"Did you have fun with the Weasley's today?"

Draco has the Dark Mark.

"Did you buy anything fun?"

Draco is a Death Eater.

"Addi!" Severus finally got my attention, "Johanna was asking you something,"

"What?" I looked over at the adult that had been speaking to me earlier.

"I asked if you had fun with the Weasley's!"

"Yeah, their shoppe is really great!" I tried to answer with enthusiasm but I didn't think it was a good cover as neither asked me a question after that. "I think I'm going to hit the hay,"

The moment I entered my room after dinner, my thoughts drifted to Malfoy again, had Voldemort stooped so low that he'd allowed a 16 year old to enter into his servitude. Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me, I hadn't actually seen the mark on his arm. Pacing the floor was clearly causing Onyx psychological problems as the more I paced the more she'd hoot at me, probably begging for treats, I found she was as hungry as the girl that had gifted her to me.

I pulled a piece of parchment out of the desk that Joanna had purchased for me at the end of the school year and a quill and began jotting down a note to Daphne. I knew not to tell too much, you never knew who could intercept your letters anymore.

Greengrass,

I need to see you!

Luna

I knew at this point it was smarter to put her name than my own, clearly neither of our guardians cared to carry on a conversation with Xenophilius Lovegood! I took a few treats over to Onyx before scratching her behind the ear and sent her off to Daphne's.

Before a response came back I had read half of the Quibbler that always showed up without me signing up and all of the Daily Profit, each had conflicting stories but between the two of them you got the whole truth. Pictures of the wanted Death Eaters were screaming across the front of the Profit on their wanted posters.

A picture of Lucius Malfoy was on the second page of the Quibbler, he was in the same striped outfit that other Azkaban prisoners had but somehow he made it look elegant like he was just waiting for a meeting in the prison not serving a life sentence.

Daphne's all white bird flew in moments later and landed on top of the now empty cage. After undoing the scroll I fed a few treats to the animal and then opened the letter.

8:03

Was all the letter said.

8:03? How could she write back and give me no clues on what she meant, I looked over at the plain white clock on my wall and saw now it was 8:01.

Getting ready to cuss her out I grabbed the quill again and started writing a letter back to her asking what exactly she was about but it wasn't like her to completely ignore me or give me little to no details, if anything she gave me too much information.

"Shit," I muttered as I felt a pull behind my stomach and instantly my clock struck 8:03 and I was pulled out of my room.

A second later I opened my eyes and I was in Daphne's green and black room, with two sets of eyes looking at me.

Daphne and Zabini both were sitting on the couch with a questioning look, Onyx was sitting on a cage in the corner getting a drink of water.

"How did you make a damn portkey?" I was starting to question my friend and her abilities.

"That doesn't matter, are you okay?" She instantly stood and wrapped her arms around me. "I was hoping Ludwig would make it on time," I had never known her owl's name but now I didn't know why I hadn't guessed such an off the wall name.

"I'm fine..." I looked over a Zabini, "I saw Malfoy today,"

Zabini's eyes instantly scanned me up and down before looking at the back of Daphne.

She didn't know.

"Ohhhh that's why you needed to see me?"

"No, I just needed to get away," I realized it wasn't a lie, I had felt alone at my own home I had more lies spun to Joanna that I wasn't sure which was was up or down. Almost as many as I had with Daphne.

"Blaise, send Draco an owl, tell him to join us!" She pulled me towards the couch.

"I think he said he was busy tonight," Busy with Voldemort.

"Let me go see if Melody is around, maybe she'll fix us some tea!" She went out into her hall and shut the door behind her.

"Draco is a death eater," I looked over at Zabini.

He let out a breath like he'd been holding it, "It seems that way,"

"And you?" He rolled both sleeves up on his black button up to show me his strong brown forearms, both were clear of any mark.

"You were watching me with him, why not you too?"

"He didn't do it to earn Draco's favor, he did it to punish his Father!"

"Punish Lucius?"

"Yes, for his mistake in the Department of Mysteries! For letting the prophecy get away, both of them!" I threw myself down on the couch beside him, of all the reason I had thought of for Malfoy to have the mark on his arm, I never guessed it was a punishment.

"What is he making him do, there has to be a reason?" Blaise ran a hand over his forehead and short ebony hair with another huff like it was a struggle on what he was going to share with me.

"He hasn't told him yet,"

"Best of luck!" Daphne opened the door again, "The parentals are gone for the night!" She clapped her hands together "Slumber Party!" She had a tray of tea in her hand and sat it down on the coffee table in front of the couch before sliding in between Zabini and I.

I had decided to stay at Daphne's that night, I knew Joanna and Severus would be at the Order until late and they had thought I was going to bed for the night.

Zabini had stayed for tea and then had made up an excuse to go home but I wondered if he was off to find Draco.

"So your Mom was married to the Dark Lord?" She asked as we were laying in bed together neither of us were tired we just kept talking, it was the first time we'd been alone since school.

"I didn't know, she ran before I was born and she never spoke of him,"

"And he took her, that's how you ended up at Hogwarts," she wasn't asking she was just piecing the pieces together.

"Joanna was my Mom's best friend all through school, she made a plan if something went wrong that I'd be in her care,"

"You know I'd go with you,"

"What?" I rolled over so I was looking at her instead of the ceiling.

"To the Darkness or the Light,"

"Daphne.."

"My whole life, I've felt alone, yes I've had Draco and Blaise but they are each other's Best Friend! I've always been their third. Now, even if it's been a short time my world doesn't feel so lonely,"

"Mine either," I reached out and grabbed her hand and as they locked she squeezed it.

"No more secrets,"

"I have one more secret," I felt guilty and soon the prophecy came out like word vomit.

"Bloody hell," she muttered after I had finished it.

"Exactly,"

"Tell me it again," I had it memorized the first day Draco and I listened to it in the Room of Requirements.

"Well... life is never going to be boring again," before I could reply light came into the room from the hallway.

"Ace,"

"Malfoy what the hell are you doing here?" Daphne jumped from beside me, I figured Zabini would tell him but I didn't think he'd come barging into her home in he middle of the night.

"I needed to see you," I knew he wasn't talking to Daphne, he held out his hand on my side of the bed.

"You've seen me," I turned away from his hand to look at Daphne.

"Just go Addi,"

"Ace!" He insisted and I got up out of the bed but did not take his hand. It was apparent that Malfoy had grown up around Daphne's house as he lead me down every hallway and corner like he knew exactly where he was going. The last doorway we went through led us out to the balcony.

"Talk Malfoy," I got as far away from him as I could. "How did you let this happen?"

"I didn't fight it Ace! This is who my family is, I'll do what it takes to earn my Father's favor in the eyes of the Dark Lord,"

"And what about your favor to him?" I didn't know why I held my breath as I waited for his answer.

"I never lied about that Ace, I'm a Death Eater," he shrugged like he was predicting the weather for tomorrow.

"So you've picked your side!" I let out the breath but it didn't make me feel any better.

"What about you Ace? You on Dumbledore's side?" He didn't try to move any closer.

"No," I wasn't, I didn't trust him.

"You've got to pick a side Ace, war is coming,"

"Are you going to kill me Malfoy?" I stared him in the stormy eyes daring him to say yes, begging him to. "I'll make my own side,"

"No," he didn't think about it long, "If death does find you, it won't be at my hand,"

"Why?"

"That part I'm not sure of," he sighed like he fought with himself over this question before. "You're too much like me to kill,"

"I'm nothing like you," I argued back still keeping my back against the railing on the balcony neither of us had moved, like if we did the people around us could see and hear us, we were almost hiding in the shadows from the rest of the world.

"Really? You aren't willing to risk it all to save someone you love? You wouldn't run into a trap just for a chance to get them back?" I knew he was talking about My Mother I had gone into the Department of Mysteries even after I knew it was a trap.

"Who are you trying to save?"

"My family! My Mother! My Father!" He raised his voice, "Blaise! Daphne! Do you really think if I resisted him he wouldn't destroy everything that means something to me?"

"There are other ways!" I argued back! Finally moving closer to him.

"You don't get it do you Ace! I don't want another way, this is my legacy! This is the card I was drawn! You have no clue the power the Dark Lord possesses, you have no idea how bad I want the same power!"

I had felt the power he was talking about, if it was even a sample of what Draco had experienced I couldn't blame him! It was different feeling invincible like nothing could harm you or would even want to.

"You could be amazing Ace," he continued.

"I could also be dead, you really think he's going to allow someone to be more powerful than him? That someone else could draw anything away from him?"

"You're still alive aren't you? All he could talk about was you and your power after the Ministry, and everyone that isn't with him is against him,"

"I'm on my own side,"

"Alone is a dangerous place to be Ace," he moved in even closer.

"I'm not alone," I assured him, the words Daphne had spoken earlier resided in my mind, it was the first time anyone had been with me, had sworn to stay by my side. I understood the power Voldemort must feel in having followers there was power in numbers.

"So if you're not with Potter and Dumbledore or The Dark Lord you will die Ace,"

"Everyone dies Malfoy, but I don't plan on doing it any time soon,"

"The prophecy..." he began.

"Did you tell him?"

"No,"

"Then it seems you're on my side as well," I pointed out.

"If it's true," he reached up a cold hand to my cheek, "If love is even real, then you'll be my biggest weakness, he will use us against each other,"

"Not if he doesn't know," I filled in the space between us, and the moment our lips touched I could feel the power, we were both missiles crashing into each other destroying everything around them, together we could run the whole wide Wizarding world.

Power was a savage feeling, and those who seek to master it were even more dangerous.

Malfoy and I had gone back into the Daphne's home and crashed in the guest room, that now the lights shined in the window I noticed that Malfoy had possessions in the room, this must be where he stayed when he visited her.

"I thought you two would never wake," it should of been Daphne's voice but it wasn't, my neck almost snapped as I turned towards the woman that had killed her own cousin.

Bellatrix Lestrange was sitting at the edge of the bed, her wand pointed directly at me, watching us with a sinister look on her face.

Waiting to take me.