Disclaimer: JKR owns the characters of the Harry Potter series, I do not, I swear! *Sob *

"My Lord." Lucius sunk into a low bow.

"Rise." Voldemort replied in a lazy sort of way. "Have you any idea why I might have called you?"

"No, My Lord."

"Well, shall I inform you? Let's start with the boy. He failed me, Lucius. The girl is very powerful, she took the life of that bumbling idiot with a single kiss. Now, I need a way to get at her without touching her."

"You could try for one of her cousins." Lucius mused, "One of the Elemental brats."

"I have already tried that, lest you forget, we lost four good men on that little disaster."

"But they're at Hogwarts now, readily accessible, IF you know how to. . . gain access to them."

"Which you do?" Voldemort looked intrigued.

"Yes. I do, My Lord. Leave it to me, I'll have one within the night. Any particulars?"

"Just bring me one."

"Yes, My Lord."

***

"Charlie?"

"Go away, Bill."

Bill pushed the portrait open, "Come on, it's not that bad!"

"She kissed Snape, of all people! It's not that bad?! How can you SAY that?" Charlie growled.

"Look, it's not like she kissed Filch. That's got to count for something, right?"

Charlie gave his brother a withering glare. "No, it doesn't."

"She was just apologizing."

"Yeah, and I'm the bloody King of England. . ."

Bill sighed, "You're reacting just as she knew you would. She wants you to get angry and to approach her about it! If you play it cool, she'll be shocked, not expecting that sort of reaction. Don't play the game her way. You're just giving her power, play it your way."

"And how do you propose I do that?"

"Well. . . first. . . you have too. . ." Bill instructed his younger brother with glee.

"That's devious, Bill. Do you think I can pull it off?" Charlie's eyes glinted with mischief.

"I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't think you could. Just remember, go for the kill! The best defense is a good offense. Keep her on her toes, and then you'll have her where you want her."

Charlie laughed, "Good. She's going to pay!"

***

"Hey, Mione! We need to talk to you!" Skylar caught up with her cousin.

"Sure, what about?"

"Well. . . we were thinking."

"That's a first." Hermione replied dryly.

"Shut up, you! Listen. . ." Danielle glared at her cousin. "We think that we can help you with training. We had to go through nearly the same thing, y'know. So we. . .could offer assistance."

Hermione stared at them for a moment. "Rohan nearly put me in a coma!"

"We're not Rohan. WE are Elementals, your magic is more along the lines of ours than his. Storm Mage or no, you still control the elements, so we can help you." Elizabeth pointed out.

"Well, true." She looked thoughtful. "I DO need to. . . er. . . get this under my control."

"And since we are available, we can lend the assistance you need. You don't have to do this alone." Raya admonished lightly.

"You're right. I will need help. It's almost unmanageable at this level."

"Good, then. . . maybe on Saturday we can continue this conversation."

"That's what? Tomorrow?"

"Yep. Tomorrow then."

***

Charlie grinned evilly. Elizabeth and her sisters were heading down the corridor, and he ran the plan over in his head.

"So, we're teaching Mione control. This is so-o-o cool, I just wish Mom, Dad, and the boys could be here. I miss them." Elizabeth sighed.

"I still can't believe what you did! Snape's going to be having wet dreams for weeks!" Skylar giggled.

"Shut up Sky! Ew-w-w-w-ww-!" Danielle looked as if she was going to be ill.

"This is sad."

"What is, Ray?"

"Well, there's four of us, and three of us are virgins. The other didn't lose her virginity until. . . what. . . three weeks ago? Heh. Twenty year old virgins. I do believe we're going to die that way."

Elizabeth was about to laugh when a hand pulled her roughly into an alcove she didn't even know existed. She tried to scream, but was effectively cut off by a pair of warm and inviting lips. The kiss ended just as quickly as it began, and her attacker sauntered away. Elizabeth stumbled out of the alcove, her eyes wide and glassy, and her face flushed.

"Did you see who that was?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Who what was?" Danielle glanced at her sister.

"I think I was the victim of a run by kissing. A GOOD kisser too."

"Maybe it was Snapiepoo?" Skylar wiggled her eyebrows.

"Lech. And no, it wasn't, it was familiar, but. . . not. I don't know. I might be losing my mind."

***

Lucius smirked. He was on BUSINESS, presumably to see Severus about something.

"Fool." Lucius sneered, and then glanced around. There had to be one of the brats around here somewhere!

***

Elizabeth sighed, and tossed again. "Who could that have been?!" Elizabeth cursed inwardly and rolled out of her bed, her eyes narrowed. She slipped on her robe and slippers quietly, trying not to wake her sisters. She just plain could not sleep, and the thought of some hot chocolate was tempting enough for her to visit the kitchens, against her better judgment. A part of her was secretly hoping she'd come across the kiss bandit again, if only to confirm her suspicions that it was Charlie with a vendetta and mind set on revenge.

She opened the portrait quietly, her footsteps echoing in the damp halls, but her heart was light. She glanced about in wonder, never before seeing something as beautifully disconcerting as the dark halls of the castle.

***

Lucius was tickled pink, it seemed his quarry had come to him, and he hadn't even had to chase her around the school. Hmmm. . . it seemed as if things were looking up for him. He crept up behind the girl, a broad, feral grin spreading across his face.

***

Elizabeth felt the arms go about her, and before she could summon her power, a noxious fume that she couldn't identify was pressed close to her face. She struggled for a moment, trying to get of the man's grasp.

It was a lost cause. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and everything went dark.

***

A/N: Oh, lookie! Two for the price of one! How lucky are you people? Anyway, don't forget to RR.

Love,

~Me~