We've got nowhere to run; they've all got loaded guns. Oh, no, please, god, tell me we're dreaming. – Dreaming, Smallpools

December 25, 1977

An annoying poke at her nose woke Layla; she pulled the covers over her head, groaning, unwilling to be awake just yet. A loud snapping sound pulled her even further awake, and then her blankets disappeared, leaving her exposed to the cold air. "Sorry, Miss Layla," Dobby said, far too chipper for Layla's taste. "But you don't want to miss Christmas morning! Master Lucius has instructed Dobby to prepare quite the Christmas breakfast, and Master Lucius rarely makes a fuss over holidays. Miss Layla must get out of bed right. Master Lucius wishes to have Miss Layla open her presents right away."

Sighing heavily, Layla sat up, rubbing her tired eyes. She had stayed up into the early hours of the morning with Regulus, arguing and talking about the various ways their lives could go right or wrong if they pursued any sort of deeper relationship. Eventually, they got sick of each other and agreed that any attempts at dating would end in nothing short of a disaster, and Layla kicked Regulus out of her room, both of them angry and fighting back tears.

As Layla reached the bottom of the stairs to the sitting room, Malfoy called over to her from his seat on the sofa, "There you are! I was beginning to think that you might sleep all day." Layla was surprised to find that the sitting room, which had been completely devoid of decorations the night before, was now bursting at the seams with Christmas spirit. A beautiful Christmas tree stood in the corner of the room near the fireplace, twinkle lights hung all over the walls and ceilings, and holly adorned the mantlepiece. One of the boxes under the Christmas tree, wrapped in shiny red paper and gold ribbon that sparkled under the twinkle lights, would occasionally shake and emit small squeaks. Malfoy stood up as Layla sat down, picked up the box, and handed it to her, saying, "You might want to open this one before it gets too fussy."

Brows furrowed in confusion, Layla did as instructed, tugging the golden ribbon free of the box. She removed the box's lid and gasped when a tiny fuzzy head immediately popped out of the box and squeaked happily. The sweet little Siamese kitten scrambled to try to get over the edge of the box but couldn't quite get its footing, so Layla gently picked it up around the waist and lifted it free of the box. She held the small animal close to her chest, and Malfoy said softly from where he still stood next to the tree, "You seemed a little lonely at school, so I thought a kitten would suit you better than an owl." Layla struggled to find words, so Malfoy added, "She looks like she's a purebred Siamese, but she's actually only half. Her father was just a typical tabby cat. I thought maybe you'd be able to bond with her easily over that."

Tears pricked the corners of Layla's eyes, much to her annoyance. The kitten crawled her way up onto Layla's shoulder, purring loudly as she did. Layla nodded slightly. "Thank you," she said quietly, forcing her voice to be steadier than she felt.

December 30, 1977

A few days later, Malfoy and Layla found themselves on the couch once again, spending a lazy afternoon at home. Malfoy was deeply interested in a book written in what Layla suspected to be Russian, on what subject, she couldn't guess. Malfoy had surprised Layla by not bringing up the subject of the marriage proposal again, and she hadn't spoken to Regulus since the night they'd fought over it either, leaving Layla not entirely sure where she stood with either of them. Choosing not to breach the subject again herself, Layla played with her new kitten, who Layla chose to name Delilah, and studied for her upcoming N.E.W.T. exams until she was so bored, she couldn't take it anymore. "Malfoy?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm bored."

Malfoy sighed, closing his book. "What would you like for me to do about it, dearest?"

Layla hesitated, then said, "Well, I grew up spending my Christmases in the Muggle world, and well, I just… I was wondering if we could maybe watch some Christmas movies and eat pizza?"

Malfoy frowned, looking more confused than upset. "Layla, I don't know…"

"Please?" She begged, giving him her best sad puppy eyes.

Late that night, Layla and Malfoy stumbled laughing into the manor's entrance hall. Malfoy handed the box of their leftover pizza to Dobby, who disappeared to the kitchen with a loud crack. The pair had gone to a local theater that was still showing a Christmas movie marathon: Holiday Inn, Miracle on 34th Street, It Happened on Fifth Avenue, and White Christmas. They'd eaten popcorn and candy and pizza all through the shows, and Layla had been surprised that Malfoy seemed to be having a genuinely good time. Even more surprising, he'd been willing to wear Muggle clothes for the occasion, which he pulled off quite well. He took her coat for her and hung it up before ushering her down the hall. Layla turned to him just as they reached the sitting room and said, "Malfoy, I had –"

"What is the meaning of this?" A voice rumbled, deep, from behind Layla.

Layla spun around, her hand on her wand in her pocket, but Malfoy moved faster than her, grabbing her wand arm, preventing her from drawing her wand, and pushing her behind him protectively. "Father," Malfoy said coldly.

Finally catching sight of the source of the voice, Layla saw a tall, white-haired man standing in front of the fireplace in the sitting room. His eyes were a sharp, cold blue that matched his steely gaze. The man, apparently Lucius Malfoy's father, said angrily, "I'm gone, unreachable deep in the jungles of Africa, hunting the dangerous magical creatures there, for only eight short months, and upon my return to the mainland, I find that my only son has broken his engagement contract to the lovely Narcissa Black, taken in some halfblood stray under the guise of some family friend that I have never heard of before, and is rumored to be engaged to aforementioned stray. And now, I come home to find that he is coming home at all hours of the night in Muggle clothes with his new little halfblood harlot?"

"Father," Lucius started again, but his father would hear none of it.

"I demand an immediate explanation."

Lucius took a deep breath, waiting to see if his father was truly finished with his speech. When his father waited impatiently, Lucius said politely, "Father, this is Layla Danes. Layla, this is my father, Abraxas Malfoy."

"I think we're past the need for introductions, son," Abraxas snapped. "I want to know who the hell she really is and what deems her worthy of being engaged to my son, seeing as I know for a fact that no one in our family has ever been associated with some halfblood family in America named Danes."

Eyes filling with panic, Layla looked up at Lucius, letting him take her hand and tangle his fingers with hers. Lucius seemed to think for just a minute, then he said, "For her own safety, I won't reveal more details than absolutely necessary, but Layla's a very powerful witch, Father. Even the Dark Lord believes she's a better match for this family than Narcissa Black."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Abraxas demanded.

"It means," Lucius snapped back. "That I am protecting Layla from those who would want to take advantage of her and misuse her abilities. In the process, she can add further power to future generations of Malfoys, which I know is your ultimate desire."

Abraxas scowled. "I will not have you sullying the name of Malfoy, boy. Adding a powerful halfblood to the family is one thing, but having you traipsing around like a Muggle, costing our family respect in the wizarding community, is another. We're Malfoys, not Weasleys."

Lucius nodded. "Yes, sir."

Still frowning, Abraxas's hard eyes found Layla again. "Come here, child," he ordered. Lucius let go of Layla's hand and stepped out of her way, allowing her to walk forward. She stopped a few steps away from Abraxas Malfoy, who towered over her, well over six feet tall, making her feel tiny in comparison. He looked her up and down briefly. "Well, you're quite pretty, at least," he said, his tone condescending. "Perhaps if we cleaned you up like a proper pureblood, you could pass as a decent match for my son." He cleared his throat. "At tomorrow night's New Year's Eve Gala, we'll officially announce your engagement."

Shock rocked Layla's system as Lucius began to protest, "Father, we haven't –"

"Nonsense," Abraxas said dismissively. "Enough of this fooling around. We'll make the official announcement tomorrow night. End of discussion."

Layla wanted to protest, but before she could say anything, Lucius said, "Very well, then. Good night, Father." Abraxas nodded, and Lucius took Layla by the elbow and led her up to her bedroom. As they entered the room, Lucius said quietly, "Layla, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to force you into a corner like this about getting married; I was just going to let it go, accept that you didn't want to be with me, and just move on. But now that my father is involved…"

"That's no longer an option," Layla finished for him. Lucius nodded. Layla collapsed to sit on the foot of her bed, her head in her hands. "I really don't have a choice anymore, do I?"

Lucius thought for a moment. "Well, that's not entirely true." Layla looked up at him, confused. "You always have a choice, Layla. You do not have to marry me. You don't have to do anything at all. You can leave here, join the Order, try to strike up a doomed romance with Regulus Black, finish your year at Hogwarts, and go on to do whatever the hell you want. No matter what you decide, I'll do my best to protect you and provide for you. I just… I just want you to be happy and safe."

The new kitten, Delilah, jumped up into Layla's lap, purring noisily. Layla scratched between the cat's shoulder blades as she contemplated what Lucius had said. After a few minutes of silence, Layla said quietly, "I'll stay. I just…" She took a deep, shaky breath. "I have issues, you know? And being with me, being stuck with me, forever like that… I just, I hate to stick you with that… You're… you're actually a really nice guy, and I'm really just so messed up, and…"

"Hey, hey," Lucius said, kneeling in front of her and taking her face in his hands. "There is nothing wrong with you. You've been through some very traumatic and difficult things. It's natural to struggle with that. And I know you don't trust me entirely because of your strange past, and that's all right. Whatever the issues, we'll work through it together… If you'll let me help, that is."

Layla shook her head slowly, taking his hands in hers and pulling them away from her face. "Malfoy, I… I just, I don't know. Just let me think about it, ok?"

Lucius nodded. "All right. But please, let me know before my father goes and announces our engagement before we've come to an agreement. I don't want to further piss him off by letting him make a fool of himself." Layla nodded, then Lucius stood up slowly, turned, and left.

December 31, 1977

The pale pink silk of Layla's ballgown rustled around her legs as she moved, hanging on Lucius Malfoy's arm as they walked into the ballroom of the LeStrange family home. Layla's eyes scanned the room, searching for Regulus, knowing he'd have to be there; his cousin Bellatrix was the hostess, after all. Lucius had, fortunately, agreed to at least let her talk to Regulus before she made any final decisions about marrying Lucius. It only took a minute for Layla to split off from Lucius without his father noticing – not that the man seemed to be paying much attention to anyone outside of Antonin Dolohov and Orion Black.

"Well, hello again, Layla." Sighing at the unwelcome voice, Layla turned around to face Rabastan LeStrange, who was looking surprisingly healthy and handsome in his dress robes. "You're looking well."

"So are you," Layla said coldly. "Too well."

"Yes, well," Rabastan said with a smile. "Two months in St. Mungo's seems to have worked wonders for me. No thanks to your pal, Malfoy."

"You brought that on yourself," Layla snarled.

Rabastan shrugged, taking another step closer to Layla. "Perhaps," he admitted. "But, what can I say? It was family business."

"Oh, is that what you call it?"

Laughing softly, Rabastan took Layla's hand, brought it up to his lips, and brushed a gentle kiss against it. "Yes, that's exactly what I call it," he said. "Narcissa is my sister-in-law, after all. I was doing her a favor, and, if I'm honest, a favor for myself, while I was at it. I mean, look at you." Layla jerked her hand from Rabastan's grasp. "So pretty and so spirited. I wouldn't mind being with a woman like you the rest of my life."

"Too bad you're an ass and won't ever have the chance to find out," Layla snapped.

Rabastan only laughed and shook his head. "Be careful, Layla, dear," he said gently. "You never know when things may change, suddenly and drastically."

"All right, Rabastan," Regulus said as he walked up, wrapping his arm in Layla's. "That's enough of your vile."

Rabastan snorted in amusement. "Whatever you say, cousin," he smirked before walking away.

Regulus turned to Layla. She took his hand as he asked, "Are you ok?"

Layla nodded. "Yes, I'm fine, but we need to talk."

Nodding, Regulus led her away from the crowd of purebloods, outside into the empty rose garden. "Are you sure you're ok?" he asked quietly.

Layla tightened her grip on his hand. "Abraxas Malfoy."

Regulus sucked in a breath. "Oh, boy."

"Oh, yeah," Layla said. "He's planning to announce my apparent engagement to his son Lucius here, tonight, at five to midnight."

Dropping Layla's hand, Regulus took a step back. "I see."

Layla shook her head. "I don't want that, and you know it. But, I just…" She paused for a moment to collect herself, then she continued, "Regulus, we've got to make a decision here. The other night…"

"We can't," Regulus said firmly, cutting Layla off. "As much as we might want to, we just can't. I won't be so selfish as to put your life in danger like that."

Layla bristled at that. "My life's in danger no matter what. My life's always in freaking danger. Would it be so bad if my choice was to fight that danger alongside you?"

Regulus seemed to hesitate, then he muttered, "Yes, it would be. It would put you in even more danger, and I'd be right in the mess with you, and I just…"

"You're just what?" Layla snapped. "A bloody coward?" Regulus flinched slightly at her harsh words. "You want to be with me, but you're too bloody scared of your mother to do it?"

"That's not fair," Regulus argued. "This isn't about me. I'm not afraid for myself here."

"Oh really?" Layla said. "Then what are you so bloody afraid of?"

"Of you getting hurt!" Regulus growled. "I'm bloody terrified that you'll be hurt, or worse, killed, for trying to be with me, and I care too much about you to let that happen, Layla!"

"What about my choice?" Layla hissed, forcing herself not to raise her voice.

"And what about mine?" Regulus said, pulling her closer to him. Touching her face delicately, he stared deep into her eyes, then sighed heavily. "Layla, please, try to understand. I would kill for the chance to be with you, but there are just too many of them for me to take on like that. Even with you fighting alongside me, we're just plain outnumbered. It just can't happen for us, no matter how badly either of us wants it. I will always be your best friend. I will stand by you and keep you safe, no matter what it costs me."

"Regulus, I –"

"Please, Layla," Regulus begged, holding both of her hands close to his heart. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be. It's like you said, no one would believe us as a couple, anyway. We're too much like siblings, right?" Layla nodded reluctantly. "This is the best way I can protect you, Layla. Just… just marry Malfoy. He'll be good to you, and – and you'll be safe. Ok?"

Eyes stinging, Layla nodded again with a quick sniff. "Ok," she whispered back.

Regulus stared at her for a moment, searching for something, then quickly leaned in and brushed his lips against her forehead briefly. "I'll see you inside," he said, then turned and quickly disappeared back inside the castle.

Before rejoining the party, Layla wiped away the tears in her eyes, struggling to pull herself together. She easily found Lucius, seated at a table with several other men, and if she were honest, she had a difficult time telling apart which men were likely Death Eaters and which were simply entrenched bureaucrats at the Ministry of Magic. Slipping into a seat next to Lucius, she whispered in his ear, "Yes."

Lucius jumped slightly, startled by her sudden closeness. He raised an eyebrow at her as she sat. "Yes?"

Layla nodded, sniffing again. She murmured, "What you needed to know in time. The answer is yes."

Understanding lit his eyes, and Lucius nodded with a small smile. "Very well, then."

At exactly five minutes until midnight, Abraxas Malfoy demanded the attention of the room, which came to him easily enough. "Ladies and gentlemen," he began grandly. "As some of you may know, a dear family friend of mine and his lovely wife recently met an untimely end in the Americas, leaving behind a young daughter. It was an unfortunate and tragic accident, but nonetheless, I will always be grateful that it has allowed their cherished child to be welcomed into our home, Miss Layla Danes. Now, it has come to my attention that while Miss Danes has been away at Hogwarts, she and my son, Lucius, have been exchanging letters multiple times a day, and, slowly but surely, they have fallen deeply, passionately in love with one another." He paused to allow the crowd to get their "oohs" and "ahhs" out of the way. "Yes, yes, it is a spark that is already beginning to turn into quite a flame." Layla couldn't help but roll her eyes at the older man's drastic lies. "So, tonight, as we welcome the new year, I want to announce the engagement of my son, Lucius Malfoy, and the charming Miss Layla Danes, and welcome this darling young woman to our family." Raising his glass to them, Abraxas looked at first Lucius, then Layla. "To the future," he said proudly, which was resounded heartily throughout the room.

Lucius and Layla raised their glasses in return, but Layla only pretended to drink from hers. Her stomach had been twisted into knots ever since her conversation with Regulus. Lucius slipped his hand into hers under the table as the rest of the room started counting down from thirty seconds to midnight. "Everything will be all right," he whispered gently in her ear.

Layla shook her head slightly. "Everything's spinning out of control."

"Then let it," Lucius said. "Lose control for once. It will all be all right, my dearest. I promise."

Layla thought about it as the countdown hit ten. She searched his blue eyes, for what, she wasn't sure – permission, maybe? Permission to lose herself there, in his eyes, in his lies? Looking at all the emotional hell she'd been putting herself through for the last four months as she tried to hold onto her old life, to her old ideas, to parts of herself long since dead, to a past and to people that no longer existed, she finally began to realize that it was all for nothing. There was nothing left to go back to; it was time to embrace the new. And that's what she found as she stared at Lucius Malfoy's face – permission to be someone new.

"Three, two, one!"

As the clock struck midnight, a loud chime filled the air, and Layla leaned forward, took Lucius's face in her hands, and kissed him. If he was surprised by it, he didn't show it. Instead, he kissed her back with passion, nipping at her lower lip in a way that sent a shiver down her spine. He tenderly brushed her dark curls away from her face as he broke off the kiss, a wide smile on his face, and Layla couldn't help a small smile of her own as she looked into the eyes of her newfound freedom.

January 2, 1978

"Are you sure you want to go back to Hogwarts?" Lucius asked, for what felt to Layla like the hundredth time. "I can always get you transferred for your last semester to Beauxbatons or Durmstrang if you'd like. If you're back at Hogwarts, you won't be safe from Dumbledore and the Order there. They could attack you again."

"They could attack me again most anywhere, really," Layla reminded him gently. "I'd rather stay at Hogwarts. It wouldn't be worth it to make such a big move now."

"It would be worth it to me," Lucius said. "I want to keep you safe."

"I'm safe enough. I've got Regulus with me."

Sighing, Lucius said, "Very well, then." Layla reached up and planted a quick kiss on his lips. He smiled. "Better get on the train, then, before it leaves without you again."

Grinning, Layla stepped onto the train. She moved from one compartment to the next, searching for Regulus. Instead, she found the Marauders. "Well, well, well," Sirius sneered. "Heard someone got engaged over the holidays. So much for all your, 'I want to join the Order after school' bullshit."

Layla rolled her eyes, her hand resting on the open compartment door. "Oh, Sirius," she pouted. "Jealousy doesn't suit you."

Sirius retorted, "Better than being a Death Eater's whore."

Layla put a hand on her wand automatically, then thought better of drawing it. "Safer than having Dumbledore's cock shoved up your ass," she said lightly, then pushed herself away from the wall and continued on down the hall, ignoring Sirius's angry sputtering and James calling after her. A few doors down, she finally found Regulus, sharing a compartment with Severus Snape, Rabastan LeStrange, and Barty Crouch, Jr. She slipped inside and sat down next to Regulus. "Hey," she said quietly. For some strange reason, the other three Slytherins were all reading, so she didn't want to disturb them.

Regulus glanced around the room, then shook his head. "Not here," he muttered, then stood and walked out the door. Layla quickly followed him to an empty compartment. Regulus shut and locked the door behind her, pulling the blinds down for privacy. "Layla, I'm sorry," he said quietly.

Layla frowned, looking at him confused. "Sorry for what?"

"For fighting the other night," Regulus said. "I don't like fighting with you."

"I don't like fighting with you either."

"Then let's not do it anymore," Regulus pleaded. Layla nodded, and he breathed a small sigh of relief. "Are you ok?"

Tilting her head to one side, Layla asked, "What do you mean?"

Regulus shrugged. "I don't know. It was just weird. Seeing you engaged to Malfoy and kissing him and stuff… It was just weird. I just want to make sure that's you're ok with all of that."

Layla nodded quickly. "Yeah, yeah, I think so," she said, a little shaky. "I mean, I'm ok. I'm not sure if I'm ok with it, but I'm ok."

Regulus nodded in understanding. "Layla, I just… You know that, if I really thought we stood a chance against the rest of the world, that I would –"

"Let me just stop you right there," Layla said, pushing away the feelings of hurt and longing in her chest. "Just, don't do that, please. Don't. We've already been through all of this, and if we keep giving each other hope like that…" She shook her head. "We can't. It's like you said – we're best friends, and we'll always be best friends, but that's all."

Frowning, Regulus rubbed his nose and said, "Yeah, ok. Yeah, you're right." He exhaled shakily, running a hand through his dark hair. "I just want you to be happy and safe."

Kneading her left arm with her fingers, Layla answered truthfully, "I'm safe. I'll have to learn to be happy, I think, but I'm definitely safe."

Regulus nodded again. "Good, good. Ok, well, um, let's get back to the others, then."

"Ok," Layla mumbled as Regulus brushed past her to unlock the door.

Layla sat at the Slytherin table with Regulus for dinner, an unusual move for her, but not so strange that anyone really paid it any attention. As they ate their desserts, Layla said, "Snape, I need you to start helping me study for Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Snape choked on a sip of pumpkin juice. "Excuse me?" he demanded.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Layla said calmly. "What part of that was unclear to you?"

Snape glared at her. "Why should I?"

"Because Lucius wants it that way," Layla said firmly. "Especially if you're still so keen on joining his little group of friends after the end of the school year. Plus…" She took a bite of her chocolate cake. "You two are friends, right? So, consider it a favor for a friend, if it makes you feel better about it."

"Very well, then," Snape said grudgingly. Regulus raised an eyebrow at her, but Layla just smiled at him and kept eating her cake.

January 13, 1978

"Snape, why on earth would I want to learn this spell?" Layla snapped in frustration. "This is most definitely not on the subject."

"Because," Snape snarled. "It is on a list of spells that Lucius sent me, demanding that I teach them to you at once."

"Well, then let me rephrase the question," Layla hissed, standing from her chair, hands planted on the library table as she leaned across it in front of the seated Snape. "Why the hell would I want to learn this spell?"

Snape bit his lip for a moment as though holding back one of his nastier comments, then he said, "Lucius insists that you will need it in your arsenal."

Layla narrowed her eyes at Snape, then pushed off the table. "Fine." She sat back down. "Teach me the spell, and whatever other magic he's demanding."

Immediately, Snape shoved a massive ancient tome at her and said, "Turn to page 394."

January 14, 1978

"Wake up, Layla."

A hand lightly touched her shoulder, and she woke up with a gasp, yanked her wand from under her pillow, and pointed it in the intruder's face with a silent illumination charm. Her wand shone brightly, momentarily blinding Regulus. Her panic began to subside until she noticed Rabastan LeStrange, Severus Snape, and Evan Rosier standing behind him. "What the bloody hell?"

"Sorry, Layla," Regulus whispered. "Get dressed. You have to come with us."

Something in Regulus's tone wasn't right, and Layla knew there had to be something eating at him. "What's wrong?" she whispered back.

Regulus shook his head. "Get dressed."

Frowning, Layla got out of bed as Rosier and Snape walked back out the door of her dorm room. Rabastan lingered, spying on Dorcas Meadowes, Layla's only roommate, as she slept. "Such a pretty thing," Rabastan mused. "Too bad she's a mudblood."

In an instant, the tip of Layla's wand was wedged hard under Rabastan's chin. "Touch her and die," she snarled.

Rabastan raised an amused eyebrow at her. "Protective of your Muggle pet?" he teased.

"Protective of my ass," Layla hissed, shoving her wand a little harder against his throat. "I'll not have anything happening to my only roommate when I'm the only natural suspect. Fuck off, LeStrange. Now."

Rabastan suppressed a short laugh as best he could. "As you wish," he said lightly, then turned on his heel and strode out the bedroom door, shutting it behind him.

As Layla kneeled and gathered her clothes from her trunk, Regulus said, "I'm sorry about him. And, well, all of this, really."

"Shush," Layla muttered. "We can't wake Dorcas."

"Oh, she won't wake." Layla turned to him with wide blue eyes. Regulus waved his hand in protest and said, "Oh, no, it's nothing like that. We drugged her at dinner with a Sleeping Draught. As long as we're not ridiculously loud, she should sleep just fine."

Calming a little, Layla nodded as she rose to her feet and headed for the bathroom. She heard Regulus lingering just outside the bathroom door, so she asked him as she changed, "What's happening?"

Regulus sighed. "We received orders this morning. We are tasked with sneaking you out of the castle to Hogsmeade. There, one more will join us to help us with the exact location, and we apparate to some small Muggle village."

Brows knit together in confusion, Layla pulled her dress over her head, grateful she'd thought to at least wear a black dress and black tights Lucius had bought her at some wizarding world tailor's shop instead of Muggle clothes. She opened the door then grabbed her Muggle combat boots from the floor by her bed, not caring that they didn't quite match her dress. "I don't understand," Layla said quietly as she sat on her bed to put on the shoes. "This sounds like you're taking me out on some Death Eater mission."

"We are."

Layla paused, then zipped her boot the rest of the way up her calf. "Why the hell would you be doing that?"

Regulus crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm sorry, Layla," he said. "You know I don't want to, but the Dark Lord insists."

"Why?" Layla demanded.

"Think about it," Regulus said. "You're marrying a Death Eater next summer. The Dark Lord has a rather vested interest in the people his Death Eaters are closest to. I imagine he's testing you. Trying to decide if you're a good enough halfblood to be worthy of one of his higher-ranking Death Eaters."

Layla shivered at the thought. "Any idea what we'll be doing once we get there?" Regulus shook his head. "Ok. Let's go."

"You're not going to try to weasel your way out of this or fight back or… something? Anything?" Regulus asked, surprised.

Layla shrugged, tossing a heavy, hooded black cloak around her shoulders. "Why? There's no point. I wouldn't win, and it'd just make me look bad to them." Regulus gave a quick nod of his head at that, then followed her out to rejoin his fellow Death Eaters.

It took some time, but the group of students managed to sneak out of Hogwarts Castle and into Hogsmeade, where Layla was disappointed to discover that their escort to the Muggle village was none other than Bellatrix LeStrange. "About time, you lot," the older woman sneered.

"Are we ready?" Rabastan asked her.

Bellatrix snorted. "Oh, little brother, we've been ready. Now gather around; I've got a portkey for you babies who aren't big enough yet for apparation."

Layla squeezed herself in between Regulus and Rabastan, taking hold of the previous day's newspaper that Bellatrix offered them. A second later, she felt an awful tug behind her navel, and she was yanked forward, the world spinning around her for a moment. The ground suddenly solidified under her feet again, and she stumbled, bumping against Regulus's side before she could catch her balance. Just as she was deciding whether her stomach was churning from the portkey journey or her anxiety, Lucius entered the alley along with two other masked Death Eaters. Lucius waved his wand across his face as he walked up to her, and a mask materialized on his face. He hugged Layla tightly to his chest, whispering in her ear, "Are you ready, dearest?"

Layla whispered back, "Is this the price of my freedom?" She felt Lucius nod against her hair. "Then I'm ready to pay."

As Lucius pulled away from her, he slipped a hard, cold mask into her hands. It shone silver in the moonlight, lines of a skull's face and roses etched into it. "Wear this at all times," Lucius cautioned. "Do not lose it, for any reason." Layla nodded, fitting the mask to her face. Taking on a life of its own, the mask shrank slightly and reshaped itself until it sat on her face as easily as a second layer of skin.

Glancing to her right as she pulled her cloak's hood up over her face, Layla spotted Regulus still standing next to her, a darker mask attached to his face. He nodded to her reassuringly, and she returned the gesture as Bellatrix barked from behind her mask, "Well, what are we waiting for? We've got chaos to create."

With Bellatrix taking the lead, the group of wizards and witches moved out into the main street. Layla brushed her fingers against the back of Lucius's hand, and his fingers caught hers for a mere moment, then released. "What are we doing?" Layla barely breathed the words loud enough for him to hear in the still, quiet night.

At first, Lucius said nothing, but just as she began to think that he hadn't heard her, he answered in a hushed tone, "Do nothing unless I say so."

Before Layla could respond, Bellatrix had grabbed Regulus by the arm and was waving her wand at the front door of a house, unlocking it. The two slipped inside silently as Snape and Rosier followed another Death Eater into another house. Rabastan followed the third Death Eater, whom Layla suspected might be his older brother, Rodolphus LeStrange, into the house next door to where Regulus had disappeared. Lucius motioned for her to follow him, and she did as instructed. He magically picked the lock on the front door of another house on the same street, and the two entered the building. As the door shut behind them, Lucius took Layla's hand and squeezed it hard. "What's happening?" Layla said as quietly as she could manage through her ever-growing panic.

Lucius was silent for a moment, his face impossible to read through the mask. "Murder," he answered honestly. "Now, listen to me. You do not have to kill anyone, understand?" Layla nodded. "Stand right here in this spot until I tell you otherwise." Layla nodded again, and Lucius quickly disappeared down the hall and up the staircase.

Layla leaned back against the floral pink wallpaper, forcing slow, deep breaths in an effort to calm herself. The house was deathly quiet except for her whispers of her new mantra to reassure herself. "This is beyond your control. This is beyond your control. This is beyond your control. This is beyond your –"

An ear-splitting shriek rattled the house, making Layla nearly jump out of her skin. A loud crash from upstairs sounded like a piece of furniture being toppled, and a man shouted, then fell unnaturally silent. The stairs thundered with an awful racket, then a woman appeared at the bottom of the steps, glancing over her shoulder in terror. The woman's eyes met Layla's, and she screamed again at the sight of Layla's cloak and mask. As they both realized that Layla was the only thing standing between this Muggle woman and the door with its promise of escape, Layla couldn't help the shaking in her limbs. The woman raced toward Layla, as if intent on pushing past her, but Layla raised her wand and murmured, "Petrificus Totalus." The woman froze mid-stride, her arms snapping to her sides and her legs gluing together, and she fell face-forward, stiff as a board.

Not even a second later, Lucius rushed down the stairs, wand out and blood staining his robes and mask. Layla couldn't help but flinch a little at the sight. He looked from Layla to the Muggle woman in the floor and back again, and she could hear the surprise and pride in his voice as he said, "Huh. Well done, dearest." Layla nodded, her entire body trembling. As Lucius approached Layla, he flicked his wand with a muttered, "Avada Kedavra," and the woman's body went from stiff to relaxed, otherwise unmoving. "Don't look at her," Lucius murmured, his still bloody gloved hand reaching up and touching her face through her mask, forcing her to look at him. Layla focused on his blue eyes under his mask, hoping to find comfort there, yet surprised when she did. He brushed his thumb over her cheek. "We have to go."

Lucius opened the front door behind her, and Layla followed him out of it back into the street. Snape, Rosier, and their mystery friend were already waiting in the street. A flash of green light filled a window of one of the houses, and Layla jumped slightly at the suddenness of it. A minute later, the LeStrange brothers came out of the house as smoke began to rise from a house across the street. Screams ripped through the silent night, then were cut silent. The flames were beginning to become visible in an upstairs window as Bellatrix and Regulus exited the front door of the house, Bellatrix giggling and clapping her hands. As she approached the others, Bellatrix pouted, "Oh, it really is such a shame that we couldn't stay longer. It's much more fun when you can take your time with them."

"We've done enough for tonight," Lucius said calmly. "It was merely an introductory lesson. It served its purpose." The glass shattered in the window of the house behind Bellatrix as the flames began to engulf the room upstairs and spread. Layla stared at it, eyes wide in horror. Lucius stepped in front of her, blocking her view of the fire. "Send up the Dark Mark, and let's be off," Lucius ordered.

It took a moment for Layla to realize that Lucius was speaking to her. She froze for a moment; she didn't even know the spell to brand the sky with the Dark Mark, and the thought of casting it herself made her sick. She hadn't seen the mark floating in the sky since the night of her parents' murders. Then Regulus's voice cut through her inner panic, whispering the incantation to her. Turning quickly, Layla took a few steps down the street, away from the group of Death Eaters, to prevent them from hearing the fear in her voice. She pointed her wand at the sky, and just as she was about to say the word, an elderly voice interrupted, "Young lady, what on earth are you doing?" Layla nearly jumped out of her skin, whipping around and pointing her wand at an old man with a walker on the front steps of his home. The old man stared at her in confusion, then his eyes widened. "I know what you are," he accused. "My brother's a wizard, you know, and he warned me about your sort. I'm going to call the police!"

Panic clawed at Layla's throat, and she reacted. Before the old man could so much as move a step toward his house, Layla flicked her wand out him, muttering, "Tonut Opprimo." A jet of turquoise light struck the man square in the chest. The look of sheer fear on his face as he looked from where the light hit his chest up to Layla was already too much, but then the spell took effect. He began wheezing, then water began to spill from his mouth. He coughed and gulped for air, reaching for his throat, violently coughing up water. Layla gasped and backed up a step, horrified by her own actions. As his lungs filled with salt water, he collapsed to his knees, the walker knocked over onto the ground a few feet away in the process. He coughed and sputtered and gasped a minute more, then fell over dead. Now desperate for a quick escape, Layla pointed her wand at the sky once more and cried, "Morsmordre!" The shape of a skull burned in the night sky, made up of brilliant emerald stars and hazy green smoke, and a serpent snaked its way out of the skull's mouth. Layla could almost hear it hiss as it opened its silent mouth, threatening the world.

Layla felt a tug on her shoulder and turned to see Lucius standing behind her. She glanced past him, and only now did she notice Bellatrix's cackling and cheering of Layla's actions. A shiver ran down Layla's spine as Lucius took her hand and led her back to the group. Everyone took hold of the newspaper once again, and this time, as they reappeared in Hogsmeade, Layla was certain that it wasn't the portkey that made her feel ill. She continuously readjusted her tight grip on her wand, unable to feel comfortable holding the weapon anymore, as Bellatrix continued to laugh, high on the destruction. The two older Death Eaters, Rodolphus and whoever the third was, stayed silent, but Rodolphus put a hand on his wife's lower back, and she leaned into him and began to talk to him, low and sweet. The stranger disapparated, apparently with no desire to spend any time lingering with the crowd.

Layla could feel everyone else's eyes on her, but she didn't care. She just wanted to get away from them. Back to the castle, back to Ravenclaw, back to her bed where the world was safe and made sense. Rabastan, Rosier, and Snape removed their masks and stashed them inside their cloaks, choosing to wander off from the others. Where they were going, Layla didn't know and didn't care. Regulus whispered to her, "Hey, are you ok?"

Layla exhaled a sharp, shaky breath, then turned on her heel and began to exit the alley in favor of High Street, unable to say anything to him. Lucius ran after her and grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop. "Wait," Lucius warned. "Take off your mask." As Layla obeyed, Lucius waved his wand in front of his own face, and his mask disappeared into a wisp of black smoke. He studied her face, his own filled with concern. He reached up and took her face in one hand again, brushing his thumb over her cheek, forgetting his gloves were still bloody and accidentally leaving a streak of Muggle blood behind on her cheek. "Are you all right?" he said under his breath.

Layla shook her head, just barely enough that Lucius perceived it due to having a hand on her jaw and neck already. "I told you," she barely breathed. "I don't want that."

"I know," Lucius soothed. "But it was necessary, just this once."

Layla leaned against Lucius's strong chest, finding a tiny portion of security there. She closed her eyes, then heard Regulus next to them. "Layla, we have to get back up to the school," he said, his voice no longer muffled by his Death Eater mask.

"No," Layla pleaded. "No, I don't want to go. I – I can't." She dug her fingers into the front of Lucius's robes, clinging to him. She looked up at him, eyes filling with tears.

Lucius sighed, brushing her hair back from her face, causing the hood of her cloak to fall back. "You have to, dearest," he said sadly. Layla glanced over his shoulder; Rodolphus and Bellatrix had disappeared. "If you don't, suspicion will immediately fall on you. Go back with Regulus."

Layla sniffed, rubbing her nose as she stepped away from Lucius. "Ok," she mumbled, knowing that he was right. Regulus offered her his hand, but she ignored it and turned on her heel, marching determinedly up toward the castle as Lucius disapparated.

Regulus allowed her silence all the way back to Hogwarts, but as they approached the front steps, he asked her, "Are you ok? I mean, everything back there, that was… Wow. I did not expect that from you at all."

Layla stopped short then, and he nearly ran into her. "No," she said. A choked sob escaped her throat then, and she hugged herself tightly. "I didn't expect that from me either. Snape was studying that curse with me yesterday, and I just…" She choked back another sob. "I killed them," she cried.

Regulus took her in his arms, holding her close as she cried into his shirt. "Layla, I'm so sorry," he said, his voice thick. "Malfoy promised me that you wouldn't actually have to do anything but send up the Dark Mark, that he'd protect you. I had no idea any of this would happen, or I would have never let them take you out on this mission tonight, Dark Lord be damned."

Layla begged, "Come up to Ravenclaw with me? Please? I can't – I mean, I don't want – just please, come with me?"

Regulus nodded. "Of course." The pair went inside, and he managed to deftly lead her up to Ravenclaw tower without bumping into any prefects or teachers. He answered the door knocker's riddle for her, then brought Layla inside. They found their way back over to their favorite couch and collapsed onto it. Regulus allowed Layla to lay on top of his chest as she started to cry again, petting her hair and soothing her as best he could. Just as he thought she must've cried herself to sleep, she looked up at him and asked, "Hey, Regulus? Did I pass the test?"

Shaking his head, Regulus said, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm pretty sure you passed the test. I doubt the Dark Lord will feel the need to test your loyalty to the cause ever again. I think you're safe now."

Layla nodded, then snuggled back into his chest as she mumbled, "Good." After a moment, she said, "Regulus? You know how you keep telling me that you'd kill for me?" He nodded. "I would, too. Kill for you."

Regulus processed that for a second, then sighed, reaching up and touching her cheek. "Yeah, I had a feeling you might."