Harry muttered furiously to himself as he followed the others into the castle.

Walking ahead with Mason and Theo, Teddie glanced back at the Gryffindor and then fell back to walk beside him. "Penny for your thoughts?" she asked, her voice low.

"I'm trying to remember the day I saw that necklace in Borgin and Burkes," said Harry. "I was hiding in a cabinet. Hiding from Malfoy and his father. I saw through a crack in the door that Malfoy was having a good look at the necklace, he even asked his father if he could buy it, but Mr. Malfoy said no."

"Okay. But how long ago was this?" Teddie asked.

"Second year."

"That was four years ago, Harry," said Teddie. "Why would Malfoy care about something he saw four years ago? And why would he keep it for now? It doesn't make sense."

Harry sighed. "I know you're not big friends with Malfoy, but have you noticed anything strange about him?" he asked.

"Strange like how?"

"I don't know. Strange. Like, overly confident or sullen?"

"Malfoy is always overly confident," said Teddie. "As for sullen? No, not really. He's been a lot more meticulous than usual, and he was outrageously annoyed when he learned Mr Weasley raided his house a few weeks back. I remember we had an argument about it."

"How did the argument go?"

Teddie shrugged. "Same as they always do," she answered. "I asked if they had found anything and he overheard me, snapping about why they would find anything because he and his family had nothing to hide. He then went off on his usual tangent about how I had disrespected him one to many times, and he wanted a duel."

"What did you say?"

"I just told him to shut up," said Teddie. "I did mention that his father was in Azkaban, and that I knew everything that happened in the Ministry concerning how his father was captured by officials. I then accused him of putting his complete loyalty in a Wizard that didn't care about anyone but himself. He didn't say anything back if that's what you're thinking. He just shut up and walked away."

Harry glanced at the others walking ahead of him. He then dropped his voice to a whisper and leaned closer to Teddie. "I think Malfoy has become a Death Eater," he said.

Teddie furrowed her brow. "What makes you think that?" she asked.

"He wouldn't let Madam Malkin touch his left arm, and we both know that is where the Dark Mark is burned into their skin," said Harry. "He was also mouthing off on the train about moving onto bigger and better things, and how he doesn't see himself returning next year for his final year of school."

"That doesn't mean he is a Death Eater," said Teddie, shaking her head. "Besides, why would Voldemort want Malfoy as a Death Eater?"

"I don't know," Harry sighed.

The two lapsed into silence. The only sound was their footsteps crunching on gravel as they headed up the hill towards the castle.

"I'm not saying I don't believe you," said Teddie. "But, I do think we need more proof before we go about accusing Malfoy. Besides, Pansy was his friend. I can't see him cursing her. What does he achieve from doing that?"

Harry shrugged.

"I also don't think Malfoy was in Hogsmeade today," Teddie added. "Pretty sure he had detention with Professor Snape."

"But you can't be sure?"

Teddie shook her head.

"What are you pair talking about?" Cruise called, falling back to walk behind them.

Harry and Teddie shook their heads.

"Homework," said Teddie. "I was asking Harry about our Defence homework that's due on Monday."

Cruise eyed her suspiciously. "Then maybe you can discuss it inside?" he asked, nodding at the castle doors. They were less than a foot away, and warm and inviting.

Harry and Teddie nodded and hurried their walk. They passed the threshold just as Professor McGonagall came hurrying down the Marble Staircase towards them.

"Auror Morse and Camp say that you all saw what happened to Miss Parkinson?" McGonagall asked.

The students nodded.

"Right. Well, upstairs to my office, the lot of you," said McGonagall. She eyed the package that Cruise was carrying. "Is that?"

"The artefact," Cruise nodded. "I'm sure Professor Snape would like to see it."

"Very well," said McGonagall.

As Cruise and Melanie slipped away toward the Dungeons, McGonagall waved for the students to follow her. They crossed the Entrance Hall, slipped up the Marble staircase to the Transfiguration corridor, and entered the office. The windows were rattling in their frames and sleet covered every inch of the glass.

McGonagall swept around her desk and then set her gaze on the students. "Well," she barked. "What happened?"

Millicent stepped forward. She was still shaking, and sobs punctured every other word, but she managed to get her story out. When she finished she collapsed into a chair and sobbed.

"All right," said Professor McGonagall. "Miss Greengrass, please take Miss Bulstrode up to the Hospital Wing. Make sure that Madam Pomfrey gives her a potion for the shock."

Daphne nodded, wrapped her arm around Millicent's shoulder again, led her from the room. The door closed behind them and McGonagall turned back to the students left behind. "What happened after Miss Parkinson touched the necklace?" she asked.

"She rose into the air," said Harry, before anyone else had a chance. "She then began to scream and collapsed. Professor, can I see Professor Dumbledore, please?"

Teddie furrowed her brow at him. Her house mate had just been attacked and he was more concerned with seeing the Headmaster than finding the underlying cause of it? She knew Harry had a one-tracked mind, and he didn't care much for what happened to Slytherin's, but he could at least pretend to care for more than two minutes.

"The Headmaster is away until Monday, Potter," said McGonagall.

"Away?" Harry repeated.

"Yes, Potter, away!" McGonagall said, tartly. Her gaze swept over the others. "Do we have any ideas on who could have done this?"

Teddie shook her head. "We saw her leave the Three Broomsticks," she said. "Her eyes looked strange, glazed, like she was under a spell."

"And I could feel magic," said Mason. "We have a small discussion on it after she had left, but the evidence was circumstantial at best. We didn't want to go chasing after her and accusing her of something without actual proof, plus, we couldn't agree on her being enchanted, so we let it go."

McGonagall nodded.

"I think Malfoy did it," Harry blurted out.

Everyone fell silent and turned to face him.

"That's a serious accusation, Potter," said McGonagall. "Do you have proof?"

"No," said Harry. "But…" and he retold her the story that he had told Teddie downstairs.

Teddie sniffed and played with the tassels on her hoodie. Harry's story sounded more absurd the second time than it had earlier. And while she didn't not believe him, she knew she couldn't openly accuse Malfoy for something they had no proof on. Besides, if it turned out Malfoy was a Death Eater, then he was hardly the only one. She had yet to tell any of her friends that she supported the same Mark that Harry believed Malfoy now had.

"Malfoy took something to Borgin and Burkes for repair?" McGonagall asked.

"No, Professor, he just wanted Borgin to tell him how to mend something, he didn't have it with him. But that's not the point, the thing is that he bought something at the same time, and that was the necklace."

"You saw Malfoy leaving the shop with a similar package?"

"No, Professor, he told Borgin to keep it in the shop for him -"

"But, Harry," Hermione interrupted. "Borgin asked him if he wanted to take it with him, and Malfoy said no -"

"Because he didn't want to touch it, obviously!" said Harry angrily.

Astoria shrugged. "If he was purchasing something from Borgin and Burkes, then it would've been wrapped, wouldn't it?" she asked. "Stores in Knockturn Alley are pretty shady, but even they know not to show their trades to the naked eye."

Harry sighed angrily.

"Thank you, Potter, for your insight," said Professor McGonagall. "However, we cannot point the finger of blame at Mr. Malfoy purely because he visited the shop where this necklace might have been purchased. We also have put stringent security measures in place this year, I do not believe that necklace can possibly have entered the school without our knowledge, and furthermore, Mr Malfoy was not in Hogsmeade today."

"How do you know, Professor?" Harry asked.

"Because he was serving detention with me."

"I knew he had detention with someone," said Teddie. "I honestly thought it was Professor Snape."

"Thank you for telling me your suspicions, Potter," McGonagall added, marching past them, "but I need to go up to the hospital wing now to check on Miss Parkinson. Good day to you all." She held the door opened for them, with no choice, they filed out.

~X~

Madam Pomfrey had prohibited anyone, even her friends, from visiting her while she had been in the Hospital Wing. The only people who did get to see her with the Professors and her parents. Teddie saw them entering the Oak doors at the end of the Seventh floor, they looked sullen and scared, which was a new look for two esteemed Purebloods.

A week later, Pansy had gone. Moved to St Mungo's was the rumour, and Teddie was inclined to believe it's legitimacy. The dark magic she had felt coming off the necklace was enough to curse a fully grown adult; there was no chance of a sixteen-year-old coming back from it without a lot of help - help that Madam Pomfrey couldn't hope to deal with alone.

Millicent Bulstrode was still beside herself. She had been Pansy's best friend since day one at Hogwarts, and they two had been inseparable. It was strange and sad to see her sitting alone at a study table in the Slytherin common room, her head buried her homework.

"Potter is convinced it was Malfoy that cursed Pansy?" Daphne asked, dipping her quill into her ink well. She glanced up at Teddie, noticing that her friend's gaze had been drawn, once again, to Millicent's side of the common room. "You could always go ask her to join us, you know."

"And get my head bitten off?" Teddie asked. She shook her head. "Just because we helped Pansy doesn't automatically make us all best friends, now. I bet, when Pansy comes back, she'll go right for the throat again."

"You don't know that."

Teddie shrugged. "I doubt I will get an apology from her," she said. She heaved a sigh and tore her gaze away from Millicent. "To answer your question, yes, Harry thinks it was Malfoy."

"But, how did he get Pansy the necklace if he was in detention all day?" Blaise asked.

"More to the point, why wait until she was in Hogsmeade?" Theo asked. "Why not give it to her in the common room? Or send it to her in the post? Why on a trip to the village, a trip he didn't even take anyway."

"He didn't know he wasn't going to make it," said Teddie. "But, you do have a point on waiting until then to give it to her."

"Do we know it was a present for her?" Daphne asked. "When I walked Millicent up to the Hospital Wing, she said that Pansy had mentioned something about the necklace being a gift, but it wasn't for her. Whoever gave it to her had said it had to go to Dumbledore."

Teddie furrowed her brow. "Why would Dumbledore need a necklace?" she asked. "And a cursed one to boot?"

Daphne shrugged. "Millicent didn't know all the specifics," she said. "Just that Pansy had been told to give the necklace to Dumbledore, that it was important. But Pansy, being Pansy, became selfish and wanted to keep it. I don't know why; Opals aren't exactly her style."

Blaise nodded. The Opal necklace they had seen had looked like something someone's grandmother would wear, possibly even their great-grandmother, not something made for a sixteen-year-old girl.

"So, what? Malfoy gave the necklace to someone in Hogsmeade, intending for them to give it to Pansy, and she to deliver it to Dumbledore?" Teddie asked, trying to string the puzzle pieces together. None of it made any sense, though.

Daphne sighed and went back to homework.

For a while, the only sound was the crackling of flames in the grate.

Just as she finished her Defence essay, the common room portal opened, and Professor Snape stepped through. "Miss Green," he said, in a low voice, indicating for her to join him.

Theo, Blaise, and Daphne watched as Teddie set down her quill, stood, and made her way over to their Head of House. They spoke in low, hushed whispers, before Teddie threw them a small wave and followed Snape out of the common room.

"What's that about?" Blaise asked, looking at Theo.

Theo shrugged. "He did say he was giving her private lessons in Defence," he said. "Maybe they're to do with that."

"We'll probably still be awake when she returns," said Daphne. "She'll tell us then."

Blaise nodded, eyed the portrait hole for a second longer, and then returned to his Homework.

~X~

Meanwhile, Teddie followed Snape out into the dungeon. They turned the corner at the break in the hall and headed towards his private chambers. The door stood a jar, and Teddie could hear voices coming from inside.

"Why would she help Pansy, though? What does she want?"

"We'll find out, Elfadora, don't you worry."

"What if she wants an alliance? We can't possibly go against them, for her, surely?"

"She's a child. What could she want an alliance against?"

"Well, she's hardly fallen into line with them, has she? What if she wants help against them. I'm not comfortable with possibly being on a side that could get us killed."

"Listen, Elfadora, Faye is a child. She will not want an alliance. Why she helped Pansy, I don't know, but we mustn't panic about a future that may not possibly happen. Now stop your sniffling, I hear something."

Teddie glanced up at Snape. "Are they Pansy's parents?" she asked.

"Yes," said Snape, smoothly. "As you heard, they want to know why you helped their daughter."

"Because it was the right thing to do?" Teddie said, sarcastically.

Snape placed a hand on her shoulder and herded her towards the door. "Don't tell me that," he said. "Tell them. Mr and Mrs Parkinson, sorry for the wait. This is Miss Green, or as you would know her, Miss Sutherland…"

Teddie cringed at the name.

"Miss Green, this is Edwin and Elfadora Parkinson," said Snape. "Pansy's parents."

Teddie forced a smile and waved. "Uh, hi," she said, weakly. Pansy's father was intimidating to say the least. He was at least seven feet tall, broad shouldered, with a square shaped head and a large forehead. His eyes were dark, and his lips pressed into such a thin line they looked non-existent.

Mrs Parkinson, however, looked frail and tiny. She had long, stringy, black hair, bright blue eyes, and a small oblong face. Her lips were puffy, and her eyes rimmed red. She was also visibly shaking, her eyes on her lap when Teddie walked in. She looked up, briefly, meeting Teddie's gaze and then glancing away.

"We just want to know one thing," said Mr Parkinson. "Why -"

"I helped your daughter because it was the right thing to do," said Teddie. "The Dark Magic coming off the object that infected her was pure. She didn't stand a chance, and the scream she let out was painful to hear. She and I may not have been friends, but if there was a chance she could see, hear, or feel another person, I wanted her to know that she wasn't alone."

Mrs Parkinson sniffled.

"I also wasn't alone," said Teddie. "There were several other people there. Harry Potter included."

The Parkinson perked up.

"Potter?" Mr Parkinson asked. "He helped me daughter?"

"Yes, sir, he did," said Teddie, nodding.

Mr Parkinson stared hard at her. "What is it you want?" he asked.

Teddie furrowed her brow and looked up at Snape. "I don't know what that means," she said.

"He is asking what you want in return for helping his daughter," explained Professor Snape.

Her brow still furrowed, Teddie turned back to the two adults. "You mean, like a reward?" she asked.

"Yes. Like a reward," said Mr Parkinson. "What do they teach you in the Muggle world? All good deeds go unpunished. What is it you want?"

Teddie shook her head. "I don't want anything," she replied. "I didn't save your daughter for a reward. I didn't do it for an alliance with you, or anything that you may think. I did it simply because it was the right thing to do. In the Muggle world, we are taught that everyone deserves help, and if we can we do, even if we don't like the person."

Mr Parkinson tilted his head to the side. "Funny," he said, softly. "Almost everyone does something for something in return. Why should we believe you're any different?"

"There is nothing I can say that will make you realise that I don't want anything in return," said Teddie. "You just have to trust me, I guess."

A heavy silence fell between them.

"Is Pansy okay?" Teddie asked. She looked from the Parkinson's to Snape, and then back again. "I know she has been moved to St Mungo's, but is she okay?"

"She's still very unwell," said Mrs Parkinson, quietly. "The Healers said she was incredibly lucky. She appears to have just brushed whatever had cursed said, if she had touched it fully, or even put it on, she would've died."

Teddie released the breath she had been holding. "I'm sorry for what happened," she said, looking from Mr Parkinson to Mrs Parkinson. "What happened to Pansy, no one deserved that. I hope she makes a full recovery."

"Thank you," Mrs Parkinson cried. She stood, with the help of her husband, and filed out of the room. Teddie watched them go, the door closing behind them. She then turned to Professor Snape. "Can you tell me what you found?"

The corners of Snape's lips curved upward, and he led her over to his desk. The necklace lay inside a glass sheet, it twinkled in the darkness of the office, but there was something more. It was weak, behind the sheet, but Teddie could still feel it.

"What you feel is dark magic in its undiluted form," said Snape

"Why can I feel it, though?" Teddie asked.

"Because of your parents," said Snape. "Magic is neither good nor evil, Teddie, it just exists. It is who uses it that makes it what it is. Your parents are both dwellers of darkness, and they passed that onto you when you were conceived. Faye, despite being young when she was taken from her home, was taught to use her abilities for evil. It is drilled into her."

"That's why my shield is destructive," said Teddie.

Snape nodded. "Yes. That is why your shield breaks free when you are mostly angry," he said. "Why you black out when you're angry, and why, as a child, you needed to be closely monitored. Caroline and I needed to keep you within Spinner's End to monitor your abilities as you grew, but, we couldn't keep you within either of homes. You needed to be raised in an environment which would nurture you as neutral as possible."

"Which is why you chose Rose and Robert Green to be my new parents."

"Yes. Exactly."

Teddie blinked. "Why didn't you tell me any of this before?" she asked. "Why now?"

"I needed to be sure you were ready," said Snape. "As cruel as it sounds, your parents dying was expected."

"You knew they would be killed?"

Snape sighed solemnly. "I do apologise, Miss Green, I take no pleasure in knowing this little fact, but yes, I did. Your parents were good people, and they are in scares supply these days. But, their death is what has made you stronger."

"Stronger?" Teddie repeated. "How has it made me stronger? I'm more paranoid now than ever, I am overly protective. I am holding onto Mason like there is no tomorrow, and I even more scared than usual. No one wants to know me, everyone is afraid of me, and my every step is being monitored. I feel like a freak in a circus with everyone pressing their noses against the glass to see what trick I will do next."

Snape listened, silently.

"I draw my wand and people run screaming," Teddie continued. "I can't even talk about my future, about wanting to be a Charms professor, because people say I shouldn't be around kids. I get excited at the prospect of being a junior assistant to Professor Flitwick, but people question how I am allowed to grade essays or teach others Charms." She sighed heavily and met Snape's gaze as she looked up. "The one thing I don't feel… is stronger."

Snape leaned forward, pressing the tips of his fingers together in front of his lips, as he leaned on his desk with his elbows. "Don't you see, Teddie, all of what you just described, makes you stronger," he said. "Your fear, your passion, your dedication, ambition… all of it makes you who you are. You want to be a good person; you want to be a successful person. All you must do is use it. Use it for how you want to use it, not for how the Dark Lord and Avery want to use it."

"Why don't you say his name?"

"Pardon me?"

"You say 'the Dark Lord'," said Teddie. "You're a Death Eater - former or otherwise - you still bare his mark. So why don't you say his name?"

"Only a fool would say his name."

"So the Headmaster is a fool?"

Snape shook his head. "The Headmaster is a great wizard," he said, slowly. "The only person that the Dark Lord was ever afraid of. He says the Dark Lord's name to take away his power."

"Then shouldn't we all do the same?" Teddie asked. "If Voldemort draws power from people fearing his name, then if we want to show him that we aren't afraid, we should say his name."

"Why don't you call yourself Faye?"

"Because I'm not here," said Teddie. "I'm not afraid of being identified as her, I just don't like it because of what she is associated with. I don't want to be associated with death and murder of innocent people. That is what the name Faye Sutherland brings to people."

Snape sat back in his chair. "Sounds like you're trying to justify your fears," he said.

Teddie sighed and sat down in the chair that Mrs Parkinson had been sitting in a few minutes before. She wasn't afraid of being called Faye Sutherland, but it did make her anxious that people automatically assumed that she was going to embody the daughter of darkness title just because that is what she had been born to be.

"Miss Green?" Professor Snape asked.

"I am afraid of what you will happen to my brother and friends," said Teddie, quietly. "If people continue to think I am a threat, they are going to start trying to take matters into their own hands. They're going to come after me, and everyone knows that Voldemort and Avery get to people through those that they love. What if someone tries to do the same to me? What happens to Mason and the others, then?"

"They are safe within Hogwarts," said Professor Snape. "No one would be foolish enough to go after such a high priority target such as your friends. They are well protected, I assure you."

"What about outside Hogwarts?" Teddie asked. "What about Marcus, Adrian, Derrick? Their families? I can't be everywhere, and neither can a protection detail."

Standing, Snape swept around his desk and kneeled beside Teddie. He placed a hand over her own and lifted her chin so he could see her eyes. "As long as you are who you are, your friends are safe," he said.

"But I'm not just one person," Teddie whispered. "As you pointed out, I am two people - Teddie and Faye - what if I become her again, like I did in second year. What if I attack someone? They could try and take revenge on someone I love, and that's not going to end well. It's like Blaise and Theo said when Daphne and I were messing around with a possible payback war - War is already coming, do we really want to start another one?"

Snape sighed, he didn't have any answers to her questions, theories, or worries, and found the only thing he could do was pat her hand and hope for the best.