Lia stood in front of the the full-length mirror that she had positioned upright in the bathroom, the glass newly polished, and the ornate wood carvings around it sharp and intricate. She gently undid the top button of her robe, lightly pulling it open so that the creamy pale skin at her chest was visible.

She swallowed, and let her eyes drift up.

It was ugly - a ragged scar, around eight inches long, that stretched from the hollow at her left collarbone to just above her right breast. The skin was still slightly puckered and swollen, although the numbing and anti-inflammation potions that Madam Pomfrey had given to her had done much help. She ran a finger over the ridges, wincing as she touched a particularly tender spot.

It was ugly. But it wasn't as bad as she'd thought. She forced her lips to curl up into a shaky smile. It was just a mark. At least they had all survived, and her soul hadn't become a Dementor's dinner.

"A werewolf scar," Madam Pomfrey had said, shaking her head, "That sort of damage, I'm afraid I can't cure. The redness will fade in time, but the mark will be there, perhaps permanently by the looks of it."

After the incident, Professor Lupin had not been able to meet her eyes at all. "Lia," he'd choked out, guilt and shame written in every nook and cranny, "I'm so sorry. I-I didn't –"

"Don't worry, Professor," she'd said. "It wasn't your fault. You wouldn't blame someone under the Imperius curse would you? It's same old. Besides," she'd smiled and pointed to her upper arm, "I already have a scar, so it won't make much difference … I can start collecting them now, you know? Like collector's items! Bet this one would be considered rare."

He'd choked and shook his head. "I'm resigning, Lia."

"Professor, no! But-but you're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher I've had! Not that there was much competition with Quirrell and Lockhart, but still! Why?"

Lupin had smiled wryly. "This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving from parents... They will not want a werewolf teaching their children. And after last night, I see their point. I gave you a permanent scar, in all likelihood … and if Sirius had not intervened, I may have bitten any of you ... That must never happen again."

Lia still wasn't entirely sure how Harry and Hermione had managed to save both Buckbeak and Sirius. Her brain had still been muddled and hazy from the pain potion the nurse had given her, and she'd struggled to understand their words.

The explanation they'd told her went briefly like this in Lia's mind: they'd used a time-turner to go backwards to the past, had somehow managed to coax Buckbeak into the woods with dead ferrets or something of the like, Harry had used a patronus on the Dementors before it could suck the life out of them, and then Sirius had flown away on the back of the Hippogriff towards Neverland.

Her head hurt.

She fastened up her robes again, and opened the door of the bathroom, before she faltered and turned her head round once more to stare at the mirror. The red scratch was glaringly obvious on her pale skin, the harsh edge visible above the collar of her robe. She sighed.

She didn't mind the blemish that much, but it would do her head in to have everyone goggling it, like she was some scarred freak show. Lia wasn't sure how Harry coped with the attention - if it were her, she probably would have gone ahead and cursed the lot of them by now.

But … what could she use to hide it? Makeup? A charm? But it was early in the morning, and Lia wasn't sure if she could manage to make it look decent. Instead, she looped a green scarf around her neck, closed the door and left her dormitory.

"Lia," Malfoy's voice came out of nowhere.

"Don't scare me!" she snapped.

He held his hands up, and made a swiping gesture in the air. "Calm down. I just wanted to talk."

"About what, Malfoy?"

"I thought you were calling me Draco now?" He ran a hand through his hair, and sighed. "I don't know how you're going to react to this …"

"Spit it out."

There was a long pause as Malfoy looked at the ground, his eyes distant.

"Are you lost in thought? You should be careful … it must be unfamiliar territory. And you don't want to sprain your brain now, do you?"

"My father," he took in a deep breath. "He wanted to know if … if you would like to have a … gathering, in the holidays."

"A gathering?" she snorted. "Where?"

"My house, of course."

"Why?"

"He wants to …" he seemed to be holding back a grimace, "… get to know you."

"Get to know me?" she said blankly.

Malfoy nodded. "That's what he wrote in the letter he sent on Wednesday."

"Is this a joke? Why?" Lia gasped. "This is some sly trick, so that you can capture me and use me as bait for Harry, isn't it!"

"No! It's just … he just … finds you interesting?" It sounded almost like he was asking a question.

"Interesting?" Lia scoffed. "Yeah right."

"Come."

"I'm not really looking to get kidnapped, thanks."

"You won't." Malfoy was growing more desperate by the second.

"Frankly, I don't trust the shit that comes out of your mouth."

"Look!" he suddenly raised his voice, his eyes almost frantic now. "I need you to fucking come, alright! Why can't you ever understand anything? I-I …" he trailed off.

"Then make me understand. Why? Why do you need me to come?"

"Because my father said so!" The words burst out of his mouth and Malfoy clenched his fists, averting his eyes. There was something lost in the way he glanced out the window.

"Lucius isn't the boss of the world … He's not that bloody high and mighty."

"He's my father. That makes him my boss."

"No it doesn't," she frowned. "There's this silly little thing called free-will, you know?"

"I suppose you wouldn't understand," he snorted. "You're an orphan."

"That's a dick thing to say to someone."

"Just come … It'll only be one afternoon."

She groaned, desperately telling herself to not look at Malfoy's pleading face. It was really throwing her off. "I can't even get there. I'm too young to Apparate remember? And I really don't think the Dursleys would fancy driving me there."

"Come after we arrive at Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters. My father will be waiting for us."

"And how do I get back? Walk for two hundred kilometres?"

"Mother can Apparate you."

"This is stupid," she muttered, "I can't believe I'm even discussing this. I have places to go, better people to talk to."

She made an attempt to walk forwards, but Malfoy stepped to the side, his body blocking hers. She thumped a fist against his chest.

"Move."

"No."

"Move!"

"Lia, is it that hard to agree?" he paused. "If I only ever ask you for one thing in my life, this is it."

"And what am I supposed to tell Harry?"

"Tell him that you're meeting up with Tracey. It'll only be for a few hours, and you two are roommates after all."

"I'm not going to lie to my brother for you."

"You still don't understand. Lucius gave me an order. Orders are like taking the Unbreakable Vow to him."

"Why are you so obsessed with this?"

"I'm not obsessed. My father is."

"I just … can't he focus his attention on Parkinson again?"

He shook his head and sighed. She couldn't read the expression on his face, but it looked as if there was a hint of self-reproach. Lia absent-mindedly played with her hair, and tried to undo some of the mats that had shot up again.

"If you do this," Malfoy said, "I'll go on one of those pointless muggle trips with you. Didn't you say that you always wanted to go skydiving?"

"…. Wait, actually? We're too young for skydiving." Lia's eyes lit up. "What about laser tag?"

He swallowed. "Fine. Is it a deal?"

Lia's mind whirled. If Malfoy would actually come with her, on a 'pointless muggle trip' as he put it, then she'd definitely be much further ahead with the gamble they'd made. Perhaps then he'd see that the muggle world wasn't all that bad, that there were multiple aspects of it that were positive, progressive even. Ideas were already springing up about what favour she could ask for when she won the bet. Maybe she could get him to do all her potions homework for a year?

But if she said yes, that would mean a painfully uncomfortable afternoon with Malfoy, and his nasty mummy and daddy.

"I don't know," she said finally. "Lucius doesn't like me. What if he's rude and I start punching him again?"

"Trust me. He'll be polite." His face was still indecipherable.

"I'll … consider it."

"We're leaving in about two hours!" he barked out. "Do you want me to get on my knees and beg you? For god sake, it's just a quick chat with my parents! And then, you can go back to your boring existence with your filthy muggle aunt and uncle!"

He glared at her and Lia glared back. Slowly, Malfoy thawed a little. "Please, Lia," he said softly, "I won't get on my knees. But I am pleading, alright?" He turned molten silver eyes at Lia.

She thought that her mind must have stopped working for the billionth time ever, because she found that she could no longer think anymore. That silver was slinking into her thoughts, turning her brain into disgusting mush.

"… Okay," she replied in the end, "I'll go. But if you back out of your end of the bargain, you're going to die in your sleep … and don't smirk at me, Malfoy! I'm not kidding."

"Good," he said, still smirking. "I knew you'd cave." He turned around and walked out of the dormitory, leaving her standing there with her fists closed into a tight ball.

Lia walked down the aisles of the Hogwarts Express, peeking her head into compartments, searching until she eventually found Harry, Ron and Hermione, sitting towards the back of the train. She gave them a small wave of hello, and slid down unto the leather seat.

"I've been thinking," said Ron, "You three have got to come and stay with us these holidays. I'll fix it up with Mum and Dad, then I'll call you. I know how to use a fellytone now –"

"A telephone, Ron," Hermione corrected. "Honestly you should take Muggle Studies next year ..."

He ignored her. "It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer! How about it? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work."

Harry grinned. "Yeah! I bet the Dursleys'd be glad to let us come."

"They want us off their backs," said Lia. "Particularly since you turned Aunt Marge into an oversized balloon."

Harry suddenly squinted out the window, and Lia followed his line of sight. There was a tiny endearing owl, bobbing through the air with a letter held in its claws. Harry caught the owl in his hands as it slipped through the window, and picked up the letter.

"It's from Sirius!" he yelled. Lia pulled the parchment from his hands and read it:

Dear Harry,

I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle. I don't know whether they're used to owl post.

Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where, in case this owl falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about his reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job.

I believe the Dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted.

There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Firebolt. Crookshanks took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used your name but told them to take the gold from my own Gringotts vault. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your godfather.

I would also like to apologize for the fright I think I gave you and Lia that night last year when you both left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you.

I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable.

If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me.

I'll write again soon.

Sirius

"So you were right, Hermione," Lia said. "He did send Harry that Firebolt." Whenever she stared at those words, something sad rose in her stomach, something that gripped her heart. It had always been her and Harry. They had been each other's only real family. And now Harry had Sirius.

"That's not all," said Ron, looking excited. "Sirius gave Harry permission to go to Hogsmeade!"

"Thank goodness," said Lia, shaking off her thoughts. "You can carry your own heavy load of lollies all the way back to the castle, then."

It wasn't long before the hooting train pulled into King's Cross Station, the layered brick walls and polished marble floors staring back at them again.

"Harry," Lia said, trying to find a delicate and cautious way to approach the topic, "I'm going to meet you at Pivet Drive, if that's okay? … Tracey's invited me out to lunch. I'll be back before the afternoon."

"Lunch? Today? But, how'll you get back?"

"Her mum can take me with Side-Along Apparition."

He looked a little uncertain, but said, "Well sure. I hope you have fun then. Bring me back some food?"

"Of course, darling brother."

"What should I tell Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia?"

"I've got a detention with one of my teachers, so I'm coming back late. They'll believe it. They love the idea of me suffering."

"Okay," Harry bit his lip and gave her a wave, as he picked up his luggage, "See you later, I guess."

She stood in the corner, leaning against one of the brick walls, watching as one by one her peers left, waiting until only a small group of dawdling families were left. Malfoy spotted her and walked over.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Not really," Lia replied. It was the truth.

She was still unsure as to why she had really agreed in the first place, and she still felt guilty for lying to her brother. Not that it was the first time she'd told an untruth, but yet, she felt as if this lie had been especially bad.

"Let's go then," said Malfoy, and he led her to the spot where his parents stood, two tall blond people who seemed much too perfect, much too refined for the simple train platform they stood on – their clothes ironed immaculately and their hair so perfect it could have been a Michelangelo carving. They would have been beautiful, seemingly perfect, were it not for the coldness that radiated out of their stance.

Lia sighed. She was not looking forward to this.

A/N:

Hello, again!

So, what you all think so far? Please review and let me know your opinions! If anyone has any suggestions or ideas for scenes they would love to see, feel free to let me know as well!

Thank you all for reading, and a big thank you to anyone who commented, favourited or followed! You're the best xx

- Annie