Katrina woke to a boot nudging her in the ribs. Her cheek was pressed against the cold stones of the floor and she couldn't remember how she had gotten there. As she woke some more, the pain in the legs and back reminded her of the day's 'lesson'. She groaned and slowly rose so that she was seated on the floor with her legs stretched before her.

"Hmm," a voice said from above her, "Not bad for your firssst time. We will need to continue to build your enduranccce, though."

She risked a glance up at Voldemort. He was standing before her, looking thoughtful. She shivered and drew her legs to her chest.

"You may stand for now," he said, slowly drifting towards the door. "I will go and bring your dinner."

Gratefully, she quickly rose to her feet. Her ankles and calves were throbbing and her lower back was full of shooting pains. She paced across the room, wondering how late it was and how long she had lain unconscious.

She thought it was an hour or so after Voldemort had left that the door again opened. He entered with a tray floating behind him. The delicious scent of roast meat drove her to mindlessly approach the table and silently kneel on her cushion. She sat with her back straight and her head bowed, trying desperately to ignore the renewal of her aches and pains.

"Very good," he praised her as he approached the table and lowered the tray upon it. She could hear him taking his seat and then his hand was again on her hair. "It isss good to sssee that you can be trained ssso easssily."

He withdrew his hand from her head and she could hear him slicing the meat. Her stomach complained quite loudly and she forced herself to be silent as he ate his meal. Her patience was rewarded, however, when he lowered a piece of meat before her. She took it gratefully and savored it as she listened to him resuming his meal. Soon again, another piece of meat was handed down to her. A bit later, a piece of fresh bread was bestowed upon her.

Her pride raged at her for submitting so easily, but she quickly stomped on it. She had no desire to go back to being starved, nor to having Cruciatus used on her again. So, yes, she was a collared, obedient pet. Death was no longer a consideration at this time. Instead, she had decided to bide her time and hope a solution would present itself. She still had her daughter to think about, after all.

A goblet being lowered to her broke into her thoughts. She gently took it and drank. She was surprised to find that it was good mead, instead of water. She handed it back to him and she realized that the meal was finished. While still slightly hungry, she felt a good deal better than she had after the previous two meals.

"Thank you, my Lord," she said graciously.

He lowered a hand to her chin, raising her head up so that their gazes met, "Obedienccce will be rewarded. Anything elssse will be punished. I think you have learned that lesssson, yesss?"

"Yes, my Lord," she responded quietly.

"Go to sssleep and we will continue your lessssonsss tomorrow." He rose and left, leaving her alone with her shattered pride.

-- --

Maggie watched her father pace around his quarters after having returned from dinner in the Great Hall. His supper there was a result of the newest 'Educational Decree'. He was clearly agitated and she got the distinct impression her father was not a man who liked being told what to do.

Eventually, he left for his office, muttering about 'going soft' and 'sentimental foolishness'. Maggie knew he was going to meet with Harry for his 'detention'.

When her father stormed back into the room ten minutes later, she simply raised an eyebrow.

"The brat didn't show up!" he growled. "Here I am, trying to be nice to him and he didn't even bother showing up!" He paced angrily across the room before calling out for Dobby.

"Master Severus is calling Dobby?"

"Dobby, do you know where Mr. Potter is right now?" Maggie's father snapped.

Dobby nodded, "Yes, Master Severus. Dobby was hearing that Harry Potter was in trouble. I hears he was in the Headmistress' office." With that, Dobby quickly disappeared.

"You stay here, Maggie!" he barked, heading for the door to his quarters.

'When pigs fly,' she thought, dashing to the bedroom as he left the room. She grabbed the invisibility cloak, pulled it around herself, and dashed out into the corridor after him. She had to practically jog to keep him in sight. They ascended through the castle and Maggie did her best to remember the path back to the dungeons.

Finally, he came to a stop before a large oak door. Maggie kept well back from him so he wouldn't hear her panting breaths. She watched, as he seemed to listen for a moment before he opened the door. In the next moment, he was ducking to avoid stray spells that flashed over his head. Maggie gasped and dropped to the ground herself, even though she was further down the corridor.

Unfortunately, a stray spell hit her father, dropping him like a ton of bricks. Maggie almost cried out, but she held it back just in time. Three people were emerging from the room and although a couple sported cuts, none of them seemed to need medical attention. She watched one of the students drop to her father's side, obviously looking for a pulse.

"He's just stunned, I think," the boy said, quickly rising. Maggie recognized him as Harry's friend, Ron.

"We have to find Harry," a girl with dirty-blond hair said, leading the way down the hall in the opposite direction from Maggie.

Once they were out of sight, Maggie hurried to her father's side and reassured herself that he was still alive. She glanced into the classroom and saw another group of students, some who were unconscious, and one who had weird flapping things on his face.

'Damn, I bet a trained witch my age would know what to do…' She racked her brain and realized there were three people she could call on for help, but only one of whom she could expect to show up immediately. "Dobby!"

A pop announced his arrival and she saw him glancing around wildly. She then remembered she was under the invisibility cloak and she pulled it off. "I need your help, Dobby. I have to go back to my father's rooms, but I need you to tell Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall that my father might be hurt, okay?"

Dobby glanced fretfully at Professor Snape before turning back to Maggie. "Dobby will do this for Mistress Maggie!"

"Thank you, Dobby!" she said quickly, recovering herself in the cloak and quickly making her way back to the dungeons. She was relieved that none of the staircases had decided to move and she made her way back to the room without incident.

She whispered to the door, "Eden," fully expecting it unlock. When it didn't, she tried again, slightly louder. Still nothing. She groaned, her father had probably changed it and hadn't thought to tell her since she never used that door. Just great. Now she was locked out and her father would surely kill her for disobeying him.

After this second frustration of the night, she was more determined than ever to learn magic. Not only would she learn the basics, but she would press to learn beyond that. She would learn anything and everything her father would be willing to teach her. Then she realized she also had godparents she could seek lessons from. She would also bet that Harry would happily teach her what he knew as well.

Sinking to sit in front of her father's door, she began to imagine a day where she might even surpass her father's knowledge of magic…