In this chapter we'll finding out a little more about Althea's past. Next chapter will have some Althea and Remus relationship development.

Seventh Year

A month passed. Althea was doing remarkably well in all of her studies – even Potions, which she loathed with a vengeance – and had successfully become an Animagus, much to the chagrin of the Marauders. It wasn't that they weren't happy for her – they were, because it was such difficult magic – but they were worried and upset, because they knew that now that she was an Animagus she would wish to come with them on the full moon to support Remus. Little did they know that while she had wished to join them, Althea had no interest in further tangling herself up in their affairs. She had to focus on her studies and maintaining a healthy social life – or lack thereof.

Lily bounced into the dormitory, a dreamy smile on her face. A Halloween bash was coming up and it was the Prefect's job to organize everything – Althea had helped Lily to decide on the date, the time, and the decorations and then get it cleared by Dumbledore. James, and several other Prefects were handling the entertainment and the refreshments. Really, the only thing that Lily and Althea had left to do was find dates, but judging from the dreamy smile on her face Lily had already found a date.

Lily excitedly told Althea about who had asked her, and to her surprise it had been Bryan Selwyn, a Hufflepuff. He was a pureblood, and nearly as stuck up as those in the Slytherin house although he really had nothing against Muggle-borns; at least, he didn't insult them anyways. Still, she didn't trust him but she plastered a smile on her face and told Lily that she was happy for her. She wasn't going to ruin Lily's excitement just because she didn't trust Bryan Selwyn. Althea sighed. Still, she just had a bad feeling about him.

Many of the students at Hogwarts seemed to think that those who sympathized with Voldemort, or those who were "Death Eaters in training" seemed to only come from Slytherin however, Althea knew that was not the case. Death Eaters could come from any House in Hogwarts; prejudice was limited to just one House. Late in the night as Althea was writing her Ancient Runes essay by the fireplace, the Marauders stumbled into the Common Room laughing so hard they were in tears. The only Marauder unamused was Remus who had a tense expression on his face. Althea closed her book and stood, walking over to him her eyes dark with concern.

"Is everything alright Remus?" Althea asked, tilting her head to the side curiously.

"Everything is fine, Thea." Remus murmured. He glanced over his shoulder at his friends, "Just had a run-in with some Slytherins, that's all."

Althea pursed her lips, taking a glance at the other Marauders. "I'm guessing it went well, then? Given how loud they are laughing."

"Evidently," Remus said through gritted teeth. He sighed, "I'm sorry, I do not mean to be so short but, James and Sirius aggravated me with the…stunt that they pulled." Lowering his voice, he whispered, "They transfigured some of the Slytherins to have werewolf-like characteristics."

Althea's eyes went wide, and she barely withheld a gasp. She knew how sensitive that topic was to Remus, and for James and Sirius to have the audacity to do that, and disregard Remus's feelings astounded her. And not in a good way.

"Oh Remus, I'm so sorry," Althea whispered looking at him sympathetically. "Yet, they still find it funny." She frowned.

Remus shrugged, an uncomfortable expression appearing on his face. "That's just them, I suppose," he supplied unhelpfully. He shifted on his face, "Do you by any chance know a Clarissa Fawley?"

"Ravenclaw, sixth year, about my height but a little shorter? Black hair and green eyes?" Althea asked. Remus nodded. "Vaguely. Why? Do you want to ask her out?" An uncomfortable feeling twisted in her chest and she desperately hoped that Remus would deny it.

"No I do not want to ask her out," Remus said a little stiffly. "She is – was – friends with one Regulus Black, and Sirius wants to know if his brother has become a Death Eater."

"So, he wants me to manipulate this girl and gain her trust," Althea muttered. "Well I won't do it. I'll become her friend if she seems nice but I won't use her just to gain information about his brother."

Before he could reply Sirius was there, slinging an arm around Remus's shoulders and pulling him towards James and Peter. Helplessly, Remus glanced over at Althea but she was busy looking at the floor, her cheeks flushed and embarrassment swirling in her stomach which only intensified when Sirius made a somewhat snarky comment about Remus "wooing" her.

Sighing she made her way to the dormitory.

The next morning Althea felt unbelievably exhausted. She headed down to the Great Hall alone; Lily was staying to help Mary McDonald and Alice choose their dates for the Halloween party – although everyone knew that the shy sixth-year Alice, would end up going with Frank Longbottom a seventh-year – and the Marauders were who-knows-where doing who-knows-what. Althea plopped herself down at the Gryffindor table, and slowly began to pile her plate full of food. The owls swooped in and hers dropped several letters in front of her; some nearly landed in her food and Althea hurriedly grabbed them.

The first two were generic ones from her parents asking her how her day was, her grades, and if she was having a good time at Hogwarts. The second one was from Anastasia Rosier, a Ravenclaw that had graduated two years ago. The two girls had become friends upon instantly meeting each other because they had the same interests, and Anastasia was a friendly and bubbly person – the complete opposite of her younger brother Evan who everyone knew (or suspected) was a Death Eater.

Dear Althea Morgan,

I live in Hogsmeade now, and things are getting bad – especially in Knockturn Alley. Death Eaters stroll through the streets freely now, and I'm scared to even go out of my flat. The attacks on the Muggles are growing more frequent, and I've heard rumors that they are going to hit a few Muggle houses near London (isn't that where your parents live?), and cause some havoc at Hogwarts. Oh, Thea, I'm so scared!

Sometimes I wonder if it would have been easier – and safer – for me to have joined Voldemort, but then I think again that he'll be stopped someday. Some I'm better off now, opposing him. For when he is stopped all of his followers will be put in Azkaban, won't they? Just yesterday, I got a letter from Clarissa Fawley, and she confessed that she is enduring the same struggles that I did. Her parents want her to support You-Know-Who and get married to a nice pureblood, but that is the absolute last thing she wants (even though many know that she fancies Regulus Black – sorry getting off topic), and so I was wondering if you could perhaps take her under your wing so to speak? Just show her that she's not as alone as she thinks that she is.

But if the others find out that she is…that she isn't who they think she is, I fear what will happen to her. If you do decide to reach out to her, please be secretive. I would hate for something bad to happen and have it be on my conscience (and yours).

I miss you Althea, do write back soon.

Love your favorite Ravenclaw,

Anastasia Rosier

The next letter, was from Allegra Malfoy, a genealogist. Althea had contacted her a few weeks ago, to help her determine her ancestry primarily because she wanted to know if her entire family were Muggles or if she had some wizarding ancestry.

Dear Miss Althea Morgan,

I looked into your case, simply because I could find absolutely nothing on your family. At least, nothing on you. I had to go to a Muggle building (I don't remember the name of it, and it was quite awful) where I discovered, that a little girl sharing the same name as you with a different surname had been adopted by a Morgan family a few months after your birth. Well, I discovered that that little girl was you and that you do have some wizarding ancestry in your family.

Miss Althea Abbott's Family Tree

Althea Abbott – February 14th, 1960

Mother: Serena Abbott nee Farris (1920-1965)

Mother: Delilah Farris nee Potter

Father: Henry Farris

Father: Abraham Abbott (1918 – 1971)

Mother: Drusilla Abbott nee Johnson

Father: Victor Abbott

Your father and mother were both half-bloods. Unfortunately, this was all I could find until I did a little more digging and your grandmother's father, was Henry Potter a member of the Wizengamot so you do have some prestigious lineage. It would do you well to consider allying with the Dark Lord, since you aren't a complete Muggle. That is neither here nor there I suppose.

I hope these results were satisfactory.

Good day,

Allegra Malfoy

Althea couldn't believe what she had just read. Honestly, she wasn't sure that Allegra Malfoy wasn't lying – she was after all a Malfoy – but at the same time she couldn't be sure that Allegra wasn't lying. If her parents really were half-bloods, then she had more wizarding blood then she thought she did and she wondered then, why her parents had never told her she was adopted. She understood that maybe they were waiting for the right time, but they had over a decade to tell her and they still hadn't. She wasn't a little kid anymore, surely, she could handle this.

She nibbled on her toast a little bit. It doesn't matter, why they decided not to tell me. Either way they are still my parents, she concluded. To her, those other people were just names. Althea bit her lip, glancing at the stacks of letters once more. Maybe she should owl back Allegra, and inquire on the whereabouts of her grandparents? No, she decided, I don't know them, and I'm not quite sure that I want to. I've lived a perfectly happy life without them involved. I doubt they even know that I exist. Besides, there are bigger things to worry about than my personal life – like Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

Lily dropped into the seat beside Althea, looking utterly exhausted. Dark shadows were underneath his eyes, and her red hair looked a little greasy, her skin was pale and sallow, and her clothes were rumpled. In all honesty, she looked like Hell.

"Merlin's beard Lily, are you okay?" Althea asked, peering at her friend in concern.

"Yeah. 'M'fine," Lily grumbled, resting her head on her arms.

Seconds later, her breathing had evened out and she was asleep. To her right, there was movement and she tensed as an arm was thrown across her shoulders.

"Morning Morgan!" James crowed into her ear, leaning toward her.

Althea scowled, "What do you want Potter?"

"I want you to tell me, why certain Slytherins are staring at you." He narrowed his eyes at her, "What did you do Althea?"

She bristled at the thinly veiled accusation, "I didn't do anything."

He hummed, but it didn't appear as if he believed her. Althea scowled down at her food. While she had denied James's accusation she had a sinking feeling that Allegra had told Lucius, and then Lucius had somehow passed her lineage to the other purebloods in Slytherin. If they knew that she was a half-blood hopefully they would leave her alone.

She snorted, knowing that it wasn't likely.

They were Slytherins after all.

Althea walked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, unsurprised to see most of the Slytherins already there and chatting in low voices. The Gryffindors were the last to enter the classroom and bringing up the rear were James and Sirius with their heads bent closer together in conversation. Remus sat next to her, his arm brushing against hers and she felt her cheeks heat up. Professor Vesper swept into the room, dark robes billowing behind her.

"With the rise of You-Know-Who, I know that many of you feel unsafe. To help alleviate that and ease your spirits for the next several weeks we will be dueling, and practicing defensive spells." She turned a critical eye on the Slytherins, "For I am sure that many of you are entirely too competent in the more aggressive spells. Now, the person that you are sitting with shall be your partner. When we get done with dueling, you and your partner will do a project together but we shall discuss that at a later date. Now, get up and get your wands out we have a lot of work to do."