Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me(except Reyana and her family and any other characters you don't recognize). It all belongs to J.K. Rowling.
-pays homage to the vastness of Rowling's imagination.-
Wish I could come up with something as cool as Harry Potter!

"Heart of Stone" is a song by the Rolling Stones.

After what seemed like an eternity, the 'magical car', as Reyana had dubbed it, came to a stop. Severus roused from his doze with a start and stated the obvious.
"We're here."

Reyana pushed the door open and stepped out onto the gravel. The sky was clear and the millions of stars were visible undimmed by the lights of the city. The air was chilly and Reyana wrapped her arms around herself with a shiver. She turned and gaped. Before her was a castle! A huge castle! The window were lit and the silhouette of the castle blotted out the sky. Her head swam and her chest hurt, reminding Reyana to breathe. She let out the air in her lungs with a whoosh.
Severus let out a low laugh.

"Yes, it is rather impressive."

Reyana was too stunned to reply. She couldn't believe that this was real! All her life she'd dreamed of things like this. She'd been 9 when her mother had rather forcefully told her that magic wasn't real, and that if she spoke of it again, she'd get swatted. And here it was real! If only her mother were here to see it. Reyana felt a little of her depression sink in again.

Severus took her arm and gently led her to the magnificent front doors. They opened at his touch and they stepped into the school. The floor was mosaic of the school's crest and directly in front of them was a Grand Staircase. It looked like the staircase in 'Beauty and the Beast'. Severus led her up the staircase all the while giving her a verbal tour. Reyana followed unresisting, she was overwhelmed by all of this. Her brain couldn't quite take it all in. She knew it would take weeks for her to comprehend exactly how much her life had changed. Voices leaked from behind a set of doors to her left and Reyana felt herself drawn to the happiness she sensed.
Severus pulled along gently.

"That's the Great Hall. Meals for students and teachers are held there."

Reyana wanted to see it, but she was too timid to ask. They continued up winding stairs past portraits, that to her utter astonishment moved and talked. Incredible! Finally, just as her legs were about to give out, they stopped abruptly in front of a medium sized portrait of a young girl in a white dress sitting on a swing.

"This is your room. Your belongings will be brought in by the house elves. And for now your meals will be delivered. Headmaster Dumbledore will meet with you tomorrow and discuss the rules."

Reyana nodded, and filed the term 'house elf' away as a question for later.

"But,"she asked in confusion, "Where's my room?"

Severus gestured at the portrait,

"The password is Water Lily."

At his words the portrait swung aside to reveal an opening.

Gritting her teeth Reyana stepped through. Turning back she called,

"Thank you Severus. For everything."

He nodded curtly and strode down the hall the way they'd come.

With a sigh Reyana slowly made her way into her room.

A cheerful fire flickered in the grate revealing a sitting room with a couch and two chairs in front. There were homey rugs on the stone floor and a portrait of her family adorned the wall above the mantle. Tears pricked at her eyes, but she willed them away.

She went up the stairs and found a bedroom. A large canopied bad sat in the middle of the room, and that was all she needed to see. She collapsed on the soft mattress and allowed her head to sink into the downy pillows. Within moments she was asleep.

OoOoOoO

Reyana slept the sleep of the dead. She dreamed of her mother in the garden, her long gentle finger caked in dirt and a content smile on her careworn face. Reyana watched as her mother began singing a very familiar lullaby. It was the one she always sang as she tucked them in. It was a deep dark secret, but even at 18, Reyana still loved to be tucked in by her mother. As she continued watching her mama in the garden, a slight figure appeared at the gate. It was her father. His eyes were tired from a long hard day at the office, but his joy at being home was obvious. He removed his shoes at the front door and as was his custom, went around the side of the house in his stockings. Reyana watched fondly as he wrapped his arms around his wife and gave her a warm kiss. It was moments like this that Reyana knew that she was loved. Despite it all, these were her parents and she loved them. Laughter drifted from the play set on the lawn. Reyana turned her gaze and an affectionate smile curved her lips upward. Little Ryan was doing his trademark flip off the bars. His rail thin arms strained and his dark eyes were narrowed in concentration as he landed yet another perfect flip. Reyana clapped, but he continued on as if he hadn't heard. After a couple more rounds, the frail young boy sat down wearily. Reyana's heart contracted painfully in her chest. Poor dear Ryan had a rare blood defect that would slowly poison his system until it shut down completely. The doctors had told the family that it would be a miracle if he lived until his 14th birthday. He was such a precious member of the family and Reyana couldn't imagine losing him. Reyana stepped out barefoot onto the cool lawn. She went to her mother and knelt beside her in the damp earth. The familiar smells of the garden filled her with love and belonging. Reyana reached out to touch her mother, but her mother didn't respond. With a frown she got up and wrapped her arms around her father's neck, but he continued his hushed conversation with his wife uncaring. Tears filled Reyana's eyes. This was her family! Why couldn't they see her? She could see them and feel them, so she knew that they were real. Was it her that wasn't real?

"I'm sorry!" she cried, "I love you! Please look at me! I'm right here! Please!"

But her family went on oblivious.

Reyana felt her heart breaking

"I love you! I really do! I'm sorry for all the times I ignored you, or disobeyed you! I'm sorry for being so hypersensitive. Just look at me please! Mama? Dad?"

She waited, but there was still nothing. A howl of loss tore itself loose from her throat and Reyana woke with a start, realizing that she'd screamed aloud. Trails of salty tears dripped down her cheeks as Reyana realized that it was only a dream. Her family was dead and she had no way to say goodbye, or I'm sorry, or most importantly, I love you. Sobs racked her body and she rocked back and forth among the tangled sheets. She couldn't remember the last time she'd told her family what they'd meant to her. She'd never really thought about how much she needed her parents, her built in support group, until they were gone. Who's shoulder would she cry on after a nasty breakup? Who would take her out to the shooting range on Saturday mornings? Who would she play G.I Joe vs. Barbie with? No one. She had no one. The tears and soul tearing agony poured out of her for many minutes. Finally, she managed to calm down, numbness descending once again over her shattered heart. Not bothering to wipe the moistness from her face and neck, Reyana lay back again and prayed that she wouldn't dream again this night.

Draco Malfoy couldn't sleep either, but for an entirely different reason. His finely toned body hummed with nerves. He could hear the snores of the other boys in the dormitory, and had to shove his fist in his mouth to keep from howling in mirth as Crabbe held a conversation with the Dark Lord, in which he was granted power and dominion over the wizarding world. Draco snorted. Not bloody likely. Crabbe had the mental capacity of a flobberworm, but as he listened unashamedly to Crabbe dreaming, he wondered if he might have been wrong about his faithful crony. He sounded remarkably...well... intelligent. Nah. Draco dismissed the thought. Impossible.

Suddenly Draco's internal alarm went off. He rose silently from his bed, and carefully stuffed his book bag and other assorted items under the green coverlet so that if anyone were to peek around the curtains, it would appear that Draco Malfoy was sound asleep. Draco went down the cold stone staircase to the common room and with a flick of his wand, relit the glowing embers in the fireplace. Taking a pinch of Floo Powder from a small silk bag, he tossed it onto the fire and waited for the flames to flare green. When they did, he stepped unhesitatingly into the flames, paused for a moment to enjoy the warm breeze tickling his face, and called,

"Sandwood Cottage!"

With a whirl and a blur of landscape, the young Malfoy heir vanished from the fireplace in the Slytherin common room and stumbled out of a crumbling fireplace somewhere in the north of Scotland. Draco surveyed his once immaculate robes in horror. The smoky gray robes that matched his eyes perfectly were smeared with black soot. Consequences of his journey by Floo. He snarled to himself and hoped that this whole thing was worth it. Even his perfect blond hair was soiled. This was not going well.

"Well, young Malfoy. How good of you to join us!" a cold voice welcomed him. Draco turned and saw a half circle of robed and masked people to his left. He inclined his politely. After all they were Death Eaters and Draco rather liked his skin where it was.

"Why have you come before me?" a shrill voice hissed from the darkness. Every hair on the back of Draco's neck rose. Anticipation roiled in his belly. This was it! The moment he'd been training for since he was old enough to grasp a wand. Today was his 18th birthday and today he would receive the greatest honor. Today he became a Death Eater for his Lord. Draco bowed as low as his innate arrogance would allow.

"My Lord. I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, do come before you and humbly ask to be allowed to enter your service."

The Dark Lord laughed a high laugh rather like 2 cats in heat.

"Yes of course you do young dragon. But can you bear the pain of my service?"

Draco gulped, but kept his face impassive. This was the 1st crucial moment. A misstep would cost him his life.

"Yes my lord."

"Good. Good. Crucio!"

The pain ripped into Draco unmercifully. It tore him from the inside out, sending the once proud Slytherin Prince to his knees in agony. It felt as though a million knives were tearing and carving at his flesh, and despite his best efforts, a choked scream escaped his tightly clenched teeth. He bit down on his tongue and felt coppery warmth fill his mouth. Blood. But the wound was insignificant compared with the agony the rest of his body was experiencing.

"This is what will happen if you fail me!" the Dark Lord hissed, and all the Death Eaters howled in agreement.

"Will you fail me young Malfoy?" Voldemort screamed his red eyes sparking.

The pain suddenly ceased and Draco moaned in relief, tears rolling down his cheeks. His whole body ached.

"I will never fail you Lord!" he vowed. Never would bring such pain upon himself again.

Draco forced his pain racked body to stand.

"I will be your loyal servant until the end."

"Excellent." the Dark Lord gloated. "Come to me arrogant dragon."

Draco walked or rather hobbled closer to his Master. Fear and a dreadful joy welled up in his icy heart as he faced his Master.

"Give me your arm."

Draco extended his arm, which was encircled by a corpse like hand. A long white finger brushed his forearm and Draco cried out as sharp pain invaded not only his arm but also his mind. It felt as though something was being welded to his brain, and his eyes watered from the agony. Just as soon as it had started, the pain was gone, and a black tattoo gleamed up at Draco from his wrist. Draco fell to his knees.

"Thank you my master! Thank you."

Voldemort laughed again and touched Draco's newly formed Mark, and Draco found himself back in his common room. He dragged his weary body back up the stairs and fell into bed, heedless of the books beneath him.