Heyo all! Glad to be back! Sorry it's been so rough. The end of my classes are always so demanding, BUT THIS TIME NEXT WEEK ILL BE GRADUATED WOOWOO and onto the next chapter of my life :) exciting stuff. But before I become a real adult I'll be taking some time off and be posting more in my free time. I'm hoping in the next couple of weeks I can get us to JUNE AND THEN FINALLY GET TO THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE WOOWOO We are nearly at 400k words...i never imagined it would take this long, but it is what it is!

Thanks for sticking with me, i appreciate you, and I hope you enjoy Penny's end-of-term shenanigans ;)

"Have some tea," the toad-like face smiled, pushing the pristine floral cup toward Penny as well as a tray of sugar cubes.

"Thanks, Professor," Penny smiled weakly, glancing nervously down at the steaming dark liquid before her. She'd have to be insane to accept anything the old hag offered her, but she could not let Umbridge see her reluctance.

"I am pleased to see you've recovered so well. As one of our most important assets, we were very worried that the spattergroit might leave you— well, less useful," Umbridge said, in that awful sing-song voice of hers. The words enraged Penny, made her want to throw the tea in her face. The audacity of the woman to treat Penny as though she were some commodity that belonged to the Ministry—but Penny could not let those thoughts get the best of her because the bulbous eyes were watching her, searching for any indication Penny might be willful, resistant to help her.

So Penny swallowed her pride, widened her doe eyes, and pretended to be attentive. "Madam Pomfrey really is a spectacular healer, she took such wonderful care of me," came from Penny's mouth, words she never imagined she would say about the crazy woman who always seemed too eager to keep Penny as her captive in the boring Hospital Wing.

"Yes, she has done quite well, I have advised the Minister she should remain once we—" Umbridge said, taking a sip of her tea and stopping with a little laugh. "Look at me, saying too much."

"I'm sorry, maybe I shouldn't ask, but everyone has been talking, Professor, what with your inspections, but does the Ministry intend to replace—"

"I'm not permitted to say, but things are changing at Hogwarts, but that's not anything for you to worry about, my sweet," Umbridge said, reaching her fat-fingered hand across the table to squeeze Penny's in what she must have assumed was an affectionate gesture, but Penny only felt revulsion so intensely that she nearly yanked her hand away. By some miracle she stopped herself before it was too late and nodded like Aunt Petunia had always told her to do. Don't talk back to your Uncle you ungrateful—we have fed you, kept you—you will do as you're told and keep silent about it, or else you'll regret it.

Penny learned early in her life that the threats were not idle, Aunt Petunia didn't bluff. On bright summer days the scars on Penny's legs sometimes caught the light at just the right angle to still be visible, an eternal reminder of what happens to those who question her Uncle. Umbridge was like her Aunt and Uncle, she wanted Penny's obedience and Penny was afraid to find out what she would do to obtain it.

"Let's put those nasty thoughts out of our minds, shall we? I've asked you here because I have some happy news."
"Oh?" Penny said, her stomach doing an odd backflip, knowing anything Umbridge would call 'happy news' would most likely be very unhappy for her.

"It seems our efforts utilizing your unique gifts are proving fruitful. Yalxey informs me he has made some marvelous breakthroughs!" Umbridge said, clapping her hands together in enthusiastic approval.

Penny could feel every ounce of blood drain from her face, feel it make its slow retreat from the vessels in her face, to return to her heart as though in preparation for the instincts pressing against every one of Penny's nerves. The prickling in her fingers and toes was her fight or flight response, Penny unsure which one was winning, unsure what her body would compel her to do, but sure her stony features betrayed the change plainly to Umbridge whose thin lips tightened ever so slightly.

"You'll forgive me, Professor, but I was under Yaxley's watch when the MACUSA—" Penny said, stiffly, but Umbridge cut her off.

"A horrible ordeal, I'm sure. But you are wrongly attributing such awful actions to the wrong person."

"Am I?" Penny said, barely audible now as the memory of that last day in the Department of Mysteries returned to her. She could still feel his rancid fingers on her skin, as though they were there now, searing the flesh from her bones.

"You are," Umbridge replied, her voice lighter now, causing Penny to glance up and realize she was entering the danger zone.

With a small sigh Penny said, "I never heard how the investigation went, so I will trust your authority."

"I'm glad to hear it, I am your friend, Penny, you can always trust me," Umbridge said, her wide slack mouth opening in a large smile.

Being unsure how she was supposed to respond to that blatant lie, Penny pretended to sip her now cold tea.

"Our progress," Umbridge said, returning to the previous conversation, "has hit a bit of a standstill, unfortunately. It seems all stores of your precious contribution have been used, and Yaxley has requested that I—" but the rest of the sentence was lost on Penny as a horrible dread began to drown her. These were the words Penny had expected, but the ones she was least prepared for.

The bright pink room with its large windows that filled it with bright light closed in on Penny. Quickly, in an attempt to stave off her panic she recalled sitting with Lupin beside them, drinking his tea, listening to his soft laughter—how far away those memories felt now—the collection of ornamental plates, each decorated with a technicolor kitten, looking down on her, so different from the various creatures that used to decorate this room; the evil woman before her so different from the man who had Penny's whole heart.

"With Christmas holidays right around the corner, it will be the ideal time for you to accompany me to the Department of Mysteries—"

Penny's eyes snapped back to Umbridge's.

"Back to the Department of Mysteries-I c-can't-"

"Of course you can, I'll escort you as soon as term ends."

"B-but, Professor, I have plans," Penny said quickly, knowing full well she didn't.

"Oh? Certainly not to see your relatives, I am told that you never return to see them."

"No, not them, I've been invited to my friends."

"And who might those be?"

"The W-Weasleys," Penny stuttered, thinking of the first name that came to the top of her head.

"How nice," Umbridge said after a moment, "But our excursion need not take up all your time, surely we will have what we need well before Christmas," she said, matter-o-factly as she began collecting the dishes, clearly indicating their discussion was over.

"Do I get a choice?" Penny said, a note of accusation in her tone.

Turning very slowly to look at her, Umbridge surveyed Penny for a long moment, before saying in her mostly sickly sweet voice. "Of course, my sweet. You can either accompany me willingly , or I can take you un willingly, but I can assure you that you would find the latter most unpleasant." And with that, the conversation was over, and Penny found herself wanting November to never end.

The conversation left Penny feeling awful and terrified. She did not know what to do or how to feel anything but hopeless. Not at all desiring to have her brother and Ginny pity her or give her a false sense of hope that she might somehow get out of this, Penny kept the information to herself. She also knew it would only make them miserable as well, and she did not want that, both had already wasted enough energy worrying about her, and at this point Penny knew her bad luck would never relent, she was cursed after all. For how awful things were, Penny cynically reminded herself it was only going to get worse.

As to be expected, Penny was in an exceedingly foul mood for the rest of November and into December, even Snape seemed to avoid irritating her further, and so they sat in silence during the evenings he spent helping her with her curse. He made no further efforts to try and press his case, or even chastise her—he did not even so much as greet her when she arrived each night. Though his mouth remained tightly closed, Penny did not miss the way his dark eyes lingered on her, sometimes making her feel he was on the verge of saying something, nor the way he seemed to appear everywhere she was, sometimes brushing past her in the Library, sometimes leaning against a wall in the corridors, and other times seated at the high table, his gaze never moving from where she sat until she retired from the room.

The stupid, desperate girl inside of Penny often wanted to stop, to beg him, beg him to help her, to not let them take her back to her hell. But she could not endure the pain of the futility of such an effort. He'd sworn to her to never let them take her again, and yet, there was nothing he could do, nothing anyone could do. Dolores Umbridge worked for the government, was the government . If Penny refused, she would fabricate some lie about Penny and everyone would believe her, and Penny's life would be in ruins—all because Penny was powerless. She was an orphan, no one cared about orphans, except the one who had saved the wizarding world. But Penny wasn't like Harry, her abilities made her an outsider, someone not to be trusted, someone who could easily end up like Grindelwald. It didn't matter what she thought or felt, Umbridge wanted something from her and she would deliver, from now until forever, so she probably should get used to her reality.

As to be expected, the last day of term was almost upon them. Harry was having the final DA meeting, which Penny did not have the patience to attend, so she made some lame excuse about needing to write an essay for Snape. But Penny did no such thing, she sat staring at the blank parchment before her while absentmindedly scratching Fleamont's head. He was wearing a festive sweater and matching booties that Penny had knitted for him, worrying without any fur he might become too cold. He gave her an odd look, almost reproachful when she approached him with them, but he allowed her to put them on in the end. Everyone in the castle quickly took notice, girls often calling out to him and giggling when they saw him wandering the halls; Professor McGonagall's mouth even twitching into the faintest of smiles when she arrived to class with him in tow.

He'd become something of a permanent fixture in all of her classes, and her Professors, except Snape, did not bother to tell him to shoo. Snape on the other hand, he demanded she leave him at the door, but Fleamont would just reappear anytime Penny set him outside the door, and the more combative Snape became the more Fleamont retaliated, often knocking jars off shelves, sleeping on the course work Snape was grading, and scratching the Potions Master when he tried to move the cat. After several very bad looking cuts that pussed for many days, Snape resigned the efforts, ignoring, and giving the cat a wide berth.

Setting the cat on the floor, Penny knew she could not put it off any longer, she had to tell her twin about where she would be spending part of her holiday, not doing so would make her an awful sister. Thinking he might still be cleaning up in the room of requirement, Penny made her way there. She pushed open the door and was surprised to find the room decorated for Christmas. Penny couldn't help but smile, Christmas festivities always did have a way of cheering her up. But her smile did not last long because as her eyes trailed around the room they landed on two forms standing beneath the mistletoe. Their lips locked together in a kiss, were her brother, Harry and Cho Chang.

While Penny wished she were a better person and could be happy for her brother, she could not help the fury that spiked in her chest and the unbridled sense of betrayal. Cho Chang had tried so hard to keep Cedric from Penny and was the cause of the bullying her and Ginny experienced because she'd been angry about losing Cedric. Penny couldn't decide if she thought of herself as petty or not, but she could not forgive Cho, and could not stand seeing her with her hands on Harry. How Harry could be beguiled by such a girl—care so little for his twin's feelings, Penny didn't understand and she did not want to. Turning on her heel she slammed the door and walked angrily through the corridors until she somehow arrived at the lound kitchens full of houseleves.

To Penny's surprise, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle were already there accepting baskets from the elves. The two oafs grunted when they saw Penny, alerting Draco to their guest.

"Stop looking at me with that annoyingly nosey expression of yours and make yourself useful," he said with an eye roll when Penny quirked a brow at him.

"Only if you ask nicely," Penny said as she stepped up beside him to peer into the baskets. She picked up one of many bottles of firewhisky and chuckled.

"I'm not nice but neither are you."

"Some friend you are," Penny said, darkly, setting the bottle back down.

"Slytherin is where you'll find your true friends, and as it stands I am currently the only one who truly appreciates your real talents," Draco drawled, pushing a basket into her arms.

"I suppose I shouldn't be offended, Malfoys only like to keep useful friends."

"Are you going to spew some sentimental Gryffindor dribble about true friendships, because I'd remind you it was a Malfoy that got you out of that cell in the Department of Mysteries."

Penny came to a stop at these words, the prospect of returning to that nightmare too close for comfort. Draco came to a stop as well, his cool gray eyes seeing more than Penny wanted them too. He told Crabbe and Goyle to meet him back in the common room and then rounded on Penny. "Just get it over with already," he said, curtly.

"Get what over with?" replied Penny in confusion.

"Admit that in two days time, while everyone else in this school will be celebrating the holiday with their families, you'll be trapped in a chair with Yaxley's hands all over you as you ring in Christmas," Draco said as though the answer was the most obvious thing in the world.

Penny stared at him, flabbergasted, watching his indifference soften as he took in the effect his words had on her, and becoming disgust tinged with regret.

"How do you know that?" Penny gaped.

'How is it you still seem to always ask that useless question. Am I wrong?"

"N-no, but-"

"If you are hoping I would have some comfort to offer you, don't, it would be pointless. Yaxley has wanted little else since your little reunion at Snape's, and I imagine this will be every bit as miserable as you expect it will be."

"Sure know how to cheer a friend up, don't you," Penny scowled.

"If you wanted someone to lie to you, you wouldn't have come to me with this."

"I don't know why I come to you for anything," Penny sighed.

"I do," Draco said, flashing his pretty pearly white teeth at her.

"Yeah? Do tell."

"Because I have what you need," he replied, picking up a bottle and dangling it before her.

"How's that going to help me with Yaxley!"

"It's not," he said with a bewildered shake of his head. "But it sure as hell will help you not waste another moment being miserable because of him."

Part of Penny wanted to argue, on principle, but the overwhelming part of her wanted to get shitface-drunk and do exactly as Draco said. Resisting him would not make her feel better, but he offered a reprieve, even if for a moment, and so she followed him, sneaking through corridors until they arrived at the entrance of the Slytherin common room.

"You can't really expect me to go in there," Penny hissed.

"Scared Potter?"

"Of getting gang raped, yeah maybe a little!"

"Don't be so prejudiced," he said with a scorn that baffled Penny.

"Did you forget about Theodore Nott and the fact your boyfriend hates my guts?"

"You're with me, no one will touch you.".

"Because you're a Malfoy—"

Draco stepped in closely to Penny, "Precisely," he breathed. "Now let's go before you make me impatient."

And with that, Penny found herself in a long, low underground room, rough stone going from wall to ceiling, and upon which green lamps hung on the end of chains. Above the hearth was a spectacular mantelpiece, a sofa and several cushioning chairs placed around it, in them an array of Slytherin 5-7th years, the younger students seeming to already be in their rooms. Penny half wondered if they'd been kicked out or not. Draco made his way to the table that sat between them and began laying out the contents of his basket, Penny quickly following after him, keenly aware of how every pair of eyes was now watching her

She sorely wished Draco would say something, but he cracked open a firewhisky and began to drink heavily and handed it to Penny as though nothing was amiss.

"Isn't she a Gryffindor?" said Adrian Pucey, a tall 7th year with dark hair and dark skin who was the Slytherin chaser.

"Aye, she is, Potter's sister," Terence Higgs, another former Slytherin quidditch team player said.

"Oh, this is the one that belongs to Snape?" Adrian said, not bothering to hide the way he looked Penny up and down.

Penny coughed, choking on her firewhisky at these words. "Absolutely not, I do not belong to anyone," she said defensively.

"I heard you were staying at his place for the summer," piped in Zabini.

"I wasn't—"

"She's a liar. Malfoy's dad told mine all about the little squabble between Yaxley and Snape over her," Nott said, cutting Penny off and patting the empty space beside him with a horrible smirk on his face.

"Blimey, she is the real thing. What's it like, sucking Snape's dick?" Adrian said, garnering the laughter of the others.

"I wouldn't know," Penny said, stiffly.

"Oh come on, don't be shy. You've been given a rare honor, many girls have tried and been shot down," Adrian went on, looking much too amused for Penny's liking.

"That slut Parkinson tried just last week," said Marcus Flint, an ugly boy with horrid teeth.

"How would you know that?" Draco finally said.

"Someone had to satisfy her after all Snape's teasing," he smirked, to a roar of noise from the other boys.

"You're so full of shit, Flint. Not only would no girl ever put you and satisfied in the same thought, Snape doesn't touch students," Penny said, uncertain why she felt compelled to defend her Potions Master's reputation.

"What's the matter, are you jealous, Potter?" said Adrian, leaning forward and placing his elbows on his knees, dark eyes alight with amusement.

The others snickered, but before she could respond, Draco shoved the firewhisky back into her hands and gave her a hard stare, indicating she should shut up and drink.

"Funny, Pucey, I never see Snape anywhere near the altar boys during the four festivals, but yours is always there, isn't he? It's probably why your mother fucked that mudblood and had you."

The dynamics of the conversation shift in an instant, everyone but Adrian laughing raucously, and Adrian looking mutinous but clearly unwilling to challenge Malfyo's authority. Perhaps Penny had wrongly doubted him, apparently his name did count for much more than she understood.

Without another word, Adrian took a drink and sat back. "As for our head of house, he happens to be an old friend of fathers, so the next person to slander his good name will have me to answer to," Draco said in a bored voice as he pushed Penny into the nearest sofa and took up residence beside her. On the opposite side of her was Flint, who gave her a gross smile and she could have sworn moved closer to her. Feeling sure this was bound to be a long night, Penny wished her alcohol would hurry up and hit her already. Sliding his arm behind Penny Draco relaxed, sipping his firewhisky, when a group of Slytherin girls made their way down the stairs, looking as though they'd just finished their makeup. While Penny did not know the names of most of them, she recognized Pansy Parkinson, looking oddly pretty with some very exaggerated liner, and her close friend Milicent Bulstrode, a very athletic girl with very broad shoulders. While Penny did not speak to the girl much, they often ran into each other during the early mornings when Penny liked to do her training.

It was an hour into their drinking, everyone feeling much tipsier and therefore much more willing to chat to Penny. Thankfully, Flint skulked away to try and find a seat near Pansy, but his space was taken by Adrian Pucey, who had not given up on his interest in Penny.

"A strange thing for a Slytherin and Gryffindor to be friends, wouldn't you say?"

"I think perhaps you've forgotten that Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor were best friends," Penny said, turning on him with an arch of her brow.

"And you, a Potter, nonetheless," he went on.

"Is there some anti-Slytherin quality about being a Potter that I'm unaware of?" Penny challenged.

Stroking the stubble on his face for a moment he replied, "Your brother."

"That's a bit forward don't you think."

"And coming into our common room with your dirty blood isn't?"

"Well which is it? Is your problem with my brother or my mothers blood? Or no, could it be that your master lost to my brother and his dirty blood, twice . I imagine that feels pretty bad," Penny said, cooly, turning away from Adrian.

"Run your mouth while you can, girl. I look forward to the day I can stuff my cock into it and shut up," he cooed, so close to her ear that she felt his hot breath hit her neck.

"STRIP POKER" someone yelled, giving Penny an excuse to move away from Adrian before she resorted to hitting him.

Apparently, poker was not a wizard game, but oddly was one they appropriated, though the purebloods dare not mention they took it from muggles. Because of this, Penny and Flint needed to explain the rules to the others, of which, several girls bowed out, too afraid of losing their clothing. Draco turned, almost expectantly to Penny, assuming she was also bowing out, to which she said, "You'll be naked long before me," causing Draco to smirk.

She took up her place beside him as the other decided what each article of clothing was worth. Penny had a tie, a pair of socks and her sweater to lose before she had to worry about losing too much. It was more than she needed, she thought, smirking inwardly as she remembered how she used to play poker with Dudley and his gang. It started as a way for them to try and see her boobs, but after several years it morphed into a much more serious endeavor that involved a lot of their allowance—which she often took off them, but she knew she needed to lose just enough to keep them coming back.

Compared to them, this group would be easy pickings, and within the first ten minutes, Marcus Flint was already in his boxers, making several girls giggle. Penny had to give it to him, he had a nice body even if his head was ugly, all that quidditch practice was doing some serious work for him. By the 5th hand however, he made his exit, not quite cocky enough to let them all get the full measure of him. Some hands later, Pansy was losing her shirt and the boys were wolf-whistling, but unfortunately for them, she was a quick learner and had no intention of losing her skirt. She watched to the best of her abilities what Penny did and managed to stave off any more losses.

After an hour and much more drinking Penny was the only one not showing any skin, much to the boys chagrin. She'd stopped drinking long ago, though Draco had tried very hard to get her to start again, clearly unamused she was beating him. He sat beside her shirtless and sockless. Beside him, Theodore and Adrian sat in only their boxers, neither folding yet.

"If I don't see Potter's tits tonight all you losers will be sucking my cock,'' Blaise Zabini said. He hadn't joined, but he'd offered his sneers and jeers as Penny dominated the table.

"Yeah? What are my tits going to do for you, Blaise? Remind you of your mother, I heard she's an exhibitionist, imagine you've seen her getting railed a time or two. But I can't judge her, I'm a bit of a voyeur myself, and boy do I look forward to watching each of you tossers taking your turn on your knees" Penny said, causing several around to snicker at Blaise's expense.

"As much as I wouldn't mind helping you get off, get your tits out, Potter," Nott said, licking his lips as he set down his cards. "Full house."

"Four of a kind," Adrian said, patting Nott on the back as they grinned ear to ear, anticipating the imminent loss for Penny.

She turned to Draco, who's cool gray eyes found Penny's and he shrugged. "You have great tits—four of a kind."

The entire room erupted again with howling, hooting, and Pansy Parkinson's irritating shriek of a laugh. Biting her lip, Penny reached up with one hand and slowly began popping the buttons of her uniform shirt. Greedy and hungry gazes followed her procession, but at least Mafloy had the decency to look a tad bit guilty and turned to fill his glass as Penny reached the button straining against the heaviest part of her cleavage and stopped.

"Nice try you fucks, get your cock out Zabini, royal flush," Penny said, slamming her cards down on the table.

Beside her she could hear Draco choke, the others staying oddly silent for a long moment as though not understanding the sequence of events. And then, rather suddenly, they all began clambering over each other to get a look at Penny's cards to be sure she wasn't lying. The three boys looked disappointed for all of three seconds and then they turned on Nott who, after some wrestling, agreed to be a good sportsman.

"Once you see it, you won't be able to help yourselves, ladies" he said, flicking his lip with his thumb before he reached for his package. Penny couldn't help the eyeroll, he was so full of himself. And then they dropped, his boxers, and dangling between his legs was something that made everyone in the room whistle loudly.

Penny couldn't help but scrutinize the strange lump piece of flesh. She'd never seen a penis before so she did not know if his was large or not, but everyone else seemed to think it was, several of the drunk boys trying to make a grab for it. Personally, Penny thought it was ugly and did not see the appeal of it in the least, it was so unlike the beautiful piece of artwork that existed between Ginny's legs, that soft, warm, wet place of bliss Penny loved to venture to with her fingers and tongue—but this flopping sack of flesh, Penny wasn't sure what anyone was supposed to do with it, surely not look at it for very long.

"What's this?" the velvety voice of a certain potions master said, a potions master none of them had noticed enter the common room.

Nott froze where he'd been standing on the couch flinging his donger around for everyone to see. When no one responded to Snape, he turned on Nott and said "Tell me Mr. Nott, how is it that you have come to be stark naked in my common room at this hour, hmm?"

"Sorry, sir. We were playing poker," Nott replied, looking horribly awkward as he hovered between trying to decide to cover himself or not.

Any tipsiness that Penny had still been feeling was quickly dissolving, she tried to move slightly to her left so as to ensure she would not fall into the purview of Snape, but Draco grabbed her hand in warning, clearly fearful of the same thing as her, and that her movement might gain his attention.

While Penny was sure Snape's favoritism towards his house would extend to him taking a blind eye to their drinking and partying, Penny was under no delusion that such mercy would be extended to her. If Snape noticed her, no doubt he would flay her alive.

"I was unaware that poker required you to remove your clothing," said Snape.

"Strip poker, sir. You have to take a piece of clothing off when you lose a hand."

"And who's brilliant plan was that, surely not yours seeing as you are the only one poor enough at the game to be standing with your, nonetheless impressive, member out for all to. . .admire," he said silkily, elicit a few snorts of laughter from several people as Theodore blushed, he was not so cocky in present company.

"It was Potter's idea, sir," Nott said.

"That shameless, cowardly piece of shit—" Draco hissed under his breath.

Penny closed her eyes, knowing full well what was about to hit her.

"Are you intoxicated Mr. Nott? Or do I need to remind you that Harry Potter is a Gryffindor and therefore not in the Slytherin common room," Snape said, finally sounding irritated.

"Not Harry Potter, sir. Penny Potter, she's right there, said Nott pointing at Penny who finally opened her eyes in order to give Nott a look of the utmost loathing. His eyebrows raised momentarily to indicate he knew fullwell what he'd just condemned her to.

And then, as though the world around them had stopped, green eyes found black and his lazy, somewhat bored expression evaporated and was replaced with fury. Suddenly, Snape saw all that was before him, the half naked boys on every side, Penny's unbuttoned shirt, and he looked again at an exposed Nott and said in his most quiet, furious and dangerous voice, "To bed, all of you."

Every single person except Penny and Snape moved, not bothering to collect their clothing, they raced for their dormitories, not even Draco so much as looking back at Penny, who reached down and collected her things and got to her feet and made for the exit, but a long, pale arm barred her way.

"You are not free to go," he said, in barely more than a whisper.

"But you just let them all go," Penny said, defiantly.

"You are not them."

"That's not fair!" Penny protested.

"Life isn't fair, Potter," he snapped, and very unceremoniously, he grabbed her upper arm and began dragging her down the hall she'd come and through the stone wall back into the corridor, where he took a turn in a direction she was not familiar with. Being a Gryffindor, she had not spent much time near the Slytherin common room and admittedly did not know all that resided down here, but she imagined Snape's chambers were nearby, much like McGonagall's were located near the Gryffindor common room so as to keep a better eye on the students.

He took a left, and at the end of the hall a door appeared, Snape shoving her through it and shutting it with a loud snap . Before Penny was a small living space, complete with a desk, and a quaint sofa set before a dwindling fire. Opposite to Penny was a hall, along which were two doors, one of which she assumed was his bed chambers.

This space was much different than the one in Cokeworth, much more minimal, as though all of the things he cared about resided in his office. But on the couch a large leather-bound book lay open, telling Penny he had been reading before he'd made his way to put an end to their revelry.

A rough hand pushed her closer to the fire as he lit several lamps with a flick of his wand.

"W-why did you bring me here," Penny said, still clutching her clothing to her chest.

"What's the matter, are you afraid, Potter?" he sneered, stepping into the light. "And yet, you looked so comfortable with all those half-naked boys, tell me why that is?"

"We were playing a game, one I was winning at," she said, straightening herself up.

"A game!" he spat. "And would it still have been a fun game to you when they got bored of losing to you and decided seven to one was better odds for them?"

"You're being ridiculous, I'm fully clothed, none of them touched me, and beside Malfoy would never—"

"MALFOY" he yelled, his eyes suddenly bulging, "Is not to be trusted! He may be fond of you while you amuse him, but once it became apparent the others would be more amused taking your—they—do you have the tiniest inclination!" he demanded.

"No, I don't, so how about you enlighten me since you seem to be the expert," Penny said, scathingly.

"What are you implying, Potter," Snape said in a cold and furious voice.

"Me? Nothing. But those boys in your house seemed pretty convinced that the girls are fond of seeking out your company. Why is that, sir? Is this where you like to bring them when you want to get off," Penny raged, throwing the clothing in her hands to the floor. "Is the truth that you would do any one of the number of those things to me you accuse them of thinking?"

"Don't be asinine, Potter. I am hardly tempted by the likes of you, who is nothing more than a child! A foolish child who continuously insists on endangering—"

"Has it ever occurred to you, we might all just be a bunch of normal teenagers doing, gasp , teenager things. Just because they're in Slytherin and their families are scum, that doesn't make them death eaters."
"You know nothing!—"

"It's you that knows nothing, Severus Snape! You're supposed to be the person who makes those kids believe they can be something else, and what do you do? You treat them like the scum you expect them to become! But what have you done to help them?" Penny yelled, pointing an accusing finger at him

"And what do you expect their parents would say were I to suddenly counsel them against joining the Dark Lord?" Snape sneered, grabbing Penny's finger and yanking her toward him. "Did you imagine the Dark Lord wouldn't notice? Wouldn't ask me questions? Wouldn't kill me for such a betrayal? Of course I wouldn't risk it!' he spat.

"Why!," Penny demanded through gritted teeth as she wrestled against his pincer-like grip. "Why don't they matter to you!"

"BECAUSE THEY AREN'T YOU," he screamed, taking the hand from her wrist and wrapping it into her hair and yanking it backward so her face was forced upward to meet his gaze. His chest was heaving, and face, red as a tomato. His fury, it was unlike that cold fury she was used to, he was maniacal, consumed by the thought of something. The presence of it made Penny go very still and she stopped fighting, realizing for once in her life she needed to shut up and really listen to Snape.

His words—they were not what she had expected, they'd startled her, upset the resolution to be immune to him, to ignore him. But she couldn't, she could never completely shut herself off to Snape. In all of his infuriating ways he always found a way to reach her, to unhinge her.

"You—you are what matters. I will not waste my life on the likes of them. No, if I am to die for this stupid undertaking, then it is you who will live. I do not care about a single one of them, do not care if they suffer because of this choice! But not you—you will not suffer."

His voice was shaking, much like Penny's quivering jaw. She hated the man before her, hated him for his admission, for his selfishness and most of all his love for her. She could not be more valuable than anyone else because she knew what she was, what little she had to offer. She was self-centered, petty, and arrogant, and this man, who was so vitally important to Dumbledore's mission had, for some stupid reason chosen her to be the one to benefit from his efforts. But she could not accept it, would not, not when Severus Snape was so important, important to the resistance, and Penny, she only made things worse.

"Has it ever occurred to you, you suicidal idiot, that you could drop this stupid death wish and just live with me, like really live!"

The breath caught in Snape's chest and his mouth slammed shut, quivering slightly from the effort to keep it closed. "That's all you have to say to me?" he finally replied.

"Don't tell me you were hoping I'd simper and fall into your arms? Give me a break, I don't need you to die for me! In fact, if you do then you're a coward!"

"You arrogant—"

"Call me arrogant all you want, what does it matter anymore? You'll never do it, you'll never give me what I've been begging you for. But maybe you'll have the decency to tell me why. . .Why have you never wanted to stay with me?" Penny said, all the fury and volume long gone, and in its place an anguished plea; one that sent the features on Snape's face contouring in agony.

With a guttural yell, he threw Penny from him and turned to punch the wall just behind him, a loud crack telling Penny he'd punched through it. Penny meanwhile landed hard on the wood floor. She managed to shield her head, but the wind was knocked out of her. A pounding in the back of her head was growing stronger, making her wonder if she had hit her head after all. Snape was yelling at her again, but his words were distant as though she heard them from afar. Penny blinked several times, the room around her fading in and out, being replaced with a long windowless hallway.

Blinking hard so she stayed with it, Penny reached for her nose, finding wet goo there—blood. A moment later, a trickle on her neck alerted her to the blood trailing out of both ears. At this point, Snape had returned, evidently searching for the cause of her silence when he expected a reply.

He was on his knees, searching Penny for the cause of the injury, but he found none. The throbbing was building, the world around Penny becoming excruciating to focus on. She cried out in pain and forced her eyes shut.

She was slithering along a windowless corridor.

No! She was sitting with Snape.

At the end stood a door.

"Help!" Penny begged, clutching her head because of the agony, the pain at exploding point now.

"Did you hit your head, Potter, I need to know what—"

"It's Harry," Penny cried. "His mind, why is he there! We shouldn't be in the snake, the giant snake!"

"What are you talking about, there is no snake. If you do not explain—"

"I see it in his mind! We-we're there-the door leading to the Department of Mysteries."

But what Snape said next, Penny never heard.

The door, must get through the door. But beside the door something stirred—a man with red hair. Teeth bared, they bit, teeth sinking gloriously through tender flesh. Dieeeee

Choking on her own screams and spit, Penny lost control of her body. Every nerve exploding inside her as every muscle began twitching uncontrollably. Penny seized, heaved, screamed and vomited, not knowing where she was or who she was, there was only pain. Surely she would die from the pain in her head, she wanted to die.

But the strong arms holding her down; muttering incantations and furious demands she not be spiteful enough to die on him would not let her. He would not let her succumb, would not release her from the torment without finishing their argument first—he had his good name to clear.

I AM SORRY ABOUT UMBRIDGE AND YES PENNY WILL BE GOING BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT OF MYSTERIES AND YAXLEY WILL BE THERE. I'm ruining Christmas, I know, but there are important loose ends to tie up! And I promise Penny's revenge will be GLORIOUS 4