Chapter Fifty Two

Sensory memory: the ability to retain impressions of sensory information after the original stimuli have ended.

Cuddling Mia triggered this in my brain. As I nuzzled my nose into her soft wisps of white fur, it was like I was merely ten again. Standing on the porch of Ezra and Lydia's estate, enjoying the spring breeze as I waited for Ezra to come home from work. I breathed in with closed eyes, pretending for a second I was there. The nudge by Camille on my shoulder woke me back up.

"I can't get too close to them," she said darkly and quietly.

I quirked a brow and followed her eyesight to find she was peering at a woman with bright purple hair. Bright purple hair I'd recognise anywhere. It was Nymphadora Tonks. An offbeat feeling enraptured me, at first I was excited to see her, then wary. I looked back at Camille who I'd never seen look so calculating. The pinch in her forehead showed she was guarded by the bright Phoenix member.

"Everything okay?" I questioned.

Her eyes snapped away, a shake of her head to pull her from her reverie. "Yes," she defined. "Will you be okay from here?"

"Of course," I smiled. I had nothing to fear in my opinion. I was a double agent, prepared to faux friendship to both Death Eaters and Order members. As long as I kept myself undercover, no one should be stepping out to stun me.

She hauled me into a taut cuddle. Leaving a small kiss on my forehead and then shaking me by the shoulder lightly. A dignified smile adorned her, "be safe, okay?"

"Always," I nodded, a smile to mirror hers.

She sniffed and I began to notice the glisten over her caramel eyes. "And study hard! You're a N.E.W.T student now."

I rolled my eyes with that stereotypical teenager attitude. "Yes, I'll try." I groaned.

She pulled me in for one last quick hug then disappeared into a crowd of Muggles. I took a deep breath, bracing myself to face the familiar faces at Kings Cross Station. It felt like a lifetime since I had seen everyone's face, even longer since I had been on this very cement. I turned on my heel and heaved my bags up as I headed in Tonk's direction. As she and many others moved and shuffled, the vision of Hermione appeared. She spotted me almost as quick as I had spotted her and her brown eyes enlarged quickly.

She pulled someone to her side which I noticed was Harry and I couldn't help the grin that spread onto my face. They looked healthier than the memories I last had of them at the Department of Mysteries. Hermione was injury free and conscious, Harry was absent of all blood and trauma. To any average Muggle they looked like normal teenagers, but to all of us in the Wizarding World, we knew Harry Potter was the prophesied Chosen One.

I rushed over to them, but it was Harry who engulfed me in his arms first, pressing me against him tightly. He managed to knock Tonks and Lupin over in the process without apology. His hands squeezed my arms then his fingers were looping through my hair. It was as if he was checking every part of me was real. As he crushed me against him, I could feel the development of his arms and torso over the summer. Harry wasn't the boy who lived anymore. He finally pulled away, only for Hermione to pull me into another secure embrace.

"Oh, thank god!" She breathed shakily by the side of my head. "Snape told us you were okay, but we couldn't be sure!"

"Yeah, you know what Harry's like, wouldn't believe a word coming from him." Tonks laughed behind me.

Hermione then pulled away, a large smile still present on her face and the glimmer of tears on her rose-stained cheeks. I was touched beyond measure to see they had worried so dearly. Her eyes then ran up and down my form and a frown took over her features, a phantom smile still remaining.

"Goodness Melody, you're in better shape than I anticipated."

"She's as thin as a spindle!" Mrs. Weasley then squawked nearby, "I don't know what you're seeing Hermione, but it's certainly not the same Melody from last Christmas, that's for sure!"

"Mum," Ginny quietly whined.

"I'm just saying, she needs more food in her!" She expressed before moving forward to grip my arm with a motherly smile. "It's good to see you safe, my dear."

"My turn now," Ginny said as she politely moved her mother aside. "I could be dead if it weren't for this girl." She then pulled me into a hug and I soaked in her sandalwood embrace. "Thank you," she whispered.

"You're exaggerating," I laughed into her bright ginger hair. "All I did was offer some support for your broken ankle."

We pulled away from each other. "You risked your life to do that, Mel."

My heart was a flutter with joy. Joy that was uplifting, making cake rich and rain cleansing. I hadn't felt so filled with light in what felt like a lifetime.

"Well go on then," Ron beamed, "tell us what it was like?"

Hermione then hit him in the chest with a scolding frown. "Ron, don't be so brash!"

"Come on," he jeered. "It's the best intel, isn't it? Melody's been right amongst it."

A fierce awkwardness swathed me as I knew my imprisonment hadn't been what they were envisioning. If they had known I had the liberty to leave and hadn't taken it, my welcome wouldn't be nearly as warm.

"Don't hound the poor girl!" Mrs. Weasley berated.

"Enough about me," I ineptly laughed. "How were your summers?"

Conversation broke out over the Weasley's summer, enough to last us until it was due time for most Order members to move on. I gave Lupin and Tonks small hugs as we shared quiet 'be safes,' and 'take cares.' Once the adults had flocked away, Ron immediately returned to his interrogation.

"Ron, must you really?" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I can't believe they let you come back to school." Harry frowned in confusion as he regarded me.

"It was Snape," I said. "It was all Snape. He kept me safe."

"Well?" Ron pushed. "What did you see?"

I donned a mask of impassiveness that I was beginning to master. "Nothing," I replied. "I couldn't see much of anything while I was locked up the whole time."

"Where are they based?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, they apparated me." It was somewhat truthful.

"Did they hurt you?" Harry hesitatingly asked.

I paused for a moment, wondering what I should dream up of my situation, but then gave him a soft smile. "It was nothing I couldn't handle."

He shut his eyes, an apparent guilt taking over his features. "It's all my fault."

"What?" I breathed and stroked his arm. "Don't be ridiculous, there was nothing you could do. No one is at fault."

"Tell that to your boyfriend," Ron huffed. "Boy, he gave us an earful."

"Rightly so," Hermione quietly confessed as she gazed at the ground.

"I can't believe Dumbledore didn't do something," Harry muttered. "He knew of your capture and allowed it to be."

I rose my brows in surprise. "How do you know?"

"He told me at the end of this summer when we went to meet one of his old friends." Harry explained.

"Day trips with the Headmaster now?" I joked.

"He's planned secret lessons with Harry this year too," Ron added. "Bloke loves you, mate."

"Well it's better than ignoring me like last year," he retorted.

"Perhaps there was some ulterior motive for him to leave me at the Dark Lord's hand." I shrugged.

Harry frowned at me, as did Hermione whilst Ron merely seemed addled. I then realised they were most likely put off by my slip up of calling Voldemort the Dark Lord.

"It's all I heard them refer to him as over the summer," I lied. "Guess it must have stuck in my mind." I feigned a small laugh.

They all nodded sceptically.

"We should get onto the train," Hermione said as she eyed me.

I picked Mia back up and followed them down the line. In the distance I saw Draco skulking with Crabbe and Goyle, looking sharp in one of the suits Lucius had made for him. I myself had been gifted many garments by Camille, one of which I was wearing today. A sleek black dress, bell sleeves and a-line skirt. It was very witch-appropriate.

"Surprised he hasn't come to smother you," Hermione joked as she also spotted the blonde Malfoy.

Ah, that was right. No one was aware I would have seen Draco all summer.

"I suppose he will soon," I said.

"Thought he'd care more after his outburst last year," Ginny admitted.

I sighed, finding difficulty in playing this off.

"I don't know why you're still with that twat, Melody." Ron said. "Especially after we saw him doing a dodgy in Knockturn Alley."

My eyebrows nearly jumped off my skin as I turned to look at the nonchalant Weasley. "What did you see him doing?"

Hermione sighed. "I was hoping these boys would manage to keep it from you for at least a day."

"He was being very suspicious, 'spose you wouldn't know anything about it?" Harry asked.

"He was shopping," Hermione groaned as if it was the tenth time she had repeated the statement. "And how could Melody know, she's been imprisoned for months!"

"Shopping in Borgin and Burkes? Not bloody likely, whatever he was up too, it was no good." Ron said.

"He's never up to any good by your standards," I rolled my eyes, pretending I was disinterested, but in truth I was worried myself - What was my Death Eater partner up too?

The quartet started to climb up onto the train, but I lingered behind, wishing to meet back up with Draco prior boarding. They caught my drift and gave me quick waves before disappearing into the long convoy.

He greeted me with an iridescent smile, one with teeth that made me swoon. His arm hooked around my neck before pulling me into a soothing hug. I couldn't help but nip his neck and breathe in the musky woodland scent radiating off him. It was times like this where I didn't feel close enough, I wanted every part of me devoured by this man. We finally separated, my hair slightly messed and his jacket slightly crinkled and I turned to greet his two shadows.

"Crabbe," I nodded to him, then the taller one, "Goyle."

"Morning Taylor," Goyle grunted.

With a wave of dismissal by Draco, they both concurred and boarded the train without us.

"Well they seem cheery," I sarcastically commented.

"It's Crabbe and Goyle, what do you expect." He pointed out as he picked up his suitcase. "Didn't you once call them 'silent, brainless lackeys' of mine?"

"Silent, brainless lackeys can still manage a 'how you doing?'" I said as I followed him towards the train boarding area.

"Don't trouble yourself with them, love. They don't know any better." He said whilst heaving his bag into the storage compartment under the train. "Besides," he straightened his suit, "at least he said something to you. That's improvement for Goyle."

A glum expression took over my face. I started to feel some sympathy towards Draco's two bodyguards. Pureblood families were often standoffish and withdrawn. Perhaps Crabbe and Goyle could do with some more brightness in their lives to see there's more to their worth than following their ringleader around.

My hand intertwined with Draco's as he led us down the train. Compartments were starting to fill up now, so much that I couldn't see many students I recognised. I kept a particular eye out for Daphne or Faye, but found many doors had the blinds drawn already. Draco greeted some other seventh year Slytherin's with nods and fist bumps while I shot a small smile to some in our classes.

We passed a compartment with Harry, Longbottom and Loony Lovegood in it, to which I smiled at them. Lovegood's distant look in her eye remained as she looked back at me, whilst Harry responded with his own bright smile. I was secretly hoping this meant he was finished holding a grudge about mine and Draco's relationship. Longbottom, however; seemed surprised I had smiled at him, and after a flash of befuddlement on his face, returned it with his own goofy grin.

"This will have to do," Draco said as we reached an empty compartment towards the end of the train. He slid the door open and gestured me in first. After I sat down with Mia by my side, he laid himself down on the seat, resting his silver head on my lap. "Ah yes," he breathed. "Heaven."

I ran my skinny fingers through the soft hair and he moaned. I smacked him playfully on the shoulder. "Not here!" I laughed.

He laughed lightly back. "Sorry love, can't help myself when it's you touching me."

There was something lighter and fresher about Draco since we had left Malfoy Manor. He had a more carefree attitude about him and didn't seem so strung up. I supposed it was the absence of the Dark Lord under the same roof as him, but it could have also been due to leaving his family strain behind.

"What was with Longbottom's frozen face before?"

I shrugged. "Not a clue. I smiled at him?"

"A pretty girl giving him the time of day would do that, I guess." He weighed. He lifted a finger and poked me on the chin before exhaling through his nose. His blonde lashes fluttered shut as he relaxed into his spot. "Are you sure you're not a Veela, beautiful?"

Another laugh came from me, pure happiness. "Well I still don't know who my birth mother is, but I've never turned into a harpy before so I can conclude I am not."

"Maybe you just haven't been ticked off enough to become one," he reasoned with one eye open.

I narrowed my eyes at him, noticing his mischievous smirk. "It's really not worth testing." I said slyly.

"I beg to differ," he said before raising his hands to tickle my under arms.

I squirmed immediately, maneuvering my body away from his threatening long fingers. The laughter erupted from me in waves of bliss yet resistance. "Draco, please!" I begged as I laughed. My giggles continued to roll around the closed compartment like a child's spinning top, vibrant and heartwarming, but chaotic. To my relief, he stopped and returned to lying peacefully on my lap. I caught my breath again and returned to my ministrations in his locks.

"I thought you were just buying school supplies last week in Diagon Alley?" I asked, deciding to bring up Harry's accusation whilst we were in private.

"I did," he answered shortly.

"I saw Harry, he said he saw you in Borgin and Burkes." I said casually, not expecting the man to suddenly still in protectiveness. His icy eyes snapped open, face hard with bewilderment.

"Potter," he scrunched his nose. "What did he say? What did he see?" He quickly spun out the two questions.

"They just said you looked suspicious…" I gradually sounded. "What were you doing, Draco?"

"Who is 'they'?" He grated.

"Harry, Hermione and Ron."

I could almost feel the rumble coming from his throat in annoyance. "Fucking hell, I haven't even seen them yet this year and they're already annoying me."

"So you were doing something suspicious?" I pushed. "Should I be worried?"

"No," he responded deflatedly. "I was… researching."

"Researching?"

"Researching."

"Researching what?"

"Well…" He struggled to find words, afraid someone would overhear despite the door being shut. "You know, our task."

"And what did you find in Borgin and Burkes?" I asked, genuinely interested if he had conjured any ideas.

"He's got a vanishing cabinet." He said. "It's working, but he said it's twin isn't. Apparently there's one rumoured in Hogwarts."

"I know where to find it," I immediately responded, eager to help my partner in crime.

He perked up, eyes shining as he looked at me. "Where?" He licked his bottom lip.

"The Room of Requirement," I stated. "It has everything you could possibly need. I can almost guarantee we would find one in there."

"We?"

"We."

He smiled and closed his eyes again. "Brilliant then. I'll find it and work on repairing it. Borgin gave me very strict instructions."

"Can't you just use a Mending Charm?" I asked with a tilted head in wonder.

"No, he said Reparo would be useless. He thinks it could take months, years even, I'm going to have to make quick work of this."

"We have N.E. this year, where are you ever going to-" my sentence was cut off by the sudden slamming of our compartment door. Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini stood at the entrance.

"Well well well," Pansy wore a mischievous grin. "Isn't it Miss. Riddle and her Death Eater boyfriend." She joked. Draco and I both didn't laugh, feeling awkward at the truthfulness of Pansy's jeering. "I'm just kidding you all! It's what I heard Potter harping onto his friends about."

"Spreading more lies, is he?" Draco catchized cooly.

"What's new," Blaise shrugged as he wandered in to sit beside Pansy opposite us. "How were your holidays?" He asked.

"Splendid." Draco replied without moving an inch or so much as opening his eyes.

Blaise then shifted his dark gaze over to me. "Melody?"

"They were okay," I smiled as I continued to play with Draco's hair.

"I heard some pretty crazy stuff." Blaise half-smiled in disbelief while Pansy watched me intently.

"Well you know what our beloved papers always read," I smiled politely, but kept my gaze solid. "Don't spread with your mouth, what your eyes didn't see."

There was a humoured glint in Blaise' eye that told me he understood my secrecy, but didn't believe any of it one bit. Thanks to Draco, they moved onto the subject of holidays and what everyone had been up too. Draco of course lied himself through the conversation, yet it occured to me that Pansy didn't seem to be coming across truthful either. She was too excited and too boastful about what she did, as if compensating for her lack of extraordinaire. The Parkinson's would no doubt have been impacted by the Dark Lord's return, it made me wonder just what Pansy had been exposed too.

"I better get moving," Blaise announced while glimpsing down at his stylish watch. Expensive leather bindings embellished with speckled gold, a showcase of his mother's wealth, for sure.

"Where too?" Draco cocked his head and I stilled my hands from caressing him.

"The new Professor requested me to join him and some others for lunch in Compartment C." He said indifferently, but it was clear he felt smug about the request.

"Who is the new Professor?" I tilted my head in wonder, strands of my brown locks falling off my shoulder.

"It sounded like he introduced himself as Horace Slughorn," he frowned in his effort to remember.

My heart skipped a beat and Draco looked up at me, having felt my body stiffen beneath him. The name triggered memories in an instant.

I was always different, Merope. I always have been. I was a brilliant, brave, model student as Slughorn had said.

"Slug Club," Draco looked back over at Blaise and scrunched his face, remembering the prestigious group his father was a part of.

Blaise simply looked at Draco's laying form then gave myself and Pansy a nod before leaving the compartment. As soon as the door shut, Pansy grunted and folded her arms like an unhappy toddler.

"Now I'm stuck with you," she scowled at me.

I rolled my eyes and allowed silence to bounce between us until Pansy's impatience kicked in again. "So where are your other friends? Lose them all over the summer?" She smirked.

"They probably can't find us since we're so far back on the train," I assumed. I hadn't seen Daphne, Nott or Faye ever since arriving to the station, so it was fair to assume they had filled a compartment somewhere already. I'd find them after the chaos of the start of the school year settled.

"Or maybe they have abandoned you for good." Pansy chimed.

"And why would they abandon me, Pansy?" I sighed, accepting she would go on to belittle me regardless what I say. I looked down at Draco who had closed his eyes, most likely trying to drown the she-devil out and sleep.

"Since you abandoned them!" She cackled. "You ran off for Potter last year and never returned, Taylor." I shifted uncomfortably, searching for a viable excuse to get me through this instance, but she continued. "And if you think everyone is going to believe you were 'kidnapped'," her fingers exaggerated the word, "by your own father, well... maybe you are as delusional as the papers say."

Draco opened an eye and looked up to gauge my reaction.

"I know the truth, that's all that matters. I never abandoned my friends for Harry, I had my own work to be done." I said impassively and dragged my eyes away from her, dismissing the conversation.

Would it be a train ride to Hogwarts if Pansy didn't piss me off just once?

"Whatever," she sulked. "So what are you going to do about the daddy rumours this year?"

"What I usually do, ignore them." I shrugged.

"They won't say a word with me around," Draco muttered in my lap and I affectionately smiled down at him.

Pansy continued to harp on about her hatred for the Golden Trio until Crabbe and Goyle finally joined us. She ended up squished to one side of the compartment as they made themselves at home which seemed to quieten her down. Another smirk lifted my features as I watched karma work in my favour. As conversation shifted into simple background noise, my thoughts travelled to Pansy's comments. Though I had dismissed them to her face, internally they bothered me. No matter what people thought, they were thinking about me. Whether it was me triggering Death Eater riots at the World Cup, Triwizard Tournament or bringing Tom Riddle to life. I was always a hot topic on peoples lips. Now I was either a kidnapped mental case everyone felt sorry for or a Death Eater trooper people feared - I smirked at the hilarity considering there was truth in both perceptions.

Blaise soon reappeared from his meeting with Slughorn, sliding the compartment door open to join us again, though it suspiciously jammed when he tried to close it.

"What's wrong with this thing?" He frowned as he continued to try pull it closed.

I shifted my eyes away to admire my peaceful boyfriend and next thing I knew, Blaise Zabini was interrupting that peace. He fell directly onto my lap and Draco's head, simultaneously kicking Goyle in the face and knocking him into Pansy who shrieked as if she was covered in cockroaches.

"What the fuck!?" Draco screeched as he scrambled his face away, hands swatting at Blaise's rear end.

It was then that Goyle sat up and squared Blaise. "You right there, mate?" He questioned in a less than friendly tone before reaching forward to pull the door shut once and for all.

"I'm losing it, man." Blaise shook his head as he sat down in the spare space beside me. Draco glared at his friend, disgruntled by the ruckus and then attempted to return to his meditation.

To help, I continued stroking his sleek blonde hair and watched the blissful smile return to his relaxing face. The creases around his eyes softened whilst his forehead ironed out. I could feel his neck muscles melt into my thighs as he adjusted into a more comfortable position and the tenseness in his shoulders disappeared.

"Who else was at Slughorn's little tea party?" He eventually asked Blaise who was now staring at the door with confusion.

"Not us, that's for sure." Pansy coldly said with withdrawn eyes.

"McLaggen from Gryffindor," Blaise said.

Draco's mouth stretched into a 'not-bad' smile as he tilted his head. "Yeah fair enough, his uncle is quite big in the Ministry." He reasoned.

"Someone called Belby," Blaise recalled.

"Ravenclaw?" Crabbe asked to which Blaise nodded in response.

"He's a prat, that one." Goyle snarled to himself with closing fists on his lap.

"Longbottom, Potter and that Weasel chick." He numbered off.

Draco suddenly launched off my lap, startling me with his rapid movement and even making Mia jump. "Longbottom?!" He exclaimed while Pansy snickered in the corner.

Blaise merely nodded as he folded his arms and shifted to get comfortable in the cushioned train seats.

"What's Longbottom got to interest Slughorn?" Draco asked himself out loud. I too found it rather unusual, but unlike the Malfoy heir, I couldn't care less.

We all shrugged and muttered "who knows," as he pondered over the fact.

"Potter," Draco then snarled and I couldn't help but sigh.

"Here we go," I muttered, but he ignored me.

"Precious Potter. Obviously Slughorn wanted to look at the Chosen One." He deliberated. "But why that Weasley girl, what is so special about her?" His grey orbs then flickered to me as if I knew the answer.

"She's quite smart," I shrugged.

"And popular around boys." Pansy rolled her eyes and then focused on Blaise who was huffing at the comment. "I bet even you think she's pretty, Zabini."

He scoffed. "I'd never go near a filthy little blood traitor like her."

Pansy smirked, satisfied with his answered.

"Easy now, Blaise," I quietly warned, feeling defensive over my friend.

Draco sank back into my lap, taking my hand and placing it on his forehead, indicating me to continue playing with his hair.

"It's a shame really, my father said he was a good wizard in his day, but he's lost his taste. Maybe he's going a bit senile." Draco returned to the topic of Slughorn.

"It's odd you weren't invited, Draco." Goyle mentioned.

"Did he mention anything?" I turned to Blaise.

"He did question me about Nott's father, apparently they were old mates. He didn't look happy at the news he was thrown into Azkaban though. And I didn't see Nott in there so I suppose Slughorn's trying to stay away from Death Eater's." Blaise casually continued, then reached down to stroke Mia.

Draco huffed a single laugh. "He's just some stupid teacher, who gives a shit what he's interested into? I might not even be at Hogwarts next year, what's it matter to me if some fat old has-been likes me or not?"

My face deadpanned and I purposely stared down at him, hoping to catch his eye, but they were closed. I could tell he was irritated by Slughorn's lack of interest and was now trying to compensate to the others that he had more important things. I noticed Pansy frowning deeply at him in curiosity and my own hand movements in his hair ceased.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She barked.

"Let's just say I won't be wasting my time in Charms class, that's for sure." He said and reached out for my forearm to begin caressing it.

Blaise raised a brow whilst Crabbe and Goyle gawped at the resting Slytherin. Pansy then studied us very closely. Her mud brown eyes ran over me in a judgemental passion that made me feel hot.

"Do you mean…" she didn't finish the sentence and instead let it trail into silence.

"He's talking nonsense," I said sternly to put the conversation to rest and gave my resting boyfriend a hard glare.

He opened his eyes and frowned back at me in response, further bothered I was stopping him from showing off. His eyes then travelled past me and up at the luggage racks where they stayed as he continued to boast.

"Mother wants me to complete my education, but personally, I don't see it as that important these days. I mean, think about it…" He then glowered and I glimpsed up to see what he was looking at, but it just appeared to be empty racks. "When the Dark Lord takes over, he's not going to care about how many O. or N.E. I have. It will be about the service he received and devotion that was shown."

Blaise chuckled, full cheeks that expressed his amusement. "And you think you can do something for him?" He laughed.

I saw his mouth open, about to respond, but I slapped him on the shoulder, afraid where this conversation was going.

"I can see Hogwarts," I blurted to everyone and watched him redirect his firm gaze to me. "Let's get our robes on." I retained our tense eye contact, but Draco was the one to break it when he looked back up at the luggage racks again with confusion. "What are you looking at?" I eventually inquired, but he merely waved it off.

"Nothing," he muttered bitterly.

We all took turns leaving the compartment to switch into our school uniforms. Draco and I had both opted for more formal attire as his parents had urged us too. I donned my high neck black dress that stopped mid-thigh again under my Slytherin robes, while Draco wore another sharp suit. My lavish heels boosted my height, giving me an extra five inches to tower over younger students. It was well need since I hadn't got that growth spurt everyone else was getting yet.

I sat back down beside Draco who was now openly brooding. The rejection for Slug Club must have been really getting to him, so I tried to soften the blow by rubbing a hand over his shoulder. He didn't return the affection, just shot me a small smile. It stayed this way for the remaining few minutes of the trip until the train came to a halt. Pansy was the first to hurry out, followed by the muscle and then Blaise who still looked at the pair of us curiously.

I picked up my bags and nicked Mia on the ear to indicate her to follow, yet Draco stayed unmoving on the seat.

"Coming?" I asked.

"In a moment, you go on." He said. "I just need to check on something."

"Is everything okay?" I gradually asked.

"Of course," his voice took on a more optimistic note though I wasn't convinced. My frown lingered a while longer before I sighed.

"We might have to talk about what just happened." I admitted.

"Nothing happened." He dismissed. "I just don't want Blaise to get a big head from it all. Put him in his place, y'know?"

"By almost admitting-" I was cut off by him clearing his throat loudly.

"I wasn't going to admit anything." He retorted quickly. "Besides, there is nothing to admit, right?"

I was confused by his switch of attitude and hurried words, but his bright silver eyes shone bright, beckoning me to keep walking. I had to trust him in this instance and slowly nodded in agreement. "Right." I said and adjusted the bag on my shoulder. "I'll see you in the castle, then."

"See you," he quietly said and watched me leave the compartment.

My movements to get off the train were slow and leisurely. I was too lost in my own thoughts regarding Draco's unusual behavior and what he was saying to the other Slytherin's. He said he was only teasing at the idea and wasn't actually going to out himself, but I wasn't convinced. Given the opportunity to be superior to anyone, that Malfoy would take it.

I sighed, feeling the air in my chest knotting up from my anxiety. It didn't occur to me on the summer holidays that Draco wouldn't be able to keep our roles secret.

Sudden hands on my shoulders and arms around my waist spun me out of my thinking and I turned to see the two people I had been waiting for. A blonde, yet tired looking, Daphne Greengrass beamed at me and a cheery looking Faye was cuddling my waist. Mia jumped up at Daphne's leg in her own excitement to see her.

"Goodness girls, you gave me a good fright!" I exclaimed on the verge of giggles.

"Serves you right!" Daphne said before hugging me tightly. "We were scared witless when Potter and his friends came back bloody and battered and you were nowhere to be seen!"

I tried to quieten her down by sending a warm smile and patting her on the back. Faye picked my restless Mia up and we began walking to the carriages after the horde of students.

"Honestly Mel, out of all the times you have disappeared on me, that one was the worst." She said sadly and I felt my heart strain.

"I'm alive and well, that's all that matters now Daph." I smiled.

She nodded with a dismal expression and then seemed to contemplate before asking the next thing. "So... is it true?"

"The rumours," Faye added.

"Not now," I said quietly as we climbed onto a carriage, not wanting to talk about sensitive things in public.

They both nodded understandingly.

"On a brighter topic, how were your holidays?" I asked in a higher voice.

I immediately noticed Daphne's withdrawal from the conversation, her eyes shooting downwards and shoulders slinking. I started to fear the worst, but it still wasn't the time or place to ask. Instead, Faye started to dive in with how boring and slow her summer was which sounded legitimate and I started to envy that her life hadn't been scathed by darkness.


The comfort of the castle was very welcomed. Even though I had begun to relax within the Manor's walls, there was nothing like sitting within Hogwarts. The castle loved all of its students like no other building could. The Great Hall was bustling with the sound of excited students, all full of joy and freedom. I couldn't help but feel some jealousy as I assessed the second and third years towards the front of the Hall. They had no O. or N.E. to worry about, no crazy evil father to fear or a mission for the impossible looming over their head - to murder one of the most powerful wizards alive.

I looked at the room around me again, this time focusing on the bricks that made the structure. The pillars that lifted the magical ceilings. Draco was tasked to aid Death Eater's in infiltrating this castle and we both knew it was to overthrow it from within. I shuddered thinking of what we could do. This time in a few months could be very different. Daphne and Nott sat on my left in their own quiet discussion, their voices so soft that even if the room was empty I wouldn't hear them. The spot to my right was empty as we had left it for Draco, though as the feast commenced and the Sorting Ceremony finished, he still hadn't returned.

"Where's Malfoy?" Faye asked from her seat across from me. She was halfway through her dinner of chicken, gravy and mash whereas I hadn't even touched mine.

"I'm not sure," I answered honestly, perplexity evident in my own tone. "He said he had to check something before getting off the train."

"I wonder what he's up to now," Nott sighed.

"Speak of the devil," Blaise said through a mouthful of bread. The subject of conversation came striding through the doors. He looked normal though his movements were rather stiff and rushed.

"That took longer than I expected," I voiced as he slipped into the spot beside me, pulling his suit jacket closed tight.

"Sorry love, just business." He said cheerily and reached over to pile potato salad onto his plate.

"Business," I echoed and recalled the last time he took care of business ended up in bashing Dean Thomas' face for sitting beside me in exams.

He shot me a quick smirk before returning to his meal. Convinced I wouldn't get the truth out of him, I decided to ignore it for now and eat my own food. By the time I put the last bite of buttered chicken into my mouth, Dumbledore was approaching his podium to speak. The talk and laughter echoing around the Hall died away almost instantly.

"The very best of evenings to you!" he smiled and opened his arms wide as though to embrace all of us. "To our new students, welcome, to our old students, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you."

The Headmaster went on to introduce new students to our school rules and class corridors, but I was too distracted by whispering down the table. Payton, Pansy and Millicent were engaged in what appeared to be a very confidential exchange. Pansy then laughed and Payton snickered before looking over at me. I whipped my eyes away, embarrassed and blushing from my roots. What could they have been possibly been saying about me that would make them laugh? I was thankful I wouldn't have to put up with Pukey this year at least, but it was aggravating seeing Payton sit with Millicent and Pansy instead.

As if he could sense my discomfort, Draco placed a hand on my knee under the table and tapped soothingly with his index finger. He was my medicine. I leaned onto his arm, resting my head on his shoulder and savoured the scent magnifying off him. In return, he placed a quick kiss on the temple of my head and I glimpsed over to see Pansy now trying to blind me with the intensity of her eyes. I flicked a smirk at her, feeling more triumphant in the end.

"We are pleased to welcome a new member of staff this year. Professor Slughorn." Dumbledore announced, bringing my attention back to his speech. He looked similar to the photo I had seen of him in Lucius' yearbook, only pudgier with a bald head. "He is a former colleague of mine who has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master."

The word Potion's then travelled across the room, everyone reflecting the subject in disbelief. I frowned over at Snape sitting at the Professor's table. If he had stepped down from his position, he would have told me, right?

"Professor Snape, meanwhile," said Dumbledore, raising his voice so that it carried over all the muttering, "will be taking over the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

To my left, Daphne choked on her water. "What?!" She coughed.

"I'm doomed for D.A.D.A," Faye sunk into her chair across from me at the news.

Everyone began clapping into congratulations to the new and old Professor, to which Snape merely waved at and Slughorn merrily cheered at. The two teachers were going to be very different indeed.

"What's wrong with him?" Draco whispered into my ear that was still resting on his shoulder.

"He's always broody like that," I reasoned.

"Not Snape," he rolled his eyes and nodded at Dumbledore. "His hand, it's black as night."

It was true. Dumbledore's hand was black and deadend, reminding me of a rotting tree in the Forbidden Forest. "I don't know," I quietly replied.

"Maybe your task won't be that hard at all." Draco mused and it was like ice in my guts.

"As you know, each and every one of you were searched upon your arrival here tonight. And you have the right to know why." He continued. The topic was taking a serious turn, you could hear it in his voice. I took my head away from Draco's shoulder and straightened to give my utmost attention.

"Once, there was a young man," I predicted what Dumbledore was about to say and felt the room darken. Like a lone student in a room, surrounded by emptiness with a lit wand in my face for interrogation. "Who like you, sat in this very hall, walked this castle's corridors, slept under its roof."

Memories of what Tom Riddle looked like flashed through my mind. Funny feelings started to swarm my heart. Feelings that could easily be confused with nervous butterflies.

"He seemed, to all the world, a student like any other. His name?" He said and for a a fleeting instance, his eyes locked onto me, like fly in a web. "Tom Riddle."

Whispers crawled through the room and I felt many eyes glue to me, but I remained staring at the Headmaster, almost afraid to face any of them.

"Today of course he is known all over the world by another name. Which is why as I stand here tonight, I am reminded of a sobering fact. Every day, every house, this very minute, perhaps… Dark forces attempt to penetrate this castles walls." Draco's grip on my knee was tightening with every word leaving the wizard and I was reaching a point where I felt I could no longer breathe. "But in the end, their greatest weapon…"

My heart pounded.

"...Is you."


So I tried to pump this one out as quick as possible since my last upload was smaller than usual - I hope this monster of a chapter makes up for it! Thank you BraziaRios for your review and everyone else following my story! x