Dedication: Raine and Natalie...of course. x

Harry sat in his usual seat in Potions, at the back between Hermione and Ron. They were talking in whispers about their training session eariler in the day. Draco and Blaise sat further in front across the room with the Slytherins, Blaise would shoot Draco questioning looks but Draco refused to tell him what Zandra had been on about. As Snape ended the class and instructed them to hand in two feet of parchment on the wolfsbane potion.

"Come on, Dray. What in the name of hexes was she on about?"

"Look, Zandra made her point and I'm not talking about it."

"What are you two prattling on about? Classes ended two whole minutes ago. Shouldn't you be fornicating with those Ravenclaws you saw at the Quidditch match."

"Yes. Come on Blaise," Draco said in a bid to change the subject.

"I'm not letting Draco out to do anyone until he tells me what Zandra ment,"

"Zandra?" Snape repeated.

"Yeah. you know. That girl with the-"

"I know who she is," he cut in "What are you two on about?"

"At training this morning, Zandra was showing us her power and she shot at Draco with this flaming arrow thing, but made it disappear before it hit him as a warning."

"Warning of?"

"I don't know, he won't tell me." At this they both turned on Draco who was perched silently on a desk. His arms folded across his chest and looking quite non-chalant, "Well?"

"Well what? I get a flaming arrow hurled at me to tell me to stop evasdropping and you want me to talk to you about what i was evasdropping on? I may be selfish but i'm not stupid."

Blaise let out an exasperated breath and rolled his eyes, "I'm out of here," He muttered leaving the other two in peace. Draco raised to follow but Severus stopped him, "Whatever happens do not let Zandra use her power again," he hissed leathelly into the younger boys ear. Draco turned to question his professor but he had already swept from the classroom into his office. Draco blinked into the quickly darkening classroom.

As he walked aimlessly in the hall, he could do nothing but reflect on his strange year. After denouncing his family he had been forced to leave the Malfoy Manor. He had of course gone to the only person he had trusted at the time, Severus. Draco had been more than a little confused when, instead of having a door shut in his face, as he had expected, he had been taken in. Severus had immediately alerted Dumbledore. They had spent weeks questioning him, while out of and under the influence of Verstaserum. After all the questions they finally gave Draco some answers, and after of course swearing an oath and signing a few things, being of age he was recruited into the order of the Pheonix.

Much to Draco's lack of surprise he had then of course had to spend his summer with Potter and followers and to his hidden delight, Ginny. Whether to prove to himself or the others that he was in fact who he said he was, he had taken to being nice to the young Weasley and much to his own surprise he had ended up developing feelings for her, but of course in usual Potter fashion. Anything Draco wants he some how already had.

Luckily he didn't have to go through his ostrasion totally alone because in usual Blaise fashion he had followed Draco into the friendless abyss of the 'good side'. So knowing that at school they would at least have each other they had gone back to Hogwarts to face their last year. The biggest surprise was that none of the other Slytherins treated them any different. This had of course thrown them both but they were weary, it was either because they genuinely didn't know yet because their families wanted to save themselves the embaressment or because if they didn't treat them different they may be able to get important information out of them. Which they couldn't, even if Draco and Blaise wanted to tell them they wouldn't they had too much to lose if they didn't. While Dumbledore had been prepared to make them swear their lives Severus had convinced him to let them swear on something they would actually miss. . . their privates.

So Draco and Blaise were sworn to a horrifically binding secrecy.

"Toujours Pur," Draco muttered as he reached the Slytherin dungeon. The wall shifted and he entered the common room. He walked blindly past it's occupants who, as usual, went silent as he entered. When they realised he wasn't going to say anything, they went back to their conversations. Draco went down the spiral staircase, and down the cold hallway toward his room. His father had, of course, stopped paying for him to keep a private room but luckily Dumbledore wasn't a heartless bastard like his father and had allowed himself and Blaise to share as long as the made it look like a joint and mutual decision between the two.

Blaise's tie hung on the door which only meant one thing, "Fucker," Draco muttered.

All he wanted was a moment in the quiet to himself, to think in peace.

Being that he wasn't hungry Draco decided to avoid the great hall and went out onto the grounds.

Ginny sat in her usual positin on Harry's right side. He of course was in deep conversation with Hermione. She sighed and and wondered if he had forgotten that he had his arm around her. That she was even there. Maybe she was just a really comfortable armrest to him. One that was always there when he needed it.

It, Ginny thought over the word. Was that all she was, an it. Not a person but just another passing face in the champion potter's life. She jabbed her fork into her mash so it stood straight in the pile of potatoes and let out a breath. Harry looked over at her, "You ok?" he asked in that voice that use to make her feel like the only person in the room, but now it did nothing.

"Yeah, fine," she said softly.

He gave her a small smile and started to turn back to Hermione, "Actually, Harry I have a charms essay due. Three feet on the Homologus Hex. I'm gonna go to the library and finish it. . . start it."

"If you wait a minute we'll come with you, we have potions work."

She shook her head, "You stay, it's Wednesday, Treacle tart."

Harry shrugged and let his arm slip to her waist, giving her a small kiss, "See you later?" he whispered.

She nodded and rose from her seat. Ron got up too, telling Hermione that he was going to start his eassy and Hermione beamed at the fact he had decided to take a more dedicated stance on his work. Ron followed his sister out of the great hall, they started up the stairs, "Hey," he said tugging on her elbow, "You sure you're ok?" he asked from the step below her.

Ginny smiled and nodded, "Fine, why wouldn't i be?"

They started back up the stairs together, "Gin, I may not be the smartest wizard, but i know my own sister. What's the matter?"

"It's. . .It's nothing. It's probably nothing anyway. All in my head."

Ron nodded, "If you need to talk I'm here."

She smiled and hugged her brother, "I know," she said into his ear, pulling away she started back up the stairs but Ron stopped her again.

"Hey look it's your boyfriend," he said quietly looking toward the bottom of the staircase.

Ginny wrinkled her brow and wondered why Ron was refferring to Harry like that but when she turned, she found herself watching a platinum blonde head walk through the entrance hall, "I don't know what you're on about,"

Ron gave her a look, "I just told you Gin, I'm not stupid. It's so obvious you like him."

"This from the person who took six years to realise he liked Hermione."

"I said I knew you, not myself."

Ginny shook herself, "What does it matter? You hate him, and I'm with Harry."

"True and True, but you forgot the most important thing,"

"What?"

"Are you happy?"

"What does that matter?"

"Happiness is everything Gin. We don't know if we'll even be here this time next year. Why spend the time miserable?"

Ginny stood on the marble steps and looked down at her brother, the brother that so many took for granted. At face value, Harry Potter's right hand man, but in this moment she saw what she always knew, Ron Weasley was so much more. He was her brother, her friend, and a good person.

Ginny nodded, "I'm happy,"

I think.

"Brilliant idea really... why do we listen to her again? I mean, look at her! Look what she's done to herself now!"

"Smith, calm down. Zandra's fine."

"Fine! She bloodly well over loaded herself as she does everytime she uses when she's not ready. Just to prove a point to some kids!"

"They're not just some kids. They might be the key to saving everyone. She just didn't want them to have any unnecessry surprises."

"And almost killing herslef was necessary!"

Zandra stirred under the sounds of her friends voices, "Yes," she grumbled. "It was totally necessry." She finished cracking her eyes open.

Instantly the group was on their feet at attention and Smith was at her side, "And how would they have learnt without you?"

"You would teach them, or they would have gotten someone else. Like they would at any other time."

"Zandra, this isn't any other time. They need you and you know it. Who else can get through to people like you?"

"Jackie-"

"Without forcing their own feeling on them." Zandra had to give him that, "Jackie's an empath, she can make them agree with her. But they wouldn't know what they were doing. It's not the same. Besides she's on assignment in Thailand."

Zandra shrugged and sat up, "What's done is done, cannot be undone," she said simply.

"Stop quoting Shakespeare and promise me you'll never be that stupid again!"

"Promise, mum." She muttered, streaching her limbs.

Smith shook his head and walked to the other side of the rooms. Zandra looked around at her friends, they were hiding worried faces and she knew it. She licked her lips and accepted a glass of ice cold water from Susan, "What time is it?"

"Nine thrity," Trebovir answered looking at his pocket watch.

"Get some sleep, I know it's early but i have a feeling tomorrow will be stressful,"

"It will be," Susan put in.

Zandra nodded, "There you go, straight from the seer's mouth. Bed."

While the others trooped off to their separate rooms Smith remained unmoving in the corner. He opened and closed his mouth several times to speak but couldn't, "You should go to your room, Smith. It's warmer in there." Zandra said quietly but it spoke volumes. Smith's jaw tightened and he blew white breath out of his nostrils before storming off to his room leaving and icy trail behind him.

Zandra held her breath until he disappeared around the corner.

She let out a hot breath and began gasping for air. She thought she was over this, she wasn't suppose to get hot flashes anymore. Her eyes watered and she took deep gulping breaths as she made her way out of the room. Somehow she managed to pull herself together enough to look normal enough in the halls but she didn't make it far. Luckily she didn't have to.

She knocked quickly on the door, and hoped he heard she didn't have the strength to try again. There was a mutter on the other side of the door, that she took as a sign to come in. She opened the door and entered quickly. He sat, head down by his desk wire frame glasses slid far down his nose as he scribbled away, "Is it me or do students get stupider every year?" he muttered.

"It's you," she whispered with a cough that sparked the corner of her robe.

His head snapped up and he regarded her with cold eyes, "I think this would come under, not doing what you're told."

"Help," was all she could manage before her knees gave out. He was at her side before she had seen him move.

"Dumbledore is fooling himself, if he thinks you're in any fit state to teach. Let alone fight." he was muttering as he lifted her into his arms and carried her over to his workbench. He lay her down atop his parchments, "I'll be right back." as he turned she gripped his elbow.

"Don't do it again," she whispered her eyes fluttering.

"I'm going across the room, you're delirious."

She tried to argue but she began shivering. Her teeth chattered. Severus stood over his cauldron, it was a good thing he always kept it heated or else this potion would have taken much longer. He poured liquid after liquid into it before adding probably the strangest ingredient his cabinet contained. . .Ice mice.

He poured the potion into a tumbler and brought it over to Zandra. She had curled up into a ball on his singed desk. Baby flames were beginning to sprout and lick Zandra's skin. Severus pulled off his outer robe and threw it to the ground. Setting his robes on fire would only make the situation worse. He slid his bare hand under body and hissed as the flames touched him, he sat her up and began pouring the cool silver liquid down her throat.

The flames died down and her shivers calmed as she fell asleep. Severus lay her back on the work bench and slid his arm out from under her. He put down the tumbler and cleaned up, siphoning off the remaining potion into a vile. Over his cleaning he watched her in her peace full sleep across from him. As her body temperaure returned to normal. . .well normal for her.

When his study was clean he made a decision to visit pomfrey, get fixed and then when she woke up return her to her rooms. Far away from him.

He threw the last reminents of his used ingredients away and looked back up at her, the burning tingle in his arm had dulled. He looked down and pulled out his wand, he really didn't need to go to all the way to Pomfrey. After performing the charm himself, he knelt down and picked up his robe and shrugged it back on. He walked over to the sleeping girl and sighed. He shouldn't keep her here much longer it would make things more complicated. It was hard enough as it was, he didn't need her here. . .alone. All Night.

Severus lifted her back into his arms, she was just as georgous as he remembered. He sighed, he knew, at the heart of it all he was a selfish Slytherin. He turned toward his room and headed into his warm depths. Snape rested Zandra on the bed and immediately went over to the fireplace and extinguished the fire in it's grate. Severus opened the doors and let the residual heat out of the room. Being in the dungeons it didn't take long before the room was freezing cold. Severus sat in the corner of the room and pulled on his travelling cloak.

The Alliance stood around the training room waiting for the Hogwarts students and Zandra. She hadn't been in her room this morning and they were waiting patiently for her to explain where she had disappeared to. The door opened and the Hogwarts students filed in some still rubbing sleep from their eyes. They looked around and noted the absentee and regarded it with silence.

Smith stepped up, "We're not going to dillydally today," he said striding over to the Hogwarts students.

Bliase bit his lip trying not to laugh, "dillydally?" he muttered to Draco who smirked.

"We're going to start with a brief warm-up, laps. Go" The Hogwarts students were taken aback by the demand in his deep baritone. They had quickly gotten use to Zandra's soft spoken tones and Smith's unforgiving demands were a long way away. They began their slow and steady pace, the alliance elite heading up the front, Smith leading the pack.

Somewhere between lap three or fifteen, they had very quickly lost count in the silence, Zandra entered the room. The Hogwarts students following the lead of the Alliance and didn't slow as Smith broke off to talk to her "Where have you been?" he hissed

"What lap are you on?"

"23, well?"

"Well what?"

"Where were you? You're late"

"And you're annoying but you don't see me stating the obvious do you?" Zandra said cuttingly before immediately calming down and giving Smith a pleading look. He gave her a questioning look before simply nodding. They'd talk about it later.

He continued the run, as she conjured a chair into the center of the room and took a seat. On lap 35 Zandra called them to the middle of the room, "Sophie, Stretch." Sophie came to the front and led them through a strenuous stretching routine. Harry couldn't believe that a persons leg could bend that way. Zandra tapped Sophie on the shoulder and she fell back in line, "Could you all line up. Two lines, Elite at the back, Hogwarts at the front."

The Elite automatically fell in line, Smith, Susan, Blake, Trebovir, Sophie and Foxworth it was the order they always stood in. The Hogwarts student split into their separate groups with in a line. Ron, Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Draco then Blaise.

"Wrong," Zandra said simply sighing, "Look behind you, They are lined up in order of strength and power. So i expect some sort of order when you line up as well. Within your group you need to know who you are following there needs to be some sort of ranking, because you can't have everyone doing their own thing in a fight. You need to know who to follow no matter what. Now, Harry to the right end, followed by Ron, Draco, then Hermione, Blaise, then Ginny."

"Why am I at the end?" Ginny said without thinking.

Zandra smiled, "It's nothing personal, at the moment this is the way you rank. I will move you up and down accordingly at the moment following Harry you're in order of age."

Draco opened his mouth but Zandra cut him off, "And Harry's in front because we already know he's skilled far beyond his years. If you can prove you're better, I have no problem moving you ahead of him." Draco smirked and looked at Blaise.

"But let's not get our hopes up of anyone moving, you all have no idea what you're in for. Do you all have your wands?"

The students nodded and pulled them out of their robe pockets, "Give them to me," Zandra said holding out her hand. The students hesitated and for the first time they didn't move when told to. Zandra quirked an eyebrow, "I'm waiting." She said simply.

Ginny bit her lip and moved forward, placing the willow staff in Zandra's hand. Zandra took it and placed it in a black velvet bag that rested on the seat where she had been sitting, slowly Draco gave over his wand, followed by Blaise, then Ron, Harry and Hermione. The Hogwarts students went back to their line, "Ginny swap with Blaise." Zandra said quietly tying the bag and leaving it on the chair.

"We decided that hand to hand combat would take you the longest to get to grips with so we would start it first. When I think you've done enough, we'll move on to wand magic, then advanced magick. Your wands will be returned at the end of every combat session, I took them to prevent any inclination to cheat. Pair off."

The Hogwarts students automatically turned to one another but this time Zandra actually laughed, "Oh no, with my unit." she explained. The Hogwarts students hesitated again and Zandra shook her head, "Ok, I'll do it. Ginny with Sophie, Blaise and Foxworth, Draco with Trebovir, Hermione with Susan, Ron with Smith and Harry with Blake."

At this Harry blinked, "I'm sorry, I can't fight her."

"She won't hurt you Harry, it's the first day."

"No, not that. She's a she. I can't hit a girl,"

"You fought Bellatrix Lestrange."

"She was bitch, Blake is a girl."

At this Blake laughed, "I guess I'll take that as a compliment."

"Harry chivalry is dead, and there's a chance you will be too if you don't learn this. I don't care if she's a girl. I wouldn't care if she was a puppy. If I say hit her, do it. We don't have enough time for chivalry, or manners. Just," she took a breath and calmed down before anything happened, "Just switch with Ron," She covered her face and ran her hands through her hair. "Ron, you aren't afraid to hit a girl are you?"

Ron laughed, "Have you met my sister?" he said sarcastically.

"Ron!" Hermione said indignantly.

"What? I never said I'd hit you." Hermione rolled her eyes and turned away from him. He watched her and let out an exasperated breath before turning toward Blake. Zandra cut in before the Hogwarts students could continue, "Sparing, is simple. It's like a fight that concentrates mostly on technique, so today we're going to be going over some easy combination moves. Smith will you demonstrate?"

With a breif nod their training began.

The Gryffindors sat splyed across the couches in the common room, their joints stiff and painful. Zandra and the other Elite had healed the visable wound before classes but acorrding to them, the pain was something they should get use to because they were going to have to fight in alot more pain, "They talk to us like we've never fought anyone before," Harry complained attempting to roll over.

"Well, we haven't fought hand to hand before Harry," Ginny said simply from her place on the floor by the fire.

"Unless we're counting that little thing between you and Draco last year," Ron put in.

"I don't think we are," Hermione said in an amused tone from her armchair. Lavender and Parvati entered the common room arm in arm as usual, having their hushed conversation about Divination. As they past Hermione's arm chair they waved hello and paused, "Hermione, What happened to your eye?"

Hermione blinked, "What?"

Lavender pulled out her compact and showed Hermione who gasped. Her right eye was purpling, from where she was hit this morning by Susan, "Shit." She muttered handing back the compact, "It's nothing, I was just," she shot a look around the group and they shrugged, "In the library," she continued "Getting a book from the top shelf, it kind of came down on me. Didn't realise it was so bad." She finished looking up at the two other girls.

They stood quietly before looking over at Ron, they both gave him calcualting looks before looking back at Hermione, "Ok, well if you ever need to talk about anything. You know where to find us." Lavender rested her hand on Hermione's shoulder and gave her a meaningful look before starting for the stairs, but before starting up the stairs they stopped and shot Ron a scathing look and disappeared.

"What is wrong with those two?" Ron said staring at the door they had disappeared behind. Ginny moved over to Hermione, pulling out her wand. She lightly tapped the bruise and it disappeared.

"Thanks Ginny," Hermione mumbled, touching the spot gingerly.

Harry watched the scene in front of him musingly, he sighed, "This is only the beginning." he mumbled to himself.

Draco smirked as he spotted the trio waiting outside their charms class. He touched Blaise and they approached them biting back laughter, "So," he began quietly, "Rumour has it Weasley's a wife beater."

"What?!" Ron said turning to face the Slytherin.

"It's all over the school," Draco said amusingly "When you get upset you use Granger over here as a punching bag, didn't know you had it in you, but look at her. Who could blame you? I bet she looks better with a few black eyes."

Ron gritted his teeth and balled his fists, Hermione rested her hand on his and he stepped back slightly. Harry stepped forward, "Shut it, Malfoy." He said angrily.

"What's wrong Potter? Upset Weasley's found a new way to realse his anger and left you cold and alone in bed."

"I have a girlfriend Malfoy,"

"And a lovely girl she is, does she know you're gay?" Blaise put in and Draco snickered.

Right then Professor Flitwick came outside and let his class in. Draco and Blaise smirked and started toward their own Transfiguration class. Ginny hurried past then on her way to Arithmancy, she smiled at Harry before he disappeared, Draco broke away from Blaise and followed her down the hall. As she turned he slid his arm around her waist and pushed her against a wall. "So that whole ignoring you thing doesn't seem to be working," he whispered into her ear.

Ginny stood unmoving crushed between him and the wall, a bored expression across her face, "Really? Try harder."

"I am, can't you tell?" He said pressing his hips into her abdomen.

"Get off of me,"

"If you haven't realised, I could get off just looking at you." He said in a husky voice.

Ginny felt herself shiver slightly but she resisted and pushed her books against his chest in an attempt to force him away. Draco simply smirked at the fact that she wasn't pushing as hard as they both knew she could, "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he said softly, his lips against her throat.

Ginny opened her mouth several times to deny it, but Draco continued talking, "It's dangerous you know? You, me, middle of a public place. The hallway even? It might be the middle of class but someone could pass." He pressed himself further against her and she dropped her books. He pushed them aside with his foot and pressed right up against her, "Anyone could pass, Gin. Even," he pressed his lips to her throat, "Harry."

"Shouldn't you both be in class? Learning?" Ginny hurriedly pushed Draco away from her. He stepped away and looked down the hall. It was Foxworth and Trebovir, both boys were smirking openly at the scene in front of them.

Ginny gathered her book and hurried to Arithmancy not knowing how she was going to explain her lateness, as she walked past the elite members Trebovir smirked, "Tell Harry, we said Hey."

She scowled before walking off. Draco watched her go before looking up at the Elite guys, "What?"

Foxworh shook his head, "Rape is still illegal Draco,"

Draco sneered, "You can't rape the willing, can you?"

"Touché," with that they parted ways and Draco moved off towards his Transfiguration class, he considered asking the guys to break his arm so he could go to Pomfrey and get a late excuse but figured detention would give him time to think about what he would do to push Ginny's buttons next.

Zandra sat at the top of the quidditch stands, the hufflepuff team was flying around practising. They barely noticed she was there, it was like if she stood still long enough she'd disappear complete and no one would even notice. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, bringing her legs up and crossing them. She continued to take deep breaths as the air around her grew warmer.

Consentrate, control the power, don't let it control you, Crawler's words rang in her head.

She took a deep breath in through her nose and let it out through her mouth. Her breath was hot on her tongue.

Consentrate Zandra, the fire needs taming and you are it's master. Zandra continued breathing she listened to the footsteps approach her. Block it out, it's not important. Nothing is more important than control.

She continued her breathing, it grew more rapid as the footsteps got closer. She tried to clam down and ignore it but she couldn't black it out. She turned, the flame caught his trouser cuff and he stopped, "Calm down, Zan. It's just me." Smith said putting a cold hand over his trouser leg and outting the flame.

Zandra had to blink several times before her vision cleared, "Sorry I couldn't see you, I'm not that advanced remember?"

"Yeah, you ok?"

"Yeah, I guess," she sighed, "We can't all be Ice Maidens can we?" she said bitterly rolling her eyes and laying down across the bench.

"Hey, It's not easy for me and I'm not a maiden" Smith said indignantly taking a seat on the ground in front on her.

"Yes, well what the worst that happens if you loose your temper? Everyone gets a bit cold and can just leave the room, right? If I loose my temper, people die."

Smith made a fist and opened it revealing a small ice figure of a ballerina, Zandra looked over and rested her hand over melting it,"I can't even show off, because I might die."

Smith shrugged, "Bummer,"

"No shit sherlock."

They sat in silence as the hufflepuffs packed their Quidditch things below them, "So where were you?"

Zandra let out a breath and returned her gaze to the sky. She steadyed that way a little before closing her eyes and answering, "I went to see Severus."

Smith's jaw tighten, "You didn't-"

"No, he just made me some liquid ice and that was it, I fell asleep."

"Where did he sleep?"

Zandra sat up and looked down at Smith, "On a chair, ok? Nothing happened, nothing will ever happen. We may be engaged but he feels nothing for me."

"And you?"

"And I am, in my heart of hearts, an nineteen year old girl with twisted delusions of grandure, you get use to it."

"I can't believe you still have to marry him,"

"Well the only way out is Potter killing the dark lord, so I'm sorry if I don't get my hopes up about it not happening."

Smith gave her a small smile, "So your not on the Potter the saviour train I see,"

Zandra sighed, "He's a great guy but really? A seventeen year old boy against the Dark Lord. Who are you putting your money on?"

"Honestly?" Smith said getting up as the Hufflepuffs disappeared, "I never saw myself as much of a betting man." He offered Zandra a hand.

She smiled and rolled her eyes, "You wouldn't," she said taking his hand and getting up.

Dumbledore sit quietly in his dimly lit classroom, his fingers templed as he leaned back in his large wingbacked chair. The only lit provided by he amber glow of fawkes and the silver shimmer of the pensieve that sat out on his desk. He had been reviewing old meeting, old memories of the Alliance. He held out his arm and his brilliant bird flapped it's great wings, resting on his outstreached arm.

He could feel the warmth radiating from it's body, "They're numbers are growing quicker than we ever imagined Fawkes. What am I to do with them? Untrained wictches and wizards, and closed hearted teens? They each have what the other needs, you can't fight without the knowledge, but they can't win with out the heart."

He stroked fawkes' plumage distractedly, lost in thought, "It would be so much simpler to tell them, but it wouldn't mean as much. Wouldn't be as useful." he trailed off again.

Dumbledore sighed, he turned in his seat to face his illuminated desk. Resting fawkes on the antique mahogany surface he looked up into the birds black eyes, "If they don't learn faster, I may have to resort to drastic measures."

Thank you for reading and reviewing.

Enjoy

Flutterby xx