Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Harry Potter.

A/N: I trying to think of ideas for my other fics, when this one popped into my head, and wouldn't leave me alone. I am very dubious as to its viability as a story, but thought, what the hell! It might end up a three-parter.

And away we go.

Difficult Choices

Part One - Escape

"One need not be a chamber to be haunted;
One need not be a house;
The brain has corridors surpassing
Material place."

Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886)

Miharu Arutani watched from the relative quiet of the Slytherin table, as the boisterous Gryffindors laughed and joked their way through the evening meal. And who could blame them? It was the end of the Summer Term, and for the Seventh years, like herself, the end of their Hogwarts' education. She only wished she could feel so joyous, so excited, as they appeared to be.

Oh she knew some of it was a façade or sheer bravado, at least to some extent. The War was by no means won, and the Light was by no means guaranteed the victor. She smiled very faintly, as she imagined the looks of incredulity she would be met with, if those rambunctious and self-righteous Gryffindors ever found out the truth about her and her housemates. They were all regarded as Deatheaters in training, vilified and shunned by the rest of the school. Their Head of House their only defender. But it wasn't like that, they weren't like that. At least, not all of them.

Raised in staunch pureblood society, born to wealth and privilege, they were expected to follow their parent's Master, supposedly to secure the power and future of pureblood wizarding kind. But that wasn't what would happen, they had all seen enough to understand the truth of what was expected of them. And that was why their table was so quiet tonight. For tomorrow, they would not be going out into the world, with their magical education complete, bright futures ahead of them, the world their oyster….No.

Tomorrow they would be willingly handed over by their parents to the Dark Lord, entering the profoundest slavery imaginable.

Half of them would probably be dead in a month, and none of them at the hands of their supposed enemies.

For the boys, it would probably be at the whim of the Dark Lord, for his entertainment. Or, it would be in his torture chambers or 'pleasure rooms', for the satisfaction of his followers. Rewards for their faithful service.

For the girls, most of them had been promised in marriage to various Deatheaters, as a way of continuing the bloodlines of the faithful. Pansy was one of the luckier ones; she was engaged by contract to Draco Malfoy, who was nothing like his Father, underneath. Oh, on the surface he played the devoted heir, and arrogant bastard, but on the inside, he was a good man. A gentle, intelligent, decent man. The scathing wit and the sarcasm were real, true, but he never meant any of it seriously, it was all just for a laugh, for fun.

Millicent too, had had a narrow escape. Unknown to many, she had appealed to a distant relative, and before graduation, she would be portkeying to the United States. Voldemort's arm was nowhere near that long. He had a few contacts in Europe, but the Ministry of Magic in America was fierce about protecting its citizens, so she would be out of reach.

The others, she was not so sure of their fate. She kept to herself, not wanting to draw any attention, not wanting to stand out. Her family was pureblood, of course, and had a long history, equal to the Malfoy's and of similar wealth. But they had never dabbled in politics. Instead, they kept to the shadows, furthering their aims by the most underhanded and blackest of schemes. One might say she was the white sheep of her family. She was a Slytherin to the core, the Hat had not been mistaken in her placement, but she was not a killer. She was not evil, and she took no pleasure in the suffering and pain of others, whether they be wizard, muggle, halfblood, muggleborn or creature.

She did not think herself superior to anyone, for the simple chance of being born into such a family as hers. Quite the opposite in fact. She had no small amount of envy for the muggleborn students, whose parents so clearly loved and supported them, even when something so confusing and scary as magic entered their lives.

As for her, she did not think she would last the week. Her parents would not grace the school with their presence to see their only daughter graduate, oh no, they were busy. She would ride the train back to King's Cross and be collected by a servant.

She was not disappointed when she read their missive, advising her of their decision. Oh no, the Slytherin in her saw it for what it really was: escape.

This was her chance.

On hearing who her parents had happily signed over her future to, Miharu had realised she only had two choices: stay and die at the hands of her future husband, or flee and probably die at the hands of her parents or their Master.

Needless to say, neither of these options was very appealing. So, she took the bit between her teeth and began looking for a third option. She would not willingly bow down and be traded off to a murderer and a sadist.

After some reflection, she came up with a few ideas. Being an organised sort, she wrote them down, with the strongest privacy charm she knew, tied into her own signature. To anyone who looked, it would seem a harmless scrap of parchment with schoolgirl doodles on it. Sitting on her bed in the dormitory, curtains drawn, she pulled out the list and re-read it, along with the comments she'd added.

1: Approach Professor Snape – However, Snape is a Deatheater. His loyalties are suspect, as he could be working for Dumbledore. Could be safest bet, but still risky.

2: Approach Dumbledore for sanctuary – This would open self up to the old coot's manipulation, and could lead to more danger than marriage. Best to come back to this one later.

3: Void Marriage Contract somehow, and ask Ministry for help – Need to research contract and read fine print. Must obtain copy.

4: Kill myself – A bit drastic, but better than the wedding.

5: Appeal to sappy Gryffindor side of Potter or a Potter-Crony – Yikes.

She sighed as she went over her options. They were all quite bleak. Especially numbers four and five. Since she had written the list, she'd managed to get a copy of the wedding agreement from her parents, citing her wish to become well versed in her new duties, to please her husband. The idiots swallowed it hook-line-and-sinker. She laughed internally at the muggle phrasing. She often wondered if there had been a mix up at the hospital, and that she wasn't actually an Arutani.

The years of inbreeding and cousins marrying had produced a line of degenerative fuckwits, with less than three brain cells to rub together between them. She wasn't claiming to be a genius, or hugely book-smart like Granger, but she wasn't Crabbe or Goyle either. Perhaps the genetic denigration decided to skip a generation. She was sure she would never know.

The only way to void the marriage contract, would be if she was 'sullied', she found. She was expected to reach the marriage bed a virgin. Losing her virginity would not be a problem at Hogwarts. She was no beauty, but she could easily claim the appellation 'attractive'. And let's face it, boys are easy. Particularly if you made sure they knew you didn't expect anything from them afterwards.

However, losing her virginity and then letting her husband discover it on their wedding night would not only give grounds for an annulment, it would ensure she ended up dead. She had no illusions that she would be allowed a quick death either. So, there had to be another way.

After hours of contemplation, she finally deduced the only way she could seek a breaking of the contract and have a chance of survival. She would have to lose her virginity, and ensure she wound up pregnant. It would be the only way. No one could argue it. An examination by a healer could show she wasn't a virgin, but healers could be silenced. A baby would be definitive proof, and the Ministry would have to accede to her wishes.

But then, could she bring a baby into this world? As a bastard? In the middle of the War? Let alone the fact that the reasons for its conception were less than honourable, if for a good cause. She wouldn't have to worry about money, she had a nice inheritance from her paternal grandmother, who, after marrying into the deranged Arutani family decided a contingency fund would be a good idea. It was completely cut off from her parents, and now she was seventeen, it was all hers.

But could she really do it?

Option four was looking more and more tempting by the day.

As the Farewell Feast wound down, Miharu decided now was the time to try option two. She had to give her Headmaster the benefit of the doubt, and make her appeal. She looked to the Head Table and could see Professor Snape had long since left, not being one for prolonged festivities. It wasn't very late, though, and she still had a while until Seventh Year curfew. As it was their last night and all, they were told they were allowed some laxity, not being students anymore. Her eyes followed Dumbledore as he smoothly exited the Great Hall through the door the staff sometimes used.

She got up and made her way towards the doors at the other end of the hall, her pace sedate and unhurried. Not really being popular, none of her housemates or any of the other students really noticed her passing.

Once she was clear of the Entrance Hall, she increased her speed to a swift walk, covering the distance to the Headmaster's office as quickly as she could. When she reached the gargoyle, she drew a steadying breath, her hand resting on her rapidly beating heart. She could feel her body's reaction to the adrenaline pumping in her veins, as the nerves claimed her. She drew on her hard-won control, and cleared her mind, just as she'd read in the Professor's books. She said the password in a cool voice.

"Fizzing Whizbee"

There was the sound of stone moving on stone, as the gargoyle slid out of the way to reveal the spiral staircase which lead to the fabled office. In all her time at Hogwarts, she'd never been called here. She'd asked Draco for the password earlier, not citing her reasons. He wasn't stupid, nor was he the Prince of Slytherin for nothing. He'd looked at her for a long moment, sympathy evident in his eyes.

"Good luck Miharu." He'd murmured, before walking off, striding quickly through the corridors. He knew her reasons for doing what she was about to do, and he didn't try and stop her. After all, he knew who she was promised to, and privately he had about the same estimations for her life expectancy as she did.

Drawn back into the present by a jolt as the stairs stopped, she braced herself once more, before knocking loudly on the wooden panels in front of her.

"Come." Called the voice of the old man, and she hesitantly turned the door handle. She kept her face cool as she entered, but she felt a cold stab of fear pierce her heart when she saw who was in the office with Dumbledore.

Professor Snape.

"Shit, shit, shit." She thought, but there was no turning back now.

"Ah, Miss…" Albus searched for a name, but he didn't recognise this student. He robes revealed her to be one of Severus' snakes, so he looked to the younger man for this girl's identity.

"Arutani. Miharu Arutani." Severus supplied, frowning slightly at the Slytherin girl, and Albus nodded benignly.

"Miss Arutani, welcome. What can I do for you? Lemon drop?" The Headmaster asked, not very pleased by her interruption, but hiding it well.

"No thank you sir. I'll just get straight to the point, shall I?" She asked calmly, outwardly serene, but inwardly quaking in her boots, er, shoes. Both men nodded, and she took another deep breath, releasing it slowly, looking down at her hands.

"Tomorrow, I leave here, this being my last year. My parents are Deatheaters, I won't lie about it. They want me to take the Dark Mark, right before they marry me off to one of the faithful. I have no wish to follow my parents' Master, or commit the atrocities they favour. However, if I refuse, they will kill me. I come here, to ask for Sanctuary." She declared, raising a proud face, her steady gaze on both men. Severus sucked in a quick breath, but quickly schooled his features into neutrality.

He was shocked however; the Arutanis had a worse reputation than the Blacks or the Malfoys. He had no idea that this child, no, young woman, had any desire other than to follow in the footsteps of her sadistic forbearers. He quietly chided himself for not paying enough attention to his student. She'd always been so quiet, he hadn't bothered to try and sway her; sure she was a lost cause. It didn't sit well with him that he was wrong, or that he had been lax in his duty to her.

Severus turned to look at the Headmaster, and was not pleased by what he read in the old man's eyes. He was sitting at his desk, his fingers steepled under his chin, with a calculating expression that the Potions Master recognised all too well.

"My dear child, I would be happy to offer you the shelter you seek, and vouch for you when the War is won." He began, and Severus and Miharu inwardly groaned. Miharu knew then, what Dumbledore wanted, and she knew she couldn't give it to him. The odds of him helping her plummeted drastically. Albus continued. "However, we are in desperate need of information. You could be a valuable asset to the Order, were you to join." He said and Miharu winced.

"I cannot do what you ask, Headmaster, it is impossible." She replied and she saw the flash of irritation in his eyes.

"And why is that?" He asked, in a voice less benevolent than before. She sighed and repressed the urged to slump in her chair.

"For one thing, if I am lying, He will know. If I intend to spy on Him, He will read it in my mind. And I'll be killed on the spot." She answered and Dumbledore frowned. Snape watched this by-play with growing fear. Miss Arutani was right; she could not spy for the Order. But he new Albus would not shelter one of the Slytherins, without a price. A price he would not demand from any of the other Houses, just his.

Very few Ravenclaws, Gryffindors or Hufflepufs became Deatheaters. And very few were so highly placed in society. For Albus, being presented with a Slytherin who'd 'turned', as he put it, was like being presented with a roomful of those blasted Lemon Drops. It was irresistible, and he intended to wring every drop of use he could, out of this Deatheater's child.

"Severus can teach you to shield your mind child, and protect it from Voldemort." Dumbledore asserted and Severus felt like snarling.

"In one night, Headmaster? Miss Arutani is scheduled to return to her family tomorrow." He protested. Before the old coot could speak, Miharu cut in.

"I am already a Master Occlumens. That is not the point. The point is, that if I am allowed to be wed to my adoring fiancé, I will be dead within the week." She declared and both men frowned at her.

"Who are you promised to, Miss Arutani?" Severus inquired politely. She grimaced.

"Walden McNair." She replied darkly.

This time, Snape did not repress the shock and outrage in his face as he turned to the Headmaster.

"I thought he was already married." Dumbledore countered and Snape practically hissed at him.

"His third wife died at his hands, about six months ago, in the same manner as his first and second wife." He explained, and Dumbledore made a 'Go on' motion with his hands.

"All three were beaten and raped to death, their bodies then preserved for his other…entertainments. I told you before, I think, that these arrangements are intended to produce children for the faithful, to be raised in the Dark Lord's way." Severus paused while he glanced at the proud face of his student. "However, McNair doesn't keep them alive long enough to bear children. He has his heir, from his first wife, these other women are just for his amusement." He finished, again looking at the young woman who was trying to avoid such a fate. She was gazing at him, terror and resignation in her eyes.

"Surely Tom will not allow one of his followers to be killed so needlessly." Dumbledore insisted and both Slytherins spun around, incredulity spread across their faces. Miharu slammed her hand down on the old man's desk, surprising both wizards with her outburst.

"What are you not getting about this sir? I am not special. I have no particular gift that the Dark Lord wishes to exploit. I am not weak, but I am no more powerful than any of his other servants. I have nothing to distinguish myself in his eyes. I am merely flesh, to be exploited at his will, a reward for one of his Inner Circle." She got up, obviously deciding there was no Sanctuary to be found here. "It is obvious you will not help me, for if I were to do what you ask, I would be walking towards a slow and agonising death. Goodbye Headmaster." She spat, and stalked out of the office.

There was a moment of silence, before Severus spoke.

"Are you completely out of your mind? She was asking for help, and you turned her away! Sometimes, I really do not understand you Albus. I really don't. Sure, she would not spy, but did you think about what she could possibly already know? Her parents have been with the Dark Lord since the beginning. She is a quiet young woman, so quiet that few notice her presence. Just imagine, for a moment, what she may have overheard. Now, imagine what you've just lost." He said all this in a quiet, deadly voice, before he too got up, and walked away.

Dumbledore was angry with the younger man for his disrespectful outburst, but he let it be, for now. He was glad to have gotten rid of that ugly child, he did not want people like her messing up his plans, or his reputation. He was already disgusted with himself for sheltering one Slytherin, however useful he might be. He had no plans to take in another of the slimy creatures.

Miharu didn't stop until she was safely back in the dungeons. It was a rule that Slytherins should not wander the upper levels by themselves at night, or even during the day, if it could be avoided. Once they were back in the snake pit, they were safe, protected. But up there, they were likely to bump into the groups of the other houses who bullied the Slytherins for sport. More than a few learned that lesson the hard way.

She reached a short corridor, and paused leaning against the wall. She tried to calm her racing heart, but her emotions were beginning to get the better of her. She could feel the tears, just on the edge, waiting to spill, wanting to be released. All the fear and tension which had been holding her for the last few months, was bubbling up inside, and did not want to be repressed again. She heard footsteps approaching rapidly, and looked around, suddenly realising where she was.

Professor Snape's corridor.

His chambers were here, and he did not like to be disturbed. She sniffed as she heard him getting closer, the swish of his famous robes in time with his long stride. She looked about rapidly, trying to find a way out before he saw her here, but realising that she would not be able to get away time. She cursed softly, and wiped her face, annoyed by the telltale wetness there. She straightened, ready to face this ordeal head on.

She knew the moment he spotted her, there was a slight change in the sound of his boots hitting the stone floor, almost like a hesitation. It was only a split second, before they resumed their relentless pace.

Severus stopped in front of his ex-student, and quickly swept an assessing look over her. His eyes took in her slightly dishevelled robes, not missing the expensive fabric and the obviously tailored cut. She did play the part well, after all. He also noticed the redness and puffiness of her skin, particularly round her eyes. She'd obviously stumbled down here, and didn't realise where she was. He was well aware that his snakes had feelings and could cry, but they usually did it in private. From the mortification evident in her expression, she had not expected anyone to see such a display. He thought about it for a moment, before beckoning her, and opening the door to his private rooms.

"Sit, Miss Arutani." He said, gesturing to the comfortable green sofa. She sat gracefully, and folded her hands in her lap. He studied her for a moment, before chuckling darkly. "Goodness child, it's not tea with the Queen. Relax Miharu." He said the last part softly, before conjuring a tea tray and sitting in his favourite armchair. She looked at the tray for a moment, before glancing up at him.

"Do you have anything stronger?" She asked quietly and he frowned for a moment, before shrugging. She was of age, and she was not his student anymore. He summoned a bottle of Ogden's finest, and two glasses, before banishing the tea tray. He poured for both of them, before sitting back in his chair. Miharu took a long swig, making a face at the taste, and Severus was mildly impressed when she didn't start coughing at the kick of the firewhiskey. She relaxed, as he'd asked, and leaned backwards, slumping slightly into the squashy cushions.

"Looks like I'm done for. It'll have to be option four after all." She mumbled, but he heard her.

"Option four?" He asked, and she flicked a glance at him. In her turbulent state, the whiskey was having a strong effect on her, and she was becoming intoxicated a lot quicker than she might have done otherwise. Especially with the way she was gulping it down. She took another slip and pulled a scrap of parchment from her robes. She thrust it at him, and he took it, wondering what it was. He frowned as all he saw were doodles, and turned back to her.

"Miss Arutani, I can't read this." He protested, and she snorted into her glass. Clearly pureblood manners didn't stand up to such inebriation. She pulled at her wand and tapped the parchment, mumbling a 'Finite Incantatum'. He pulled it back as she put her wand back up her sleeve and quickly scanned its contents. He inwardly winced as he read the first and second options. The third had possibilities, the fourth…he sucked in a breath as he read it and shook his head unconsciously. She would NOT be taking the fourth option if he had anything to do with it, and the fifth…well, he agreed with her assessment. Yikes.

Then again...

Black and Lupin were at the school, and although they were Order members, and could conceivably be called 'Potter-Cronies', Potter had lately been distancing himself from the Headmaster. Subtly, and in an altogether Slytherin way. But he was slowly succeeding. Perhaps he could speak to the mutts, or persuade Miss Arutani to go and see them? They would be highly suspicious, but if Potter was there, he could force them to at least be reasonable. At worst, they would place her under house arrest, and he knew she would not object much to such a fate. Desperation was often a strong motivator. And prospects such as hers would no doubt inspire desperation. But what about option three?

"Miss Arutani, Miharu. How far did you get with the Marriage Contract?" He asked and looked over at her. Clearly, she'd refilled her glass a time or two, and he decided now might be a good time to remove it from her. He summoned it, not wanting to get slapped, and she whimpered in protest. It was only half hearted however, and she slowly sat up to answer his question.

"Well, I read the fine print, and ther'sh only one way out of it. Gotta be 'sullied'." She hiccoughed, before continuing. "But, don't wanna get to hish bed, and be all like, 'Ha! Not a virgin no more!' Cos, he'd kill me. So, no can do." She explained, and he frowned again. He sat back in his chair, the list still in his hands, absently mindedly sipping his drink. He didn't notice when she refilled it, his mind was wandering over her dilemma.

After an hour or so, he threw the list into the fire, and drained his glass. Getting up, intending to go to bed, he started in surprise when he saw Miss Arutani was curled up on his sofa. He'd completely forgotten about her. He wobbled a bit and realised he was far more intoxicated that he'd bargained for, and lurched over unsteadily to wake her.

"Miss Arutani. Wake up, it'sh way pasht curfew." He said, irritated with himself for slurring his words. He hadn't been this drunk in ages. He shook her gently and she stirred.

"Professor?" She asked, rubbing her eyes before opening them. She smiled as she looked at his face, the whiskey in her veins overriding all her common sense. "You know, you have lovely eyes. I'm shure you hear it all the time. And your voice…sweet Merlin! You should go on one of thosh muggle sex lines, you'd make a bloody fortune!" She said. He smiled, a warm glow spreading throughout his body at her compliments. A small part of his brain reminded him he was being a twit, but he ignored it. She sat up and lost her balance. He tried, unsuccessfully, to catch her, and they ended up in a crumpled heap, half on the sofa and half on the floor.

Severus was finding it hard to cope with the sensations of having such a young and warm female body pressed against him, and in such an intimate way. His mind was starting to cloud over with desire and his reasoning was being muddled by the potent alcohol he'd consumed. It had been so long, his need was almost insurmountable. He knew this was a very bad idea, but he didn't protest when she leaned in, and pressed her lips to his.

Miharu woke very early, a throbbing pain in her head, and in unfamiliar surroundings. She sat up slowly, one hand pressed to her forehead in a futile attempt to banish the pain. She looked around and tried to figure out where she was. A few things came to her immediate notice.

1: She was naked.

2: This was not her room.

3: There was someone else in the bed.

Fuck.

4: That someone was Professor Snape.

She shifted her legs and immediately winced at the pain in between them. She realised then what must have happened. She'd lost her virginity to Snape! Of all people! She tried to remember, but it was all a blur…the firewhiskey! Oh, she'd been plastered! And so had he.

Fuck.

She got up slowly, trying not to wake him. He was sleeping on his front, hands under his pillow, his head resting on it. He was snoring softly, completely dead to the world. She was slightly sympathetic to the hangover he would surely have when he woke, if hers was anything to go by. If he woke with her here, it would be a disaster. She didn't want to have a huge argument, or have to deal with his sneering and sniping, which he surely would, if he discovered her in his bed. She pulled the duvet back carefully, and saw the thin trail of blood on the sheets. Her blood. Miharu gulped in fear.

Once she was safely out of the bed and had retrieved her wand, she silently summoned her clothes. Making sure to scourgify the blood from the cotton sheets, she dressed quickly, and was away just before dawn broke. She would have to wangle a hangover potion from Draco, as she could not risk taking one of the Professor's. Still no further along in her plan, other than losing her innocence, she tumbled into bed, and tried to sleep.

Miharu awoke again, a couple of hours later, feeling slightly better than she did earlier, but still feeling quite nauseous. She stumbled into the bathroom, and took a long drink from the tap, looking up into the mirror at her dishevelled state.

"You look a mess dear." Advised the mirror.

"Thanks." She replied, before turning the tap off and getting into the shower cubicle. She turned on the water and relaxed under the hot spray. Something about last night was bothering her, aside from the obvious. Something she had done, other than shagging her Professor (which she admitted was bad enough in itself). The memory was just there, on the surface, teasing her. But no matter how hard she tried to grasp it, it slithered away. She sighed and began washing her hair, idly noticing she was running out of hair potion…potion…that was it! She had taken the Fertility Potion before dinner. It was a last resort, contingency plan. She had in no way imagined she would actually get laid, it had just felt good to actually do something, even if it was incredibly stupid.

Shit! Unless they used some protection, there was an extremely high chance she was pregnant. With Snape's baby. She felt like banging her head against the tiled wall.

What the bloody hell was she supposed to do now?

After showering and dressing, she thought on her problems as she walked to the Great Hall for breakfast. Her headache was gone, thanks to a potion from Pansy. She had actually looked up whether it could be dangerous for a pregnant woman before she asked for it. She had no idea how she felt about the possibility of a baby, but Miharu knew she had to keep her options open. As she sat with her housemates, she scanned the Head Table. Snape was there, looking pissed off, but no more than usual. The young Slytherin wasn't sure how much he would have remembered, and she had been in a rush when she left. She hoped she'd got rid of the evidence, but there was no way she could have made a thorough check.

Miharu let her gazed wander over the other faces, pausing for a moment in anger when it settled on the Headmaster. Not wanting the old man to notice her ire, she quickly moved on. Her gazed paused for a moment, when it rested on Professor Lupin. He was sitting with his friend, Sirius Black, who stood in for the werewolf on the full moons. They were chatting back and forth, smiling and laughing while they ate. She saw them both stop talking and wave, looking towards the entrance. The young witch followed their eyes and saw Harry Potter and his friends walking in, waving back at the two Professors.

There was only one option left to try. She considered all of the Potter-Cronies, and finally settled on Lupin. He might be many things, but his was a kind, gentle soul, despite the wolf within. Miharu was out time and ideas. She would have to throw herself on the mercy of Potter.

Resigning herself to her fate, she mentally prepared herself for the conversation to come. She would have to be upfront and honest with them, to the point of bluntness. The Slytherin in her scoffed at having to open herself up to these Gryffindors. But it seemed they were her only hope.

She should have gone with option four.

Not long after breakfast, Miharu walked swiftly towards the Defence classroom. There was no point delaying the inevitable, and she knew Lupin would be in there, as she heard him and Black talking as they left the Great Hall. Her belongings were in her trunk, which was currently shrunk in her pocket. All of the jewellery her parents gave her, complete with tracking charms, were currently enjoying their new residence in the lake. The Slytherin didn't wait to talk herself out of it, so she knocked purposefully on the door, waiting impatiently for an answer. There was silence for a moment, and then, "Come in!"

Miharu opened the door and walked in, closing it softly behind her. The two Professors were sat on desks facing each other, fiddling with papers, boxes at their feet.

"Yes? How can I help you…Miss…" Sirius began, searching for a name. Miharu rolled her eyes, not bothering to hide her irritation.

"You know, I've been here for seven years, and no one outside of Slytherin remembers my name." She said, crossing her arms. Black glared back at her, his hackles up at the mention of Slytherin. Remus noticed this and looked between them, giving them both stern glances.

"Miss Arutani, is it not? Did you need something?" He asked mildly. She shifted her weight a little, still a bit cross, before slumping in defeat. She threw herself onto a chair before speaking.

"I need…help." She said in a quiet voice. Sirius snorted, still obviously wanting to make some derisive comment about her house, but held back by Lupin.

"Ah, help? What sort of help? You are to graduate today, correct?" He replied and she sighed deeply. She pressed both hands to her face, looking at the floor, before standing up and facing the two men, desperation evident in her eyes.

"Yes I will graduate today, and in two days time, I am expected to take Voldemort's Mark, and marry Walden McNair. I wish neither of these. For if I abide by my parents choices, I will be dead in less than a week. I am not a supporter of Voldemort, I do not uphold his beliefs and I find his practices and proclivities atrocious. I need Sanctuary. I wanted to ask Harry Potter, but something told me it would be better to approach you, Professor Lupin." She said it all in a dead monotone, demonstrating more eloquently the depth of her despair to the two shocked men before her.

"McNair…he's…vicious." Muttered Sirius. Remus was trying to take it all in, and a question occurred to him.

"Why did you not want to approach Harry?" He asked and she frowned.

"Honestly? A couple of things really. I didn't want to deal with Ron Weasley's accusations, and the chances of speaking to one without the other are slim at best. But also, he's graduating today. I didn't want to throw the War in his face, when he's supposed to be celebrating. It's just not right." She admitted and both men considered it. She had gained a few points with Padfoot for saying what she had about Harry, but he didn't trust her. He turned to Moony, and they exchanged a long speaking glance. Miharu waited, scared that they were going to chuck her out on her ear. She might joke about option four, but she really didn't want to go down that route. Finally they looked away from each other, and Remus turned to face her.

"Padfoot, Veritaserum." He ordered and the young Arutani heiress nodded, accepting that it was necessary. Being a trained Auror, Sirius was licensed to administer the potion, and he placed the corrected dosage on her tongue. Her eyes glazed over and they began the questioning.

"What is your name?" Remus asked, testing the potion.

"Miharu Namiyo Amaya Arutani." She replied in a flat voice. Sirius and Remus exchanged an amused glance at the names the pureblood families inflicted on their children. Although, hers weren't as bad as some.

"Where do you attend school?" Was the next question.

" Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." She answered in the same emotionless voice.

"Right, it's working. So, are you sincere in your desire not to join Voldemort or to wed Walden McNair?" Sirius took up the questioning.

"Yes."

"Do you support Voldemort?"

"No."

"Have you considered joining Voldemort?"

"No."

"Do you wish harm on Harry Potter or any of his friends, family, etcetera?"

"No."

"Will you betray us at the first available opportunity, if Voldemort gives you a better offer?"

There was a pause while the serum tried to extract an answer to this question. Sirius' gaze was intent as he looked at her.

"No."

"Why are you here?" Was the vague, quiet question from Remus.

"Because I do not wish to die slowly, in pain, raped, beaten and cursed, at the whim of a madman and a bastard." Both men flinched at the horrible words coming from such a young girl, in that terrible, dead voice. They took a moment to recover.

"Give her the antidote Padfoot." Remus said, in a tired, world weary voice. Once she had returned to normal, Miharu looked expectantly at her former teachers.

"OK, Miss Arutani, we will help you. We have a place in mind, but you'll have to speak to the Headmaster before you'll be able to get inside…" His voice trailed off as he saw her face blanch.

"What is it?" Demanded Sirius, his suspicions rising again.

"I've already spoken with Professor Dumbledore, and he said that in exchange for his help, I would have to become his spy in the Deatheater ranks." She mumbled, and the two wizards only just heard her.

"But…that's impossible! Voldemort would know! Plus, McNair won't let you live long enough to get any information, let alone bring it back to the old man. What is he thinking?" Sirius growled, getting up and pacing.

"This does present a problem then. The place we want to take you to, is under the Fidelius Charm, and he is the Secret Keeper." Remus said, crossing his arms and thinking over the problem.

"Ah, if one of you is willing, I can Legilimise the address from your mind, and you can side-apparate me into the property." She suggested timidly and both of them turned to look at her again. There was another long paused while their considered it.

"I won't ask how you became a Legilimens, but OK. Are you ready to go now?" Black asked, and she nodded, having expected this.

"When you are missing at the ceremony, Dumbledore will probably think you've fled. He will not expect you to be where we're taking you. Now, you must listen very carefully. He will be in the property at least once a month, maybe more, so you'll have to stay out of sight, do you understand?" Lupin explained and she nodded again.

"Alright, let's go. We'll use the passage into Honeydukes." Black ordered, and she followed him without a word.