Another Hogwarts Mystery

Chapter 18 - Love Me Like You Do

Casandra pulled herself away from Snape, looking at him in a mixture of astonishment and confusion. She regarded him. He looked utterly devastated. A long strain of his black, curtain-like hair hung over his face, which was covered in tears. His dark eyes were twinkling. "W-what?" asked Casandra disbelievingly, whilst shaking her head slightly. Snape took her hand, holding it tightly and panted "I love you, Casandra. Please. Please believe me."

The footsteps grew louder. Soon, they came to a halt. Casandra and Snape turned around, still holding each other's hand and faced the spot were Snape stood when he arrived. Between the trees, the dark figures of the Aurors appeared. Casandra and Snape followed them with their eyes. Two of them rushed upon Gwendolyn Clark, handcuffing her – well, as far as it was possible – with a shackling spell. The others ran towards the unconscious bodies of Professor Handerson and Raymond Clark, doing the same to them.

From a distance, a very familiar voice came nearer. Immediately, Casandra turned around and fixed her eyes on the spot between the trees again. There between them, appeared John. "Do you have 'em?!" he cried. At once, John stopped dead, fixing his gaze on Casandra and Snape who were still holding hands. "W-what the...? Casandra? What are you doing here?" stammered John, still staring at Snape and her. Casandra just stared back at him, not saying a word. John was the last person she wanted to see at that very moment. "—An-and why are you and Snape holding hands?!" he added in total confusion. Although Casandra desired nothing more than telling John about Snape and her, she couldn't. John was like an open book, providing information to each and every one. Especially if he could do the dirt on somebody. Snape let go of Casandra, turning to John. "I guess that this none of your business, Mr Willoby. Besides, you may call me Professor" retorted Snape coldly. "Alright, Professor, why are you holding my girlfriend's hand?" "Your girlfriend?! Did I miss something? Since when are we back together?" cried Casandra bewilderedly. John was thunderstruck. "Ugh, John" Casandra rolled back her eyes in annoyance. "Although it really is none of your business, Professor Snape has just saved my life. He held me, as I was beside myself with fear." bellowed Casandra in addition.

John's eyes narrowed. "Fine. Whatever!" he barked, running past them. He made his way to Casandra's mother and turned around in total shock, almost puking. "Oh Merlin's beard! What the hell happened here? Who did this?!" he shouted, pointing at Gwendolyn Clark and the disembodied forearm on the ground. "My dear poster child, Casandra" noted Gwendolyn Clark almost proudly. Her bony face was even paler now due to the extreme loss of blood. "Your – wait, what?! Casandra, you did this?! Why? This is the result of an extremely advanced and brutal curse. And you, Professor, let her do that?" cried John in detestation. "I know what this curse does, Mr Willoby. I invented it myself. And to your information, no I did not tell her to do this." "I see! So, this is what you teach your students at Hogwarts: the most brutal curses and how to use them. Interesting." remarked John. "Bollocks!" bellowed Casandra. "Indeed," added Gwendolyn Clark, wearing a triumphant smile on her chalk-white face "that pathetic git Snape did not teach my daughter that curse. He may have taught her ... ehem ... other things but he did not teach her any curses. This, my dear John, learned Casandra Elisabeth all by herself. By being a member of this family. By being a true Clark. She contains it within herself— the evil." Gwendolyn Clark stated proudly with a mad smile on her face.

"I AM NOT LIKE YOU!" cried Casandra desperately "I have never been and will never be!" She felt Snape putting his arm around. "Ignore her. This is exactly what she wants: to make you feel small and vulnerable. Come, we'll go back to the castle. You and Miss Kettleburn need to go to the Hospital Wing as soon as possible." They had almost reached the trees as Gwendolyn Clark raised her voice again. "Oh and Casandra Elisabeth, one last thing: Don't think this is over. It is never really over." She laughed hysterically before adding "And Severus: keep your filthy hands off my daughter!".