Madam Pomfrey released both Harry and Evanna the next afternoon, when the two had finally woken after a night of restless sleep. The castle seemed almost empty it was so quiet, though Evanna still felt the whisperings of sadness and grief on the edges of her consciousness. She winced. The emotion was almost overpowering, especially given she was still recovering from a rather nasty concussion.

"I guess we have to go and face them," Evanna said, looking toward the Great Hall. There was a sudden pang of worry from Harry.

"Evanna, your father was there last night," he said suddenly. "Even if he didn't see you-I'm sure there were reporters when we got back. Your picture is going to be with mine in the Prophet again-"

"Father was already angry with me," she said, trying not to show the fear that thought brought her.

"But Evanna, this is different. Voldemort-"

Evanna winced. "Must you say his name?"

Evanna watched as Harry visibly forced himself not to roll his eyes. "He's back. Lucius Malfoy won't be happy his daughter helped Harry Potter escape."

Evanna studied the stone floor. "No. No, he won't."

"I can talk to Dumbledore. Maybe he can-"

"No!" Evanna cut him off. "I am not putting my fate in the hands of Albus Dumbledore!"

"Evanna-"

They were cut off by footsteps approaching them. Evanna turned to see Theodore Nott walking towards them, a small bouquet of roses in his hands. She felt a surge of anger from Harry beside her.

Nott looked nervously between the two, before his gaze landed squarely on Evanna.

"I was just coming to give these to you in the Hospital Wing," he said, still giving Harry a wary look. "But I see you've already been released."

"Thank you, Theodore," she said, cheeks reddening as she took the flowers.

I'm such an idiot.

Harry was determinedly not looking at Evanna. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Harry-"

"I'll see you around, Malfoy," he said. Evanna heard what was hidden in that phrase though; she would have even if she couldn't read minds.

I'll see you on the other side of the war.

Evanna swallowed hard, a burning sensation near the back of her eyeballs as she watched Harry-her first friend-stalk away. Her head still throbbed, but not near as much as her heart ached in that moment. She would have stood there all afternoon if not for Nott clearing his throat behind her. She turned, forcing herself to remain stoic when all she felt like doing was sleeping and crying.

"Do… Could I escort you to the Common Room?" he said softly. Evanna took the moment to study the older boy. He was thin, willowy. Not very tall. He tended to keep to himself in the Common Room, reading or studying rather than taking part in the usual Slytherin jockeying for power. Yet, that did not mean he was unambitious-she knew his mother had died when he was young of dragon pox, so he was determined to become a Healer to cure the illness. He was quiet, yes, and from a family even Lucius would have not disapproved of. But he was also kind, she knew. He would not harm her.

"Yes, I would like that," she said softly. He offered her his arm and they walked in silence for awhile. As they were nearing the dungeons, Nott spoke.

"It's probably for the best, you know," he said. "Given things are the way they are."

Evanna looked at him in surprise, then returned her gaze to the floor. She didn't have the energy to pretend she didn't know what he was talking about.

"Yes, I know," she said.

The rest of term remained somber, with many students seen crying in the hallways and in the Great Hall. Cedric Diggory had been popular and kind, a rare combination indeed, and so had made friends across the four Houses. Someone had even charmed the old "Potter Stinks" buttons Draco had made to say "RIP Cedric" with the boy's last quidditch picture.

Evanna avoided nearly everyone-Harry, her brother, her roommates. She did not even go to the Castle Centre anymore to hang out with Ginny, Luna, and Bridget. Though by some act of the gods she had not wound up in the papers, Evanna knew that the risk was high that Lucius had spotted her in the graveyard that night and would be angrier than ever. It was best to cut ties now; it would keep everyone safer.

Theodore Nott took to sitting by her in the Common Room, silently studying beside her, even though exams had been cancelled. When she had remarked on it, he had simply told her that the exams for an apprenticeship at St. Mungo's were unlikely to be cancelled because of someone's death, so oughtn't he keep on revising anyway? It did not seem to matter one whit that Nott would not be sitting those exams for three years yet.

About three days before the Hogwarts Express was set to take the students back home, Lucius Malfoy had come to the Castle, demanding the return of his wife. Draco had given Evanna a somewhat smug look that faltered at the sight of her holding back tears.

"I don't think it will be as bad as you're imagining," Draco insisted. "Father may be angry, but she is his wife. He wouldn't really hurt her."

"Like he wouldn't really hurt his daughter?" Evanna shot back. "You are living in a delusion, Draco. Lucius Malfoy is not a man you should be looking up to."

Her brother didn't say anything. She stalked away to watch her mother and father leave Hogwarts grounds from the Owlery. Her father had an arm wrapped securely around Narcissa's shoulders, but Evanna knew it was not out of genuine concern. Her mother, while healthier, still suffered greatly from the curse Lucius had placed on her two years ago. Walking even the distance to the gate had to be costing her a lot.

Had it been years past, Evanna would have sought out Professor Snape for comfort and advice, but the dark haired man had been acting strangely himself. Evanna knew he had to be worried for Narcissa as well, not to mention the return of his old master, but that did not explain all of it. The way he looked at her, as if he now knew something that turned the world upside down…. It unsettled her.

It was utterly without joy or excitement that Evanna boarded the train to go home. She sought out an empty car in the very back, utterly bypassing her usual car with Ginny, Luna, and Bridget.

"Evanna!" Bridget called after her as she walked on. "Don't ignore us, Malfoy! We are all going to need our friends soon."

Evanna stopped, not looking at the other girl as she came closer. She remembered that this friend was more similar to her than the rest; though Bridget's father had not been connected with the Death Eaters, her uncle had been and had been thrown into Azkaban for it. It was likely that Bridget was going home to just as uncertain circumstances as Evanna was.

"What would you have me do?" Evanna said, still not looking at the other girl.

"Come back to our compartment. Talk with us. Maybe play some exploding snap," she said. "Just don't go all Evanna and isolate yourself."

Evanna studied her feet. Her hair no longer hid her face the way she was accustomed to.

"I'm in enough trouble as it is, Travers. I can't be seen with blood-traitors right now."

Evanna knew the other was angry, for she heard angry steps marching away from her and a compartment door slamming shut. She sighed and walked to the end of the train to that quiet little compartment. She settled herself against the window, watching the landscape slide by, doing her best not to think too hard on the term behind her, nor the summer before her. All she had to do was just be. Just watch the landscape changing outside of her window. And everything would be alright, because it would have to be.

When the Hogwarts Express chugged its way to a stop at Platform 9 ¾, Evanna did not immediately move. Part of her dreamt of what would happen if she just stayed on the train until next term. She could easily live off of cauldron cakes and chocolate frogs and sleep in the compartments. Perhaps she could make friends with the conductor and simply ride from Hogsmeade to London every other day. Who made the students get off the train anyway?

"Evanna, Father is waiting."

Apparently her rat of a brother did. Evanna lifted her head to stare at him.

"Is Mother with him?" she said.

"No," Draco said, a tad nervously. "She's at St Mungo's. Father says that though Professor Snape worked very hard to reverse Mother's illness, it may be awhile before she is fully recovered. He says she should have been sent to a Healer at the first."

Evanna pursed her lips, not at all believing the implication that Lucius was some sort of caring husband now.

"C'mon-he says we have guests waiting at home," Draco said. "Technically he says you have a guest."

Evanna felt nervous at that statement. There had never been a guest for her at Malfoy Manor. Though Draco had had all sorts of playdates and the like growing up-including a memorable instance where Pansy Parkinson had begged him to be her betrothed-Lucius had kept Evanna deliberately sequestered, often putting it about that she was sickly. She nor Draco had never completely understood why.

Lucius Malfoy was looking most impatient when Evanna and Draco finally got off the train. Evanna supposed that he was justified in that-the train station was mostly empty at that point. No one was anxious to linger after a boy was murdered at the end of the term. A sneer made its way across his face when he saw Evanna with her new, shortened locks.

"What did you do to yourself?" he snarled.

Heart thumping in her throat, Evanna deliberately reached her consciousness towards his. Within a moment of searching, she had found her answer. He didn't know. No one had told Lucius Malfoy of his daughter's involvement in the Third Task. The knowledge made her a little giddy, and perhaps a little more daring than she might have otherwise been.

"I cut my hair," she said lightly, running her hand through the shortened locks. They bounced playfully just above chin-level. "I'm thinking of dyeing it too-I think purple would bring out my eyes."

Draco's eyes widened in shock and Lucius's scowl deepened. Evanna stood still, waiting to see if he would lash out the way he usually did, but he didn't.

She is no longer your problem.

Evanna frowned at that, not knowing what Lucius could possibly mean.

"Come," he said, holding out one arm to each of his children. Draco and Evanna both grasped him, as they had every other year that they had come home from Hogwarts. There was the suffocating sensation of Apparition and then they were standing outside of the gates to Malfoy Manor.

The Manor was as imposing as ever, large and dark on top of a great hill and guarded by gates and magic alike. The gates swung open for the Malfoys as they walked up the great lawn, white peacocks squawking at them loudly. One came a little too close to Evanna and she squeak, hustling to put Draco between herself and the wretched bird. Draco snickered.

"You're still scared of some chickens?" he teased in a low voice.

"They are possessed, I'm telling you-"

"Go to your room, Draco," Lucius ordered as they entered the Manor.

"But-"

"I said go," Lucius said. Draco gave Evanna a worried look and did as he was bid.

Evanna felt nearly sick with fear. Perhaps she ought not have baited him earlier at the platform, given that she knew her father to still be angry over the incident at the Yule Ball, but she had just been so relieved. She ought to have known better than to let her guard down; she was still a Slytherin and this was still her father. Her violent, easily angered father, who used her to take out all of his frustrations.

"My study," he said gruffly. Evanna did her best not to show her fear. She had watched the Dark Lord rise again; she would not be afraid of Lucius Malfoy. She would not.

If only her trembling hands would listen to her.

Slowly, she followed him upstairs to the third door on the left. The door brought up so many terrible memories-memories of her training, memories of Lucius's rage, memories of him taking out all of her mother's sins on her. It was never a good thing when Lucius sent Draco to his bedroom and Evanna to his study. It always spelt out pain for Evanna. Lucius opened the door. Evanna took a deep breath and walked in.

The door closed behind her. Lucius did not follow her in.

Evanna turned toward the closed door, confused. Why did he remain outside? Was he not planning on punishing her for her cheek or for the rumors that had been circulating around her? This was new territory, and the last time Lucius had done something unexpected, Evanna had not benefitted.

The room was dark, except a fire going in the fireplace. Strange, as it was the beginning of July and not at all cool outside. Her father's wingback chair was facing the fireplace.

"I cannot seem to get altogether warm since my return," a voice said. Evanna jumped. "I can put it out for you, if you are uncomfortable."

A strange sense of foreboding came over her at the sound of the stranger's voice. Evanna took a step towards him.

"Come into the light, child. I wish to see you," the man said.

Warily, Evanna stepped forward into the firelight. The man stood over a foot taller than Evanna, skeletally thin, though he seemed to be trying to make up for it with voluminous black robes. His eyes shone with intelligence and curiosity-ruby red-a stark contrast to his pale, almost white face.

Evanna fell to her knees immediately, fear like never before erupting in her gut. She reached forward shakily to kiss the hem of the Dark Lord's robes the way she had seen the Death Eaters doing the night of the Third Task, praying that she would make it out of this room with her life-

"My lord," she murmured.

Before she could kiss his feet, though, Lord Voldemort had stooped and brought Evanna up into a standing position. She fought to stop her shaking as he lifted her up by the chin. It was an oddly gentle gesture, one that she did not at all understand.

"No, I would not require that of you," he said softly. "Daughter."

A/N: AHHH! It's finally out there! I have been dying to write & publish this scene since I decided I would write Evanna's story earlier this year! I know at least one reviewer guessed, and there were several moments where people were questioning if Evanna was Snape's daughter. I did my best to bury clues every few chapters, lol.

It was my goal to get to this moment before the end of break, and I still have two weeks left, though much of that probably needs to be spent preparing for classes that I am teaching/designs for Richard II. (So no more 2/day chapters, I apologize.) But, I expect to put out a couple more chapters before I go back.

Thank you to all my reviewers. Please enjoy and let me know what you think!