Shit. Bloody Merlin's pants. Clementine had really messed up. Over the course of her time at Hogwarts, she had gotten into her fair share of trouble over the years, it was only natural given that she was friends with the Weasley twins. Most of the time it was due to Clementine's frequent uniform violations or mouthing off in class, it usually resulted in numerous detentions and her Hogsmeade visitation rights being pulled for a few weeks. Clearly Clementine had really out done herself and then some as not only had she bested her previous record of being back at school for two weeks for getting into trouble. But never before had it been serious enough to warrant a trip to the Headmaster's office. Until now. If you pardoned the pun.

If she was being honest, Clementine wasn't entirely surprised that things had ended up like this. Of course she was going to get the blame for what happened. The Dementors had come looking for a Black and they had found one. Just not the right one. It had to be a coincidence, right? Except Clementine didn't believe in coincidences and she doubted any one else would believe that what happened on the train was some massive coincidence. By the time the Hogwarts Express had pulled into Hogsmeade, news of what happened on the train had seemed to spread like wildfire and Clementine was certain that the entire school knew had occurred in the carriage compartment.

All the looks Clementine had been receiving earlier in the day seemed like a walk in park, now it was so much worse. The broken nose and the blood stained jumper probably wasn't helping either. Her nose was no longer throbbing like mad, it was a dull ache that Clementine had learned to ignore for the most part. But all the whispers and staring were a lit much and so Clementine had taken the decision to skip the feast. It was better for everyone if she didn't go.

Instead, Clementine had managed to slip away undetected and she had been skulking her way through the castle. She had been trying so hard to figure out what had happened on the train but she was just drawing complete and utter blanks. Her mind seemed unable to wrap her head around the events that had just happened. She had seen a Dementor first hand and had lived to tell the tale, although if Clementine was being honest, she would use the term 'survived' very loosely as her hands had yet to stop shaking. Just thinking back to what happened on the Hogwarts Express sent a terrible shiver down Clementine back as she could still see that fowl creature in her mind. Even though she could remember every single detail of what happened, Clementine was yet to be able to put the whole experience into words other than the fact it had been the scariest thing ever.

Clementine had been trying to pull herself together in order to inevitably explain the events of tonight which she had been caught by Argus Filch; the school's caretaker and perhaps the closest thing to an arch enemy that the Weasley twins had. Filch had pretty much grabbed Clementine by the collar of her jumper and dragged her down the castle halls. Normally when Clementine encountered Filch in these situations, she would go along in a fit of protest. But not this time. Clementine was too tired to put up a fight. She expected to be dragged to Filch's office and be threatened with disembowelment and detention. This was not the case, instead Filch had brought her to Professor Dumbledore's office and with a quick shove, left her alone to await her fate.

So that's how Clementine had gotten into this situation, and she had been here all alone in the headmaster's office awaiting her fate. She didn't mind it too much as whilst everyone else was in the Great Hall gorging on the welcome back feast, it gave Clementine time to get her story straight. The only possible explanation that she could offer at the moment was that the Dementors were looking for Black, and they had found one. Just not the right one. It all had to be a coincidence, right?

No one was stupid enough to believe that Clementine grimly thought to herself as she quietly shuffled around Dumbledore's office. Prior to this, Clementine had not had the privilege of seeing the room first hand for herself and if this was to be her first and only time in here, she wanted to get a look. It certainly was impressive, the office was large circular room that was rather eclectic by most standards but fitting for the one and only Albus Dumbledore. There were countless windows in the office and even more portraits on the walls, yet it was clear that there was more than enough space for even more additions. There were several tables with countless silver objects on them, some of them made little noises whilst others puffed out smoke. Then there were the books, Clementine didn't think she had ever seen so many books in a private library before!

Yet, Clementine's interest was quickly drawn away as her eyes caught sight of a rather magnificence creature in the office whose beady eyes were intently trained on her. Fawkes. Every one knew of the phoenix bird that was the companion to Dumbledore. He was magnificent, coloured beautifully in shades of crimson and gold. Clementine slowly made her way over to Fawkes, she became aware that someone else was watching her.

She could feel dark eyes pretty much burning a hole into the side of her head, and Clementine quickly glanced over to her right and the culprit was pretty much who she suspected it was. After all, there was only one person in this room who would take any if little interest in her. Clementine hoped like hell he wouldn't recognize her as it had been a few years since the two of them had laid eyes on each other…

"Yes, it is you… I thought it was! The bastard of House Black."

Dear Merlin, it just had to be Phineas Clementine couldn't help but groan, it had been a very long night and now she had to deal with one of her insane relatives. It was bad enough that Sirius mere existence was turning Clementine's entire world upside down but now she had to deal with her deceased relative and his enchanted portrait. Phineas Nigellus Black was Clementine great-great-great grandfather and former Headmaster of Hogwarts which made him barely tolerable, although he was considered to be the worst head in the school's history. Whilst Phineas himself wasn't the worst of Clementine's relatives, he wasn't the best either as held the typical Black family views of blood purity.

"Nice to see you too Phineas." Clementine replied through gritted teeth, ignoring her ancestor's insult pass by without batting an eyelid. The names were something that Clementine was very much used to, it came with the territory of being the family abomination.

"I heard murmurings that Walburga's greatest shame was a student here in the castle and right that was, and using the name of the family in vain. I thank Merlin my father isn't alive to see what our name has been reduced to." Phineas began and Clementine had to resist the urge to toll her eyes as she prepared to here all about the disgrace she brought to the family name.

"I'm sorry that we can't all be murderers and death eaters." Clementine quipped with a forced smile on her face.

"Says the bastard with the mudblood father."

That word. Phineas' casual use of the insult aimed at her father made Clementine's blood boil as it was beyond offensive and it was meant to cause upset. Clementine knew that Phineas was intentionally doing this to upset her but hearing that word was nothing new to her, this was not the first time she had heard it, nor would it be the last. As it was true. Clementine was under no illusion of her's father's background, Topher Jennings was a muggle born, a wizard born to parents with no magical abilities themselves. To her mother's side of the family, the blood purist there was nothing more disgusting in this world than a muggle born. So naturally when a teenaged Cassiopeia Black announced that she was carrying a child out wedlock with a muggle born father, so began a lifetime of Clementine hearing that slur associated with herself and her father.

"You refer to my father by that disgusting name again and I rip your portrait to piece with my bare heads your old coot!" Clementine barked in irritation as she had gone through a rather arduous night without her deranged relative sprouting his blood purity nonsense.

"I often wondered why Cassiopeia gave you the Black name when it became clear that she had turned her back on the family. Walburga disowned your mother for her traitorous acts and yet Cassiopeia had the nerve to give her abomination the name of my father and his father but I see it now! A bastard you may be but you cannot deny the blood that runs through your veins child. You are a Black if I have ever seen one." Phineas stated with a sneer his face before his expression softened and Clementine could swear that he was smiling at her in some kind of warped acknowledgement

"What are you talking about old man?"

"You look down and sneer us child but you are more of a Black then you are willing to admit. I have to say that you remind me of Sirius in that respect. The same all knowing self righteous attitude for a Gryffindor, the constant whining about how you are better than the rest of your family and that temper of yours. I look at you Clementine Black and I can see Sirius, you look like him you know. Back when he was your age." Phineas wistfully noted which made Clementine rather uncomfortable, she didn't like where Phineas was going with this.

"I look like a lot of people apparently, it's the dark hair and grey eyes that are common traits within the Black line. I believe we have the family petulance for inbreeding to thank for that." Clementine spat in response, feeling the need to throw in a dig about the family line in response which only garnered a smirk from Phineas.

"Perhaps but I was referring to that familiar twinkle in your eye, don't you agree Albus?"

Albus? No… It couldn't be?

Stupid Clem. Of course it had to be the man himself be given that it was indeed his office that Clementine was in. She couldn't believe she was being so stupid. No doubt it was time to face the music and accept whatever punishment was going to come her way. Clementine could only hope that it wasn't an immediate expulsion as her parents would probably die in that event. Knowing that this was the moment of truth, Clementine took a deep breath and slowly turned around and came face to face with the man who had the power to determine her fate.

Professor Dumbledore.

Even though she had seen the man perhaps a million times in person, even to this day Clementine was taken a back by the sight of the professor, although she was not afraid. There was always a kindness that came with Dumbledore and this occasion wasn't any different. Prior to this, it had been months since Clementine had last seen her headmaster but it seemed like nothing had changed, Professor Dumbledore still towered over although the large difference in height was getting smaller, his eclectic dress sense was the same as ever. Today's choice of clothing was a purple robes that seemed to make his long silver hair, and equally as long beard stand out even more.

Professor Dumbledore's blue eyes seemed to radiate warmness from behind his crescent moon spectacles, which made Clementine feel a little more at ease but what really did it for her was the small smile on her face.

Could it be possible that he was happy to see her?

"Miss Black, may I?" Dumbledore began and at first Clementine was unsure as to what the professor was referring to. Was he asking for permission to scold her? But upon Dumbledore gesturing towards her nose, she suddenly understood. He wanted to fix her nose.

Clementine dumbly nodded, she had kind of forgotten about her nose. There were so many things going on in her head that the dull ache of her nose had been drowned out by the ten million things running through her mind. But as Professor Dumbledore waved over her nose with his hand, the dull ache came back in full force before Clementine felt her nose become very hot, it seemed to be giving off a burning hot heat before going ice cold. Then there was nothing. Clementine had gone through her fair share of broke bones to know that her nose had been fixed and yet she couldn't help but gingerly lift her hand to her nose as if to check.

It was pretty much good as new.

But now came the difficult part, as Clementine couldn't avoid what was coming next. She had to try and give some reasonable explanation as to what happened or else she would be on a one way journey back home, never to return to Hogwarts again.

"I-I didn't mean to do it, I d-didn't mean to bring it here. I don't know what happened, all of sudden everything was fine and then the train stopped and then the dementor came! I didn't do it Professor Dumbledore, I swear! I don't know where Sirius is, I'm not helping him at all but no one believes me! Everything thinks that I'm involved when I'm not…" Clementine blurted out, unable to help herself as the words fell out of her mouth in an apologetic manner. She was panicking, there was no doubt about that. Clementine's usual cool and unflappable nature had clearly flown out the window around the time that Dementor had entered the train compartment.

"Dear child, of course this wasn't your fault Clementine! It's not your fault in the slightest, it's merely a coincidence that the dementor came into the compartment where the niece of the one they are looking for just so happened to be in. It wasn't coming for you and none of this happened because of who you are Clementine. Rest assured the Dementors will not be coming after you because you are related to Sirius Black." Dumbledore assured and the sincerity in his voice was clear that Clementine felt as if she was going to cry. She wasn't expecting to be treated with such kindness.

"Then why was it there?" Clementine asked, her voice crackling towards the end.

"The Ministry believe that Sirius may come here Clementine but no harm will come to you here. The Dementors are being posted on the outskirts of the castle at the ministry's insistence although why one chose to come aboard the Hogwarts Express is an interesting question or others to answer." Dumbledore began and it was clear to Clementine that he wasn't happy about this, yet despite his reassurances, Clementine couldn't quite believe that this whole thing had been one massive coincidence.

"So, you believe me?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I?." said Dumbledore and all Clementine could do for the moment was nod dumbly, with that reassurement it meant that her eminent expulsion was probably no longer on the table.

"Because of my name, the family that I come from."

"As I recall your mother Cassiopeia was one of the best and brightest students that Hogwarts had ever seen, very skilled in potions and herbology if I remember correctly. Then your father Christopher was Head Boy with a remarkable aptitude for wizard's chess. From my own personal understanding Clementine, you come from a family with remarkable moral character and a delicious recipe for peacan pie!" Dumbledore replied and Clementine couldn't help but sigh as that wasn't what she had meant. "But if you are referring to the family your mother was born into, the family whose name that you hold, I will say this… Where we come from, or the name that we hold does not determine the path that we will take. Just because you have the Black name, it does not mean that you will become that of which you associate your family name. That choice is yours, and yours alone Clementine Black."

Clementine wanted to roll her eyes, that sounded like something her father would say. But she knew better than to display such openly disrespectful behaviour in front of Dumbledore.

"On the subject of things that belong to you, I have something of utmost importance to return to you Clementine and something to bestow on you." Professor Dumbledore began as he reached into his robes and pulled out a long, thin object. But upon further inspection Clementine could see that it was no random object that Professor Dumbledore was holding. It was a wand. A wand dark brown in colour, except for the hazel intertwined vines that were bound around the handle.

Her wand! Clementine had lost track of it's whereabouts in all the confusion aboard the Hogwarts Express and yet here it was, outstretched in Professor Dumbledore's hand. Clementine opened her mouth to begin to ask how the professor came to be in possession of her wand but she thought better than to bother the great Albus Dumbledore such a silly question.

"Thank you Professor, I know this may sound weird but I feel rather uneasy when I'm without it." Clementine admitted as reached out and took back her offered wand. Upon her fingers making contact with the dark wood, Clementine's fingers curled around her wand tightly and she could feel herself relax slightly.

"Not at all Clementine, for your wand is an extension of yourself as part of your identity as a witch. It is synced with your heart and mind."

"Umm… How the others okay?" Clementine questioned, she had fled from the carriage so quickly after the Dementor had left, she didn't know how the others were doing. Especially poor Harry! Out of all of them, he seemed to have been effected the worst by the Dementor. As much as she would be unwilling to admit it outside this room, the encounter with the dementor had left her shaken and she worried about her younger classmates.

"Perfectly fine. Professor Lupin informed of what happened in the carriage and of of your actions, it was a very brave thing you did."

Professor Lupin? Clementine didn't see that one coming and she would have to get back to that one later. She had put the whole Remus Lupin being on the train in the first place on the back burner, but it was clear to her now that he was here in some kind of teaching capacity. How did she not know that until now? There was so many unanswered questions.

"I don't know about that." Clementine scoffed in disagreement as she hadn't done anything, if any one deserved the credit for what had happened then it was Lupin. If it wasn't for him, who know what might of happened…

"Tell me Clementine, what do you know about Dementors?"

Clementine swallowed a lump in her throat as she took a moment to gather her thoughts before she spoke. "Dementors are dark creatures, unique in a way as they were never born and cannot really be killed as they were never alive to begin with. They are considered by most to one of the foulest things to walk this earth as they feed of happiness and leave feeling of darkness and despair in their wake. Dementors suck the positive feelings out of those who they come into close encounter with, forcing their victims to relieve their most memories. But their abilities go beyond that, as they are full capable of sucking a person's soul out if given the chance to . My father once told me that the Dementors kiss is reserved only for the worst criminals at Azkaban and for those who receive it, they suffer a fate worse than death."

"Yet, knowing this you still placed your self in harms ways to protect your fellow students. I for one, would call that very brave… Which brings us along perfectly to the item I wish to bestow to you Clementine. Normally students are informed of this decision in August but given the news of Sirius' escape and the upheaval it caused, Professor McGonagall and I decided delay informing you.." Dumbledore explained with a widened smile and at first Clementine was at a loss for what was going on, she didn't understand what Dumbledore was going on about.

Then she saw it. The red and gold badge with the lion that symbolised her house and the letter P.

Clementine felt her heart drop to her feet. This could not be happening to her of all people.

No! Merlin's no! NO! NO! NO!

"Professor Dumbledore, you can't be serious… I mean, it can't be possible Sir! Me a Prefect? I-I can't be." Clementine stammered, unable to form a fully put together sentence as she couldn't believe what was happening. Her a Prefect? This had to be some kind of sick joke as she was not prefect material in the slightest. Far from it! If there was a list of people who should not a prefect then Clementine was certain that her name would be top of that list! She had never had any aspirations in the slightest to become a Prefect or Head Girl. Yet it seemed to be happening. This had to be some kind of bad dream, it would be the only way to explain the day that Clementine was happening. First the broken nose, then the Dementor and now this!

"I cannot think of any one more deserving."

"B-But what about all the detentions, all the talking back and the uniform violations! Surely based on those alone I shouldn't be chosen! Then the whole Sirius situation Sir! Think about the optics… Making the niece of the mass murderer a Prefect wouldn't be a good idea. I imagine Fudge wouldn't be too pleased."

"Then it's a good thing that the Minister isn't in charge of choosing Prefects." Dumbledore quipped and Clementine couldn't help but let out a small snicker.

"But me Sir, me of all people…" Clementine stammered as she was still failing to understand how on earth she was picked for this. It made no sense! She spent a fair good part of last year coming in and out of detentions along with McGonagall's office! Clementine didn't believe that she didn't have what it took to be a prefect. How could she be charged to oversee student behaviour when she wasn't exactly a model student herself?

"This is your fifth year at Hogwarts now Miss Black and in the time that you have been here, I have known you to be a fiercely spirited young woman with good and kind heart , who is tolerant and accepting to those around her. You've already displayed a willingness to oversee and protect your fellow students. A little mischievous you may be, but you have always been one to excel at everything you have put your mind to and we believe that this will be no different." Dumbledore explained in a cheerful manner, his warm small reaching to his eyes and them seemed to be shining.

"We?" Clementine questioned as she attempted to swallow the large lump that was currently sitting her throat.

"Professor McGonagall and myself, I do believe that you were her top choice for the role. She feels that you are perfectly suited for the role and the responsibility may do you some good. Contrary to popular believe Miss Black, there is no such thing as a perfect Prefect."

Try telling that to Percy Weasley, Clementine dryly thought to herself.

Clementine had no idea that so many people believed in her. Given all this Sirius business, she had been expecting to come back to school and treated by a pariah because of the name she carried and the people she was related to. But so far that hadn't happened. After what had happened on the train earlier tonight, Clementine had been expecting to be kicked out of school because of the Dementor incident. However, that had not been the case.

The kindness of Dumbledore's word had gotten to Clementine and her eyes were stinging with hot tears that were threatening to fall. Normally Clementine wasn't one for getting all emotional, that was more along her father's line but at this moment in time she didn't care. As she looked at the red and gold badge that Dumbledore held out towards her, Clementine knew that she was being handed a life line here. A chance to prove that there was more to her than just the Black name. She would be good. Clementine would remember her mother's words. But most of all she would make sure that she would not let the darkness of the Black family into her heart like it had done so many others.