Same disclaimers apply. Also, please note this is NOT a Mary-Sue. (Though I do use Belldani as my WinMx username.) Also, my former FF.net username was AroseInDarkness, so the fic uhh… Start of Something New is also by me. Belldani's got the same looks and name, but other than that I took a major monkey wrench to her personality. And family life. And destiny… Bwahahaha.

Suggested Listening: Beat Me by Custom.

Chapter Two: So I Left It Behind.

The other Slytherins ignored her much as her own parents did, as if she bore some invisible mark, repelling others from her. This had not depressed her, in fact it enabled her. With no real friends in her house (they sensed the reserve she felt in thinking that Voldemort was not the cause to rally behind) and her status as a Slytherin preventing those in other Houses from seeking her companionship, she became a force of one. With the invisibility cloak she managed to procur, Hogwarts was her playground after dark. She knew the many hidden passages and secret rooms as well as the corners of her own mind.

Belldani watched with sadness as the castle she had grown to love faded from view behind her. The younger students in the compartment with her ignored her, as always, and she felt for the small vial in her pocket. Still there. She patted it absently and smoothed out her lavender underskirt, glad to be free of the Hogwarts uniform. She wore a deep purple overskirt and blouse, which were bridged by a black stomacher.

"Belldani, take good care of this potion," Severus had told her, pressing it into her hand.

"What does it do?" she had asked, observing the amber liquid within the clear glass bottle.

"It is the Draught of Living Death… Take it, and you will fall into a deep sleep, one that is mistaken with actual death. You will sleep for a week, with this dosage… In that time you will be laid to rest in the family crypt, as you said they did with your brother. I will be there when you awake, to take you to … the safehouse." She had then put it in her pocket carefully.

"Thank you," Belldani smiled up at him, and stood up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek. Severus tensed, and then kissed her fully on the lips. She twined her fingers in his hair, which was not greasy as most assumed, but soft and silky. He sought to deepen the kiss and she consented, their tongues meeting.

Severus drew her close, leaning back against the granite counter. Off in the distance, a bell tolled, signaling that it was 9:30, and that 7th years had until 10 to be back in their common rooms.

Belldani seemed to not notice, so Severus continued, knowing he would have to stop soon. A moment later, she broke the kiss.

"That was the 9:30 bell wasn't it?" she asked forlornly, still drawn to the comfort and warmth she found with him. He sighed and nodded, brushing a loose strand of hair back behind her ear.

"Remember, Bell, take it Saturday night," he kissed her forehead. "I'll be there when you wake up, I promise."

Belldani sighed again; the Scottish highlands were melting into the barren, grassy plains of Northumbria, which were quickly turning into the woods of the Lake District. Part of her missed her cloak . The invisibility cloak, along with two sets of extra clothes and a small box with a fortune of Galleons hiddened inside, deceptively light and appearing empty unless tapped twice with her own wand, were all stowed with Severus. All of her missed him of course. It was too good to be true, of course - everyone has their teacher crushes, most of them aren't reciprocated, however. She knew that he was being very careful, that he felt she was marked, now, as a target because of him. Part of her wondered when, instead of if, the time would come when the Dark forces would catch up to him. Belldani sank into a light sleep, leaning against the windowframe.

It is dark, a dark stormy plain. Lighting strikes the ground and thunder rumbles off in the distance. There is motion all around. It focuses more and it becomes apparent that there are people dancing around this plain. Attention is drawn to two beings, one red fire, one blue ice, as they dance around each other. At first the dance is separate - they aren't aware of eachother. Now the fire is dancing, and the ice dances around it. Slowly their dances combine, until they are dancing together. The fire and ice meld together, forming a blue flaming being.

Belldani's head bumped the windowframe hard as she awoke.

'That was a bizarre dream,' she thought, rubbing the sore spot. It was dark outside, and rain was pouring down. Belldani half-expected to see a person of ice and a person of fire dancing beyond the glass, but all that was there were the trees and fields of the farms they were flying by. London was not far ahead.

"Belldani darling, there you are," her mother greeted her, and Squeaky loaded the trunk onto the trolley. "I trust your last term was as good as ever? Wonderful. Let's hurry, Father's waiting with dinner at home." Magdalena was the typical, uncaring mother. Belldani was hurried along and quickly grabbed her mother's Portkey. She stumbled as she fell forward, her sensible flat shoes clicking on the marble of the foyer.

"Squeaky, please take Belldani's trunk to her chambers." Her mother turned stiffly and entered the dining room, Belldani at her heels.

"Ah! My favorite daughter!" Marcus strode across the room and made the motion of embracing his daughter. Belldani tried to hide the shock; something was definitely wrong. Was this another dream? Was she still on the train?

"Belldani, sit down, we have company," her mother chided. "Where are your manners, especially in front of such an important guest?" Their guest's chair was turned towards the window, although he was seated next to her father. On the other side, across from him, was an empty seat, apparently for her, and next to it was her mother, patting aforementioned empty seat and gesturing to her daughter. Marcus took Belldani's arm and sat her down, then sat himself at the head of the table. He stroked his deep black goatee thoughtfully.

"My dear, you know that you were to have your engagement announced Sunday, I'm sure," he began, looking at Belldani as if he were sizing up a prize cattle, "And I'm sure you've had some thought as to whom the lucky gentleman shall be."

Belldani nodded, unsure of where he was going.

"Well, I hope that I will not be disappointing you by telling you that your engagement will not be announced Sunday night." He continued; Belldani felt like a mouse realizing itself in a trap, something was most definitely not right. His stupid tradition… and their guest still had not turned to face them.

"I had been rather hoping that David and I could have grandchildren in common," Marcus chuckled, "but alas, Marcus' eye has been caught by another, and he refuses to do anything but wait for Miss Parkinson's 18th birthday. However, do not be alarmed child, for someone much better than Marcus Flint has approached me for your hand, and I could not turn down such an offer." The look in her father's eyes was one of evil; Belldani felt fear well up from deep inside her.

"My dear, you shall be married Sunday night," her mother had turned to her now, and was smiling as if this should be the best possible news.

"Who… who is it that I am to marry?" Belldani hoped her voice did not betray her, her eyes were focused straight ahead as their mysterious guest slowly turned around and lowered his hood.

"I have asked your father for your hand in marriage, child, and he accepted my offer." Belldani found herself looking into the eyes of Lord Voldemort.

She fainted.

She was running, running as fast as she could. She was in a dark corridor, and all she knew was that Severus was in trouble somehow.

"Severus!" she screamed, "Severus!" Finally at the end of the tunnel was a heavy wooden door. She pounded on it, ignoring the feeling at the back of her mind that she was being watched. Drawing out her wand, she aimed at the door.

"Alohamora!" she cried, and it swung open before her. Severus was lying in the center of the room on a raised dais. Lit torches were on the walls of the circular chamber every so often.

"Severus!" Belldani sobbed, and ran to him. Climbing onto the dais, she cradled his head in her lap, tears burning in her eyes. "Please wake up…" She held one of his icy hands to her lips, kissing it. "Please, please, please," she chanted, stroking the hair away from his eyes.

"Bell…" he spoke groggily, slowly sitting up, "Why did you come for me? I risked everything for you, why did you come back for me?" he noticed the tears trailing down her face and wiped them away.

"I couldn't leave you," she found herself saying, and then added from her heart, "I love you." He sighed and shook his head, and then drew her towards him, kissing her passionately. From inside her head Belldani heard a manic chuckle, but she pushed it away. Then the world faded to black….

Belldani kept her eyes closed as she tried to gain some of her bearings back, however long it had been. She guessed she was in her bed, it felt soft under her. Her mother's voice spoke from the foot of the bed, "I'm sure she'll awake any moment now, My Lord, something so wonderful was surely unexpected for her…"

"Indeed, I am sure," Lord Voldemort's voice spoke doubtfully, and she heard the chink of one of her tiny ceramic animals being replaced.

'He's in my room and touching my glass animals,' Belldani thought, realizing this was, unfortunately, not a bad dream. Slowly she opened her eyes.

"So nice of you to join us, my pet," her father spoke jovially, and as her eyes focused, she realized he was sitting on her windowseat and sipping a glass of brandy.

"Forgive me, My Lord, mother, father," she spoke softly, " I did not mean to become so overwhealmed with emotion, it was much more than I had expected. I thought… surely it would be merely Marcus Flint or some other such young man, is all. I am most honored; indeed, I am not worthy…" she trailed off.

"Of course, my sweet," he turned to her parents, "Leave us for a moment will you? I'm afraid that I must be going, my duties call… I wish to have a word alone with my bride-to-be before I depart."

The Cirasadas nodded and left, closing the door behind them.

"V-Voldemort…" Belldani scooted back against her headboard as he moved towards her.

"Let's not be so formal, Bell," he spoke maliciously, "Call me Tom." He sat himself in front of her, and withdrew his wand, twirling it between his fingers.

"Alright then, Tom…" Belldani took a deep breath, "What do we need to discuss?"

"Nothing at all, I just wanted to thank you… I most enjoyed seeing your dream, darling," he smirked, and waved his wand, a misty image of Belldani and Snape embracing appearing momentarily. Belldani's hand rose to her mouth involuntarily, and he chuckled evilly. "You see… my turn-coat has not yet returned to my ranks. However I'm sure that once he gets wind of our impending nupituals… He'll surely be present at the ceremony, don't you think? Though I never expected dear Severus to have a Lolita complex…" Tom mused.

Belldani hissed and drew away. "You monster!" she cried, and he laughed again.

"Thank you, my dear," he laughed again, "That just gives me another idea… It would be too easy to merely kill him, wouldn't it? I think I'll break his heart first… Letting him watch me take you." He smiled a grin which communicated more evil than one can imagine.

"You'll never!" Belldani shrieked, and she threw a pillow at him, the closest thing at hand.

"Oh trust me, I will," Tom burst the pillow with a flick of his wand, scattering feathers everywhere. "You can do anything with the Imperius curse you know… For example…" He tapped her chin with the tip of her wand, and muttered "Imperio!" Belldani screamed in her mind as she felt her face tilt upward and her hands press against Tom's face, kissing him passionately. He waved his wand and she immediately drew back, as he laughed maniacly and disappeared with a 'pop'. Belldani let her head fall to her knees and sobbed.