Author's note: I'm so sorry for not updating to the date I've promise to. Due to unexpected circumstances; I had to go to my mother's hometown to fix things, and I haven't touched my laptop since then and haven't got an internet connection there.

I have to greet you guys a happy belated new year, wherever your country was…or unless you're Chinese (that was suppose to be a joke…really). This chapter was supposed to be my present for new years…but oh well…on with the story!

(Now forgive me for whatever grammar mistakes you will see, I've already accepted that I will never perfect my grammar…but still doing my best to make it decent enough)

Disclaimer: HP characters are and will never be mine, whatever plot I got them for this story. My OCs on the other hand are mine…not that I'm bragging about it. XD

Enjoy reading!

Chapter thirty four:

Questions

"Are you doing something against the school rules again, Miss Matte?"

Renee sputtered her tea as she heard the professor's question. Dumbledore's army had already taken their second meeting the other day and it was successful. Smith no longer attempted to argue with them again after his humiliating demonstration, which made the whole group's practice quite and more productive.

"I didn't do anything…why you ask?" she innocently said and flutters her eyes at the professor to make it more real.

Well…I really don't consider those education degrees as true school rules anyway.

Snape looked at her suspiciously before sipping his tea again. He was sure of it; the Gryffindor was doing something behind their backs again. It wasn't really a secret within the order that the Potter brat had been formed a secret defense club (Molly made sure that her rants around the Grimmauld house could be heard by everyone for them to know what the teens were planning). He wouldn't be surprised if the witch had joined them too, as she was getting too close to the trio these past few weeks.

The secret defense group sure gained different opinions within the members of the order. The Weasleys (particularly Molly of course) had been against the club in the first place, saying that they shouldn't have done something to anger the Umbridge woman. Several members agree (including himself of course) at the Weasley's mother hen. Sirius on the other hand was proud of his godson's idea and to his self-proclaimed goddaughter's against the authority, though he doesn't particularly vocalize it. Isabel was quite about the whole issue, as he thought that the older witch will be the first one who would be against it.

"Be sure to be careful. We don't want another burden to take care of" he reminded at the young witch.

"I'm always careful" she pouted.

"Yes and that gained you a tattoo"

"Scold your students, not me…I'm actually a good student" she pouted again, making the professor smirked.

They continue to talk, not even noticing that they actually had their third serving of tea. It makes Renee wonder how their conversations flow naturally when they actually fought a couple of months ago.

It made me feel that fight was actually a decade ago.

She let out giggle as she walked to the corridors, not caring if other students were looking at her strangely. Who wouldn't giggle if you got closer with…with…gah! Stop blushing!

"Ehem ehem" a high pitched tone made her halted from her tracks. Umbridge was in front of her, along with two Slytherin that she was sure those two were from the high Inquisition club.

"Good evening Miss Matte, I didn't expect you to be here on this hour" she let out one of her infamous sardonic smile, making Renee wanted to vomit on the sight.

She didn't respond but did give the professor a polite smile though all she wanted was to hex the woman. Chill, Renee…your temper will just lead you to trouble…remember Snape's words…

"Good evening professor. I was at professor Snape's a while ago to clarify something about my homework" she politely explained at the professor, with her timid smile never leaving her face.

"Ah yes…I've heard you're professor Snape's best student" the woman nodded as Renee felt her cheeks warmed up at the woman's words for a moment.

"Is the professor not busy at this moment? No? Good…best we move along. Be sure to give your 'report' to me tomorrow" Umbridge and her two companions left her, while the professor still muttering words she didn't heard clearly.

Renee followed them with her eyes. Her good mood a while ago shifted so fast that she doesn't want to think anything now. The toad had reminded about her daily report about Harry's movements to her very much dismay. Of course half of her reports she was telling were all lies and she were about to run out of ideas.

She didn't know how long the toad will believe her words, or at least how long will she interested to the boy's daily life. All she was saying wasn't significant at all, mainly about his struggling in his studies, his undying hatred to Snape and how he takes rumors around him.

Renee gave them one last glare before she continued to walk, thinking Snape will definitely not having a good night.

Not in all.

…

"I think that's a good idea, I don't even know how to produce one either" Renee beamed at Harry.

The four were in the corner of the library, with their books and parchments around them use mostly just for props. They were talking about the next spell they were about to practice, and it was time for Harry to lead it.

Renee's spying was surely a great help for them. The clever girl had learned about the schedule of each member's rounds and that they had patterned their practice out of it. She had even learned about the woman's schedule, mainly because of her keen observation as Renee reports to her everyday. She tends to come to her office in different time each day to know what the woman would do at those hours. She learned important things too; she once barge unannounced and saw her questioning another student, with an empty vial on her hands.

She wasn't sure about it, but she had guessed that the vial contains truth serum. Just looking at the girl's pupil, she knew that she was drugged. That must be the reason why I collided with her the other night at the dungeons…she must have asked those from Snape. She had warned the whole group about it, telling to be careful in crossing the woman's way. She and Hermione had been also brewing an antidote for truth serum to give to the whole group for precaution, quite a difficult task to perform but the two aren't called one of the best students out of nothing.

Renee flipped the book on her hands idly while watching the trio talking about their next practice. Their librarian even turned to them, shouting about their unwanted noise at the library.

"Sorry!" Renee apologized though she doesn't even half mean it, making the trio chuckle in response. She flicker her wand in the air, making a silencing spell around them.

They continue to talk, mostly about D.A. and Harry's undying crush at the certain Ravenclaw. Renee shook her head in disbelief as she watched them laughed as they talk to trivial things, who would have thought that this boy was actually the boy who lived…the one who defeated Voldemort at the age of one?

Renee finally focused on the page she was suppose to be reading and found it most boring. Goblin wars and alike never interest her anyway so she flicker the pages lazily and stopped at one particular page.

It was about the first wizarding war.

She doesn't know why it interest her, maybe she was looking for her mother's name and recognize her role in the war…or even Snape's. Renee wasn't surprised to see none; they're spies for goodness sake! Of course their names wouldn't be there. Renee gazed at the illustrated picture of the snake, the symbol of their dark movement. Wait, it looks very familiar, where did I see this before?

"You cannot escape to your fate"

Now, where did I hear that from? Oh right…from my dream. It was like a dream years ago, though it was just a couple of months ago. It was way back before she still doesn't know what her dreams meant, or even her mother's past. She wondered if that dream would count as a prediction, though she wished it wouldn't. Being captured by some criminal doesn't appeal to her, not in a slightest. But how much she thought against it, the dream fits from everything that was happening now, from the death eaters haunting her and to her mother's spying life.

Fate…oh I do hate that word very much.

"Ren…Renee!" Ron made her snapped from her deep thoughts. She looked at the direction the trio was looking at. A dark brown owl was staring back at their direction, mainly at her. It was just like the other school owls, but then she realized that only her mother uses him. The owl hooted right back at her as if he was trying to talk at her. The bird is definitely one weird owl; it always appears out of nowhere and somehow always finds her wherever she was. It always wondered her why the owl was not giving her letter on breakfast, unlike the other normal owls were accustomed to.

That blasted bird even gave me a letter in a middle of the night. But oh well, that's Mum for you.

Renee went at the window quietly, careful not to make another reason for their vile librarian to kick them out of the library.

"Be quite will you?" she hissed on it and the owl didn't hoot back in her surprise, it was like the owl understands her fully. She took the letter off his feet and the bird flew, not even waited for Renee's treat for him.

"That's one weird owl for you" Ron commented as Renee sat down and gazed at the letter.

"Who's that from?" Harry asked. The four of them started to use Isabel's owl after learning from Renee how Umbridge intercepts their letters, especially Harry's. Renee remembered how Harry was stressed as he saw his injured Hedwig at their History's class. Her hatred to the woman intensifies after that, how could she hurt an animal just because of her ridiculous paranoid thoughts?

"It's from Mum…I wonder what she…" she stopped speaking as she scanned the contents carefully.

Damn it.

"What's wrong? Ren…Renee?"

I'm doomed. She will chop me to pieces and throw me to the farthest island she could think of. No I think she will do worse…

Renee could almost hear her mother's stern words on her letter that she couldn't hear her friends calling her attention.

Renee Ann Matte,

How dare you to disobey me! I thought I've already made myself clear about this. Do you know how much trouble you all asking for doing such thing? Especially you Renee Ann Matte! I didn't comment about this little group of yours, but do you know how this decision will lead you all in serious trouble? Especially you Renee! You know much better than that! Wait till I get my hands on you!

Renee couldn't believe what she was reading. Is really Mum scolding me beforehand for the trouble we will be having in the future? She must have seen…what did she exactly seen? And what did she mean about serious trouble? She finally noticed her friends as Harry snatched the letter in her hands. She swallowed hard before speaking; thinking her mother's rage as she finally spoke.

"I'm doomed, literally"

…

School life at Hogwarts seems to be very normal for everyone, as students mainly talks about homework and upcoming Quidditch matches. Majority of the student's body had been also accepted Umbridge's class, doing nothing but read and write essays. Everyone seems to be now calmed about it, well…except for Dumbledore's army as they continue to practice secretly.

"Come on Ren…aren't you just exaggerating on it?" Hermione asked again for the tenth time.

Renee looked devastated ever since she had received the letter and was now very worried that her mother would just pop out from nowhere to get her. I'm already fifteen years old for Merlin's sake! Why I am still scared of her?

"Am I?" she asked, with her voice still sound so worried.

"She couldn't be that scary, is she? I mean she looks so kind and carefree…"

She glanced at her with defeated look. Renee really can't explain to her friend how bad her mother could be if she's angry. She really makes Snape looks like a saint…really.

"Hi Renee, Hi Hermione…off to get dinner?" a girl with black platted hair greeted them that Renee startled in surprise. It wasn't long ago when people just greet her brunette friend and forgets that she was beside the girl. Heck, they didn't even know how to pronounce my name right.

"Hello…Susan" she and Hermione greeted back. The girl's smile widens at that and walked along with them. Some students were also greeting them as they walked, not even forgetting her for once. It was like she got popular after a few weeks she doesn't know of.

Why?

The question still haunted her till dinner. It was like she woke up as another person. Yes, she was popular ever since she started studying here, but no one except the trio and a few Gryffindor were actually approaching her (am I that scary?). But today was way too different, everyone seems to be friendly at her.

Why?

Or maybe I really knew why. Students started to look at her at a whole different way ever since the DA had started and after her assistance with Snape's potion's class. It was like she became approachable that even made one of the students (a first year hufflepuff I think) asked for her help on her potion's essay.

"That's because they realized you're not a cold-not-approachable type of person" Hermione answered at her question after Susan Bones left them to go to her table.

"Do I really look like that?" Renee innocently asked her. She doesn't really know people see her as that.

Hermione glanced at her clueless friend. She wouldn't admit about it, but Renee was really scary at first glance. Like the girl was emitting dark aura around her (even though she looked very innocent and normal) that made people avoid her at all cost, like their own instincts were telling them to avoid something from her.

"You're really clueless about it, do you?" Hermione amusedly asked her. Renee just titled her head at one side, with her mind still couldn't figure everything out.

…

"Erm…you've made a mistake in the second step. You should crush the lionfish before putting the standard potion ingredient, not crushing all at the same time" Renee commented as she read the first year's essay.

Three first years were around her with their ears all at her. She flushed at the undivided attention they were giving to her in the library. I really don't know why I agreed to this tutorial…I am not really that good…maybe I could grasp Snape's lesson, but still…

"Is that why my potion didn't get the right color?" a chubby girl named Anna asked.

"Actually that's because of your stirring. You shouldn't stir it from the center. The ingredients won't spread evenly if you do that again" she responded as she remembered the same girl she helped the other day.

The girl nodded, scribbled something on her notebook and the two girls followed suit. Renee felt very awkward by this; she looked around the library and secretly glad that no one were really looking at their direction.

"Erm…you don't have to write those…professor Snape will surely teach you all of those" She whispered, hoping the three will follow her. Or at least notice that I'm uncomfortable with it.

"He's too scary" the girl with freckles commented.

"Yeah, he even made one of my classmates drink his own potion for testing…that poor guy; he stayed at the hospital wing for a day" the girl name Rhian answered. Hey…Snape just did that? That…

"He just did that because Tom's messing with his own potion" Anna commented.

"Yeah, and you're drooling over him. Seriously, he's our teacher…not to mention a greasy one" Rhian retorted, forgetting the fifth year in front of them.

Renee glanced at the blushing first year with awe. Wow, so I'm not alone at fancying him…wow…

"No I'm not!" Anna hissed back, though the redness of her face was very evident.

"Yes you are! I just saw you—"

"Shh…guys, no need to argue about that" Renee already went in between of their heating argument, as she noticed their librarian was already glaring at their direction.

"And about professor Snape…just be as interest as you are today in his subject and you'll be just fine" she advised, ignoring about the first year's fascination with the same professor.

"Really? You know he was less scary when you're in our classroom" the girl with freckles (I think her name's Jane…) commented.

"Yeah, he kept looking at you back there" Rhian agreed at her friend and gave the fifth year a teasing look.

Renee almost choked on her own saliva at the latter. She laughed nervously at them, with her face starting to flush.

"He's monitoring me, I'm under a detention at that time" she said though the idea of the professor glancing on her lingers at the back of her head.

"I wish you're always in our classroom so he won't be as scary as before" Jane pouted.

"Then I need to be in trouble again so I could be on your classroom again" Renee giggled, making the three followed her.

"QUITE!" the librarian shouted, making them halted from their laughs and continue to giggle with low voices.

…

"Bye Renee! Thanks for helping us!"

Renee waved at the three hufflepuffs and watched them walked towards their dormitory. She sighed contentedly as she thought that she had done something good today. Teaching wasn't really her forte, (it is actually Hermione's) but still glad that she had helped someone about she interest most.

But then again…I'm really surprised that there's someone other than me that fancies professor…so that means I'm still sane…

Harry and Ron suddenly appeared and went to her direction, making her in between them as they walked.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Don't look behind Ren" her ginger head friend said with a hush voice. Renee tensed as the trio walked towards the dormitory as normally as they could.

"What's the matter? What…" she asked worriedly as they were already inside the dormitory and glanced at Harry for answers.

"We just checked the map to look where Dumbledore was, since he wasn't showing for a couple of days and we saw you at the library with first years around you…"

"And we saw Malfoy on the map not far from you…he actually follow you until you get out of the library. We bet he's stalking you" Harry said with gritted teeth and showed the map at the stunned witch.

Renee stared at the weird looking parchment. Surely enough, she saw Malfoy's dot walking away from their dormitory, obviously finished from his stalking her.

"Is this accurate? I mean…Draco Malfoy is stalking me…why?" how…I though Pansy Parkinson's the one following me.

What does Malfoy want from me?

"Positive, the map never lies. And besides I just saw him behind us earlier. And Ginny noticed Malfoy watching whenever you're around" Ron responded as he slumped on the chair.

Renee sat next to him, still dumbstruck at the new information.

"Why the hell is he following me?" she exclaimed with her hand pinching the bridge of her nose.

"He's from the high inquisition club. I bet he's following you because the toad said so" Renee nodded at Harry in agreement, though she was thinking other things…and other reasons.

I already felt someone following me ever since this year started. And I was sure that Pansy's still following me…but then why would Umbridge ask two person to follow me…isn't one enough?

The only way to know the truth is to ask him.

"Can I borrow your map Harry?" Renee suddenly asked.

"Sure, but why borrowing it?" he asked as he handed the parchment at her.

"I'm going to let him taste his own medicine" said Renee, with a wicked smile gracing her lips.

…

Draco Malfoy took another glance at the Gryffindors table, especially at the certain girl sitting there. He had been following her for a few weeks already, albeit ever since the school started this year. He watched her laughed with her fellow Gryffindors and eats a mouthful of her dinner. The Slytherin really wondered if his father wasn't really insane this time around; the fellow student wasn't really look like anything from what his father accusing her.

He remembered very well the last time he had seen his father's visitors in their manor; and he will never forget a certain man, with a visible scar on his face. For that moment he realized, that all that was written on the newspaper was his father's doing.

…just for a certain girl.

The girl was fairly normal to his eyes, albeit far too normal and quite the opposite from his father's accusations. His father ordered him to observe the girl, thus consuming half of his time following her. But no matter he observe her, he could never see a trace of her being what her father confessed to him.

So it really surprised him when the snake he produced from their last confrontation bowed at the specific Gryffindor. It was his last resort to confirm his father's theory and it was the same as his father told him; a snake will always recognize his own master's blood…even if they just see her for the first time.

That means, she is…

"Where are you going Draco?" Pansy asked him with her fake sweet voice.

"Somewhere and don't follow me" he sneered at the Slytherin and to the two boys who were wolfing their own food before exiting the great hall, following Renee out of the hall.

Draco glided into the shadows and made a distance between him and the Gryffindor. He couldn't trust the job to Parkinson anymore, since the girl had already outsmarted the Slytherin and slipped into her in just minutes.

And besides, he was now sixty percent sure that the girl was the dark lord's daughter. He should now persuade her to let him help into her task. That was the task his father had given to him before going back to the castle after the vacation, and he could still hear his voice ringing into his head.

"You have to make her trust you, do what you can just to achieve that. It could raise our family's rank to the circle"

He continued to follow her, not noticing that they were already heading to a deserted corridor at the fourth floor. Renee turned into the corner, which Draco followed suit. In only a matter of seconds, he found himself hanging into the air with the Gryffindor's wand pointed angrily at him.

"Why are you following me?" Renee asked with her face hard as stone.

"I'm not following you. Put me down this instant!" he struggled in the air but the invincible force kept him restrain.

"You cannot fool me Malfoy. I know you're following me ever since the class started. You better tell me why before I could make you into a full blown rabbit" she warned, making him stare at her changed eye color. It always frightens him every time he would saw her silver eyes; it always reminded him of his greatest fear…even though the two didn't share the same eye color.

"Okay, okay…I'll tell you, just put me down!" he said with a defeated voice. Renee looked at him suspiciously before murmuring the counter spell that made him fell hard into the cold floor.

"Don't you dare think to escape Malfoy" she hissed as she continued to point her wand at the Slytherin who stood up and dusted his robes.

"Explain" Renee took a step closer for her wand to touch his neck.

"Let me help you on your task" he said as he finally got the courage to look into her eyes.

Her eyebrows furrowed but didn't fidget. He couldn't guess her reaction about his confession; but whatever it was, she was good in concealing those.

"I don't know what you're saying. You've gone mental"

If Draco doesn't know her secret he was sure he would believe her words. It looked so genuine for him…she's good. He straightened and fixed his robes before speaking again.

"You know what I'm saying. Let me help you on spying Potter"

This time around, Renee couldn't hide her surprise look at him. Her eyes widened and lost her posture for a moment.

"You've talked to the wrong person Malfoy. Talk to Umbridge about it, I don't have the capacity to have a decision about that. There is—" Renee finally lowered her wand and rolled her eyes.

"We'll be both joining the inner circle someday. It's best that we help each other in every way we can" the girl halted and looked at the serious Slytherin boy with a very surprise look on her face.

"How did you know about it?"

"I'm Lucious Malfoy's son. Of course father will tell me everything" said Draco, airily boasting his father's name.

Renee just dumbstruck gazed at him. If Draco wasn't so sure about her, he would thought the girl was either so good in concealing her feelings or just didn't know a single thing about everything.

"He's your father's most trusted person. I'm surprise he doesn't tell you anything about it" he continued as Renee still didn't spoke.

"Don't talk alien language Malfoy. What the hell are you talking about?" she spat, obviously not getting the whole idea.

"I'm talking about your own father. Doesn't he trust his own daughter that he can't even tell little details about his circle?"

Finally, Renee had figured out the whole confession. The girl's eye narrowed at him and started to chuckle, until it progresses into laugh that echoes into the entire corridor. Draco wanted to shiver; it was a cold laugh…just like the dark lord's.

"Me…his daughter? That's the lamest joke I've ever heard this week. Can't you think of anything else?" she said between laughs.

Draco just watched the teary eyed girl laughing in front of her. Did father made a mistake? This girl doesn't know a single thing!

"You're picking the wrong person. Go pick another that you could easily fool" she walked away, with her school robes billowing behind her.

"Wai-" orange lights launched into him before he could finish his words. He slammed into the nearest wall, producing a loud bang that echoed into the empty corridors.

"Next time I catch you spying me for such a ridiculous idea of yours…I'll make sure you regret your excursion every single day of your life. I'm not anyone's daughter. You got that?" she snarled, kicking him hard before leaving him groaning in pain.

…

Ridiculous

It was only word she could think now. Renee stumped all the way to the tower, using a shortcut that the map showed to her. She mentally thanked Harry for having such a valuable map that showed shortcuts and empty corridors she could pass on to. The fuming Gryffindor was so angry that she doesn't want to see anyone right now.

The fat lady even got scared at her face as she uttered the password. But she doesn't cared about it, neither cared about her fellow housemates' curious eyes as they followed her all the way to the girl's dormitory.

Renee slumped into her bed after throwing the empty parchment at the top of her drawer. She really thought that she could surprise the Slytherin…heck, she really didn't expect any of this at all!

Is Malfoy doesn't have anything to do that he decided to do some one darn joke at me?

Does April fool's day have moved to February that I didn't know of?

Renee scoffed loudly as she remembered Malfoy's words again. She was sure the boy had hit his head over the Christmas break that it altered his consciousness.

Me…Voldemort's daughter? Yeah right…and Draco would be Dumbledore's long lost son.

It doesn't make sense at all though. Why would he accuse her something as heavy as that? Why of all people…why would he link me for someone as evil as the dark lord?

Now that you mention about it, I don't know a think about my father either…her mother's avoidance about the subject made her ignorant about her father or any relative for that matter. It was only her and Isabel…and nothing else. They had been locked themselves from everyone…resulting to a lonely childhood, with no close friends or friendly uncle or aunts she could count on.

Nothing at all

Renee sat abruptly on her bed with a random question in her head.

Is it really possible?

"Damn that Malfoy" she muttered, blaming Draco for making her mind in chaos.

She lay on her bed once again, swearing that she would get that boy one of these days for making her peaceful nights be sleepless once again.

A/N: what do you guys think? Please leave me a review for me to know your thoughts about it. =)