Glad some of you liked the last chapter, this one begins in the final book, The Deathly Hallows. Salena is under a great amount of pressure, and nothing seems to be helping as it takes a great toll on her health and magic; but not by much.

She's still strong, but she cracks and her temper increases. Naomi will seek out help from Harry maybe, and Snape if either of them can get a hold of each other.

Enjoy and review!

Malfoy Manor:

Severus and Salena had just arrived outside the gates of Malfoy Manor, where the meeting was taking place. The meeting to where they would decide how to try and capture Harry Potter just before he could escape his home with the Order.

"You sure you're up to this milady?" Severus asked. Salena had gotten sick over the summer, some kind of strange fever; her face was pale, her strength had weakened slightly, her balance was slightly off, and her voice was cracked.

"Y-Yes…" she sounded so hoarse it was almost impossible to understand her. Naomi was on her shoulders, but the snake felt so heavy Salena had to lean against Severus for support.

"Milady, please let me take Naomi from you. She's too heavy to carry in your state." Salena nodded weakly and Severus lifted the large snake off her shoulders. As they walked into the manor they were greeted by none other than Yaxley.

"Hello Severus, Lady Salena."

"Yaxley, are the rest inside?"

"Yes, and you're late. The Dark Lord isn't pleased with tardiness."

"As Lady Salena would put it, a queen is never late, everyone else is simply early." Salena gave off a small laugh and nodded. Yaxley led them to the main dining room, where everyone was seated and three seats were empty. What really caught their attention was their coworker witch Charity Burbage, the Professor of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts, floating in midair over the large table.

"There you are, we were beginning to worry you'd gotten lost. Severus, Yaxley take your seats on either side, Lady Salena…Lady Salena are you alright?" Salena nodded and walked slowly to her seat at the other end of the table. Naomi slithered around to her and got comfortable on the soft rug under the table.

"I'm sorry milord, but Lady Salena caught a nasty fever over the summer. She's still recovering but she's not contagious."

"Can she speak?" Salena coughed a little but covered her mouth with her sleeve.

"Barely milord, but she can sign. Naomi can speak for her if you wish so."

"That would be nice Severus, but seeing as only Lady Salena and I understand her it would be hard for everyone else to understand." Severus bowed and took his seat.

"Now then, what news do you bring?"

"Good news my lord, the source we discussed has informed me that it will happen Saturday next, at nightfall."

"I see. Do you agree Lady Salena?" Salena faintly nodded. "Excellent." Salena started signing, and Severus spoke for her.

"She's saying she was there with me, and she knows where to go."

"Wonderful, but where will the boy be taken?"

"A safe house, possibly someone in the Order's home, it has been given every attempt of protection but once he's there we won't be able to touch him." Salena started coughing again, and then she made a hand gesture to Severus; he pulled a vile of warm dark liquid from his robes and had the others pass it to her. "Drink it slowly milady." She nodded and uncorked the vile, gulping down the liquid and rolling the vile back to Severus.

"Would you like to lay down Lady Salena? You look as if you can barely stay awake."

"I-I'm fine…" she stuttered hoarsely. Naomi's head perked up onto her shoulder and her long body slithered around the chair. Salena pet the snake's head and she seemed to enjoy that.

"Very well. Now then Severus, will the other Order members be present during this transport?"

"Only a few milord, the rest will be standing by just in case."

"Ahem my lord…" Bellatrix spoke and all eyes went to her. "I'd like the liberty of killing the boy, if you'll let me." Salena coughed again, and a cry echoed the room.

"Wormtail! Have I not spoken to you about keeping our prisoner quiet?" Tom shouted.

"Y-Yes my lord, r-right away my lord." As Wormtail made his way into the cellar Salena stood up and cleared her throat.

"Oh good the potion's working." Her voice sounded clearer than before but still a bit cracked. "Tom I think I should warn you that acting so soon might not end well."

"How so Lady Salena?"

"Well for one thing this is Harry's home, his comfort zone we're talking about, and the Order is taking him somewhere safe. And if I know the Order, and trust me I do, they're going to concoct some strange scheme to throw us off balance and some of our own will not make it through." A few gasps here and there but Tom didn't seem too thrilled.

"You suppose that's what will happen do you?"

"I can only imagine Tom, but it all depends on how they act. Are you going to join with them in this pursuit?"

"Yes I am, but unfortunately milady I face a slight problem. It appears my wand and Potters, have twin cores."

"I figured that, since I remember the encounter in that graveyard three years ago."

"It seems that Potter and I are able to disarm each other, but not fatally harm let alone kill. So I need to use another wand in order to kill him."

"You wish to use mine?"

"Of course not, I realize your particular wand is needed for other reasons." Tom got up from his seat and started walking around the table. "One of you will lend me your wand for this, but who shall it be? Surely one of you would like the honor of giving me your wand?" he stopped behind Lucius. "What about you Lucius?" the poor man looked absolutely shaken, a year in Azkaban had a great toll on him; his skin was pale, his hair lost its usual shine, and his eyes were baggy with exhaustion from countless nights of nightmares no doubt.

"M-My Lord?"

"My Lord…" Tom mocked his meek voice. "I require your wand." He held out his hand and Lucius reluctantly handed over his special wand. Salena coughed twice and looked at Tom.

"Tom surely you could use another wand less important." He glared at her and she glared back.

"My reasons for this wand are mine alone Lady Salena." Naomi hissed at Tom.

"She is right you know. My mistress could always persuade another wand for you."

"His reasons are his alone Naomi." Nagini hissed at Naomi and Naomi hissed back.

"It seems our snakes are on our sides milady."

"Yes…I-I know…" Salena started feeling faint again. She sat back down and Tom waved the wand making the unconscious Charity float over the middle of the table.

"Those of you who don't know we are joined tonight by none other than Charity Burbage. Lady Salena and Severus know her, for she was Professor of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts. It's her belief, that the pureblood ties of wizards and witches is far overdue, and that we should embrace their traditions and society; she would given her way, have us mate with them." Bellatrix made a gagging sound and everyone laughed mockingly. Salena felt her heart jerk at this, she may not have known Charity well, but she still liked the woman, as did Severus, but he was closer with her.

Charity started coming to, and when she woke she darted her eyes around the table and saw Severus.

"S-Severus…Severus please…h-help me. We're friends…we're friends…"

"Avada Kedavra!" a green flash and Charity's body fell onto the table, Salena almost jumped from her seat; a tear fell from the woman's eye, and Salena felt tears come to her eyes. "Dinner Nagini." Tom pet Nagini's head and the snake slithered onto the table and chomped onto the body. Naomi's tail curled around Salena's shoulders in comfort, and Salena lightly rubbed Naomi's head in return.

"Lady Salena are you alright? You've gotten paler…" Narcissa pointed out and Salena suddenly felt herself falling onto the floor on top of Naomi. "Lady Salena!" the minute she hit the floor she could see everyone surrounding her just before her vision blackened.

Early the next morning:

Salena's eyes fluttered open, her vision clearing as she kept blinking to focus. Her head felt hot, and her body was weak, again. The fever must've come back, and she felt as if she could barely move at all.

"Ugh…N-Naomi…" as if on queue the black snake's head appeared at the end of the bed and slithered up to Salena's face.

"You passed out mistress, you worried everyone at that meeting."

"W-what happened after…I fell…?"

"Tom was furious with Severus, he scolded him about letting you come out in this condition. You obviously weren't well enough…and he…well he um.."

"What Naomi? What did Tom do?"

"He used the torture curse mistress. In front of everyone, and even screamed at the Malfoys for nothing. By the way we're still at the manor, but Severus is on watch right now, and Draco is on watch outside the room; there are potions for you over on the nightstand." Naomi pointed her tail at a basket of test tubes with a note of directions beside it.

"H-How are they?"

"They're a bit tired, but fine physically."

"Good, b-bring me Draco."

"Draco mistress? He's not in the best of shape right now."

"Please Naomi…just bring him here." Naomi nodded and slithered off the bed, opened the door with her tail and crawled into the hall. Salena looked at the potions and noticed one of them was bright blue, the vile said, 'Energy', which probably meant it was a pick-me-up potion, or Pepper-Up potion maybe.She reached for it and drunk it slowly, then a knock came on the door.

"Come in." in stepped Draco, and Naomi slithering behind him. The poor kid looked as if he hadn't slept in over a day, possibly up all night watching the place and his family. She coughed slightly and sat up in the bed. "Hello Draco, please sit down." She pointed to the chair next to the bed. Draco sat down in the chair and had a curious look on his face.

"How are you feeling Lady Salena?"

"Not so good, but fine. How long have you been watching me Draco?"

"Since last night."

"What time is it now?"

"8:05 in the morning. I've been up since 10 last night."

"Have you eaten?" Draco laughed a little.

"With all due respect Lady Salena, it's I who should be asking if you need anything."

"I'm fine Draco, I just need rest and nutrition that's all. Now why don't you change shifts with someone?'

"I can't, I have to wait until 10 today. Bellatrix and I change shifts then."

"Well then why don't you have the elves fix us some food I can stomach down, and you can sit in here with me. Naomi will keep watch for us." The large snake winked at Draco and left the room. Draco left and a few seconds later a scream echoed through the room.

"Calm down mother it's just Naomi." Draco called to Narcissa and a sigh of relief was heard.

"Stop scaring everyone Naomi."

"I didn't she stepped on my tail!"

"Oh….ok but stop."

"Fine." Salena waited patiently, then as she went to scratch her neck she felt her mother's necklace was still on her. She took the locket off and looked at it, remembering the night her mother gave it to her before she died.

"Mother…" as she stroked the emerald Salena realized that the entire time she had the locket she'd never opened it once, neither did her mother; and then a memory struck her.

Flashback:

"Mother, what's inside the locket?" a seven year-old Salena asked pointing at her mother's necklace.

"I don't know sweetheart." The little girl raised her eyebrows at her mother.

"What do you mean, you've had it for a really really really really really really really really long time?"

"It's the truth honey, when your grandmother gave me this she told me not to open it."

"It doesn't make any sense mother, why did she say that?"

"I can't tell you, you'd have to ask her yourself."

"I did, she said ask you." Her mother rolled her eyes and laughed a tiny laugh and pointed at the emerald.

"It's because of this dear. This stone is a very powerful gem in the family, the one who created it many years ago fused their magic inside the emerald and has kept it tightly shut ever since."

"So you can't open it because it's magically fused shut?" her mother nodded and Salena stroked the stone but then pulled back as a small shock touched her finger. "W-What just….?" Her mother pulled away and covered the pendant with her hand.

"Run along now darling, go play with your brother or something." Without waiting for an answer her mother left the room in a hurry, leaving little Salena confused to wonder what the heck just happened?

End flashback:

Salena remembered the shock of the emerald, but she couldn't remember why it happened; and then another memory came to her.

Flashback:

Salena was skipping through the halls of Slytherin Manor, when she heard her father's voice coming from the end of the hall. She heard footsteps coming close, and hid herself in the drawing room behind the couch. Two people stepped inside, and Salena kept quiet to hear them talk.

"Sal, I know you think it's crazy but I swear it's the truth. When Salena touched the emerald it sparked and I felt it move."

"That's impossible Elaina, that emerald's been dormant for generations in my family, it has never once shed an ounce of magic, not even when my mother had it; nor my grandmothers before us."

"Sal I swear it happened, why won't you believe me? Or do you know something about this and you're refusing to acknowledge it?" there was silence for a moment, and Salena leaned in slightly to get a better hearing.

"Elaina, that emerald is magical."

"I know that, you've told me before."

"But I'm talking about magic far beyond anything you and I have ever encountered in our wildest dreams. The legend of the emerald is that it can bring health, joy, happiness, protection, but most of all…life."

"Life? As in a new life or…?"

"No, I mean it can bring life. It can revive someone who's even a mere second away from dying, it can save a stillborn child to such perfect health they can never get sick, and it can bring the dead back to life." Salena's eyes widened at that sentence.

"Sal that's impossible, no spell can bring the dead back to life. It's impossible."

"That's exactly what I mean Elaina, when the emerald was created it was said to be touched by Death himself. In doing so he gave it the power to bring the dead back to life, but it can only be used once, and not just by any witch or wizard, but the witch or wizard the emerald chooses."

"Has it never had an owner like that?"

"Not in all the years it's been in this family. Death told my ancestor that if the emerald didn't work for him, it never would; until it's touched by one with great amounts of magic within their blood, it will lie dormant forever more, or until Death returns to take it back."

"What exactly does the legend say?" Salena caught the nervousness in her mother's voice.

"Exactly as I just explained Elaina, Death granted the emerald the power to bring life and many others, but the one he entrusted it to be not its intended master. So rather than search for the true master, Death told the man to pass it on to every female descendant in the family, for only a woman can control the power of life itself. In time the emerald would choose its master, and if that master learns the secret of the power within it, they can control life and death but only once. After that it will be no more than a mere gem, for the power will be returned to Death himself ." Salena's mouth dropped to the floor at that story.

"What will make it choose Salazar? How does the emerald choose its master?" a mere silence for a few seconds before Salazar answered.

"It protects the master from Death itself, even if the master were somehow close to death the emerald would keep them alive until the magic is released. Anyone else would die after, but the master will remain alive until the magic is unleashed on whomever they've chosen to live."

"Then why did it only move when Salena touched it?" Salena listened in a little closer to hear this.

"Salena is the master, the emerald has chosen her."

"But she's just a child she can't control it!"

"She will control it when she's grown, for it will manifest inside her and give her the sight."

"The sight? The future sight?"

"Yes."

"How? How can this happen? My daughter is the master of a powerful gem? She's not ready Salazar, how will she know when to let the magic out?" a slight pause.

"She has to figure that herself, and knowing our daughter I'd say she'll only use it when she feels all is lost." Salena kept quiet until she heard her parents leave the room and pondered what she'd just heard.

'I'm the master, oh this can't be true. It was just a spark, a spark can't mean anything at all. Can it?'

End flashback:

Now Salena realized where her visions came from, not only had she inherited it from her father, but the emerald on the necklace gave her the power to see further into the future. She felt the pendant's smooth surface, but when she touched the back her fingers started tingling. Taking the chain off her neck and turning the pendant over she noticed some magic writing appeared on the back, but it was so small she had to squint to read it. It said:

"A breath of life

so sweet and small,

but a drop of love,

shall undo all."

'This doesn't make any sense, oh well I suppose I'll find out when the time is right.' As soon as she hooked the necklace around her neck, Draco walked in carrying a tray of two bowls with warm tomato soup and two mugs of fresh tea.

"Your breakfast milady." He said placing the tray onto the bed gently.

"Thank you Draco, have a seat." He pulled the chair up and took his bowl. They ate in silence, and after Draco finished his tea and soup he stood up and bowed to the snake queen.

"I must be getting back to my shift milady, my aunt will be here soon."

"Go on then, and if you see Severus tell him to come see me."

"As you wish milady." Draco turned away and out the door. Naomi slithered in and took her spot on the bed.

"Feel better mistress?"

"Actually I'm feeling much better since I have something on my stomach. How's everyone out there?"

"Well after Mrs. Malfoy stepped on my tail I went around to check the rest of the house and that poor Lucius looks like he's plagued with nightmares."

"Azkaban does that to a man, it definitely turned Bellatrix insane."

"Actually I think it just made her worse." Both laughed and then a small hiss came their way. Salena spotted Nagini in the door, peeking around for whatever.

"My master wishes to know if you are well Miss Salena?" Salena smiled at her.

"I'm feeling a lot better Nagini, please tell him Draco has been looking out for me." Nagini nodded and slithered away.

"It's still early mistress, do you want to sleep some more?"

"I guess it wouldn't hurt, but don't let me sleep too late."

"As you wish." Salena curled up under the sheets and Naomi lay next to her in comfort as the two fell back asleep.

3 hours later: The Drawing Room:

"Draco you can go get some sleep now." Narcissa was busy giving Lucius a neck rub to relax him. Draco left the room and Bellatrix walked in.

"Up all night again Lucius?" she scoffed.

"Shouldn't you be on guard Bellatrix? Wouldn't want that snake reporting back to Salena would you?"

"As if I'm afraid of that thing, besides I think queenie can handle herself for a little bit longer."

"Don't let her here you say that Bellatrix, she already got you once." Narcissa warned but Bella wouldn't listen.

"She caught me off guard Cissy that's why. Besides I could take her on without my wand anytime any day."

"Oh really Bellatrix?" the witch froze and slowly turned to see Salena walk into the room wearing a long blue and white dress with her hair tied in a low ponytail, holding a mug of steamy, hot tea.

"L-Lady Salena…I didn't hear you get up."

"Quit stuttering Bellatrix you sound like Quirrell, and for the record you couldn't beat me even if you tried. Now I need to wash, have the elves draw me a bath and be easy on Draco the poor kid looks like he's about to collapse." She turned away and Bellatrix turned back to her sister, face flushed and eyes wide.

"I told you to watch it Bella." Bellatrix snarled and walked off. Narcissa looked at her husband and started rubbing his shoulders. "That's the first time I've seen her that way."

"This is the Dark Lord's ancestor we're talking about Cissa, she scares everyone even Severus."

"Speaking of Severus and Salena Lucius, do you think they seem a little…friendly with each other?"

"You mean, intimate?" Narcissa nodded. "Don't be ridiculous Cissa, she's is to be the Dark Lord's wife she can't be having an affair with Severus."

"I know that, but there's something about those two that just makes me feel…uneasy. That and the idea that she's looking after Draco and us, I can't understand why she's done all this."

"She considers us friends Cissa, even if she deceived us in the past and made a fool out of me, she still considers us her friends, maybe even Severus."

"Still Lucius, don't you think it's a bit strange?" Lucius just nodded and Bellatrix came storming back in.

"I went to find Draco, and guess what he's doing right now?"

"He's resting Bella, I told him to go rest he's been up all night guarding Lady Salena's room."

"He should be at the school right now, helping the teachers and others get ready for the new arrivals. I went to wake him and he had the nerve to tell me that Lady Snake gave him orders to rest for a while after his shift was done."

"She is in charge right now Bella, until the Dark Lord returns at least."

"That doesn't mean she can allow most of us to slack off, the Dark Lord would be furious with us! We have a job to do next weekend and we can't afford any lay backs."

"I CAN HEAR YOU!" Salena's voice boomed through the manor. Bellatrix looked nervous again and stormed off just before Salena called again. "IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEMWITH MY ORDERS BELLATRIX THEN YOU CAN SPEND YOUR TIME IN THE CELLAR UNTIL NEXT WEEKEND AFTER THE ATTACK! SO SHUT UP!" Narcissa looked at Lucius and he stared at her.

"Damn she's good."

Next chapter takes place during the attack on Privet Drive. Salena will remain at the manor but she'll be watching through her visions. But what could the emerald's riddle mean exactly? What should she do when she meets the heroes face to face in the forest?

I'll update asap if I get more reviews, but please be patient! Leave a good review and I'll see you next time!