Note: Ok, so I failed to update sooner, but I was really busy with my school and stuff, so I didn't have a lot of time. But I'm back. . . . for good this time, or so I hope. . .

Enjoy, and please don't kill me.

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The dementor rose high, irradiating a wave of cold, unstoppable fear. Raven felt her knees tremble, and she knew that Arleen was biting her lip not to cry. The teen saw, clear as day, images of Red's death, and many terrible things that had happened to her in the past, including the attack on Wormtail, and the many deaths she had lived during her life on the streets. Raven felt as though she could never be happy again, forced to wallow in her own misery.

But then her eyes swayed, and her weary gaze fell on Lucius. He did not seem perturbed by the dementor's presence, but in fact, looked as though he enjoyed Raven's misery.

"Go back to the room. Study some more books. I'll be fine." The older girl suddenly told Arleen, without thinking. The child looked up, tears in her eyes and without answering, turned her back and left. Lis decided to stay with the young child, sending a final glance at her master before the door shut behind the pair.

"As I have said, today we will be studying Dementors. I am sure you have read about them, for the least of things." Lucius said softly. Raven nodded briefly, starting to fight back slowly on the depression that was crushing her. But she could not throw it off enough to think clearly. She had seen too many bad things.

"Good. Then you must know that the only way to repel a dementor is to call forth what we call a Patronus, using a combination of a spell and a very joyful memory within yourself. But very few are those who can call forth a fully formed Patronus. Most are only able to conjure a mist; but those who can call a true guardian will see that it takes the form of an animal, depending on a person's character. The Dark Lord can, obviously, create a fully formed one. . ."

"What kind of Patronus does he make?" Raven asked, still battling against her pain as she tried to remember all that the man told her.

Lucius gave her a hard look. "So can I. Observe." He ignored her question completely, and raised his wand. The dementor faced him, extending both hands towards him, as if to catch the man. Raven felt the coldness of the room double, and a mist enveloped them as the monster used its full power on the Lucius.

But Malfoy was ready. "Expecto Patronum." He whispered very simply, gray eyes fixed upon the dementor.

A sleek, silver fox shot out of his wand and bared its little glittering fangs. It bit the dementor's arm and then fell to the ground, growling at it, forcing it back. Lucius stood there, watching his creation push back the creature, as Raven wondered if she would be able to do the same. Little did she know that question was about to be answered.

The fox vanished and Malfoy looked over at her.

"You heard the spell. Look into yourself and think of something happy. Push the dementor back." He ordered. Just as he finished talking, the monster looked over at the teen and started to glide towards her.

Dread overtook Raven, and she backed away, her wand trembling in her hand. She tried to focus on some happy memory, some happy thought, but her brain was filled with a foggy depression. She couldn't think of anything happy! Her life had been misery all along! She didn't know joy! Her mind was filled with delirious thoughts, and she couldn't get out of them. . .

Falling deeper and deeper into despair, the girl raised her hands as the dementor grabbed her, bringing her closer to him. The pain was so strong. . . this was the one thing she could not fight. . .

'At least I'll see you again, Red. . .' She thought bitterly. But then she remembered Arleen. She remembered that this little girl needed her desperately, that she wouldn't live without her. She knew that she had to fight. . .

Raven suddenly evoked the memory her very last robbery with Red. . . the thrill. . . the joy. . . the laughter. . . it was the only thing she could see clearly in her head.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" She bellowed, brandishing her wand against the monster's chest. A feeble, silvery mist separated them and he let her go. But the delicate shield faded. . . and the dementor reached again. . .

The girl whimpered.

Something silver flashed between them, and suddenly, the monster was being pushed back by an angry little fox Patronus. Lucius stood there, with his wand raised, a complex emotion hidden behind his eyes. He was the last thing Raven saw as darkness enveloped her, and she gave into it.

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"Enervate." A voice snapped.

Raven sat up with a gasp. It took her a moment to realize where she was; when she saw Lucius standing over her, she remembered her fight with the dementor. . . her struggle, and her loss. . .

The monster was gone. Perhaps Lucius had ordered him away after seeing how badly the girl had coped with its presence. He stepped back and let her get up.

"The lesson's over." He told her, and turned away, heading towards the door that led into the corridor.

"How did I do?"

Lucius stopped. "I've seen worst. . . but I've also seen better." He shrugged. "I've got other things to do. Good day, Miss Riddle." He discarded her.

Raven decided to give him a couple minutes of advance, and then, feeling quite weak and shaken, followed him out of the room. She made her way down the passage towards her room, shivering as if she was sick. But then she stopped, and listened intently.

Through a door to her right, she could hear Lucius's angry voice, and a much younger, unfamiliar one; they were clearly fighting. Silently, she moved in closer, and pressed her ear against the door.

"You mustn't get in the Dark Lord's way! You know how concentrated he is on this new plan. He's not going to take it if you start asking him for favors now." Lucius snapped.

"But I'm sick of that Umbridge woman! I want his permission to use the Imperius curse on her so she can actually be of some use! I want to be of some help here!" The younger voice answered angrily.

"He doesn't want interruption. No matter what it's about. He's got enough on his hands with the girl and the plan now. He really needs to get rid of Potter, and he wants it to work out this time, Draco!"

"It's not my fault you're the one that keeps screwing it up." The boy named Draco said coolly. There was a long silence and Raven wondered if they hadn't left, until. . .

"Draco, don't. . ."

"FINE! I'm not gonna ask for anything. But if this would have made his 'plan' work better, it's your fault if he didn't know about it."

There was one set of footsteps heading towards the door, and Raven jumped back trying to look as though she hadn't been eavesdropping. But before she could think of something, the door opened with a crash, and she found herself face to face with Draco.

Instantly, she knew he was Lucius's son. He had the same, gray eyes and silvery-blond hair, as well as that snobbish, pointed face that made him look as though he was always thinking himself higher than anyone. But Raven had to admit that, also like his father, Draco Malfoy was very handsome. That was. . .until he spoke to her.

"What the hell do you want?" He snarled as though Raven was a servant. Instantly, her own brow furrowed and her lip curled.

"Nothing, you ungrateful bastard. I was just passing by." She hissed.

For a split second, Draco looked shocked, but he composed his face quickly into a glare. They sent daggers at each other for a few seconds.

"You're a-" The boy started, but he got interrupted.

"Draco, shut up. That's the Dark Lord's daughter." Lucius came out after his son, gray eyes bearing into the girl's. She glowered right back at him.

Draco looked shocked, and Raven felt her chest swell against her will. The smug look on the boy's face was gone, and she had made it leave.

"Yeah, watch it. Draco." She stressed his name, and turned around, jet-black hair flying, leaving the two behind.

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"Rae, you'll never guess what." Arleen said as soon as the teen walked into the room. She seemed worried, but kind of excited at the same time.

"What?" The Raven sighed. She was feeling extremely tiered all of a sudden. Like she had ran for miles without a goal, until she was too exhausted to continue.

"Look what's guarding the mansion!"

Arleen led Raven to the window, and pointed outside into to curtain of darkness. The teen squinted, and saw, with some difficulty, several dozen shapes swarming around on the ground. She couldn't make out what they were, though. . .

"Dementors." Arleen told her.

Dread washed over Raven. If they were to run for it, they would have to face those damned things? She couldn't even push back one! How could she fight what seemed like a hundred of them?

"Good thing you're learning how to fight them!" The little girl pointed out happily.

Decided not to worry her more than she should, Raven nodded, a tight grip of fear clenching at her very heart. Their chances of escape had just fallen.

And they had started out at 0.

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Review please. Hope you liked it!