The Hippogriff

Cassie spent the rest of the journey feeling weak, cold, and worried. Harry, the subject of her concern, seemed to be worse off than her; he was exceptionally pale, and anytime someone would speak to him he would merely grunt a response. She had an inkling that his hurt pride was dampening his spirit more than anything. He had cut her off when she tried to reassure him that his fainting didn't mean that he was fragile. She had spent enough time with him in the last few months to know when to leave him alone, so she backed off.

They reached Hogsmeade, and Cassie exited the Hogwarts Express before any of the students did. Lupin had agreed to stay back to make sure there weren't any stragglers and to help her keep an eye out for Black. She spotted Hagrid immediately, and the half-giant's bearded face broke into a smile.

"Cassie!" he boomed, and then she found herself in a rib-crushing embrace. "So excited ter see ya!"

"Hagrid!" she wheezed when he let go of her, "Good to see you too! Is everything okay out here?" Students were starting to flood the platform, and she turned to survey their surroundings.

"No signs of Black. Made sure o' that long before ya got here," he reassured her, giving her a wink, and then he started to call for the first years.

"Right," she said under her breath. She was already drained from her confrontation with the dementors, and being out in the cold was only intensifying her sense of weariness. Going to stand by the carriages to make sure the students got into them safely, she couldn't wait to finally get into the castle.

As her cousin and his two lackeys started to get into a carriage, a renewed sense of irritation ran through her. She approached them swiftly just as they sat down. Without missing a beat, she announced, "The three of you will serve detention tomorrow evening for tormenting that first year."

"But we weren't even at school!" Draco balked.

"Yeah," Crabbe agreed. "So technically - "

"Five points from Slytherin," Cassie interjected. "Tomorrow morning at breakfast I will inform you of a place and time." The three boys were muttering to each other as she left. If they were throwing obscenities at her, at least they had the sense of preservation not to say it too loudly.

"I see you are going to be a no-nonsense type of teacher," a voice said behind her, making her jump. She swiveled to see Lupin standing there.

"I'm not a teacher," she reminded him, "And those three are going to need much more than a few detentions to right their paths, unfortunately."

Lupin looked contemplative at her words, but his attention was drawn to Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they climbed into a carriage. "Do you think we should ride with Mr. Potter?"

"No," Cassie said immediately. "He's not going to appreciate our attempts to coddle him." She gestured to an empty wagon behind the trio's, and he followed her. A Thestral snorted at them as they walked past, and Cassie rubbed it soothingly on the nose before continuing on. Lupin looked at her with an obvious air of surprise.

"You can see them?" he asked once they were settled into their seats.

Cassie raised an eyebrow at him, wondering if that was his attempt at making a joke or not, but his question seemed sincere. "Well, yeah."

Lupin shook his head. "I'm sorry. Perhaps that was a foolish question."

"Forget it," she said kindly, and once again she was silently scolding herself for having such a civil conversation with the new professor. If Severus had seen her, he would be chiding her gullibility.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, a sense of dread filling the air as they approached the dementors stationed at Hogwarts's entrance. Cassie shuddered, cold filling her again like she had been submerged in icy water. Lupin dug out another piece of chocolate from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Thank you," she said, nibbling on it.

"You must know Harry well," he started tentatively. "The way you speak of him not wanting us to worry over him."

"I do," she said, feeling suspicious of his interest in Harry. Of course, she was well aware that the man had been good friends with his parents, but she wasn't about to let her guard down even knowing that. "He stayed with Severus and me over the summer holiday."

Now, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor looked astounded. "Severus and you?" he asked, and then he must have realized how stunned he sounded. He shot her an abashed grin. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound shocked. I assumed the two of you must have some sort of kinship since it was in the Prophet that he had helped you over in South America. I just didn't know - "

"It's fine," she reassured him again.

Silence. Then, "He and I were schoolmates at Hogwarts."

"I'm aware," she said evenly.

"Of course you are," he said softly. "The things he's told you...they weren't exactly positive, were they?"

"He hasn't portrayed you in a good light." There was tension in the air between them now, but Cassie didn't feel nearly as uncomfortable as the wizard looked.

"Well," said Lupin, "I hope I can prove that I am not the same person I was while at Hogwarts."

The carriage stopped, indicating that they had reached the castle. "You have nothing to prove to me," she said before climbing out.

Her thoughts were immediately pulled elsewhere when she heard the loud, familiar drawl of her cousin. She was appalled to see him standing directly in front of Harry. "You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?"

"Shove off, Malfoy," Ron was saying as Cassie made her way over. Draco looked as if he was about to retort when he spotted her. Panic shot through his silver eyes.

"Cousin," he said quickly, "I was just - "

"Making your way into the castle is what you were doing," she said in warning, and he turned to follow Crabbe and Goyle without another word. "Harry," she said, turning to the young Gryffindor. "Are you all right?"

He was watching the Slytherins ascend the stone staircase, his jaw clenched. "I'm fine."

She let him make his way to the doors without another word, Ron and Hermione at his side. She and Lupin went to the entrance hall when they were sure that all of the students were safely inside. Apparently, word of Harry fainting on the train had spread like wildfire, as McGonagall was calling for him and Hermione. The duo pushed their way through the crowd to reach their Head of House, leaving a befuddled-looking Ron to himself.

Cassie and Lupin were the last to enter the Great Hall, and not being able to help herself, her eyes immediately sought out Severus. She found him easily, as he was in his usual seat, an empty one on his left side. She couldn't help but grin at him, but as she got closer to the staff table she was fully aware that he was not in such a jovial mood. His narrowed black eyes flitted from her, to Lupin, and then back to her.

"Hi, Sev," she said quietly as she took the empty seat next to him. Lupin took a chair next to Sinistra, which was four spots down and hopefully out of earshot.

"I see you have already met Lupin," he said icily. His stare was fixated on the new DADA professor, who was now chatting with the staff members around him. "Did he give you any problems?"

"Not so far," she told him. "He sat in Harry's compartment the entire ride here."

The muscles in Severus's jaw clenched. He was about to respond when the first years led by Flitwick began to enter the hall. Apparently, McGonagall was not yet finished with whatever she was doing with Harry and Hermione.

As displeased as her lover was in Lupin's presence, Cassie couldn't help but feel enamored with being back at Hogwarts. The enchanted ceiling revealed a cloudy night sky, but the floating candles, sea of robed students, and golden place settings were enough to send a wave of tranquility through her. She hadn't realized how much she had missed the castle. As the Head of Ravenclaw placed the stool at the front of the hall and opened the scroll that contained the list of new students, she fought the urge to reach over and squeeze the Potions Master's knee. No doubt, most of the students already knew of their relationship, but she knew it would be inappropriate to have it on full display.

"Cassiopeia," whispered Sprout, who was leaning forward to catch her attention. "Good to have you!"

"Thank you, Professor Sprout," Cassie replied warmly. Dumbledore, who had been watching the exchange, gave her a small smile when she caught his eye.

Even though she had sat through a number of sortings in the past, it was an odd feeling seeing it while seated at the head table. The first years looked younger than she ever remembered them being, and the fear on their faces was almost endearing. McGonagall, Harry, and Hermione finally entered after the Sorting Hat had shouted the last house of the evening. Cassie was mortified, but not at all surprised to see that students were pointing openly at Harry even as he sat down next to Ron.

The Headmaster rose to speak, cutting off the chatter among the students. He spoke of the dementors being stationed at the school, warning the children not to give them a reason to harm them. After, he announced the appointment of Professor Lupin, which was met with unenthusiastic applause, and Hagrid's new position as Care of Magical Creatures professor. The Gryffindor table, in particular, went wild at the revelation. During the clapping and hollers of approval, she spotted Draco making a face and turning to the Slytherins around him, likely to say something awful. Irritation flooded her and she almost missed when Dumbledore announced her position as professor's assistant.

When the feast had finished and Dumbledore sent the students off to bed, Cassie fully intended to follow Severus to his quarters. She was reminded that she had her own when Filch approached her.

"Miss Black," he said, giving her a small nod. "The Headmaster wanted me to show you where your classroom and office are."

"Of course," she said, following the caretaker out of the hall with the Head of Slytherin beside her. She turned to him, giving him a sly look. "You hear that, Sev? My very own quarters!" She didn't know how much time she would actually be spending in them, but the prospect of a new place for her and Severus to spend their free time was tantalizing.

He shot her a knowing look, a smirk playing at his lips, but he managed to squash it before it became obvious to anyone else. Filch led them to what was once an empty chamber near the grand staircase. It was a central location for all the students, being just off the entrance hall. It would also give Cassie quick access to the grounds if something was amiss.

Filch left them alone, and Cassie took in the elaborately furnished room. There was a large mahogany desk in front of a chalkboard, and desks in groups of four were spaced throughout the chamber. The stone walls were incredibly high, and she was pleased to see that the ceiling was enchanted to mirror the sky, just like the Great Hall.

"The students will like this," Cassie noted as Severus opened a large cupboard near her desk. It was stocked with a few cauldrons and standard potions supplies, and he grimaced. She didn't need him to elaborate on what he was thinking, as she had the suspicion that he wouldn't like her tutoring children in his subject. "You still think I'm incapable of teaching potions, don't you?"

"Not incapable," he replied, closing the cupboard and turning to her. Cassie frowned at him. "I would just prefer if some blundering second-year didn't blow up this entire classroom and you along with it."

"Isn't that sweet?"

"My dear, it is a valid concern."

"You just don't want me showing you up." A coy smile played at her lips, but even with her playful tone, the Potions Master scowled at her. She closed the small space between them, placing her palm on his chest lightly as she looked up at him. "Would you like my assistance in the classroom tomorrow, Severus?"

"It is not needed, silly girl."

"Hmm," she said, the hand on his chest moving up to his collarbone and behind his neck. "Then maybe you'd like my assistance in other areas tonight. We haven't seen my office or apartments yet, you know."

His head came down to meet her, their lips nearly touching, and he pressed his forehead to hers. "I was planning on patrolling after this, Cassie. You should, too."

A satisfied sigh left her when his arm snaked around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "After, then." His breath was on her mouth and their lips about to meet when a knock came at the door. An annoyed grunt left his throat as they pulled away from each other. "Yes?" Cassie called when she and Severus were standing a safe distance apart.

The door opened and Lupin stepped through. If Severus was irritated with the interruption before, he would be exasperated now. "Hello, Miss Black. Professor Snape," he said politely, giving them both a little nod as he spoke. "I apologize. I know it's getting late."

Cassie glanced at her lover. He was outright glaring at the new professor. "What can I do for you, Professor Lupin?" she asked after she pulled her eyes away from the dangerous-looking Head of Slytherin.

"Please, call me Remus," he said. If he noticed Severus staring him down, he was good a pretending like he didn't. "I was wondering if I could have your assistance tomorrow during my seventh-year classes. If you're not already booked."

"I'm not booked. I'd be happy to help."

Severus, with his arms folded neatly across his chest, said, "And what will you be doing with the seventh years that you will be requiring Miss Black's presence, Lupin?"

Lupin looked slightly amused at the other wizard's scrupulous question. "I was hoping to demonstrate how to properly cast a Patronus before I have them start practicing."

"That is not in your repertoire?" Severus asked snobbishly.

"I prefer to cast a non-corporeal form. I witnessed Miss Black's runespoor on the train and I think the students would benefit from seeing it."

"Whatever you need, Professor," Cassie said before Severus could sling another condescending question.

"Brilliant," Lupin said. He looked between the two of them before saying, "Have a lovely rest of your night." When he left the room, Cassie went back over to Severus in hopes that they could resume their flirtatious exchange. After having one of his childhood bullies in the room, she wasn't surprised when her lover was no longer in the mood.

Although tired after patrolling for hours, Severus had eventually given in to Cassie's attempts at seduction. Rest was not something either of them had been afforded, as they had spent the rest of the night in his quarters. Being back together in such a familiar place from Cassie's seventh year had sent them both spiraling into warm feelings of nostalgia. After their lovemaking, they laid awake in each other's arms, speaking of the beginning of their then-secret relationship.

The harmonious ambiance was shattered when they started getting ready for the day. The subject of Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle's detention came up while Severus was buttoning his sleeves and Cassie was putting her long locks up into a ponytail.

"You gave them detention before the term even started?" he grumbled at her.

"Yes, and I took away points when they tried to argue."

He let out an exasperated sigh while reaching for his cloak. "You know that Lucius will have something to say about it."

"Doesn't he always?"

They argued about it all the way through the dungeons and while ascending the staircase. As they strode into the Great Hall together, Cassie was saying, "I don't care if it inconveniences either of us. Draco needs to be pushed in the right direction." As if on cue, she spotted her cousin at his table pretending to faint. She glanced over to the Gryffindor table, and Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys were glaring over at the Slytherins.

"Little git," Cassie muttered just as they passed the house tables.

She and Severus were making their way to their seats when Parkinson shrieked, "Hey Potter! Potter! The dementors are coming, Potter! Woooooooo!" It was loud and obnoxious enough that everyone in the partially-filled hall could hear. Severus sat, but Cassie leaned forward, slamming her hands on the staff table with enough force that a few students turned to look in her direction. The pug-faced girl shrunk in her seat when she noticed Cassie looking right at her.

She was about to head down to the Slytherin table, but McGonagall, who had just come into the hall, was already there. "Making jokes about something as dangerous as the dementors will not be tolerated, Miss Parkinson! Ten points from Slytherin."

Cassie finally sat down and poured herself some orange juice, feeling immensely satisfied when the Slytherins tucked their heads together to whisper animatedly. "Good morning, Minerva," she greeted the Deputy Headmistress as she walked past. The two witches exchanged knowing smiles, and McGonagall winked at Cassie as she settled herself into her chair. Severus, who had seen the exchange, scoffed.

While at breakfast, Sprout requested Cassie's help for the first period. She was showing the sixth years her collection of Venomous Tentacula and wanted a second person to help free any students seized by the extremely agile vines. "Unless of course," the Head of Hufflepuff added, a lopsided grin on her face, "Severus has already made a bid for your time."

The Potions Master glowered at her. "I will be instructing second years. I think I can manage." Sprout chortled heartily as she left the staff table.

"We're going to be dealing with innuendos all term, aren't we?" Cassie asked him.

"I am already fed up with it." This time, it was Cassie's turn to laugh.

Before heading out to the greenhouses, she made sure to stop by the Slytherin table. Draco looked unamused as she approached, and Parkinson looked sheepish, avoiding her gaze. "The three of you will report to my classroom after dinner for your detention," Cassie said to her cousin, Crabbe, and Goyle. This time, none of them tried to argue with her.

She was out on the grounds when she heard the new Care of Magical Creatures professor call for her. "Professor Hagrid!" she said, smiling at the half-giant. "Are you excited for your first day of teaching?"

"I am!" He took a few long strides and was at her side. What was visible beneath his bushy beard was flushing with exhilaration. "Was wonderin' if yer could help me after lunch with me first lesson. Going to be showing the kids hippogriffs."

"Oh," Cassie said, frowning slightly. "Hagrid, I would, but Professor Lupin already asked me to help with the seventh years. I'm sorry - "

"It's fine!" Hagrid said, still beaming. "If he asked for yer first, it's only fair. 'Specially with him being new and all."

There was an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, despite Hagrid's obvious optimism. "Hagrid, what years will be learning about hippogriffs?"

"All of 'em!"

She was about to ask him if the taloned, prideful creatures would really be a safe option for the younger students when a loud explosion sounded near the courtyard. Making her way toward the blast, she quickly found out that Fred and George didn't have a lesson until second period. They had chosen to spend their free time testing out the homemade firecrackers they had made over the holiday, and one of the marble boar statues had been blown to pieces.

After assigning her second set of detentions of the term, she was able to make it to the greenhouses just as Sprout was beginning her lesson with the Ravenclaw and Slytherin sixth years. After a quick lecture on the uses and dangers of the Venomous Tentacula, the students were let loose to work with the dangerous plant. By the end of the lesson, Sprout was thanking Cassie profusely for being there, as they only had to send one student to Madam Pomfrey. Most years when she was teaching by herself, she had to send off at least three.

She spent her next free hour walking the grounds, making sure there were no signs of Black anywhere. Having been close to some of the dementors while she patrolled the school's perimeter, she was tired and shaky when she made her way to the DADA classroom. Regardless, she was able to produce a corporeal Patronus for the seventh years with ease, and she and Lupin spent the rest of the lesson walking around the room, encouraging the students to think of their happiest memories when they failed again and again. Despite their best efforts, only one Hufflepuff girl was able to produce anything, and it had been merely been a wisp of white.

"Don't be discouraged!" Lupin was saying to the class as the bell rang. "This is incredibly complex magic. We will practice again next time."

"You seem to have adapted to your new role well," Cassie mused as the last student exited the classroom. Lupin waved his wand, and the desks that had been moved to the sides of the classroom moved to their normal spots.

"Thanks very much. You seem to have as well, Miss Black. This has to be starkly different than your time spent in South America."

"That's an understatement."

Lupin leaned against his desk, his arms crossed casually in front of him as he studied her. "When did you learn to produce a Patronus, if you don't mind me asking?"

She sat down at one of the student desks. She had originally intended to head to the Great Hall for lunch right away. How she found herself caught up in another courteous conversation with this wizard, she didn't know. She had vowed to dislike him for Severus's sake, after all. "My third year."

"That's very impressive. Who did you learn from?"

"Severus."

Lupin nodded. "I hope I am not too forward when I say this, Miss Black. But I hope that despite what Severus may have shared with you about our younger years, you can learn to trust me."

Cassie looked at him quizzically. "Why me specifically?"

"The Headmaster seems to trust you a great deal."

"He must trust you too if he gave you this job."

"Yes, I have a good rapport with most of the staff here. You have a different perspective of me than they do."

"All of the staff know you're a werewolf," she said bluntly. Lupin blinked in surprise, taken off guard by her forwardness.

"Yes," he said quietly. "But they didn't know how Severus was treated by my friends when we were younger. Or if they did, they pretended not to."

"Like I said last night, Professor Lupin. I'm not the one you need to make amends with."

"Please," he said, smiling softly. "Call me Remus."

Since they were both going to be heading to the Great Hall for lunch, they made their way there together. Neither one seemed to feel comfortable speaking of Lupin's Hogwarts days any longer, and the conversation turned to his lesson plans. From Cassie's experience, it seemed like he had a better handle on his subject than most of his predecessors had. She was asking him about how he intended to present the Unforgivable Curses to the seventh years as they came into the Great Hall.

They were engrossed in conversation when Severus walked in. Cassie gave him a smile as he approached the head table, but she noticed his attention was locked on Lupin, who was seated to her right. He was turned slightly toward her as he spoke of anecdotes of the Imperius curse from the first war he could tell in class.

"Ah, Severus," Lupin said as Severus took the empty seat to Cassie's left. "How is your first day of lessons?"

"The same as past years," the Head of Slytherin replied impassively.

"I suppose that is an unnecessary question. This is, what, your eleventh or twelfth year teaching by now?" Lupin continued. Severus didn't acknowledge him, filling his plate with beef casserole in silence.

Eager to break the tension as time ticked on, Cassie swallowed her mouthful of potatoes and said, "How many NEWT students do you have this year, Sev?"

"Enough to drive one to the brink of lunacy."

Lupin chuckled. "Surely those must be the students you enjoy teaching the most. They must either be talented or incredibly hard-working to get to that point."

Severus looked down the table, finally locking eyes with his colleague, although it was far from a cordial look that he gave him. "Perhaps when you've taught longer than one morning you can make assumptions about what I do and don't enjoy about teaching."

The good-natured look on Lupin's face faltered. "Perhaps."

The majority of Severus's food was still untouched on his plate when he shoved his chair backward so forcefully that it screeched on the stone floor. As he stood, he shot Cassie a glare. She knew that was him imploring her to accompany him, as hostile as he looked at that moment. She wiped her mouth hastily on her napkin and stood.

"See you next period," Lupin said warmly to her. She gave him a curt nod in response, something that Severus didn't see, as he was already storming from the Great Hall.

She sped up, trying to match his angered stride. "Your place or mine?" she asked suggestively.

"Always with the jokes," he snarled. They passed the staircase that led to the dungeons, going to her empty classroom instead. She followed closely as he led her straight through her undecorated office and into the quarters she had yet to use. He slammed the door shut and locked it with his wand. He was still livid even as they stood in her small living room together, his stance tense as he surveyed her with maddened eyes.

"Severus, is it Lupin that's making you so upset?"

"I'm not upset!"

"You most definitely are," she stated calmly, her hand catching his and giving it a squeeze. She was surprised and gladdened that he didn't pull away from her touch. "Try not to let the fact that he's here get to you, my love, or it's going to be a long year."

He shook his head, silent as he contemplated her words. She stepped closer to him, loosening her grip on his hand so she could wrap her arms around his lithe frame. She squeaked in surprise when he abruptly bent down, his lips crashing into hers. He pushed her gently to the purple velvet sofa that sat in the middle of the room, his hands pushing up the hem of her robes as he lowered himself to her.

"Sev," she breathed as he trailed kisses down her neck, "Do we have time?"

"Afraid to be late for class?" he countered ironically. At least his mind was elsewhere now if he was able to see the humor in the situation. She was more than happy to provide a distraction for him.

Minutes before Lupin's next lesson started, Cassie was speed-walking through the corridors and smoothing down her hair with her hand. With a grin on her face, she hoped she wasn't so disheveled-looking that people would somehow know what she and the Potions Master had just done. Romantic romps during lunch break probably weren't considered professional.

This lesson consisted of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw seventh years. Cassie produced her Patronus at the start of the lesson as she had earlier, and once again she and Lupin were moving through the room encouraging the students. What was different with this lesson, however, was the sudden interruption.

A Ravenclaw prefect had entered the room, timidly explaining that Cassie was needed in the hospital wing straight away. Lupin encouraged her to go at once, and only when she and the young witch were in the hall did she get any information on what was happening.

"Draco Malfoy was hurt during his Care of Magical Creatures lesson," she explained. The color drained from Cassie's face, and she started to run.

Expecting the worst, she burst through the doors without announcing herself first. Madam Pomfrey was fussing over the platinum-haired boy as he writhed in the bed, blood-soaked bandages littering the floor. Hagrid was standing off to the side, looking extremely white, his beady eyes watering.

"It's agony!" Draco moaned.

"Just lie still!" the school nurse scolded him. "You'd be fine in a minute if you'd just let me work."

"Draco," Cassie said, moving to the side of the bed. She saw the gash on his arm, but otherwise, she could see no other injuries. "Listen to Madam Pomfrey!"

"Cassie," Draco said, his silver eyes landing on her. The Slytherin boy looked sincerely afraid just then. "Help me!"

"You're fine," Cassie said, forcing herself to reach out and squeeze the hand on his uninjured arm. She reminded herself that her cousin had been fiercely protected his entire life, that he had experienced little discomfort other than the occasional disapproval of his father. It made her resist the urge to belittle him just then. "I'm here, you're doing just fine."

At her words, he stilled, and Madam Pomfrey healed him with a sprinkle of an elixir and a wave of her wand. She headed to the cupboards to fetch a blood-replenishing potion and a sleeping draught. Cassie firmly told him to drink both, and soon the third year was sleeping. Her eyes went to Hagrid again. Seeing the gentle half-giant in anguish was much harder than watching her cousin writhe in pain.

"Hagrid," she said quietly, leaving her sleeping cousin's bedside to approach him. "It's all right, he's just fine."

"My fault," he choked. "All mine."

"I don't know what happened," she said gently, "But I highly doubt that's true."

Severus came through the infirmary doors just then. Cassie gave him a quick rundown of the gash on Draco's arm.

"Nothing venomous?" he asked Hagrid.

"No, just a hippogriff talon," Hagrid sniffed.

The expression on Severus's face as he looked at the half-giant was the softest Cassie had seen as of late. "Then no harm has been done. Go and get some rest, Hagrid."

Hagrid left then, and Cassie sighed as she watched him go. "I can't stand to see him like this."

"Draco is okay."

"I know he's okay. I'm talking about Hagrid," she said. Severus's black eyes were fixed on Draco. "What is it, Severus?"

"I have to inform Lucius and Narcissa," he said grimly. Suddenly, Cassie understood the contrition in the Head of Slytherin's voice.