Authors Note: The story gets a little darker in this chapter, but it is moving along. I hope you enjoy it. I've had some feedback that people don't really like the end of the chapter, so let me know what you think. Constructive Criticism is always welcome.

1987- Parkinson manor

Mrs. Patil never found an acceptable tutor for her two unruly daughters. She blamed it on a lack of acceptable candidates, but Pansy's mother knew she was unwilling to pay the extortionate fees personal tutors required. Besides, her daughters were already educated with Pansy for free. The issue remained a point of contention between the two witches, but proper etiquette demanded it was never spoken of directly. Instead they would slip backhanded compliments to one another at appropriate moments. The two patriarchs merely laughed at their wives discomfort and pretended it was meant in jest. They had become close acquaintances over the few months that they had been acquainted. It tended to happen when businesses intertwined.

Unlike her mother, Pansy was pleased to share her lessons with the Patil twins. The three girls had grown extremely close. They shared secrets and dreams and worries. The twins talked about which families they wanted to marry into and who would make an appropriate husband (usually a Quidditch player). Pansy shared her plans to marry the Perfect Wizard. The girls all agreed that Pansy would make the perfect Flower Princess. They shared the latest trends in Witch Weekly, and the twins introduced Pansy to the glamorous fashions from the continents. They giggled through the nights, and chatted through the days. Some of Pansy's decorum and grace was bestowed on the twins, while much of their brashness and sarcasm was rubbed off on Pansy. Eventually, Parvati dubbed Pansy an official Patil. The three became sisters in all but blood.

In Pansy's opinion, the twins influence had brought nothing but joy into her life. They were the light that showed her that everyone didn't live in the restrictive bubble designed by the Parkinson legacy. Under the careful guidance of her friends she learned of exotic places and ate food made with indescribable spices. Curries and Cumin and cardamom pods. Naan bread and paneer soaked in rich sauces. It was incredible and distinctly unfamiliar to the quiet life she had led before meeting them.

"Father is travelling to the continent next month and Mama said that if we behave he might take us with him." Parvati offered one afternoon.

"Where on the continent?"

Pansy did not look up from the magazine on the table in front of her as she spoke. The twins were always travelling to interesting places and meeting business associates of their parents. They weren't nearly as isolated as Pansy.

"Paris." Padma said offhandedly.

"Paris?" Pansy stared at the girls. All of the best fashions were in Paris.

"To go shopping." Padma smiled demurely.

"Maybe we can convince them to let you come as well." Parvati quickly added, seeing the jealousy that Pansy was quick to shutter away. She had never been to Paris. If her parents had their way, she would never go anywhere.

"Mother would never agree." Pansy replied morosely.

The three girls remained silent for a moment. It went unspoken that Pansy was correct in her assessment. It wasn't worth discussing further or debating what they all already knew was reality.

"We'll bring you back something wonderful. I promise-"

"Girls." Parvati's response was cut off by a tutor entering the room.

"Are you going to pay attention the lesson today, or must I have to have another discussion with your parents?" The girls went silent as they stared at the man. They had been punished too many times for interrupting their tutors.

"As I was about to say, today we will be studying unicorns-"

Pansy's breath caught in her throat. Unicorns! Ever since she had learned her letters, Pansy had scoured the Parkinson library for mentions of unicorns. Once she befriended the Patil twins, they had helped her in her search for information about the creatures by bringing back books and articles whenever they travelled with their father. Pansy knew more about unicorns than any other girl her age. She considered herself an informal expect on the creatures.

"Unicorn foals are born pure gold in colour. When they are two years old they turn silver in color. When they are four they grow a horn from their forehead. When they are seven they become fully grown and so white they make the snow look grey. The hooves of a unicorn will remain gold, even after they are fully grown. Who can tell me where you will find a unicorn?"

The tutor turned to the girls expectantly. Parvati and Padma exchanged glances before nudging Pansy mischievously. It was obviously her job to answer for all of them. Pansy doubted the others knew anything about the topic.

"Throughout Europe," Pansy offered, "Though the only location in Britain is the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Correct. Do they prefer men or women?" The tutor turned to Padma for the answer.

"Men or women?" Padma was confused.

"Which do they prefer?" The tutor intoned lightly

"Women," whispered Pansy under her breath, "But the young ones don't care much."

"Women," Padma smiled gratefully at her friend.

"Thank you, Miss Parkinson," The tutor intoned, "but perhaps, Miss. Patil should answer her own questions. Hmm? This will be important once you are in school. You need to know more than those around you."

Pansy blushed as she ducked her head lightly. Hopefully the man would not speak with her mother about disrespectful behaviour during class again. Pansy knew she sometimes spoke out of place, particularly when she was interested in the topic. The tutor was correct, though. Once they were in school they would need to know all of this without help from their friends. They needed to prove that their lineage meant more than sitting comfortably on their history. A pure line was only as valuable as the education it imparted on its legacy.

"Name two uses of Unicorn Hair." The tutor turned to Parvati expectantly.

Parvati thought for a moment before she looked up at the teacher.

"I'm not sure, Sir."

The tutor frowned as he eyed the Patil girls sharply. Neither was forthcoming. Pansy had been correct in her assumption that the twins were blissfully ignorant about unicorns. Perhaps she needed to lend them a few of the books they had given her…

Finally the tutor seemed to give into the realization that his silence wasn't going to produce anything from the twins. He turned his attention back towards Pansy.

"Miss Parkinson, the answer."

"It is used as a potion ingredient and a wand core." Pansy contributed lightly. She paused then added, "But it is also used to tie bandages."

"Correct."

Pansy swore she could see a hint of a smile on his face, not that he would ever admit it.

"Perhaps the Misses Patils should spend more time studying and less time gossiping."

The lesson continued on for another hour before the girls were dismissed from the lesson. By the time it was over Pansy felt as though she were flying. An entire lesson devoted to her favorite creature. It had been delightful.

"Do you think they'd let me bring a unicorn to Hogwarts as a pet?" Pansy asked her friends thoughtfully later that day.

"Of course not." Padma answered, "They only let you bring a cat, an owl, or a toad."

"Besides," Parvati added, "Where would you even get a unicorn? They're not exactly easy to catch."

"Daddy could get me one."

The twins simultaneously rolled their eyes and made faces at Pansy.

Mother insisted Pansy's fascination with unicorns was due to a lack of focus, but her father asserted that the exact opposite was in fact true. Pansy was extremely focused on finding information, she just wasn't focused on the things her mother wished she was interested in. Pansy knew the reason she was so interested in the creatures was the fairy tales her father read to her every night before bed. Not that she was young enough to still enjoy the fairy tales. Really. She just listened to them now because it made her father happy… that's the only reason. Besides, it was one of the few times he would disregard business affairs and focus on Pansy.

Once, when she was five, she had asked her parents for a unicorn for yule. She had received a white pony instead. It just wasn't the same. Unfortunately the ensuing tantrum she had thrown had ended with a rather sore bottom rather than her desired unicorn. Spellotaping a fake horn to its head hadn't appeased her either. Pansy didn't ask for pets anymore. None would live up to her expectations.

Unicorns were mystical and special. Pansy had sworn to herself that she would touch one at least once in her lifetime. It was her destiny.

The rest of their lessons that week weren't nearly as fascinating as the one on unicorns had been. They discussed charms, and proper table manners, and transfiguration, and formal dancing, and Latin, and wizarding pedigree. It was enough to make any seven year old witch yearn for adventure. But Pansy was diligent. She knew that these lessons would make her into the proper sort of girl who would marry the proper sort of wizard. Daddy had insisted that she learn as much as she could so she would not disappoint the family when she was introduced to the public.

The only distraction from the monotony of the lessons came as a tutor discussed the fundamental differences between a salad fork and a dessert fork. And it had nothing to do with the forks. Parvati and Padma were struggling over a small object.

"Give it back-"Parvati whispered.

"It's my turn" answered her sister.

Through her eyelashes Pansy surreptitiously tried to eye the item they were fighting over without attracting the attention of the tutor. Surprisingly, the tutor seemed completely ignorant of the conversation between the two girls.

"But Pa-d-m-a." Pavarti intoned, "It was just getting to the good part. He was about to take-"

"Don't tell me! I haven't read it yet!"

It was a book, but not the sort of book Pansy was used to examining. During lessons she was forced to read heavy books covered in dust that were 'traditional'. In her spare time she read yellowing hardcovers that were secreted away in the family library. The book the Patil twins were fighting over was different from the old tombs. It was, well, it was thinner. And it didn't seem to have a hard cover, or dust, or yellowing pages. It seemed to be made of thin parchment bound together in a pliable casing. Pansy leaned towards her friends.

"What are you reading?" She asked under her breath.

"A parchmentbacknovel." Padma countered, "If Parvati ever hands it over."

"It's the latest installment Adventures of The Boy Who Lived" Parvati added. "He battles an army of dementors and saves the Ministry of Magic from certain peril."

"We just picked it up at Flourish and Blotts over the weekend. But Parvati won't share!" Padma pouted.

"The Boy Who Lived?" Pansy questioned.

"You know. The Vanquisher of Evil, The Chosen One, The Defeater of He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named." Parvati replied. Her tone seemed almost teasing.

Pansy looked blankly at her friends. The twins exchanged incredulous looks.

"Harry Potter?" Padma asked.

"Who?" Pansy glanced between the two. She was obviously missing something important. They were treating her like an idiot.

"The boy I'm going to marry," Parvati swooned.

Padma smacked her sister's arm lightly.

"Do you really not know who he is?"

"I'm sure that if he was someone important, Daddy would have told me about him." Pansy sniffed defensively.

Before the twins had a chance to reply they were jolted by a small shock of electricity from the business end of the tutor's wand. Apparently she had noticed their lack of attention.

"Pay attention, children. There is nothing more important for a lady than proper decorum."

After the lesson had finished the Patil twins turned on Pansy quickly. She didn't know how to react to their sudden onslaught of attention.

"Harry Potter is The Boy Who Lived-"One tittered excitedly.

"He's the greatest wizard who-"

"He defeated the Dark Lord-"

"When he was only a baby-"

"He's the same age as us-"

"-Except he is super famous-"

"-and rich!"

"-and powerful…"

Pansy's head snapped back and forth between the two girls as they explained to her about the wonder wizard that was Harry Potter. With each word they spoke her eyes got rounder and larger. Harry Potter seemed incredibly impressive. If he was truly as spectacular as the girls described him to be, and the twins had never lied to her before, then Pansy was certain he was the most powerful wizard in the wizarding world. And Pansy had every intention of marrying the most powerful wizard in the world. Daddy had promised her. Harry Potter belonged to Pansy Parkinson. He just didn't know it yet. The most Powerful Wizard and the lovely Flower Princess. They were intended for each other. All Pansy needed to do was tell her family she had found the man she was destined to marry.

That evening, as she waited for her parents to finish their evening wine, Pansy finally had the opportunity to broach the subject of her impending nuptials. Most of the evening had been spent with her parents discussing business matters and her father's promotion within the Ministry of Magic. It had been quite a boring evening for Pansy, not that she had announced her displeasure.

"Daddy." She began lightly.

"Yes, my flower." Cassius glanced towards his daughter.

"I've decided who I am going to wed."

"Oh?" Cassius Parkinson chuckled to himself in amusement. He knew very well how little exposure his daughter had to the outside world. There was nobody she could possibly have met that she would want to marry.

"Yes, daddy. He is perfect. We need to start planning the wedding."

Pansy's mother clenched her lips together tightly. She glared at her daughter across the table.

"And who, my flower, would you be planning to marry?" questioned Cassius. "One of your tutors, perhaps?"

Pansy paused as she glanced between her parents lightly. Was daddy making fun of her? They were both watching her.

"Harry Potter."

The effect of Pansy's words was instantaneous but unexpected.

The blood drained from Pansy's mother's face at an alarming speed. She began to shake violently and dropped her glass of red wine, staining the carpet under the table. Pansy had never rendered her mother speechless before. It was a strangely satisfying thing to do.

All of the blood that drained from Pansy's mother's face seemed to gather in her father's cheeks. Cassius Parkinson fumed as he glared at his daughter. He seemed to grow larger and fiercer as he moved towards Pansy with a dark expression clouding his face.

"What did you say?" He sneered.

Pansy's eyes widened. Daddy never spoke harshly to her.

"D-Dad-Daddy?"

"What. Did. You. Say." Cassius boomed as he leaned over his daughter threateningly.

"I-I-I said." Pansy glanced nervously between her parents. She gained courage as neither moved to stop her from continuing. "I said Harry Potter."

Pansy felt a sharp sting as her father brought his hand sharply against her cheek. Tears welled up behind her eyes. She began to blink rapidly to keep them from falling down her face. Cassius looked at his daughter harshly and sneered.

"Harry. Bloody. Potter." He clenched his hands into fists and glared at the ceiling.

"Cassius-" Pansy's mother finally managed to regain some of her composure. "Cassius, please-"

It was the first and likely last time Pansy's mother would ever attempt to defend her.

"Where, child! That name! Who did you learn it from?" Cassius ignored his wife.

The tears began to stream down Pansy's cheeks. Her vision was clouded by the moisture. The only answer that escaped her mouth was a whimper.

"Answer me child! Now." Another sharp blow hit Pansy, this time along the ridge by her left eye.

"I-I-Daddy-I" Pansy was crying without restraint. She felt the tears stream down her face before they fell onto the tablecloth.

"Who!"

"I'm sorry Daddy."

"Answer me!"

"I didn't mean it"

Pansy could feel her heart beating in her chest at an unreasonable rate. Pansy was sure it was going to escape from her chest and race away, leaving her to die as she sat at the formal dining table. She wished she had kept quiet. Proper girls kept quiet. Proper girls didn't say things that would make their parents-

The inner monologue running through her head was cut off as her father hit her again. It still stung.

"Tell me!"

"I-I don't know what-"

"I promise you this. You will regret every word that ever entered that silly little head of yours, so help me Merlin!"

Then, Cassius did something that Pansy had never seen him do before. He reached into the inner pocket of his robes and pulled out his wand before pointing it towards her. Pansy's eyes widened dramatically.

"Cassius-" Pansy's mother stepped slipped between them at the table. "She's doesn't know what she said-"

Cassius Parkinson pushed his wife aside briskly as he raised his wand towards his daughter's face.

"This is your last chance, child," he intoned with no emotion.

Pansy gulped back her tears and attempted to make her mouth form a proper sentence.

"It was- It was" The words caught in Pansy's throat. If she told them that she had heard the name from Padma and Parvati, Pansy was certain she would never see the twins again. Her father had never been this mad before. She couldn't lose her friends. She just couldn't!

Cassius snarled.

Pansy saw, rather than heard the curse as it flew towards her. It was a bright flash of red light that sent waves of pressure throughout her entire body. Her vision blurred then returned to a sudden swift focus. Pansy screamed in terror and pain. It felt as though a thousand tiny pins were being pushed into her skin at once. Her body convulsed and she fell from her chair to the floor. A blinding pressure appeared before her eyes. Seconds before she fell into blissful unconsciousness Pansy felt relief from the curse.

"Who. Told. You. That. Name." Her father spat as he lowered his wand. Her mother was shaking in the corner of the room, not daring to glance in their direction.

"Daddy-" Cassius raised his wand again. Sudden panic flooded through Pansy's body

"It was Mitsy." The words fell from her mouth. "It was the house elf Mitsy."

Cassius appraised his daughter momentarily before nodding his head lightly. He turned towards the door and flew from the room towards the kitchens quickly. His wand was still unsheathed.

"Go to your room, child." Pansy's mother still didn't look in her direction.

"I-"

"It wasn't a question, child."

Pansy pulled herself to her feet. Her vision swung. She felt as though she was going to faint. Instead, she blinked rapidly for a few seconds before pushing herself through the door towards her bedroom. Every bit of her body seemed to protest the movement, but Pansy forced herself to move. She collapsed on her bed and wept.

Loud bangs and cries of anguish filtered through the floor into Pansy's room. She closed her eyes and began to count. By the time she reached four the noise had increased. Somebody was screaming. Pansy hid herself under the blankets and continued her counting.

After several minutes the noise stopped. The house was silent. Too silent. Pansy heard steps come up the stairs and pause at her door. She held her breath. The steps continued down the hall until Pansy heard water being drawn into a basin.

Pansy squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block out the thoughts that wanted to escape from her head. She fell into a restless sleep.

The next morning Pansy was awoken sharply by a skittish house elf she did not recognize.

"Who are you? Where is Mitsy?

"Mitsy is gone, Mistress." The elf seemed to be avoiding looking directly at Pansy.

"Where has Mitsy gone?" Pansy grew frantic. Mitsy had always been her elf.

The elf did not answer. Instead, he began applying a salve to her cheek and eye before helping her into her garments for the day.

After she was dressed Pansy was ushered unceremoniously into her father's study.

She glanced nervously around the room, taking in the familiar books lining the walls, the owl sitting on a perch behind her father's desk, the family portraits glancing curiously at her from the mantle of the fireplace, and her father sitting at his desk studiously ignoring her. She raised herself up to her full height, despite the sharp pain that protested through her spine at the movement. Posture was important.

Cassius signed a parchment, ran an inkblot lightly over the paper and affixed it with his seal. He then affixed the message to the owl's foot and ushered it out the window. Only then did he turn towards his daughter. He glanced over Pansy lightly.

"Sit."

Pansy did as her father asked and stiffly took the seat opposite the grand desk. Her body ached.

He eyed her contemplatively.

"Do you know which spell I used last evening, child?"

"No, father."

"Hmm…"

Pansy sat in silence, waiting for her father to continue. She lowered her eyes and examined the intricate pattern on the carpet.

"It is called the Cruciatus curse." Cassius intoned. "And now you are quite familiar with its effects."

Pansy glanced up at her father. He had risen this feet and appeared to be pacing the room.

"You disgraced yourself last night. You disgraced me. Most importantly, you disgraced our family."

"I am sorry, father."

Cassius Parkinson sighed.

"That, well, that thing you wanted to marry is not a true wizard. Harry Potter is not pure. He is a disgrace. He threatens everything that our family stands for and everything we believe in. Harry Potter scorns our traditions and sees us as inferior. He deserves your disdain, not your praise. He is impure. A mudblood bitch's son. He is unworthy."

Pansy was shocked at her father's vulgarity, but she did not comment. It would not do to upset him again.

"He is not proper to marry. He is unworthy. Do you understand, child?"

"Yes, father" Pansy replied meekly.

"I will not hear his name mentioned in this house again, do you hear me? It shall not pass from your lips ever."

"Yes, father."

Cassius eyed his daughter carefully. He seemed satisfied with whatever he saw.

"You are dismissed."

Pansy fled from the room. She never saw Mitsy again.