"Good morning," said Professor Minerva McGonagall calling the attention of the rowdy classroom. I slipped into my seat next to Lily as the Transfiguration class settled down. "Today, we'll be reviewing how to transform animals," she said slowly. She looked to her side where a wooden create was sitting. "Unfortunately though, all of the mice escaped over the summer and the only thing I have available at this moment to transform is snakes into sticks."

"Snakes!" shouted some of the girls in shock and disgust.

"I'm not touching a snake!"

Lily looked a little nervous, but didn't say anything. I could careless if they were snakes or mice…either way it was a harmless animal.

"We'll keep them at your desks with these," McGonagall waved her wand and trays with high sides appeared at everyone's desk. "Now if you will please, bring your tray up here and I will give you a snake."

Even McGonagall looked a little squeamish about the snakes.

"Come on," I said nudging Lily's shoulder. "Let's go get some snakes."

Lily gave me a nasty look and then stood up after me, holding her tray with tight hands. I could hear the boys behind us laughing and joking about something. As we approached the box of snakes I heard whispering all around me. I looked over my shoulder but saw no one talking. The boys were still laughing though. There were a few Slytherins laughing and chatting behind me and Lily, but no one close enough for me to hear whispering. For a few split seconds I thought that they had been talking about me—did they believe the rumor Severus Snape had started last year that I was Voldemort's daughter? Yes, it was true, but I didn't want the whole Wizarding community to know it.

I looked back at the box of snakes as McGonagall lifted her wand and waved it at one of the snakes. The snake lifted up out of the box and onto the tray in my hands. The snake slithered to all the edges of the tray trying to escape, but I kept him in the box with my hands.

Let me out of this.

I looked over my shoulder. It had been a male voice—and it sounded close, quiet…in a whisper. I looked down at the tray with some surprise as the voice called again.

Let me out of this!

It was the snake. I put the tray down and looked at the snake with raised eyebrows.

"Cadence? Is something wrong?" Lily asked. I blinked and looked away from the snake.

"No," I said softly sitting down. "I'm fine."

Lily looked at me oddly and nodded.

"Alright," she whispered. She sat down next to me. "I don't like snakes. Why'd if have to be snakes."

There are worse things, hissed the snake in front of Lily.

I stared at in shock with my mouth hanging open. Lily flicked her wand, without saying a spell, and the snake cried in horror as it transformed into a stick.

No…no…not into a stick! You sick humans! We're living creatures you can't just practice your dumb spells on us!

The snake on my tray was squirming around frantically trying to get away. I flicked my wand and the snake let out a shrill cry. I felt horrible but I had to stop it from talking. Was I hearing things in my head…how was I understanding the snake?

"Cadence," said Lily again. I blinked at her. "Are you sure you're okay? You look like you've seen something frightening?"

"Lily, is it possible for someone to hear and understand snakes?"

She looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"Yes," she whispered. "Yes it is. But Cadence, it's not something that lots of people can do. It's very rare."

"You're sure?" I said back. "I mean…I'm sure somebody else here could do it."

"Yea," Lily retorted. "Slytherin could."

"Excuse me?" I blinked at her. She was talking about my very distant relative.

"There's a reason the animal for Slytherin house is a snake Cadence, Slytherin was a Parselmouth."

"A Parselmouth?"

"Yes," Lily nodded at me impatiently. "He could speak to snakes."

My mouth was hanging open slightly. I closed it quickly and looked back at the stick that was shaking a little on my tray. I flicked my wand and it turned back into a snake.

I'm sorry, I apologized.

The snakes little head turned and looked at me with some surprise.

You speak our tongue? It hissed.

I nodded my head and looked at Lily who was looking at me like I was a little crazy.

"Stop looking at me like that," I said softly.

"She's looking at you like what?" asked a snide voice. I turned sharply in my seat and saw Severus Snape sitting in the desk two seats over. "The freak you are?"

"Original," I said sharply.

"Have you read the papers lately?" Snape said back. "They all think you're a freak—"

"That's enough Severus," Lily snapped at her child hood friend. Snape looked at her with raised eyebrows and turned away, looking back at his stick on the tray. I glared at Snape for the remainder of the class—maybe his face would melt off if I glared long enough.

"Hey," Sirius said catching up to Lily and I after class. "What was all that about with Snape?"

"Oh, nothing," I sighed as Sirius wrapped an arm around me.

"You sure? Cause I'll go curse him real good if he said anything nasty."

"It's alright," I forced a smile. "Besides, I'd like to curse him myself."

Sirius grinned and kissed my cheek.

"James and I have break now," he said. "We'll see you at lunch?"

I nodded.

"I'm so looking forward to Ancient Runes," I said sarcastically.

"Cheer up," Sirius said with a smile as he pulled me against him. "You can spend the evening with me."

"That will cheer me up," I giggled.

He smiled and kissed me deeply.

"Come on Cadence," said Lily while I was still kissing Sirius. "We're going to be late."

"Right," I said pulling out of the kiss. "Bye," I whispered to Sirius. He pinched my cheek.

"See ya."

"Bye guys," I said with a wave to James, Remus and Peter.

Lily hooked my arm and we walked off together to the first floor where Ancient Runes was being taught this year.

"Do you have to snog like that in the hallways?"

I laughed a little.

"I'd hardly call that snogging, Lily."

She looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"But I suppose if it bothers you…"

"People were staring."

"Let them," I shrugged. "They're going to stare at me no matter what."

"I don't think they remember that rumor that Severus started last year."

"I'm sure some of them do," I said as we passed a group of seventh year Slytherins who all glared at me as I walked by them.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Lily said following the Slytherins with her gleaming green eyes.

"I wouldn't worry about Sirius and I snogging," I said back with a smile. Lily rolled her eyes and pinched my arm.

"Not the same thing."

I laughed as we descended the marble staircase. I was about to say something when my words caught in my throat; the great oak doors opened and a cool fall breeze blew into the hall. Along with the breeze came a tall man dressed in black with a cloak wrapped tightly around him. The hood of the cloak was up blocking his face, but I could recognize the posture and movements of the man. Gabriel Quintin lowered his hood and closed the door tightly behind him, locking out of the breeze, sunshine, and dead leaves.

He turned and headed for the stairs, his eyes finding me and Lily right away. He smiled at me and approached us. Lily and I stopped on the stairs.

"Gabriel," I said with surprise. "I wasn't expecting to see you so soon."

"To be honest, I wasn't expecting to come out here so soon."

"What's the matter?"

I could tell by the urgency in his step and sharp look in his eyes that something was the matter—and it was something to do with me.

"I think you should come see the Headmaster with me."

Lily was eyeing Gabriel with untrusting eyes. Her grip on my arm was so tight that I thought she might cut off my circulation. She leaned against me.

"Who is he?" she whispered quietly in my ear.

I looked at her and then back at Gabriel.

"How do you open your front door?"

He smirked.

"Tap it three times where the knob should be," he said. "While saying a complicated spell in your head."

I nodded.

"It's him," I said looking at Lily. She was still eyeing Gabriel like he was dangerous—he was an intimidating man: tall, well built and handsome; plus his dark clothing, eyes, and hair, and that sharp look he always had. Lily released my arm slowly.

"Will you tell me what's the matter?"

Gabriel looked around.

"Not out here," he said. "Come on, let's go to Dumbledore's office."

"I'll see you at lunch, Lily." I slipped my arm out of her grasp and began to move up the stairs with Gabriel. "Don't worry." I said back to her. She nodded and turned, heading back down the stairs toward the first floor classroom.

"How serious is it?" I asked as I walked next to Gabriel.

"Let's just say that it's serious."

"I don't like you dancing around the situation," I said with a sharp look at him. He put his hand on the small of my back and ushered me up another set of stairs. I could feel his fingertip against my body and they sent shivers all through me. He filled me with so much desire that I wanted to scream. My body was growing tense…and the only thing I could think about was Gabriel's hands all over me to help me relax.

"You need to relax," he said.

I bit my bottom lip and cursed myself for not putting up a stronger mind block around him. He could have been wreaking through my brain the whole time and seen everything—from the dreams I'd had about him and I, to the feelings I felt when we were close together…he could know everything and that was the last thing I wanted.

"You're the one stressing me out," I snipped. "Tell me to relax when there's something seriously wrong…yea okay, like it's that easy."

He smirked at me as we stopped in front of the statue guarding Dumbledore's office. Before either of us could try a password, it sprang out of the way revealing the rivaling staircase.

"He's expecting you," it said.

It always creeped me out when the statue knew who was expected. Gabriel ushered me up the stairs and knocked on Dumbledore's door lightly.

"Enter," came his soft voice from behind the door. Gabriel pushed it open and allowed me to enter first. "Ah, hello Miss Coleman. I wasn't expecting to see you as well."

"I thought it best she be here," said Gabriel. "And we ran into each other on the way up."

Dumbledore nodded.

"Yes, of course," he said sitting down. "I'm surprised it took you so long to get out here."

"I didn't read the paper until after breakfast," Gabriel said taking off his cloak. He was wearing black slacks, a red button up shirt, and black vest that was unbuttoned half way. His shirt was also unbuttoned a little, revealing his muscular chest a bit. His skin was tanned and smooth; it took me a few moments to pull my eyes away from it. He pulled a newspaper from the inside of his cloak then threw it on the back of a chair. I sat down slowly across from Dumbledore and eyed the newspaper Gabriel had just thrown on the desk.

The headline was bold and took up the whole top half of the page: Daughter of Dark Lord Discovered!

I jumped up out of the seat and snatched the paper up, staring at it in complete shock. A picture of me standing near a fireplace in a room that looked like it had been burnt badly by fire, looking slightly mad was plastered across the page under the jeering headline. I looked at the picture more closely, as my figure paced around the room. It was from when my Father had held me captive over the summer and cut me open. I could see my arm bleeding all over the place; this was taken before I had thought of cauterizing it with the hot poker. As my figure paced in the room I realized that my face wasn't perfectly clear, but anyone in Gryffindor House would probably be able to place me—and anyone who had heard the rumor that Snape started the last day of term last year would immediately think of me.

"B-but…how did this…what is this?" I was shaking with fury and confusion. I didn't understand where or how the picture was taken, and how or who had put it in the paper. What did my Father gain from revealing who I was? I stood up straight and dropped the paper. Did he want people to fear me so they would fear him more also? Was he trying to make people think that we were together and becoming a frighteningly powerful force?

"Cadence, sit down," said Gabriel taking the paper from me.

"Don't tell me to sit down!" I yelled violently. I began to pace in Dumbledore's office. I had to move. If I didn't I would scream and start throwing things…something…I had to keep doing something. I squeezed my hands together tightly to try and remain calm and stop them from shaking, but it didn't help. Rage was pumping through me like my own blood and if it stopped I'd die.

"Does it name me, in the article?"

"No," Dumbledore whispered shaking his head.

"Early Tuesday afternoon a letter arrived at the Daily Prophet headquarters presenting a letter (and the photo you see above) about a young woman who was in company of Death Eaters this past August. The young woman, as seen above, is believed to be the daughter of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The letter that was sent with the photo does not reveal very much of the girl…only that she goes by Kieran.

"Although not very much information was given in the letter, it is believed that the daughter of the Dark Lord is attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and is in her seventh year. What Headmaster Albus Dumbledore will do upon learning of the girl's existence is unpredictable, but it is sure to be a topic of the council of lords…"

I stopped to listen to Gabriel's soft voice as he read bits of the article.

"If you look closely to the photograph, you will notice a dark shape on the young woman's right arm. Is it a Dark Mark? Or is she going to fight against her Father's dark ways? Many arguments lean towards her following her Father—why else would she have a Dark Mark, and have spent part of her summer with Death Eaters? Hopefully, more information will be learned about this, Kieran, and we will all know if she is also to fear like her Father."

My mouth was hanging open.

"Cadence," he whispered looking at me. "I'm so sorry."

"What am I going to do?" I asked. "They don't mention me by name, but anyone from here who looks at that photograph will no doubt recognize me!"

"It's not a reliable picture," said Dumbledore. "Your name is not Kieran, its Cadence Coleman. You don't have a Dark Mark on your right arm—"

I jerked up the sleeve of my school robes.

"No," I snapped. "But it sure looks like I tried to get rid of one!"

My skin was still burnt and black from the cauterizing. Gabriel grabbed my arm.

"You idiot, why don't you have this wrapped? Or covered in the lotion I sent with you?" he was looking at my arm closely, his fingers gently and yet firm and tight on my skin. "I leave you alone for a day and look at what happens…"

"Shut up," I hissed trying to pull my arm from him. He held out his hand and a small tub appeared in his hand. He unscrewed the top and began to rub the light blue lotion on my arm. His hands felt good massaging my skin and I tried to glare at him with all my might.

"If you have any hope of healing it you need to put this cream on it," he said. "And keep it wrapped."

"People will accuse me of having the Dark Mark—"

"—then show them what it is," Gabriel said to me softly with comfort in his voice. "Once it's healed you'll have a scar…show them the scar and tell them what happened. They may not believe you, but they don't have to. Everyone who cares about you knows you're good Cadence, and that's all that matters."

"No, Gabriel," I said sharply. "It matters that the Minister thinks I'm good, and Aurors, and people at the Ministry. If not, then I'm going to have a bigger target on my back from them—not my Father."

"I think that's what he wants," said Dumbledore.

"What?" I asked looking at him.

"If you're not with him, you're obviously against him," said Dumbledore with a shrug. "Cadence, you are a very powerful witch and I think you have the potential to be more powerful then your Father. He realizes that you won't join him, so he wants you to be alone and have your allies turned against you. In addition, if the Ministry is so focused on catching you they won't be on catching him. He'll be able to get away with a lot more."

Dumbledore wasn't looking at me. He was looking out his window with his fingers pressed against his lips. I sighed. What was he thinking about?

"I think it's time you've met the Minister," Dumbledore said standing up. He wrote a quick note and handed it to his phoenix. "Quickly Fawks."

"The Minister?" I questioned. "Why? He won't believe any of this."

Dumbledore moved away from Fawks as the phoenix disappeared with a bright burst of flames. I covered my face to block the heat and looked back at Dumbledore as he sat down at his desk. He looked incredibly patient.

"On the contrary, Cadence. She has known about you and your heritage since your birth," said Dumbledore. "Your Grandfather made sure of that."

I was looking at Dumbledore dumbfounded. First of all, the Minister of Magic of was a woman? I didn't know that. And secondly, my Grandfather had made sure that she knew about me?

"That way in the future, she or the next Minister of Magic would know where your loyalties lie," Dumbledore said. "Millicent is a dear friend, and I think it's important that you both finally meet each other. It's probably something that we should have done when you first came here two years ago."

Fawks reappeared with another burst of flames. He swooped low in the office and dropped a letter on Dumbledore's desk. The parchment was light green, with dark emerald writing on it. Dumbledore picked it up and unfolded it.

"Ah," said Dumbledore standing up. "She is arriving now." He walked to his office door and opened it. "If you will excuse me, I'll be back in just a moment with the Minister."

He closed the door and I looked at Gabriel for only a moment, then took my seat. I didn't know what to do or say. There were so many things going through my head—thoughts, worries, emotions…I wasn't sure what to do with myself.

Gabriel's touch brought me back to Dumbledore's office. His fingers intertwined with mine and he squeezed my hand gently.

"I won't let anyone hurt you, Cadence," he whispered. "I'm still going to protect you from anyone."

I forced a smile at him, but said nothing. In truth, I didn't know what to say. Now I was being hunted by both sides of the war, which didn't seem right or make very much sense. I rubbed my head in my hands and sighed lightly. What a horrible first week of term.