"The Dark Mark burned this morning," said Severus as he looked away from her. "It was much stronger this time. Igor felt it, too."

Cassie shook her head. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything!" he snapped, standing up. "The Dark Lord is growing stronger, yet the entire wizarding world is ignorant of it!"

"If my father comes back - "

"When! Not 'if'!" Severus corrected her. "And I am going to spy for Dumbledore. Being married to you will not help my position."

"Severus - "

"The Dark Lord will question my loyalties. When you are building an army to oppose him, why should he trust your husband?"

Cassie felt tears prickling her eyes. "We'll think of something that will convince him!"

"That won't suffice - "

"It's going to have to!" cried Cassie. "You proposed to me knowing he might - no, would - come back! Why is it an issue now?" She sniffled, trying to wipe her frustration away. "You're the most deliberate, logical person I've ever met, Severus! You're telling me you didn't think this through before you proposed?" He blinked a few times at her. His silence enraged her. "What's changed?!"

"Nothing has changed - "

"You're lying!" she snapped, forcefully gripping her skirt in her hands as she seethed at him. "Is it Kalina?"

"Pardon?" he asked, sounding genuinely put off.

"Kalina! Your pretty little potions princess - "

"That is uncalled for," he hissed, his black eyes glittering dangerously. "You dare accuse me of having feelings for another?"

"It's not that far off! You spend countless late nights brewing Merlin knows what, discussing things I wouldn't even begin to understand - "

"Then you should be humbled in your lack of discipline, not jealous of the witch that has spent years honing her skills enough to be awarded an apprenticeship," Severus sneered back at her.

"You've never compared me to her? Never thought that it might be easier to be with someone with less - less..." She struggled to find the right words. Hell, being with anyone at this point would be simpler than dealing with her, she realized at that moment. Someone who didn't have the dark lord for a father and a murdering psychopath for a mother. Someone without a small congregation of followers that she didn't know what to do with. Someone who didn't need vampire antivenom around the clock because she didn't have the skills to brew it herself.

Her shoulders dropped and she slumped slightly forward as she imagined how much of a constant burden she must be to Severus. The tears that had been damned up broke through, down pouring from her eyes in a torrential rain.

Severus knelt in front of her and conjured a white handkerchief. She accepted it with a grateful smile and dabbed at her eyes. Thank Merlin for anti-smudge charms, or her makeup would already be halfway down her face.

"I want to marry you, Cassiopeia," repeated Severus gently. "I've wanted to for much longer than you realize."

Cassie couldn't bear to look into his eyes. She studied the sparkling details of her green skirt instead. "Did Albus advise against it?"

"No." He grasped her left hand and entwined his long fingers in hers, seeking her gaze.

Finally, her eyes met his. Ocean blue on inky black. "I don't want you to spy." She had expressed that opinion before and it had been dismissed as quickly as it had been brought up. They had been a new couple then. The idea of Lord Voldemort rising back to power had been abstract, like an idea or a dream. Now it was as real as the dragons they had seen up close only weeks ago.

His eyes narrowed, unblinking as he matched her adamant energy. "I must."

"It's too dangerous - "

"A reality I have accepted long ago," he snapped.

"Does what I want not matter?" She saw the flash of anger shoot across his face like lightning.

"Dumbledore has already determined that spying is the most useful way for me to aid our side."

"You could be useful in other ways, Severus! You could fight with me, with Romily - "

"I am not one of your dutiful followers that can be commanded at will."

"So you and your other significant other have come to an agreement, yes? Nothing I say will change that?" she asked, exasperated. "I am to let you put yourself in harm's way at any moment's notice and not object, so long as Dumbledore feels that you are serving the light in what way he has decided is most useful."

Severus's anger had not dissipated with her passionate assessment. On the contrary, it had seemed to multiply as she spoke. She hadn't realized that he had backed her into a bookshelf until she hit it with her bare shoulders. "Indeed. I am not going to allow your dramatics to interfere with what is necessary."

"Severus - "

"You must promise," he growled lowly, his large hands grasping her upper arms as he stared into her eyes. "You must promise me, Cassiopeia, that your feelings for me will not allow you to compromise my position."

"I can't promise that!"

"You must." He took a step closer to her, his face inches from hers as his fingers dug into the flesh of her arms painfully. She barely noticed as the skin bruised beneath his touch. All she could focus on was what he was asking of her. "You must promise me!"

Cassie inhaled deeply. Her exhale came out in a shaky, whimpering breath. She was grateful for his proximity for fear that he might not hear her. "My father will know that we are together. His reaction won't be any different if we are married, Severus."

"You are ignoring the issue at hand - "

"I'm not," she said, her voice much firmer now. "I'll not compromise your position, Severus. We can ensure my father still trusts you."

He released his painful hold on her and made a noise of exasperation. "Why must you be so aggravating, Cassiopeia?"

"Because I love you!"

His onyx eyes narrowed as he studied her as if he didn't quite believe what she was saying. She realized that after his past, after all of the trauma from his parents and from Lily, she would be reassuring him for the rest of his life.

Just as she intended to step closer to him, they heard the telling click of the door unlocking.

"I told you, Uncle. No one is allowed in here after hours," Kalina was saying as the door swung open.

"Ah, but I only wish to leave Severus a note, and since I cannot enter his rooms - " Karkaroff stopped when he saw Severus and Cassie.

Kalina shook her head as she crossed the room to her borrowed quarters. "You can tell him now," she quipped as she slipped through the door and swiftly closed it behind her.

"And what is it you'd like to inform me, Igor?" Severus questioned dully.

Already aggravated with the situation at hand, Cassie took the opportunity to leave before she witnessed too much of Karkaroff's hysteria. She assumed his desire to talk to Severus had something to do with the Dark Mark, something that was not breaking news for any of them.

It was getting late as she returned to the ball, and many students had returned to their common rooms. Cassie was more than ready to leave, but it seemed many of the staff members were either in bed themselves or a bit drunk. She was circling the hall when a light tap on her shoulder got her attention.

"You seem distracted," her younger cousin said. He had taken off his jacket and his platinum blond hair was falling into his eyes.

"I am."

Draco nodded as he surveyed her. "Ah. Then there is only one thing that can take your mind off whatever it is that ails you." He offered his arm with a telltale smirk.

The song was slow, and he led her through a twirl. He would never admit to his Slytherin friends that he actually enjoyed the dances held at Malfoy Manor. Cassie always found him to be very graceful on his feet and now that he was a few inches taller than her, he was a proper dance partner. She was reminded yet again how grown up he was.

"How was Pansy tonight?"

Draco shrugged. "About as delightful as you could imagine." They were silent for a few moments before he asked, "Is it Professor Snape?"

"What makes you think that?"

"It's a ball. He should be dancing with you, not me."

Cassie tore her eyes away from him as her mind wandered. After deciding she didn't want to talk about it, she laid her head on his shoulder. She tried to enjoy the music and the gentle sway of their dancing. With her face hidden, she hoped Draco didn't notice as she fought back tears.

Draco stopped moving and Cassie looked up to see Severus standing there. A confusing mix of frustration and relief washed over her.

"May I cut in, young Master Malfoy?"

"That depends," countered Draco, looking from his professor to his cousin. Cassie stifled a laugh at the young Slytherin's cheek. Severus, less than amused, opened his mouth to speak when Cassie cut him off.

"It's alright, Draco."

"You're sure?"

Cassie nodded. "Thank you for the dance." Draco wandered toward the main doors. As most of the students had gone, he would likely be heading back to the dungeons.

Severus's arm encircled her waist, effectively pulling her attention back to him. Bliss hummed through her very being as he pulled her against his lithe frame.

"I'm sorry, Cassie," he murmured in her ear.

"You won't marry me."

His grip tightened on her. "I'm sorry for tonight's events, and for putting you through this torment." She kept her cheek pressed to his chest. She couldn't look at him as he explained his reasoning.

She wished things were different. That her family was different. That they wouldn't be fighting a war. That they could be together without any complications and go on with their lives without any disturbances or outside forces. It wasn't fair.

"I will marry you," Severus whispered. His warm breath on her skin made her shiver. "Tell me when and where."

Cassie, bewildered, pulled away from him. "But - you said - "

"What I said be damned. We will find a solution. Together."

Wrapped in one another's arms, the engaged couple moved to the music that filled the hall. Neither Severus nor Cassie, lost in the moment, were aware that a few bystanders were watching. Most of them, like McGonagall, were giddy with holiday cheer and happy to see them in such a peaceful state. Others, like Barty Crouch Junior, observed with malice behind his forcefully borrowed eyes.

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David Havoc was a noble wizard. After all, he had been employed by MACUSA for the last two decades, his last position having been in the Department of Detecting Dark Objects and Casting. He had risen through the ranks with hard work and dedication. It had been difficult to give up his respected role to find and dedicate himself to Sombria's killer, but it was a choice he had made on his own. Being he was single and childless, he hadn't realized how much his career had meant to him until he had given it up.

Working at Dogweed and Deathcap had its moments, but all in all, it really was a boring job. He spent most of his time in the back of the shop pruning plants that wanted to take a chunk out of him, but they were easy enough to stun. Sometimes, he would be asked to be out front with the customers. Even then, he would only speak to four or five people all day.

David began to make trips to the Three Broomsticks on almost a nightly basis. He didn't have much else to fill his time with if he wasn't tracking Stellan or attending a meeting with the Saints. The barmaid was a friendly witch, and if there was no one else interesting to talk to, at least she was good company.

Sirius Black was coming in more and more frequently as of late. David struck up the nerve to speak to him one night and the two immediately hit it off. Too many firewhiskeys later and David was counting his lucky stars that they were nearly the only patrons in the entire place because the subject of Cassiopeia Black came up. Sirius, understandably, spoke highly of his cousin. David knew too much about her. It raised many questions for Sirius.

That night, Sirius learned that David belonged to the Saints of the Blood. Romily happened to come into the pub not much later and squashed the entire conversation. That topic was not to be brought up in public, not ever, and not to be discussed with nonmembers. Romily threatened to erase David's memory.

He had learned his lesson. He needed to be extra careful. He swore off alcohol for two weeks.

The routine of working at Dogweed and Deathcap began to take its toll again. He wandered into the Three Broomsticks one day before going to drop off supplies at the Lestrange estate. He drank just enough whiskey to help him forget to cast a Notice-Me-Not charm.

The next day at the herbology shop, David met someone new. He was tall and broad-shouldered and had dark, kind eyes. He was looking for alihotsy, as Diagon Alley's shops were out. David packaged the delicate ingredient as they chatted, and he rather liked this new acquaintance.

"Your scars. What happened?" The wizard gestured toward David's hand. Diolinda had reattached his fingers as quickly as she could, but dark creatures always left their marks.

"An unfortunate run-in with a vampire."

"Yet you lived to tell the tale?" The stranger grinned. "You have many interesting stories to tell, don't you?"

David invited him to the Three Broomsticks when his shift was over. He learned his name was Ansel Vingativo and that he was originally from the rainforests of Brazil.

"Brazil," said David, taking another sip of his dragon sour. "That's a long way to travel. Are you on holiday?"

"No," replied Ansel. "I am here for a purpose."

"What purpose would that be?"

Ansel shrugged off the question. David was easily distracted with another round of drinks. It didn't take long before the ex-MACUSA wizard was slurring his words and squinting in an attempt to see better.

"I should accompany you home."

"No, no, I'm fine - "

"I insist," said Ansel. He didn't know how skilled of an Occlumens David Havoc was. He guessed he didn't excel in that area of magic, but he didn't want to take the chance without proper precautions. His master instructed him to always be careful.

Ansel waited until he was alone with David in his flat above Gladrags. After sneaking a few drops of stolen Veritaserum into the inebriated wizard's water, he learned the location of Bianca the Seer. A short struggle followed and he Obliviated some of the encounter from David's mind, but just enough to protect his identity; he wanted Havoc to know that he had failed his mistress.

Ansel and Barty didn't waste any time moving forward with the plan. Someone would have to get back to their master as soon as they were done. Nagini would be the only thing protecting him while Ansel was away.

Barty left the school grounds under the guise of needing shrunken zombie heads for classes. Cassiopeia was wary of him and so he had stopped asking her for assistance months ago. No one questioned him as he clomped down the stairs and disappeared beyond the bronze gates.

Getting to the Lestrange estate was simple enough, as Barty had visited in his early Death Eater days. The grounds were mangled and neglected. Master and Madam Lestrange would never have let it get to such a state. How dare Cassiopeia treat her birthright with such disrespect. Barty was seething as Ansel detected the magic just beyond the gates.

"Typical wards," Ansel said, lowering his wand. He noticed a drastic change in his younger companion's aura. He was radiating intense rage. "Will you be able to keep a clear head?"

Barty side-eyed him. Forever the condescending twat. He would never let Ansel see the jealousy that boiled inside him whenever they were near each other. "I will be fine."

"If it is too much for you to handle - "

Barty barked out a laugh. "I am under Dumbledore's scrutiny every day. You think I can't handle this?"

Ansel nodded in acknowledgment. "Remember, the seer is priority. Anyone else inside - "

"Is fair game."

Getting on the grounds was easy. They didn't need to take down the entirety of the defensive wards, just enough for two wizards to slip through. In seconds they would know if the magic had alerted its inhabitants to their presence.

A silver-haired wizard burst from the front doors. A flash of green and Ansel killed him where he stood.

"No," snarled Barty as Ansel made to step over the body. "There are other ways into the house."

They circled to the back, their wands at the level of their heads as they moved stealthily through the brush. "Your Polyjuice," Ansel said, pointing to Barty's shrinking hand.

"Let it wear off." The wooden leg fell to the ground as his real leg sprouted beneath him and he pulled away the band that strapped the false eye to his face. It was a relief to be himself again, if only for a few minutes outside Hogwarts.

Barty counted on the kitchen door to be left unguarded. Its frame contained a set of metal jaws that snapped on anyone who wasn't a member of the household, a contraption that Rodolphus had built himself. He had been right. Barty froze it in place with a powerful ice charm and stepped across the threshold into an empty room.

A curse shot down at him from the floor above just as Ansel entered behind him. They exchanged spells, putting holes in the grandiose walls of the mansion and singeing velvet curtains.

"You are outnumbered!" A witch shouted at them. Her voice was shaky. Barty didn't think even she believed herself. "Drop your wands!"

"Then why don't you and your friends join us down here," Barty countered. "I'd love to meet everyone!" He blocked another spell. Another one whirred just past his ear as he bounded up the staircase. She conjured a massive boulder that began to fall toward him, but he shattered it with ease.

Another flash of light. The round-faced witch crumpled to the floor in a heap.

"I had her!" shouted Barty.

"Stop playing games!" Ansel snarled back. "We are here to take care of the seer and leave, not torment young witches!"

Barty stomped to the first second-floor room and kicked the door open. It was empty. So was the second. The dead witch obviously lied, as there was no one else readying to attack. He was sorely disappointed.

Ansel was standing behind him as he smashed open the third door. A mediwitch cowered in the corner, looking frantically between them and the blonde seer that lay in the bed.

"Avada kedavra!" Barty shouted. The healer hadn't even bothered to draw her wand, the pathetic thing.

Ansel slowly approached the bed. With every step he took, Bianca grew more attuned to his presence. Incoherent whispers grew to a slew of chants that almost sounded like a prayer. By the time he had reached her bedside, she was sobbing uncontrollably.

The Brazilian wizard reached out and placed a large hand on her forehead, patting her gently like he was calming a frightened dog. She flinched at his touch. "There, there, sweet Bianca. This will be nothing like last time." He turned to glance at Barty. "She's beautiful, isn't she? Such a shame." He pushed a strand of blonde hair behind Bianca's ear as tears poured down her reddened face.

Ansel raised his wand. The room lit up a brilliant green and Bianca flopped back onto the bed. Ansel turned to leave the room without another glance at her.

Barty scoffed. "So much for not playing games," he muttered under his breath. He followed the older wizard from the room, admiring their handiwork as he went.

The murders were not discovered until the next day. Diolinda, who arrived early to relieve Izzy, discovered the four bodies. Around the time an owl was sent to Hogwarts to alert Cassie, David was waking from his drunken slumber.

Severus was at Cassie's side as she surveyed the inside of the house. His lips were pressed together in a thin white line as he watched his fiancee examine Bianca's corpse. Romily, who was downstairs and supposed to be keeping guard, could be heard sobbing from the second floor.

"At least she wasn't tortured again," Cassie whispered, wiping tears away with her sleeve as she turned away from the seer's bed.

"A small comfort," Severus intoned. "We will never know who was responsible for this."

They were in the sitting room when David Havoc, looking like he had just rolled out of a gutter, arrived. He was frantically apologizing for something that Cassie didn't understand until he had a few minutes to calm down.

"Someone followed me home, asked me about Bianca - "

"Who?"

"I don't - I don't know!" he cried, burying his tear-stained face in his hands.

Romily needed to be force-fed a calming tonic, she was so angry to hear of David's transgression. When the screaming stopped, Severus was able to deduce that David's mind had been altered. Whoever had killed Bianca had gotten his information through him.

Diolinda transfigured the bodies into golden, heart-shaped stones. Bianca's sparkled in the light before it was tucked into the deepest pocket of the witch's robes. She promised to take Bianca back to South America to give her a proper burial.

David was tasked with notifying the loved ones of the three others who had been murdered.

Cassie dismissed her Saints. She couldn't bear to be in the house she grew up in any longer, a place she associated with suffering and nightmares before the four most recent deaths occurred within its walls. Severus was still by her side as she stood in the yard, staring at the gothic mansion.

Severus sensed something building in the powerful young witch. The air between them almost crackled with the magic that compounded as the seconds passed. He swiveled on his heel so he could examine her face. Her tears had stopped.

"Cassie?"

"You need to leave, Sev."

"No." A popping noise caught his attention and he saw small purple and red sparks dancing across her fingers.

"I need you to be safe."

"I will be," he answered firmly. He pulled his wand from his pocket and with a graceful wave, cast the strongest barrier he could manage.

He couldn't leave her, not when she was like a raw, exposed nerve. She always craved his presence to calm her. Today should be no different.

Destruction in the form of violet, scarlet, and black burst from Cassie so forcefully that the ground beneath them shook. Her violent magic was aimed at the Lestrange mansion, but smaller stray beams slammed into Severus's translucent barrier. The air near his face was hot and his shield sizzled.

Cassie was too preoccupied to notice. She screamed as the magic left her body like venom being drawn from a gaping wound. Her mother's house collapsed under the weight of her anger and sorrow, some bricks falling to the ground as others disintegrated completely.

The earth beneath them eventually ceased to move. Severus dissolved the shield and caught his fiancee as she crumpled into a fragile, exhausted heap.

"Looks much better, doesn't it?" Cassie managed through heavy breaths.

Severus glanced up at the huge pile of rubble that had previously been a mansion. One of the chimneys that had managed to stay whole during the onslaught fell over and cracked apart. In the last few minutes, as he watched the magnificence of his betrothed's power, he had temporarily lost the ability to form a coherent retort. Instead, he pulled her closer into his chest and sighed in relief.