Sirius rose so quickly that Peter squealed in fright and immediately took off after him. He strode with so much purpose and intention that even James had trouble keeping up. Remus was on his feet, frowning so deeply that his green eyes nearly disappeared.

"Sirius!" He called. "Wait! Sirius!"

But Sirius wasn't stopping. He plowed on with such determination that we had no choice. We had to follow him or risk being left behind while he spoke to Dumbledore. Unsure of what he would say to the Headmaster, if he would be stupid enough to tell him what we had just done or show him, I jumped up and tore off after him, wand clutched tightly in my right hand.

"Stop!" I half-shrieked, my heart pounding so fast that it constricted my throat. "I'm warning you! Don't make me hex you, Sirius!"

But either Sirius didn't hear me or he ignored me. I stopped and raised my wand high.

"Stupe-"

James whirled around and aimed his own wand at me. "Expelliarmus!"

My wand flew out of my hand. Remus caught it, suddenly beside me. I stared at both boys, fuming.

"What…? Give me back my wand, Remus!"

"No." Remus said, shaking his head. "Sirius isn't stupid. He won't give you away or turn you in. He isn't a rat."

"But he's going to show him what we just did!" I exploded, fear and anger making my head spin even faster. I fought to keep myself from vomiting again. "I don't want to get expelled for what Potter made me do!"

"I didn't make you do anything!" James called, already alarmingly far away, running after Sirius. "You agreed to it, Lionheart!"

"My name is Harkstone!" I snarled, tearing after them while Remus tried to stop me. I wrenched my arm away and quickened my pace.

"Petrificus Totalus!" James yelled, aiming a well-cast spell at me. I froze as if turned to stone and topped over onto the slope of the ridge leading up to the castle. Remus was at my side, keeping me from falling.

I was fuming. If Potter hadn't hexed me, I would have been on his heels. I was so mad that I didn't know who I wanted to beat up more; Potter, or Black.

"Easy, Amber." Remus muttered, pulling out his willow wand and waving it over me. But nothing happened. Remus swore.

"There's no counter curse for this one… Damn. Just wait a few minutes."

I glared up at him, every fiber of my being screaming for movement, but I was totally paralyzed. Nearly five minutes went by before I could feel my limbs again, the curse wearing off.

"I'm going to kill them!" I vowed, rising to my feet again and charging up the ridge.

Remus kept even pace. "Amber, they aren't going to turn you in. This isn't a set up. Trust me. Sirius and James wouldn't do that to you. You're one of us, remember? A Marauder."

"Oh, shut up." I snapped. "Don't defend those little turncoats. I'll kill Potter for cursing me like that! Just wait until I get my wand back!"

I was out of breath by the time we climbed back to the castle. I hurtled inside, pushing rudely and carelessly through throngs of students, who gave me annoyed looks or even yelled as I passed by.

"Sorry, sorry." Remus apologized profusely and quickly as he tailed me. I bumped hard into a girl my age, who cried out in pain.

"Hey!" She yelped. "Watch it!"

I skidded to a halt. Angelina Azadian was staring down at me, her gray eyes huge. "Amber?" She said, clearly startled. "Where are you going? Are you alright?"

"I'm going to kill James Potter." I informed her, gritting my teeth. "Have you seen him?"

"Kill James Potter?" another familiar voice asked. Lily edged her way around two other girls and stood by Angelina's side, looking surprised and intrigued. "What happened?"

I could only think about Sirius and James and Peter, all probably long-inside of Dumbledore's office by now. I shifted on my feet, torn between my loyalty to my friends and wanting to preserve my innocence.

"He stole Amber's wand." Remus informed them gravely.

Angelina clapped a hand over her mouth. Lily's eyes were the size of dinner plates.

"He did what?" Lily gasped.

"Stole my wand!" I roared. "I swear, when I get my wand back, I'm going to turn him into a girl and… no, wait, I'm going to make him think he's a girl, yes, and make him wear makeup and frilly pink robes and use a squealy, little girl voice…"

Lily and Angelina looked positively alarmed at my downspiraling hold on sanity. Remus grimaced soberly.

"She's had a long day." He said.

"Clearly." Angelina murmured.

"Here." Lily said, thrusting out her own willow wand. "Take it and get back your own. And when you do… give James an extra good hex for me."

I gaped at her, momentarily stunned, and then took the proferred wand from her hand. Angelina looked deeply impressed.

"Thank you." I said shortly, and took off towards Dumbledore's office.

Remus groaned. "You may as well have just signed James's death certificate!"

But I wasn't listening. The blood was pounding in my ears like a war drum. The throng of students passing to their next classes was thinning as I raced up four flights of stairs and skidded to a halt, breathless, outside of Dumbledore's office. The stone gargoyle stared down at me impassively. I had a fleeting flashback of being escorted here by Professor McGonagall a year ago, meeting Dumbledore face to face and having my father tell me that my sister was dead.

Swallowing hard and panting, I gazed up hopelessly at the immobile statue. "Fizzing Whizbee."

Nothing.

"Acid Pops?"

"Hang on." Remus said, appearing doggedly at my side again. "I can't let you go in there to kill James."
"I'm not going to kill him." I corrected. "Just make him pay."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Don't make me curse you."

I gave him my nastiest glare. "You wouldn't. You're my friend."

"Friends defend other friends." Remus said harshly. "Don't overreact. We aren't kids anymore. We need to handle this calmly and carefully."

"Oh, enough!" I snapped. I pointed Lily's wand at the gargoyle and said, "Alohamora!"

Nothing. The gargoyle almost looked smug.

"You can't get in without the password." Remus interjected. "And only the teachers know it."

"Obviously!" I exploded. "Otherwise we would be inside by now!"

Remus's green eyes flashed. For a split second, I recognized Fenrir Greyback's lethal, animal look in his gaze, but then it was gone, and Remus jerked his head away.

"We need to wait for a teacher." Remus growled. "Or until they come out."

"I can't wait that long!" I retorted. "They're in there right now, incriminating us both, and I will not be expelled from Hogwarts! Not for this!"

A cloying, sweet scent, like rotting lilacs, swept into the corridor. Goosebumps swept over my flesh. I had smelled this overpowering odor, just minutes ago in a place miles from here…

"Trying to break into the Headmaster's office?" a high-pitched, cold voice intoned.

I snapped my head around, coming face to face with the very man who had just offered my neck to a savage werewolf not even an hour ago. I stared into his dark blue eyes, soulless and blank. Remus let out a low growl.

"We need to talk to the Headmaster." I said, sounding much calmer than I felt. I could feel my insides writhing, knotting themselves with fear. Folsom's face was expressionless as he surveyed me. His gaze flickered to Remus, who bared his teeth in retaliation. Folsom's brows lifted in surprise.

"Well, well, well… looks like the pup's growing." Folsom breathed, eyes narrowing to slits. "Better calm down, Lupin, or it'll be the kennel for you instead of Hogwarts."

"What did you say to me?" Remus snarled, face pale.

"You heard me." Folsom said casually.

I shoved Folsom, hard, before I could think better of my actions. Clearly, this had been the last thing Folsom was expecting, because he actually stumbled, completely taken aback.

He lifted his gaze to mine, his blue eyes suddenly the color of a blank, empty sky. His long blackthorn wand emitted red sparks from the end.

"You'll pay for that one, Miss Amber." Folsom whispered, raising his wand to strike. Remus and I reacted with lightning speed.

"Expelliarmus!" Remus yelled, just as I shouted, "Stupefy!"

Folsom whipped his wand to deflect, and a shield burst between him and our combined spells. His eyes blazed with cold fury.

"Enough!" He snarled. Folsom grabbed for me, but Remus actually snarled and lunged for Folsom. Fearing for Remus, I aimed Lily's wand at Folsom and screeched, "Stupefy!"

Folsom jerked hard to avoid it, but the red burst of light hit him in the shoulder. Remus punched him square in the jaw. Folsom staggered back, but he wasn't bleeding. Instead, a line of dust trickled down from a cut in his lip. He stumbled back, half-slumped, holding his jaw with his good hand. The other one, the one I had stunned, hung limply at his side.

"I'll kill you both!" Folsom snarled, all control gone. "You brats have no idea what kind of person you're dealing with, no idea at all! Do you know the kinds of wizards I am close to? The kinds of things I am capable of? Do you?!"

I held onto my wand tightly, pointing it straight at his face, arm trembling hard. Strands of hair from Folsom's normally immaculate ponytail hung around his face. He had completely lost control.

"Have you ever heard of the Unforgivable Curses?" breathed Folsom. "Have you ever wanted to experience them?"

"You're crazy." Remus snapped. "Don't make me hurt you."

Folsom gave a manical laugh. "Do you honestly think that I'm threatened by a child? A second year werewolf?" He jabbed his wand at us, deranged. "I'll demonstrate! Cru-"

"What's going on here?"

The three of us whirled around, caught. A woman with brown hair and dazzling green eyes was staring at the scene before her; two second years aiming their wands at a disarrayed teacher. A long, single scar ran diagonally down her face, from her right eyebrow across her nose to just over the corner of her left mouth. She was in her late forties or early fifties, her hair graying slightly. Her scar marred her otherwise lovely face. Unlike Remus's usually subtle scars, her single mark was very noticeable, and made it almost impossible to focus on anything else.

Her thin brows were drawn together in concern. Folsom was trying to pull himself together. He straightened his back, lifting his chin a notch and carefully reassembling his disastrous hair.

"It's been awhile, Willow." Folsom said quietly, brushing off his cloak, surveying her up and down.

I watched as the woman – Willow – raised a brow. "Yes, it has, Mackenzie." She said coolly.

Folsom looked angry again, but composed himself, stowing his wand. "I am called Professor Folsom now."

"I see." Willow said shortly. She looked him up and down, and then trained her green gaze on Remus and I. She raised a thin brow. "Are you two alright?"

"They're fine." Folsom answered immediately, but Willow ignored him.

"We're fine." I lied. I chewed my lip, and decided to be truthful with this stranger, who had made Folsom snap back to reality. "Actually, we're not. This predator just attacked us and almost used the Cruciatus Curse on us."

"She's lying." Folsom burst. "She's a dirty little liar, Willow, she has been giving me trouble since my first day here-"

"Enough, Mackenzie." Willow interrupted coldly, turning her gaze on him. I was afraid for her, that Folsom would try to attack her too, but he fell silent with a filthy look that conveyed only the darkest intentions.

"This is clearly a matter for Professor Dumbledore." Willow decided. She regarded me and Remus again. "I will escort you personally." She gave Folsom a cursory nod. "You as well."

Looking mutinous, Folsom gave a curt nod and approached the statue.

"Pixie puffs." Willow said clearly, and the gargoyle leapt aside.

"Go on." She said brusquely, and Folsom walked up the spiral staircase. She glanced at me and Remus. "Come along. Follow me."

Remus and I exchanged a look. I bit my lip and followed Willow, wondering who this woman was, and how much power she possessed in order to cow Folsom into submission.

The spiral staircase wound up into an expansive, vaulted-ceiled office. I had been in this room only once before, and the flood of memories made tears smart in my eyes. I lowered my gaze to the ornate red carpet and clenched my jaws shut, my right hand gripping Lily's willow wand tightly.

"Professor Dumbledore." Willow said in a clear, strong voice. "I believe these two need to speak to you."

"Ah, Willow." Dumbledore said affectionately. "Yes, of course… but, one moment. Sirius has just finished convincing me of how important it is that I observe this memory of his."

I looked up. Dumbledore was behind his desk, Sirius, James, and Peter all standing before him. They turned to look at us. Sirius and James met my gaze. I stared back, lifting my chin defiantly.

"Sir, please," Folsom said smoothly, striding forward. "That memory is nothing more than a fake. It is slander, intended to make me look bad."

Dumbledore looked mildly curious. "And what do you mean by that, Professor? Do you know what is in the contents of this vial?" He held the small glass bottle, the silvery clouds of Sirius's memory swirling about.

Folsom looked taken aback, but recovered quickly. "Professor, you know what these boys are like. They enjoy causing trouble and mischief, especially in my class. This one," he said, jerking his head towards my direction without looking at me,"has no respect for me whatsoever. She is disobedient, insubordinate, insolent, and has no respect for my privacy."

"I have already told you my feelings about your complaints concerning Miss Harkstone." Dumbledore answered calmly. "And I will not talk about her as if she is not here."

Heat crept into my cheeks. Remus nodded in agreement. "Sir, please, we need to speak with you." Remus insisted.

Dumbledore looked amused. "I am delighted to be in such demand. Four requests for private audiences, all before supper." He clasped his hands together. "Well, I shall deal with this in matters of importance." He looked to Sirius and James. "We shall start with you."

"Professor Dumbledore-" Folsom interjected.

"And you next, Professor Folsom." Dumbledore said coolly.

Folsom shut his mouth. I grinned at Remus.

Dumbledore walked over to a large stone basin with runes scrawled deeply into the rock. It looked ancient. Dumbledore unstopped the cork and tipped the contents into the Pensieve.

"Professor, wait." I said suddenly, the blood draining from my face as I realized what could happen to me if Dumbledore watched this memory. Depending on how far back it went, he might see me drink Polyjuice Potion illegally to transform into Regulus Black. I would be expelled. I couldn't let that happen. "I don't want you to see that."

Dumbledore spread his hands. "I would like the full versions of events that have transpired today, Miss Harkstone. Please be patient. Willow?"

"Yes, sir." Willow said quietly, brandishing her wand, eyeing all of us in turn.

Dumbledore nodded and sank his face into the swimming surface of the Pensieve. Folsom took a step towards him, looking furious, but Willow gave her wand a casual flick and Folsom froze in place, grimacing in apparent pain.

"You heard the Headmaster." She said simply.

Mere moments later he resurfaced, blinking slowly, looking grim. Folsom looked extremely apprehensive.

"I would like Sirius, Professor Folsom, and Willow to remain with me. The rest of you, wait outside the door. And please, don't try to eavesdrop. I already have several enchantments preventing such attempts." He winked at James, who grinned back shamelessly.

We filed out of the room. I glanced back nervously as the door slipped quietly shut.

"I'm going to kill you." I muttered to James as he produced his wand and waved it lazily in the air.

"You can kill me after we hear what Dumbledore is going to say to them." James responded, conjuring four crystal goblets out of thin air. He caught two of them with deft agility that only a skilled Quidditch player could possess. Remus grabbed the other two and handed one to me. James passed the fourth to Peter, who looked frightened and awed.

"Didn't you hear Dumbledore?" I said irritably. "He said we can't eavesdrop."

"Do you honestly think they aren't any loopholes?" James drawled. "There's always a way around the rules, Harkstone. Watch closely."

And I watched in disbelief as James tapped his glass and murmured, "Cochlease." He tapped mine and the other two, looking very pleased with himself.

Frowning deeply, I pressed the cup against my ear and the other end on the heavy wooden door. My jaw dropped. I could hear the people inside as clearly as if I was standing right next to them.

"James…" Remus said, smiling.

"You're a genius!" Peter whispered, starry-eyed.

I rolled my eyes and held up a finger for silence. James and Remus chuckled.

"…what I have seen is most disturbing, Professor Folsom." Dumbledore was saying, sounding deeply disappointed and almost angry. "How you can talk about a student in such a way… it repulses me. I knew you didn't have much patience for children, but you were always a gifted student when you attended Hogwarts as a child yourself."

"That was a long time ago." Folsom replied immediately, sounding stiff and nervous. "I lost myself, sir. I forgot I was dealing with mere schoolchildren."

"On the contrary." Dumbledore disagreed, sounding even more disgusted. "You are in talks with Fenrir Greyback and discussing Voldemort's plans to rise to power? Did you think it wise to speak of such things in front of Regulus and Sirius Black?"

"I am good friends with the Black family." Folsom offered lamely. He sounded as if he knew there was no way out of this.

"I have little patience or tolerance for those who agree with Voldemort's teachings and ideals." Dumbledore continued, and he broke off suddenly. "You would attempt to penetrate my own mind, Mackenzie?" Dumbledore said angrily, and I exchanged a look with James, who seemed equally shocked.

"He sounds really angry." I mouthed.

James nodded and continued to listen.

"I wasn't… of course I wouldn't…" Folsom blustered.

"You've always been a skilled Legilimens." Willow said for the first time, sounding deeply disgusted. "You fool. Professor Dumbledore isn't malleable and weak. He is one of the strongest wizards to ever exist."

"Your actions tonight are inexcusable." Dumbledore said, ominously final. "Your contract will be terminated immediately, pending the end of our meeting. Sirius has given me irrefutable evidence of your lack of ability to carry out your position as teacher for my students. You will pack your things at once and never set foot in Hogwarts again while I am Headmaster."

"That seems a bit harsh, doesn't it?" James muttered as the silence stretched on.

"Folsom deserves it." I hissed, triumphant, my heart hammering in my chest. Justice… Folsom was finally being sacked.

"Dumbledore, come now." Folsom said slickly, his voice dripping with flattery, though he had abandoned usage of Dumbledore's title. "You can't be serious… you would believe a child, a known troublemaker and miscreant, over the word of a man you have known for the better part of thirty years?"

"A man I thought I knew." Dumbledore said coldly. "You are dismissed, Mackenzie, and I will be sending a letter to the Ministry for an appeal for an inquiry into your background."

"I told your hiring a vampire was risky." Willow lamented savagely.

There was a brutal hiss, and then a bang. The four of us jumped.

"You will not attack anyone while I am present." Dumbledore proclaimed in a steely voice. "Get out of my school. And I pity your foolishness if you ever try to skirt your way around my leniency again."

Someone was panting and wincing. Folsom had abandoned his formal and polite pretense and spoke with a sneer. "Very well, old man. Do what you see fit. You are an old fool, Dumbledore, a very old fool."

"Get out!" Willow snarled. "Don't forget, I always keep wooden stakes handy, Mackenzie."

Folsom laughed coldly. "It will take more than a little wood to finish me, Willow. Farewell, fools. You will regret this night, mark my words."

There was a loud bang, and a moment later the door was wrenched open. The four of us sprang back just in time. Folsom was in complete dishevelment. His hair was a rat's nest and dust trickled in a constant brown rain from his cheek. As he strode by, his gaze connected with mine for the briefest instant, and I gasped as if I had been plunged into an icy sea. His piercing blue eyes were no longer blank, but now full of hatred and rage.

Just you wait, Miss Amber. Folsom's cold voice hissed in my mind. You won't be under the old fool's protection forever. And when you aren't, I will be there. Waiting.

Folsom looked away and set his gaze straight ahead. He swept past, red cloak billowing out behind him in a cloud of silk. His cloying perfume slowly ebbed and faded. Remus sneezed.

"He smells so awful." He complained.

"Blimey." James whispered.

"I can't believe…" Peter said in a horrified rasp, looking sick.

"Would you four please come in?" Dumbledore said in a much kinder voice than what he had used on Folsom. Clearly, he didn't know we had just overheard almost all of his speech.

We filed in wordlessly, wide-eyed, trying to act casual, but my hands trembled. Folsom had always been out to get me, but now, he had nothing to lose. Without protection, without Dumbledore, he would come after me. And do worse than kill me.

He would drink me. And then turn me into one of his kind.

Dumbledore let out a sigh, looking troubled. "Sirius informed me of the threats and harshness Folsom used with you. Are these true?"

I glanced at Sirius, who gave me a half-smile of encouragement. "If he said so, then yes." I replied simply.

Dumbledore looked sad. "Ah, I was afraid it was the truth. Forgive me, Amber, I would have taken care of him long ago, had I known the manner in which he conducted himself. I am sorry."

I watched his face, searching the depths of his blue eyes for any sign of doubt or falsehood. But he met my gaze squarely, without a hint of animosity, and I felt an uncomfortable swoop in my stomach as I realized that if only I had come forward earlier, maybe I would not have had to suffer under Folsom for so long.

But wasn't the whole point of going to Sirius's home, the house of Black, to find evidence on Folsom, to make a bulletproof argument for his dismissal?

I nodded once. "Thank you." was all I could think to say.

Dumbledore stroked the beautiful plumage of his phoenix, resting on his golden perch. Fawkes closed his black eyes in peace. His presence was oddly calming. I felt my stress over Folsom slowly ebbing away like a tide.

Dumbledore indicated to the open door to his office. "Boys, I would like a moment alone with Amber. Willow, I would like you to remain."

"Of course, Professor." Willow answered, reminding me very much of a slightly younger Professor McGonagall.

The boys looked indignant, especially Remus. "She isn't going anywhere without me." He said stoutly. "Not after what that monster put her through."

"I appreciate your chivalry, Remus." Professor Dumbledore said kindly. "But I am sure that Amber is well-protected in the midst of myself and Willow. You may wait for her in the Great Hall. They should be serving dinner soon."

James and Sirius looked defiant, but not nearly as much as Remus, who narrowed his eyes while a muscle jerked in his cheek. I gave him a pleading look. "I'll be fine." I promised.

Remus was silent for a moment, and then followed the other three boys out of the office. Willow watched them disappear down the stairs, and quietly shut the door to the office.

Dumbledore looked troubled again. He paced around his desk, hands clasped behind his back.

"I think the time has come for me to invest in extra protection." Dumbledore mused, halting before me. "Amber, if you would, please hold out your right hand."

I stared at the Headmaster, remembering last April, when James and Sirius had performed an Unbreakable Vow with me. Immediately following that memory came the one of this very office, a year ago as well, when my father had appeared unexpectedly to bring me the tidings of Virginia's deaths. Neither memory had been very happy, or safe.

"It won't hurt." Dumbledore assured me. Just like what Sirius had said.

Wordlessly, I extended my wand arm, palm up.

Dumbledore rested the tip of his wand gently against the tender skin. He muttered incantations that I couldn't hear, but Willow was watching with keen interest. Fawkes gave a low melodic moan.

After half a minute, Dumbledore withdrew his wand and gave a single, satisfied nod. "That should do it."

"Do what?" I asked, moving away from him, drawn to Fawkes. The phoenix opened his beady black eyes and surveyed me. He let out another cooing sound and lowered his head. He was like a peacock, but with flame-colored plumage rather than the dark blues and greens of a traditional one. When I touched his head, it was warm, like a cup of hot tea. I relaxed even further.

"One of his feathers is inside of your ash wand." Dumbledore informed me. "Fawkes has only donated one other feather in his entire lifetime."

"Who has the other one?" I asked as I stroked the silken feathers.

There was a pregnant bubble of silence, before Willow said quietly, "the Dark Lord."

The only sound was the distant chirp of crickets from outside Dumbledore's windows.

I turned to face them, feeling as if I had just swallowed a cup of hot, squirming worms. "What?"

"He prefers to be called by his other name, Voldemort," Dumbledore said. "But his real name is Tom Riddle. He was a student here, many years ago, with Willow Smith." He indicated to the fifty-something witch standing grimly in his office. "He was friends with Mackenzie Folsom. Close friends. He never had much patience for children, Mackenzie, but he was brilliant. A Slytherin, like his friend Tom, and very powerful and gifted. He has never claimed allegiance to Voldemort before, not since Tom Riddle left Borgin and Burkes all those years ago. He turned up here, in fact, seeking a job as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor about ten years ago, this time calling himself Lord Voldemort."

Willow, silent as ever, now had a hard gleam in her green eyes.

"I turned him down, of course," Dumbledore continued, "but I suppose he had never stopped whispering ideas into the ear of his friend, Mackenzie Folsom. And even though I knew he had become a vampire, I believed that underneath his cold exterior, he had a bright mind and skills worth teaching to young students. Unfortunately," he sighed wearily, "an old man sometimes forgets that his former students aren't always as ignorant and innocent as they were as children."

"Folsom wasn't ever innocent." Willow threw in. "I was in school with them too, Headmaster, and even then, as teenagers, he was an extremely skilled Legilimens. He could have fooled anyone."

"Even me." Dumbledore admitted sadly. I watched him as he walked around the room, touching a curious silver instrument balanced on a black bookshelf.

"Anyway, Amber, you seem to be safe from the Dark Lord. Your wands share twin cores, meaning that if you two were ever forced to do battle, your wands would be unable to kill each other. But you could certainly injure one another."

I stared at him, speechless. Fawkes let out a slow wail-like melody.

"Fawkes may donate another feather yet, but currently, you two remain the sole bearers of his feathers. This will not be enough to protect you from Folsom's possible attempts at retaliation, so I have decided that Willow Smith will be your tutor this summer."

I turned to regard the scarred witch again, who gave me a grim smile.

"She was a Prefect, Head Girl, and Quidditch Captain when she attended this school." Dumbledore continued. "She was extremely skilled with Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Rather like you, Amber."

I didn't know what to say to any of this, least of all praise from the Headmaster, so I nodded numbly instead.

"You will meet with Willow every Monday and Friday for one to three hours of lessons." Dumbledore said. "This should be sufficient training to keep you safe."

"And what about my friends?" I interrupted. "Remus, Lily? Angelina? And what about Potter and Black? And Pettigrew?"

"She will be meeting with a few of them too, sporadically throughout the summer. But I have already notified their parents via owl, and most of them have decided to train them personally or with a separate tutor. Willow is here under my personal request."

"Thank you, Headmaster." Willow said, smiling for real now.

"Thank you, Willow." Dumbledore said, bowing slightly to her. He handed me a roll of parchment, tied shut with a red ribbon.

"This is your summer homework, from me, personally." Dumbledore said. "Your professors have told me how skilled you are with Charms. I would like you to learn these spells and master them as soon as possible. Willow will help you."

"Thank you." I said, trying to process all of this, feeling like an oversaturated sponge. I wondered if I took a step, if the knowledge I had just received in this office and in Sirius's kitchen would come bursting out onto the floor.

Dumbledore regarded me for another long moment. "I really am sorry, Amber." He said again. "I should have foreseen this."

I didn't know what to say, because one part of me wanted to yell No kidding! while the other wished to sink into the floor and pretend I had never woken up this day.

"I'll escort her to the Great Hall." Willow said, clearly sensing our dismissal. "Thank you again, Headmaster."

"It is always a pleasure to see you, Willow. Good day to you both."

Willow guided me out of the office. None of the boys had lingered this time.

"I wonder," Willow said as we descended the spiral staircase, "how long you've known he was a vampire?"

I was startled she had known that I had known, but I did my best to act indifferent. I lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "I guess I just read a lot. I like to stay informed."

"Spoken as a true Ravenclaw." Willow murmured, walking in tandem to the Great Hall at my side. I was silent, mulling over the events of the day, wondering how much therapy I would need and not get because of the overdose on experiences.

"Were you a Ravenclaw too?" I asked finally as we approached the entrance to the Great Hall. It was already filled with students, all happily chattering and eating an impressive feast. "You know a lot too, apparently."

Willow looked amused, watching the hundreds of students eat and converse, completely unaware of the sacking of Folsom, or the rumored rising of the Dark Lord, or the fact that my own wand, my ash wand, shared the same core as his.

"I was a Hufflepuff, actually." She said, smiling as she caught sight of Lily and Remus, who were waving at me.

I felt a pang of shame in my gut. My whole family, with the exception of myself, had been in the same House as Willow. I still hadn't learned how to swallow the guilt of being Sorted elsewhere.

"Keep your friends close, girl." She said in a strange voice, not looking at me. "You'll need them."

Before I could open my mouth to ask her what she meant, she had turned on her heel and swept softly away, her black cloak whispering in her wake. I stared after her, wondering who she was, what it must have been like to attend the same school, at the same time, as Folsom and Voldemort.

"Amber!" Lily shouted over the din of clamoring students. "Come on!"

If Willow could survive her years at Hogwarts, if she could become Prefect and Head Girl and Quidditch team Captain and an expert on Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts, then so could I. I wouldn't be defined as just a Ravenclaw. I would define myself as a survivor, who lived through her sister's death and Folsom's threats and hatred. I wouldn't become a victim.

As I looked back at Lily and Remus, who were watching me with curious expressions, I could see the summer holidays stretching out before me. Lessons with Willow Smith. Letters to Remus and Lily. Working on the farm. And dealing with Virginia's absence, once again.

But in the fall, I would be returning to Hogwarts. This time, there would be no more Folsom. And I still had my friends.

Feeling better than I had all day, I walked into the Great Hall, leaving my fear behind, for one last afternoon at Hogwarts. I sat down between Remus and Lily, the latter of whom immediately launched into a full digression of her thoughts on James Potter and Sirius Black and Folsom. Remus listened as he bit into a thick bar of dark chocolate. When Angelina alighted on the bench with us and quickly engaged with Lily, I pulled out Dumbledore's letter and untied it. Remus glanced over curiously. I inched closer so that our elbows brushed. He offered me a piece of chocolate, which I nibbled on as I scanned through his list of assigned homework.

Amber,

Please find your assignments for the summer holiday. Practice these often and research terms that you do not understand. Be polite and respectful of Willow Smith. You will go over these terms and spells with her frequently this summer. I await your owl if you have any further questions.

Best,

Albus Dumbledore

Patronus Charm

The Reverse Spell Effect

Vampires

Veritaserum

Occlumency

Animagus

History of Hogwarts, Grade 7

James and Sirius crammed themselves between me and Remus. I let out a yelp of pain as Sirius stepped on my foot and James squashed my funny bone with his pointy elbow.

"That hurt!" I moaned as I rubbed the crook of my arm, tingling like fire ants.

James snatched up my letter from Dumbledore, scanning through it. Remus swiped at it, but James held it up higher. "Come off it, James." Remus sighed. "That's hers. Not yours."

"You were reading it too." He reminded him mildly.

"Because I let him." I snapped. "Give it back."

Sirius grinned suddenly, running his index finger along the second to last line. "Look, James."

James was sharing the same wicked look. Remus buried his face in his hands. "Really, guys?"

"What?" I said, frowning. "What?"

"Good thing Dumbledore assigned you this." James said cheerfully as he dropped down to my ear suddenly, so that only I could hear what he said next. "Because that's exactly what we're going to become."

"Become what?" I snorted. "Vampires?"

"No, you git." He handed me back my ash wand, the wand that shared its core with Lord Voldemort. He lowered his voice to a whisper again."We're going to become Animagus."