SO SORRY! SCHOOL AND WORK HAVE KEPT ME BUSY!

I Will try to Keep on at the longest a 2 week schedule

Voila:

Chapter Two: Dumbledore's Plan

"Damn!" Draco swore loudly, as Blaise's Queen put his king into checkmate.

"Ha ha! Pay up!"

"Come on, two out of three!"

"No way! Quit being a sore loser!"

"I am not! You're just scared you'll end up losing to me."

"Nice try. Pay up."

"Damn." Draco muttered again.

It was the evening, so classes were over and the room was filled with the 5th year prefects and the 6th year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. The Gryffindor 6th years hardly ever stayed in the room because Weasley and Draco always got into fights and Granger had thought it best if they stayed with all the Gryffindors in their Common room.

"Ms. Zabini?" A voice from the door said. Blaise didn't have to see who it was to know it was Snape. Cringing she turned to face him.

"Yes Professor?" She said courteously, turning to face her Head of House

"You told me you had a problem." He reminded her.

"It's not important, I fixed it." She lied, hoping he would believe her. He didn't.

"You're lying." He stated. Blaise wanted dearly to say: Tough but she wasn't stupid, Snape would murder her if she did.

"No, sir, I'm not." She said. Snape didn't answer her, at first. First he glared at everyone else until they either retreated into their rooms or went to the stairs that lead to their house common rooms. Soon only Malfoy, Blaise, and Snape were left.

"Mr. Malfoy, please leave." Snape said irritably. Draco's eyes widened in surprise, Snape had never ordered him around before, but he composed himself and retreated to the Slytherin common room.

"Now, Ms. Zabini, what is it you wanted to tell me?" He asked as soon as Draco had left and he had place a soundproofing spell around the room.

"I told you, it wasn't important."

"5 points." He answered. "Try again."

"It's noth-"

"10 points!" He snapped angrily. "I don't care if my house loses all it's points, you will tell me what's wrong."

"Just drop it."

"15 points."

"I'm telling the tru-"

"20 points! Believe me, I'll keep this up for as long as it takes."

Blaise didn't say anything this time, she just stared at the floor.

"Ms. Zabini, I am warning you, you had better tell me what it is you wanted to tell me or I will issue a detention and set up a meeting with your parents about your behavior lately."

"NO!" Blaise yelled. As soon as she did her hand flew to her mouth and her eyes widened in shock before she raised her other hand and covered her entire face. Oh God, I'm in for it now.

"Ms. Zabini," Snape began angrily, Blaise didn't lower her hands or look at Snape she was too scared to, "That's a detention for you tomorrow while everyone else is at Hogsmeade. Now no more lies, either you tell me what's wrong or we are going to the Headmaster. And if it comes to that then I will add more punishments to go with your detention and lost points, have I made myself clear?" He barked.

Blaise nodded.

"Good. Now why did you come to my classroom earlier today?"

Blaise's hands fell from her face but they were still clasped in front of her chin.

"I received a letter from my parents," she began quietly keeping her eyes trained on the carpet beneath her, "and, and they had something for me to do tonight." She stopped talking and looked quickly at Snape to judge his reaction. But his face was as expressionless as always (his permanent sneer is not an expression). So she went on talking. "They want me to um, to, to-"

"Today, Ms. Zabini!"

"ToportkeytothehouseandgetbrandedbyYou-Know-Who." She said as quickly as possible. There, she did it, now it was all up to Snape.

"How long have you're parents been Death Eaters?" He asked her, deciding against making her feel less distraught. He knew how easy it was to get answers out of a distraught person instead of a calm one.

"I don't know. I only found out during last summer. When I heard them talking to a masked Death Eater, maybe Nott's dad, about breaking Draco's dad out of Azkaban." She muttered.

"Speak more clearly Ms. Zabini." Snape snapped.

"Yes sir." She answered automatically.

"Did you know that they wanted you to become a Death Eater?"

"Yes sir. After I asked them about the Death Eater and their plans they told me that they followed You-Know-Who and soon I would too. I managed to avoid it during the summer but now, they've threatened me with torture if I don't appear at home. Tonight. At midnight." She said, hoping that Snape would help her.

"Come with me." Snape said turning to the door.

"Where?"

"We're going to have to see Professor Dumbledore." Snape said, barely turning his head to tell her.

"What? Why?" She asked hurriedly. She didn't want anybody else to know about her situation, that'd just make people more prejudiced towards Slytherins and Dumbledore was the most Gryffindor person in the world except maybe Harry "the boy scout" Potter. And law of the school clearly stated that Gryffindors never trust Slytherins, it was just how things were.

Professor Snape turned to face her and it became perfectly clear to Blaise that Snape was getting incredibly irritated with her.

"Because, Ms. Zabini," Snape said, trying to be as patient as possible. Which wasn't very patient. "the headmaster is the Dark Lord's only real opposition, he could offer you protection against your parents and the Dark Lord."

The Dark Lord Professor Snape's words echoed in her brain, suddenly she was suspicious of her Head of House.

"Sir?" she asked hesitantly.

"What now?" He asked irritably, his voice lowering dangerously.

"Um, are you a Death Eater?" She asked quietly. Big mistake. Snape's head turned sharply to face her.

"What?" He hissed angrily and ominously. Blaise knew that the smartest thing to do would be to tell him to forget it, it's not important, she was stupid for asking, etc., etc. Except she had to know, and since she already dug her grave she may as well lay in it.

"Well," she began trying to find the right words to say, "the only people I know that refer to him as the 'Dark Lord' are, well, Death Eaters, or their kids, my parents, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, and Avery. And you use it too, so I was wondering if you were one too."

"Ms. Zabini-" Snape began furiously, but Blaise cut him off, something no sane person would ever do.

"It's just a simple question Professor. Are you or aren't you?" She said in a quiet yet defiant voice.

"Ms. Zabini, do you want me to help or not?" He threatened.

"Yes sir."

"Then do not say one more word."

Blaise kept quiet.

"Have I made myself clear?"

"Perfectly, sir."

"Good. Let's go." He turned and left the Prefect's common room with Blaise silently following. When they reached the Gargoyle Snape gave the password ("Blood Pop" don't ask.), and the Gargoyle sprang to life, moving aside so that Snape and Blaise could walk up the moving staircase. When they had reached the top Snape knocked using the knocker once. They waited for a moment then a voice from the other side said: "Come in." Snape opened the door, went in and held it opened so that Blaise could walk in as well. She was in Dumbledore's office.

Having never been in it she spent the next few minutes gawking until Snape told her she that there were easier ways to catch flies.

"Ah Ms. Zabini, what brings you to my office at this hour? Nothing serious I hope." Dumbledore said from the staircase that led from the second floor to the first.

"Ms. Zabini received a rather interesting letter from her parents earlier today." Snape said.

"Indeed?" Dumbledore questioned. "What's the matter, Blaise?"

Blaise gave a start at hearing herself referred to with her first name, most professors used her surname. Taking a deep breath she explained everything that she had told Professor Snape earlier. The entire time she was explaining the situation she kept her eyes on the carpeted floor, luckily Dumbledore didn't interrupt once, making it easier to explain everything without having to stop. When she finished explaining everything she kept staring at the floor, waiting for Dumbledore to say something. When he didn't Blaise looked up, and saw that Dumbledore was staring directly at her. When he had her attention he began to speak:

"Before the summer began, you had no idea that they were Deatheaters?"

"No sir, not one."

"You're certain?" Dumbledore question, causing Blaise to scowl. Of course he wouldn't believe her, why should anyone trust a Slytherin? She thought angrily.

"Positive." She almost snapped, trying hard to not be rude, after all, she needed their help, Gryffindor or not.

"Very well, Blaise."

"You don't believe me, do you?" She asked.

"It's not that Blaise," he began but she cut him off.

"Of course you don't, why should anyone trust a Slytherin, right? I mean we're all destined to be evil, there's not a good soul in our house is there?" She hissed angrily.

"Ms. Zabini," Snape said, "you do not take that tone of voice with the Headmaster, understood?"

"No."

"What?" Snape said dangerously, as though daring her to go on.

"Why should I trust a Gryffindor? None of them have ever given me a chance, so why should I? Even if he is our Headmaster." She replied scathingly.

"Irregardless of your feeling's Ms. Zabini-" Snape began but Dumbledore cut him off by putting his hand up. He then walked to Blaise and bent down so that they were face to face.

"Blaise, listen to me. I do believe you. I just believe that maybe there's more to this then even you remember. I will help you, I will do all I can to keep you safe I just need you to trust me. Can you do that?" He said, speaking gently. Blaise stared into his eyes and saw he was telling the truth. She nodded mutely, wondering how he would help.

Smiling, he stood back up. Then he turned and walked back to his desk. It was only then that he spoke once more.

"Severus, I need you to get Remus from the headquarters, I need to speak to Ms. Zabini alone."

Remus? Headquarters? What is talking about? Blaise asked herself.

"Of course, Headmaster." He replied, and without another word he left the office.

"Professor, what did you mean when you said that there's more to this that even I remember?"

"It was something I noticed when you first walked in."

"What?"

"You have a memory charm on you."

"What? How? When?"

"It's not a true memory charm, I think it might have been done by wandless magic."

"Is that possible after using a wand for so long?" Blaise asked.

"Very rarely. But I think you're mistaken Blaise, I don't mean to say that your parents are responsible for it."

"Then who?" She was confused, who else but her parents would? And when had it happened?

"You."

"What?"

"Blaise, let me explain something about the students that come into this school. The magic in them always manifests itself differently depending on each person, causing that person to have a unique gift. Now, Mr. Potter, for example, will have the ability to become a phoenix animagus, which is a rare thing indeed. Mr. Malfoy can feel other people's emotions, you, I believe, have the power to create magic without a wand to an incredible degree."

Blaise let it all sink in before asking her next question.

"What does this have to do with me maybe having a memory charm?"

"The fact that you have powerful magic without a wand means that at any time you may use magic, but because you are not trained yet you tend to only use your wandless skill when your emotions are running high. I believe that at one point during your life something, traumatic happened to you, and instead of dealing with the pain your mind erased the memory. Perhaps you weren't prepared for what had happened."

"Erased the memory? Like amnesia?" Blaise asked.

"Yes except yours wasn't just done by your mind, not completely anyways, wandless magic was definitely involved, perhaps a way to make sure the memory loss was permanent."

"What do you think it was that I forgot?" Blaise asked hesitantly, not sure if she wanted to know.

"It could have been a number of things really, harm to you or a loved one, seeing someone die, anything you weren't prepared to face."

"Oh." Blaise tried to think back, tried to come up with any gaps in her memory but couldn't find any.

"Blaise?"

"Sir?"

"Do you want to know?"

"What?"

"Do you want to know?" Dumbledore repeated. "I can take off the memory charm so that you know what happened. Of course that would mean dealing with the pain that you have avoided." He added as a caution.

Blaise thought about it for a moment. The thought of her having lost a piece of her memory didn't bode well with her. Not at all. But the fact that she had done it to herself made her think that whatever it was it wasn't pretty.

"No." She said after several minutes. "I don't think I want to know."

"Very well. And if I'm not mistaken I believe Severus and Remus have returned."

The door opened and in stepped Professor Snape and…

"Professor Lupin?" Blaise asked in shock. Snape sneered.

"I'm hardly your professor, Blaise." He answered with a small smile.

"Er, right." She said uncomfortably, now what was going on?

"Headmaster," Lupin began, "Severus says you sent for me?"

"Yes I did. It has to do with Ms. Zabini here. It seems Mr. And Mrs. Zabini wish their daughter to become a Deatheater tonight." At that moment Blaise spared a look to see what Lupin's would be. She saw shock, and a little suspicion, and while it was mostly shock, Blaise knew that he was suspicious enough to not trust her now. Great.

"However," continued Dumbledore, "Blaise wishes to have no part of her parent's or Voldemort's plans. And she has asked for protection against them." The suspicion that was on Lupin's face now turned to sympathy, which Blaise hated even more then the suspicion.

"How long have you known this Blaise?" Lupin asked softly.

"Since the end of 5th year. And don't give me your pity, I don't need it." She said tersely. Snape gave a small smirk, which Blaise took as a complement. And Lupin looked at Blaise in even more shock then before.

"Look, I'm sorry for being rude Pro- er, what do I call you anyways?" Blaise asked, looking at Lupin in confusion.

"Remus will be just fine."

"Ok then. Look Remus, I really don't mean to be rude. It's just that if you guys are gonna help me, all the while thinking, 'oh poor little Slytherin can't take care of herself ' then thanks for the help but no thanks cause, quite frankly, I'd rather take my chances with my Mum and Dad then have to prove to a bunch of Gryffindors that I'm as strong as the next person." When she finished her little speech, Remus looked at stared at her for a moment before Snape cut in, sounding like his usual pissy self.

"Headmaster, I think it would be prudent to explain to Remus why he is needed, that way when they begin arguing again it is about something important."

"What do you mean 'important?' this is important, I don't like pity." She snapped at her Head of House, causing Remus to chuckle and Snape to narrow his eyes at Blaise sending shivers down her spine.

"Ms. Zabini, you are getting dangerously close to yet another detention during a Hogsmeade trip. Keep it up and you may never have another Hogsmeade trip. Ever."

"Thanks for the warning." She muttered.

"What was that?" He snapped at her.

"Er, nothing, nothing at all Professor." She said with a smile that faded as soon as she saw Snape's glare. "Sorry."

"Well, Ibelieve that the best way to keep Ms. Zabini away from her parents and Voldemort will be to put her under supervised care." Dumbledore said, speaking more to Remus and Professor Snape then to Blaise.

"Supervised care?" Blaise repeated slowly.

"What we can do is keep you here tonight and not let your parents enter the school during the school year but as soon as you go back home your parents would have you initiated anyways." Dumbledore explained.

"True." Blaise said.

"Which is why I believe that Ms. Zabini would be safer if she stayed at the headquarters with Remus when school lets out."

"What?" Both Remus and Professor Snape said simultaneously.

"Headquarters?" Blaise repeated, "headquarters for what, exactly? And what does Remus, and I'm guessing Professor Snape have to do with it?"

"Ms. Zabini, there are things that still need to be explained, but for the safety of everyone involved I need to be absolutely sure that you can be trusted." Dumbledore said, staring Blaise directly in the eyes in a way that made Blaise feel like Dumbledore was reading her mind. Blaise was about to assure Dumbledore that if it kept her from facing the Dark Mark then she would keep the secrets of Parkinson even, unfortunately Professor Snape had to have his say in first.

"Headmaster, I must protest against your decision. We cannot afford to have anyone who is not in the order at headquarters. We have no sure way of knowing her true allegiances. What if she accidentally informs someone of the location? Or what if it is attacked? We would have an under age student to worry about as well as our information!"

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Severus, Headmaster." Remus said, trying to be calmer then Professor Snape. "She will not be bounded like we are to hold the Order's secrets. And with Voldemort doing whatever he can to discover the Headquarters' location, another liability is the last thing we need."

"Liability? Excuse me, Professor, Remus, but give me a little credit. What do you think, I'm just gonna put an ad out in the Daily Prophet on how to reach me during the Summer? I know that if we do this I'm gonna be isolated for the summer, and I'm fine with that, so long as you keep me away from my parents and You-Know-Who. I don't appreciate the two of you assuming I am in league with You-Know-Who. If your precious Headquarters is attacked then obviously you guys suck at security, and I really don't appreciate you underestimating my dueling abilities. I'm not some little first year who's gonna scream her head off if attacked."

"No," Professor Snape said coldly, "you are a mere 16 year old girl who thinks she can face off with full grown wizards who have no problem with torturing and killing you merely because you are in their way. Do you honestly think that they will follow standard dueling rules?"

"Of course I don't! But I'm not a- what was it- a mere 16 year old girl, either. I have had more then the standard school teaching, you know. I mean I didn't know my parents were Death Eaters but I know they're dark. Believe me, I'm trained enough to at the very least take care of myself."

"Well, it's comforting to know that a witch with dark training will be residing at Headquarters." Remus said, getting slightly angry. Blaise gave him her best glare (The best in her house- take that Draco!), and spoke coldly:

"Shut the fuck up, you stuck up Gryffindor prick." Remus' eyes widened in shock, "You know nothing about me and yet here you are assuming I'm evil. You and the rest of your precious Gryffindors are the reason Slytherins are seen as evil, well you know what? Fuck it all. Fuck you and your stupid prejudices, I'm leaving." Blaise turned to leave but Dumbledore stopped her.

"Blaise, wait, please." He said calmly.

"Why?" She asked suspiciously.

"Please let me first speak to Severus and Remus privately before I explain everything to you."

"So do you at the very least trust me?" Blaise said, but with a touch of scorn.

"Of course." Dumbledore said seriously. Blaise stared at Dumbledore for a few minutes to try to measure him.

"Fine." Blaise said shortly after deciding he was being honest. "I'll be outside."

Blaise sat outside Dumbledore's office for 45 minutes. She wanted desperately to know what they were talking about but when she had pressed her ear against the door (Dumbledore would be able to sense magic if she used her wand), she didn't hear a sound, probably because of a silencing spell. So she kept herself occupied by pacing outside.

Finally, after what seemed centuries, the door opened and Remus came out. Without so much as a glance in her direction he told her that the Headmaster was waiting for her and left.

"Lovely seeing you again." Blaise muttered sarcastically in his direction before entering Professor Dumbledore's office once more.

"You wanted to see me again?" Blaise asked as politely as she could.

"Yes." Dumbledore said, indicating towards the chair in front of his desk. Blaise took the hint and sat down. "Well, first off, I hope that when the summer begins you and Remus will be able to get along- seeing as how if you agree to our plan you and Remus will be spending a lot of time together." There was a touch of lecturing in his voice that Blaise didn't miss.

"Fine. I'll try to get along with him."

"Good." Dumbledore said cheerfully, "As I was saying before: the best place for you would be headquarters." Blaise opened her mouth to speak but Dumbledore held up his hand to silence her, "Now, I will tell you what the Headquarters are but I need your word that you will not, under any circumstances, tell a soul. Can you do that?"

"I swear on my blood and the blood of my ancestors that I will not reveal to anyone what you are going to tell me." Blaise said solemnly. The oath she had given was the most binding oath a wizard could give. It was binding in word, Blood and magic. If a person broke the Ancestral Blood Oath, as it was known, then the magic would strip the giver of their magic and the bloodline would be forever cursed. It was not an oath that was given lightly.

Neither Dumbledore nor Snape had been expecting Blaise to give them The Oath and for a few seconds neither of them moved or said anything. Finally Dumbledore cleared his throat and went on: "Very well. The headquarters that I am referring to are the Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix. We are a group of Wizards and Witches dedicated to stopping Voldemort from rising up as he did before."

"And you think I should stay there?"

"Yes. The ward surrounding the Headquarters are extremely strong- and growing stronger. I believe that there you will be safe from your parents and Voldemort."

"So is it just gonna be Me and Remus?"

"He is the only one who is living there at the moment but other Order members will come and go as the Summer goes on. You will of course be banned from the meetings, only members are allowed to attend."

Blaise thought about it for a moment, she always analyzed everything to avoid being rash. She knew that Dumbledore's proposal was the safest, but if she agreed then it would be a very bleak summer. No one to talk to but an ex-professor who seemed to distrust her and being sent away like a bad child when there was something going on… But still, it was by far the safest. Sighing she answered:

"I guess I could live with that. It beats being branded like cattle."

"Very well it's settled." Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And don't worry sometime in the summer I am sure someone you could befriend will come in." And before Blaise could ask any questions Dumbledore dismissed her.