Snow had been blanketing the grounds since I'd woken up at five o'clock in the morning. I got dressed and waited patiently in my bed for breakfast. I fingered the vial in my pocket and my newfound determination left me calm. My heart beat slowly and I sensed each gentle breath with my whole body. I felt much better than I had in days now that I'd made a decision. No longer unsettled, I smiled to myself. When it was finally time, I headed down, telling a groggy Fay on her way to the bathroom that I'd see her later.

Professor Tonks approached me as soon as I entered the Great Hall. "We have accounted for all the students this morning and we are taking every precaution to ensure they remain in the castle," she told me seriously. Impossible I thought. No one could ever ensure any such thing. There was no way to steal from Gringotts either, and three desperate children had masterminded the most destructive heist ever seen with very few resources and a little magic.

"Yes professor, thanks for letting me know," I said and managed not to cringe when the Bellatrix look-a-like patted me on the shoulder.

I sat down in my now customary spot next to Neville and ate some yogurt and fruit. I couldn't stomach anything heavier. I ate quickly and excused myself before walking over to the Slytherin table, having spotted my target arriving from across the room. The group hushed as I approached. "Flint, could I have a word?" I asked and waited for him to stand up and leave with me. I could feel Slytherin eyes boring into my back as I walked away with him, but it was irrelevant at this point.

"What is it?" he asked as we exitted.

"Not here, come with me," I said and turned around to make sure we weren't followed. I led him through the castle to the Defender's Den, where I struck a match and led him inside.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I just want to make sure nothing happens to you," I said.

"So what, you want me to hide out in here? I have to go to class you know," he chuckled.

I drew my wand, "It's for your own good." I stunned him and he crumpled onto the bench. I worked diligently to remove his robes, sweater, and shoes. I pulled out a shirt and pants I had stolen from Dean from my bag and took all my clothes off and shoved them in instead. The sun was just starting to peak out over the horizon, I needed to hurry. I ran my fingers through Michael's hair, and became more convinced that I was right. It was him in the vision. The texture and movement of his hair was exactly right. I pulled one out and dropped it into the vial I had been carrying. It bubbled and turned a disgusting green color. 'Bottoms up' I thought and downed the vile liquid. The feeling of morphing into someone else is indescribable. Everything felt all wrong. For starters I was a boy with all the requisite parts, which I hurried to cover up. I didn't have much time. I threw on his sweater and robes and pulled on his boots and tied them tight. I scribbled an 'I'm sorry' onto a loose scrap of parchment and left it under his hand, grabbed my bag and left.

The sun was rising steadily. I had to be fast, the potion wouldn't last more than an hour or so. I made sure I walked through the most populated parts of the castle and the Great Hall. Was today even the day, I wondered. But in my heart I felt it was, the snow, the sun, everything looked exactly right. The front door was being guarded by Rosier to prevent any escapees, but that was easily taken care of. I sent a hex randomly behind me and struck some unsuspecting victim who started sprouting a tail and furry ears before transfiguring into a skunk and spraying the hall in agitation, sending squealing students in every direction covering their faces. "Sorry," I whispered, and sure enough Professor Rosier abandoned his post and went over to help. See I thought, it was just too easy.

I walked straight towards the forest and when I was almost there I realized that I had a tail of four people about a hundred feet behind me. I ran, my heart pounding, but I was clumsy, not used to the length and weight of my limbs. I ran through the almost bare trees, the sound of heavy footsteps closing in on me. I tripped on a root and went down hard, sliding along the forest floor covered in slick snow and leaves. I was discovered before long by my pursuers who were wearing blue masks. "You don't want to do this," I said and drew my wand. And managed to cast two stunning spells before being hit.

One of them walked over and turned me over roughly. "You've had this coming to you for a long time," he stated bitterly, and kicked me before casting a stinging hex. It hurt like hell. I hadn't been beaten up since last year, and had forgotten just how much it hurt. Soon he was joined by the others and they started kicking and punching me, having abandoned their wands in their fervor. I wandlessly cast my Patronus, hoping that Firenze wasn't too far. I felt a gash in the side of my body and could feel my blood seeping into the snow under my hands. "Please, stop it," I pleaded involuntarily, just as I had in my vision.

"GIVE ME BACK MY BROTHER AND I'LL STOP," one of them bellowed before kicking me in the head. Lights out.


I awoke and felt no pain. I must be dead I thought. But then I heard Madam Pomfrey's voice in the distance and realized I was in the infirmary. I tried to open my eyes, but one was swollen shut and while feeling with my tongue, discovered a tooth was missing. I must look hideous.

"Well well, Miss Patil awakes," Professor McGonagall was sitting next to me. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me," she asked peering at me over her glasses.

"Not really," I responded in a weak voice, and the Headmistress chuckled.

"Well, Miss Patil, you are in quite a bad way. As you are not a child anymore, I thought I would ask before I sent for your parents. Would you like me to?"

"No." Oh Merlin, no!

"Allright."

"My tooth," I asked indicating Madam Pomfrey.

"I should imagine a little Skele-gro would heal that up," Professor McGonagall said.

"Thank Merlin," I sighed. I had no desire to look like some backwoods weirdo that had no idea how to brush their teeth.

"You do realize that you are quite badly injured," she added.

"It'll heal."

"It'll take time, and be painful, and there will be scars."

"What else is new?" I smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"Indeed. Do you feel strong enough to tell me what happened?" she asked me next.

"No," I shook my head and closed my good eye to shut out the light which was dancing across my over-sensitive vision.

"I suppose there is no real need, I think I have the long and short of it already. Ten points will be taken from Gryffindor for stunning another student and stealing his robes and shoes."

I chuckled and winced from the pain in my ribs, "Don't make me laugh."

After a moment McGonagall's demeanor turned more serious. "We caught the perpetrators, Professor Firenze managed to incapacitate them before rescuing you."

I gulped. "And who...what will you do..."

"I was hoping to get your side of the story before deciding."

"Go easy..." I croaked out.

"They were repentant, actually I don't believe repentant is a strong enough word. You transformed back to yourself before you were rescued. When they were brought to me, they were all in shock I think. Amongst them was your teammate, Alex Stone."

I gulped again. Not Alex, not him. He was so supportive and funny. He was my friend. "They didn't know...," I said more to myself.

"Yes they knew what they were doing, they just didn't know who they were doing it to. It doesn't excuse their actions one iota."

"It's hard...since the war..."

"I'm aware of that Miss Patil. Rest for now, we'll talk more later," she said and rested her warm hand gently on my head as she stood up, and I thought how good she was as a stand-in for my mother. Soothing and firm, she was an impressive leader. "It was a brave and stupid thing you did Parvati, even by Gryffindor standards."

"Thanks...," I said. That was high praise coming from Minerva McGonagall.


A few hours of sleep later I awoke feeling hungry and a lot better. Madam Pomfrey said she would need to wait for the pain potion to wear off before taking care of my tooth and my eye, so I had to live with that for a day or so yet. Fay showed up with dinner for me and more than a little admonishment. She told me that McGonagall was holding the four offending boys in her office as she pondered their fate. Fay hadn't seen Stone the whole day. I knew the Quidditch team had been thrown into disarray, Ginny's head was probably exploding somewhere. Madam Pomfrey didn't let Fay stay long before shooing her away and insisting I rest.

I awoke again at nine o'clock, feeling very awake from having spent most of the day in bed. This time an angry Michael Flint was sitting next to me. I had never seen him angry before.

"Flint," I said sitting up. He frowned.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, but I could tell he was simmering.

"Madam Pomfrey is fixing me up, it'll take a day or two, but I'll be fine."

"You shouldn't have done it," he said. "It wasn't your place."

"If it had been you they would have killed you, they only stopped because they realized it was me. Maybe they'll stop for good now."

"I'm not a coward, I can fight my own battles," he said. His elbows were resting on his knees, one of which bounced nervously while his head hovered over his joint hands.

"You can't be mad at a girl that just took a beating for you!" I said trying to diffuse his irritation. It worked, but he seemed sad.

"I'm not mad, I just wish you hadn't done it."

"I'm sorry I stole your things," I deflected. "And knocked you out."

"Knocked out by a girl, when will the humiliation end," he joked at his own expense.

I laughed, and it didn't hurt much this time. "It wasn't just to save your butt you know. I needed to get some control, it's hard seeing the future and not being able to change it. I feel like now I could look Professor Firenze in the eye and say 'Suck it!'"

"Yeah you win," he rolled his eyes. "Well for the record, thanks for saving my worthless hide."

"It's not worthless Flint, and you don't deserve this," I said.

"Neither do you."

"Ah, thanks," I smiled at him.

"I can't listen to this crap anymore," Malfoy abruptly made his presence known. He had been standing over by the door for god knows how long. "Holy Merlin, your face is a mess," he added as he walked over. "Did you know you're missing a tooth?" he winced. "You look uglier than Flint's brother."

I sat up and positively beamed at him, smiling broadly to emphasize my missing tooth and my swollen eye. My hair was pulled back in a messy bun with blood and dirt still caked into it, and bandages covered parts of my head and neck.

"Stop it," Malfoy scolded. "You're making it so much worse."

"Just trying to scare you off," I said. "Why isn't it working? Too much practice looking at the hideously maimed?"

He just exhaled loudly and looked off to the side, without a come-back. My face must have been worse than I thought. I was sort of counting on Madam Pomfrey to set it right. She would be able to, wouldn't she?

"Well, I'd better get back. I have an assignment to do. But if there's anything you need...," Flint said and Malfoy crossed his arms in irritation. "I'll see you," Flint hurried to leave and smiled mysteriously to himself. Something funny was going on there.

"You really are a world-class moron," Malfoy flopped into Flint's empty seat.

"No no no. You're supposed to say, 'Gee thanks Patil for saving my classmate's hide at great personal risk.' Go on try again," I said. The pain medication had claimed my edge. Normally I would have been much angrier at this unwelcome visitor here to damage my calm.

"Gee thanks Patil, if you had gone and gotten yourself killed, it would have turned out great for Flint. No one would have thought he'd tricked an innocent Gryffindor into taking his place in a fight, and no one would have come after him then," he mocked me. Touche. "Why the hell did you do it alone? Why did you do that at all? You didn't even try to change things."

"I did it alone because it was simpler that way, no one to ruin my plan. I did it because it had to be done, Michael would have been attacked sooner or later, out in the snow, in the school, on his way home, vision or no vision. Those boys were out for Michael's blood."

"And you gave them yours, like an idiot, they could have killed you."

"I knew what was coming, I had a plan," I tried to convince him.

"Yeah right, take a look in the mirror, brilliant plan," he looked away. "And why Flint, what's so special about him? You said you hated all us Slytherins."

"I did not," my temper flared. "I said I hated you, all of you Death Eater wannabes. Flint is innocent. It would be monstrous to let this happen to him."

Malfoy's cocky smile returned to his face. "I see, moving on from Thomas are you? Well that was quick. Isn't he a little young for you?"

"You are horrible, and you should talk, aren't you dating like a second year?" I said to him through clenched teeth. "Why'd you come here anyway?"

"I just wanted to make sure this vision thing was all finished. I see that it is now, it's been awful working with you, see you in class," he said over his shoulder before leaving.


By the next morning I felt much more myself. I got off my bed and walked around. I enjoyed watching the sunrise over the silent snow-covered grounds. Time moved much slower in the infirmary than the rest of the castle, where the crowds of children kept up a frenetic pace of activity. Fay came to see me early, and was really pleased with how much better I looked. She stayed to eat breakfast with me, and updated me on the goings on. She asked if Dean could come visit, and I decided against that suggestion. I would be out in a day or so anyway, I could talk to him then. She did warn me that Ginny was going to show up regardless, which didn't surprise me in the least. Our obsessive captain had a full on crisis on her hands.

"What does everyone think happened?" I worked up the courage to ask her finally. "Do people know about my ability?"

"Well there are a lot of theories going around about exactly what happened. Most of them involve a love triangle of some kind."

"What?!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah, some people think you and Flint had a thing going, and Stone got jealous, or that Stone was stalking you, and then attacked you once you and Dean broke up. There are a lot of interesting rumors out there. Some people just think it was some messed up Quidditch thing."

"But people don't know I'm a Seer?"

"Well, the Slytherins all know that someone was going to get attacked in the woods as a matter of prophecy, but most of the other students don't believe them. And no one really knows who made the prophecy, most figure it was just Professor Trelawney's rambling again."

I laughed out loud. "But it's not good," Fay added. "If anything more people are at each other's throats than ever." I quieted, that was unexpected. "I have to get to class, I'll catch you later?" she asked and I nodded. Quiet redescended on the infirmary and I was left alone with my thoughts.


The painful work of the Skele-gro had me writhing in bed for most of the afternoon. Professor McGonagall's visit only made the discomfort worse. She came to ask me to tell the truth about myself. She said if people knew the whole story it might help bring peace to the school. I could see the wisdom of what she was suggesting, but I was afraid it was going to take more courage than it took to take Flint's place in my vision.

By that evening I was beginning to accept the idea of letting my story be known, but there was one thing I was determined to do first. Once curfew had fallen, I waited for Madam Pomfrey to finish checking on me for the night. Once she had gone I slipped on my shoes and grabbed my wand. I had only my hospital robe, a thick long white shift, but that would have to do, I was running out of time. Once I had snuck out I found the halls mostly abandoned all the way to the Potions classroom. But my real challenge was breaking into Longwood's private cupboard. I tested the door and it was locked. A simple 'Alohamora' did not work. I tried to feel for his wards with my drawn wand, but I had never been good at that sort of thing.

I went through a few other spells I knew of, but stopped short of trying to set the door on fire. I'd probably just set some poisonous ingredient on fire on the other side and kill myself with a cloud of toxic gas. After several minutes I hit my head against the door frame in frustration. The thing I wanted, irrationally so, more than anything rested on the other side, and I was too incompetent to get it. I was so distracted I didn't notice Malfoy come up behind me until he shook a set of keys.

"Looking for something?" he asked. Would his infuriating face ever stop mocking me?


Meanwhile, a note was delivered by my owl to my infirmary bedside table, short and sweet from my twin sister.

Good luck.