Prolouge

Celeste Lancaster straightened her raven black hair, her amber eyes roving over her appearance as she added green eyeshadow to bring out the jade green flecks of her almond eyes. She sighed dramatically, though she was alone. There was a war going on and she was here, trappedat school. She wanted to be there, helping. Christmas was coming soon and her sixth year had just started. She felt so...useless. There had to be soemthing she could do if she put her mind to it.

"There are more than one way to help in a time of great need," Dumbledore had said the night before at dinner, "Therefore, you will all be writing to one penpal who is currently serving in the war." There were groans around the great hall but Celestehad beenexcited. After dinner Celeste had approached Dumbledore about further helping the cause, and after a brief pause he told her that she could help Ginny Weasley at a Hospital for wounded soldiers during the weekend and holidays. Celeste had readily agreed.

Celeste nodded her approval at her appearance, deciding to stop thinking of the night before and go to breakfast.At breakfast she sat beside her teammates, and friends Ginny Weasley and Denis Creevy, who were older than her and her fellow sixth year, and bestfriend Miranda Talbot.

When owl post arrived Celeste was excited to see that everyone hadrecieved an owl. A manila envelope was dropped in front of her and she looked to see Celeste Lancaster scrawled across the front in a graceful hand. Next to her Ginny giggled, the tips of her ears faintly blushing.

"Who did you get?" Celeste asked Ginny looking at her as if she were one tea cozy short of a party with Trewlawny. Ginny smiled her devious grin.

"Oh boy," Collin muttered next to her. He rolled his eyes, batted them a few times and mouthed, 'Harry.'

"Harry,"Ginny said softly, big surprise there.Dumbledore did assign the pals to each other and there was some serious speculation over Harry and Ginny's relationship. Platonic? Right, and Celeste was dating Oliver Wood.

"Who'd you get?" Dennis asked curiously, peering at the front of the envelope with her name written in green ink.

"I don't know," Celeste replied and opening the letter skipped to the signature, her smile slightly faltering, "I've got Draco Malfoy."

Ginny snorted, "He's a terrible git, don't expect quality letters from him." Celeste nodded, a bit disappointed. Draco Malfoy, she thought, your reputation preceeds you.

Celeste pounced on her bed, ready to read the letter from her newpenpal.

To the Distinguished Celeste Lancaster,

I've been told that I am to penpal with a student from Hogwarts. Dumbledore's orders. I swear that man does too many things at once. He's always got six projects going and has time to offer you a lemon drop every time he sees you. I'm actually glad for this project, as my roommates and I aren't really on good terms. There's always been a bit of animosity between me, Potter and Weasley. They just can't accept the fact that I am not a Death Eater. Let me make that clear right away, I Draco Malfoy, am not a DEATH EATER. (Celeste laughed.) I want to warn you now, there won't be any editing to my letters. I'm not going to lie to you about the war. I need to talk about it. Actually talk IT or I'm afraid I'll go bonkers. You don't even have to read the letters, just let me write them.

In an act of Desperation ,

Draco Malfoy

Celeste quickly pulled out a piece of velvet green parchment. It was scented lavender and peppermint. Using her silver ink she began writing...

To the Estimed Draco Malfoy,

Dumbledore always was an intelligent man...