Draco's POV

Trouble

"Let go of me now Malfoy or I'll..." she hesitated; I could tell that she was deciding what she would do to me. A mental image of her father glowering at me popped into my head. He had looked like he wanted to strangle me to death.

"Or you'll what?" I asked her, pulling her cold body closer to mine.

"I don't want to hurt you Malfoy" she said cautiously. I loved the sound of her voice; it sounded like music to my ears. A sweet symphony. I gazed down at her lips. So full with a pinkish tinge. I'd had enough. I pressed my lips to hers. She was taken aback for a moment then tried to twist out of my arms. I pulled her tiny body closer to mine. There was such a difference in our looks. I was six foot, toned and muscled, with pale skin, gray eyes, and white-blonde hair. She looked about five foot four maybe, very petite too, soft skin with a shade of rose under her smooth, white skin, fierce blue-green eyes that were a shade deeper than the ocean, and long black hair with purple and blue highlights.

She stopped struggling and kissed me back. Her-

"Draco!" Blaise said stridently, snapping me out of my day dream. Thanks Blaise, you just snapped me out of the most wonderful memory I've ever had.

"What?" I snapped back as I leaned back into the royal green armchair. Blaise raised an eyebrow.

"What's up with you?" he enquired.

"Nothing." I retorted quickly, so he just let the subject drop. I ran my ringers through my blonde hair. There was silence for a moment.

"Anyway... Maddison Cullen is a hot little thing isn't she?" Blaise asked vaguely.

"Yes, she is." I replied, not looking at Blaise. I still hadn't told him about our... encounter. I mean, I was the Prince of Slytherin wasn't I? My reputation would be ruined if people knew that I had gotten beaten up by a girl. But, then again, I had kissed the hottest girl in Hogwarts. And she had kissed me back too. I sort of forced her to do it though. So that probably balanced out the getting-beaten-up-by-a-girl thing.

I had always fancied her, even before she looked like a goddess. She had always been the prettiest girl in school. Maddison seemed like a down-to-earth person, I knew for a fact that she's very smart, not in that annoying know-it-all way like the Mudblood Granger who stuck her hand up every time a teacher asked a question. She has very apparent beauty. Maddison is a very mysterious person, desperately trying to blend in with the crowd and not draw too much attention to herself. Sometimes she succeeds, other times she sticks out like a sore thumb. How can you fit in when you're meant to stick out?

I hardly knew much about her except for that. Like I said- Maddison Cullen is a mystery to me, as to every other male in this school. The only boy who was actually close to her besides her own twin brother, was Potter. Another reason to hate him. Wait, did I just think that? Am I jealous? Of Potter?

Though I didn't really know what jealousy was seeing as I never got jealous over a girl. In the Great Hall, when I was watching the ever-lovely Maddison I saw her talking to Potter and it absolutely made my blood boil. As I hate to admit it that was jealousy. Jealous of Potter.

It was official, I, Draco Malfoy am jealous of Harry Potter.

I touched my lips as I remembered Maddison's lovely lips. Cold lips. As-cold-as-ice lips. All of a sudden some words Snape had said jumped into my mind. "Pale white skin as cold as ice" "Unnaturally beautiful", were the words he had used to describe a vampire. Maddison fitted the profile perfectly. Was it possible that...? No she couldn't be, or else she would have

totalled me when I kissed her. Hmm... there was definitely something about Maddison Cullen.

"Hey Draco! Yoo hoo!" Blaise called waving his hand frantically in front of my face. I caught his wrist mid-wave and said in an irritated voice "Don't do that." I released his wrist from my hand. He rubbed it, and gave me an edgy look.

"Man, that's the second time you've blanked out on me!" Blaise exclaimed.

"Sorry." I replied. I glanced at the clock on the mantel piece. Ten minutes till Potions.

"Come on let's get going" I said in a low tone. I picked up my bag as I got up and followed Blaise out of the dungeon's.

My mind didn't really get time to think on that short journey to the familiar room, which I had visited many times. On that very small walk my mind wandered to the mission that I had been assigned by the Dark Lord. I silently cursed myself for not going straight to the Room of Requirement again. I needed to fix it.

Blaise and I arrived in the corridor before most. Only a few people stood at the door, including Maddison and her brother Benjamin. Her head was bowed, as was her brothers. They were apparently in a deep conversation about something. I hope she wasn't telling him about me kissing her. If I had learnt anything about big brothers it was not to mess around with their little sisters. And Benjamin looked like the type that could waste me as easily as his sister could. Benjamin heard me and Blaise approaching and immediately glared at me. He straightened up, baring his teeth. Oh no. A mixture of rage and hatred was unmistakeable on his face. I halted in my tracks, as did Blaise. Benjamin sort of crouched abit. Of the few people that were there, observed us curious as to what would happen next. Pansy and Millicen swooned over Benjamin's figure with awed expressions. A snarl ripped through his chest. An actual snarl. I could tell that he wanted to rip my throat out. Benjamin took a step forward. I stumbled backwards. Maddison stepped in his way. He was taller than me though just by an inch or two.

"Move Maddy." he ordered in a low voice that I barely heard. She stood her ground.

"Ben." She said in a wary, distressed way.

"Move." He ordered again. He took another step towards me; his green-blue eyes were intent on my retreating figure. Or maybe just on my throat. Maddison placed her small hands on Benjamin's chest, which received envious looks from other girls. I didn't stand a chance. Well, I always knew that I would either die from a) the Dark Lord b) Potter c) An older brother. Goodbye World.

He tried to advance forward again but something was holding him in his place. Maddison.

"Benjamin don't." she said, authority hinting at her voice. He looked down at her face. She gave him a look I didn't see, but it must've been a good one because he relaxed abit. With a final glare in my direction, Benjamin eased up and Maddison dropped her hands to her sides. Benjamin slouched off to the corner and leaned against a wall. He folded his arms over his chest and kept his eyes in a straight stare. Maddison turned towards me. She frowned at me, her brows pulled together as thought she was trying to work out a hard puzzle. I gave her a rueful smile. She returned it with a breathtaking beam. Blaise and Benjamin glanced between us both. I was sure that I saw Benjamin flinch out of the corner of my eye. Blaise just looked outright confused.

A few minutes later the rest joined us in the doorway. Only fifteen people had actually made it through this year. Including Potter and his little gang. I was gazing unconsciously into space, daydreaming of a certain someone, when out of the blue the Potions door flew open and the recognizably enormous belly of Professor Slughorn wobbled into through the doorway. All of the students filed into the room that was emanating strong, sweet aroma. Four cauldrons stood close to each of the four tables. Four Ravenclaws sat at their own table nearest to a brown muddy looking potion. Potter, Weasley, Granger and that pompous prat Ernie Macmillan sat on a table nearest to a potion that was probably the source of all the pleasant smells. The five Slytherins sat at the table closest to a potion that looked and smelt alot like water. That left Benjamin and Maddison sitting on a table closest to a potion that was bubbling different colours like a rainbow. The last was standing in a small cauldron. Golden-coloured potion swirled about inside, splashing against the sides. The air was heavy with intoxicating smells. I felt like ditching my fellow Slytherins and joining Maddison. Ahhh... Maddison. I breathed in the intense scent coming from the cauldron next to Potter. The sea breeze, a vanilla type of fragrance and the smell of blood. Blood? What the hell? Where did that come from? The scents were so overpowering. They made me feel like I was in a daze. Sigh.

"Now, then, now then, now then." Slughorn boomed loudly breaking my trance.

"Scales out, everyone, and potion kits, and don't forget..." blah, blah, blah. Potter talked, blah, blah, blah, rushed over with Weasley to the store cupboard pulled out a few things, and then took their seats again. Slughorn leaned against a desk that looked like it was going to collapse under his weight.

"Now then I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at, out of interest you know. These are the kind of thing you ought to be able to make after completing your N.E.W.T.s. You ought to have heard of 'em, even if you haven't made 'em yet. Can anyone tell me what this one is?" He specified the one nearest to us that looked like water. Everybody inclined their heads towards the cauldron. While everyone did I stole a glance at Maddison. Her head was, like everyone else's, turned towards the aerated water. She was absolutely beautiful. Her silky black hair flowed like a waterfall down her shoulders. She abruptly looked in my direction and our eyes met once more. We gazed into each other's eyes for a few seconds before she looked down, a blush spreading on her face. Smirking, I turned my mind back towards the potion.

Maddison's POV

His gray eyes locked with mine for what could've seemed like a century, a look of wonder on his pale face. I really didn't pay any attention to him much before this year, but now that I did I saw that he was pretty handsome, in that devilish, bad boy way. Mind, I did have a thing for bad boys much to my father's dismay. I felt heat flood into my cheeks as I thought of this and automatically turned my gaze to my feet. Arrrggg... stupid, stupid, stupid! I lifted my face to the class at present, instantly putting on my bored-out-of-my-mind expression. This was usually the face I wore during classes. I didn't really like to show any emotion at school. Hermione was answering Professor Slughorn's question as to which potion that was boiling in the cauldron. I recognized it as Veritaserum, the truth telling potion. I had made it once when Ben wouldn't admit that he had lost my brand new cell phone. I tittered as I recalled asking him silly questions that he had answered truthfully and ended with him chasing me around the house for an hour. A smile was playing at Ben's lips.

"Very good, very good!" Slughorn said blissfully. "Now, this one here is pretty well known... It was featured in a few Ministry leaflets lately too... Who can-" but before he could finish the question Hermione's hand pierced the air again. I was one hundred percent sure it was Polyjuice Potion. My thoughts were confirmed by Hermione. Whoever the hair had come from wasn't very nice. It looked alot like mud, whereas when I had taken Polyjuice potion to get into a club a few years back, it turned a golden syrup colour. It was probably because I had taken hair from my mum. Definitely one of the best nights of my life that I'll never remember. I realized just then that I had done alot of bad stuff out of school. Lots. Most involving potions. And boys. And a few stolen cars. I had suddenly grasped at the idea that I was a very rebellious child. Wow. All these years and I never really thought about it. Hmmm.

"Excellent, excellent!" Slughorn praised Hermione "and this one my dear?" he asked waving to the potion that I recognized as Amortentia. The most powerful love potion in the world and the most extreme.

"It's Amortentia!" Hermione replied ecstatically. She was virtually jumping up and down in her seat with excitement. That girl really doesn't get out much. I made a mental note to take her out some time. Show her what excitement really was. I grinned.

They were having an almost private discussion about Amortentia. Out of the corner of my well focused eyes I saw Pansy Parkinson eyeing the potion greedily. I didn't have to read her mind to know what she was thinking. I made yet another mental note to tell Ben not to drink anything any girls offer him.

"-supposed to smell different to each of us, pending on what attracts us most. I can smell freshly mown grass, new parchment and spearmint toothpaste." Hermione's face turned slightly pink. She was clearly embarrassed but Slughorn continued and asked her what her name was. I thought deeply on what I smelt. Hair gel, musty wood, and Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl. I loved chocolate cinnamon swirls. They were so delicious. That was something I hadn't had in yonks.

"Hermione Granger, sir." she answered bashfully.

"Granger? Granger? Can you possibly be related..." Oh, now I get it. Slughorn recruited children whom he thought were related try to anyone famous, or have done something great. I think I might stay clear of him too. I heard Draco snigger over the soft fizzing of the potions.

"Oho! "One of my best friends is Muggle born and she's one of the bests in our year!" I'm assuming that this is the very friend of whom you were referring to Harry?"

"Yes sir" Harry replied proudly.

"Well take twenty well-earned points for Gryffindor, Miss Granger." Slughorn beamed at them both.

Then he turned his attention to the mixture nearest to us. It was a rare potion called Tutilsia. One sip of it and it caused the drinker to control the minds of people around him/her just by one word or create a hallucination so realistic that it drives the person mad. How dramatic. It was awfully hard to make, because of the rare ingredients. I had seen it in a dusty, leather bound book in the restricted section in Many Dangerous Potions and Deadly Spells. I know- not really my kind of reading material but I was bored. Even Hermione looked baffled from the hissing potion within the cauldron.

"Now, by the look on your face dear I take it that you have not seen this potion?" Hermione nodded sullenly.

"Does anyone else know what this very scarce potion is? Very difficult to make, tremendously hard to obtain these ingredients indeed. Won't be surprised if any of you haven't heard of it. Does anyone know anyway?" he glanced around the class. Sighing, I raised my hand slightly. Slughorn looked at me, abit stunned as if he had just noticed me sitting here.

"Yes dear?" he enquired softly, probably thinking I would get it wrong.

"Its Tutilsia; a potion which ables the drinker to control the minds of anyone with a single word. Or, create a hallucination so real that it makes the person go insane." I said monotonously. He smiled at me.

"Correct! This potion is a very dark potion and I shouldn't even be showing it you children like you! But it is all in the name of Academics! As Miss...?" he gave me a look that asked what was my name.

"Maddison Swan-Cullen, professor" I replied. He gave me a staggered look again.

"Swan? Hmm... Are you possibly Bella Swan's daughter?" he asked ponderingly.

Damn it. Of course people would remember my mother. She had come to Hogwarts before. I hadn't really confided anything to anyone before about who was my mother. No one bothered to ask actually. Another sigh.

"Um... yes, sir."

"Ah... yes! I can see you have her eyes! She was a wonderful witch you're mother was. Immensely kind and very clumsy. I recall her once tipping over half a dozen potions in this very room. It took many teachers to collect all of the purple armadillos and yellow spiders which had been children." He laughed at the memories.

"Thank you." I said politely. That did sound like something mom would do.

"Well, she has taught you well. Always had a talent for academics your mother had. 'Tis a shame that she was in Gryffindor, she would've done great things in Slytherin, as the rest of her family did. Though, I see that you're no difference. Take ten points for Gryffindor Miss Swan-Cullen!" he said appreciatively.

"Now we must work!" he echoed.

"Sir you haven't told us what that one is." Millicen said in that annoying tone of hers as she pointed to the golden liquid potion. Felix Felicis. Liquid Luck or whatever you want to call it. The name says it all. Slughorn had purposely left those out to create a dramatic effect, just like Snape had.

"Oho! Yes. That. Well, that one, ladies and gentlemen, is a most curious little potion call Felix Felicis. I take it," he faced in the direction of Hermione who was gazing at the tiny cauldron with a look of admiration on her face. She had let out a perceptible gasp. Hermione gawked at the potion as though she were Pansy gawking at my brother. I really didn't get Hermione; she got all hyped up over a potion? It was just a potion that gave luck to the drinker. No big deal. I remember something mother had said, ages ago. I had been flipping through an old potions book when I saw the potion Felix Felicis. I asked mom about the potion and she had replied;

"Oh Liquid Luck. It brings luck to whoever drinks it. I remember my aunt Dahlia had given me some as a birthday present and told me to keep it safe, for when I'm in desperate need of luck. Because I was hopelessly clumsy! So when I had ran away I kept the potion with me till I really needed it. That day came when one day I fell down into a deep hole in the middle of the forest in Forks. I hadn't bothered taking my wand with me that morning 'cause I was only going for a short walk. Luckily, I always kept my Liquid Luck with me. I took a sip, then; a few minutes later guess who would find me there but your father! He had been following me into the forest to make sure I was alright. That day was also the same day your father took me to the meadow. Ever since then I have always carried my wand with me". Then she laughed that ringing laugh of hers that sounded like bells chiming.

"That you know what Felix Felicis does, Miss Granger?" Slughorn continued giving Hermione a warm smile.

"It's liquid luck" Hermione stated excitedly. "It makes you lucky!" Then the whole class clicked. They suddenly all looked at the potion with hungry eyes, giving the Professor their complete and utter interest. Ben and I just stared at it with unseeing eyes, not really understanding why people need luck. I mean don't get me wrong I'm not one of those persons who think their all great and don't need luck. It's just it's not really a necessity for me. I've got everything I'll ever require. A roof over my head, family who care about me, and a good education. That's all I will ever want, for now.

"Quite right, take another ten points for Gryffindor. Yes it's a funny little potion, very funny indeed." He paused as his beady eyes swept the surface of the cauldron. "Desperately difficult to make, hazardous if you get it wrong. However if brewed correctly, as it has been, you will find that all your endeavours tend to succeed... at least until the effects wear off." He laughed quietly

"Why don't people take it all the time, sir?" Terry Boot asked enthusiastically.

"Because if taken in excess, it causes giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence. Too much of a good thing, you know... highly toxic in large quantities, but taken sparingly and very occasionally..."

"Have you ever taken it sir?" Michael Corner asked his voice heavy with curiosity.

"Twice in my life," said Slughorn "Once when I was twenty four, and another when I was fifty seven. Two tablespoons taken with breakfast. Two perfect days." He sighed while gazing distantly into space. How old is Slughorn? I was betting on sixty two. He didn't really look that old though. Hardly any wrinkles at all.

"And that" Slughorn said returning back to earth. "Is what I shall be offering as a prize in this lesson" he declared. Everyone's eyes lit up (I'm not counting me and Ben anymore).

"One tiny bottle of Felix Felicis," Slughorn removed a small corked bottle out of his straining waistcoat pocket, "Enough for twelve hours' luck. From dusk till dawn, you will be lucky in everything you attempt." The class stared in admiration at the tiny bottle, fantasizing everything they would do. Slughorn seemed to have a very satisfied air about his face.

"Now, I must give you warning that Felix here is a banned substance in organised competitions... sporting events, for instance, examinations or elections. So the winner is to use it on an ordinary day... And watch how that ordinary day becomes extraordinary!"

"So, how are you to win my fabulous prize? Well, by turning to page ten of Advanced Potion-Making. We have a little over an hour left to us, which should be time for you to make a decent attempt at the Draught of Living Death. I know it is more complex than anything you have attempted before, and I do not expect a perfect potion from anybody. The person who does best, however, will win little Felix here. Off you go!" and with that everybody started to riffle through their potion's books a very concentrated air about their faces. Ben and I looked at each other. Whoa, all that over a bottle of Felix Felicis. Draught of Living Death wasn't really that hard to make. I didn't want to win anyway. I telekinetically told Ben to mess up the potion because others deserved it more than us. Ben wasn't brainless and was actually very good at lots of subjects and also very considerate of others at times, so agreed nevertheless. I casually flicked the book open and read the instructions on the crisp page.

I grinned as I imagined all the stuff I could get wrong. I knew that you needed lots of juice from the bean like plants. So the less juice the better. I squeezed one drop into my cauldron. Perfect. I carried on like this. Ben and I were actually having fun trying to get the potion as wrong as it could get without killing anyone. Once my hair started to turn blue and me and Ben burst out laughing. Slughorn gave us a disapproving look that quieted us down but couldn't keep us from snickering. The whole class room stared for a few seconds wondering what's so funny then continued with the making of their potions. The smell in the room was getting awful, it sent waves of nausea rolling through me. What's worse was that Ben and I smelt it concentrated.

I noticed that Harry's seemed to be the most further on whose brew was turning pale pink. A hint of suspiciousness crept upon me but I ignored it. Who cares if Harry was all of a sudden better than Hermione at potions? Harry probably needed the luck potion the most out of all of us. Defeating Voldemort would be immensely difficult. Like trying to fight an octopus. One arm sneaks up behind while you're fighting of seven others then BAM! You don't know what hit you. A arm? A leg? Only God knows. My phone vibrated in my pocket again. I pulled out my phone and saw that I had a text message from Aunt Rosalie, (who liked to text in those hard-to-understand, text languages). It read: Hey Darling! Hwz it goin? Hope yhu havnt killd any1 yet. LOL yhu knw I hav complete faith in yhu n yhur brotha. Emmet sed dat yhu left yhur receipt 4 yhur tattoo hea... yes yhur tattoo receipt! I fink yhur mum n dad myt fynd owt coz yhu knw me n Em cnt keep a secrt... Sori kid didnt mean 2. Anyway love yhu!.

Oh shit. I knew I shouldn't have gotten that tattoo. Shit, shit, shit, shit. Shit, oh deary! If dad found out he'd kill me! Inked for life. No going back. That was probably the main reason I had gotten a tattoo while I was still human, so I would have something to hold onto from when I was human. That would work as a good excuse. Dad would understand. He was the most softest out of mom and dad. Though when it came to being inked for life I think dad would make an exception.

I was silently panicking. Damn them! Why? Why!

I wasn't sure what my face looked like but it probably looked rich, because Ben looked over with a worried expression.

"Are you okay, Maddy?" he asked.

I passed the phone to him, so he could read the message.

He burst out laughing. Laughing! How dare he! A few people turned to glance at us but quickly returned to their work.

"God, you are in deep shit. I'm talking grounded for life deep shit. Wow, I bet you're beginning to wish that you didn't live forever, huh?" He smirked, keeping his voice low so that nobody could hear.

I pouted. "Dad is going to kill me, and yet, you think it's hilarious. Wow, some brother you are."

"Where was it?" Benjamin asked suddenly.

"What?"

"The tattoo." He stated.

"On my back, where no one can see." I said. We had stopped caring about the potion and now faced each other, deep in conversation. Benjamin's left eyebrow was green, and the other was orange. Pulling out my wand, I fixed it back to normal.

Benjamin nodded, but looked guilty too. "What?" I asked.

"I have a tattoo, too." He replied sullenly. Now it was my turn to laugh.

"Well, I guess I'm not the only one who is getting in trouble, bro." I grinned. Class never was fun for me. I don't think I actually want to come back next year. I might become a nomad, travel on my own, that sort of thing. I know that my parents' wouldn't want that. But, well... it is kind of my life.

"Where?" I asked, curious. Usually Ben wouldn't do anything like that. As arrogant as he is- he still is a good boy. Mommy's boy.

He peeked around, sure that no one was watching us, and then rolled up the sleeves of his school shirt, revealing some pretty big muscles and on his arm was a tattoo of a lion- the Gryffindor lion with the colours, too. It wasn't one of those magical tattoos either, the ones where it's painless to get, and they move. No- it was like mine. A human tattoo. One that hurts like hell to get, and takes patience. I grinned.

My tattoo was on the small of my back. It was a black rose, blood dripping down from it. I remember squeezing Rosalie's hand tightly, as the tattoo artist did the job.

All of the wolves had a tattoo. It was one that represented their tribal pride. I sighed, already missing my funny wolf friends. They were more like brothers to me, each and every one. They had watched me grow up, even babysitting me and Ben a few times. They regularly stepped in to take the blame if I get caught doing something naughty.

Benjamin and I had grown up normally. Well, as normal as having a family of vampires and werewolves can get. It was a good upbringing, though it would sometimes be corrupted by evil vampires seeking to kill us, or some other problem like that.

"Maddy?" Benjamin began.

"Hmm?" I replied, in a daze.

"Class is over." He said, packing up his stuff.

"Already? Wow, that was quick for a double period." I muttered. Other people had begun to gather all of their things, looking sullen and disappointed.

"Who won?" I asked, referring to the Liquid Luck winner.

"Harry." Ben mumbled. I nodded, now suspicious.

We walked together, keeping to ourselves as we always did. Though now, that didn't seem entirely the case. Girls kept on coming up to Ben to talk to him, flirt really, and bat their eyelashes. Ugh, barf. He politely told them that he was in a committed relationship, and they immediately went off, looking glum.

I chuckled under my breath. Benjamin was certainly getting a lot of attention from the opposite sex- per usual.

It wasn't only him though; boys would glimpse my way, make an attempt at "wooing" me. I rolled my eyes, and barked at them to keep walking.

"Now I know what father meant; fucking boys." Ben muttered under his breath as he glared at yet, another guy checking me out. He averted his eyes hastily. I had to laugh.

The rest of the classes passed in an uninteresting blur. It was now dinner time. I joined up with a few fellow Gryffindor's, blending in the crowd. I suddenly felt a heavy hand on my shoulder. Whipping around, I saw Harry panic and immediately drop his hand.

"Sorry, just me." He grumbled.

"Oh, sorry." I replied. We both sat together by Ron and Hermione, whilst Ginny talked animatedly next to Hermione.

Ron was begging Hermione to let him copy her homework. She frowned and repeatedly told him that that was called cheating. I smiled.

After dinner and I had showered, I went to the common room, grateful for the loads of homework that would surely keep me occupied tonight. God, I sound like such a nerd.

It was about two in the morning I finished my work, still not tired enough to feel sleep. It was only Ben and I up, the rest had resigned hours ago.

I went to the dormitory, trying to relax my buzzing mind. Everything moved, or breathed, or did something that would make me twitch, and my brain begin to light up again. It was endless.

I went through my bag, relieved to find my ipod there. A letter dropped out. Curious, I bent to retreave it. It was from my parents' and a note attached to it said that I had to give it to Professor Dumbledore. I opened the letter, and read it.

Dear Prodessor Dumbledore,

I am sure that you are aware of the sudden... change in my children's looks. And, being the clever man that you are, I am sure that you probably have your own theories as to why that is. That is all very well. I am writing this letter to confirm your suspicions of my family. I would much prefer if we had this discussion face-to-face, as we could delve more into the situation at hand. It is incredibly complex, but I am certain that you will understand. So, please drop by any time you wish, as we can talk about... arrangements for our daughter and son.

Yours Sincerly,

Bella Swan-Cullen

I read the note over again, breathing heavily. I had to give this to Dumbledore tomorrow.

I stowed in back in my bag, and lay on my bed. I cranked the music up as loud as it would go, blocking out my doubtful thoughts and nagging enquieries. Sleep did not come as easily as I had hoped.