A/N: Welcome to my newest story! Without unnecessarily prolonging, I'd love to thank Kay for her work on beta'ing the prologue. Hope you're gonna like it. Alarice

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"Why would I even do that?" She asked, crossing her arms. She was standing near a window in a big room, full of weird objects. Some of them were glistening slightly in the light of the setting sun, others made funny, slightly-pitched sounds.

"Because his soul is still pure and you can save him" The man answered, looking at Victoria carefully.

"And if I fail?" She asked with barely perceptible challenge in her voice.

"It never hurts to try."

She sighed quietly, turning around to face the window.

"Still, I don't see the point. I don't see the use for him in your plan." she mumbled, looking straight ahead with shiny eyes.

"I just wish we could save him. That's all, Victoria."

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A petite, dark haired girl was awkwardly stuffing clothes into a large trunk. Tucking an unruly lock of hair behind her ear, Victoria groaned impatiently. Holy Merlin's pants, is it even goddamn possible to fit things in it?

She slammed the lid, abandoning the idea of packing an extra robe.

"Are you ready?" A calm voice came from behind her back. Victoria turned around slowly and nodded. She smiled at the person standing in the doorway.

"Good. I must leave now. Do you remember how to reach the school, Victoria?"

Victoria nodded again, looking at him as he walked out of her room. When the door closed quietly, she took a deep breath, crossed her arms and went to the window, her blue eyes watching the surroundings carefully. No one walked out of the house, she didn't even hear the characteristic 'pop' that accompanies Apparation.

No wonder, she thought to herself with a sad smile, he doesn't want to be seen here, he probably Apparated from inside the house. She shook her head slightly and looked through the window again. The day wasn't really nice, it was raining heavily and it didn't seem like it would stop before it was time to go.

Why did she even agree to this plan in the first place? The idea of starting Hogwarts from sixth year had never seemed more senseless before. Studying at home was way easier, not to mention the fact that her magical skills were already more advanced than that of an average sixth year. When he talked about it, everything was just so clear and meaningful.

Well, Vic, she thought, you can't change your mind, you already agreed.

She groaned with anger, nervously playing with her dark hair.

"Miss? Breakfast is ready." A squeaky voice reached her ears as if from afar, waking her up from her thoughts.

"Yes, thank you, Spangle." She mumbled, joining the house elf.

Thoughtlessly stirring her porridge, Victoria's eyes were locked ahead. She didn't like the strange feeling in her stomach, even looking at food made her sick. Grimacing to herself, she wondered when was the last time she had been this upset, but she truly couldn't recall that.

"Miss, Sir ordered Spangle to make sure you will eat your breakfast.", Spangle was standing next to Victoria's chair, swaying slightly from side to side, making her quirky necklace rattle. Victoria smiled slightly at the elf, gathering a spoonful of porridge. With an almost heroic effort, she swallowed it and got up from the table.

"There, I ate. Am I dismissed, now?" She blinked at Spangle.

Not waiting for the house elf's response, she grabbed an apple from the bowl sitting on the table and went back to her room. She sighed quietly.

"Now, time to go." She mumbled to herself.

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"Dumbledore, this idea is incredibly ludicrous", Snape hissed, looking at the old man sitting behind his desk. "I can take care of it perfectly on my own!"

Dumbledore sighed quietly, looking at the dark-haired man over his half-moon glasses. "I never said you can't, Severus" He smiled gently.

The various tinkling sounds behind Snape's back, today more than ever before, drove him crazy.

"Then what is the point of this? She's just a kid, we can't just let her take control of the situation." Severus answered quietly.

"She will not take control of the situation. Simply, she will simply be able to get closer to him than you could" Dumbledore said, still smiling.

"I am his favorite professor!"

"Only a professor, she can become his friend."

"Still, Dumbledore, it's unreasonable, they are both mere children!" Snape's cold voice shivered slightly, but he regained control of himself almost immediately.

"It is my fault, Severus, but sadly, I think she is more an adult than a child."

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"Draco, may I have a word with you?" A motionless figure asked in a cold voice, looking without emotion at his nephew.

The young Malfoy stood up without a word, accompanied by worried gaze of his mother. Once they were alone in the big living room, Bellatrix placed hand on Draco's arm. Not a single muscle moved on the teenager's face.

"Forgive me, I did not want your mother to be present during this conversation. She is too nervous lately." Lestrange said slowly, then added with excitement. "I wanted to let you know that we are very proud that the Dark Lord has chosen you for this task."

"Thank you, Aunt Bella." Draco said, smirking. He tried not to show it, but the vision of glory excited him. Bellatrix nodded with approval to his nephew and left, grinning.

Draco was left alone with his dreams and unspoken promises.

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Thoughts?