After what felt like an eternity of toil and dedication, Cassi found herself nearing the end of her endeavours. What had begun as a mere project of necessity for she didn’t want to camp in a tent during the winter ever again. The construction of an escape tunnel, had had shown her something strange. Initially she did this out of a basic need for raw materials for her house. But as the days melded into one another, her pattern of eating, working, learning, doing some more work, and rigorous occlumency training before she went to bed, Cassi felt a profound shift within her mind.

As she painstakingly crafted her physical dwelling, she discovered a parallel development occurring within her mind. The house she was building, or at first the escape tunnel as well as the foundation of the house, in the tangible world began to mirror the mental fortress she was constructing within the labyrinthine depths of her psyche. Her 'mind palace', as she liked to call it, was taking shape alongside her physical abode.

This revelation sparked a transformation in Cassi's perspective. If her physical home could serve as a blueprint for her mind palace, then she had to ensure it was nothing short of perfection. So, she let go of her initial plan to hastily complete the project. Instead, she decided to infuse her work with unique features and special touches that would make her house and her mind palace truly exceptional.

Cassi was a novice when it came to casting wards, but she had not let that deter her. Just as she had carefully inscribed the stones of Hogwarts with rudimentary runes and set up connections for future linkage to its wardstones, she decided to do the same for her own home. In an act of sacrifice that demonstrated her unwavering commitment to her project, Cassi melted down a significant portion of her Galleons to use in her construction. A thousand gleaming gold coins were transformed into raw material for her house, their monetary value replaced by the far greater value of safety and security.

But despite the loss of her money, Cassi felt a surge of pride welling up within her. She was on the path to creating something truly extraordinary, a physical manifestation of her strength and resilience, a sanctuary that would serve as her fortress in the real world and within the confines of her mind. The satisfaction that came from seeing her vision come to life was worth far more than a pile of Galleons. She was building not just a house, but a monument to her unyielding spirit and unwavering determination. And for that, she couldn't be prouder.

The tunnel she was carving gradually expanded, its dimensions echoing the idea of the tunnel towards the Chamber of Secrets. It was ingeniously designed to serve as an emergency escape route. Cassi had fashioned it such that the initial drop was steep enough to allow her to plunge headfirst into the tunnel, yet it would gradually curve, catching her in its embrace and propelling her far enough from the house to ensure her safety.

She had plans to fortify this turning point with wards that recognised only her presence. This ingenious design would ensure her safety while simultaneously posing a lethal trap for any unwanted intruders. The turn that served as her safety net would disappear for others, causing them to crash into the solid ground. She would also render this location impervious to spells of flight and apparition, making it very unpleasant surprise for who may follow her.

But her house was not just about safety and security. She had poured her heart and soul into creating a space that reflected her personality and her love for knowledge. Another jewel of her construction was undeniably the library. Located at the heart of the building, it spanned from the ground floor right up to the roof, forming a magnificent inverted pyramid within the structure of her house.

This architectural marvel was not just about grandiose design. It was a testament to her love for books and her insatiable thirst for knowledge. The library was her haven, a place where she could lose herself in the countless worlds contained within the pages of her books. The design of the library allowed for natural light to flood in, illuminating the room and creating an atmosphere that was conducive to learning and introspection.

Cassi had spent countless days trying to replicate the enchantments of the Great Hall's ceiling at Hogwarts. She wanted her library to have the same magical ambiance, where the ceiling would mirror the outside weather, creating a sense of continuity with the external environment. It was an ambitious project, one that had tested her magical prowess and pushed her to her limits. But she was not one to back down from a challenge.

In the end, her efforts bore fruit. The ceiling of her library was a masterpiece, a perfect blend of magic and architecture. It was a sight to behold, the changing weather patterns reflected on the ceiling, casting varying hues and shadows across the room. It was her own personal slice of Hogwarts, a reminder of the place that had been Roses first home.

The answer to the enigma of the ceiling was found within the simple, yet often overlooked Disillusionment Charm. It was a charm that manipulated the light around the caster, rendering them invisible. She marvelled at the imagination of the founder of Hogwarts, using it to project an image onto the ceiling of what the world outside looked like. It was a clever piece of magic, a blend of illusion and reality that created a mesmerising effect. The charm painted the sky above her, mimicking the shifting hues of dawn, the bright blue of noon, the fiery sunset, and the star-studded night. It was magical.

This feat of magical engineering sparked a curiosity within Cassi, a burning desire to delve deeper into the mysteries of magic. It reminded her of a certain bushy-haired witch. Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age, a beacon of knowledge and determination. The parallels between them, at least the Cassi of today and the Hermione as Rose knew her, were uncanny. Both were women of intellect, driven by their thirst for knowledge.

But where was Hermione now? The war had taken its toll on everyone, but Hermione had lost more than most. She did erase her parents' memories of her, her existence erased from their life. Had she been able to restore them? Will she return to Hogwarts to complete her education? The questions nagged at Cassi, a stark reminder of her ignorance about the world beyond her home.

Driven by this newfound awareness, Cassi embarked on a project that was as ambitious as if not even more so than her library. She called it her 'spy room'. The room was a masterstroke of magical innovation in her opinion, Rose and the Order really should have built something like this during the war. Using a series of one-way mirrors, she created a network of surveillance points across the castle and in the pubs of Rosmerta, Tom and Aberforth. The mirrors were designed to appear like regular glass and unlike the idea of the communication mirror, their true purpose was concealed. Combined with a simple Sticking Charm the windows merely appeared to have thicker glass.

The spy room housed a cabinet filled with already over twenty different mirrors. Each mirror could be summoned at will, providing her with a real-time view of different locations. It was a feat of magical surveillance that would have made even the most seasoned Auror envious.

But Cassi didn't stop at mirrors. She had multiple copies of the Marauder's Map, a magical document that revealed the whereabouts of every person within its realm. Not just Hogwarts, but also the bustling streets of Diagon Alley and the quaint town of Hogsmeade. Even the pubs owned by Rosmerta, Tom, and Aberforth were not beyond her reach. On her future agenda was to spy on the manors or the old pureblood families as well.

This combination of mirrors and maps provided Cassis with a powerful tool for gathering information. It allowed her to keep a finger on the pulse of the wizarding world, but it came with a big problem: time.

The passage of time proved to be a formidable adversary in Cassis’ grand plan of espionage. The idea of being tethered to a room, her gaze riveted to a series of mirrors, was not a notion she entertained with any degree of enthusiasm. As much as she craved knowledge, the prospect of turning into a hermit, living vicariously through reflected images, was far from appealing.

She glanced around the room, her eyes falling on the towering bookshelves that lined the walls of her library. They stood like silent sentinels, their wooden frames filled with the promise of knowledge, yet appearing hauntingly empty. "Well, it only looks empty, because I made it bloody big," she muttered to herself, a weak attempt at humour to alleviate the stark reality of her situation.

The emptiness of her library spurred a new motivation within her - a hunger for literature. She needed books, tomes filled with the wisdom of ages, the secrets of the arcane, the mysteries of the cosmos. And so, she found herself embarking on a new adventure, one that took her to Flourish and Blotts, the renowned bookstore in Diagon Alley.

Hours turned into days as she scoured the shelves of Flourish and Blotts, her heart sinking with every passing moment. The books there, while a treasure trove of knowledge for the average wizard, were all in compliance with the Ministry’s regulations. They were safe, sanitised, stripped of any knowledge that was deemed 'dangerous'. Cassi did not harbour any intentions of turning to the Dark Arts, but she believed in the power of knowledge, no matter how controversial it might be. The Ministry's censorship of literature was not just an inconvenience - it was an affront to her principles.

Her thirst for unfiltered knowledge led her to the ominous Knockturn Alley, a place shrouded in darkness both literal and metaphorical. She walked its cobbled streets, her hand instinctively gripping her wand, the other clutching her invisibility cloak. Every shadow seemed to hold a threat, every whisper carried a warning. The stories Rose have heard make her cautious but she pressed on.

As she ventured deeper into Knockturn Alley, she could feel the change in the air. It was denser, heavier, as if the very atmosphere was imbued with the weight of the secrets it held. The shops here were different from the ones in Diagon Alley, their wares darker, their patrons shadier. But amidst the darkness, Cassi saw her target- the prospect of knowledge beyond the Ministry's control.

As she stepped in Obscurus Tomes, the musty smell of old parchment and dust hit her nostrils. The sight that greeted her was nothing short of chaotic - stacks upon stacks of unsorted books, piled haphazardly in worn-out boxes. Behind the counter, an old man sat, his interest in his surroundings seemingly as negligible as his interest in maintaining any semblance of order in the shop.

Cassi sighed, rolling up her sleeves in preparation for the monumental task ahead. She was about to plunge into the sea of unsorted literature when the old man’s voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Stop right there, young lady," he called out, not even bothering to lift his gaze from the tattered book he was engrossed in. Cassi turned, a look of irritation flashing across her face. "These are books from the collection of a deceased wizard. I don't sort through them, and you're not about to start."

Confusion wrinkled her forehead. "How am I supposed to decide what to buy then?" she asked, her tone bordering on incredulous. The old man merely raised an eyebrow, his disinterest palpable. "If you can't decide to buy, you may just as well leave my shop."

Cassis couldn't help it. She spluttered, "What the bloody fuck?"

The old man looked at her as if she were a first-year trying to transfigure a matchstick into a needle. "Only because you're young, I'll tell you this," he sighed, setting his book aside. "I can't get sued for selling illegal things if I don't know about them. These books are from the collections of old wizarding families that recently died out. Death Eaters, some of them. I might make a fortune from these books, but I might just as well be obligated to destroy them. So, I sell them without looking. But, and I only say this because of your ignorance, don't be too eager. Some of these books might have curses that would kill you upon touching them. The risk is yours."

Their conversation spiralled into a minor argument, with Cassi growing increasingly frustrated and the old man remaining as uninterested as ever. He didn't sell anything else at the moment, which only added to her annoyance. But to him, it was just business as usual, his modus operandi.

In the end, she managed to squeeze some names of the families that had sold the books. And it was a goldmine - the LeStrange, Rookwood, and Avery family books were in those boxes. Despite the potential risks, she bought them all, her thirst for knowledge outweighing the possible dangers. After all, what's a little adventure without a dash of danger?

Despite the day still having a few hours left in it, Knockturn Alley was already as dark as a moonless night. Cassi had no intention of hanging around any longer than necessary. She pulled her invisibility cloak tighter around her, blending seamlessly into the shadows. Just as she was about to make her exit, a familiar face caught her eye.

Tracey Davis was leading Daphne Greengrass down an alleyway even darker than the one they were in. Cassi frowned, curiosity piqued. She decided to follow, padding along silently under the cover of her cloak.

She was close enough to overhear part of their conversation, Daphne's voice echoed softly, laced with anxiety. "And you are sure we will get our portkeys here?" The doubt in her voice was palpable.

Tracey heaved a sigh just as they vanished in a side street, the sound as heavy as the air around them. "You know this wasn't easy," she started, her voice trailing off as a red light flashed, followed by a loud thud. Cassis' heart pounded in her chest as she watched on. Tracey continued, her voice steady despite the ominous atmosphere, "to find someone that would make you vanish. But finally, I have written my future anew. No more slave for the likes of Crabbe and Goyle, I am going to get Nott or even Malfoy." She snickered.

Cassis had to suppress a snort at that. Tracey's infatuation with Nott was well-known that with Malfoy was very new and very disgusting. She too entered the side street, one behind the 'The Whispering Den', a fitting name for a pub nestled in the darkest corner of Knockturn Alley.

Tracey knocked on the backdoor, the sound echoing ominously in the quiet alley. The door creaked open, revealing a man who looked like he hadn't taken a bath in months. He reminded Cassi of Snape, minus the intelligence. His voice was gruff as he asked, "You've got her?"

Tracey nodded, kicking Daphne in the side. "Yes, here she is. Just make sure she never appears in public ever again and we are done."

The man's attempt at a smile was as slimy as his hair. "Don't worry, my dear. We've got just the right thing for her." He brandished his wand, waving it in an intricate pattern. Daphne vanished into the pub, the door slamming shut with a bang that echoed in the silent alley. Tracey hurried away, leaving Cassis alone in the alley.

Cassis felt a surge of adrenaline, an urge to barge into the pub and put an end to the atrocity taking place inside. But she was not like Rose, who would have stormed in without a second thought. Cassi was more calculated; she knew that rushing in without a plan would only lead to her downfall. She could do a lot for her friends, but if she was dead or incapacitated, she wouldn't be of help to anyone.

She finally managed to infiltrate the pub, slipping unnoticed into the backroom, all thanks to her invisibility cloak. The room was abuzz with an auction, a sinister event that required all attendees to swear an oath of silence about its proceedings.

The auctioneer's voice boomed across the room, "Sold! For 1400 galleons to the gentlewizard with the number 14." A wave of disgust washed over Cassi, but she knew she had to remain focused. Her only option was to follow this 'gentlewizard' and hope to find an opportunity to intervene.

She trailed behind him, close enough to eavesdrop on his conversation with a repugnant man who seemed to be in charge. "As we already said, whoever gets her has to make sure she doesn't escape back to her family or the public," he was saying. His voice was greasy, a smirk evident in his tone. "But we got some of that new alchemistic stuff, that the new Dumbledore uses to... ah... reform the good old families that showed they needed more guidance in the last years. So, in short, we have prepared her for you to... show her the right way."

Cassis felt her blood boil at his words, her hand instinctively reaching for her wand. She had to act fast. The man led 'gentlewizard number 14' to a heavy door, opening it with a flourish and that disgusting grin again. "Have fun," he said, and Cassi felt her stomach churn. She ignored the auctioneer and hurried into the room.

Alex0815

At first I thought 2000 words were enough to push the story on, I exceed those every time. Therefore I will try to reach 3000-4000 from now on. This may take a bit longer for new chapters to arrive, but not by much and I do believe the chapter quality will improve.