"I want to see my sister!" Snape shouted into the green fire.

"She's in high security, you won't be seeing her," said the same man who had taken her.

"You will let me see her," hissed Snape.

"No," said the man and pulled out of the fire. Snape leaned back on his heels, silently cursing himself. He stood and walked down the hall, towards the Christmas party he was being forced to attend. Slughorn was set on it.

But he also wanted to talk to Sanguini. He had heard he'd be there. If he couldn't do something, maybe Sanguini could, no matter how much he hated him.

He got down to Slughorn's office, his cape flying out behind him. He'd been compared to a bat many times by students, and sometimes Winter. He had only sneered at her. He went in and quickly found something alcoholic to drink.

He watched as the students came in, joined by staff and other visitors. He spit out a little of his drink when he saw Potter enter with that Loony Lovegood child. Ravenclaw, fifth year. She was intelligent but extremely odd.

He shook his head and watched Granger come in with her date, McLaggen. He snickered as he watched her ditch him and hide with Potter.

He got distracted from watching for Sanguini when one of the students started asking him about the homework he had assigned over the holidays. Sanguini was the one that found him, however.

"Severus," he hissed. The circles under his eyes were darker, much darker.

Severus followed him to a secluded corner.

"Where's Winter? I haven't seen her," he said quietly.

"She's . . . she's in Azkaban," Snape answered, defeated, depressed. "They won't let me see her, but you might be able to get in. You're her master, her creator! Do something!"

"I'll try," said Sanguini. "What do you want me to do when I find her?"

"I'm going to give you something to give to her. Try to get her out. She's probably trying to die, so convince her to live. Tell her I'll try to find a way to see her again," pleaded Snape. "Please."

"Fine," said Sanguini.

"Use force to get her out, especially if she refuses to move."

"Fine," he said. "I will."

"Winter, eat, please," pleaded Lucius. He was trying to get her to suck the blood from the raw beef. "Please."

"There's no point in living," she whispered, moving her head away.

"Winter," he said. "Come on. The Dark Lord-"

"It's always the Dark Lord!" she screamed. "He's not getting us out! We've been here for weeks, months! It won't happen!"

"You can't say that!" he shouted back.

"Yes I can!" she screamed. She shoved him away, and Lucius went back to his corner bed. Winter picked up the beef and then dropped it again. She didn't care enough to eat.

There was a click at the door.

"See! He is!" said Lucius. "Wait, who are you?"

"Sanguini!" cried Winter. She threw herself at him, so happy to see a familiar face, even an unloved one.

Sanguini wrapped his arms around her, rocking her back and forth as the bundled up emotion poured out through tears. He brushed her hair back, held her tight. He picked her up in his arms and took her back to her bed, sitting down on it, still holding her. Lucius watched on, confused and angry. Why wasn't the Dark Lord here?

"Severus wanted me to give you this," said Sanguini, taking out a letter and handing it to Winter.

Winter unfolded the parchment and read over what he had written. She began crying softly as she read what he had written. It was filled with words of encouragement, and love and hopes he could visit. Wishing her a happy Christmas, telling her random things happening, mentioning Draco.

Winter, you were the reason I made it past age ten. I would still be scarred or dead right now if it wasn't for you. So live. I need you to live. I need you, Winter. I truly can't live without you. You are my twin. We're connected to each other. So help me by helping yourself. Take care of yourself and eat, drink blood, just be as close to normal as you can. Winter, I never said this, but I love you. You are my sister, and I love you for this.

The letter dropped from her hand, and she curled in on herself, sobbing. Sanguini pulled her tightly into his arms, rocking her as she cried. He pressed his pale lips to the top of her head.

"Listen to your brother," he whispered.

Winter looked up. Sanguini brushed a few of the tears away with his thumb, rubbing circles into her cheek. She leaned into him, closing her eyes. She felt better without seeing the cell.

"Come on, Winter," said Sanguini. "You need to take care of yourself. Please, just try."

"Fine," she muttered after a few minutes.

The door opened again, showing a guard. He walked in and pulled Winter off of Sanguini.

"No!" screamed Winter as he dragged Sanguini away.

"Winter!" he called back. He managed to break away, thanks to his vampire strength. He came back and pulled Winter into his arms.

"Stupefy!" cried the man. The spell hit Sanguini, and he hit the ground.

The man dragged him out, Winter rushing after him, but she was too depressed to use extra strength. The door slammed in her face, and she reached up with her hands, clawing at the door frame.

Lucius got up and drug Winter back to the beds. He placed her on hers and let her curl in on herself, crying and screaming obscenities at no one in particular. He sat down next to her and squeezed her hand, still viewing her as something similar to Draco. He missed Draco. He missed Narcissa as well.

As the months past, no one came to visit again. Occasionally, very occasionally, they would get a small letter from Draco, Narcissa or Severus. Winter got two from Sanguini in June.

"Yeah, your Dark Lord is gonna be here any day," said Winter sarcastically. "I'm just gonna throw myself onto the ground and kiss his feet."

There was a loud crash downstairs. Winter backed up towards Lucius, afraid the floor would cave in on them.

"What do you think that was?" she asked quietly.

"No id- Is I just me or does it feel as though something has been lifted off our shoulders?" Lucius asked. He made his way to the door, carefully, wondering if the floor would cave in. He looked through the bars. "There're no Dementors. There's always at least three."

"What do you mean there aren't any?" she asked, walking up next to him. She stood on tiptoe, looking out. There weren't any. Not one. There was another blast that caused their cell to rock. They fell onto their backsides, Winter groaning.

"Well, that hurt," she muttered.

"What is that?" Lucius hissed.

Their door was thrown open, and a man with slits for nostrils and red, snake-like eyes. His black robe fit loosely.

"Oh, My Lord," whispered Lucius.

"Lucius," said Voldemort in what sounded like disgust.

"Come on, Winter," said Lucius.

"I'm not kissing his feet!" she declared.

"My Lord, she's a vampire," said Lucius, kissing up to him.

Winter didn't like Voldemort. She remembered everything he had done when he had first started. She stayed back, watching him carefully. She gathered the letters and tested out changing to a bat. It worked, and she shot past him. But a spell hit her, causing her to crash to the ground.

"Ow," she moaned.

"Yes, you're much too useful to be rid of," said Voldemort, placing a foot on the small of her back.

"Dammit," muttered Winter. She slithered out from under his foot. "Severus. Where is he? I have to see him!"

"Yes, of course," said Voldemort. He pulled Winter up by her wrist and Apparated out.

They were outside Snape's home. Winter rushed forward and opened the door. She ran in and tackled Snape from behind.

"Severus!" she cried, hugging him.

"Winter?" Snape asked. He rolled over, Winter sitting on his chest. "You're okay!"

"I am now," she said, Severus hugging her tightly.

"Oh, yes, a wonderful, touching reunion," said Voldemort. "But that does not matter."

"What do you mean?" asked Severus as he and Winter stood up.

"Bite me, stupid child," hissed Voldemort, grabbing her by the collar.

"What?" shouted Winter. "Never!" She kicked him hard in the stomach and backed away. "I will never send the world into eternal damnation by letting you become a vampire, a monster like I am."

"Do you like life?" asked Voldemort, stepping closer to her, toying with the wand in his hands.

"Yeah," said Winter slowly.

"So you do not want to die, correct?" he asked.

"Well, I'm going to hell when I do die," said Winter, "'cause of everything I've ever done, everyone I've ever killed."

Voldemort pointed the wand at Severus and a spell hit him in the chest. He fell to his knees, grunting and clutching at his chest with one hand. Winter rushed over and put her arms around his shoulders.

"Father, stop, please," pleaded Severus with his long dead father.

"Sev, snap out of it," hissed Winter. "He's not here. It's just this other bastard and me and Lucius. Snap out of it!"

Severus stopped moving, and Voldemort walked around the twins.

"So your daddy wasn't a very nice man," stated Voldemort. "How . . . unfortunate."

Another spell hit Severus in the back. He reeled and then slammed back to the ground, stopping himself with his hands.

"Stop it!" shouted Winter.

"I won't stop until you agree to bite me," hissed Voldemort.

"You sick, deluded, moronic, son of -"

Another spell hit Severus. He was knocked to the floor, barely breathing.

"Winter," he whispered. She bent down, close to his mouth. "Agree with him. Please."

"Fine," hissed Winter. She stood up, fists clenched, staring down Voldemort. Their eyes flickered with hatred for the other. "Fine! I'll help you, you jerk! I'll go along with your rubbish idea! Just stop hurting Sev."

Voldemort smirked and flicked his wand. A large cut appeared on the Severus's back. Winter cut off her breathing and glared at Voldemort one more time before bending down to look at the cut on Severus's back.

"Pack your things, child," said Voldemort. "Now."

Winter helped Snape up, and he took her to his room.

"I kept your stuff in here after the end of the year. It should all be here. And even some of the blood potion with Draco's blood. I just thinned it with my blood."

"Thanks," she said. He handed her the bottle, and she downed it quickly. She picked up the trunk and the extra bottles of potion. She cleaned the cut on his back and healed it with a simple spell.

Snape started going downstairs.

"Wait," said Winter. She took his arm and pulled him back, into a darker corner. "Let's go. Let's get out of here. Apparate."

"He'll find us," hissed Snape. "He will. He always will."

"Come on," said Winter. "Let's go."

"Go where?" asked a voice from the doorway.

Winter and Snape looked over. Voldemort was glaring over at them.

"Come along, children," he hissed. He walked over and grabbed Winter roughly by the back of her shirt, dragging her along. Severus followed after, taking her trunk.

They arrived at the Malfoy Manor shortly after, and Lucius rushed forward, running into the house. The other three walked in moments later. Lucius had swept Narcissa into his arms, holding her, kissing her face.

"I'm still not biting you," said Winter, crossing her arms.

"Crucio," hissed Voldemort.

Snape screamed like he had when they were younger, falling to the ground, twitching and shaking.

"You sick bastard!" screamed Winter, yanking the wand out of his hand. She knelt by Snape and pulled him into her arms. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

Snape stared at her with hollow eyes.

"Just do what he wants," he whispered.

"Winter?" came a familiar voice.

"Draco?" she said, looking around. She saw him come down the stairs. He looked . . . older somehow. His jaw pointed slightly.

"I thought I heard someone familiar," he said with a grin. Then he noticed the others. "Father? What's going on?"

"All the Death Eaters are free from Azkaban," said Voldemort. "I'll be staying here. And if your friend and professor want to live, she'll be turning me into a vampire."

Winter glared at him. She and Snape stood up. Winter looked at him with concern, knowing he was having flashbacks to worse days. Horrible, dark days.

"Winter, you have two choices," said Voldemort.

"Oh, yeah?" she asked. "What would those be?"

"Bite me and live well," he said. "Or watch your twin suffer."

"Twin?" cried Narcissa. "What are you talking about?"

"Severus and I are twins. I'm a vampire. I killed our father. Leave it at that," muttered Crimson. "Now, Voldie, how about I don't bite and take Sev away?"

"How about I kill you both?"

"Oh, you won't do that." A slight gleam came into Winter's eyes. "I know you won't. Severus is much too important for that. And I do believe you want a vampire on your side."

"Ah, so you are working for me, are you? What are smart child you are."

"Now, how about you give me a little time to think about it, and I'll go make myself at home. Hey, Draco, do you guys have and extra room I can stay in?"

She took her trunk from Severus and went up the stairs, following Draco. He showed her a room right next to his own. She tossed the trunk onto her bed and laid down. She sighed, running her hand over the smooth fabric.

"It's so nice to be on a real bed again," she said. "But I'd rather have a coffin."

Draco smirked. "What was Azkaban like?"

Winter rolled over, her back to Draco. She still had the garment on, her hair still stringy and oily. It had been weeks since her last shower.

"Dark. It was like living in a world with no sun. There was nothing to make you happy. It was . . . hell. That's the only way to really describe it. Hell. I gave up on living for the longest time. After Sanguini visited, though, I felt more like living. After I got that letter from Sev. But let's not talk about that. What happened at Hogwarts after I left?"

"Dumbledore is dead," said Draco. "Snape killed him."

"What?" whispered Winter. She sat up and stared at him. "But – why would Snape kill him?"

"The Dark Lord made me," he answered.

"But you said Snape did it."

"I was supposed. I couldn't though. I couldn't kill him. So Snape did."

"So you're on his side! I bet you even have the mark, too!"

"I do . . ."

"Get out my sight."

"Winter."

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" Winter threw one of the potion bottles towards his head, but Draco ducked and flew out of the room. "Why did you make such a stupid move!"