A/N: Some mild violence in this chapter. See bottom for author's note!

It was a week later when there was another attack. Evanna and her some of her Housemates were being escorted by Professor Sinistra to lunch when it was announced.

"All students please report to the Great Hall. Heads of House and professors, please report to the teacher's lounge immediately."

Professor Sinistra quickly pushed the students along into the Great Hall before leaving to go where instructed. The Great Hall was alive with noise as students were rushing about, making sure their friends and siblings were not the ones who had been attacked. Evanna knew she would find Draco, but she was surprised by the amount of relief coming from him when he saw her. Her eyes roved the room at large, picking out Eva and Elin huddled together, then Bridget Travers with some of her Housemates, then Ginny looking worried and withdrawn at the Gryffindor table. She found Potter, sitting with his usual friends.

Except, he was just sitting with Ron Weasley. Granger was nowhere to be found.

Ronald had noticed Evanna looking their way and nudged Potter. The black-haired boy glared at her from across the Great Hall and she furrowed her eyebrows, stepping towards the Gryffindor table as Potter seemed intent on confronting her. They met somewhere in the middle, with most of the Great Hall watching.

"I defended you to Hermione, but she was right, wasn't she?" Potter demanded.

"What are you talking about?" Evanna said.

"Hermione's been Petrified," he said. Evanna felt her gut sink as her suspicions were confirmed.

"See, Harry, she's not even surprised!" Weasley exclaimed behind him.

"What do you two think you're doing talking to my sister?" Evanna jumped slightly as she saw her brother walk up behind her, the expression on his face entirely too reminiscent of Lucius.

"There's no law stopping us, Malfoy, especially when we're the only ones who will call her out for it!" Potter said.

"Did that scar addle your brains Potter? You're talking nonsense."

"We know, Malfoy. We know what your creepy little sister is," Weasley replied.

Draco gave her an alarmed look; the only ones who knew what exactly she was were their mother and Luna Lovegood. Draco himself had no idea about her mind reading abilities, only that some new powers were making her sick and that the secret was dangerous.

"Better than you could ever hope to be? Everyone knows that, Weasel," Draco drawled.

"We know she's the one behind the attacks," Potter pitched his voice louder. "Evanna Malfoy is the heir of Slytherin!"

Fear. Disbelief. Incredulity. Anger. Annoyance. A wave of emotion and thought, all the stronger for being directed at her. Her brother was laughing harshly. Her Housemates had stood at their table. Ginny Weasley snuck from the Great Hall. Insults were flying. Rumors spreading.

She was there for all the attacks.

Is she a Parselmouth?

Wouldn't her brother be the heir?

Always did give me the creeps with those eyes.

Can't believe I ever thought she was my friend.

Evanna cried out, her knees hitting the stone floor as the Great Hall swirled around her. Draco and Potter had both pulled their wands on each other when the doors to the Great Hall opened. Draco looked up and immediately dropped his wand.

"Father! Professor Snape!" he exclaimed. The words chilled Evanna to her soul. "Potter is here accusing Evanna of nonsense and now she's having another attack!"

If she had been in any state to do so, Evanna would have hexed Draco for announcing that to all and sundry. As it was, she could feel worry and aggravation coming off the two newcomers.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, we meet again," Lucius said coolly. Pure disdain overcame the room as the aristocrat regarded them. "I would thank you to not disparage my heirs. Reducing a little girl to her knees; how Gryffindor of you."

The unspoken threat hung in the air, not that Gryffindors such as Potter and Weasley would listen to it.

"It's Gryffindor to protect the school!" Weasley exclaimed. Self-righteousness.

"What happened, Draco?" Professor Snape asked. She felt him restraining himself from going to her and helping her, the way he had been. He had to act differently in front of Lucius Malfoy.

"They came up to Evanna and accused her of being the heir of Slytherin in front of the entire school!" A wave of panic. "But that's ridiculous-if it were true I would be the heir, but neither of us speaks Parseltongue!"

"I do not think this is the place to discuss such things, Draco," Lucius sneered, shoving the tip of his cane into Draco's ribs. "Help your sister up, I have things to discuss with you both before I meet with the Headmaster."

Whispers followed them out of the Great Hall as Draco did as he was told. Evanna shuddered at the feel of Lucius' eyes on her.

She's becoming uncontrollable.

Professor Snape lead the way to the Slytherin Common Room, speaking in low voices with her father.

"...am concerned for safety of other students..."

"...only a few Mudbloods…"

"...not all Mudbloods, there was an attack on a Pureblood…"

"...must trust our Master's design, or is he not…."

"...the Dark Lord is gone, Lucius, surely you don't mean…"

Evanna and Draco exchanged looks of alarm. The Dark Lord had fallen the very night Evanna was born, when Draco was not even two years old. Was he behind all these attacks? Evanna remembered reading once that he was the last known Parselmouth… But, no. That was almost too convenient.

When they entered the Common Room, Lucius turned to Professor Snape. "Thank you, old friend," he said. When Professor Snape lingered, Lucius' mouth stretched into something like a grin. "You may leave us, now. I do know my way around the castle."

Professor Snape's dark eyes lingered on Evanna. She gave a small nod; away from the Great Hall and all those emotions and thoughts, she felt stronger. At least, strong enough that she could take Lucius' vitriol. He was never as bad when her brother was present as he was when they were alone training.

"I want you both to stay in the Common Room as much as possible," he said once Professor Snape left. "Dumbledore has been ousted as Headmaster as of this afternoon. By the fall, the school will be closed and you, Draco, will be going to Durmstrang."

Evanna's heart thumped so hard she was sure that Draco and Lucius had to hear it. He had said Draco would be going to Durmstrang. Did that mean she would be forced to stay home, learning only the Dark Magic Lucius deigned to teach her, hidden away from the world once again?

"You've finally done it, Father?" Draco said, excited. Lucius gave a smirk. Her brother and her father looked so similar it was uncanny. "The old man is out?"

"Yes, however," he held up a hand, "I was not amused by that display in the Great Hall. Entirely too much suspicion has fallen on the House of Malfoy this past year. Discretion is the better part of valor. And you would do well to get whatever deformity your Mother says you have under control."

He turned to Evanna. Heat rose to her cheeks, and she opened her mouth before she could think better of it.

"It's not a deformity, it's a Gift of the Triple Goddess! Not that you would ever care to understand."

Her head jerked, cheek stinging. Lucius had brought his cane across her face.

"Count yourself lucky I don't have time for a training session," he seethed before turning back to Draco. "See that you keep your sister under control, else you may have the same punishment as she."

With that, Lucius Malfoy swept from the room, leaving Evanna and her brother behind. Draco turned to her.

"Are you an idiot?" he demanded. "Do you like when Father treats you that way? Because I'm beginning to think you do."

"Draco-"

"You know he's impatient, you know he has high expectations," he said. "And you haven't been working on what Mother taught you or today in the Great Hall wouldn't have happened!"

"Draco-"

"I've not told Father who you've been hanging around since before the Gryffindor Slytherin game, but you've seen what happens! I know you've been trying to be friendly with Potter, but he's too much of an idiot to realize what you're offering him!" Draco spat. "It is time for you to stop playing games, Evanna. I'm not going down with you."

"I never said I wanted you to!" Evanna shouted back. "I simply asked that you stop following me around! Did you really think I would continue being Potter's friend after he accused me of attacking all those people? I'm not a monster!"

Draco had opened his mouth, then snapped it shut, eyes roving over her face.

"I would suggest you go clean yourself up before our Housemates get back down here," he said. "You've got some blood on your lip."

A/N: Thank you all for your kind reviews! I have a week to a week and a half left before I move, and probably around 6 more chapters. Once Chamber of Secrets is done, I will be skipping ahead to Goblet of Fire, though it will probably be midway through the year. I will also be upping the rating. I apologize to any Harry/Evanna fans, but this will be a slow burn with many twist, turns, ups, and downs.

Let me know your thoughts/theories/ideas!