MUGGLE MAGIC

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

AN: Dear reader, firstly I must apologize for not updating faster. Things are really hectic at my job and I’m not getting the time I would like to continue but I swear to you... I will. Thank you again for all your lovely comments; I really do appreciate your words of encouragement. So again, sorry for leaving you all on a cliffie.
Please remember that this story is told with 2 POV’s, Sev’s and Cassidy’s. They are separated by lots of these: *****************
Again, this fic is set circa HP&COS sans basilisk. It is also AU. Voldemort is not in the physical but in the disembodied spirit as seen in HP&SSPS. Everything mentioned that is HP related is sole property of JKR. Cassidy Rain, her antics and wild theories are mine. All credit for song lyrics used in the fic is given to the artists. Please note this is not a song fic. The songs just happen to fit and assists to express the tone of the story at that point, otherwise known as a soundtrack. At the end of the story I will include the soundtrack to the fic which features all the songs seen in the story and a few more.
I hope you enjoy this chapter; please review and recommend.


CHAPTER 15


Striding, with lightning swiftness into the headmasters office; his eyes like the darkest vortex swirling with rage and murderous intent as it beheld its two stunned occupants. Cassidy stood there rooted to the spot at the vision of Severus Snape. His face was bloodless; his facial features taut, his mouth, an angry slashing line across his face. His aura seemed to fill the room and radiated unspeakable fury. He was here for me; he’s come to get me to deliver me to Voldemort.

As he neared his face contorted into an animalistic snarl, he looked at me,

“Lies!” he spat.

I felt as though I were slapped in the face. Too shocked and confused I continued to stare at him.

He turned to face Albus,

“Deceit!”

Dumbledore addressed the enraged man before him, “Now Severus…”

“NO!” Severus shouted as he shook his head violently. Circling us both, “no, I would expect such deception, such treachery from a muggle,” the word sounded like a curse on his lips as his eyes raked me up and down, “but from you headmaster, I would not have believed such a thing from you.”

He spun away obviously struggling with the barrage of emotions he was dealing with; the betrayal, the anger these were the most tangible to me. Something was not right here; his words were not making any sense. He was behaving as though the headmaster and I misled him in something; but what? Surely not my psychic abilities, he would have found out about that from Voldemort… or hadn’t he?

“You have deceived me.” He continued, “Lied to me. betrayed me! I have lost my trust! In both of you!” He turned to face us again, “Such manipulations, exploitations and corruption, before I could only associate with Voldemort, but now…” and again he flicked lifeless, defeated eyes to me and I was torn apart by the revelation held within. Gods! He had no idea about my gift until now… that’s what he felt betrayed by.

“Severus,” I whispered as I reached out to him but he instantly recoiled as though I were a foul and tainted thing; the tears I tried to hold back now broke through and streaked down my face.

“Alright! That’s enough!” it was Albus who spoke and it was clear he was not going to tolerate much more. “Cassidy, kindly go to your room and wait for Severus, there is much you will want to tell him and I’m sure you will both want privacy.”

“I have nothing to say to her!” Severus hissed, “And nothing she says will justify anything the both of you did.”

“Severus, with all due respect, be quiet!” Albus turned to me and his tone softened, “go child, I will send him when I’ve finished.”

Tentatively I moved forward, my eyes never leaving his and I paused briefly at his side, there was so much I wanted to say at that moment but I knew I wouldn’t have made a difference. Albus was right, I must wait until he had finished before I launch into my own reasons and explanations. Silently I walked past him and exited the room.

*****

Both men stood there facing each other, Severus and his former rage was tapering off to a simmer as he regarded the headmaster of Hogwarts. This man, who knew him, knew him like no other, had knowledge of his innermost secrets. This man, whom he trusted with his life, had doubted him enough to put a woman, a woman he had come to love to spy on him. In the last few minutes he felt as though all he had done, for Dumbledore and the Order, for the Ministry, all his sacrifices, all the risks he took were all for naught and a waste of time. Worthless. He felt worthless and he didn’t think that there was anything Dumbledore could do now to win back that trust. But he wanted to know why.

And though he spoke softly, there was a deadly edge to his voice, “I want you to tell me, everything. From the beginning. I want you to tell me why.”

Albus Dumbledore gazed at the man before him. He had never seen Severus in such a state; in fact the last time he had ever witnessed Severus this upset was after the incident with James Potter and Sirius Black at the Whomping Willow all those years ago. But even that did not compare to the sight he beheld. This was what he was afraid of, Severus finding out and finding out accidentally. Not good, not good at all. Albus took a deep fortifying breath before he launched,

“Very well Severus, I shall explain all.” Dumbledore took a deep breath before he began. “A few days after the close of the last school term in July I was approached by the Minister of Magic who had some trepidation on just where your allegiance stood with regards to the work you have been doing for the Ministry…”

Severus reeled at this bit of news. Ever since Igor Karkaroff implicated him all those years ago and the agreement struck by the Minister and himself, thanks to Dumbledore, to supply the ministry with Death Eater info and activities in exchange for immunity, he had faced death and damnation with every summons to Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Though Dumbledore had defended him at the trial, it wasn’t enough, it was either be a spy or face Azkaban. He had risked his life on countless occasions to keep his obligations and this was his reward? Outraged, he was about to burst into an argument when Dumbledore’s raised hands stopped him.

“I know Severus, but please let me tell you everything before you express your concerns. Now as I was saying, someone had persuaded Minister Fudge to believe that you were revealing half truths in your reports, especially pertaining to Voldemort’s re-emergence into the Wizarding world. His point to this accusation was the fact that Voldemort was here at Hogwarts through Quirell just last year.”

Dumbledore sighed as he made his way behind his desk and sat. He chose another lemon drop from the ever present dish of candy and popped in his mouth with relish,

“I told the Minister, that you had not suspected that Quirell had turned faithful to Voldemort until after his suspicious movements and behaviors last year. And the reason the Ministry had no word on this sinister plot was because the Death Eaters had no knowledge of Voldemort’s plan. However, Fudge insisted, as a precaution, to at least have you covertly evaluated.”

Severus snorted in disgust, “Naturally,” he murmured sarcastically

Albus pursed his lips, “I agreed under several conditions, those being that I would deal with it personally, that I would choose the objective party to carry out the assessment and that person would report to me alone. All findings would then be forwarded to the Ministry as the study progressed.”

Severus knew that those conditions were really for his benefit and that Albus was trying to protect him from what ever else Fudge had in mind, but betrayal still ate at his soul. He knew that this was where Albus’ explanation about Cassidy’s presence here would come in and though a large part of him wanted the truth, an equally large part didn’t want to hear it. To stay ignorant and believe a lie would be so easy. But the truth, there would be no denying the truth. Though fear gripped him he listened as the head master of Hogwarts continued.

Albus leaned back into the chintz chair, “I knew that whoever was chosen to carry out this evaluation had to be someone you would never suspect and also someone who knew absolutely nothing about you. This proved to be a very difficult task since you are very well known in the immediate wizarding society so I looked to the muggle world. There I was able to locate someone who was in essence perfect for the job.

“This person, had some knowledge of wizarding England ; sufficient to not be shocked but limited enough to be objective and neutral. I found out that this person is among the best in her field of psychology, specializing in children and adolescents, thereby giving her an acceptable cover for her presence here at Hogwarts. Her other field of expertise, a gift not commonly known of her by many I found out, is a natural phenomenon she discovered about herself at a very young age. Jessica Hendren, you remember her of course, mentioned several instances of her accuracy and that was enough to impress me.

“So I invited her here to fill the role of Student Counselor. Now I want to stress, she had no idea of my true intentions for her presence here at Hogwarts; it was only after she met with the staff, that very first day of her arrival, did she know of my plan.

Severus snorted derisively from the other side of the headmaster’s desk, “So, you basically forced her into this?”

Albus smiled serenely, “No, I didn’t force her, I just made it a bit impossible for her to back out.”

Severus took a moment to digest the story Albus Dumbledore had just related, all of it. He moved away to one of the windows and stared out broodingly at the snow covered Forbidden Forest , the white capped trees glistened with the glow of the morning sun. For the first time in more than 12 years the trust between himself and the headmaster had wavered and the insecurity of it ate at him. However he couldn’t blame Albus, that idiot Fudge could not be ignored. It had to be done.

“What did she find?” Severus asked quietly, “what of her reports?”

There was a sharp edge of cynicism in that last word but Albus felt deep compassion for the man who stood rigidly at the window; bracing himself for what was coming. “She saw fleeting visions of various experiences you’ve been through in your life.” Albus couldn’t help but note the flare in Severus’ eyes, reflected on the glass window. “By these she made a psychological judgment on your state of mind. She examined your emotional capacities and deduced just what you were capable of, the way you would think, the choices you would make, your motives etc. She put them all together, your emotional, physical and mental states, your past and all that goes with it to come to one conclusion.”

“That I’m faithful to Voldemort. I heard her myself.” He said harshly.

“Actually, Severus, you should know that when Cassidy started her reports on you, she was always adamant that you were not faithful to Voldemort. She insisted that you were devoted to only one thing.”

“You?”

“No” Albus said knowingly.

To Severus his single word spoke volumes. She knew about Lily. She knew how much he had felt for her. How much he had loved her. Albus spoke again,

“It wasn’t until you went on this recent Death Eater’s meeting did she approach me to say that she suspected you. And only a few moments ago did she come outright and say that she believed you were faithful to the Dark Lord. You should think on that, and the rationale that led to this shift in attitude. ”

Albus’ voice and expression took on another level of seriousness as he continued, “What took place between you and Cassidy this last night, no matter how much I detest what was done to her, is between the both of you to work out, however, I had not thought it in you to hurt her in such a way. Not when I know you love her.”

Severus looked away in shame and embarrassment. “Then it was you who found her?”

“I saw you storming out of the castle in the wee hours of the morning and thought to check on Cassidy, especially knowing the plans you made to leave Hogwarts, and I must tell you Severus, I did not like what I saw when I found her. I did what was necessary to repair her abused body. The rest I leave for you to deal with.”

Albus was right; there was much he needed to put into order. Explanations to be given, reasons and purpose and cause to be hashed out. She had to know why he did what he did; now it was important to him that she knew. He had to bare his soul to her, make her understand.

“There is one thing I do not understand in all this. How could she enter my mind without me knowing it? I am a master at Occlumency; she could not have entered my mind without me knowing it, even if she is skilled in Legilimency.”

“Ah! But that’s the difference isn’t it. She didn’t use Legilimency. The gift Cassidy possess is a true gift, she was born with it, it was not something learnt and practiced, developed or enhanced by magic. The fact that she was a muggle with this gift was one of the prerequisites to the job. As you know, Occlumency is the art of magically shielding the mind against infiltration from an external source, protecting it from magical intrusion. That’s why she was perfect; she did not use any magic at all, thus allowing her full undetected access to whomever she wished. Do you now see why Voldemort wants her? Imagine if he had this gift.”

“None would be safe,” Severus muttered gravely, “there would be nothing anyone could hide from him.”

“Exactly” Dumbledore sighed as he turned worried eyes to Severus, “I believe Voldemort already suspects you Severus. And possession of Cassidy and her capabilities would be just his style of uncovering you and hurting you in the ultimate way at the same time.”

“Then it is imperative that she stays here at Hogwarts.”

“It is imperative that both of you stay at Hogwarts!”

Severus pondered his previous plan. The first phase of which was to drive a wedge between himself and Cassidy. That failed! The second phase was his leaving. A plan he intended on sticking to… only now, he couldn’t think of leaving Cassidy behind. Yes she would be safe but for the moment he only trusted himself to her welfare.

Severus considered the headmaster once more before speaking quietly, “If you had doubts about where I stood, why didn’t you just ask?”

“Would you have told me the truth?

It was some moments before Severus replied softly, “Yes”

“Then I ask you now Severus, are you revealing Ministry secrets to Voldemort?”

“No. But he believes that I am”

Dumbledore nodded at this admission. “Yes, I believe you.”

A few moments of silence passed before Severus turned towards the door. Albus called after him,

“What will you do with Cassidy?”

“Leave Cassidy to me.”

“I said it before and I’ll remind you again, Cassidy is under my protection.”

“Not for long.”


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A\N: Hope that shed some light for you all as it did for Severus. I'll do my best to update faster. Thank you again for reading. Special thank you for my lovely beta who's been so much more than a beta for me, i don't have the words to express my utter gratitude.