Once again, Desiree had withdrawn into herself. She hardly noticed anything anymore. It had been almost a week since she had shown any signs of life. Everyone was starting to worry about her. Professor Dumbledore had pulled her aside three times, and each time had ended with Des mumbling that she was fine, then walking off.

During one of their talks, Dumbledore noticed that Des kept hold of her right arm, halfway between her wrist and elbow. It wouldn't have seemed unusual if he hadn't seen her holding her arm the entire week. And each time he would see her, her left hand would be slightly farther up on her right arm. It had all started at her wrist where the snake mark had appeared, and had slowly traveled towards her elbow.

"Desiree, may I see your right wrist?" the professor asked.

Panicking, "It's fine. I don't feel comfortable letting people see it." Her left hand moved down to her right hand just long enough to pull the glove further up, then immediately her left hand took its place on her arm.

Desiree's panicked state was disturbing, but Dumbledore welcomed it. It was the most life she had shown since last Sunday, and it was Thursday afternoon.

"Desiree, trust me. I only want what's best for you."

"I know you're trying to help, but you can't help me. Not now." With that, she spun around and left him.



Desiree sat down her on bed in the deserted dormitory. She only dared examine her arm when she was completely alone, and even then, only for a moment. No one could see what had happened to her. It would raise far too many questions, and bring even more unwanted attention to herself.

She took her time removing her right glove. Honestly, she was terrified of what she'd find, and was in no hurry to see. This had all started last Sunday night. When she had received the owl from the Fosters.

After sending the owl back with her response, she had seen a most disturbing sight on her wrist. Before that, she had thought that the snake had slightly moved, but she had thought of it as crazy.

She wasn't so sure now. Even though the snake had been making its way up her arm the entire week, Desiree still couldn't believe it was true. She didn't want to believe it was true. But, upon rolling up the sleeve of her robe, Des could see the snake completely unwound and almost to her elbow.

It was certainly moving. Des could see it slithering up her arm as she stared at it, although it was so slight a change that it seemed surreal.

The green figure was within an inch of her elbow now, and closing. It was obvious that the snake was heading to a certain destination on Des' body; and there was nothing she could do to stop its onslaught.

Sounds in the common room. Quickly Desiree rolled down the sleeve of her robe and shoved her hand back into the glove.

Since the letter from the Fosters on Sunday, she hadn't heard a word from them. It made her worry. With the news that she gave them, she would have expected them to send word straight away. Apparently not.

Hermione opened the door to the dormitory and sat on Des' bed, saying, "Hello. How are you doing today?"

"I'm fine, why do you ask?" Desiree countered.

"You haven't seemed fine the past few days. Everyone is worried about you."

"It's nothing."

Hermione didn't believe that for a minute, but indulged Des, "How is the snake looking?"

The frightened look on Desiree's face told Hermione that something was certainly wrong on that particular front.

"The snake is the same as it's been," Des added in a short tone, "Do you have any more questions for me, or can I go down to the common room now?"

Des' snippy tone caught Hermione by surprise, so she simply shook her head. An instant later, Desiree was closing the door to the dormitory behind her, leaving Hermione alone to consider what had just happened.



"She did what?" Harry asked Hermione. She had pulled Ron and Harry out of the common room and dragged them to an empty classroom.

"I told you, she's acting really strange," Hermione explained, "When I mentioned the snake on her wrist, she looked as though she'd die of shock. Then the way she responded to it...it just wasn't like her."

Ron chimed in, "I don't know if you've noticed, but she's been acting weird all week."

"But it was worse than it's been this week. I've never seen her rude or mean before, and that was how she was acting," Hermione maintained.

"She seemed fine when she went to bed on Sunday night, but when she woke up Monday morning, she was different," Harry began, "So something must have happened Sunday night to make her change. Hermione, do you remember anything from that night? Did you wake up at all that night? Maybe you saw something."

Shaking her head, "No, I slept the entire night. I don't know what happened. I remember Monday morning we found her asleep under the window. Other than that...wait a minute. On one of the bed stands there had been a glass of water."

Ron started before Hermione had a chance to explain herself, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"If you'd let me finish," she glared at Ron, "there was water spilled around the glass."

"That could have happened when someone reached to get a drink," Harry reasoned.

"It could, but it didn't. It was Parvati's stand, and she said she hadn't reached for it," Hermione nibbled on her lower lip, "If an owl had come in the night, it would have gone for water, right? Parvati's glass was the only water in the room, so it would have drank from her glass."

Harry shouted, "That's it. Desiree must have received an owl. Which would explain why she had fallen asleep beside the window; she must have sent it off and dozed off while waiting for an answer."

"If she expected an answer that soon, the person she was owling had to be very close, possibly Hogsmeade," Ron stated.

"But who down in Hogsmeade would she be owling? And why would it upset her so?" the only girl asked. She and her two companions all looked at each other, wondering how they would find the next piece of the puzzle.



Draco Malfoy ate his food silently. He was engrossed in his thoughts. Draco had been trying to figure out who Desiree was since she had arrived, and he was closing in on it. The owl that he had received this morning from his father had helped.

It had been an unusual letter, to say the least. When Draco had told his father that there was a new Gryfindor that he wanted to find out about, Draco would have thought his father would help. Instead, his father had discouraged it.

Well, that wasn't quite the way to put it. Remembering his father's words:

Draco,

Drop your questions immediately! Leave that Gryfindor girl alone. If I discover that you have done anything else to find out who she is, you will regret even meeting her. Understood?

Now, son, you just concentrate on your schoolwork, and leave the more important things to people who know how to handle them.

Remember my words.

Your father

Draco's father wouldn't act like that unless something was going on. Instead of deterring Draco, it had only made his desire to know greater.

The question was, who would his father be afraid of. That was a very short list, so it wouldn't be too hard to find out who Desiree was connected to.



William had been trying to get Desiree alone all week. Finally Thursday night, he managed to pull her aside after dinner. She hadn't been very willing to go, but eventually conceded.

"What do you want, William?" she asked.

Smiling, he answered, "I wanted to talk to you. We haven't seen each other all week. I missed you. Did you even notice that I wasn't around?"

"Honestly, no."

William hadn't expected that one, "You didn't notice that we hadn't seen each other all week?" he asked again, not believing her answer.

"No, now, can I please go?" She looked completely serious, and completely heartless as William gazed at her.

"Desiree, what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong with me. I'm perfectly fine. However, if you would like to think that there is something wrong so you can explain away my behavior, be my guest. If you do want the truth, I don't care that I haven't seen you. You're not nearly as important to me as you would like to think."

Exhaling, "I suppose that is all there is to say." William looked down to the ground as he walked away from her, not saying another word.

Suddenly, Desiree's cold expression faded, "William, wait! I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. You do matter to me."

He didn't acknowledge this, and no wonder. Thinking back, she couldn't believe she could say such hurtful things. "What's wrong with me?" she asked as she bowed her head.

Desiree glanced back up to where William had disappeared, whispering, "I do miss you."



Desiree was moving down the halls, oblivious to the few students scrambling to their classes. She was on her way to Potions, once again alone. A hand reached out and grabbed her, pulling her into an empty classroom.

Jerking away, Des turned to see Draco Malfoy grinning at her. "What is it, Draco?" she asked.

His smile widening, "I remember now. I know who you are."

Desiree had to take a moment to convince her lungs to take in air again, "What are you talking about?"

"Since I first saw you, I knew that I knew you. That you weren't who you said you were. I've finally figured out who you are."

"You're being ridiculous," Des said storming towards the door.

"I suppose I could ask some of the professors; or maybe a few students what they think of my little theory. I'm sure that many would like to...spend some time discussing it with you."

That stopped her right at the door, "What do you want?"

Draco strolled over to her and turned her around so he could look her in the eyes, "I haven't quite decided yet. I'm sure that you can appreciate my situation, and all the possibilities it presents."

Desiree made a disgusted sound as she looked away from that horrible smirk of his. "Be careful," she glared back up at him, then moved aside so he could walk through the door. He did, and the second the door closed behind him she beat her fist against it.

A few moments later, she entered the Potions classroom, late again. The instant that she had opened the door, Snape had zoomed in on her. It was to be another class at the front of the room, close to Snape.

There was something new in his expression today, a combination of fear and confusion. Obviously she would need to speak to him again about his behavior towards her in public. Des sat down as her gaze wandered over to the professor.

Potions was extremely short. Snape couldn't seem to focus on his lecture long enough to say two words that made sense; he was continually distracted by Desiree, sitting there quietly. Finally giving up, "Class dismissed. Miss...Foster, please remain where you are."

The other students scurried out of the classroom, including Harry and his two best friends. Snape slowly walked towards the door of his classroom and closed it.

"Never do that again," Desiree ordered just as Snape came to a stop in front of her.

"Excuse me?"

"The way you said my name, never do it again."

Snape focused on her, "What has happened to you? I can sense something different. What is it?"

"That is none of you concern."

He moved closer to her, lowering himself so their eyes would be level, "Tell me what is in you."

"Nothing is in me," she answered, fuming.

His eyes traveled down to her right arm, "Show me your arm."

"No," she said, silently daring him to reach for her.

He took the dare. Holding her right arm in his grip, he ordered, "Let me see it."

"Let go!" Des shouted. She tried to pull away, but was released when Snape cried out in pain. He quickly shrank away from her, cradling his hand.

From her position, all Desiree could see was the blood dripping from an open would. Standing up, she could see the source of the blood, two small holes.

"What was that?" he asked.

"My parents didn't leave me alone in this world without protection." Collecting her things, she spun around and moved towards the door.

"Miss. Ri-..." Snape called out, but didn't finish. Not after Des turned her head towards him to glare through red eyes with thin black slits in the center. Within an instant, her usual green eyes returned, leaving no sign of the red ones, except in Snape's memory.

"Goodbye Professor," Des said closing the door behind her.

Snape looked back down at his bloody hand and wrapped part of his cloak around it. He had never been so scared in his life. Unfortunately, this personal nightmare wasn't over yet. It wouldn't be over until that girl was destroyed.

Deep down, Snape knew that Dumbledore wouldn't even consider harming Desiree. Not after saving her life all those years ago. The old fool had it in his head that she was not like her family, that she was innocent.

Therefore, Snape would have to take matters into his own hands. Afterwards, he could always explain things to Dumbledore. If Snape told the Headmaster now, Dumbledore would see to it that Desiree was amply protected, and Snape couldn't have that.

No, Snape had to take care of this himself, and had to keep quiet about this new development.