Potter's Girl / Butterfly Effect.

39. A Close Call

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

CLOSE CALL

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A million thoughts rushed through Cassie's head as she stared at the woman in front of her.

"What're you doing here?" she finally asked after a moment, shutting the door behind her and moving swiftly toward the bed. "You show up after years—just.. in my dorm? The hell? This is mental! You could've been seen by Harry—"

"Well," said Adelaide, a finger tapping her chin in fake thoughtfulness, "that wouldn't matter much. I can only assume he would've told your other friends, the redhead and the.. what did the paper say? Muggleborn witch, the one pining after Harry, Hermione."

Cassie felt her stomach plummet and her face dropped. "So you've been reading Witch Weekly, have you?" she asked in a colder voice than she'd meant.

"I have, but only to keep up with the tournament," she said in a dignified voice, her face set. "I believe nothing of what that horrid woman says about my daughter, nor your friends."

   "Oh," said Cassie, her frown shrinking. . "Thank you."

   "Anyways, I'm sure you're wondering why I'm–"

   "Why you're here? Yes, but not nearly as much as I'm wondering about the fox.. thing," said Cassie. "Are you like–Dad? An Animagus?"

   "Well, if you remember correctly, there were five names on that Marauders Map," she said, her eyes glittering. "I'm Snouts. I can transform into a red fox at will, yes."

   "Oh," was all Cassie could say, staring at her mother in a certain upset confusion. "That's how you got in, then?"

   "Through a tunnel under the One-Eyed Witch," she confirmed, then quirked an eyebrow. "One I hear from your father that you've already found."

A slight blush crept up Cassie's face as she remembered the day she and Harry had attempted to make it through the tunnel, only to be stopped by Sirius's Animagus form. Well, now she knew it was Sirius – third-year Cassie was not fortunate enough to have this bit of knowledge and instead thought she was going to die to the Grim.

"I'm here on important matters," said Adelaide, her smile dropping to a serious expression. "I know you were lying when Dumbledore asked about your symptoms – don't deny it," she added upon seeing Cassie open her mouth to do just that. "I've been watching; you're experiencing the headaches, dizziness, everything that happened to me when I was your age."

"You've been watching me?" Cassie asked, her eyebrows raised in surprise. She shook her head—not the problem at hand. "How do you know these headaches aren't just that – headaches?"

"Your eyes."

She blinked. "My–what?"

"Your eyes," Adelaide repeated, her lips turning up in a tight smile. "It's not something noticeable to someone who's not looking for it, but they glaze over when you're experiencing a vision. I noticed it the day before Christmas, when you were talking to the– the Longbottom boy."

   "Have you told my dad about it yet?" asked Cassie in a small voice. "Have you told anyone?"

   "No, I thought that would be something you would want to do," said Adelaide with a smile. "I'll leave it to you to tell them, on your own time. I do advise you do it sometime soon, though; better sooner than later. Trust me, I'd know."