Rhyann clutched the front of her robes as she knelt there with her head bowed down and the fear mirrored off her mind. She had heard nothing since Lucius' letter. She had peeked into her uncles' sleeping minds each night and they remained safe. She was not stupid enough to believe there would be no consequences from disobeying him, but she did not think that he would take his complaint about her to their Lord.

"I know you do realize how precious you are, Rhyann Rookwood." Voldemort's voice hissed over her. "With your talents, there comes others who want to use them. What happens between my servants is their business as long as they continue to serve me. Your petty struggle of power with the Malfoy family is below me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my Lord." The diminutive teen whispered her response. She couldn't comprehend exactly why he was here other than to make sure he still had her in the palm of his hand. Perhaps he wondered if she defied Lucius that she might defy him. The subtle shields around her mind made sure he would never know her ponderings.

His long bony fingers gripped the arms of the chair. "Your uncles serve me well. They are loyal and they have brought you to me. I desire that the Rookwoods live. No Malfoy will take one of their lives."

Rhyann felt a surge of elation go through her. Her chest seemed to swell with the knowledge that her family would be safe now. She could not stop the smile that came to her lips and before she could tell the Dark Lord how grateful she was, he had caught her face in a vice-like grip. The joyful light in her eyes vanished to shimmer with fear once again.

"You all live only because I will it. Remember that." Voldemort snapped roughly. "I can change my mind at any time. You are all mine." His serpentine eyes narrowed as he said so and drew closer to the young witch. "There is too much of import going on. I need my servants to accomplish my goals. I do not need them fighting amongst themselves. Do Lucius Malfoy's chore for him, Rhyann Rookwood. It is nothing for you."

Her chest seemed to deflate as her heart sunk. Rhyann dared not look away. She did not know what was worse. Looking into that distorted snake-like face or using her dreamer's eyes to see the terrible sizzling energy before her. "It will be done, my Lord."

"Tomorrow," his grip eased up and his fingers slithered from her flesh. "Tomorrow is a big day for the House of Slytherin. Many important people will be at Hogwarts. Watch and listen for anything. I have many eyes and ears but you can get to places others cannot." He leaned back, shadows taking his face once again. "And make a truce with the Malfoys. The world must see no rifts. I will suffer none either."

She wanted to protest that she had not wanted any to begin with. Rhyann had been happy with Draco until his betrayal. If she could help it, it would not be something she would have to suffer as well. Yet it was a wound that could never be healed. "We will make our peace, my Lord." She replied meekly.

"You are a good girl, Rhyann Rookwood." Voldemort breathed out his slick praise. "Go off to rest now. You will need to be fully alert tomorrow."

Bowing down before him again, she found her legs underneath her and carrying her away to her bed in the girls' dorm. The dreamer did not rest though. She woke herself up and scooted down to the end of her bed so that she could get into her trunk. The hinges squeaked slightly and she paused, making sure no one else woke up. Not hearing anything else other than Millicent's snores, she reached in and took out the list she had hid in there. Rhyann then crawled back up the big bed to hide under her blankets with her wand.

"Lumos." It was a short list and she recognized all four names as ones she sent warnings to before from Lucius. Everything was written in red ink.

There had been that brief victorious feeling when the Dark Lord had said he wanted the Rookwoods alive and wouldn't let anyone kill them. She had imagined Lucius' grip on her cracking and crumbling. Then she was told that she should do what she was told anyway. As if her submitting to the orders would create some peace. There really had been no victory to begin with, she realized. She was in the same position as before.

Memorizing the names, she tucked the list under her pillow and extinguished the light. Rhyann went back to the dreaming world and killed four wizards that night. The Dark Lord did tell her one truth: it was nothing to her. It took little energy and thought. The men were dead in a matter of minutes and she cared not that she had snuffed out their lives. What kept her from getting a sound sleep was the fact that it had been rubbed in once again that she was merely a tool.

The morning came too quickly and it was too full of excited noise. Rhyann was woken up by Pansy exclaiming how gorgeous the cheering outfits were. All the seventh year girls were dressed in sparkling emerald and ivory robes cut short above their knees. All of them except for Millicent, Drucinda and Rhyann who pleaded they needed a lot of time to set up the fireworks and did not have any to spare to be part of the cheering squad. The three of them were thankful for the dreamer's lie on that one once they saw the outfits.

Not only was Hogwarts decorated for Hallowe'en this year, but it also bore the colors of Slytherin. From the front entrance all the way over the grounds to the pitch with its enlarged stands, there was expensive decorations most featuring serpents. In honor of their guests and also, reluctantly, to the other Houses of the school, each quidditch team participating in the tournament had their emblem up in the Great Hall as well as on the walls of the stands.

Draco traveled back and forth between the school and the quidditch pitch. He did not even come to breakfast for he was readying the group he had chosen to greet their special guests. Rhyann managed to catch him in the hall after her own morning meal and pulled him to her for a quick kiss. "Good luck today. We all know it will be great."

He glanced down the little piece of parchment she pressed into his hand. There was a bit of uncertainty in his gray eyes and then a grin bloomed on his face. "Thank you, love. That means a lot to me." Draco kissed her back more deeply, nearly lifting her off her feet. "I can wait to see the fireworks after we win!"

Rhyann waved to him as he hurried off wondering if what meant a lot was that she had wished him luck or that she had done the list. She assumed it was both things and sighed as she headed back towards Slytherin tower. She had not turned but two corners when she realized that she had a pair of shadows silently trailing after her. Her jaw clenched with her annoyance and she whipped around to face them. "What!"

Imene and her brother jumped a little with the intensity of her look. The eleven-year old girl quickly gathered herself together though and stared up at the dreamer. "We're going to help you today."

"Draco told us we could help you with the fireworks." Gamene continued for his sister.

"He never said anything to me and I had just talked to him." Rhyann stated, folding her arms across her petite chest.

"Well, he told us that we could help." The boy snapped.

"Besides, our cousin never gets much talking done with you." Imene commented with a haughty sniff. "You two just snog all the time."

Rhyann glared down at the children. "What Draco and I do is none of your business." She was about to snarl at them to get lost, that she didn't need their help, when she remembered she had Millicent's detailed plans in her robe. The big teen had worked hours on the thing and just looking at it was daunting. She pulled it out and began to unroll it for the brats to see. "Well, we have the plans all detailed here for what we're going to do. I was going to have Drucinda be our time keeper while Millicent and I set off the fireworks - because we do need a time keeper since each one has to go off at a precise time - but since you two are suppose to help, you can be the time keepers."

The twins peered at the map and their identical blue eyes widened. There were tables and calculations along with the sketches of the area. It did look very complicated. They were silent for a moment and then they exchanged a look with each other. They took a step back in unison.

"Well, if you really have it all in hand…" Gamene started.

"We'll leave you to do your job with your team since you know what you're doing." Imene finished.

"We wouldn't want to interfere, of course." The boy added and his sister nodded along, "Of course."

"I thought you were suppose to help…" Rhyann eyed them and motioned to the map indicating that she could use all the help that she could get.

"We were going to greet and mingle with the guests." Imene quickly said.

"Yes, serve them hors d'oeuvres." Gamene nodded in agreement and taking his twin's arm, they hurried off before the older witch could say anything more.

Rhyann rolled the plans back up, very satisfied with herself. They were typical rich spoiled brats. They want what they wanted, but if they had to work to get it, then they wanted something else.

She went back to Slytherin tower to fetch her team members. They brought down the fireworks to store them underneath the stands. They would set them up in the evening. Millicent's plans might look complicated, but they had set out everything nicely. Rhyann was not worried about their part in the event whatsoever.

It was later in the morning when they finished and that left the rest of the day for them to meet with their families. The dreamer strode down to the quidditch pitch where the first teams of the day were getting ready to play. The stands were full of students and their families. Plus there were special boxes made for the guests of honor. She spotted Draco first chatting and laughing with some team in orange. He was dressed in his own uniform and she had to admit he looked particularly handsome this day.

Shaking her head at herself, she looked around for Darcy and Tristian. Both of them had promised they would be coming to the event. It was the one thing she had been looking forward to. There wasn't a sign of them though and she stood there for five minutes scanning the stands and scanning them again.

"Rhyann! There you are, sweetheart!"

The dreamer spun around to see Narcissa coming towards her with a lovely smile upon her lips. Lucius walked a few steps behind her along with her uncle Edgar, Arianna and their four small boys. She forced on a cheery expression and stepped over to greet them.

Narcissa embraced the smaller witch and kissed both her cheeks. "It's so lovely to see you again, my dear. It can get so lonely at the manor without you and Draco there."

"It's always nice to see you, too, Mrs. Malfoy." Rhyann replied with faux sweetness. "It's wonderful that you all could come today." Her dark eyes went directly to Lucius and demanded to know where her other uncles were.

"Draco has organized such a spectacular event." Narcissa continued on, looking over to the stands where her son was standing. "He does have that touch of greatness in him. I've always said that."

"Hello, uncle Edgar." Rhyann hugged the gaunt man and then received kisses on her cheeks from his wife. "Ari. You look so pretty today."

Edgar gave her a little pat on the shoulders as they embraced. "It's always good to see you, my dear."

"Oh, thank you!" Arianna preened under the compliment. The dreamer knew she did not receive any such things at home. "This is such the event! I had no idea it would be so big. And so many important people!"

"The Minister is going to attend today also." Rhyann put in, getting impressed gasps from the ladies. She ruffled the dark hair of her oldest cousin. He was the best behaved out of the lot. "Hi Caden." She glanced at the other three, giving them a preemptive silent warning to be on their best behavior. "William. Brennan. Allen."

"Hi Rhyann." The three youngest ones muttered, not really paying all that much attention to her, but wary nonetheless. All the boys were decked out in Slytherin colors and eager to get into their seat to watch the games.

Caden smiled up at his cousin, dark eyes twinkling. He was tall for a nine-year old and looked much more like Tristian than any other member of the family. "Hello, cousin. You look pretty today too."

Smirking at the boy and knowing he liked to try to charm his way out of trouble, Rhyann gave him a wink to say that she was keeping a particular eye on him. She then turned her attention to the last one there. "Mr. Malfoy." She did not offer a hug or a kiss on the cheek to him. Both of them stood very stiffly in front of the other.

"Rhyann." He nodded his cool greeting. His gray eyes drifted out to the pitch and then back to her again. "Draco did manage to pop down to greet us just after we arrived. Says you both have been very busy lately. Yet all your work was done for today."

"Yes, sir. Even with things needed to be done for the event today, we did manage to do everything else as well." She made sure her reply was just as cold as his gaze.

Lucius tapped his serpent headed cane on the ground and motioned for everyone to start heading towards their seats. "I see the first game is about to start. It is fortunate that all the work did get done in time. Draco did do an extraordinary job."

Rhyann did not think that the compliment was about the event, but perhaps he had meant that his son had convinced her to do as she was told. Yet what was clear was that there would have been something he might have done if she hadn't completed her tasks. Just as they were about to head up the stairs into the stands, Lucius turned with a small flourish of his robes to look down at the dreamer again.

"Oh yes, your other uncles will arrive a little later this afternoon. They weren't sure if they were going to be able to make it, but it seemed they managed to arrange it." Lucius then swept away, following his wife up towards their private box.

She scowled at his back. Rhyann knew it was only because she had finally did as she was told that they were coming. Her face hardened but she took in a few deep breaths and calmed herself. The list was done. She shouldn't think about it any more. Darcy and Tristian would be coming as she had wanted. Yet it was shadowed by her visit from the Dark Lord and what he reminded her she was still.

The day seemed to go by in a blur. Rhyann sat with the Malfoys and her family for the first few games of the day. When the Mulciber twins, tired of their duties as greeters and servers, came to sit with them, she excused herself and went to mingle with the crowd. Mingle was not quite the right term for it. She participated in only a few conversations since she knew only a little about quidditch and that was the topic of the day.

She spied Minister Scrimgeour and was nabbed by Draco at one point so he could introduce her. The old wizard had a great mass of hair like a lion's mane. She suspected he could be quite intimidating if he did not have a flush in his cheeks from drink already. Dumbledore had joined them and congratulated the Head Boy on a job well done. Draco took the compliments and then immediately excused himself to go off to talk to some famous Keeper from Ireland.

Rhyann slipped away herself, but she was sure she felt the Headmaster's and the Minister's eyes on her as she walked away. She did not turn to see.

Slytherin won their first game of the day and Professor Snape summoned the great serpent to slither around the pitch. Not long after, there was a break for lunch which was served under great tents outside on the grounds. Darcy and Tristian arrived just as the meal was finishing. Rhyann greeted them warmly and spent the majority of the afternoon with them. They all had a particular good laugh when they saw McGonagall lengthening the emerald and ivory cheering squad's robes.

She had no doubt that they knew what she had done for Lucius. They might have even known that the Dark Lord had visited her the previous night. Any which way, the two were particularly attentive and were given free reign to do so without Draco around. Rhyann had to unfortunately part with them after the evening meal so that she could go set up the fireworks with Millicent and Drucinda.

The last four teams left in the tournament were: Slytherin, Gryffindor, a team wearing blue from the Irish magic school, and another wearing yellow from Finland. Slytherin swiftly beat out Finland with Draco catching the snitch before the time limit ran out. Gryffindor played the blue team and it had looked like they were going to win until one of the Irish Beaters smashed into Potter, taking them both down to the ground.

Rhyann watched from between the stands with her house mates. The crowd was mumbling as healers hurried out into the field to take the two injured players away. "That did not look like an accidental collision." She said to no one in particular.

"Of course it wasn't." Millicent snorted from behind her. "That Beater wasn't anywhere near Potter and then suddenly he was charging that way and there wasn't a ball in sight."

"Potter is Gryffindor's best player and their captain. They won't win now." Drucinda added.

Rhyann glanced back at the other two teens. She knew that look in their eyes. Not only did they think it was done on purpose, but it was set up by a particular someone. She could not disagree. It did sound like something Draco would do. He could have paid the Irish beater to do that if it looked like Gryffindor was going to win. She sighed heavily and turned back around to see how it would end.

Ginny Weasley took Harry's place as the team's Seeker and they brought in their extra player to fill her spot as Chaser. The blue team brought in an equally as large young wizard to be their new Beater. Just before the time limit ran out, the Irish players managed to score enough points for them to win. No one had caught the snitch and it took nearly a half hour after the game for the referees to find it so they could start the final game of the day.

Slytherin won the tournament and Rhyann had no doubt they would after that second last game. The crowd was going nuts as the three witches hurried to light off the fireworks. As promised, it was an amazing display. If the Weasley twins had known who the fireworks were for, they had done nothing to sabotage them. Of course, right at the end, the last firework contained an advertisement for their store, but that was the only part that was unexpected.

The other good thing about the fireworks was that they would vanish up the last bits themselves once they had burned out. Rhyann and her group did not have to worry about cleaning anything up. Happily, she went back to her family and spent a few more hours in their company before they had to leave.

The celebration continued on in Slytherin tower though. Draco, of course, was the center of attention and loving every second of it. The hero of the day. They were sure that none of the other Houses at Hogwarts could top their event. She watched him from the sidelines mostly, keeping company with Millicent and Drucinda. It was not until far late into the night that he decided he wanted his girlfriend's attentions and took her up into the seventh year boys' dorm, locking everyone else out.