Severus POV

Severus had not particularly wanted to go to the beginning of the year feast, but, of course, he had had no real choice in the matter. That seemed to be the main theme of his life after all. He gritted his teeth as the Headmaster introduced Sirius Black as the new Defense of the Dark Arts teacher. He could only hope the so-called curse on the position would take effect on his childhood tormentor.

The Headmaster was talking with only one of his hands. The other was blackened. Cursed. The Headmaster was only still standing because of Severus Snape's quick thinking. When the headmaster had returned to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry nearly dead it had taken all of Severus's varied skills in potions kk and the dark arts to keep the headmaster from dying within the hour. And, evidently, to keep any semblance of a job at the school, or as a spy for either side of the war. It had been the very next day after Severus had saved Dumbledore's life from the cursed ring that he had been called once again in the Headmaster's office.

"It seems I am in your debt, Severus. I did not expect you to save me from my folly," the old man had said after unsuccessfully offering Severus a lemon drop.

"What kind of member of the Order would I be if I let you die?" Severus replied. "And you will need continued treatment, Headmaster, and even that may not save you--"

"Many no longer trust your loyalty," the old man said. It felt as though Snape's veins had been shot with ice.

"And are you one of those many?" he said in as even a tone as he could.

"You disobeyed direct orders regarding Harry Potter," the Headmaster said.

"The boy needs training, Albus, and it should not have taken until his fifth year to begin it!"

"Tell me, is Lily Evans' son the only reason you work against Voldemort?"

"You know it's not," Severus had said.

"Then it's time you see the bigger picture."

As the Headmaster introduced Professor Slughorn and glossed over Severus' diminished role, a pair of bespectacled eyes caught Severus' attention. He was grateful that the boy was far away enough that he could not see the haunting green of his best friend's eyes. How could he look into Lily Potter's eyes, knowing what he now knew about the fate of her son? Perhaps it was a blessing that he would not be teaching the boy this year (for Severus knew that Dumbledore would have forced Potter into Potions despite his subpar Potions marks).

Potter looked away, instead rather obviously looking up and down the Slytherin table until he caught the attention of Evanna. The second child Severus had sworn to protect, the child Severus wished had been his rather than the true horror of her parentage.

How he had managed to keep the girl from learning this new tragedy in the saga that was Potter's life, he was not entirely sure. All he could imagine was that she had become so focused on maintaining the secrecy of their ill-fated and ill-advised teenaged tryst that she had not paid any attention whatsoever to her strange set of powers.

Evanna seemed to be at least marginally more in control of her hormones as she turned away from Potter almost as soon as he looked at her. Instead, she looked toward the Headmaster, her face becoming more drawn and pale as she studied up at him. Severus frowned, unsure what to make of the expression on her face. If he was honest with himself, he wondered what the Dark Lord was thinking sending her back to Hogwarts.

The Headmaster met Evanna's gaze evenly as he spoke of keeping the forces of darkness outside of Hogwarts. That the students were greatest defense against the oncoming storm. The old man's face took on the look of a battle-hardened general as he continued to hold Evanna's gaze.

The girl broke away first.

Evanna POV

Evanna felt Harry's gaze land on her about halfway through the Headmaster's welcome speech, but she refused to meet his eyes for long. There were far too many people around, her father's voice still ringing in her ears, warning her to stay away from those outside of his influence. Harry was of course the furthest person outside of his influence Evanna could think of.

The Headmaster's speech made her more nervous with each word, as he all but recruited the students of Hogwarts to join the Order of the Phoenix from the high table. This man, who her father had ordered her to kill, was encouraging children to become soldiers. Her mouth set in a hard line, Evanna met his icy blue stare evenly.

What did it matter that he was supposedly the best wizard of a generation? Her father was just as powerful, and some had already suggested she had the potential to outdo even him. Besides, no one had yet to stand up to Albus Dumbledore's unique brand of tyranny, how he seemed to exert his power over the Wizarding World without anyone having put him in charge of anything except a school.

None of that erased the fact that Evanna was not even fifteen and had been given an impossible task.

Evanna could feel how annoyed the Headmaster was becoming as she continued to hold his gaze when she finally noticed something-his hand. His hand was blackened, shriveled, like it was dead but still attached to his living body. She pressed forward with her mind, forcing her way past the icy walls of the Headmaster's defenses. She caught sight of a ring with a black stone before she was forcibly shoved out, the Headmaster's glare heavy upon her. She quickly looked away, not feigning fear as much as she would have liked.

"I believe after all that heavy talk, it is time to go to bed," the Headmaster announced to the hall at large.

Evanna quickly stood, calling the first years to follow her and her partner prefect, Teagan Leroy. It half looked as though he was the only prefect, as he stood at least a foot taller than Evanna and she was much closer to the height of the first years.

"First years!" she called, stretching to her tiptoes to be seen. "First years this way!"

"You know you don't have to do this," Leroy told her as they gathered the new Slytherins.

"Isn't part of the prefect's job?" she said.

"Don't you outrank a prefect?" he said dryly. Evanna shot him a sharp look.

"Not by normal Hogwarts protocol," she said primly.

"Somehow, I'd imagine by normal Hogwarts protocol, you wouldn't even be here," he said. "You can delegate, my lady,"

"I can," she agreed simply, before calling over her shoulder again, "This way, new Slytherins!"

She could feel an odd sort of surprise echoing off him as she overtook him in the hallway, leading the young Slytherins to their new Common Room. As she moved out of the Great Hall, she felt someone brush past her, a tingle of electricity going up her arm as Harry tapped her palm. Their eyes locked for just a moment.

I'm being watched.

Both shoved the same thought toward the other, knowing that their desire to meet tonight was likely to not happen. She knew it would come as no shock to Harry that she was being watched-when had she not been watched since coming to Hogwarts?-but that someone was watching the boy-who-lived? Who did not trust Harry Potter?

Evanna was startled into paying attention to her House again as Theodore came up beside her, all but glaring at Harry as he took her hand.

"Is this the time, Theodore?" she murmured.

"When we are in public and so many eyes are on you?" he scoffed. "Absolutely."

Evanna scowled, causing one of the first years to all but squeak in alarm. She quickly schooled her features into something a little more pleasant.

"This way, come along!" she called. "Don't trip on the stone-it gets rough closer to the dungeons."

Evanna was able to sense that Professor Snape was already waiting for them in the shadows of the Slytherin Common Room when they entered. He always seemed to enjoy making a dramatic entrance; she half wondered if he would have been better suited for the stage instead of the classroom.

Well, he's no longer in the classroom, is he?

Evanna and Teagan Leroy stood in front of the House, waiting for the first years to quiet when one's voice rose above the crowd.

"You have to lying!" a petite redhead said hotly. Evanna was reminded painfully of Ginny. "There is no way they would make You-Know-Who's daughter a Prefect!"

Before Evanna could say anything, Professor Snape had stepped out of the shadows, face like carved stone.

"Slytherin is the House of the cunning, shrewd, and ambitious," he said lowly, yet every Slytherin was able to hear him perfectly. "And typically, members of our esteemed House have at least a modicum of self-preservation."

The first year flushed and stepped back into the crowd. Professor Snape did not take his gaze from the first year for several moments before addressing the room at large.

"This is Slytherin House, the House of Merlin and yet also the most maligned of the four Houses," he said. "For more than a decade, it has been relatively peaceful in this House in a way that it had not been since before I was a student here. I do not expect this year to be the same."

Evanna felt an odd swoop in her stomach.

"As you know, there is a war outside these walls. In war, people die. For some reason, Slytherin House bore the brunt of the blame for the last war, and I expect this year to be much the same," he said. "So, it would be best that all of you behave with the utmost decorum outside of this Common Room and give the rest of the school no reason to suspect the Serpent Den more than they already do."

Evanna exchanged a glance with Theo, who looked just as nervous as she felt. She could feel the nerves of the Slytherin students racheting with each word, too.

"When you are accused unfairly-as you likely will be this year-I will do my utmost to fight for you," he continued. "When you are accused rightfully, I will not sacrifice the already shaky reputation of this House to save your foolish hide. You shall always do your very best in your classes and seek assistance from your Prefects or myself when your efforts are insufficient. And finally, your appearance shall always reflect the long tradition of excellence that our House has held. Bearing that in mind, when I call your name, you wil receive your House badge. The House elves will see to your robes."

Evanna watched each of the first years walking forward to receive their badge in somewhat of a haze.

"Who would have thought that when we received our badges things would have turned out this way," Theodore muttered to her. "Draco Merlin knows where, you and I in a betrothal neither of us want. You-leading a war."

"Keep your voice down," she hissed.

"We are in Slytherin House-everyone knows and no one dares speak against you," he said softly.

Evanna did not reply, instead moving forward to speak to Professor Snape as soon as he finished handing out the badges.

"Professor!" she called as the dour man made his way to exit the common room. He did not so much as look back. "Professor Snape!"

He turned just as he had opened the door. "You are a Prefect now, Ms. Malfoy. You are to be escorting the first years to bed."

"You and I both know I did not receive the Prefect title to supervise eleven year olds," she said.

"I do not wish to know the reason your esteemed father pushed so hard for you to have this position. My own is precarious enough," he replied, turning to the door once more.

"Where is Draco, Professor?" she demanded. "When is he coming home?"

The professor paused again, not looking towards her. "As whom are you asking? The Dark Lady or as a sister?"

Evanna felt a pang go through his heart. "Does that change the answer?"

He turned toward her. "Soon, my lady."

He did not give her another opportunity to ask him what that meant.

Voldemort POV

My dear father,

The members of our House have gathered around me to provide protection, as you wished, though I doubt any school child could provide me with better protection than you have taught me to provide myself. The school is on high alert, with teachers checking students' belongings upon arrival for Dark items-not that any would be foolish enough to bring such things through the front gate.

Dumbledore is once again calling for unity across the Houses, though I would say it is far from a sincere invitation. There is something more interesting than his preaching, however. The Headmaster's wand hand is entirely blackened as though cursed. I have never seen the like of it. The old man may no longer be the threat we once believed him to be.

Your faithful daughter,

Evanna

The Dark Lord tapped his chin. The letter was intriguing-Dumbledore with a new weakness to exploit. And his daughter-she was clearly worried about this assignment and not nearly as sly as she believed herself. Even with this new weakness, Dumbledore was more than a formidable opponent. It was not only spellwork that would win this war, but also influence. Voldemort could not see a day in which Dumbledore would not exert that kind of influence over the people.

There had been no reports of Evanna going against the grain again on the train or elsewhere. She had been the model Slytherin Prefect, sitting alongside her betrothed and guiding the newest snakes to the Common Room. None of her usual mooning over Potter or galavanting with the rabble from other Houses. Perhaps she had turned a new leaf, devoted herself more fully to his cause.

Or perhaps she was fooling him.

Snarling, Voldemort threw the parchment into the flames. He ought to have disposed of her as soon as he had cause to doubt her. Many times over the summer, he had opened her door at night, the spell on his lips, ready to end this failed experiment. But, each time, he could not say the spell that had gained him his reputation, as though some ancient force was staying his tongue. Finally, he had devised this plan; either she would take care of his Dumbledore problem or Dumbledore would rid him of his heir.

He still was unsure which was the larger threat.

He was sure that the world would burn if she was taken.