If anyone regretted going to the concert more than Aria, it was Draco. During their classes the next day, he had a terrible hangover that made it difficult to concentrate on the lessons. He blamed his excessive drinking on the need to drown out the terrible singing at the concert. The only reason he went to the concert was to please Pansy. Feeling bad, Aria whipped up a quick potion to cure his headache and offered to take notes for him. Pansy made his suffering worse by coddling him and not leaving his side for the entire day. She even forced him to sit next to her during classes to supposedly take care of him. As always, thinking her precious Draco could do no wrong, she blamed Aria for his hangover. She claimed that Aria purposely allowed him to drink multiple bottles of firewhiskey to make it easier for her to seduce him. Aria did not bother to restrain herself for pointing out the stupidity of Pansy's delusions. She insisted that she had not been around Draco for most of the concert and that the blame should be placed on himself, for going past his limits, or on his friends, who did not bother to stop him.

Pansy, lacking any common sense, refused to believe her, sure that Aria was actively plotting to steal Draco from her out of jealousy of their relationship. She openly accused Aria of this scheme in front of the entire common room, painting herself as the victim. Aria was unsure if it was the public outburst or the constant nagging by Pansy and her lapdogs that made her finally snap and decide to fight back instead of staying quiet. Though she had far more pressing matters on her mind, she could no longer just ignore them. Over the last few weeks in September, it was an all-out war between her and the other Slytherin girls. She resisted from letting it escalate to a physical confrontation, knowing that she could easily kill them with a fraction of her strength, resorting to pranks. After the first week, the entire school, including the teachers, were aware of the animosity between them. A board had been set up by Adrian and Miles in the Slytherin common room, keeping track of who won each little battle. During lessons, the teachers kept them as far away from each other as possible to ensure that there were no antics in the classroom.

To keep her mind off of Pansy, Hermione would ask Aria to spend time with her in the library. She took it upon herself to be Aria's moral compass after she was sent to Dumbledore's office in the middle of dinner on Saturday night. Her father was waiting for her in the office. Through Snape, they had learned about Aria's secret visit to the mountains and her discussion with the potions shop owner. Dumbledore warned her to never leave Hogwarts without his permission, not even if she was traveling in a group. She expected them to be pleased that she obtained more shifters for the Order but they were more concerned with her messing up Voldemort's plans. Her father explained that though Voldemort wanted to recruit her for his side, if she angered him enough, he would not hesistate to harm her. Hermione's personal lecture was much worse, including ten long minutes of her scolding Aria for not seeing the seriousness of her actions.

Aria was roped into helping her find people willing to learn defensive spells from Harry. Hermione thought of the idea on the night of the concert, fed up with Umbridge's poor teaching. She wanted Harry to teach them defense in order to protect themselves. Harry eventually agreed to the idea and they planned to have a meeting in Hogsmeade during the first weekend of October. The day before the meeting, Aria and Hermione spoke with people from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Aria decided against telling any Slytherins besides Raina, Alec, and Rebekah. She worried that if other Slytherins knew about this secret meeting, they would blab to Umbridge just to see Harry in trouble. While most people were unwilling to do something behind Umbridge's back, some agreed to at least attend the meeting.

Aria woke up the morning of the Hogsmeade trip to the sound of her alarm clock. Pushing aside her blanket, she noticed that the other four beds were missing from the room. She smiled to herself, remembering that she was the last girl to return the previous night, having to patrol the corridors with Draco, Anthony, and Padma, and she cast a charm that sent the girls and their beds outside in the cold. As she looked for a long-sleeved shirt in her bag, she heard a knock on the door. Opening the door, she saw Graham. His hair was very disheveled and a trail of faint hickeys covered his neck.

"We've got practice in twenty minutes. Can you go wake up Draco?"

"Why can't you? You're on that side of the dormitories anyway"

"I uh have to check out the conditions…make sure I have all of the balls"

"You mean you want to spend more time with Raina?"

"What? No"

"Graham, your neck is covered in hickeys. If you want more time with her, just be honest. I'll go get the royal ferret"

Graham blushed, covering his neck. The weekend after the concert, Aria caught Graham and Raina kissing in one of the supply closets. They began dating and at first, she was wary of the idea of them as as couple. Raina was not like his usual girlfriends, especially Talia. Walking up to the guys' dormitories, she overheard them in the common room…

~Draco~

The past few weeks at Hogwarts had been a disaster for Draco. After his mistake of getting drunk at the concert, Pansy became even more clingy towards him. She blamed Aria for what happened, despite his defense that it was his own mistake. He had been so distracted at the concert that he did not comprehend how much firewhiskey he had until he was already very drunk. Unfortunately for him, he remembered most of the night. He was embarrassed that he had been bothering Aria, pulling her hair and insulting her. Though he explained to her that he acted dumb while drunk, he was not truly sorry for ruining her night with that muggleborn. He knew that Raina pushed her towards the guy as a way to move past her train wreck of a relationship with Ben but in his mind, Raina had terrible taste. She cornered him the day after the concert, while he was still suffering from a hangover, and accused him of being jealous. He immediately denied it, explaining that he was being a friend to Aria and he thought Owen was a poor match for her.

In the aftermath of the concert, Pansy and Aria's animosity increased to the point that he doubted they would ever be friends. He did not bother to get in the middle of their fights, knowing that Aria was too stubborn to listen to him and Pansy would think that he was siding with Aria out of pity. Snape had attempted to bring peace between them but he soon became aware that it would take a miracle to mend the problem. Not wanting him anywhere near Aria, Pansy asked for him to sit next to her during classes. Draco only agreed to her request because he could not ruin another agreement between their families. If he upset Pansy in any way, his family could lose their fortune and his father would not be as lenient as the first time. Even if the truth might anger Pansy, he had to admit that without Aria, he was doing much worse in his lessons. Aria was not only a good influence, but a very talented witch who always knew how to correct his mistakes. Pansy, while not the worst witch in the world, provided little help, gossiping with the girls instead of paying attention to the professors and unsure of how to cast the spells properly herself. He had to settle for quick lessons with Aria while they patrolled the corridors late at night.

Draco was laying in his bed, tossing a miniature quaffle into the air. Pansy was in the shower, complaining about Aria for the hundredth time. He knocked on the bathroom door, telling her to finish up so he could take a shower before quidditch practice. With the water running loudly, he could barely hear her but she teased that he could walk into the bathroom. Smirking, he opened the door. Her back was turned to him. The steam rising from the bottom of the tub covered most of her body. He leaned against the wall.

"What would your father say if he knew I was in here while you were taking a shower?"

As she turned around, his eyes widened, seeing Aria. He had been sure that Pansy was the one to enter his room while he was half asleep. She was only draped in a small black towel. Stepping out of the shower, she smirked at him.

"He'd be very angry with me"

"A—Aria, when—I thought you were Pansy"

"Should I take that as an insult?"

"What are you doing in there?"

"Taking a shower before practice. Did I wake you up?"

A million thoughts were running through his mind. Draco was confused why she was not taking a shower in her own room or how he did not recognize her voice while he had been laying on his bed. He kept his eyes on her face.

"Do you have a robe I can borrow? I feel like this towel might slip off…but I doubt you'd mind that"

"Do I have what?" he asked, struggling to not let his gaze wander down her body.

"I'll find it myself"

As she passed by him, he could smell the vanilla scent in her hair. He followed after her, worried that Pansy could enter the room at any minute. She tied one of his robes, the Malfoy crest imprinted on the side, letting the towel fall to the floor. Her fingers ran through her hair.

"Is this part of some prank on Pansy? Don't get me involved"

"My whole life doesn't revolve around her. Like I said, I wanted to take a shower before practice"

"Well you need to leave before she comes in here"

"And sees you staring at my butt?"

His cheeks felt warm. She looked at him, grinning.

"You're not thinking about Pansy right now. I can see every little thought in your head. I'm guessing your father never taught you occlumency"

"G—get out of my head"

"I like it in there. You think about me a lot, don't you? Right now, you're imagining what's under this robe. Let's play a game. If you answer honestly, you'll get a little surprise. Why are you so jealous of all the time I spend with Harry?"

"You know that I hate Potter"

She started to untie the robe. "Why else?"

Draco glanced at the door, hearing the lock click shut. Aria had cast a charm on the door to prevent anyone from entering the room. She asked very personal questions and each time he answered, she would loosen the robe and step closer to him. They were now extremely close to each other. If he leaned just an inch closer, he could touch her lips.

"When you're with Pansy, who are you really thinking about?"

"What do you mean? I think about Pansy"

She pouted. "That's a lie. I thought you hated to lose, Draco"

Repeating the question, she brushed her hand against his chest. Draco was feeling very unnerved. He was used to being the one in control when with a girl. Aria had this strange effect on him. While he was usually very charming around girls, he had to think before he spoke to her, not wanting to make a fool of himself.

"You"

"Do you have dreams about me?"

"S—sometimes"

"What do we do?"

"Heh, if I tell you that, then you'd probably punch me"

"Tell me"

"Normal dream stuff. We just talk and…I sometimes…possibly kiss you"

"Am I a good kisser?"

"It's a dream so I don't know if"

Draco was cut off by Aria pressing her lips against his, grabbing the front of his shirt. It felt like butterflies were raging inside his stomach. His arm slipped around her waist. She pushed him onto the bed, straddling him. Her lips moved down to his neck. His grip tightened on her waist.

"Aria"

"Draco!"

He felt a sharp pain in his stomach. Blinking a few times, he saw Pansy standing next to his bed, holding a pillow. There was a harsh glare on her face. Theodore was sitting on his own bed, looking stunned. Draco realized that he had been having a dream about Aria the entire time.

"Pansy, what's wrong?"

"You said her name in your sleep"

"Whose name?" he asked, acting clueless.

"Don't play dumb with me! I heard you, Draco!"

"No, I was saying Arr…I was imagining myself as a pirate. Remember that lesson in history yesterday about"

"Don't lie! I'm—I can't even—I'm leaving!"

Pansy slammed the door shut. Draco heard her yelling all the way down the staircase. Theodore assured him that she was in a bad mood because Aria pulled another prank on the girls, leaving them outside in the cold for most of the night. Once Pansy calmed down after a few hours, Draco could explain himself without her panicking over a little dream.

"I'd come up with a better excuse than the pirate thing"

"You don't think she'll believe that?"

"Not even for a second. Just so you know, Aria was supposed to come up here to wake you up for practice but she got a message from her father so she asked me to do it"

"I can't go to practice. I have to make sure Pansy's okay"

"Or you just don't want to face Aria"

"I didn't have a dream about her. Pansy's being paranoid. She just thought she heard me say…I have to find her and fix this now"

Draco quickly got dressed. As he tied his shoes, he hurried down the staircase. Daphne, Tracey, and Millicent were sitting around the fireplace. Instead of gossiping or giggling over some guy, they were speaking in hushed whispers. Seeing Draco, they shot him the same harsh glare as Pansy. He tried to explain himself but, being Pansy's friends, they sided with her. When he asked them if Pansy had gone to the Great Hall for breakfast, he was horrified to learn from Millicent that she went to Umbridge for permission to use the floo network to visit her parents at their manor.

"Why is she going home?"

"She's upset, Draco. You obviously have no consideration for her feelings" said Daphne.

"I wasn't dreaming about—Pansy's confused"

"I'm sure. I'm surprised you're not down at the pitch to admire Collins"

"What, are you jealous that you don't have Aaron to obsess over anymore? Daphne, wait, I didn't mean—just tell Pansy to come back here so we can talk. She doesn't need to go to her parents" he said as the three girls left the common room.

Draco sat in one of the leather armchairs, waiting for Pansy's return. Pansy had a tendency to blow things out of proportion. The worst scenario would be her telling her father that Draco was having a secret affair with Aria, which would break the terms of the agreement. He stared at the clock above the fireplace. It seemed like the minutes passed by very slowly. Around nine o'clock, the team returned from practice, minus Aria. Graham yelled at Draco for missing practice with their first match only a month away. As he lectured Draco about needing to work on special plays, Draco kept his eyes on the clock.

"Draco!"

"Sorry. Pansy and I had a fight"

"Is that supposed to surprise me? I don't care about your relationship issues"

"Graham, I would've been at a practice but…I really messed up this time"

Graham sighed. "What happened? Why is she mad at you?"

Draco stayed quiet, not wanting to tell him about his dream. Graham made it very clear that he did not approve of Aria and Draco's friendship. He had known Draco for many years and was aware of his brief flings with girls despite being in a relationship with Pansy. Before he could come up with a good lie, the wall slid open and his father entered the common room. Draco was unable to read the expression on his face. He panicked on the inside, thinking that his father was about to throw him out of the manor. His father asked to speak with him privately and Draco brought him up to his room. He sat on his bed, preparing himself for the inevitable shouting.

"Pansy visited her home this morning. Pierce and I were having a meeting with the Dark Lord. She is very lucky that her father was not punished for interrupting the meeting"

"Why did she go there?"

"She was quite upset, Draco. She told her father that you two seem to be growing apart and she blamed it on another girl"

"Father, I swear that I haven't—I've been faithful to Pansy. You know how she overreacts sometimes"

"Draco"

"I know her father thinks that the agreement was violated in some way but it wasn't. She didn't mention any names, right?"

His father looked amused. "Yes, she mentioned Aria Collins"

Draco put his head in his hands. He expected his father to yell at him for being friends with Aria. His father confessed to seeing through Draco's lie that he was not her friend, calling him a terrible liar. He told Draco that the agreement between his family and the Parkinsons was destroyed, at Voldemort's own request. Draco looked up at him in disbelief.

"The Dark Lord agreed that we were being quite hasty. You're still young, Draco. There's no reason for you to be tied down to a relationship. If you do not wish to be with Pansy, it is your own choice"

"Is this some test?"

"No"

"Why would he—I don't understand…"

"The Dark Lord wants all of his followers to be pleased. He will not stand in the way of their happiness"

"You're serious. I can break up with Pansy?"

"And be with Aria"

"I never said—there's not—we're not…"

His father chuckled. "Draco, I can understand the attraction. As I said, it is your own choice. Pansy wishes to remain at the manor for the rest of the day. She may not be pleased with your decision but I am sure her parents can find another suitor for her. The Dark Lord hopes you will repay him for this kindness. It's a beautiful day. Enjoy the rest of your weekend"

As his father left the room, Draco sat on his bed, a small smile on his face…

~Aria~

After a long quidditch practice, where Draco was a no show and the reserve seeker Kieran Harper took his place, Aria changed her outfit and met Harry, Ron, and Hermione outside the Great Hall. They joined the long line of students waiting to give their permission slips to Filch. When Harry handed over his slip, Filch sniffed the air. Aria assumed that he was checking for dungbombs. As they walked down to Hogsmeade, Harry told Ron and Hermione about the incident in the owlery. He suggested that Draco was the person who gave the false dungbomb tip to Filch.

Walking past Zonko's, they turned and moved along the side path. At the end of the road was a small inn with a battered wooden sign, depicting a board's severed head leaking blood. Aria and Hermione chose this bar, the Hog's Head, for the meeting. Hermione thought it would be best to discuss the lessons at a place off of the main path. Not many students would be passing by the Hog's Head, mostly due to its dirty appearance. Aria pushed the door open, revealing a single dirty room that carried a strong goat smell. She pinched her nose to lessen the smell, more affected by it than the others. The windows were so grimy that they blocked sunlight from entering the room and the floor was just as filthy, covered in tons of dirt.

Aria was not comforted by the occupants kept their faces hidden with cloaks, shawls, and hats. The Hog's Head was nothing like the Three Broomsticks, a pub with a friendlier atmosphere. One of the men at the bar was covered in dirty grey bandages, resembling a mummy. Harry pointed out a woman hidden by a thick, black veil, worried that she could be Umbridge in disguise.

"Harry, I'd know her scent. Trust me, if Umbridge is anywhere near this place, I'll know" said Aria.

"Even if Umbridge does come in here, there's nothing she can do to stop us, Harry. I've checked the rules. We're not out of bounds. Professor Flitwick said that we're allowed in here…though he did advise me to bring our own glasses. Study groups are allowed. We just shouldn't draw attention to what we're doing"

"It's not exactly a study group"

An elderly man with long grey hair and a matching beard stood behind the bar. Hermione ordered four butterbeers. Reaching under the counter, he placed four dusty bottles on the bar. Harry paid for the drinks and they sat at the very back table. Harry and Ron were reluctant to stay, looking at all of the shady wizards. Aria was used to such places, going to pubs with Sebastien when he made business deals with other dark wizards. She explained to them that the Hog's Head was a good spot for underhanded business involving illegal things. Harry agreed, telling her how Hagrid won a dragon egg here during their first year.

"Dragon eggs are nothing. I've seen much worse trades. Objects filled with dark magic, deadly potions, people losing body parts…"

"Are you joking?" asked Ron, sipping his butterbeer.

"Nope. I saw one guy lose his hand for looking at another guy's girlfriend. You don't mess with people in these places. Umbridge would never come in here. She'd probably die as soon as she saw all the dirt"

"Then let's invite her"

Hermione repeatedly checked her watch. As they drank their butterbeers, the door opened again and a large crowd of people entered the room. The group consisted of many Gryffindors, including Neville, Dean, Lavender, Parvati, Colin and his little brother Dennis, Ginny, Angelina, Katie, Alicia, Fred, George, and Lee, Raina, Alec, Rebekah, and a mix of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, including Luna, Cho, Marietta Edgecombe, Padma, Michael, Terry, Anthony, Ernie, Justin, Hannah, Susan, and Zacharias. The bartender looked like he was about to have a heart attack. Harry's face paled and he hissed to Hermione that she had promised he would only teach a few people. She quietly told him that many showed interest in the lessons. Rebekah, Alec, and Raina took seats closest to Aria. Raina had a mysterious grin on her face.

"I have something to tell you"

"Okay, before you say it, let me just remind you that three people here are related to Graham. If it has anything to do with him, I'd think before you tell me"

"Not Graham. I heard big news. Apparently, Draco and Pansy broke up this morning…well not officially but his father stopped by and said that little agreement between their families was torn up. It's only a matter of time before he tells her"

"Why is the agreement torn up? That makes no sense"

"I don't know all the details but it doesn't matter. They're done and I heard from Gemma who heard from Miles who heard from some first years who overheard that Draco was looking for you"

"He probably wants tips on how to deal with Pansy when she's in a rage"

"Or he wants to ask you out"

"Who wants to ask Aria out?" asked Hermione, curiously.

"No one. Raina's just joking" interrupted Aria.

While Fred ordered butterbeers for the rest of the group, Aria's thoughts drifted to Draco. She could not help being curious what had happened to the agreement. During their third year, his father was furious when Draco violated the terms of the first agreement between him and Pansy. It seemed strange that all of that effort to maintain and grow their fortune would be tossed aside. She was snapped out of her thoughts by the butterbeers being passed around the group. Not wanting to catch Raina's eye, she focused on Harry. He was tapping his foot on the floor, anxiously. To comfort him, she gripped his hand.

"Relax. They want to be here, Harry. They'll believe you" she whispered.

"If they don't?"

"Then they have to deal with me"

Hermione awkwardly addressed the group. She explained the idea of the group was to learn proper Defense Against the Dark Arts since Umbridge was unwilling to teach them anything useful in her lessons. Michael suggested that Hermione was more interested in passing her OWL exam.

"Of course I do but more than that, I want to be properly trained in defense because…Lord Voldemort is back"

Aria, Harry, and Raina were the only ones not to have a visible reaction. People spilled butterbeer down their shirts, gave involuntary twitches and shudders, and looked uneasily at each other. Raina muttered to herself that they were acting like babies. Aria gripped her butterbeer bottle when Zacharias spoke up among the group, doubting the proof of Voldemort's return. Though she did not know him well, she heard that he could be very pompous. She never wanted to tell him about the meeting but he showed interest so Hermione invited him with the other Hufflepuffs. When Hermione explained that Dumbledore believed in Voldemort's return, he countered that Dumbledore believed in Harry. Ron was slightly rude to him. Harry defended himself, telling Zacharias that he did see Voldemort in person but if any of them did not believe him, he would not try to convince them of the truth.

"All Dumbledore told us last year was that Cedric Diggory got killed by You Know Who and that you brought Diggory's body back to Hogwarts. He didn't give us any details. He didn't tell us exactly how he got murdered. I think we'd like to know"

"Were you dropped on your head as a baby? We're not going to talk about how someone was killed, Smith. I was in that graveyard too. I saw Voldemort. I fought against his death eaters and even got hit by a hex from him. If you don't want to believe me or Harry, then you can leave. None of us will stop you"

"Why would we believe you? You were the one pretending to be a guy for two years. You're not exactly sane, are you?"

Aria stopped Raina from standing up and glared at Zacharias. "I'm probably the sanest person here. Unlike the rest of you sheltered babies, I've seen the real world. I know that it's not all sunshine and rainbows. Yes, I did pretend to be a guy but it was to protect myself. I'll be honest. Voldemort has been after me since I was a baby. Even when he was gone, his death eaters still came after me and they killed my mother. I was on my own for six years, hiding from them, and maybe you think what I did was insane but I call it saving my own ass. I've seen what wizards outside of this school can do, even to kids like us. In the real world, it doesn't matter if you're sixty or sixteen. If you cross one of them and you can't protect yourself, you're dead before you can reach your wand. That's the point of these lessons. To have some idea of protecting yourselves from death eaters because trust me, it's only a matter of time before they show up at the castle or in your own home. You think you're safe because your mommy and daddy are around? Well you're not. My dad's finally around and my life hasn't gotten any easier"

Everyone stared silently at Aria. Zacharias stayed in his seat, arms crossed. Hermione continued to discuss the lessons. Susan brought up how Harry could produce a patronus. Many people looked amazed since patronuses were difficult charms, even for adults. It led to a discussion about his other achievements, including killing a basilisk with Godric Gryffindor's sword, saving the sorcerer's stone from Voldemort, and surviving the Triwizard Tournament. Harry tried to be modest, explaining that he had help in those situations. Zacharias did not look very impressed. He thought that Harry was trying to get out of teaching the lessons. It was Fred and George's turn to threaten him with a long, silver object. Once everyone agreed to the lessons, they discussed when to hold the meetings. Ernie was being supportive, questioning why the Ministry appointed Umbridge as a professor. Hermione told them about Fudge's theory that Dumbledore was hoping to build an army with the Hogwarts students. Aria had to break up a small argument between her and Luna, who believed Fudge had an army of heliopaths.

"We'll figure out when to meet. We just need to decide where"

They discussed a few places like the library and an unused classroom. With the large group of people, it might difficult to cast spells in a classroom and Aria thought that their meeting place should be well-hidden. It would be unwise to practice somewhere that Umbridge or Filch could find them.

"We'll message everyone when we decide on a time and place. I think everybody should write their name down so we know who was here and we shouldn't talk out loud about what we're doing. If you sign, you're agreeing not to tell Umbridge or anyone else what we're up to"

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill. The parchment already had four signatures, including Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Aria. Fred grabbed the parchment and quill to sign his own name. George did the same though some people looked reluctant.

"I'm sure Ernie can just tell me when the meeting is" said Zacharias.

"W—well, we are prefects. If this list was found…" said Ernie, looking at Hermione, Ron, and Aria.

Hermione promised to hide the list. After Ernie agreed to sign, the rest followed after him. Aria caught a familiar scent in the bar. Her eyes scanned the room as Dean signed his name. She looked at a man at a nearby table, his face covered by the hood of his cloak. His back was turned but she sensed that he was eavesdropping on their conversation. Grabbing a knife from the table, she walked towards him. He moved his hand as she nearly sliced it with the knife. Yanking off the hood, she held the knife to his throat. Ethan was in front of her. He chuckled softly.

"You got me"

"What are you doing in here?"

"Can't I get a drink? It's not illegal"

"You were listening"

"A little. Look at you, Aria…starting a mini rebellion in the school"

"You're not here for a drink. You're spying on me because you can't get Graham to do it. If I see you again, I'll cut off your hand and you'll lose your girlfriend that you spend all that time alone with in your room. Get out of here now. I don't care if everyone sees me rip off your head"

He stood up from the table. She kept the knife at his throat.

"Don't mind me. Have fun with your little friends and enjoy your dreams tonight, baby cousin. That island isn't a fun place, is it?" he whispered.

Aria lowered the knife to her side. Ethan smirked and pecked her cheek. She watched him leave the inn, confused how he knew about her island dreams. Someone grabbed her shoulder. Turning around, she saw Harry. He took the knife, placing it on the empty table. Her hand was shaking slightly.

"Aria, who was that?"

"My cousin Ethan. He was just spying on me for…well, you know"

"What did he say to you?"

"Nothing important"

"Your hand's shaking"

"He gets me angry. The meeting went pretty well"

"Yea, but that Zacharias bloke's a wart" said Ron, glowering.

Hermione mentioned that he had shown interest when she and Aria discussed the meeting with the Hufflepuffs. She accidentally let slip that Michael only came to the meeting because he was dating Ginny. That one comment turned Ron's anger from Zacharias to Michael. He immediately expressed his dislike of Michael despite not knowing him.

"I thought Ginny fancied Harry!" he said as they entered the quill shop.

"She used to fancy Harry but she gave up on him months ago. Ron, this is exactly why Ginny hasn't told you about her and Michael. She knew you'd take it badly"

"Who's taking it badly? I'm fine with it" he replied, his tone indicating the exact opposite.

After Hermione purchased a black and gold quill, they left the shop. Blaise, Theodore, and Draco were across the street at the quidditch shop, checking out the new brooms in the display window. Draco broke away from them, walking towards her.

"We'll be at Honeyduke's" said Hermione.

"Why are we leaving her?" asked Harry.

"Just come on, you two"

Hermione pushed Harry and Ron along the path. Aria looked at her for an explanation but she only gave her a cheeky smile. Draco was in front of her, hands in his pockets.

"Hey"

"Hi"

"Hey" he repeated, sounding awkward.

"Are you drunk again?" she asked, holding her hair in a ponytail in case he attempted to pull it.

"No. I um…where were you?"

"With Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Raina told me about what happened with Pansy. You actually broke up with her?"

"Well, not in person but my father stopped by the common room and said it was my choice. I think it's best if we just stay friends. So I was wondering if…"

"If what?"

He was interrupted by Graham. For missing practice, he needed to do drills down at the quidditch pitch. She noticed a strange tone in Graham's voice. Reluctantly, Draco followed him out of Hogsmeade. Aria found Harry, Ron, and Hermione in Honeyduke's, looking at a display stand.

"So what did Malfoy want?" asked Hermione, picking up a box of ice mice.

"Don't know. Graham passed by and said he needed to do quidditch drills because he missed practice"

"Everyone is talking about him and Parkinson" said Harry.

"Yea, I'm hoping Pansy doesn't come back"

"Why not? You're running out of ideas for pranks?"

"No. She'll blame me for the break up. She always blames me. It's like she thinks that I'm trying to steal Draco from her"

"Girls are weird…no offense. Are you sure you're okay after you saw your cousin at the Hog's Head?"

"He was just trying to scare me. I've been having these weird dreams and he knew about them. For all I know, he's the one causing them"

While they walked around the shop, she told them about her island dreams. She mentioned her conversation with Luna. Hermione thought it sounded like a silly story to scare children. Aria was surprised that Ron knew about the island. He had heard the same stories as Luna though not as detailed. All he knew, from his great-aunt Muriel, was that the island was considered a dangerous place.

"Of course, she's a bit nutty. You were on the actual island though. It's where you found…Ben, right?"

"Yea. That's the place I was talking about when I asked Sirius to give my dad a message. My dad wrote to me and I asked him for more information on it. He sent me my great-grandfather's old journal this morning. It was filled with stories of his adventures to places like that. Magic doesn't work there. Well, it can but it's based on belief. It's why Ben couldn't defend himself while he was there"

"And you keep seeing the same person? You don't know him?" asked Hermione.

"No. He's been there for a long time though. The first time, I couldn't see past all the dirt but then I noticed that he's wearing an old Hogwarts uniform. It looks a lot different from ours"

"Then his real self is much older. Do you believe that whoever he is in the present is controlling this…soul? Why would he be targeting you?"

"Well someone is giving me those dreams. I've tried not to have them. Even dreamless sleep potions don't work"

Hermione suggested that Aria speak with Dumbledore about the dreams. Aria was reluctant to ask for help. She had gotten used to solving her problems on her own and did not want to appear weak in front of Dumbledore. Hermione assured her that everyone needed help sometimes. It was not that Aria did not want help but she had seen many people in her life get hurt because of her that she would rather handle this problem by herself. Harry thought that they could possibly figure out the person in her dreams. She conjured the drawing she made, commenting that it was not very accurate. Each time she woke up from the dreams, she remembered very little about him. For a second, Harry seemed to recognize him but he passed it off as a crazy idea.

Hearing how the cut on her hand given by the mysterious guy resembled a dark mark, Hermione believed that he was a death eater. By the time they returned to the castle, everyone was in the Great Hall for dinner, except Graham and Draco. Blaise told her that Graham was being a tough captain, punishing Draco for missing a single practice. During dinner, Daphne, Tracey, and Millicent threw her nasty glares. She made funny faces back at them, gaining laughs from the other Slytherins. While they sat around the common room, Aria started to feel drowsy. She walked up to her bedroom and fell onto her bed, drifting off to sleep.

Suddenly, she felt herself slam into a hard surface. Her eyes popped open and she sat up, breathing heavily. A portal in the sky was swirling above her. Taking in her surroundings, she realized that she was in the Land of Despair. Unable to jump up to reach the portal, she attempted to create a new one. Her magic was not working properly. All of the portals she created were too small for any person. She decided to try different areas of the island. Keeping her wand in her hand, she walked through the trees. As she reached the cave, she heard a familiar chuckle. The dark-haired guy appeared in front of her.

"I was wondering when you'd get here"

"I can't be here. It's just a dream"

"You were sleepwalking. You always used to sleepwalk when you felt troubled. Your mother would give you a special potion to help. I suppose it's started up again because there are many troubles in your life"

"How did you know about that?"

"I've been watching you from your dreams for many years, Aria"

"What do you want?"

"He wants to help you" she heard.

Her heart jumped out of her chest as a little girl stepped out from behind a tree. She looked exactly like Aria at eight years old, dressed in the same outfit on the night of her mother's death. Her face and clothes were covered in dirt.

"You're not real. It's the island playing tricks on me"

"I am real. I'm you" she said, grabbing Aria's hand.

"No, this is fake. I'm not falling for this"

"I know everything…what you've been through, all of your nightmares. Do you remember your dreams the first year that you were on your own? What did you dream about? Your mother. Why?"

"Because I missed her"

"No, it was because you never wanted to forget those faces…the faces of the men who killed her. The death eaters who tore you two apart and ruined your life. You would dream about seeing the blonde man with his family and doing the same to him, using the killing curse on his children so he knew what it was like to lose someone he loved"

Aria covered her ears. She did not want to remember those old dreams. The younger version of her said that a piece of her came to the island on the night of her mother's death after Aria went into hiding. When she was left here, the guy, who she referred to as a friend, cared for her. He told Aria that she should not be ashamed of wanting revenge. Those death eaters deserved it for destroying the only bit of happiness in her life. He wanted her to give into that anger and pain to tap into her true potential as a witch. As long as she repressed those feelings, she would stand in the way of her own power. Tears brimmed her eyes from seeing her old dreams in her head. Having to watch her mother die over and over was tearing her up inside. She heard someone shout her name in the distance. He flicked his wand. Two figures were thrown into the ground. Graham and Draco groaned in pain, rubbing their sides.

"Aria, we saw you outside. You made a portal and we followed it. What are you—what's going on?" asked Graham.

The younger version of her pointed at Draco. "Do it, Aria. He's right there. Just like in your dreams. Magic doesn't work on the island"

"Aria, just come with us. Don't listen to them. I know this place. Ethan told me about it when I was little. He said our great-grandfather showed him pictures of it and told him stories. It's all illusions. They're not real. They're messing with your head"

"He's defenseless…just like you when his father took away your mother and left you all alone. He's been a nasty, spoiled brat all his life and you've been nothing but good. Where has being good gotten you? Having to hide like some rat and never knowing if you'd make it to the next day. Having to keep yourself in disguise after disguise. Because of his father, you couldn't have a normal life"

Graham attempted a burn hex. Nothing emitted from his wand. The guy flicked his wrist. Graham was thrown against a tree and knocked unconscious. The illusions in her head worsened. She was shaking from head to toe. Draco told her that the girl was manipulating her.

"He's got more money than anyone and you had to suffer. You watched as his family kept getting glory and yours was tossed into the dirt. Why does he get to be happy?"

"A—Aria, listen to me"

"I'm the only one she can trust…herself"

The guy appeared behind him, pinning his arms behind his back. Draco fought against him. As Draco kicked at his legs, the guy smirked, his eyes flashing scarlet red.

"This is what you've wanted for so many years. Give into that anger. Kill him. Watch the light leave his eyes. You can leave his corpse for his parents to find…then they'll feel that same grief and despair that you did when you lost your mother. Once you kill him, we can go back together and I'll help you tap into your real power. Anything you believe here will become reality. Imagine whatever you wish…a knife in his heart, his throat slit…feel the satisfaction of watching him die. We're very much alike. I got my revenge on those who wronged my mother. It's time for yours"

Aria looked at Draco. He silently pleaded for her not to hurt him.

"He's right. Your father destroyed my family. He took away my mother, the only person I had left. Your family deserves to suffer for everything they've done"

"Aria"

She lowered her wand. "But I won't be the one to do it"

The dirt vanished from her younger self. She now looked like the bright-eyed girl she was before all the troubles started in her life. Her younger self vanished.

"Don't be weak" said the guy, his eyes turning completely red.

"It's not weakness. You're wrong. I didn't have those dreams because I wanted revenge. I wanted to remember the moment where I realized that I needed to be strong and never let anyone break me. I know who you are. You're Voldemort. You wanted me to bring this piece of you back to the wizarding world to make you stronger. It's been stuck here since your fifth year. I read my great-grandfather's journal…how he brought you here to show you all kinds of different lands. You tried to manipulate him too by acting like some innocent, curious student. He saw through your act and to punish you, he broke off a piece of your soul and left it here. You wanted me to give into hatred so that you could manipulate me. That's how you work. You prey on a person's weakness to exploit them for your own benefit. It won't work on me"

He let out a high-pitched, cold laugh. It reminded her of the night in the graveyard when she witnessed his return.

"Do you believe so?"

"I know it. My life has been hell since I lost my mother but unlike you, I didn't give into all of that anger. I might have tortured his family for a little bit but I always remembered what my mother told me…love is strength. You see it as a weakness. Even after all I've been through, I can still care about people and see the good in them. Draco's father did screw up my life but he isn't like his father. Killing him wouldn't make things better. Now I'm going to put you back where you're supposed to be...just like great-grandfather did over 50 years ago"

The teenage Voldemort clutched his throat, choking. She waved her wand. He was tossed into the cave, which was sealed by an invisible barrier. She moved a giant boulder in front of the cave.

"Aria, set me free. Together, we can"

"You can shut up now"

The boulder covered the cave entrance. It shook violently as he rammed against it, shouting.

"I always win! I will not be defeated this time! You will belong to me!"

"How did you know it was him?" asked Draco.

"His eyes. When I saw him in the graveyard with Harry, they were the same color. He was controlling it from the wizarding world"

"He's stuck in there?"

"Yep. Give it a few months and he'll disappear. He was stronger because he could interact with other people who came here in their dreams"

"He got out before"

"Because when he supposedly died after attacking Harry, my great-grandfather came here and lowered the barrier. He didn't know that he was still out there. I won't make that same mistake"

"He's wrong about something else. You're nothing like him"

She rushed over to Graham. Waking him up, she helped him up from the ground. He groaned, holding his head.

"Aria, wh—did you—what happened?"

"It's a long, boring story. You didn't have to come after me"

"You fell through a portal to the Land of Despair and you want me to just leave you alone?"

Draco shook his head. "Who comes up with these names? Why can't it be something happy like Sunshine Valley?"

"How do we get back if we can't use magic?"

"A portal. Just give me a minute" she said, checking his head for any injuries.

She twirled her necklace a couple times. A portal formed in the ground. One by one, they jumped through and returned to Hogwarts. They were outside the quidditch pitch. Sneaking back to the common room, they walked up to the dormitories. Draco followed her to her room.

"You know he's going to keep trying, right?"

"Yea…but I'll be ready. Like I said, I never lose"

"You could've killed me tonight. He was right. It would've been perfect revenge against my father"

"Yea, but if you died, who else could I pick on? There's only one ferret"

"And there's only one Aria Collins"

"I hear she's amazing"

"Eh, she's okay"

Aria was caught off guard by him hugging her. A small part of her did not want to pull away.

"I'm glad you're safe"

"Stop acting like you're the hero. I'm the one that keeps saving you. At least this is a story you can tell your own kids someday…how you were held hostage by a teenage Voldemort"

"Maybe we can tell it together"

Aria smiled and walked into her room. Laying on her bed, she fell asleep, no longer worried about any nightmares…


A/N: Thanks for reading. In this chapter, it shows that Aria's need for revenge against Draco's family is gone. She's no longer consumed by it as she was in her third year, now seeing that even though his father wronged her, getting revenge would make her no better than him. The hallucinations on the island were meant to break Aria down to make it easier for Voldemort to manipulate her, as he does with many people, but she sees her past as a source of strength. This chapter also saw the end of Draco and Pansy as a couple. The fact that Voldemort was the one behind the break up is something that Draco keeps to himself as he worries about the inevitable favor. There will be scenes of jealousy from both sides and Halloween is going to be a very important night for them in terms of Draco and Aria realizing the depth of their feelings for each other.