Evanna put on a very good face in front of the other Slytherins, equal parts aloof and politely interested as they chatted about their Yule. She and Theo stayed close to one another, holding hands, but otherwise avoiding touching one another. They were friendly now, yes, but Evanna could feel the waves of anxiety coming off him.

She killed the man who raised her.

It was hard to tell which Slytherin was thinking the thought louder.

By the time they arrived at Hogwarts, Evanna felt sick to her stomach. She squeezed Theo's hand as they exited off the threstral-drawn carriages.

"I'm not feeling well, I'm going to the Common Room," she said.

"Oh, erm, alright. Want me to come with you?" Theo said.

"No, that's alright."

The relief that came off her ex-boyfriend turned betrothed did nothing to help her mood. Instead of going to the Common Room, she went straight to Professor Snape's quarters, wanting nothing more than for Narcissa to fix her a cup of tea and tell her everything would be okay. When she arrived, it was not Professor Snape or even Narcissa who answered the door.

It was Draco.

Evanna's mouth was dry as she took in the sight of her once-brother, paper than usual with dark smudges under his eyes. s. The tired look in his eyes hardened into ice when he saw who was at the door. He immediately tried to close it in her face.

"Wait-"

"Who's at the door?"

Evanna almost sighed in relief as her mentor came into view.

"No one," Draco said in a deep growl, trying again to slam the door in her face.

Professor Snape caught the door before Draco could fully slam it.

"You should not lie when it does you no good, Draco," he said.

"I didn't want her coming in," he said.

"I would remind you, Mr. Malfoy, that as these are my quarters, you do not get to decide which of my students may come and see me," the professor said, voice dryer than sandpaper. "If I thought it would do any good."

"She killed my father-"

"He deserved it!" Evanna hissed, no longer willing to listen to her adopted brother continuously defend the man.

That was all it took. Draco's wand slipped from the sheath she knew was always hiding just under his robe sleeves and hers did the same.

"Idiots!" Professor Snape hissed, and with a motion from his own wand, both were stumbling into the small sitting room. Narcissa was just coming out from the back bedroom, velvety robe billowing to put Professor Snape's to shame.

"I thought I heard Evanna-what is going on?" she demanded.

"The good professor just invited a murderer into his quarters," Draco sneered.

"As opposed to the murderer who raised us," Evanna shot back.

"I heard what happened! He was unarmed, Evanna!" Draco shouted. "He was unarmed and shaved and already beaten and you killed my father anyway!"

"Draco," Narcissa said, placing a hand on his shoulder. He jerked his shoulder away and marched out the door before anyone could say anything else. Evanna stood still as a statue, staring at her shoes. The left one was scuffed every so slightly, though the other held her reflection, distorted as it may be. "I should go after him," Narcissa said.

"Leave him be," Professor Snape said. "He'll need some time to cool off."

"The state he's in, Sev. What if he does something stupid?"

"He is a teenage boy, Narcissa, it is his job to do stupid things. That doesn't mean he needs his mother chasing after him."

She pursed her lips. "You are being belligerent."

"And you are prying," the professor said. "And I believe we need to speak with your daughter."

Evanna looked up at that as Professor Snape took a seat in the leather chair in front of the fireplace.

"I'm not her-"

"Sit," Professor Snape said in a clipped tone. Evanna did not even think of disobeying and did so on the couch. Narcissa sat beside her.

"Why do I get the feeling that I am in trouble?" she said calmly, as though the interaction with Draco had not shaken her.

"You did what you were told to do, Draco will understand tha-"

"I killed his father, Mother," Evanna snapped. "And I do not regret it. By harming me, he was betraying my father."

She did her best to sound sure. But, with Narcissa's sad blue eyes fixed on her, she could not help the wobble in her voice.

"And on top of that, Lucius nearly killed you, Mother," she said, trying to convince herself more than anyone else. "And Father said that he had given Lucius something else, too, something important to the war, and Lucius destroyed it. And he was still trying to hurt me-to betray me-right before I-I-"

Evanna was gasping now, as glassy grey eyes seemed to fill her vision.

"Fa-father said anyone who stands against his heir, anyone who stands against me is standing against him. And-and he cannot allow that, so I cannot-"

Narcissa cupped Evanna's cheek and Evanna realized then that there were tears coming from her eyes.

"Oh, my poor child, what have we done to you?" she murmured. Even in her worked up state, Evanna did not miss the look exchanged between Narcissa and Severus.

We cannot tell her tonight. It is too much.

"What can't you tell me?" she demanded immediately, looking from one adult to another.

"You were supposed to be working on not listening in to everyone's thoughts all the time, Evanna," Narcissa said with a heavy sigh.

"That only works when you're not practically screaming at me," Evanna snapped. "What did you need to tell me tonight? If you don't, I'll still find out."

The adults exchanged glances again and Professor Snape sighed.

"The Headmaster knows."

There were too many options for what the Headmaster could know and all of them bad. Evanna stared at him until he continued.

"He knows Lucius is dead," he said.

Evanna chewed on her lip. "Then there is less of a need for Bella to Polyjuice herself. We can ration the hairs left better. But the world still believes him to be a doddering old man-"

"He also knows who you are. Who your father is."

Evanna went ice cold at that. Her brain ground to a stop as she stared at the door, as though waiting for the Aurors to burst through at any moment. She remembered her second year, the Dementors around every entrance of the school, their icy presence forcing her to relieve every awful moment Lucius had put her through….

Evanna stared down Professor Snape. "Does my Father-"

"No. I wanted to tell you first, my lady."

"How?" she said, voice hoarse.

The professor shook his head. "I can't tell you."

Evanna felt bone weary even as she tried her best to pull up a threatening tone. "I order the Death Eaters just the same as my father, Professor. Either you serve me or you serve Dumbledore."

The professor frowned, considering her carefully. "He-he heard you using Parseltongue."

Evanna closed her eyes. That didn't make any sense. When had she ever used Parseltongue near the Headmaster? She had always been careful to not give the old man any further reason to hate her.

"I don't understand," she said. "If he knows, then why hasn't he done anything about it? He hates me-he has always hated me-"

"I think," Narcissa said slowly, "you have a long day of classes tomorrow. I am sure that Professor Snape would not mind if you used his guest room. I do not think Draco will be back tonight. And I have been too worried for you for too long to let you just go back to the Common Room tonight."

Evanna did not argue as Narcissa bundled her off to the guest room, ordering house elves to bring her a change of clothes briskly. Her eyes met Professor Snape's.

Merlin, how do I save her from herself?

Soon, Evanna found herself being literally tucked into bed by Narcissa as though she was still a small child. Being back in Hogwarts, she forced herself to dream.

She stood on the hill with the stones, wind and rain whipping her hair around her face as thunder rumbled, sounding ever closer. She turned around and around, but saw no one.

"Where are you?" she screamed, the wind ripping her voice away. "Why won't you come to me?"

The landscape lit up as an arc of lightning struck a tree nearby. The field around her was empty.

"So you can insert yourself into my dreams whenever you want but I can't call on you?" she shouted into the nothingness. "What good are you? Just to judge my every move?"

More lightning. More nothing.

"I never needed you anyway!" she screamed. "I've made it this far-I will do more than any of you have ever done!"

Thunder. Lightning. Nothing.

Ginny POV

Neither of the Malfoy siblings appeared at dinner that night. Ginny did her best not to let her worry show, but quickly made her way to the Castle Centre as soon as she could without raising her brothers' suspicions.

Bridget and Luna were already there when Ginny rounded the door-only children did not have to worry so much about annoying older brothers.

"Hallo, Ginny," Luna said. "Good holiday? Is your dad better?"

"Yes, much better," she said. "Yours?"

"The castle was quiet, but-

"Is this really the time for small talk?" Bridget said, cutting Luna off. "Ginny, you've been living with the Headmaster's followers for the past month-surely you know something we don't."

Ginny considered her friends for a moment. Luna was giving her an expectant look, waiting for her to say something. Bridget's was far more demanding. Ginny remembered in that moment that Evanna was not the only one with Death Eater ties and they were entering into war. But, if Ginny could not trust her friends, then who could she trust?

"I think-I overheard-" she gulped and lowered her voice. "Lucius Malfoy is dead."

Luna blinked, eyes blown wide while Bridget looked as though her worst fears had been confirmed.

"How?" Luna said. "Is Evanna alright?"

Bridget went stock still, looking at something just above Ginny's head.

"Evanna," a voice sneered, "is perfectly alright, considering she is the one who murdered my father."

Ginny turned to see Draco Malfoy standing in the doorway, his eyes sunken with deep circles under his eyes. She recognized that look-it was the look she had seen on her brothers' faces while they waited to learn whether their father was going to live or die.

Bridget was standing in a heartbeat, arms crossed tight across her chest as she eyed Draco suspiciously.

"Since when do you deign to hang out with your sister's blood-traitor friends, Malfoy?" she demanded. Draco's grey eyes shifted slightly to Ginny before clamping on to Bridget.

"Don't act like you're stupid, Travers," he said. "We both know better."

Bridget took a step toward him, seeming to size him up. Ginny put a hand on her.

"Let me talk to him," she said.

"This isn't a bloody quidditch match," the other girl replied.

"C'mon, Bridget," Luna said softly, pulling on Bridget's arm before Ginny could reply. "We've got Potions first thing in the morning."

With one more glare thrown at Draco, Bridget let herself be escorted out of the room. Ginny stood in front of Draco awkwardly, remembering their last meeting and how angry she had been with him for his horrible comments about her mother. But now he was looking so desperate and though she had not necessarily forgiven him for his idiocy, she wanted to help him.

"What happened, exactly?" she asked.

"I-I wish I could tell you," he said. "But I wasn't there. Only-only the inner circle was. That… that's the way he operates with the important stuff."

Ginny shuddered at the reference. "I-I thought-you were-"

"My father was," he said. "But You-Know-Who still killed him."

Ginny held up a hand. "I thought you said Evanna killed Lucius?"

"On You-Know-Who's orders," Draco emphasized, then seemed to catch himself. "I can't talk about it with you. It-it isn't safe."

Ginny's mind was spinning. Had it been that Evanna had snapped after years of abuse, she would not have questioned it. She knew her friend had been trained for years to use the worst sorts of magic, to turn that against her tormentor satisfied some dark sense of justice deep inside her. But for her to have done it on You-Know-Who's orders? Only a very few people would do that, and those people had a name.

"Is Ev a Death Eater?" she asked slowly, hating the words as they left her lips.

"No," Draco said, looking as though he wanted to say more. "But… I think she may become worse than one. And when she does, I need to be far away. Professor Snape has been completely snowed by her, and so has my mother…."

He had begun pacing the floor in front of her, looking almost crazed as he did so. Ginny's mind was spinning with the effort of keeping up with him.

"Worse than a Death Eater? Draco, you're not making any sense," she said. He finally looked up at her, seeming to remember where he was. He shook his head.

"Your family is on Dumbledore's side," he said, looking at her like that cleared everything up.

"I think that is the only thing you've said tonight that even resembled something sane," Ginny said.

"So you know him. Outside of here. Right?"

"I don't feel quite comfortable-"

"I'm not looking for information or anything like that," Draco said, looking at her with nothing less than wild fear in his eyes. "I need protection. I need your help to convince Dumbledore of that."

Ginny looked him up and down, wanting to believe him but not quite able to convince herself too. For as much as he made a good quidditch partner, he was a Malfoy and Malfoys were supporters of the Dark Arts, obsessed with blood purity. But Evanna was her friend, a good person who had saved Ginny's life. If what Draco said was true, though, then Evanna was not the person she thought, and Draco wasn't either.

"I'll take you to Dumbledore," she said. "And you'll have to convince both of us."