Due the shattering events of Olivia Benson's death, the girl who had admired and adored her so greatly, had fallen into a almost comatose state. Leah would sit on Olivias bed staring at seemingly nothing, she refused to eat or drink and worry for her health was immediate. Her parents were called to the school to collect her. Valentine herself was to the one coax Leah from the dormitory. Upon seeing her daughter, Rose Lovat cooed her name pitifully and hugged her. Leah didn't even react.

William had given Valentine his usual nod of greeting, while Rose had practically wept as she squeezed Valentines shoulders and thanked her. Valentine watched Rose and William Lovat lead there only child through the halls, were they themselves had once spent there childhood.

Valentine doubted home was what Leah needed, but then again, she wasn't sure about what Leah needed. This wasn't like when Leah's rabbit died when they were seven, or like when she had torn her new dress following Valentine and Draco up a tree when they were ten. This was more traumatic then those children occurrences and even the Valentine who was kind and smiled freely was at a loss of what to do.

That simple fact of uselessness churned around in her gut almost painfully.
With only one more day until the term officially ended, Valentine and what friends of hers remained sat once more in the common room, usual positions taken yet with two seats vacant on either side of Valentine. None of them had much of a appetite and so, they debated on weather or not attending dinner was necessary.

"I don't think I could eat even if I wanted too." Liam sighed. "I could barely keep breakfast down."

"Me too." Blaze mumbled solemnly.

"Maybe we could sneak down to the kitchen later. I don't much fancy starving."

"That's pathetic." Draco spat almost viciously. "I'm not going to crawl down to the kitchens."

Blaze and Liam didn't say anything in there defense.

This is going nowhere.

"Well, I'm hungry." Valentine said, plainly. "I'm going to the Great Hall."

"But...didn't you see how everyone looked at us all day?" Blaze looked over at her with a questioningly perplexed look.

"Since when did you care about how people look at you?" Valentine arched a brow calmly.

"Since they looked at us like were heartless monsters. Like were supposed to be wearing all black and mourning." Blaze explained.

"They probably thought we were acting like nothing happened." Liam said, almost silently.

Valentine prepared herself to run them through with her words like a sword, but before harsh words of reality could leave her mouth Draco stood and snarled.

Draco?

"You two sound like whiny little brats who want there mothers." Dracos icy blue gaze was set solid and his voice held a cutting edge. "We are heartless. Were Slytherin. We prey on every other house in this school. We were born monsters and I say instead of hiding it, you embrace it."

Draco's serious frown had turned into a dark smile. Valentine stood and took her place beside him.

"Well, cousin, you've certainly come out of your shell."

"Don't be stupid. I haven't changed at all."

Blaze and Liam looked up at the two, were Valentine usually stood alone. On one hand they could be the object of the stares of the student body or be the object of of the wrath of both a Lestrange and a Malfoy.

"Are you too dunces just going to sit there looking stupid or are going take your place as a monster." Draco's gaze pierced painfully.

Both Liam and Blaze felt as through thin wires were being burrowed under there skin to hold them in place. This was there last minute to back out. In there three years of friendship they'd been subjected to Draco's insults and Valentines self deprecating manner of getting her point across. They'd been threatened by the daughter of murders and yet they didn't run.

"I'm hungry." Blaze said plainly, standing. He was always the first one to speak out, but was also always the first to submit.

"Me too." Liam quickly, not wanting too have to bare the glares alone.

"Good." Valentine smirked, her bright eyes glowing in that practiced manner if insanity.

Even then Blaze and Liam knew they throwing away there freedom. The wires sunk into the flesh of there hearts, and if they tried to pull away, they would be killed. Valentine felt her chest throb with pity for them. She ignored those normal rational human feelings. She had no use for them at this time.

With the things I've done, can I even be considered human?

That night the four Slytherins entered The Great Hall with there heads held high. They ate and spoke to one another as if nothing had transpired like it had. Liam and Blaze couldn't help but wonder if the painful indifference they were showing was what Valentine always felt like. Of course, didn't have any idea what she felt like.

They had watched Valentine sneer and be sneered at for three years now and those three years had felt like a lifetime. She was intelligent, confident, beautiful and above all else, terrifying. The way she stared holes though people with her bright blue gaze, the way she somehow looked down upon others despite being shorter then most. She was in one word, and a enigma, a terrifying one, but an enigma none the less.

They could both recall a time early that same year when Draco had mentioned something about Valentine once bring different. That she was once kind and decent, although still just as smart. The words he'd used had been vague and he had no desire to elaborate. Liam and Blaze couldn't imagine a kind and thoughtful Valentine. Surely if she was to behave that way she had sinister intentions? She'd done such things before, even to then personally. Dracos temper and empty threats were nothing compared too Valentines malicious nature.

At times when they felt her animalistic intent turn towards them, they felt as through they should flee, that there safety was comprised. Those naturally occurring alarms setting off inside there minds. And yet they felt unable to leave. What would happen even if they did? After three long years, there dark little group, only brightened by Leah's no longer existent smiles, had grown some strange sense of affection.

Publicly Draco was the head of there group, Valentine a viciously unstable second in command, with rest if them their loyal foot soldiers. Of course behind closed doors Draco willing bent to his cousins will, he was just as scared of her as anybody at times and nobody outside there group knew it. Liam and Blaze had summarized that Valentine like it this way.

And despite their very real fear of her, they trusted her, knew she would somehow fix things like she always did. In her own little screwed up way she always managed to protect her interests and that happened to be them.

And so, Liam and Blaze would continue as they always had, even with Olivia Bensons startling demise. They would be foot solider, servant, chew toy. They would play there part loyally in the group and would sink further and further into the darkness of Valentine Lestrange. For this is what they had come to know as family.

-Pretending to Hate-

Draco lead the way through the crowd of students, all trying to board the scarlet train at once. Valentines seemly pleasant smile more unnerving them Draco's glares.

Draco shoved a boy aside along the narrow hall inside the Hogwarts express. Blaze laughed and it was obvious to all who heard it that it was forced.

They found a empty compartment. They hadn't bothered to wait for Dracos loyal slobs. They always seemed to find their way back to him no matter the circumstance. That four of them filed in. The silence that was usually filled with Leah's crying, laughing and just general noises was not verbally noted. They didn't need to.

Valentine found herself dwelling on the year she was about to leave behind.

This year I was told that I was branded with an expiry date.

This year my cousin ticked off a dangerous creature and it resulted in ridiculous fight between my closest friend.

This year I stole actual candy, from a actual child.

This year I was attacked by a group of fifth years because they were worried I was smarter then them.

This year I got into a ridiculous fight with a fully grown man.

This year I watched the skull of part of my life crunch against stone.

This year I cried for the first time in memory.

This year my best friend fell into depression.

This year...has not been a good year. Not that the others were much better. In my first I almost let Harry Potter die and in the second I bleed out over my desk in potions.

Valentine turned her blank gaze out the window as the train lurched forwards and begun moving.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw something. A flash of black, grey and green, with pretty lime colored eyes. Valentines eyes widened as she watched a misty figure standing on the train platform fade to nothing.

Olivia.

I'm sorry.