The Girl Who Had No Escape [1]

Year 1-34

-Trigger Warning-

[Long Chapter]

Cassiopeia had run straight into the forest and towards the lake, where she had told Marcus about her Animagus powers. She stopped at the edge and looked at her reflection and continued to cry. She heard Professor Snape approaching her but she couldn't stop crying- the tears that had built up all through the holidays finally coming out-, he then shocked her by just simply sitting next to her. She didn't know why but she just turned and hugged him, continuing to cry into his robes. She was surprised when he returned the hug and stroked Cassiopeia's hair, at this time this made her cry even more thinking 'is this what a father is supposed to be like?'.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Professor Snape asked, with a soft voice.

"No." She replied straight away.

"Are you sure? You can't hide your emotions all the time, you know." He reasoned.

"I know, but I'm not ready." She said softly.

"Okay." He replied.

"Okay? You're not going to push me to tell you?" She asked, shocked.

"Not if you're not ready. Just know that when you are, my door is always open. And believe me when I say that you can trust me, as I still haven't told anyone about your scars." He replied.

"Thank you, Professor." She said.

"You're welcome. When we are not in the classroom, please call me Severus." He asked.

"Okay, Pro- Severus."  She stumbled.

They remained in this position for a while and Cassiopeia's crying began to subdue, at this moment she really wanted to tell the Professor why she was crying but she was afraid that he would have to tell someone. They separated and they both found themselves looking out at the lake.

"Cassiopeia, are you sure you don't want to tell me what's wrong?" He asked, breaking the silence.

"I can't." Cassiopeia replied not taking her eyes off of the lake.

"Can I have a category?" He asked.

"It was a punishment to me." She replied cryptically.

"I see, I guess he was angry then?" He asked and Cassiopeia nodded, she was trying so hard not to tell him. "Can I ask for a favour?"

"Depends." Cassiopeia replied with a smirk.

"Can I see your wrists?" Cassiopeia was shocked at this question, as she thought it might have been a different one. She then looked at him and she her hands in front of him, he rolled up her sleeves and looked at the scars. "Lumos" his wand lit up, so that he could see the scars. Cassiopeia hadn't realised how bad her scars were until that moment, they were much redder than usual- due to his anger-, she saw the shock on the Professor's face. He tried to hide it, but she was good at sensing emotions. He released her hands and he looked to the girl. "Cassiopeia, why don't you report him?"

"Because I can't, he's still the closest thing that I have father. Well except one memory, and that one ended in the death of him-" She suddenly gasped and put her hand to her mouth, remembering that no one knew she was adopted.

"What are you talking about?" He asked.

"Nothing." She replied quickly.

"You can tell me." He reasoned, Cassiopeia shook her head at his response.

"He would kill me. He told me not to say anything."

"He wouldn't have to know that I know. I wouldn't tell anyone. You can trust me." He said softly.