As I walked into the great hall most of the joy I had felt whilst looking into what my future would soon look like inflated and I was positively mirthful when I saw professor Dumbledore smile at me from the teacher's table.

I walked just how I had been taught, with elegance and poise towards the Ravenclaw and swiftly sat down further away from most of my classmates. Then the first years came in, I loved watching them, so full of glee and excitement. They are so innocent, untainted by the many hardships of life. It was quite naive of them really, by the age of eleven I had known all about the dark; in fact it was all I had known.

I waited with patience that had taken many years to build as the first years were sorted, silently awaiting what came after. As soon as the sorting hat was finished Dumbledore walked to the podium and spoke.

"Student's, Professors please listen carefully to my next announcement."

You could see the annoyance and curiosity in most of the students' eyes as they watched the intelligent headmaster.

"A student at this school has recently requested an extra class of sorts; the class will be optional for all fifth years and above. In this class you can learn more about defending yourselves from the dark arts. These classes will be every Tuesday and Friday and the new head boy and girl will be supervising. The student who requested this class is a very advanced fifth year, she will also be teaching occlumency on Sundays. The first lesson is tomorrow in here from the hours of seven until nine."

There was a second of silence before whispers of excitement broke out. Then a loud, confident voice said.

"Who is the girl that will be teaching these classes?" It was Lily Evans, that pretty red haired girl James Potter had been pining after since second year. Dumbledore smiled.

"A very good question Miss Evans and the answer is Pandora Malfoy."

I groaned internally, now no one would show up. The sound of all the students talking at once erupted into the great hall and didn't quiet until after dinner.

To my surprise, as I was walking out of the great hall I heard someone call my name, I turned to see a smiling Lily Evans in front of me.

"I just wanted to say thank you for starting this class, it really is an excellent idea, what with the war happening." She said, her green eyes shining.

"Thank you I just thought that even with the defense against the dark arts classes, not everyone could defend themselves from those despicable deatheater's long enough for the Auror's to arrive to help and for people who are maybe behind in class, it would be a great help." I said my tone friendly towards the girl.

"I couldn't agree more, I will definitely be there tomorrow." Lily smiled widely.

"Thank you, it'll be nice to see someone enthusiastic there. Sorry I can't talk more but Professor Dumbledore wants to see tomorrow's lessons plan so I will see you tomorrow." I smiled, not the tight, fake smile mother always taught me but a real smile.

"Well okay, see you tomorrow." Lily replied before joining the rest of the Gryffindor's on their way to their common room.

Happily, I walked to Dumbledore's office with a slight bounce to my walk. When I reached the Gargoyles I smiled happily, only Dumbledore would have a muggle candy as his password.

"Lemon Drops." I said clearly.

I walked up the stairs to the headmaster's office, smiling as I saw him.

"Ah, Miss Malfoy I trust you have done what I told you for the emancipation?"

"Of course Professor, everything is in order. Thank you so much. I just wanted to give you a run through of tomorrow's lesson, just in case it's not up to scratch."

"No need Pandora, I have much faith in your judgments and I trust you have everything in order."

"Well if you're sure sir." I smiled; there was just something about hearing that from the most powerful wizard ever, it made a person more confident and more eager to prove him right.

Dumbledore dismissed me after that and I went to the Ravenclaw dorms and changed into a blue nightgown. I closed the curtains on my bed and used a luminous charm to give me enough light to read a little, after all I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of anyone that came to the defense class tomorrow. The least thing I needed were more things for people to say about me. I would prove all those that hated me wrong tomorrow. I would show them that I am not just a Malfoy because I am more, I'm focused on my studies, and I'm hardworking and loyal. I'm not just a Malfoy. I'm better than that label, better than mother, father and Lucius believe because I'm not like them.

That night, I slept early around nine I had fallen asleep and was peaceful, until I began to dream.

I was in my room, at Malfoy Manor when my father barged in, followed by Lucius and then a hooded figure. I didn't have to guess; I already knew who it was- Voldemort. I stared, my eyes wide and fearful, terrified of the monster that was now in my room.

"F-father, Lucius w-what are you do-doing h-here?" I stuttered, which was quite unusual for me. Then he pushed the hood from his head and smiled maliciously. His smile was revolting, it was just so fake and it didn't fit properly, it didn't look right.

"You know why Pandora, you didn't listen to me, you chose to join the side of light, working with mudbloods and half-blood's and blood traitors like yourself. You should be ashamed of yourself- I know I am." My father replied and I looked at him in shock my Daddy had never used this cold, hateful tone when speaking to me, no he reserved this for mother.

"Daddy, please don't let him kill me, please. I'm your daughter, your little girl you're supposed to protect me, to love me no matter what happens." I pleaded with him, begging for some type of compassion from his part.

Then Voldemort looked at me, he looked right at me, his smile widening before he spoke.

"Oh we have no intention of killing you Pandora. I think an imperious will be sufficient; after all you do have so much potential. You're the last elemental – the only being with enough power to take on the entire wizarding world and succeed. It would be a waste to kill you really, when I could simply control you, but first I need to mark you. Now don't look so frightened young girl, surely a little pain is nothing compared to what you would go through if you refused." His voice wasn't loud, it was rather quiet actually, a quiet whispering drawl with less compassion than even my mother. I suppose he didn't have to be loud, he had singlehandedly started a war and then picked a few soldiers to support his campaign.

"No. I will not take your mark, I will not join your ranks, and I will not be one of your deatheater's. I refuse." My voice now had an edge. I glared at the disgusting wizard in front of me, he was everything I wasn't and I would not lower myself to his level of cruelty.

"Then I guess I will have to kill you, you pose too much of a threat you see. AVADA KEDAVRA!"

That was when I woke up, my heart racing and my body covered in sweat as I realized that it was just a dream. Recurring dream really, after all that was the fourth time I had dreamed such dark and terrible things.

I sighed, shaking my head in an effort to rid myself of the darkness that my sleeping self had witnessed. Of course it didn't work but I hardly cared, I could set Voldemort on fire without breaking a sweat and if I had too, I would. I shook my head again, my curly hair swinging around before I got out of bed, and went to the showers.

I always loved showering; it was calming and gave me time to run through today's lesson plan for defense class. I would teach them simple things today, like how to effectively disarm another wizard and a few simple shielding techniques, after all these simple little things were rather understated. Disarming a deatheater could give you enough time to escape from them, or help another person and a shield could help you block most curses, well except for the killing curse. Smiling I dressed into my uniform and then dried my hair. I always wore make up, not because I cared what people thought of me but because it made me feel less insecure about myself.

After I felt presentable I left the dorms and headed for the great hall.

Then I ran into him, Lucius. I froze, my smile disappearing and being replaced by a glare.

"Dora, I was looking for you- Father told me you contacted the minister and-"I cut him off, not caring if I was being rude.

"LEAVE ME ALONE LUCIUS! I don't want to talk you, I don't want to be around you, I don't want to be related to you , I don't even want to see you! We are not friends, we are not family. You are nothing to me and I have no desire to talk to you!" I shouted angrily, not even caring if I hurt his feelings, he sure as hell didn't care about mine when he got marked.

I took a deep breath, ignoring the pain in Lucius's expression, and started walking towards the great hall.

As soon as I knew he couldn't see me anymore, I breathed out and let myself feel the guilt I had been holding in, allowing it to fill me with pain and anguish. This only lasted for a minute though, and I carried on walking.

When I was in the great hall, I saw Lily waving to me and motioning for me to go to the Gryffindor table, where she sat with Alice Prewett. Hesitantly I walked towards the table, and took at seat next to Lily, in front of Alice.

"Good morning Lily and Alice. How can I help the two of you?" I asked my tone friendly and a smile on my face.

"Morning Pandora, I was just wondering if you wanted to have breakfast with us, Lily told me last night about how the two of you talked and I really wanted to let you know that I agree with the both of you one hundred percent. It really was an excellent idea to have these extra classes and besides, I thought we could be friends." Alice said, her tone matching mine and her smile wide.

"Thank you, I thought so too and if you want to be friends than please, call me Alex, I absolutely hate my first name." I was positively ecstatic to have become friends with the two.

Alice laughed before saying.

"I understand, my full name is Alice Ariel Prewett." We all laughed together at that one.

"Bad as that is, nothing tops Pandora Alexandra Rose Malfoy. My name is beyond embarrassing. If I ever have kids, I won't be that cruel." We all laughed again.

"Well it isn't as bad as Pandora Alexandra Rose Malfoy, but I have an aunt called Poppy Pauline Evans." Again the laughs came easily.

For the next half hour Lily, Alice and I all told stories of people with positively terrible names before we each were handed our timetables and went to double potions together, still laughing after I told them about my great aunt Mildred Millicent Malfoy.

When we reached double potions, only a few other students were there and we sat at three desks next to each other at the front. The lesson had been running for about fifteen minutes when James Potter and Sirius Black waltzed in, grinning. Slughorn smiled, as if their tardiness didn't matter to him.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, Mr. Black glad to have you joining us please, do sit down!" Slughorn was rather terrible really. He didn't care much for anyone who didn't do well in his class and worshipped anyone who did.

Potter and Black walked straight to the back and lounged on their chairs, feet on their desks. I gritted my teeth and I could see Lily doing the same. Those boys really were the bane of my existence.

The lesson would have gone well, if not for the marauders, minus Remus Lupin. They had been wrecking havoc throughout the full two hours, throwing extra ingredients into other people's potions, trying to make them blow up. Slughorn had turned a blind eye, not caring if the golden boys did nothing but cause trouble, after all they both excelled at potions without even trying.

They never dared come near to me, Alice or Lily's desks for fear of facing our wrath. I'm pretty sure that they did a double take when they saw the three of us sitting together, laughing and smiling as if we had been friends for years.

After potions, break couldn't have come at a better time considering most people's hair was sticking out in odd directions and their faces had become black from the multiple explosions caused the troublemakers.