It had been wonderful to sleep at Spinner's End once more, cuddled up against Severus' pale body and encircled by his strong arms. He had gained a small burn to his ankle, she had noticed, but other than being a bit thinner, physically, he was just as he had been.

Mentally and emotionally was a different matter, however. Even when Serena had shown him the memories of Albus' official documents that next day, Severus hadn't reacted other than a small shrug, brushing off her hand and taking half an hour alone in his laboratory. He smiled a lot less too, she realised, and she found herself comparing him to the Severus she had first met in Dumbledore's office three years ago, closed and bitter and silent. He had very little to smile about, with his future pre-destined for him, and she didn't blame him for turning his back on the world. The one thing that comforted her, however, was that he still let her inside. He wouldn't laugh, he wouldn't smile, and he barely spoke to anyone apart from her and Albus anymore, but it didn't matter, because at the end of the day, he would sit opposite her for dinner and open his mind. He would let her touch him and share his feelings. And occasionally, in the safe space that was there bed, swamped in darkness, he would whisper his worries into her ear and she would murmur reassurances and empty promises back at him.

They had found some strange balance amidst all the chaos. A balance of total and complete trust. Despite the horrible events that would soon rip them apart, Serena felt closer to Severus than ever. They were in sync, they were bound, they communicated without words and comforted and supported each other. Serena was patient, Severus was honest, and everything between them worked perfectly. It was on the outside that everything was falling apart.

Serena had started methodically ticking things off her list. Severus had begun teaching her to brew her potion, as well as Remus' wolfsbane. They were too of the most complicated potions she had ever seen, but they had a month before school term resumed and she was determined to master them both before the first of September.

She had organised a visit to the bank with Bill Weasley, and Arthur and Molly had suggested they all go into Diagon Alley together that next weekend.

They were taking the Weasley children, Harry and Hermione to buy their school items for the new year, but Molly was worried about security. Hagrid was accompanying them already, but Molly had admitted that she would be grateful to know that Serena was in Diagon Alley too, especially after Florian Fortescue and Garrick Ollivander the wand maker had been apparently kidnapped the week previously.

Severus had told her that Ollivander was being held captive by the Dark Lord, although he couldn't give anymore details, but he had no idea why the ice-cream man had been taken, and favoured a more personal motive.

Serena had spent three tiring days looking after Lavinia whilst Remus endured his transformations, and Severus had been summoned to the Dark Lord three times since they had moved back into Spinner's End together. Luckily, none of his meetings had been too violent, and other than a few flinching muscles or aching knees from kneeling on the floor, he was relatively unscathed.

The first weekend in August saw Serena apparate to the Leaky Cauldron pub and wait for the Weasley clan to join her and Hagrid.

Molly was extremely stressed when they arrived, constantly throwing suspicious glances over her shoulder, and ushering around the children, pushing them into the back yard of the Leaky before anything could happen to them.

The students seemed surprised to see her, but pleased all the same, and Miss Granger had begun asking her about a research project she had set them for over the summer, before Serena told her to stop worrying about it, it sounded as though she had done more than ample research.

She left the golden trio at Madam Malkin's with Hagrid, Molly and Arthur went off with Ginny and Serena headed to Gringotts.

Diagon Alley was… depressing, there was no other word for it. The warm bustle and crowded streets were gone. People weren't gazing into the bright window displays or chatting and sitting out to eat on the pavements anymore. Many of the shops had been shut down or were closed, and people huddled in groups, rushing from one place to another with their heads down and their hoods up. No one stopped to talk, everyone wanted to grab what they needed and get out of there.

She was amazed to see that the only place that was bustling with people was Fred and George Weasley's joke shop. She made a mental note to visit afterwards.

She met Bill Weasley who gave her a lop-sided grin and hurried her along the enormous queue of people waiting to enter Gringotts, up to the front and into the marble building. It took ten minutes to get through the security, even with Bill reassuring the goblins that she was with him, but she still had to empty all of her pockets and have a probity probe shoved way to close to her face for her liking.

Bill waited whilst she filled her bags with gold and shrunk it all down to fit inside her pocket. She took three times as much as she usually would, and was glad to see that her vault was still quite full. She hadn't told Severus, but Kingsley had left her a rather hefty pile of gold after his death. She hadn't touched it yet, but she would probably convert it into muggle currency to help pay for her apartments.

She thanked Bill, let him get back to work, and hurried to meet the Weasleys at Fred and George's shop, feeling slightly self-conscious with all the gold in her pocket.

The shop was amazing.

She had never seen anything like it. This made Zonko's look like a bore.

She couldn't help but laugh at the outrageously bold poster in the window advertising YOU KNOW POO, a constipation remedy. She shook her head as she pushed the door open and entered the bustling store.

She spotted Ginny and her Mother looking at a selection of pink products for witches whilst Arthur Weasley was admiring a muggle magic trick range. The rest of the shop was crowded with witches and wizards and children of all ages. She could barely move as she pushed her way through the shop, admiring the originality of the different products. She was proud to see that their charm work was outstanding.

She finally found the small corner of the shop that interested her the most: defence. She perused the shelves with interest, looking at shield hats and cloaks and picked up some peruvian instant darkness powder. Definitely useful, she thought.

"Professor Lake, you have the honour of being the first teacher on our premises! Just look over here, there are so many products for a teacher that doesn't want to be duped by pesky children! We've got anti-cheating parchment, chewing gum spray- stops it sticking-"

Serena laughed and turned to face the two twins who were in bright magenta robes. "This is really quite marvellous," she admitted, smiling at them.

"Well, if it's the shield cloaks that are interesting you Professor, you may help yourself, you were the one that taught us the adapted charm!"

They disappeared back into the crowd and Serena turned smiling back to the shelves. Incredible, she thought. Making all this money at a time when half the shops in Diagon Alley were closed.

She had just turned to look at the Distraction Dung, when someone approached her from behind.

The person spoke. A cold, hard voice, a voice that her body recognised, a voice that should have warmed her insides and made her smile, but instead caused her blood to freeze and her mind to panic.

"Hello darling, how about some Father and Daughter time?"

Serena's breath caught in her throat, her whole body had become rigid as old nightmares woke up in her mind. She pulled up her maximal occlumency defences in an instant and locked all of her memories away, pulling forward instead her attack and defence skills. She threw up her walls and locked her forest safely away inside, before letting her eyes refocus on the shelves before her.

She could feel the tip of his wand pressing into the small of her back and smell his putrid breath on her neck. She jumped as two children brushed against her left elbow and ran past, giggling at a Weasley invention.

Too many people. She thought urgently. She couldn't risk anyone getting hurt.

"That's it, that's it," he leered in her ear, stepping indecently close to her. "Look around at all the little boys and girls. We can't have any of them getting hurt, can we? So you'd best do as I say."

Serena knew he was right, one wrong move and anyone of these kids could get hurt by a stray curse. She had to get him to move outside, but she had a feeling that her dear Father already had a plan.

She turned her head very slowly to the left, trying to spot Arthur Weasley in the crowd, but the shop was too big and the place was packed.

If she could just take him by surprise-

Her knife. She thought quickly. If she could somehow injure his wand hand he wouldn't be able to cast a single spell, and he certainly wouldn't be expecting a muggle attack.

With a subtle thought she felt the smooth metal handle in her right hand, but just as it has appeared, her Father gave a cold, hard cackle and she felt his fist close around her hand as his nose pressed into her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

She opened her hand complacently as he pulled the knife from her grasp.

"Tut, tut, tut, you really do take me for a fool, don't you? I heard about what happened with Crouch, don't worry, I know about your little secret weapon. Didn't put you off then, getting stabbed? Perhaps a second wound to match the first, that can be arranged, my darling. And I'll be taking this too," he reached around into her robes and she felt him pull out her wand. "Now, this time you're going to stop your games and listen very closely."

She felt his left hand move up the length of her arm before grasping her shoulder tightly. Laughter and excited chatter rang all around them, and she prayed in her head that someone would notice something was wrong. Arthur or Molly or Fred or George or someone!

She thought fast. Taking her wand was of no importance. Her elemental powers were just as strong, and her father clearly didn't know how developed they were now.

She would allow him to take her far from the public, and then she would attack.

She had a sudden icy thought. Harry Potter was in the shop. Clearly, her Father did not know. And he mustn't. If he discovered that Potter was here Serena certainly wouldn't interest him anymore. Potter was more exciting prey. Serena had to get him out of there as quickly as possible.

"I'll do what you want," she murmured quietly, turning around slowly to face him.

It hurt her to look at him, to look into the eyes she had known her entire life and to see such hatred. He was as tall as her, with less hair than the last time she had seen him, but his cheeks had filled out and he had lost the gauntness that Azkaban had given him. He was wearing black robes and had a small, silver pin attached to the collar.

He seemed to be taking in her appearance too.

"Yes you will," he leered finally, squeezing her shoulder tightly. "Or I will blow this place apart, you hear me? All these little children playing? Dead. You know I will, darling, you know me so well, although we are family I suppose."

"You're no family of mine," she spat angrily, but he merely laughed and stroked her hair crudely.

"Shh, let's not say hurtful things," he said quietly. "Now, you are going to do exactly as I wish. Imperio."

Noooooooo Serena moaned inside her head as the strangest sensation washed over her entire body. She felt as though she were underwater all of a sudden, her vision lacked colour, her hearing was muffled and she felt slightly dizzy, but he worst feeling was the panic rising up inside her. Total, utter panic, so intense that she felt paralysed, she couldn't move, she couldn't breath, until-

"Now walk slowly towards the door and leave the shop." His voice was inside her head and it was only her Occlumency that kept her thoughts rational.

She pulled up everything she knew about the Imperius curse and threw her will against it, but even as she did, her feet slowly turned towards the door and her body began to comply.

No! she screamed, pulling together all of her power and will and force, no! no! no!

She had reached the door, and after a second order she had opened it and begun walking back to The Leaky Cauldron and the apparition point.

She had to stop him, had to pull out of this curse, fight it, overcome it, he was not going to win!

Serena's legs carried her along Diagon Alley as she fought an inward battle against his magic.

She could hear his voice telling her to walk getting more and more distant, but everytime she almost overcame the curse, he renewed it and she felt the vice-like spell grasp her again.

She managed to control her facial expressions as she stumbled over the cobbles and she made panicked eyes and began mouthing at passers-by, but not one of them looked at her. Everyone was looking at their feet, hoods up and minding their own business.

At one point she even managed a small cry, before he cursed her again and squeezed her elbow tightly.

"If you try that again I will kill the nearest person to you. Am I clear?"

Say yes, he hissed inside her head, and she felt the words forming on the tip of her lips, she moaned against them but the syllable slipped out and he pushed her along, quicker now.

They were in sight of the apparition point at the back of the leaky cauldron.

She strained her face towards the passers by, trying to make eye contact,

They were ten metres away.

She felt a noise building in her chest, if she could just get it out-

She felt a streak of something familiar fly past her sleeve, something that could have been silver had she have been able to see clearly, and then, just as they stepped over the threshold of the apparition point, she heard a shout from far behind her, "Serena!"

She turned her head to see Arthur Weasley running up the street with his wife in tow, but it was too late, she felt the dizzying turn as he pulled her into the jump.

She hadn't taken a breath and when they landed wherever they were her chest squeezed painfully tight, but she didn't care, the Imperius had lifted and she was ready.

She sprang into action, harsh wind blasting him off his feet and smashing him into the corner of the cold, empty room she now realised ressembled a prison cell. With a crack the ground opened beneath him, a deep hole and as he fell she began to conjure water, but his ascendio took her by surprise as he catapulted from the chasm and battered her with an array of dark curses. She didn't have her wand to defend herself, but she was agile and well-prepared, she hopped from one foot to another, dodging and ducking, gathering the wind as a defence once more, avoiding his stunners and curses, and gathering more and more water, forming it into a huge, swirling ball, she was going to drown him, she was going to end his life once and for all-

Serena screamed.

A piercing, high pitched shriek that she had never pronounced before.

A cry of such pain that she didn't realise at first that it came from her.

All she could do was keep her mind barriers in place as her entire body contracted and she felt agony like none other.

I would take a hundred cruciatus curses over this, she begged internally as her mind raced to identify the curse and realise what was happening. But it was too much, she couldn't think, she couldn't move, it was too intense-

The pain receded ever so slightly and the cold laughter of her Father reached her ears.

She had to concentrate to stay awake. Her body so wanted to give into the pain.

She remembered feeling this way with Crouch, forcing herself to stay conscious, keeping her body fighting, giving herself a chance, and as she remembered the helplessness of being a victim she felt anger swell up inside of her.

Never again!

She had vowed to herself, never again! She had trained for this! Readied her mind and her body and she was not going to let her fucking Father hurt her anymore!

She focussed on her magic, drew it all around her, tried to concentrate, but she heard the spell a second time and that animalistic scream was wrenched from her throat, she tasted blood as vessels burst in her oesophagus and she writhed around uncontrollably on the stone floor.

The transmorgrification curse.

The knowledge of what he was attacking her with did little to reassure her.

The torture curse.

He was changing the shape of her fucking bones.

The pain lessened again and she blinked through her streaming eyes as her entire body screamed at her. She felt a sharp pain in her ribs and recognised the sound of a boot kicking her.

He laughed. "Just like old times this isn't it darling ? Oh just you wait, the Dark Lord will be very pleased to meet you. I'll have to make a few changes of course, can't have you being called a blood traitor, but I'm sure after a few weeks with me you'll be all ready to join us Death Eaters. We are the future, you see."

Serena could only drool onto the floor and try and spit blood out of her mouth. Everything hurt too much. Her eyes fell shut. She could hear footsteps echoing on the cold floor, coming nearer and nearer. It couldn't be good news. Death Eaters liked to share their toys.

She gathered her magic again, recharging it inside her, pulling it closer, trying to assemble her power before he cursed her again. Her body was burning with pain, she could barely see, she heard his pathetic voice, his laugher and then the door opened.

"Well, well," said a cold, indifferent voice slowly. "Professor Lake, what a surprise."

Serena's eyes flashed open, she looked up from her awkward position, her cheek still pressed against the stone floor. She saw black, dragon hide boots, black trousers and a long Death Eater cloak. She followed the length of his body up to his pale face, saw the hatred and rage in his eyes and the sneer of disgust on his lips.

She urged her jaw to move and allow her to speak.

"Severus... Please..."