Amanda awoke on the floor of the tower, the sun was setting so she could only guess that she had been sleeping for quite a while. Marcus was gone, so were the pillows and all evidence of what had happened there that afternoon.

Pushing herself up she noticed that she was fully dressed and her cloak was wrapped around her tightly, so she didn't get cold. How considerate of him.

Getting up from the floor she looked out the window for a moment before quickly exciting the room, down the stairs and through the hallways she found herself back at the entrance for the Common Room in no time but looking up at the painting she hesitated, she couldn't go back to her dormitory, not just yet. Turning her heal she bolted back down the hallway, down the stairs and turning left at the bottom of the stairs in the dungeons, she had noticed that the Slytherins normally came from that direction so she figured that would be the way to their Common Room.

The statue of the man holding a snake was unmistakeable, it had to be the entrance, she hadn't thought of what to do when she got this far, she had no intention to enter the Common Room, she would be daft to but … well, she just needed to talk to him. She had questions and no doubt still some of the potion in her because as little as she wanted to admit it, her body wanted him, his touch… well, maybe she did as well. It was hard to tell what was in control in her brain, her desire or despair.

Standing for a few minutes she looked at the statue, wondering if to try and guess the password but then again, having no clue what to do when inside when the statue suddenly melted away and there he was, standing right in front of her.

"Amanda?"

He looked surprised for the shortest period until his smirk returned to his facial features.

"Back for more?"

Glaring at him she felt blood rush to her cheeks, he was on some level right. Unfortunately he knew it.

"I have a question I'd like for you to answer"

Marcus cocked an eyebrow. Question?

"Maybe we should have this conversation in private?"

Holding her breath Amanda bit her lip. Private? As in alone with him… again?

"Sure!"

Following him into the Common Room she wondered how the other Slytherins would react and what would happen, Oliver would for sure know something was up when the whispering started. How ironic, she had come looking for him, of her own free will. Well – kind of.

Exhaling when she saw the Common Room was deserted she felt herself relaxing a bit more. Through a narrow hallway she looked at his back. Where was he taking her? And more importantly, where was she following him to?

Stopping he pushed a door open and motioned for her to enter. Giving him a doubting look Amanda walked into the room. It was his quarters apparently. A large four poster bed in the middle of the room, a fireplace, a couch and chair by a small table, all in deep forest green and mahogany. As he closed the door behind them she turned and looked at him.

"You did it and even made me enjoy it. You …"

He smiled and walked closer.

"Yes, I could have forced it all, hurting and bruising you"

"But why didn't you?"

Looking utterly surprised he tilted his head

"No, I mean, I'm glad that you didn't… but I'm not your friend, I'm rather a foe… to be honest"

Marcus smiled as he reached out and gently brushed her hair behind her ear. Watching her close her eyes and tilting her head he cupped her face with his hand. He knew the potion was still working so he could get some more out of her and maybe stop her rambling. He had never been the talkative type.

"You're not my foe, darling. You're a tool in my evil plan but you are most certainly also very enjoyable"

The half smirk, half glare she sent him made him smile. He doubted she had ever done anything for personal gain but had rather helped everyone in her entire left, never thinking twice about what she could do for herself. Pulling her closer he kissed her again, demanding and rough. Her hands moved up his torso, pushing his robe of him as he guided her over to the bed, pushing her onto it while discarding the last of his clothes. Throwing himself onto the bed, her remaining clothes were quickly thrown off. This time he didn't have to hold back, with himself buried deeply inside her he could feel her muscles clamping down on him, only adding to the pleasure and it didn't take long before both of them came hard.

Panting they both lay, looking at each other before she pushed herself off the bed, carefully picking up her clothes and putting them back on.

"You're not staying for a second round?"

Amanda shook her head as she put her robe back on.

"I choose to believe that it was the potion which made me come down here in the first place besides, I must have been crazy to believe that you would actually answer my question"

Marcus pushed himself of the bed, picking up her last shoe which she seemed to be looking for.

"The question; why I used a potion to make it as enjoyable for you as possible?"

She nodded, taking the shoe from his hand, trying her hardest not to look at him. He still made her body tingle.

"I went through a lot of trouble getting that potion without people asking questions, I actually had to call in a favour, one that I no doubt could have used later on in life"

Amanda looked at him. Calling in favours? She had a hard time believing that he had ever done anything in his life that had not been for his own personal gain?

"But why?"

Marcus, aware that he was still naked but not caring since he had nothing to be ashamed of, walked over to the girl who had again lowered her eyes, averting the very sight of him.

Grabbing her and pulling her close he smiled before kissing her, this time he felt her struggle against him but she was still not match for him.

"I did it for you, I just couldn't bare the thought of you hating me"

Turning Amanda looked at the door, knowing that he would not try and stop her if she would leave, but she had to go through the Common Room, and this time she doubted that she would be lucky enough to find it empty again.

"You can leave through the back-entrance if you want"

Turning she looked at him, nodding slowly and as he had guided her to the secluded way out she looked at him shortly.

"Marcus… thanks…. For everything!"

She knew it was kind of an oxymoron to be thanking him but then again, taking her situation she could have been much worse off. Finding herself on the north side of the castle she knew the fastest way to one of tower entrances was to cut through the Quidditch fields. The irony made her chuckle.

"And this is where all my trouble started"

Her statement could and normally would have gone unnoticed had her brother not been trying on some new moves with wonderboy #1.

"Amanda!"

Spinning around she saw her brother step out of the shadow surrounding the equipment shed.

-shit-

"Hey Oliver!"

Frantically running her hands through her hair, hoping that it wasn't to much out of it's normal state she watched him come closer.

"What are you doing out here this time of the night?"

"I would ask you the same if it wasn't for the fact that I know the answer"

"Don't get cheeky with me sis"

"Don't call me sis – I've gotten into enough trouble by being your sister"

"Trouble? What are you on about?"

"Never mind…"

Turning to walk away Oliver grabbed her arm, turning her back to face him, the motion causing something to slip out of her pocket and on to the ground. Both of them looking at the piece of fabric on the ground before Oliver leaned over and picked it up.

"What the hell?"

As he held the striped green and grey silk tie up in front of them Amanda felt her blood drain from her face.

"Oh gods…"

"Amanda? A Slytherin?"

"I don't…."

"You don't know how it got there?"

"No… I…"

"Or did you take it as a souvenir?"

"Oliver!"

"You're such a …"

"What? A disappointment? A failure?"

"The word 'slut' comes to mind"

Amanda gasped, stepping back as had she just got slapped. Watching her brother storm off, the piece of silk fabric left on the ground and looking down at it, Amanda could think of someone else than her brother which she wanted to murder. Why had he put it in her pocket? Had he known that she would run into her brother? No, he could not have planned this. Picking up the tie she wrapped it around her hand, tightly, clenching her fist with an incredible amount of rage. She had no idea she could feel this angry and hating someone or some-two that much. But it seemed like it.