Hello, readers! Sorry this one took me so long. My computer was totally screwed up and I couldn't post and then I was too lazy to e-mail it to the laptop - so! Here it is, compliments of Elfling. Like my paragraph seperaters?

~*~*~*~*~

"Yaaaaaahhhhh!" screeched Erin, flying down the Burrow's stairs and colliding with Harry Potter. Harry yelped and they fell to the floor in a tangled mess.

"Erin, are you insane?!" shouted Harry as they struggled to disengage themselves.

"Just wishing you a Happy Birthday," said Erin innocently as she sat up.

"Is it really? I'd forgotten all about it."

Erin gave him a disbelieving look. "You forgot your birthday? That's sad, Harry."

"Yeah, I know," grinned Harry, pushing his glasses back up his nose. He stood, then reached down to help Erin up.

Suddenly he stopped and cried out, clapping his hand to his scar. Erin had only a second to wonder at this before a searing pain shot through the scar next to her eye. She pressed her hand against it and bent over, but it was already fading to a dull burn.

She looked up at Harry.

Harry looked down at her.

"Hey, Harry! Happy Birthday!" said Ron, coming down the stairs with a huge grin on his freckled face. He stopped and looked between Erin and Harry, the grin fading.

"Is something wrong?" asked Hermione behind Ron, pulling her cloak on.

Erin opened her mouth, but Harry cut her off. "Nothing. Except that Erin saw fit to attack me."

He looked directly at Erin as he spoke. Don't tell them now, his bright green eyes said. She gave him a tiny nod and turned to their friends with a blinding smile on her face.

"Hey, just my way of wishing him a Happy Birthday!" she said with a giggle. She stood up quickly. Ron and Hermione looked faintly distrustful, but Erin continued on as if nothing had happened. "Are we going somewhere?"

"Yeah," said Ron, "Dad's taking us to Diagon Alley."

"Okay, just give me a second," said Erin rapidly. She rushed up to Percy's room, then paused and looked back down the stairs. "Oh, Ron, you did send the letter to my parents, right?"

Ron was deep in a discussion of broomsticks with Harry. He gave an absent- minded nod to Erin.

"Good," said Erin, and ran back up the stairs. Percy opened the door just as she reached it, looking extremely irritated.

"Hi, Percy," said Erin before Percy could get a word in. "Could I borrow Hermes really quick? It won't take more than half a day, and everybody's else's owls are out."

Percy whistled for Hermes, and the owl settled onto Percy's arm, as smug- looking as his owner. Percy handed him reluctantly to Erin.

"Don't wear him out. I've got to get a letter to my girlfriend."

"Right," said Erin, and hurried to the room she shared with Ginny and Hermione. She pulled parchment from her bag and quickly inked her quill.

"Dear Severus," she scrawled rapidly. "What exactly have you been up to? Both Harry and I had a pain in our scars this morning, from which I gather Voldemort is not in the happiest of moods. In all seriousness, tell me what is going on."

As she wrote, Erin felt that subtle change within her. She slid naturally into that other, more concealed piece of her, that of the Slytherin leader. Her writing became taut, her sentences blunter.

"Have you contacted Draco, Sara, Calvin, and Blaise yet? They need to be prepared for whatever happens. We must remain on the defensive for now, and wait for the time to strike. Meanwhile, find everything you can use against the Death Eaters."

Erin paused and, with a slight smile, continued to write.

"Not that I need to tell you that. After all, you're the strategic one. Please, be careful, Severus. Love, Erin."

In a few short minutes the letter was on its way.

~*~*~*

Severus walked into Dumbledore's office. The Headmaster looked up.

"Is Bryan having any luck?"

Severus nodded. "He says he's almost done."

Dumbledore smiled. "Good." As Severus made to exit, Dumbledore stopped him. "Severus, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is almost here."

Severus stopped abruptly, then turned to face Dumbledore. "Who?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Sheila Flamewinged." Dumbledore bent over his papers once more. "I think," said Dumbledore, and there was stress upon his next words, "that she will be of great help to us."

Severus gave a short, jerky nod, his hands slightly clenched. Dumbledore looked up again, his twinkling blue eyes firm. Severus took a deep breath and regained himself.

"When will she be here?"

"Probably the first day of school. She will need your help, Severus," Dumbledore added, watching his Potions Master's face for a reaction. "Especially in the beginning of the year. I expect you to give it willingly."

"Yes, Headmaster."

"Tell Bryan good luck."

"I will." And with that Severus left. Slamming the door.

Dumbledore looked over at Fawkes. "We really need to teach him how to close a door quietly."

~*~*~*~*

Bryan was bent over his work. With the tip of his own wand he traced certain patterns along the wood of Malfoy's. Where the wands touched, a faint glow ensued. Quickly Bryan set down Malfoy's wand and pointed at it with his own.

"Sesame," he said firmly.

Malfoy's wand jerked and shuddered upon the table, the glowing lines brightening. Then, suddenly, a shimmering sheet of light rose from the wand's surface. On the light's surface were written names in a flowing hand. Bryan moved his wand up and down before the light, and the writing scrolled upward to reveal more. There had to be fifty names upon it.

Bryan's scarred face broke into one of its rare smiles. He had cracked it.