Chương 85: Ch79- Murder Forest

"Professor Rosier. My office. Now." Cassian sighed, ruffling his hair.

"Brilliant. She is using the cat. That is never a good sign." He made his way, already dreading whatever waited. When he reached her office, the door was already ajar. He pushed it open and found McGonagall standing stiffly near her desk. Snape was off to the side, arms folded, Malfoy standing next to him. Hagrid slumped on a chair by the fire, looking like a schoolboy caught nicking biscuits from the kitchen. And on the other side of the room, Harry, Hermione, and Ron, trying very hard to shrink into their chairs.

"Ah, the gang is all here," Cassian said lightly. He strolled in and leaned against the wall.

"What is the drama this time? Someone set the curtains on fire again?" McGonagall gave him a sharp look.

"Sit down, Professor Rosier."

"Tempting, but I will stand. I like to stay mobile in case this turns into a duel."

"Cassian." He sighed and perched on the edge of a chair, crossing one ankle over his knee.

"Alright. Let's hear it." Snape's gaze cut to him.

"Earlier tonight, you assured me that Potter and his friends were not at Hagrid's hut." Cassian smirked faintly.

"Correct."

"Incorrect," Snape bit out.

"They were there. Hagrid confirmed it." Cassian whistled as he slowly turned to Hagrid.

"Ah, bless you, Hagrid. You couldn't lie if a dragon had you by the beard." Hagrid hunched lower, muttering something about not meaning any harm. McGonagall's eyes narrowed.

"Professor Rosier, did you knowingly mislead Professor Snape?"

"Mislead? No, no. I simply told him what I saw. When I was at the hut, it was just me and Professor Babbling. No sign of these three little cherubs." Cassian flicked a hand at Harry, Hermione, and Ron, who looked anywhere but at him.

"You are splitting hairs," Snape hissed.

"You knew they were there." Cassian raised a brow.

"Naturally. I dedicated years of study on the off chance I'd stumble into a Djinn behind a bookshelf." Snape's lip curled.

"You're an insufferable git."

"Usually. But in this case, I think I was rather restrained." Cassian leaned back slightly, tapping the armrest.

"Now, are we here to debate my moral fibre, or to talk about why these three were creeping about after hours?"

"Potter, Granger, Weasley," McGonagall said, her voice cracking cold.

"Care to explain what possessed you to visit Hagrid at this hour?" Harry shifted in his chair. Hermione clutched her bag tighter. Ron looked like he wanted to vanish into the floor. None of them spoke. McGonagall's lips pressed into a thin line.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, each. And detention." Hermione's face fell. Harry winced. Ron groaned softly. Snape's mouth curved faintly, though his eyes stayed hard on Cassian.

"That won't undo the fact that Rosier lied to protect them."

"I thought you looked too scary to face three children. I was trying to protect them and you, Severus. You should have taken a calming draught before stomping across the grounds like a bat out of hell," Cassian shot back. McGonagall stepped between them.

"Enough. Both of you." She fixed Cassian with a look.

"I will remind you, Professor Rosier, that staff are expected to support each other, not provoke needless quarrels." Cassian raised his hands.

"Understood."

"Good," McGonagall said, "Then you can escort these three to the Forbidden Forest for detention."

"Hold on for a bloody second." Cassian raised one lazy hand. His eyes flicked to Snape, then back to McGonagall.

"Forbidden Forest? First-years? That place has the word forbidden in its name for a reason." McGonagall's lips pressed into a tight line.

"Hagrid requires assistance for the task tonight. These students will provide it." Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"Seriously? These three? I distinctly remember seeing Mr Malfoy wandering outside earlier. And unlike Severus here, I saw it with my own eyes. Why isn't he punished?" Cassian said, "He was sneaking about just the same as Potter and his merry little band here." Snape stepped forward.

"Malfoy was acting on my instructions. He was investigating suspicious behaviour—""Oh, come off it, Severus," Cassian cut in, waving a dismissive hand.

"Investigating? He was skulking about like a rat in a biscuit tin. If the rest of them are getting detention, so is he." Cassian wasn't being mean for the sake of it. He assumed that if a prat like the Malfoy heir was added to the list, McGonagall would change her decision about sending children into such a dangerous task. He was wrong. McGonagall's eyes narrowed slightly, though her voice stayed measured.

"Very well. Mr Malfoy will join them. Ten points from Slytherin." Malfoy let out a small, strangled noise.

"What?"

"Quiet," McGonagall said sharply, cutting off any further protest. Cassian swung his gaze back to McGonagall.

"Are you serious? Sending four first-years into the Forbidden Forest is the brightest idea Hogwarts has ever had. You know there is a bloody Acromantula colony in there, right? And Manticores who would trample a child for daring to stare at them."

"You and Hagrid will be with them," McGonagall replied curtly.

"He can handle any dangers."

"Ouch, and if you say so." He leaned forward slightly, fixing her with a pointed look.

"If one of them comes back with fewer limbs than they started, I'll be the one saying 'told you so.' Loudly." Snape's lip curled faintly.

"Your theatrics are unnecessary."

"My theatrics have kept a few students alive so far, thank you very much." Cassian shot back, his tone still light, though his eyes were sharp.

"You might try it sometime, Severus. A sense of proportion suits a man." McGonagall raised a hand, cutting them both off.

"That is enough. Professor Rosier, your concerns are noted. The arrangements are final." Cassian shrugged.

"Fine. First-years in the murder woods. Onward, my little wards, to danger." They left McGonagall's office with Hagrid stomping ahead, his lantern swinging. Cassian took up the rear, hands tucked into his robe pockets. The four students bunched awkwardly between them, shooting nervous glances at each other.

"Just so we are clear," Cassian said conversationally, "I can't even cast Protego half the time." That did it. All four of them edged closer to Hagrid in unison like he was the only thing standing between them and being eaten alive.

"Relax. If anything charges us, I'll bravely use you as a shield. It is a sacrifice I am willing to make." Four of them made a face at him. Hagrid didn't notice. He was too busy muttering to himself as he unlocked the dog house next to his hut. Fang bounded out, tail wagging. The boarhound lumbered over and headbutted Cassian's hip in greeting.

"You alright there, you big sod?" Cassian murmured, giving the dog's ears a scratch. Hagrid grabbed a crossbow from the corner and hoisted it over one shoulder.

"Right, follow me," he said.

"Stay close, and don't go wanderin off. Forest is not safe at the best of times." Draco let out a tiny noise, somewhere between a scoff and a squeak.

"Not safe?" Hagrid shot him a look.

"Something is hunting unicorns in there. Forest is gone strange since. Animals restless. Trees whispering odd things." Hermione's hand tightened on her sleeve. Malfoy looked paler than usual. The trees swallowed them up soon enough, and the path narrowed until it was barely wide enough for Hagrid's bulk. Lantern lights flickered over twisted roots and low branches that snagged at robes. Somewhere in the distance, a wolf howlod. Hagrid stopped at a fork in the path.

"We will have to split up," he said gruffly.

"Cover more ground. Fang will keep yeh safe, don't worry." Cassian shrugged, eyeing the four of them.

"Who is with me?" Ron and Draco shot back in perfect unison, "Not me." They froze, turned, and locked eyes.

"Copycat," Ron muttered.

"You wish, Weasley," Draco sneered. Then, as if the absurdity caught up with them, they both snorted at each other. Cassian whistled.

"C'mon, Fang. Let's go." The boarhound bounded ahead, tail wagging, unbothered by the press of pitch-black trees on every side. Harry and Hermione trailed after him, sticking so close together to Fang they might as well have been glued.

"You two planning to walk that way the whole time?" Cassian called over his shoulder.

"Not judging, but if Fang stops to take a leak, you might end up wearing it." Harry gave a small, nervous laugh. Hermione just clutched her wand tighter and kept her head down. The wand in Cassian's hand lit across gnarled roots. Somewhere ahead, a twig snapped. Fang's ears twitched, but the dog didn't stop. Hermione whispered, as they passed through a dense cluster of roots, "Why is your Lumos different, sir?" Cassian tilted his wand slightly, letting the bluish light spill across the forest floor.

"Because for a long time, the only spell I've ever been able to cast perfectly was Lumos. Got very attached to it. You should know a thing or two about different light spectrums from your studies before Hogwarts, yes?" Hermione nodded quickly, "Of course."

"Good. Sight is just light bouncing off things and smacking you in the eyes. Sunlight, torchlight, candlelight... they hit objects, reflect, and the colours you see depend on which wavelengths get absorbed or bounced back. Change the light's spectrum, and your eyes stop picking up certain colours." Harry frowned at the path ahead.

"So what's the point of that in a forest?" Cassian grinned, pointing at the ground.

"Shift the light spectrum just below visible red, infrared, and you lose colour, but gain heat signatures. Switch to ultraviolet, and it's useless for heat, but handy for spotting things like pollen or blood, organic stuff that fluoresces." Hermione's brow furrowed, her brain visibly spinning up.

"Wait, do magical creatures see on different spectrums, that might explain why owls react to torches but not—""—Wandlight? Exactly," Cassian cut in, flicking his wand so the beam sharpened to violet, then softened back to blue.

"Most owls hate open flame, too much heat, unpredictable movement. But they barely notice a focused UV beam? Still need to be quiet though. They hear a sneeze at a hundred yards." Harry's mouth opened, but Cassian held up a finger.

"Before you ask, no, I won't teach you. Your head of house would throw me off the Astronomy Tower if she caught first-years stumbling around the Forbidden Forest with spectrum-shifted Lumos." Hermione clamped her mouth shut, but her quill hand twitched. Cassian smirked, knowing full well she was already drafting an essay in her head.