After a few days of rest, Kim was up and about again. She was surprised at how tired she'd been. Moody, however, dispite her long sleep, had insisted that she not do any more work for the Order for the rest of the summer. There was no use even arguing with him, though, because they were Dumbledore's orders.

Surprisingly, the days went by pretty quickly anyway. She spent time reading, hanging around with Ginny, and basically doing anything that she wanted, including taking over the cooking and making Mrs. Weasley feel as though she were useless for lack of house chores to do. She also celebrated her sixteenth birthday ten days before Harry's and there was a small celebration and a few presents, as well as a party for Harry's seventeenth year, which had musical howling by Mrs. Black about her dead sons, which dampened everyone's spirits.

Towards the end of the summer, Kim, Harry, Hermione, Natalie, and the Weasleys went to Diagon Alley to buy new schoolbooks and robes. When they went into Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions, Ginny dragged her over to some robes for her to wear when not at Hogwarts. She made her look at several sets of robes, before they bought anything, however, then made her get a set of dress robes just in case. The dress robes were pale blue in color and were almost plain and simple, but there were gauzy pieces of shimmering fabric that were attached to the arms and made her look like she had wings every time she raised her hands. Kim happily bought it and a darker blue-colored plain set for Ginny, just because Ginny liked had liked it and it looked good on her.

After spending the rest of the day at Diagon Alley, they all Floo'd back to Grimmauld Place – Kim Apparated – and spent the rest of the summer having as much fun as was possible, given their location. Kim even learned to say Voldemort's name without fear.

Finally, summer came to a close and Kim Apparated to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, saddened that she couldn't have stayed longer, or at least sat with Harry. Sadly, both Harry and Hermione had to sit up front, being the Head Boy and Girl. They needed to tell the prefects what the rules were and such. The train ride was so tedious that Kim fell asleep and had to be woken up by Ginny to be taken up to the castle.

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"The Sorting Ceremony will begin in a few moments," Professor McGonagall announced as the new first-years entered the Great Hall, shivering from the harsh winds that they had battled through over the lake.

"Oh hurry up," Ron moaned miserably, "I'm starving!"

"Hush!" Hermione shushed him.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat as the last of the first years entered. "Adams, Kyle."

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the Sorting Hat cried as the eleven-year-old boy scrambled over to his assigned table and the Hufflepuffs all clapped for him.

"Aremia, Janice."

"RAVENLCAW!"

"Asrener, Geoffrey."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Bindle, Samuel."

"GRYFFINDOR!" Samuel Bindle quietly walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat at the end of the table.

"Chang, Xin."

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat shouted, as Cho Chang's sister, Xin, triumphantly ran to join her sister.

"Cypress, Druida."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Dillywaters, Jessica."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The list went on to "Dirfender, Jeffrey," who was placed in "RAVENCLAW!" Down it went to "Flest, Amanda," who was put into "GRYFFINDOR!"

Anna rejoiced – Amanda Flest was her sister.

"Pennyfeather, Herman."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

On to "Potley, Corallander," who Kim recognized from Voldemort's castle and was put into "SLYTHERIN!" which was all too predictable.

The last name was called ("Volkaroff, Victoria"), and placed into "SLYTHERIN!"

Then the feast started and the traditional 'Wow of Awe' came from the first years as normal, before everybody dug in and Hermione gave it a disapproving look, apparently thinking of the house elves who made it before eating it.

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The next morning, Kim went to Defense Against the Dark Arts first thing in the morning. She was surprised to find that Professor Croft was not there, and instead, Fleur Delacour stood behind the desk, looking very slightly apprehensive.

Kim smiled to show support and Fleur smiled back, a bit happy to see a familiar face and was even happier to see Ginny's face, which was also familiar.

Sadly, James, Orlando, and Michael sat in the back of the room and decided to wreak havoc by setting a wart-growing charm on Terry Hoven's face and he broke out in the nasty things and had to be sent to the Hospital Wing. Fleur was not pleased and gave them all a week's detention, which served them right in Kim's opinion. (Although she had to admit, listening to Fleur swear at the boys in French HAD been quite amusing).

Besides the little incident, things went along quite smoothly. Herbology found Kim trying to prune back some Biting Begonias and Care of Magical Creatures sent her nearly to seventh heaven when Hagrid revealed to have brought in a Fwooper, a bird with vivid plumage that when singing could drive the listener to insanity. Fortunately Hagrid was ordered to put a Silencing Charm on it, so nobody went insane.

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It was very apprehensively that Christmas drew nearer and the time to bring Salazar Slytherin to life once more drew close. Kim began to dread the passing days, which seemed to go by much more quickly than normal. Kim wasn't even sure of what she was supposed to do anymore. She'd been ordered to bring Harry to the Ministry of Magic on December the twenty-second by even Dumbledore, who, Kim was sure, had gone off his rocker.

Sure enough, her plans were the same come Christmas Break. Harry knew of the plan, as well: Kim would bring him to the Ministry and, since Snape had discovered that every Death Eater would be present, all of the members of the Order of the Phoenix would surprise them in an ambush after carefully setting an Anti-Disapparation spell inside. The opportunity to let Voldemort be defeated once and for all was too good to mess up. Kim would have to endure it.

In fact, Kim was brought to the Order's Headquarters during break with Harry. Both were tense and ate little. Neither said much because Harry was being asked to do what he'd been meant to do as a baby and if he failed... then the world would be doomed and Voldemort would rule. Kim simply feared for Harry's life. Voldemort was something she could deal with.

On the morning of December the twenty-second it began storming outside, as if the weather were aware of what was going to happen. Kim dressed quickly in her Death Eater's uniform, minus the mask, which she held under her arm. She rapped on Harry's door with one black leather glove and readjusted her several layers of black cloak and robes, shuffling her black, leather-clad feet. Ron, who was staying there as well, since Kim had destroyed his house over the previous December and it was being re-built opened the door and jumped almost a foot into the air at her presence.

"Is Harry there?" she asked, nervously shuffling her black feet under her black cloak.

"Yes," Ron replied slowly, taking her in. "Wow, you look weird like that."

"Can I come in?" she asked impatiently.

Ron shrugged and opened the door for her to enter.

"Harry?"

Harry simply sat there like an empty shell of nothing.

"Harry?"

He did not stir, but he was alive and awake, because he was still blinking and breathing.

"Harry, can you hear me?"

He slowly nodded so faintly that Kim barely noticed.

"You've got to be ready soon. I'm not sure when we'll need to go," she said, readjusting her gloves.

Harry turned his head to look at her and nodded before staring at the floor again.

"That was weird," Kim whispered to Ron, who decided to go down to breakfast with her.

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "He's been pretty much the same all yesterday and was moping for a few weeks before. He needs to eat something, too. Although you haven't been eating too well, yourself, have you?"

"It's not me that matters," she replied. "Harry's the one who is supposed to be sacrificed, even though we've got it under control..."

Ron shook his head sadly, "Poor, Harry. Nobody ever leaves him alone. Especially not You-Know-Who..."

Kim nodded in agreement. "Should we stuff his face?"

"Sure," Ron replied, shrugging. Then he looked at her outfit again. "Your clothes scare me."

"Yeah, well, I plan to burn them after this whole thing is over," Kim said.

"But what about that mark?" Ron wondered, pointing to her upper arm.

Kim slid off the sleeve of her cloak and looked at it. It was black, but not totally clear, yet. Ron looked revolted. "That? That'll be there forever." Then she began thinking, "Just to think, exactly one year ago I got this mark. Over two years ago I wanted it so badly, but just after I'd gotten it, I decided that I wished it were gone. Funny the way things turn out..."

Ron said nothing, so they merely walked into the kitchen for breakfast. A few people became tense when they saw Kim in uniform, but nobody said a word. It was a tense day, even for those like Ginny, who wasn't even going to the Ministry that day.

Dumbledore had managed to convince a few of those who were staying at the Ministry (it was almost Christmas time, so very few people would be there), that they needed to go home and do their work there if they valued their life.

During lunch, Kim and Ron managed to force-feed Harry a large sandwich before Kim's Dark Mark burned and she hastily put on her mask, which she'd been carrying around.

"Come on, Harry," she said quickly and threw some Floo Powder into the fireplace. "Ministry of Magic, Accidental Magical Reversal Squad Office."

Harry and Kim both squeezed into the grate after Kim gave Moody the signal that she was leaving and were transported to the Ministry of Magic within seconds, where they were met by and empty room that showed signs of a struggle, where the attackers had clearly won. Kim hugged Harry tightly.

"Listen," she said, making rope appear out of thin air, "I'm going to tie you up, okay? Whatever happens, I will not let you die. You've got to win, alright? I'm going to bring you to the Department of Mysteries. Look as if you would, had I betrayed you. Let me see your wand, too, and I'll give it back to you when the time is right."

Harry looked positively green and handed her his wand after hesitating for nearly a minute and then letting her tie his hands behind his back, although the way his expression was set, he clearly was skeptical about who to trust at the moment.

Slightly saddened at his temporary lack of trust, Kim quietly moved him into the wrought golden grilles and waited until they reached the Department of Mysteries, finally finding the door that the veil was hidden behind.

Inside, a group of about forty Death Eaters were assembled, Kim spied Tonks' hair poking out of one corner of the room behind her and smiled under her mask before closing the door behind her. She lead Harry, who was making a good act of looking betrayed and angry, toward the middle of the circle of Death Eaters. She held him there trying to make her body language yell 'triumphant!' Voldemort stood in the very front of the group, staring at Harry with great dislike and lots of amusement.

"You shouldn't be so trusting, Potter," he cackled, gleefully. Harry shot him a dirty look, but said nothing in return.

Voldemort approached the swaying veil, while various Death Eaters began placing the stones into the cracks. Kim watched, heart beating. She looked to Harry. His face was defiant and brave.

All of the stones were in place. Voldemort murmured, "Finally." He turned to everyone. Harry, whose hands were tied behind his back by Kim, stared at him, head held high, bravely. "Welcome to the returning party of Salazar Slytherin."

Kim began to shake and Harry's tied hands grasped hers and gave it a squeeze.

Voldemort began pacing around his group of Death Eaters.

"I love you," Kim whispered into his ear so quietly that she could barely hear herself. "You will not die if I can help it. You're going to live, defeat Voldemort, then marry someone and have a son named James and a daughter. Name her Kim. Understand? You understand. Don't move. Just remember that I love you, no matter if I'm dead."

She could feel Harry twitch slightly as though itching to say something, but couldn't. She knew that dying wasn't supposed to be part of the plan, but a new and better plan was forming in her mind.

"Now," Voldemort said, finishing his pacing and coming to a halt in front of the veil which was still swaying slightly. "Welcome Slytherin back with us." Kim loosened Harry's bonds and slipped his wand into his hands. "I call upon the force of the dead!" Voldemort bellowed. "I have gathered the stones and now I will bring back the one being I was promised in return."

A ghostly voice spoke to Voldemort from nowhere: "NAME THE ONE BEING THAT YOU WISH TO RETURN FROM THE DEAD WORLD. THEY WILL BE UN-ALTERED FROM THEIR TIME IN THE VEIL. YOU MUST SACRIFICE ONE OTHER BEING IN RETURN, WHICH YOU MUST DO AFTER YOU NAME YOUR CHOICE. NOW... NAME YOUR CHOICE!"

Kim's heart began beating so quickly, she thought it was likely to explode. It was now or never. She ripped off her mask and savagely kissed Harry and undid his bonds roughly.

"S-" Voldemort began, not noticing that several of his Death Eater cried out in anger at Kim's actions. He beckoned for Harry to be brought forward. Kim knocked him out of the way and shouted the first name that came to her mind as her heart began to beat painfully fast.

"SIRIUS BLACK!" she shouted and flung herself at the veil, grabbing one of the stones with her so Voldemort could not repeat the calling, and disappearing inside for all eternity.