Confusion reigns my mind, makes it twist and go in circles. My life has come back to me. The girl I once was, the girl I loved to be, so young, so innocent, the days I have so often dreamed about. I knew they were lost forever a long time ago. But today a part of myself has decided to return, to show me that my world has not died completely, that there is, if not hope, then at least consolation.

I look out of the window, onto the now silent, dark street. At five in the morning, even a bordell has quietened down. The girls a sleeping, well except for the one Henry has decided to keep as his pleasure today. But I am too confused to enjoy the distraction of slumber now.

A sheet of paper, a pen and my hand that intends of telling the only person of my past life, I am still in contact with, of todays visit. I do know about the consequences, but she needs to be informed, she has a right to see the same glimmer on the horizon as I do.

"Dear Ginevra,

How have you been? The weather here in Lancaster is rather strange – there has been such an amount of rain in the last days, but today an unexpected ray of sunlight broke through. I had not thought such a change of the climax possible and was rather fondly surprised. As it seems the weather prophet has declared that it will remain so in the upcoming weeks.

Do not forget to heartily greet your husband and your father-in-law from me.

Yours Silvia"

Our letters always ran that way, rather strange for a spectators eye. But in a world full of riddles and treachery, the only possibility of communicating with Ginny, former Weasley, nowadays Malfoy, was through this web of words. We had to be careful, Malfoy senior looked through her post. But he even seemed to like Miss Silvia Krutz who always greeted him so politely in her letters. If he only knew. But heaven help Ginny if he ever found out.

Then, three days later, the second ghost of my past appeared. In advance Henry gave me a pair of rusty handcuffs. "You might need them for this one." He tried to smile at me, but ended up in his sickening grin again.

The man was tall and skinny and wore completely black, with his chalk-white face and the oily shoulder-length black hair that showed a first few grey strands, he could have been mistaken for a goth of some sorts. But I recognized him, not only by his appearance, but at the way his black, tunnely eyes kept chilling me through and through. Another person who did not belong here, another man of my past, had come back.

"Good evening, Miss Dark" even the velvety voice with which he mocks my new name has stayed the same.

Suddenly I am painfully aware of the handcuffs that dangle from my right hand. "Intend on using those?" he cocks an eyebrow. I lay them onto the table, glad to get rid off them, not to mention being spared the use.

"And may I ask your name, Sir?" Quid pro quo. "Samuel Sunshine" I want to smile – almost. "How fitting!" "The person I share an appartement with" the words sound strange coming from him "seems to think it less suspecting." For an instant I wonder if not all effects of war are only bad?

"Does he know of your being here?" "No." He snorts disdainfully. "But I am sure the little Miss Know-it-all is going to tell him.". I look into his eyes. But I am no child any longer. "Miss Know-it-all has died." When did my tone become so harsh, so cynical. I dearly hope I am not turning into him. "She deceased five years ago." And to my great surprise he only nods. He has acknowledged that I am a grown woman now.

"Why did you come here? Your roommate" he almost flinches at the word "mentioned that you should not go out?" I wonder if I sound like a mother scolding her child for playing in the streets at night. "Oh, did he?" The silkiness in his voice tells me that Remus might be on the receiving end for my comment. "Gladly it is not up to him to decide that. I have been capable of taking care of myself for most of my life, I would manage without his bemothering."

Time for a change of topic. "The two of you have tried to find me?" "Not so arrogant, Miss Dark, we have tried to find anyone who was neither killed, captured or" an expression of hate crosses his face and I am sure that I would never want to oppose him "joined him willingly." "And?" my curiosity almost kills me. "We have been digging up many graves."

"You know of Mrs Malfoy?" I ask, expressing my concern for Ginny. "We do." It is just a statement. But I understand. It is the "we can do nothing to help her" I have been waiting for.

He is already on his way out, his mannerism tells me that he is about to leave. But the first desperacy I felt when I had met Remus, was not as strong any longer. I knew they would come back. I was a part of their lives now. And they were a part of mine.

"Oh and Miss Dark" he again turns towards me and slyly tells me "I, in contrary to my roommate, do not object to the use of your services." I almost expect his coat to billow as he strolls out.

Five years ago I would now have clearly remembered why he had been the most hated teacher at Hogwarts and the reasons for the terror and fear he inspired in most of his pupils.

But the comment did not hurt me any longer, he had simply stated a fact, I was a whore after all and he was just an aging cynical man. He could not insult me any longer.

"He should not have come here!" Remus seemed actually angry, which clashed with his usual shy, honest demeanor "I told him not to leave the house. But did he listen? Of course not. He never does. At least not to me!" He sinks onto the bed. I sit down next to him and listen. Noone would expect how often I encountered men in my business, who needed to talk, to get it off, it helped them much more than any sexual pleasures. I only was astonished, as he had never seemed to be much of a talker to me.

"I thought they had caught him, when I got home after work and he was not there. Imagined they had killed him or worse…" he trailed off. I feel the urge to somehow defend Severus Snape, which annoys me a lot. "He is a grown man" I try to intervene.

"You do now know, Minnie" he looks at me out of those sad golden eyes which can tell so many sorry-tales, but now I got a sorry-tale of my own. "You did not see him then." He sighs as the memories pass across his worn forehead. "He was nothing more than a bundle of black and bloodied clothes, when I found him. You know what they did to those who fought against their master." I tear rins down my cheek – I knew. " Imagine what the payback for a traitor must be like. I took him in and told him to stay in my appartement. Of course he does not listen. They still think that he has been dead for three years. But if they ever find him." He closes his eyes.

When he has regained his composure, he faces me and I know something important is going on. "I have to ask you a question. Samuel and I have been discussing this and I somehow managed to convince him. Would you like to live with us?"

It must be a dream. You know when you think of this dark tunnel before you seem to die. And then suddenly there is this white blinding light, that offers you an escape. " I have offered Henry a sum he could not resist." All his money, my mind tells me. He has really given Henry all of the little he earns, to "buy" me. He looks clearly not fond at the idea of "buying" me.

"Of course I want to" what a question! "Thank you!" I feel like a little girl again, all giddy and happy. How few girls ever get out of this business once they get caught. They are like captivated flies, that will forever stick onto the glue of the trap plant until they are digested. I had escaped Henrys clutches.

How strange that Remus Lupin and Severus Snape have decided to free me of my world of darkness and decided to show me some light. I slightly kiss Remus on the cheek and notice how he blushes embarrassed. "When can we go?" is my only question.