Penny managed to escape the Gryffindor common room before Harry could find her, but made sure to ask Ginny to let him know she had plans with someone else today in Hogsmeade, so he would not worry. Ginny looked as though she wanted to ask Penny questions on the subject, but Penny was through the portrait hole before she could form the thoughts.

There were not many students in the Great Hall when Penny arrived because most normal people liked to sleep in on weekends, with exception for a small cluster of early risers. Penny had purposefully signed up for the early trip to Hogsmeade in order to avoid unwanted questions about her obviously distraught state.

She yawned, having been unable to sleep the night before. She tried her best not to think of the events that transpired on Friday, or acknowledge the horrible hole in her chest. Instead, she focused on filling her bag with the food she thought Sirius would like. Anything to keep moving, moving forward-it was all she could do, if she stopped, she was afraid she might be swallowed whole.

So that's what she did, one foot in front of the other through the cold morning chill. Her only thoughts were of Sirius, he would know what to do, he had to. Penny was convinced of it, of Sirius's ability to make this bad dream go away. She fixated on that certainty until she was standing before the cave he was staying in, her heart racing, unable to step forward or call out to her godfather.

She'd reached an impasse, her feet simply refused to move any farther, afraid the relief she fantasized Sirius would offer might not actually exist, and instead she'd be forced to face the horrible pain ripping her heart apart. Sirius had been best friends with James, he'd loved Penny's mom and dad, what if the truth. . .what if he hated Penny for it? And if he told Harry? If she lost them both, what would she have left? No, coming to Sirius was a stupid idea, she needed to leave before it was too late.

She turned and made it only a couple of crunching footsteps when his bark-like voice called after her, "Penny!" his hand clasped her shoulder and turned her around to face him, his face full of the warm amusement it always had. For someone who had suffered for so much of his life, he was unusually able to be happy.

Her heart sank even further, the man had endured so much, how could Penny ask him to share her burden? How could she be so selfish, Harry would never be. Why couldn't she be more like her brave twin, how come he got all the courage?

"I shouldn't have come, Sirius," Penny choked out, trying to pry herself away from him.

His forehead wrinkled and his amusement quickly became, concern.

"What happened, Penny?"

"Nothing. It was stupid of me to come, just let me leave, I'm sorry for disturbing you."

"Like hell, you're going to come with me and explain what is going on," said Sirius, dragging her across the snow and through his cave before forcing her into a chair.

"Hey you lunatic! You didn't have to drag me." Penny fumed.

"You think I haven't seen that look thousands of times on James' face? You might look like your mom, but you are so much like James it frightens me sometimes."

"Shut up Sirius, you don't know anything, I'm nothing like them," Penny said, looking decidedly away from her shaggy-haired godfather, she was afraid the feelings of her chest would burst out of her, that they would betray her fears. Something about seeing Sirius's face made it so much harder for her to keep her normal composure. She couldn't lie to him, no, she didn't want to lie to him.

The sound of a chair scratching against the cave floor met Penny's ears. Sirius made himself comfortable beside her, his elbows resting on his knees as he bent forward to brush her cheek gently.

"I know you can't get rid of me that easy. You weren't trying very hard, were you?" he said in a stern voice that did not match his physical gesture.

"You're so annoying, y'know that?" Penny muttered.

"Paternal, some might say," he said, his grin evident in his tone.

"Is lying also a paternal trait?" Penny asked, finally turning to the gaunt face beside her.

Sirius looked confused, his thick brows furrowing.

"I don't und-"

"Did you know, did you all know? Lupin told you, didn't he? There is nothing you two keep from each other. Why would you keep it from me? Was it just a big joke to you because it's Snape?" Penny blurted out, anger rising in her chest.

"You're going to need to give me some more details to work with if you want me to know what you're talking about."

"He knew about Dumbledore and Grindelwald and he didn't mention it, after everything , after listening to me tell him, it's Snape!" said Penny, angrily, her voice as cold as the brisk wind outside the cave.

Sirius leaned away from Penny as though her words had lashed out at him, shifting uncomfortably, his features darkening.

"You have to understand, you were missing for two months, none of us knew what happened to you. He was so worried about you, Penny, and when you came back from the Ministry, I've never seen him so upset. He couldn't bring himself to make life any harder for you. He loves you, you know that. Sometimes love makes us do stupid things, but I don't regret agreeing with him," said Sirius, his voice breaking, uncharacteristically.

"Love! That's not love, that's selfishness! I trusted him, both of you . Why couldn't you have just believed I was capable!"

"Because you shouldn't have to be capable! For merlin's sake Penny, you're 14!" Sirius yelled, slamming his fist down on the table.

"I stopped being 14 when they tied me to a chair and milled me for magical ability. You didn't give me a choice, just like them, you took it from me. But you can't protect me from myself, Sirius. Was it because you were scared to accept what I am? Of the fact that what runs through my veins is death?" Penny said, meeting his yell with a scathing hiss.

"That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard you say, Penny," Sirius said, his face stony, voice laced with disgust. "We were worried what that greasy git would do to you when he found out. There's more to it Penny-"

"More I couldn't possibly understand? About the dyad, in unity and war? Or the fact I'm essentially helpless against Snape?" Penny spat, the startled look on his face giving her immense satisfaction. "Yeah, Moody told me," Penny went on with a short laugh.

"Moody? why would he-well never mind. We were afraid knowing the details might compel you to confront Snape, and Dumbledore said he was certain you would not bring it up with him after you found out. It seemed-we'd hoped leaving off the details until you were older, less impressionable. . ." Sirius said, trying to adopt a diplomatic tone.

"Are you really that prejudiced? You thought you needed to protect me from him?" said Penny, incredulously.

It was worse than she'd imagined. They'd all decided without her, were herding her in the direction they'd wanted her to go in. And it was all because they were afraid of Snape's intentions? The man who'd been there for her the last four years, who'd found her in that forest and helped her out of the Ministry. And still, their preconceived opinions of him mattered more to them. But Snape didn't know; this whole time he'd been unaware of what was going on between them, unaware that the misery in his life-

"Don't be a fool Penny, Snape has always been knee deep in the dark arts. Always looking for more power. If he knew what he had in front of him, of course he'd take advantage of your weird fascination with him," Sirius growled, heat rising into his face.

"You ignorant piece of- I don't care what you think, you know nothing about Severus Snape. He isn't the problem, I am! He's cursed, Sirius, cursed because I exist," said Penny, her voice constricting horribly. "Death follows him, because of me ."

"That's just superstition Penny. . ."

Sirius looked as though he were suddenly deflating, watching her with a kind of sad regret, like he'd never imagined her coming to this conclusion on her own.

"Is it? Because I looked for myself! Dumbledore's mother and sister both died prematurely! His brother Aberforth was known to have run out, to get away from Albus!" Penny breathed, watching Sirius's features shift, trying to hold onto the control he was quickly losing.

"Penny, listen to yourself, you aren't being reasonable, this is superstition that came about from ignorance. Sometimes people die. That doesn't mean you're some bad omen."

"But what if I am. . .I saw it Sirius-I saw that those Ministry officials could do with the power in my veins. Maybe the Dumbledores is a coincidence, but I need to know to be sure-Who'd Snape spend a lot of time with at school. You were in the same year, who did you see him with?" said Penny, leaning forward and grabbing a fist full of Sirius' sweater, her hand shaking, her voice desperate.

Sirius was unnerved looking down at her, as though he were afraid for her sanity. He reached for her hand, grasping it firmly in reassurance.

"Penny, where is this going?" he said.

"Answer the damn question!" she screamed.

'I don't know, I never paid that much attention, but I suppose I saw him from time to time with Lily. James mentioned they lived near each other as children."

Penny's heart slowed to a standstill, but somehow she managed to force her mouth open again.

"He and Lily grew up together. . .and-and who did Snape hate more than anyone; why does the man who likes no students, favor me, who looks so much like Lily?" Penny pressed, her chest moving laboriously. She couldn't say the damned words, but the intensity of her emotions willed Sirius to think, to realize.

"Hang on, Penny. . .Penny! You can't possibly be suggesting?" Sirius said, his voice finally furious.

Was this the moment? Penny thought, watching his features contort with anger and fury. Would he confirm she was the reason for all their misery?

Sirius got to his feet and pulled Penny from her seat, yanking her into his arms, crushing her with a hug that felt as though he were afraid to let her go, that at any moment she might disappear.

"What if there's a chance, what if I'm the reason she's dead?" She'd finally released it and with it came the flood of hot tears, dampening Sirius' sweater without her consent.

She couldn't hold them in any longer, they were too heavy to carry, and for some reason Sirius made her feel like it was okay to leave them with him. She'd been so angry and she wanted to rail at him, but the moment their bodies collided, she felt like every muscle inside her gave a collective sigh of relief and let go of all her tension. All Penny could do was cling to the man and cry, releasing every horrible thought she'd been bottling up for months.

"You listen to me Penny, Moody is wrong, he got his facts wrong, Lupin can tell you in due time. But for now you need to believe there is not a dark bone in your body. Wherever you go, only light follows and so much life, even that greasy git couldn't help but love you. You were created from such a beautiful love; there is nothing that can ever convince me that what you say is true, because when I look at you, when I hold you like this, it makes me feel like I'll never know pain again," he said, his voice rumbling through his chest.

"I just want things to go back to how they were, when I understood what I was," she admitted through her gritted teeth, trying to force the waves of emotion back down her throat.

"You're too impatient Penny, you can't just flip through yourself like a book, searching for the information you desire, expecting the pages to always be the same. If they change sometimes, let them," Sirius said, pulling away and looking down at her as though she missed the most obvious answer.

But the look wasn't one of pity, rather, it was one of someone who understood her frustration, of someone who'd wondered, and struggled in many of the same ways.

"When your dad asked me to be your godfather, I never believed there would I would ever come to fulfill that obligation. I was so young, they were too, but everything changed, and in Azkaban I thought about how it was true, because I'd failed. But I got another chance thanks to you both. But what I want you to understand is, I let that reality dictate my actions because I didn't want to let go. But when I did let go, look what I found, pages full of more happiness than I deserve," Sirius said with a hard look, a look that demanded she believe him. So unlike the softness of his friend, Lupin.

How different their approaches were, and yet, Penny felt the same relief in her chest Lupin's warm smiles and hugs always brought. Penny had always been wary of Sirius, deterred by his rough exterior and point edges, but she realized how foolish she had been.

Penny couldn't find any words in her swollen chest. Instead, she merely gazed up at the man, thinking how handsome and vibrant those sunken features were, how even Azkaban was unable to steal that from him.

Sirius accepted her silence and led her to his pile of blankets on the floor. He wrapped her in one and then sat down beside her, draping his arm over her shoulder so she could rest her head on his chest. He busied himself with detangling her hair with his fingers while she listened to the methodic beating of his busy heart.

It worked so hard inside of him, full of life, of love. The sound of it reminded Penny of strength, of a strength she wanted, of the determination to not give up. She imagined all the places Sirius' heart had been, and what it had endured, how this heart showed up, even when it meant putting him in danger to protect Harry.

Eventually, the sound lulled her into a dreamless sleep. One Sirius did not disturb her from, instead allowing her to find comfort on him for several hours. When he woke her up, she was bleary eyed and groggy, the sky outside growing dimmer.

After a few parting words, he escorted her back to the path that led to Hogwarts, Penny making it just in time to join the final group on the walk home. Some people stared curiously at her, which Penny assumed must mean her face betrayed her afternoon of crying. She found she didn't care. Her chest was lighter, full of the warmth Sirius left there. It made her sorry Sirius was an outlaw, that her and Harry could not leave their aunt and uncles to live with him. How she yearned for the day the two of them could sit on a couch, napping with her head in his lap.

Whether that reality came to pass or not, Penny knew she was lucky to have Sirius in her life. The confidence in his eyes when he told her he knew who she was brought true comfort. Whatever expression was and meant for her future, whatever else there was to learn about her relationship with Snape, Penny felt more hopeful. After-all, she'd always lived with expression, the only thing that had changed was everyone else knowing.

After finally following the advice of Cedric, Harry discovered his second task would take him into the Black Lake to retrieve something of his, that supposedly had been stolen. It was a relief to finally know what they were up against, but the four of them now faced the daunting task of finding a way to let Harry breathe underwater for the better part of an hour.

Penny could not help but think what a horrible disadvantage Harry was at being a 4th year. 7th year transfiguration got into the principles of self-transfiguration, a skill well beyond Harry and too dangerous to try. This left them spending all of their free time scouring every book they could get their hands on for any reference to underwater survival. Unfortunately, they were having no success, and the task was the following day.

For a hot second Penny thought Harry jumping in the water and not completing the task was an ingenious way to keep her twin safe, but was forced to concede to Harry's angry point that such a thing done in front of the entire school was too humiliating and could result in more problems for the third task. Hermione and Ron looked like Zombies along with Penny. All of them were feeling the stress of what tomorrow would bring, leading Penny to get too restless to sit in the library any longer.

She told them she had a hunch and bade them farewell, making her way to the dungeons. Penny felt they had been too narrow in their search and figured it was worth a shot to consider potions as a possible solution. Professor Snape had a store cupboard full of ingredients, surely there was something they could use. Whether he'd let her have it was another story.

Their awkward interactions had continued, Snape avoided making eye contact with Penny at all costs, and the both of them refused to speak of their latest debacle. Penny didn't have the energy to deal with the man, nor the heart to make him look so sad again. Harry consumed her every waking thought, he needed her to find a solution for him.

Throwing open his office door, Penny ran straight into the potions master, who'd apparently been on his way out.

His lips formed into the usual sneer as he looked down to scold whoever had so rudely intruded on him. When his eyes registered her though, it became apparent to Penny she was not the person he expected to see. She took this as her opening.

"Professor, glad I caught you, do you keep a list for your store cupboard?" said Penny, not bothering with formalities.

"If I do, it does not matter, I am on my way out," he said, coldly.

"No problems there, I can find my way around," Penny said sweetly, making her way around Snape and into the the store cupboard before he could respond

However, it did not take him much time to storm after her.

"Ms. Potter, you cannot barge into my private stores."

"Why, you hiding something dirty in here?" Penny said, somewhat distracted as her eyes fell on the list.

"I am a full grown man, I hardly feel compelled to hide anything," he said icily.

At this, Penny snorted with laughter and looked up at her professor.

"Oh, you actually meant that," said Penny, her eyes scanning over the incredulous look on his face.

List in hand, she sat herself on the floor, her knees pulled into her chest and her back pressed against the small amount of wall that existed between shelves.

"You arrogant girl! I said I was leaving, not, make yourself comfortable!"

"Is there a reason you are so needy today? I told you, you could go. I'm hardly going to steal anything," said Penny, ignoring the angry man and reading through the list. Snape was truly a perfect specimen, his list categorized so beautifully and within the categories, alphabetical order. His pretty handwriting made the entire thing even more drool worthy.

"Potter! My private stores are not here for your personal amusement. You would do well to remember your place as a student, before I take it upon myself to remind you," Snape said in a low voice, a dangerously low voice.

"Listen, can you just quiet down. It's impossible to think with you badgering on like this. Stop getting your knickers in a twist and just let me read through the list. It won't kill you to try and not be difficult for one moment in your life" Penny snapped, her frustration getting the better of her.

At first Penny assumed he'd listened to her, and marveled at the silence reverberating off the walls, but then the chill whipped her across the face. The feelings she normally felt radiating from him had became significantly different, unlike anything she'd felt before. They startled her into realizing what she'd done. . .She looked up tentatively at the rigid form of Snape, his face contorted in rage. The sight of it sent Penny scrambling away on her hands and knees to the opposite side of the room, throwing her hands before her, dramatically.

"I didn't mean it, I wasn't thinking, just don't kill me," she said, her voice laced with accusation, even though he hadn't moved so much as an inch.

"Get up," he said softly.

It was the most terrifying sound Penny had ever heard. But even though she knew she should heed it, she could not give up, Harry needed her.

"Please professor, I just need to look through the list, if I don't Harry will-"

The utterance of Harry's name was the last straw, and he strode the distance between them and screamed "GET UP", hovering over her like a deranged man.

This time she made haste, her back pressed firmly against the cool cement, desperate for as much distance between them as possible. It didn't help, he reached out and grabbed her by the neck of her robes as though it were the scruff of a neck. And then he pulled her along with him, the only noise, his brisk steps and Penny's grunts, as she was slowly strangled by his hold.

"Where are we going, Professor?" Penny finally asked.

"The headmasters office," he said, curtly as they rounded the corner to the stone gargoyle.

"You can't be that mad, don't you think you're being a little unreasonable? Okay, I was rude, but I'm sorry!" Penny exclaimed as Snape pushed her toward the stairs and released her robes.

Penny stood defiantly, trying to find an opening between Snape and the doorway, but he pointed his finger threateningly towards the office door and Penny thought better of it. She marched to her doom, Snape hot on her tail.

However, when the door swung open, a most peculiar sight met Penny. Dumbledore was standing beside a chintz sofa that had three people who appeared to be asleep on it. Two of which were Ron and Hermione.

"Ah, Penny, glad you could join us. Unfortunately you took longer than the others, whom I've already explained the details to," Dumbledore said pleasantly, offering her a seat beside the bizarrely unconscious people.

Penny made no move to accept his offer. Snape finally opted to push her out of the way so he could walk through the doorway.

"And what exactly are you intending to do with us?" said Penny, stomping on Snape's foot as he slid past her and pretending it was an accident.

He shot her a furious glance, but she avoided his gaze so he could not be certain she'd done it on purpose.

"Tomorrow the champions will be rescuing something very dear to them, as determined by magical selection. They will retrieve you from the Great Lake, after facing the obstacles in their way. No need to look so worried, I assure you my magical capabilities are considerable." smiled Dumbledore, his blue eyes observing Penny with an amused look that flicked to Snape standing just to the side of her, his arms crossed in boredom.

"No chance I can take a hard pass on that one? I'm a bit busy at the moment. And well, as amazing as Harry is, I'd prefer not to entrust my likelihood of drowning to him. You see, I'm not a big fan of water." Penny said, awkwardly, making the mistake of looking at Snape's gloating face.

"Afraid of water? How curious." he smirked, his eyebrow raised.

Penny scowled, the last thing she needed was that man knowing that bit of information.

But the fact of the matter was that there was no way Harry was rescuing anything tomorrow, he still hadn't figured out how to breath underwater, and now the three of them were to be taken out of the equation. The boy was doomed.

Dumbledore chuckled softly, startling Penny.

"There will be no drowning tomorrow, and I've no doubt the champion rescuing you will take great care." Dumbledore said, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously, like he knew something she didn't. Something that wiped the smirk from Snape's face and replaced it with disgust. "But sadly, I cannot give you a pass, the magic that selected you is binding, you are what this champion seeks," Dumbledore finished, not looking or sounding apologetic at all.

Penny stared at the man, realizing there was no escape, just like water offered no escape from the silence. she turned instinctively to the dark eyes, the vast knowledge she wanted to escape into to. Anxiety was rising in her chest. When Penny told them she wasn't a fan of water, that was the biggest understatement of the century. She was terrified of water. Penny didn't know why, but the empty loneliness of it disturbed her. It was an all encompassing pit of darkness that drowned a person in lonely silence, removing any sense of direction. No matter how hard someone struggled they could not move forward beneath the surface.

Lost in her thoughts and dread, Penny realized Snape's face had changed, the lines becoming prominent on his face. Meanwhile, Dumbledore was whistling idly, pretending not to notice the two of them. Penny finally looked away, embarrassed of what she might have shared without knowing it. But Snape bridged the distance and stood in front of her before she could make her way to Dumbledore. He held up his right hand, offering her a small vial of something, what it was, Penny did not spend much time guessing. What caught her attention was the way his left hand had taken a gentle hold of her own. At his touch, Penny's racing heart eased, the soothing vibrations working their way through her muscles.

His eyes held her's purposefully for a moment, confusing Penny. And then she felt the familiar knock of his presence, and her mind opened to him like he was an old friend. She felt him in her mind, treading delicately through her fears, collecting them all up and replacing them with the assurance that nothing would happen to her.

Understanding what he wanted her to do, Penny accepted the vial, pulled the cork off with her teeth, and downed the liquid, clinging tightly to his fingers. Even though her anxiety had abated, he remained in her mind, waiting, his dark eyes unwavering. And then there was nothing but blackness.

Cold hard air burst into Penny's lungs. She spluttered as the cold water shocked her into consciousness. Confused, and disorientated, Penny felt someone clinging to her waist, pulling her through the water with him. In her confusion, Penny swallowed a lot of water, causing her to cough profusely. Thankfully, a moment later, they were pulled onto stable ground, the wind whipping against Penny's frozen frame. She still coughed out water, but less. She blinked as a warm blanket was wrapped around her.

"Penny, are you alright?"

She turned to look into the pretty eyes of Cedric, who was also wrapped in a blanket. Penny was confused, so confused.

"Where is Harry?" was all she could say.

"He's still down there, he was trying to save the others," Cedric replied, pulling her near him so he could wrap her in his blanket as well.

Penny's whole body was shaking violently from the cold, her teeth chattering so loudly she could barely think. But Harry was in the lake, he'd made it, he'd figured it out somehow. The thought sent relief through her, but then she was confused all over again.

"I don't understand, why were you the one to save me-why not Cho?" Penny said, staring at the handsome boy.

Even drenched, he somehow looked like a super model ready for a photoshoot.

"Cho? It's never been Cho. Penny, it's only ever been you," Cedric said, fixing her with a sad smile.

And then the noise hit her and Penny looked up and realized they were surrounded by bleachers, and their forms were blown up on a screen. Everyone was watching them, cheering, and chanting for Cedric, some even awing. Several other people were making their way quickly toward them, among them Madam Pomfrey.

Penny could do nothing but stare at the boy, still too disorientated to comprehend what was going on around her. Cedric gave her hand a soft squeeze beneath the blanket, hidden from the view of their spectators.

Before she knew it, they were being examined, Madam Pomfrey unhappy with the sound of Penny's lungs and afraid she would get pneumonia because of the water she swallowed. But Penny did not notice nor care, all she could do was look at Cedric, who was laughing with the judges, glancing at her periodically.

For the first time in her life, Penny was glad she'd been wrong about something.