"You're Anne Potter, aren't you?"

Anne glanced up from the parchment before her as she heard the voice, turning around to face the stranger.

"Yeah, that's me," Anne cautiously replied. The questioner was the girl from breakfast that morning. Anne looked around for her group of cronies. There they were, standing near the fire in the Slytherin common room. Anne frowned as she spotted Mark amongst them.

"You know Mark, don't you? He told me to come get you. We all need to talk." The girl arched her brows as Anne remained immobile, merely staring up at her. "C'mon, I know you're not deaf. I'd advise you come with me, unless you're having fun being a total loner."

Once again Anne glanced around the common room. Everyone was chatting in little clusters, and everyone at least had one friend. Anne was the exception – she had been sitting at a small table all alone, wholly focusing her attention on her Herbology homework. With a sigh she stood up, letting the book slam shut. You can't be friendless for the next seven years.

The two walked over to the crowd – mainly comprised of guys, Anne noted. She and the strange girl were the only females there.

"Hey," the girl sharply called out, silencing the group. "This is Anne Potter. Anne, I'm Kate, and here's Tim, Carl, and, well, you and Mark both know each other," she finished with a smirk. Anne glanced curiously at Mark, yet the young man merely continued to listen to Kate speak.

"Mark says that you heard what we were talking about this morning."
            Anne stiffened, feeling uncomfortable under the intense stares of the young people around her. She noticed with suspicion that the looks were far from friendly. There was an eternity of awkward silence before Anne warily responded.

"I may have overheard something . . ."

Kate smirked. "Now don't be shy! Mark told us all everything we needed to know." Anne's eyes darted for a moment to Mark, still leaning nonchalantly against the stone wall, seething a moment with a feeling of utter betrayal. But what did she expect? He was a Malfoy, after all.

Anne flipped her dark hair away from her face, coming to terms with their obvious knowledge. "Sure, I heard quite a lot. So why do you have to talk to me about it? Don't worry, I won't go telling."

Kate rolled her eyes, shoving Anne's shoulder in what was supposed to be a friendly manner. Anne, however, stiffened, stumbling backwards slightly from the light touch. Her eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"We're not worried about that," Kate informed her in a mock-soothing tone. "We've got ways of keeping people quiet. We actually wanted to make an offer to you."

Anne waited impatiently while Kate paused for the dramatic effect. "Which would be?"

"We're offering to have you join us," Mark cut in. "The Dark Lord is coming back, and he needs all the supporters he can get."

"Voldemort is gone," Anne replied, her voice wavering slightly.

Mark grinned. "He is – you Potters made sure of that. But there are still those who share the same beliefs as him, if not a little varied. We're some of them, and we're offering you the chance to help us aide in the uprising of the new Dark Lord."

"Everyone knows how it was when Voldemort was in power," Anne spat out. "Muggle killings, disposing of any wizard that stood in the way of their conquest to power. My grandparents were two of those wizards. Why would I support those who supported their deaths?"

Anne paused a moment, contemplating this question. "You told me that I'd be surprised in you, that perhaps you were more of a Slytherin than I had thought. Here's a chance for you to prove yourself, to every Slytherin in this room right now, and to me." His cold gray eyes, so reminiscent of those of his father's before him, bore intensely into Anne's. A shiver ran through her, a shiver of fear . . . and excitement. For a moment she was ready to totally comply, if only to prove herself to Mark. She quickly shook herself out of this train of thought, avoiding the boy's quelling gaze.

What to do? Here she stood, surrounded by a pack of vengeful Slytherins. Throughout their cruel and sometimes bloody history they had proven themselves immune to feeling when it came to murdering those that stood in their way. She was certain she would merely be a crumb to flick off the table if she opposed them. Now it was not only a battle of morals – it was also one of survival. They would be around every corner, and every moment she would be in danger. To survive she would have to go along with them. Simple as that. A shudder passed through her at the mere thought, yet she slowly raised her head to meet Mark's gaze.

"I'm in."

A/N: Ooo, the suspense! Stay tuned for more!