Magic in Shadow

Magic In Shadow

Prologue

The streets of London are a lonely place to be. Homeless populate doorways and the underground; bus shelters and alleys are used as beds.

Keep out of the rain, and avoid authorities, and you can live...not comfortably or safely...but you can live.

So long as you eat.

That's where it gets tricky.

Begging works for some. Mainly the elderly. And the sickly.

But people don't take much pity on a healthy looking teenager who looks perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Even if she's been on the streets since she was eleven.

So what's a girl to do?

She watches.

She waits.

She moves, silently.

She lurks, hidden.

She steals. And she eats.

And so, she lives. Not comfortably or safely, but she lives. 128

* * *

I hate muggles.

"Merlin, they're pathetic," Jocelyn Spearpent lamented to no one in particular. She leant back against the window of the Leaky Cauldron as the rain spat down, pulling her expensive coat around her to keep out the chill of the muggy August day as she watched a girl in a battered leather jacket slide a wallet out of the back pocket of a man in a shop queue.

She was quite adept. Jocelyn could tell she had done it before. Yet the scene fascinated her. Thieves were rare in the wizarding world--petty embezzlement was just too...petty. And when they did appear they made front page news and were usually never caught.

So here she was, witnessing a robbery in broad daylight, and she watched with the same awe as a small child would watch a hippogriff at a magical zoo.

The thief sidled out of the shop gracefully. She almost made it out to the street, but she was stopped at the last second by two men. One was the owner of the wallet.

Jocelyn was too far away to hear what was being said, but she saw the girl run. She saw the two men give chase. She watched as one of them caught up with her and tackled her to the ground.

And then, she watched as he went flying backwards through the air and landed over 100 metres down the street with a disturbingly loud crack as his spine was broken from the impact.

The thief sprang up, retrieved the wallet from where it had fallen in the scuffle, and ran across the road, right past Jocelyn...

...into the Leaky Cauldron.

Jocelyn blinked. She watched as the Muggles crowded around the--undoubtedly paralysed--man who lay still on the ground, whilst others searched for the young thief. Some ran across the street, turning into the music shop to the right of the little magical pub. But of course, they couldn't see the girl's actual hiding place. Taking a last look around, Jocelyn turned and followed her through the door.

She found the girl slumped on the floor behind the door, shuddering at her close escape, and probably the injury she had inflicted on that muggle. Nobody in the pub paid much attention to either her or Jocelyn; stranger people than schoolgirls entered this pub.

Jocelyn stood back into the shadows and observed her quietly, taking in her unkempt, hazelnut brown hair that reached to her hips, and her bright blue-grey eyes that were turned to the ceiling, as if in thanks for her getaway. A hard contrast from Jocelyn's dark brown--almost black--mane, which was in far better condition and just as long as the other girl's, and her warm green-brown eyes that were now fixed on the odd stranger.

So, the thief was a witch. Did she know? Or was she oblivious to the powers she possessed? From what Jocelyn had seen, she guessed that the girl was aware, yet not in control of, her magical abilities.

With a jolt, she saw Professor Albus Dumbledore step quietly into the pub. Instinctively, she drew back. She didn't feel right being here.

"Cassiopeia Black?" The old wizard addressed the thief on the floor in a conversational manner. Jocelyn gasped. The girl was a Black? They were a powerful and wealthy family, as everyone knew. What was the need for this girl to steal?

The girl stared, gaping.

"I am Professor Dumbledore. May I speak with you?" he asked kindly, helping her to her feet. The girl said nothing, apparently too shocked for words. Silently, the old wizard guided her to the nearest table and sat her down. "Tom, may we have four Butterbeers, please?"

"Of course, Headmaster," the old barkeeper said amicably. Jocelyn barely had time to register that Dumbledore had ordered four drinks, when Professor McGonagall bumped into her from behind.

"Miss Spearpent," she greeted her curtly.

"Professor," Jocelyn nodded.

"I shouldn't lurk in doorways, my dear," she said, before sweeping over to the table where the Black girl now sat, engaged in a wary conversation with the old Professor. Jocelyn dawdled for a moment, oddly unsure of what to do.

Before she could decide, however, she was bumped into--yet again!--by Rubeus Hagrid.

"Sorry 'bout that," he offered, not noticing who she was, before ambling over to the table. She made an experienced decision to move, and did so, placing herself at a nearby table and, just for the hell of it, ordering herself a Firewhisky.

"We don't serve the likes of that to the likes of you," Tom aid with a smile.

"Butterbeer's fine," she said dismissively, concentrating on the discussion taking place behind her.

"...so you see, I would like to invite you to Hogwarts, for your own protection, as well a giving you a better chance at life, my dear," Dumbledore told the young girl. She said something too quiet for Jocelyn to hear.

"Now Albus, don't scare her!" McGonagall cut in sharply. "There's no reason to--"

"I quite agree, Minerva. As I was saying, Miss Black--" Again the girl said something out of earshot. "As you wish," the Headmaster said agreeably. "Cassie, I only wish for you to have a proper life with people your own age. There is no need for you to return to your parents if you do not wish to do so. You may stay here at the Leaky Cauldron for the rest of the summer, I can make arrangements for a suitable home for you during the holidays, and I can assure you that no more incidents like that will ever be a worry for you."

From what Jocelyn could make out, Dumbledore was trying to convince the girl to come to Hogwarts. And if she knew Albus Dumbledore--which she did, having been sent to his office on more occasions than she cared to remember--he probably already had.

Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw the girl and Hagrid leave. The girl looked mildly relaxed, and was chatting to Hagrid quite calmly. She watched them leave, and was thinking about paying a visit to Quality Quidditch Supplies, when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She spun round and met the twinkling eyes of Dumbledore with her own surprised brown ones.

"Good afternoon, Miss Spearpent. A lovely day for reading, don't you agree?"

As soon as the two Professors had left the pub, Jocelyn gulped down the rest of her Butterbeer and bolted down the road to Flourish and Blotts.

Inside the bookstore, she saw Hagrid immediately--you couldn't very well miss him--and noticed he was helping the poor, trembling shopkeeper pick out The Monster Book of Monsters from the cage in the window of the shop. ("Don' hit 'em, you've gotta stroke 'em--gimme that--") Cassie was loitering in another corner of the shop, staring intently at something on the wall. As she moved closer, Jocelyn saw it was the warning poster of Sirius Black, the crazy bloke who had escaped from Azkaban a couple of weeks ago. She strolled forward a few paces before her head suddenly pulled itself back together, and she put two and two together. She figured out the girl was related to Sirius Black. She couldn't even imagine what that felt like--she had an Uncle Tobias whom she considered an idiot and was ashamed to be seen with, but it didn't compare to being related to a criminal, and a criminal on the run, too.

Warily, she approached the girl once again.

"Nasty looking git isn't he?" she remarked, trying not to sound too obvious. The girl eyed her and nodded stiffly. "Is that your, um, dad?" she motioned towards Hagrid ("Le' me 'ave it! 'S not gonna bite yo'!), feigning ignorance.

"He's ...a friend," the girl said slowly, as if the idea of friends was a foreign one to her. "He's a Professor at Hogwarts," she added.

"Keeper of Keys, actually," Jocelyn corrected before she could think. Cassie frowned, and backed up a millimetre or so. Jocelyn decided the time had come to try a different approach.

"I'm Jocelyn Spearpent," she said. "And you are Cassiopeia Black," she added softly. The girl stepped back in a rush and slammed into a bookshelf. "It's alright," she added smoothly, "I'm not going to tell anyone. But what I am going to do is take you shopping for your school supplies, and then I'm going to take you out for lunch." She offered her hand to the girl. She didn't take it.

"Joc'lyn! Good t' see yo'!" Hagrid came over, cradling one of the Monster books under his arm. "Cassie, this is Joc'yn Spe' pent'. She's in you' yea' a' school. Goo' with animals, she is. An' not bad on the Quidditch pitch, neither." The girl stepped forward bravely, forcing a smile. Jocelyn had a sudden brainwave.

"Hagrid, how about I take Cassie shopping for the rest of her things, and you go for a Butterbeer at the Leaky Cauldron. I think I saw Professor McGonagall in there a while ago," she said suavely.

^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+

"Right, so we've got all your school supplies, fancy checking out Quality Quidditch Supplies?" Cassie shook her head. She'd cheered up during the afternoon she had spent with Jocelyn, revealing a confidence and a wicked sense of humour.

"I'll pass."

"Food then? I'm starved! Do you want to go to The Leaky Cauldron or Florean Fortescue's--"

"Um, do you think we could... er... go to...?"

"A muggle restaurant?" Jocelyn finished for her. "Sure. You can tell me your life story over a McFlurry. You're paying." Jocelyn added, gesturing towards the stolen wallet in her back pocket.

* * *

"So, you ran away from home?" Jocelyn asked incredulously.

Cassie nodded.

"When you got your Hogwarts letter?"

She nodded again.

"When you were eleven?"

Nod.

"And your parents are Death Eaters?"

Nod.

"And Sirius Black is probably going to kill you because he hates all Blacks?"

Nod.

Jocelyn exhaled in astonishment. Cassie fiddled miserably with her newly bought wand--("Fourteen inches, wild cherry wood, core of dried red rose-petals, most peculiar for a Black, the brother of this wand chose a cousin of yours, I believe, most curious...")

"So, what? Did they care?"

"Who?"

"Your parents!"

"Um, no, I freaked, I left. No one came looking for me. Nobody would have bothered to look for me now if it wasn't for this Sirius guy. I wouldn't even be this happy about it if it wasn't for his escape."

Jocelyn raised an eyebrow.

"You don't seem that upset about it," she observed.

"I'm not. I'm safer on the streets than I was back there."

Jocelyn shrugged, pulling herself together.

"Well, come on. Better get you back to your baby-sitter before he comes around the corner and blows you up before you can buy me a Firewhisky. You look old enough to pass for eighteen." Cassie blinked, then burst into laughter. Jocelyn ginned and looped an arm around her friend, and they headed back to the Leaky Cauldron.

As they entered they were immediately approached by Tom the bar keeper.

"Oh, Miss Cassie Capulet I believe?" Cassie froze.

"I think you'd better say yes, Cassie," she muttered.

"Oh, yes Cassie... is me, yes... Capulet. Right."

"Follow me please." Tom said smiling. The girls followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase to a door with a brass number four on it, which Tom unlocked and opened for them. Inside was a very comfortable-looking bed, some highly polished oak furniture and a cheerfully crackling fire.

"If there's anything you need, Miss Capulet, don't hesitate to ask." Tom bowed and left. Jocelyn dumped some shopping bags on the bed and turned to Cassie.

"What kind of daft name is Capulet?"

"Sounds familiar, can't place it though." Jocelyn shrugged.

"Let me know if you find out."

Just then, the door opened and Dumbledore walked in. He was followed by McGonagall, Hagrid, and two others who Cassie didn't recognise. Jocelyn did, though.

"Good Afternoon, Professor Sprout, Madam Hooch," she noted with interest, radiating charm. "Oh, hello Professor Binns," she added as the ghost glided through the Quidditch instructor and settled himself tiredly next to Dumbledore. Cassie winced quietly. It was all getting a bit much for her.

"Good afternoon, Miss Spearpent," they all greeted her, smiling. She was, after all, Slytherin's equivalent of Hermione Granger, as well as being damn good on a broomstick.

"Hello girls," Dumbledore addressed them pleasantly. "I trust everything is adequate for you here, Cassie?" She nodded, one eye still fixed warily on the ghost who was hovering half in and half out of Dumbledore's robes. "Excellent. Now, Cassie, I propose that you stay here until school starts next month, and until that time you can be tutored by some of the Professors, so you can have a good grounding in magic. How does that sound?" he said kindly.

"Good. That...it sounds fine," she agreed hesitantly. Jocelyn stepped up to her side and addressed the Professor politely.

"Would you have any objection to me taking part in these lessons? I could help Cassie with potions, for example."

"That's very considerate, Jocelyn. Thank you; your help will be much appreciated."

Jocelyn and Cassie had the distinct impression that that was what he had had in mind all along.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"Concentrate!"

"I can't bloody concentrate! This is silly, it's not going to work."

"Yes it damn well is. Now for the love of Merlin, concentrate!"

Sighing huffily, Cassie added the powdered root of asphodel to her infusion of wormwood that was simmering gently in her newly bought cauldron over a fire that Jocelyn had conjured earlier. At once the concoction erupted like a volcano, spilling the contents over the side of the pewter cauldron and, upon reaching the floor, solidified and cracked the wooden tiles.

Jocelyn slumped into a chair, her head in her hand.

"You're a hopeless case, you know that? A lost cause."

"Oh, shut up."

"Oh, does the truth hurt? Don't you like being told you're not the perfect witch who can switch from the muggle world to the wizarding world whenever she chooses?" she snapped. "Bloody hell, Cassie, you're a disgrace to the House of Black."

"Shut your mouth."

The coldness in her voice should have served as a warning. But Jocelyn was, in her very core, a Slytherin. She was deaf to Cassie's warnings, and blind to what hurt she was causing her.

"No, I won't. I can't begin to imagine why Dumbledore would bother trying to protect you. The sooner your lunatic cousin comes and finds you and slits your throat the happier we'll all be."

Instantly, the cauldron flew from the conjured flames and rocketed across the room to where Jocelyn sat in the chair. It slammed into her head with a horrible pound, spilling the contents over her and sending the chair flying backwards against the wall. Jocelyn crumpled over onto the floor, screaming.

Shocked, Cassie saw that her face was covered in burns and her arm was twisted in a sickening angle. She stumbled backwards, slamming into the bedpost.

"J--Jocelyn..."

Her screams must have attracted a lot of attention, because a few seconds later the door burst open and in came Dumbledore and McGonagall, darting wild and worried looks around the scene. Dumbledore went immediately to Jocelyn, her screams still ringing through the room, whilst McGonagall hurried over to where Cassie was slumped at the foot of the bed, gasping and shaking her head, disbelieving and hysterical.

"Cassie? Cassie!" McGonagall implored. "Cassie, breathe, breathe for me now...."

The world swam, dimmed, and she finally relinquished herself to heavenly unconsciousness. Her last thought was something like,

...once a Black...always a...Black...

Cassie woke some time later in her bed. She was aware of some company in her room, but her eyes hurt too much to open them to explore further. She heard voices close by, and contented herself with listening to them:

"Yes, Minerva, Poppy tells me that young Miss Spearpent will recover perfectly, no scarring left or permanent side-affects of the medication. She was lucky to get to the Healers so soon."

"And Miss Bla--er--Capulet?"

"She's fine, just distressed. Some rest and the reassurance that her friend will be fine is all she needs."

"But Albus, what if this happens again? At Hogwarts, near students, with no staff on hand to--"

"As long as she is not provoked, it won't, Minerva. I can promise you that once she settles down, she won't have any more problems of that nature."

"If you're sure."

"I am. Now let her rest. Let her dream. And let us hope that one member of the Black family can be saved."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

And so it was that Cassie and Jocelyn went their separate ways, already anticipating the first of September with differing degrees of injuries, hatred and apprehension.