A/N: Sorry this part took awhile…I had a bit of writer's block, and it was also the first part that I had edited. I want to thank my new beta Slytherin's_Silver_Dragon! She's pretty awesome, and I'm happy to have someone besides me to review and edit my stories. Enjoy this part!

Sunday dawned bright and sunny, not that the Slytherin girls knew that, down in their dungeon dorm. Maxi's daily workout alarm went off promptly at 6:00am causing all five girls to wake up. Maxi, of course, jumped out of bed and practically pranced to the bathroom to apply makeup for her morning three-mile jog around the lake. The other four girls let out a groan in unison. Beatrice managed to roll over and fall immediately back to sleep, but the remaining three girls were not so fortunate. Arianna chose to pull herself out of bed and followed Maxi into the bathroom. Both girls slipped back out after fifteen minutes in running shorts and t-shirts and disappeared out the door of the dorm. Leigh and Eleanor, however, remained lying in their beds, staring up at the ceiling. Leigh began to count the stones above her bed, trying to ease herself back to sleep. Eleanor, on the other hand, immediately began to think about her mother and Rupert, despite really not wanting to reflect on it.

Why had her mother fallen for him? Why? Okay, so he had been charming to begin with. He brought Lena a different bouquet of flowers on every date; he popped up at her office at the Ministry just to say hello; he had brought Eleanor, who was eight when they had started dating, stuffed animals all the time; he just seemed to be the guy that Lena needed after Eleanor's father had died. As soon as Rupert popped the question, though, things began to change. He still gave gifts, but the attitude with which he gave them was possessive, angry, and cruel. If Eleanor and Lena did not absolutely adore the gift, he became furious and would rage about how ungrateful they were. He would still pop in on Lena at work, but his visits would consist of him becoming increasingly jealous of each person that Lena spoke to that was not him. However, as Eleanor found herself more and more terrified of the man, Lena continued to insist that he was just under a great deal of stress because of his job as an Obliviator. A month before Eleanor left for her first year Hogwarts, Rupert and Lena married. That month before Hogwarts was quiet, and nothing horrible occurred; it was merely the calm before the storm.

Eleanor remembered how wonderful her first year at Hogwarts had been, how carefree. She had immediately fit into Slytherin house, despite being a bit kinder than the average Slytherin. All of the girls immediately adored Eleanor because she was Leigh's best friend; Leigh was incredibly popular and carried Eleanor to the top with her. The two were inseparable despite their different dispositions and helped each other through their first year; Leigh helped Eleanor make the right friends while Eleanor helped Leigh with her schoolwork. Neither of the girls wanted the year to end, but it had to.

At King's Cross Station, Eleanor was greeted by her battered mother. Lena was wearing a nasty black eye and, upon Eleanor's later inspection, several nasty bruises. Eleanor tried to ignore it and spent the drive home ranting about her year at Hogwarts. But once at home – it was hard to ignore.

A knock on the dormitory door pulled Eleanor out of her own thoughts. A glance at one of the clocks on the walls showed Eleanor that she had been lost in her memories for a full hour. Leigh had dozed back off, so Eleanor eased herself out of bed to open the door.

A doe-eyed first year girl stood in the hallway. "Professor Dumbledore ordered me to give you this note while I was on my way to breakfast." The girl handed Eleanor a sheet of folded parchment and immediately disappeared down the hallway of dorms.

Eleanor returned to her bed and unfolded the paper.

Dear Miss Reynolds,

I would like to see you in my office promptly at 10:00am. I have several matters that we need to discuss.

Sincerely,

Professor Dumbledore

P.S. My new favorite treat happens to be Ice Mice.

"Wha wuz it?" Leigh mumbled, sitting up in her bed and yawning.

"I just got a note from Professor Dumbledore," Eleanor told her friend, still a bit surprised. "He wants me to go speak with him. What could that be about?"

"I'm sure he wants to speak with you about your mother," Leigh responded, tugging her sheet and quilt up around her neck. "Why is it so bloody cold in this dorm?"

"Well we are under the lake, you know." Eleanor couldn't help but smirk; she reminded her friend of this fact at least twice a school year. "What is there to say about my mother? He has already offered me his condolences."

"He's concerned about you Elle, I think. He's a good headmaster because of his concern for his students."

"I wish he would just leave me alone." Eleanor let out a sigh. "I guess I'll find out soon exactly what he wants."

"It doesn't matter what he wants." Leigh motioned Eleanor over. "How about we play a game of Gobstones?"

The girls spent the next two and a half hours playing Gobstones and gossiping about the scandals of the Slytherin house as Beatrice slept a couple of beds over. At nine thirty, Eleanor slipped into a simple navy skirt and a white shirt and proceeded up to Dumbledore's office. After muttering the password, Ice Mice, to the gargoyle guarding the office, Eleanor walked up the stairs and knocked on the door.

"Enter," Dumbledore called in a gentle and almost lazy tone.

Eleanor opened the door and slid into the room. "You wanted to speak with me sir?"

"Oh, Miss Reynolds, yes I did. Please, take a seat."

Eleanor immediately sat down in the chair across from Dumbledore's desk for what felt like the millionth time. "I feel like I've been here one too many times in the past few days," Eleanor said lightly, smiling slightly.

"I agree Miss Reynolds and under such miserable circumstances. Unfortunately, I've brought you here to further discuss your unpleasant circumstances." Dumbledore surveyed Eleanor over his fingertips, making her a bit uncomfortable. "I have been told that your stepfather made an appearance at the hospital yesterday."

Stiffening, Eleanor didn't say anything. She did not like where the conversation was going.

"And I was also told that your stepfather is the one who put your mother in her current position. Miss Reynolds, I wish that you had trusted me enough to tell me these things; I want to help you. I have alerted the Auror Department to keep an eye out for Rupert Austin; St. Mungo's has also been ordered to not allow him into the hospital."

Tears stung Eleanor's blue eyes, but she managed to choke out a "thank you," although she did not want to thank Dumbledore at all. Dumbledore studied her once more.

"Did Professor Snape tell you all of this?"

"As your Head of House, he felt that it was important to share this with me. He was also concerned for your welfare."

"Well, thank you," Eleanor choked out. "I'm going to go do some homework now." Before she totally lost it and before Dumbledore could say anything else, Eleanor raced out of his office.

Five minutes later, she exploded into Snape's office, not unlike the previous day; although this time, she was boiling with fury instead of simmering with fear.

"I CAN NOT BELIEVE YOU!" she snapped before Snape had a chance to even look up. "After what Dumbledore did to you? I can't believe you would betray my trust like this! Well you can guarantee that I'm never going to bother you with my problems EVER AGAIN."

"Ella!" Snape exclaimed, a regretful expression filling his face.

It was too late; she was gone.