It does not take long before the answer is dropped in my lap. The necklace fails to reach Dumbledore, which works for me, but I pay a heavy price, in Katie Bell. She was innocent; I was guilty. I can only hope she leaves St Mungo's, and not in a wooden box.

The moment it comes into my thick head that the teachers will be inspecting the necklace; I head off to find Snape.

I catch him just as he goes, and I am desperate.

"Psst. Psst! Oi! Severus!"

"What?" He looks at me, bored.

"You're going to be investigating the necklace disaster, aren't you?"

"yes."

"Well you've got to cover for me! Tell them... tell them it's terrible! Tell them she's lucky to be alive! Thank you goodbye!" I say quickly and go before he has a chance to argue.

31st October

Draco was almost spitting nails in the Room of Requirement.

"You will explain what went wrong!"

I am quick to point the finger.

"It's entirely that Leanne girl's fault," I whine. "She kept interfering. I wanted to slap her, I really did but I couldn't without blowing cover."

He pointed his finger accusingly at me. "You'd better have a plan girl, and that plan had better work!"

"Don't worry" I say so softly, he almost can't catch it. "Next time I will get it right. Next time we plan entirely on my terms."

1st November 1996

My shift ended half an hour ago, but Joanie, who should be replacing me, still hasn't arrived yet. I twitch my fingers, eager to leave my post. Where is she?

Finally I report back to head office that Mrs. Stanley still has not reported for duty. I ask around, but nobody has seen any sign of her. Where can she possibly be?

I return to our room at the gatehouse, to find on my bed- a bluebird.

It's soft and still, as if in sleep- but its face is troubled, in distress, almost in agony. A tear leaks out of one eye and I bend down to look at it more closely.

As I do, I can smell something. I can smell bluebells. The scent of bluebells... that's the scent of Joan.

That day, when she asked me that question- there was a bluebird behind her.

Joan. My sister. What has happened to her?

And then I realise.