A conversation with Snape part Deux/Draco's Dilemma

'Draco just used the Imperius curse. Draco just used the Imperius curse. Draco just used the Imperius curse.' The same phrase played through her head as she bolted out of the three broomsticks, through Hogsmeade, and through the fastest passage into the castle. Then, it was up flights of moving stairs to reach Dumbledore's office.

"Acid pops." The Gargoyle didn't move.

"Bon Bons."

"Custard Creams."

"Dots."

She continued through the alphabet, getting more exasperated at the statue stubbornly refusing to get out of the way.

"I presume you are reciting the Honeydukes catalog at a piece of stonework for a reason, Ms. Black?" a familiar drawl stated.

"No! I'm not! I need to speak to Dumbledore right now! It's urgent!" She shouted.

"Shouting will continue to prove quite ineffectual. Dumbledore is currently away attending to other business. As your Head of House, I invite you to my office to talk about your Urgent Matter."

Cassandra impatiently led him down a floor to the DADA office, trying to get him to move faster. She opened her mouth as Snape closed the door, but he cut her off.

"Tell me, what did Mr. Malfoy do this time?"

"He Imperiused Madam Rosmerta in Hogsmeade! We have to-"

"Do nothing." Snape corrected.

"Nothing?! It's unforgivable!"

"I have been aware of Mr. Malfoy's activities since this summer. We do nothing. Your position is very precarious without you drawing the Dark Lord's full attention by derailing one of his minor objectives. The Headmaster has instructed us to do nothing and continue."

"What? But-"

"Please. Ms. Black, for your own sake, don't throw your life and position away Gryfindorishly. We continue to monitor Mr. Malfoy." Snape's drawl seemed less condescending, if that was possible. "and, Ms. Black, do try to fit in and make some friends. Take it from someone who didn't. Now, you need to find Mr. Malfoy, he may require you."

Cassandra was all but pushed out of the office. She didn't see Snape pulling out a flask and taking a big swig.

"Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

Cassandra looked around Hogsmeade, before spotting a speck of blond hair in the distance. Walking over, she found Draco in the Shrieking Shack, mirroring his mentor with a bottle of Firewhiskey from Rosmerta's stash in his hand.

Cassandra sat down next to the Draco against the wall.

"What do you want?" Draco asked, taking a swig.

"Well, you, went in and out, disappeared, and curfew is approaching fast. Oh, and you're hitting the hard liquor, alone, in a trashed shack outside of town." She stated, trying to sound like just a concerned classmate. "That kind of day, huh?"

Draco didn't really respond for a bit, then asked, "You have any close family left?"

"Not really." Cassandra admitted.

"If you did, what would you be willing to do for them? What would you give up to keep them?"

"Almost anything." She responded.

"Exactly." He said. "Exactly." He drank another huge swig.

"If you need anything, you can always ask."

He gave a weak laugh. "No I can't." Before taking another shot.

"Draco?" Cassandra asked, but his eyes had closed.

"Draco?" Merlin, he reeked of firewhiskey. "You just had to drink yourself to sleep." She said to herself.

She got up, pulled her wand, and muttered "levicorpus". His body shot up and hovered in the air, and she put her invisibility cloak over him to begin the long walk to his bed in the Slytherin Dorms.

After dumping Draco in his bed to enjoy what surely would be an awful hangover in the morning, She slipped out of the Slytherin dorms again.

3 passes around the door across from the tapestry gave her just the room she required right now. A room filled with wooden furniture.

The first blasting curse sailed into a table. A chair joined it shortly. And then another. It was rather cathartic to just destroy things and not have to deal with stupid adults that do nothing, the rise of a Dark Lord, both now and in the past, and a blond wizard that had taken to drinking to distract from committing unforgivable crimes.