Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long to update, but with the start of the new semester and all...pfff, I'm glad the weekend has started... And finally an update!

DollFace080: Thank you. Here's what happens next.

hpandfriendsruletheworld: Good to know you don't hate me...yet LOL. Was that a threat? ;) I hope you like the next chapter.

darklady5289: Thanks!Not yet :D

Messr-Paddifoots-love: Sorry :D. Read and find out..

MsPadfootVerona: Gollum Mode! I almost dropped from my chair laughing when I read that. Seriously (no pun intended), who wouldn't be obsessed with Sirius! I would love to read more about the Marauders too. I sometimes wonder whether I really am a Harry Potter fan or just a Marauder fan LOL. Prisoner of Azkaban is definitely my favourite. Voldemort and Pettigrew...evil little bastards (growls menacingly)

Patrick Swayze, you mean! Yeah, I can see that...not the looks, but the attitude. Oh, wait, I just spotted your email ( talks to self: oh, wow, already? My, my, you're fast...) Sorry about that. I'll send you a mail about X x-ing X on the X tower and what I think about it. All spoilers avoided, I think ;)

Wendela400: Thanks. I hope you like the next chapter.

Dies Irae: Thanks! It's wonderful to hear from a new reviewer. Thanks for the advice. I'm revising all my older chapters. I can't believe I made such a huge mistake with the quotation marks. I ran to my room and checked several books and I felt really, really stupid then LOL.

It's one of my favourite lines too, although I wasn't aware of the irony when I first wrote it. Later, when I reread the chapter and I came across that sentence, I went like "ouch!"

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

SexeiAlexeiGurl: Yay! Another new reviewer. Glad you liked it :) Thanks and here's the next chapter.


Deceit

I sank onto one of the kitchen chairs and clasped my hands in front of my mouth. My vision was getting blurry.

A few minutes later Dumbledore entered the kitchen. "He did not take it well?"

I shook my head. Dumbledore took a seat opposite of me. Kindly he said, "Sirius has always been the type to act first and think later. He'll come around."

I shook my head again and lowered my hands. "I don't think he will." I blinked rapidly.

Sirius hated his family and the likes of them with a passion. And now I would willingly go back to a family just like his. Not only that, I would also be in a relationship – albeit a fake one – with the type of man he hated most: a Death Eater. He would not come around.

"Do you want to go through with this?" Dumbledore's voice shook me from my musings.

I stared at my hands. "Yes," I said and meant it. It wasn't just about me and Sirius anymore. Though the bottom had dropped out of my stomach because of Sirius's reaction -- which I couldn't blame him for -- I didn't want to back out now. I was not just in the Order because Sirius had brought me in; I was in the Order to fight Voldemort.

"Let's return to the others. We have a lot to discuss," Dumbledore said gently. "And I wouldn't worry too much if I were you."

I threw a disbelieving look at Dumbledore's back when I followed him to the living room. Only Professor Morton, Alastor Moody, Fabian – or Gideon, I couldn't tell – and Remus were present. Dumbledore noticed my surprise and said, "I've sent Sirius's friends after him. We need Remus to fill in some details. The others had to return to their duties."

We sat ourselves around the table and began to discuss our plan. After an hour we had it figured out. We would tell my parents I didn't want to marry yet, like I had done with Lucius. Staying engaged to Evan was one thing, but going through with the wedding was not an option. I refused to marry Evan. I simply couldn't; although it greatly complicated the plan. We agreed Professor Morton would work on my parents – my mother in particular – and I would deal with Evan.

Remus told us he and Lana had agreed that she would send a note in my handwriting to my parents telling them I would stay with her for a few days to do the necessary friend-activities before my wedding, which meant we had about two days before my mother would get suspicious.

I spent those two days with both Dumbledore and Morton at Fabian's house learning the basics of Occlumency. It wasn't too difficult. I had no trouble imagining the walls I needed to shelter my memories. Dumbledore urged me to practise as much as I could, for I would need a massive shield against the Dark Lord. I would have to learn how to mislead a Legilimens by feeding them particular memories later, when I had found my own place to live. Moving out of my parents' house was essential to the plan in order to be able to stay in contact with the Order.

Three days after I had left my house to go shopping with Lana, Professor Morton came to Fabian's to escort me to the manor. I had not spoken or seen Sirius. His absence felt like a gaping hole in my chest. Fabian had asked me if I wanted to go and see him.

"No," I had said, "there's nothing to talk about." Not anymore, I thought, remembering Sirius saying we had plenty of time to talk later. That was not even two nights ago.

And I will lose my nerve if I see him.


Professor Morton and I Apparated to our manor. My mother was highly surprised when she saw us. "Corbin," she exclaimed. "What a pleasure to see you."

Professor Morton was ever so polite and charming while my mother led him to the drawing room, where tea was already prepared.

When we were seated, my mother said, "I was getting a little worried about you, Niamh." The slight tension around her mouth was barely visible. "So was Evan."

"Is he here?" I asked. The pounding of my heart grew louder.

"Yes. He's in the study with Rowan."

"Why don't you go and talk to him?" Professor Morton said to me. My mother looked curiously at him, but said nothing.

"Yes, I will," I said and left the room. I strained my ears to hear the conversation in the room, but after, "Niamh has been staying with me for…" I could hear no more.

I slowly walked up the stairs, tracing an ice-cold finger over the mahogany wood of the banister – impeccably polished, as usual – while using the techniques I had just learned to calm myself down. By the time I knocked on the door of the study I was prepared.

My brother called, "Come in."

I stepped inside and smiled at the two men. They both jumped up from the comfortable fauteuils in front of the fireplace. "Niamh!" Rowan said surprised. "What are you doing here? I thought you were rampaging around London with Lana."

Evan walked up to me and kissed me. "Did you have a good time?" he asked.

There wasn't quite a suitable answer to that, so I asked Rowan if I could talk to Evan in private.

"Sure, I'll wait outside," he said, a little befuddled, "but I have to tell you something later." He grinned widely and left the study.

"Is something wrong ?" Evan asked.

I cleared my throat. "I've been doing some thinking," I announced. "I'm only eighteen and I've seen almost nothing of the world. And now I'm supposed to marry, ensuring – by the looks of most marriages around me – that I will never see more of it."

"What do you mean?" Evan frowned, clearly not liking where this was going.

"I want to find out what it's like to have my own life. Before I marry. I know it's uncommon, but I want a place of my own, and a job. I love books, so I want to have some experience with that."

Evan raised his eyebrows. "Where is this coming from?" he demanded. I couldn't help but notice the difference between him and Sirius. Evan was calm and hid his thoughts behind the gentlemanly exterior that had been grained into him since before he could walk. Sirius cared nothing for such behaviour and showed whatever he was thinking of feeling without second thought.

I blinked and concentrated on what I was doing, ignoring the stab of pain. "It was always there," I answered truthfully.

"Is this why you broke up with Lucius?" Evan asked sharply.

"Yes. But I do want to marry you. Just not yet. I need some time." I touched his arm and looked up to him with pleading eyes, praying silently that he would take the bait. I needed this engagement to soothe my parents. I needed my parents to keep up the appearance of the loyal pure-blood daughter.

Evan shook his head in bemusement. "Well, I suppose I should've expected this. The reason I was interested in you in the first place was because you stood out from the rest." He smiled indulgently. "How much time do you need?"

"A year… or two," I added quickly.

"Two?" he said with widening eyes, but there was amusement behind it. "You ask a lot."

"I know," I said and gave him a guilty smile.

The corners of his mouth twitched. "And you will come back to me after you've tested your wings?"

"Yes, I will," I confirmed and raised an eyebrow, "but in the mean time I'm keeping the ring. It's pretty."

Evan laughed. "So you're still my fiancée?"

Here we go. "Yes."

"Good," Evan said, "otherwise my mother and sister would have a seizure."

"Ah, and we wouldn't want that, would we?" I grinned.

This was going surprisingly well. I decided to try the next part of the plan. "But," I began ominously.

"But… what?" Evan repeated me.

"There's one more thing."

Evan raised an eyebrow. "You're a demanding little thing, aren't you?"

"You have no idea," I grinned.

"What is it?"

"I don't want a marriage like my parents – no, I don't want a marriage like my mother has. I don't want to stay in my house all my life and have tea parties as the highlight of my life." There was no need to fake my disgust; it was genuine. I knew I was playing a risky game here, because I didn't know too much about Evan's character and what he thought his wife should be like, but his reaction to my earlier request had been a good sign.

"What do you want then?"

"There is something very important happening in our world and I want a part in it. I don't want to be left out. A massive change is going on. I want a marriage like Bellatrix and Rodolphus have. They are both involved, equally."

"Well," Evan said slowly. "I had no idea you were this interested."

I put my hands behind my back to hide their trembling. "I am. I'm sorry, but if you can't live with a wife like that, then maybe I should give you your ring back."

Thin line, very thin line, a little voice squeaked nervously in my head.

Evan was silent. A dreading feeling began to grow in me. I had pushed him too far.

He sighed. "I want you to keep the ring," he said after a long silence. "So you want to become a follower of the Dark Lord?"

"I do," I said.

He smiled. "The Cardens are definitely a loyal family. You'll be the second."

"Rowan," I concluded. So it's true.

"Yes. If I may ask, how did you know about me?" he asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

I raised a haughty eyebrow. "Are you telling me that you would sit back and do nothing while our world is finally being cleared from Mudbloods?" I clicked my tongue in a disapproving manner. "I would be very disappointed in you, Evan."

Evan's hazel eyes glittered with something dark. It was a side of him I had never seen before and it frightened me. I almost stepped back in fear, but I caught myself in time.

"You don't have to be disappointed in me," he said, with a slight note to his voice that I recognized as cruelty.

I felt my hair stand on edge, but I kept my face cool. "I didn't think so," I answered in a satisfied manner.

"So, you want it all," he drawled silkily. "Career, husband, influence."

"Yes," I replied hungrily. "I am very greedy." I stepped closer to him, sliding my arms around his neck.

Evan's mouth curled up in a small smirk that unnerved me. I knew then that I was on my way in, but instead of feeling pleased with my success, I was only scared. Nevertheless, I answered his kiss, sealing the deal.


Rowan entered the study again, while I was still recovering from the shock of seeing the darker and more dangerous parts of Evan's personality and chiding myself for my naivety. Pushing my fears away I answered my brother's question and told him about our postponed wedding.

Rowan's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to protest, but instead he sighed and said, "Well, you always were stubborn as a mule. Mother is going to kill you, though."

I made a face at which he chuckled. "Luckily for you she'll have another wedding to focus on. So maybe you'll escape with all your limbs intact."

I blinked in confusion. Evan laughed when he saw my puzzled expression. Rowan's grin widened. "I've asked Alexia to marry me."

Had it been physically possible, I was sure my jaw would've dropped to my knees. "Alexia? Alexia Malfoy? Lucius's cousin?"

"Yes," Rowan smiled.

"But – Are you – I didn't know you – How long – Why didn't you tell me?"

"We've been dating since February," Rowan enlightened me. "You were busy with graduating and the wedding."

"So you're going to marry her?" I asked.

"Yes, in November," Rowan answered. He was obviously very happy.

Suddenly an incredible wave of anger and resentment surged through me and I had to restrain myself with all my might not to let it show. The injustice nearly made me choke. Here I was, forced into a marriage with someone I didn't love – someone I didn't even know – and my brother was allowed to find his own bride, one he was in love with.

"Congratulations," I said. My voice sounded like I was being strangled.

Look," Rowan said apologetically. "I know it's sudden, but you know how Mother gets. Once she caught wind of Alexia and I dating, she immediately started tying us to the Malfoys. It all went so fast, I practically had to propose to her."

My rage subsided a little. So Mother was at it again. But still, he was in love with Alexia. The stupid grin he seemed to wear permanently on his face was no small indication. With difficulty I conjured a smile on my face.

"Ah, Niamh, come on," Rowan pleaded, unaware of my real thoughts. "I said I was sorry for not telling you, but Alexia and I just wanted to take it slowly." He wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Forgive me, little sister? You're my favourite midget, after all."

Angrily I pushed him away. "I told you not to call me that!" I had always hated the childhood name he had given me. So what if he is 6'2 and I don't make it past 5'3? I consider myself a perfectly average height. It's not my fault I have an abnormally large brother. Bastard! Stupid, stupid, stupid bastard!

Feeling unreasonably hurt, I stormed out of the study. I leaned over the balustrade, trying to calm down. What was it that had upset me so much? I let out a quivering breath. I realised it was Rowan himself, and the way he had just reminded me of my childhood. Whatever he had done, and was still doing, he was my big brother, who I had loved for the past eighteen years. To be confronted with that hurt more than I expected.

My answer to Dumbledore came to mind. "He's made his choice and I have to make my own," I whispered into the air. Clearing my head I turned around and entered the study again. "Sorry," I said sheepishly. "I'm happy for you, Rowan."

Rowan smiled relieved. "Well, let's break your news to Mother."

"She already knows," I informed him. "I came here with Professor Morton. He's downstairs with her."

"Bringing out the heavy spells, eh?" Rowan chuckled. "I'm impressed."

Evan and I followed Rowan downstairs. Quietly I asked him, "Are you not mad at me?"

Evan looked down at me, his classical features completely calm. "No, I'm not. I can understand. I'm expected to marry someone with a decent ancestry. I picked you, because there seemed more to you than a fervent love for tea parties." The corners of his mouth twitched when he said that, I noticed with relief. "And I wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I made my wife-to-be unhappy from the moment she had my ring on her finger, now would I?"

This cool reasoning relaxed me. There was no love, no passion behind it. Evan needed a wife, because it was expected of him. A longer engagement period didn't trouble him. My spirits lifted a bit, because it meant I could keep this… relationship at bay for a while. I didn't know him, he didn't know me; I didn't have to pretend I was in love. Sure, he was attracted to me, but that was something I could deal with.

As we reached the bottom of the stairs I prepared myself for my mother's reaction. I hoped Morton had been able to convince her. If not, I would have to Disapparate from the manor immediately, being discovered as a traitor before I had even begun. My stomach was in knots when Evan knocked on the door.

"Enter," my mother called. She didn't sound upset, I noticed immediately. We entered the room. My mother lounged casually on the sofa, Professor Morton was sitting in an armchair, looking very relaxed.

This is unexpected. Very, very unexpected.

Professor Morton noticed my furrowing brow and gave me a tiny reassuring smile. Evan and I seated ourselves. I prepared myself for a quick escape.


Twenty minutes later I walked Morton to the door, in complete awe of his powers of persuasion. My mother had sighed and complained about the difficulties of having such an obstinate daughter, ensured Evan that she would completely understand if he didn't want to marry such a modern witch – at which he told her politely that he was quite modern himself and understood my motives.

How wrong he was.

Not once did my mother bring up or even hint at my sordid tryst with the blood traitor Black as the reason for postponing the wedding.

After taking his leave from my mother Morton asked me to walk him to the door. As soon as we were out of earshot I asked him, "How?"

Morton answered, "After I had convinced her that you did not want to break the engagement – which took a while, I have to say – and only wanted to live an independent life for a while, it wasn't that hard. She railed about Sirius, of course, but when I told her you had already informed me of that… er… mistake of yours…" he paused, "I believe I had her at a loss for words. I told her how sorry you were about that and that you realised it was an immensely stupid thing to do."

Ah, the remorseful daughter. How very clever.

Morton put on his cloak. "Then it was only a matter of reminding her of her own youth and the less than smart urges she herself once acted upon."

The tiny, but unmistakeably smug smile that appeared on Morton's face made my eyes widen. I had only seen him as a teacher, but now I looked at him differently and I realised that Corbin Morton was a handsome man, with his longish, dark brown hair and even darker eyes in a pale, angular face. I resolutely refused to inquire after more details of my mother and Morton's youth. In fact, had she not looked a little flushed when Evan and I had entered the room?

Yes, she had – Oh Merlin, ew – stop thinking, stop thinking like that!

Shuddering slightly, I closed the door behind my former Head of House. An eyebrow rose almost by itself in a shrewd manner, when I understood the advantage I now had over my mother. I returned to the drawing room and draped myself over the chaise longue near the huge windows.

"Professor Morton is such a nice man," I purred, looking through my eyelashes at my mother. "How long have you known him, mother?"

I had to give her credit. She didn't even blink, but her eyes fixed themselves cautiously on my face. I gave her a languid smile, which she didn't return. Casually she said, "He, your father, and I went to Hogwarts together."

"Oh," I said innocently, "so you are childhood… friends?"

She gazed intently at me and I stared back. She knew that I knew and we both knew that she would not mention Sirius to my father.

Slowly she detached her gaze from me and looked at Rowan. "Have you told your sister about your engagement? I'm very excited."

I made myself comfortable on the couch. Part one of the plan was successful.


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