Once it was the beginning of a new day, my engagement suddenly lost the spotlight all morning. The world of Slytherin students easily turned into nonstop studying, whispered conversations and the game of spreading rumors. It wasn't always like this, to be frank, it has never been like this until now. It was like going home for winter break was the realization of many that their world as they knew it was about to end. Although the other Houses liked to talk about us like we're the bad side of the tracks, which we'd always prove wrong or debunk, the image has left it's mark on us and now we were trying to figure out who was good or who was bad.

Slytherin was the only House obviously unsure about it's allegiance. While the days went on and the classes have started up, people started trying to figure out any good of bad signs of fellow Slytherins. Many seven year long friendships suddenly broke apart, causing havoc in the Common Room and no one spoke the truth about why. The other Houses also grew more scared of us when they became aware of the new vibe stirring between us, and they also tried to snitch us more often than usual. As if it was a spark of hope that with enough detention they wouldn't end up in a war zone. Luckily I myself didn't consider myself to be part of this mess. I had my life, family and friends already figured out, I wasn't going to relate to the surprise masking their faces which they failed to conceal. I was safe. Beatrice has been following every quidditch team near the area she lived to analyze new techniques, new players and if they need new ones. She was definitely going to try out some teams and definitely be accepted into one before anyone could even blink. Her obsession with it almost made her inhuman. Mary-Louise got accepted as a trainee Healer, because her O. missed just a point or two while Andrew had excellent scores and didn't need to start as a trainee at their positions were secured to be of no use for death eaters. Severus had told me not to talk about any specifications with him while being on Hogwarts territory with the current climate as it is. There were eyes and ears everywhere lately, advice I took to heart.

'Luce, have you seen my snitch?' I heard demanding attention from behind me. I turned around to see her dark brown eyes looking into the green of mine. Her dark eyebrows arranged above her eyes to show a frown.

'No, I'm afraid I haven't,' I answered. Beatrice sighed and stormed back into the sleeping chambers ready to explode. She had just finished practice and always gave her beloved little toy to one of us so that we could hold it in our hands until she was done, she never allowed us to put it away for it to be safe. But this time, none of us received it from her.

'Honestly, my dear, it might be for the best,' Mary-Louise confessed after checking some of the drawers the girls used to put away some of the unnecessary products they don't feel like carrying.

'What did you even do before practice? Why didn't you give it to us this time?' I asked her, unable to understand her sudden change of habit.

'That's the thing, I don't remember what exactly I did with it right before practice. My mind is completely blank!' Her aggression almost costed her, her grandmother's amulet, when she smashed the table where it was laying and fell on the floor, sounding like it broke.

'Well, since you don't know, I'll go check on Andrew if he saw it somewhere,' I noted and left the search party. In the common room they told me he went towards the library about an hour ago. Wary of this information, I went to the assigned destination. Beatrice wouldn't even be near the library before practice, so why would I start his search there? Considering the amount of time he has spend there since he left, he probably was unsuccessful and moved from the location. I looked around in the library but nowhere could I spot a dark blonde, tall guy with the most watery eyes I have ever seen. Frustrated I turned around, walking up towards two third year Slytherins that I saw turn around the corridor.

'Excuse me, have you seen Triggs around?' Before they could answer my question after staring at me with big eyes when they realized I was a seventh year I heard my name called behind me. Once I turned, I saw Andrew walking up to me.

'Ah, there you are. Where have you been sneaking off to?' I asked him, dismissing the two younger students and they quickly passed by us.

'Bea lost her snitch,'

'I am aware. Why the library? And how did it take you over an hour?' He showed me the inside of his left hand, which revealed the little piece of trash we have been looking for.

'She did gave it to me, I lost in the bathroom here near the library apparently,' he answered. I frowned, if he knew so specifically, why did it take this long?

'Do you have a secret by chance, Andrew?' He didn't answer but his face revealed it all. His eyebrows shifted and the shape of his lips changed too. Instantly my expression changed and I took a step back.

'Whatever it is, stop it,' I advised without being asked.

'Just don't tell her, I spend an entire hour here,' he technically begged. I didn't answer, but we started to walk back downstairs. While trying to find our way back to the Slytherin common room, we got halted by a group of students closing off the entire path, and heavy grunting coming from the other side. After a flash of light appearing from behind the group, it was clearly a fight that was going on. Andrew and I slid through the crowd, finding our way to the front row. When I looked to the left I saw the two most infamous Gryffindors standing eye to eye whom I should be calling my beloved.

Hexes went back and forth but when a certain someone called a halt to it Severus fell to the ground after his fall he coincidentally locked eyes with me. Without a care in the world I tapped Andrew on his shoulder and we moved on.