Maycen jumped at the sound of the voice and she quickly backed away from the tent opening. Her heart was pounding against her chest, and when the flap opened she thought she might throw up. It wasn't Scabior who entered however, it was Cad. Maycen let out a sigh of relief.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I left the others, because I needed to tell you something."

Maycen's heart skipped a beat. "Yes?"

"Potter's still alive. Somehow the trio managed to escape the Manor before the Dark Lord arrived."

Maycen couldn't control the smile that appeared on her face. Without even thinking, she stood up and ran over to Cad, embracing him in a hug. He stood there confused at first, but then he wrapped his arms around her.

"So there's still a chance that we can win this war?" Maycen whispered.

"Maycen, they've tracked him to Hogwarts. What happened earlier, the Dark Lord called all of his followers to him, and he told us we were all going there. This is it Maycen, by the end of tonight, one of them will be dead."

Maycen rested her head on Cad's chest. Of course the final battle would take place at Hogwarts, where else would it be? Although she was more than happy that Harry and the others were still alive, she was apprehensive that all of this would be taking place tonight. Knowing Harry, he didn't have a plan whatsoever and he was just playing things by ear.

"Maycen did you mean what you said?"

Maycen looked up at him confused.

"You know, how you're attracted to Scabior."

"Cad I'm not attracted to him."

"Then why did you say you were?" he sounded annoyed.

Maycen sighed. "I was protecting you."

"Protecting me?" he snorted.

"I belong to him. If I would have said that I was attracted to you then he would have killed you, and I couldn't let that happen."

"Maycen, I-"

"Why do you even care anyway?" she spat.

"I like you Maycen, why is it so hard for you to see that?"

"It's not; I know you like me Cad, but it doesn't change anything."

Cad sighed. "Why doesn't it change things Maycen?"

"Well for one, you've been telling me how much you care for me and like me, but have yet to do anything to save me; except the one time you tried to protect me against the others. Two, it wouldn't matter if I liked you back because there's nothing we could do about it; you're a snatcher and I'm…not."

Cad reached up and stroked the side of Maycen's face. "Do you think things would have been different?"

Maycen furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean at school; do you think things would have been different if you and I would have been together?"

"Cad you can't dwell on what could have happened. Everything happens for a reason and I think I'm supposed to be with someone else."

"But how do you know that? What if we were supposed to be together, but we just never got the chance?"

Maycen sighed. "I don't know Cad."

Cad cupped her face in his hands. "There's one way to know."

Maycen didn't move as Cad softly pressed his lips against hers. She kept her arms at her sides as their lips danced together, but something felt different. The first time he kissed her, she was pretty sure a Weasley firework went off in her brain; but now she didn't feel anything. The kiss was good, she wasn't arguing with that, but in that moment, she knew Cad wasn't the one. When Cad pulled away from her they both were breathing heavily, and he looked at her with an expression of sadness and confusion.

"So you really do love him?" he whispered.

Maycen nodded her head. "I'm sorry."

Cad dropped his hands from her face. "I should go before the others come back."

"Cad wait!" Maycen tried to plead, but he was already gone.

She stared wide eyed and confused at the tent opening. She was aware of the single tear that was sliding down her cheek, but she didn't wipe it away. She had never seen someone look so defeated and hurt before and it almost broke her heart. She hadn't wanted to hurt Cad, but she couldn't lie to him and tell him that she felt something when she clearly didn't.

Maycen walked back over to her bed and lied down, curling herself up into a ball. She was conscious of the fact that her body was fatigued and as she stretched out, her muscles became much more relaxed. She rested her head on the hard pillow and not even two seconds later, she had fallen into a deep sleep.

{/}

Maycen woke up actually quite peacefully. She stretched out her sore muscles and rolled over onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. She didn't know how long she had been asleep, but she knew it couldn't have been too long because it was still fairly light outside. Maycen sat up and popped her neck a few times before standing up and walking into the bathroom.

She stopped when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, however. Her once soft and shiny brown hair had become dull, and it was currently lying limp around her face. Her sparkling eyes had become sunken and very bloodshot and there were dark circles underneath them.

Her light pale skin had now turned a greyish tint and it seemed to have dirt painted on it that wouldn't go away, and she could make out several white marks all over her face. Her lips had no color left in them and they were broken open, since that was Scabior's favorite place to bite her. Maycen unbuttoned Scabior's shirt and let it fall to the ground. She nearly gasped at what a sight her body had become.

Maycen had been skinny before, but nothing compared to what she was looking at now. She could distinctly make out a few of her ribs that were poking through her skin and her hip bones were the same way. Her arms had become frail and bony and her slender fingers ran over the white scar on her stomach.

Her thighs seemed to have permanent bruises on them, as well as her hips and her wrists; she also noticed the long scar on her wrist. She wondered why Scabior even wanted her around anymore; there was nothing pretty about her on the outside, and the inside was even more damaged.

She stared at her reflection and suddenly she was angry. Maycen punched the mirror three or four times before it finally shattered. Glass fell down onto the ground and she clutched her bloody knuckles to her chest. She didn't think it had really solved anything, but she felt better after she had done it. Maycen bent down and picked up the discarded shirt and shook the remains of the broken glass off of it. She put it on and buttoned it back up, rolling the sleeves up to her elbow.

She turned her attention to the opening when she heard several 'pops' and Maycen's heart sank. She slowly poked her head around the corner and right as she did, Scabior came strolling through the opening. He stopped when he saw her and he cocked his head to the side.

"I figured you'd be sleeping." He mocked.

Maycen stared at him, her face neutral. Maybe if she remained calm then he wouldn't hurt her. But he didn't even seem angry, in fact, there was a smug look to his face.

"So it turns out Potter did survive."

Maycen widened her eyes in fake shock. She didn't want him to know that Cad had come back and had already told her this.

"And we, uh, know 'e's at 'ogwarts. All of us 'ave been ordered to go there as a ploy to fish him out. Surely 'e wouldn't risk his friends' safety, right?"

Maycen clenched her fists at her sides. She knew what he was doing; he wanted her to retaliate so he could finally give her strike three.

"The Ministry 'as ordered that all prisoners be killed. There's no need for them anymore."

Maycen's lower lip started to tremble. So maybe he was still going to kill her, strike three or not. She stepped out of the bathroom and faced him, wanting to show him that she wasn't afraid, but on the inside she was downright terrified. Scabior stepped towards her and he rested his callused hand on her cheek.

"But I'd 'ate to see such a beautiful face go to waste."

Beautiful? Yeah right, she was anything but beautiful anymore. Maycen stared up at him in confusion. Was he going to let her go?

"So I'm giving you a choice. You can either join us and fight against Potter, or die."

It wasn't much of a choice was it? Maycen stared at Scabior wondering if this was all a joke, but his expression remained serious. He really would let her live if she became a snatcher.

"I..I can't." she whispered.

"Why love?"

"I would be betraying everyone. My friends…my family."

Scabior raised his eyebrow. "Maycen you'd be doing what it takes to survive. Do you 'onestly expect your side to win this war?"

"I…"

Scabior tilted her head so that she was meeting his gaze. "I can see it in your eyes. You're so full of doubt."

Maycen stared up at him, completely at a loss for words. She shouldn't even be considering his offer, but she found herself agreeing with him. She was a survivor, and if this was the way to do it, then maybe he was right.

"Maycen when do you feel the 'appiest?" he asked.

"Honestly?"

Scabior nodded his head.

"When I'm fighting."

Scabior smiled at her. "You see, you 'ave snatcher instincts. I've seen you with a wand Maycen and it's quite scary. It makes me wonder why you were in Ravenclaw."

Maycen snorted. "People always told me I should have been in Slytherin."

"So prove them right." he whispered in her ear.

Scabior leaned back away from her and pulled something out of his pocket. Maycen's face lit up when she saw it was her necklace dangling between his fingers. Scabior fastened it around her neck and then took a few steps back, examining her. He pulled out his wand and Maycen started to back away, but with one flick she found herself fully dressed.

"The only problem is Maycen, if you did join we would 'ave too many people."

"So."

Scabior rolled his eyes. "So…if you want to join, one of them 'as to go."

Maycen furrowed her brow. "You want me to…"

"To prove your loyalty, you're going to 'ave to kill one of them. Personally I don't care who, just as long as one of them is dead."

Maycen watched him, confused by what he was asking her to do, but her expression changed when he reached into his jacket and pulled out her wand. She couldn't help the small smile that appeared across her face. She reached out and touched it, and she immediately felt a surge shoot through her body that she hadn't felt in a long time. Before she could grab a hold of it, though, Scabior pulled it back and raised his eyebrows.

"Well?"