Yey! Chapter 20 is finally here! So, I'm back from London with a lot of fresh British ideas for the story. I hope you all still like it. Reviews are always welcome, positive as negative doesn't matter. It can only make the story better. And as I've said before; if there's something you would like to happen in the story, do let me know it's always interesting to know what you would like to happen next.

That you new readers and the old ones as well, of course. And special thanks to those of you who took time reviewing!

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Chapter 20

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Draco walked in to the Great Hall and made his way to Blaise. It was lunchtime and the hall was overfilled with hungry students, even though that; Blaise was sitting by himself at the far end of the Slytherin table.

"Did you go?" Draco asked and sat down opposite to Blaise. "The day before yesterday, did you go to my house?" Blaise put down his fork and knife and slowly looked up on Draco.

"Yes", he said and whipped his mouth with a napkin.

"How was mum, is she doing alright?" Draco asked, he didn't bother filling up his plate; he wasn't going to eat anyway.

"She seemed alright", Blaise said and continued eating. "We met Alice's father as well." Draco straightened up, they'd met him and where still alive, amazing. Just as Draco was about to ask Blaise further about it Alice walked in to the room. She walked half the distance before she saw Draco. Both of the boys were watching her. Her gaze first met with Draco's, then with Blaise's before she turned and walked to one of the other tables. Blaise looked at Draco before he started to stand up, to walk to Alice instead. Draco reached out and grabbed Blaise's arm.

"Tell me she's doing alright. Tell me she's happy", he said quietly.

"She's doing her best to be", Blaise said honestly. "You know it as well as I do, she's not alright." Draco's gaze was lowered to the floor.

"She and Daphne had a fight, they're not speaking." With that Blaise left Draco at the table and tried to find Alice in the crowd. It wasn't that hard, considering she had the only green robe amongst the blue and the red ones. She was sitting with the blood traitors, Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom. But it didn't matter, if it didn't matter for her, how could it matter to him?

"May I sit down?" He asked and lightly touched her shoulder.

"Of course", she said and turned to him before making room on the bench beside her.

"So let's say I was to receive a Dementor's kiss, it wouldn't actually kill me, just make me..?" Alice continued the conversation the three of them had had before Blaise had arrived.

"It would make you soulless", Ginny explained. "They would suck out your soul!"

"And why are we writing a paper about this? It's not like I'm going to run in to a Dementor and it will accidently give me a kiss that sucks out my soul", Alice said in a grumpy tone.

"Wouldn't be too sure about that", Neville inflicted. "The ministry has had a bit trouble controlling them lately."

"So what do I do if they come barking in on me, trying to eat my soul and stuff?" Blaise put his arm around Alice and leaned in, whispering in her ear.

"I don't think you have to worry love", he said, not loudly enough for the others to hear. "Your dad's got it under control." Alice pulled away and looked at him, she doubted his words.

"How would you know that?" Alice asked, still with her suspicious stare at him.

"One does hear rumours", Blaise simple said before pouring himself a glass of juice.

"Rumours of what?" Ginny asked from the other side of the table. Alice had forgotten they were there for a moment.

"Oh, nothing that would interest you", Alice said and stood up. "I'll see you later in class Ginny. Bye Neville." She started walking away from them to go get her books before potions class started. Blaise gave the two of them a disgusted look before leaving after Alice.

"Weird", Ginny said before she started chewing at her sandwich again.

"What is?" Neville said and looked up from the paper.

"Haven't you noticed?" Ginny said. "How people seem to change around her."

"A part of me is absolutely terrified of her and the other one want to please her", Neville said. "I think she makes everyone feel that way, don't you?"

"Yeah", she said and sighed.

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Christmas was coming, no doubt. Twelve Christmas trees had been placed in the Great Hall along with a lot of other Christmas decorations. The whole castle was filled with lit candles and mistletoes were hanging in the common room and in the corridors. Alice couldn't help but notice how it seemed to be a boy standing next to her every time she was about to walk under one of the mistletoes. Unsure if she was to be flattered or just scared, she often took long detours to avoid the more crowded corridors. Alice had noticed a group of girls from Hufflepuff had started following her around lately. Daphne on the other hand still wasn't talking to her and Alice wasn't used to be not friend with her friends and therefore wasn't sure what to do really. Blaise had several times tried to make them sit together but it all had just been stiff and silent moments. But Alice had made up her mind. She was going to make up with Daphne before the holidays, which gave her about four days to complete the task. Alice was heading for professor Slughorn's office; he was most impressed with her and often bragged about her to the other students in her class. At the beginning it had mostly been uncomfortable, but nowadays Alice tried not to care.

She knocked lightly at the door and waited impatiently for him to answer. The door was opened slightly and professor Slughorn peaked out.

"Oh Alice, it's you! Come on in!" He said in delight and let her in. He seemed nervous, as if he was expecting something unpleasant.

"What brings you here in this late hour?" He asked and served her a glass of butterbeer.

"There's something I've meant to ask you, sir", Alice said. "You see, I was in the library the other night, in the restricted section... And I came across something rather odd about a bit of rare magic", she started; she wasn't sure what made her say it. But somehow it felt familiar.

"Yes?" Professor Slughorn simply said.

"Well, I was came across something called a Horcrux." Professor Slughorn had lost all colour in his face and Alice was afraid he might faith for a moment.

"I think it would be better if you spoke to professor Snape about this", professor Slughorn made haste to say.

"Well, he's good sir, but not quite like you. He might misunderstand", Alice said and took a small step towards the old man. "I was simply wondering; would it be possible to make a Horcrux out of a living object?"

"I'm not sure Alice, but I suppose..." He said carefully.

"I'm sorry sir; I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I was just curious", she said and smiled at him. "And thank you for the invitation for the Christmas party; I'm sure it will be delightful." Alice wasn't sure if she should leave or stay. Professor Slughorn looked as if he was about to say something. But the colour in his face still hadn't returned to normal.

"You look very much like someone I used to know", professor Slughorn finally said. He scratched the back of his baled head with a worried expression on this face. "The first time I saw you, your looks instantly reminded me of the person. But as time went by it was much more than just your looks that reminded me of that person." Alice looked up on her professor with a small smile on her lips.

"Is it a good or a bad thing, sir?" She asked, it might have seemed like a gentle question, but the undertone of a treat lingered in the air. Professor Slughorn, who immediately was whipped of his feet by her attempt to charm him burst out in a nervous laughter.

"Well, I suppose it's a good thing, my young lady", he said. "But I would be careful with it. People, you see, might get intimidated by you."

"Tell me, sir", she said with a little smile on her lips, knowing she had him absolutely hooked. "The man you say I remind you of, what is his name?" Professor Slughorn's eyes widened for a moment before he took courage to speak.

"I never told you it was a man, Alice", he said, very carefully. She ignored his statement.

"Tom Riddle", she said firmly.

"Where have you heard that name?"

"You were after all his favourite teacher. And you are mine too, sir", she didn't hesitate when she spoke.

"Who told you that?" Horace Slughorn's voice shivered.

"Oh, well, he did, sir." They met in an intense look. Slughorn was the first one to break it.

"Blimey, look at the clock Alice, of to bed with you. Don't want professor Snape yelling at me for keeping his students up."

"I was just wondering professor, if you... Could tell me about him some day, sir?" She put on her most innocent look and smiled shyly at the old man before her.

"I can certainly not, Alice. I do not know why you are so interested in him and I do not think it is wise of you to continue asking questions about him!" Professor Slughorn pushed the young woman out of his office. "God night!" He said before quickly shutting the door.

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Three knocks on the door.

"Come in", professor Dumbledore said. The door was opened and a small, round man entered. "Horace, what owes me the pleasure?"

"I think we both know the answer to that, Albus", professor Slughorn said. Another knock was heard on the door. Both men turned to watch the door as an elder woman came in. A frown was placed on the woman's face as she entered the room.

"Minerva, just in time", professor Dumbledore said and looked on her over his half moon-shaped glasses. "I presume you're both here about Miss Gaunt?" Neither of them answered.

"As both of you've noticed, or should I say, as all of us have noticed Miss Gaunt is a very special student", professor Dumbledore said.

"Special, indeed. She's absolutely brilliant but, she scares me just as much", professor Slughorn said.

"Albus, I've never seen someone her age performing what she is doing", professor McGonagall said. "Who is she?"

"I get this weird feeling going down my spine as she enter the room", professor Slughorn said, the fear in his voice was nothing but noticeable.

"She is quite remarkable, isn't she?" professor Dumbledore said dreaming. "She needs to be handled with carefully." The other two professors didn't say anything; they just stood still, waiting for professor Dumbledore to continue.

"Horace, can you guess who her father is?"

"I have my suspicions, but I hope that I am wrong", professor Slughorn said as he took out a hankie and whipped the sweat of his forehead.

"I am afraid you're not, Horace", professor Dumbledore said. Slughorn looked like a moment as if he was about to faint. "The name Gaunt comes from her grandmother, Tom Riddle's mother." They all stood quiet.

"I've been trying to keep an eye on her, talk to her as well", Dumbledore said in his normal, calm tone. "She's very good, indeed. Never let's anything out that would make you suspicious. Always saying the right things."

"What should we do with her?" McGonagall asked, she was worried – this girl; Lord Voldemort's daughter. She could be capable of anything really.

"She isn't quite like him", Slughorn said in a whisper. "Something about her is different."

"True Horace, something about her is very different from her father. She cares", Dumbledore said. He clutched his hands together under his chin and leaned on them.

"Cares?" McGonagall asked, she was probably the one with least experience of the girl. She was brilliant, always succeeding, always getting it right but still very quiet and didn't take much place in the classroom.

"She has genuine friends, she loves. I don't think we really do need to worry. But I Would like you to keep an extra eye on her", professor Dumbledore explained. "Don't let her notice; I presume she would make quite the scene if she did." The three professors went in to silence again. They were all deeply in thought. It was so unlikely that he, out of all people, would make the choice of having a child. All they could hope was that he hadn't got his hands on her just yet. Maybe it wasn't too late to save her. Maybe she could have the chance of a normal life.