Helena and the others got back from travelling by Portkey. Helena got detached from the group, and she lagged slowly behind them as they marched eagerly towards the castle. Her mind was swimming with self-attacking statements.

You could've stopped them.

You could've helped them.

You could've saved them.

They didn't deserve that and you know it.

Why did you just stand there?

You could've done something.

And now there's nothing you can do.

Each one felt like a knife stabbing her repeatedly, the words more harmful than the last.

"Stop thinking about it," snapped Voldemort harshly.

"I can't help it," she mumbled. Her Occlumency was failing. Well, she hadn't tried for a long time.

"You couldn't have done anything, and even if you did, then you would've probably been killed for interfering with the task."

"Good," said Helena spitefully. "Better than being in a world like this."

Voldemort sneered at her.

"You really think so?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Then I wouldn't doubt it for a second."

"Why? Because you know that I absolutely despise how the world is, and how unfair and -" she stopped herself in mid-sentence, blanking out completely. She stared at something. Then, she realised something. "Damnit," she muttered.

"What?"

"I'm an idiot, that's what."

"Why?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because I'm talking to you about things that I shouldn't even be admitting to."

Voldemort smirked at her. He strolled off faster than Helena and swept his way into the castle. Helena's eyes were like slits. She never fully realised how furious she was. She hated him so much.

Then, she decided to rush to Katie and tell her everything.

x

"Katie," she called.

"Hi, Helena!" she called back happily.

"Come down here for a second."

"Okay."

Katie rushed down the stairs.

"So. How was it?" Katie asked her.

"It was awful."

"Seriously? How bad was it?"

"Well. They each had to do a task that would harm a Muggle-born."

"What were they?" asked Katie, her voice sharpening.

"The Beauxbatons Champion, he had to poison a girl. She wasn't even twelve. And he did and she went into distress. She died moments after."

"Oh my -"

"That's not the worst part. The Durmstrang Champion, she had to kill a boy. She just did it without protest."

"She probably couldn't have, seeing as the task was to obey."

"True," admitted Helena reluctantly. "It was still awful."

"What about the Hogwarts Champion?" she asked.

"Well, she had to torture a boy. She decided to do it very intensely as well."

"What was her name?"

"Camille Avery," Helena answered. "She's the daughter of a Death Eater."

"Figures."

"It's just - he wanted me to see it. He chose me to take with him just to watch them being tortured. Why?"

"Maybe it's because he knows that you support their rights and that your mother was one?" Katie suggested.

"Maybe..." Helena said vaguely. She didn't want to dwell on the matter a lot.

"Come on," said Katie shortly. "You look tired, you should go to sleep."

Helena agreed, as her eyes felt heavy and they were softly closing. So she got changed into her pyjamas and she drifted off to sleep only mere moments later.

x

Near Christmas time.

The Yule Ball was going to happen again, and this time Helena and Katie could actually go. In fact, Helena got asked by a Durmstrang student. She immediately said no, as she wasn't into guys. He seemed reasonable about it but he threatened to send her a hex. She agreed, but only if she could duel him first and if he won then he could hex her all he liked. She beat his ass, so he's leaving her alone. Helena and Katie somehow silently agreed that they wouldn't go, purely because none of them cared enough to dance. Or to spend a night in the Hall of Durmstrang, which seemed pointless enough. Instead, they set their hearts on leaving the castle for the Christmas and Easter holidays. It was nice to finally get away from there when it was not during the long summer holidays.

However, Katie was paranoid by the fact that Voldemort may wander down to Helena's house unannounced. Helena reassured her that if he did, she would personally force him out.

"No, you wouldn't," said Katie sternly.

"Yes I would."

"No. You would just talk whilst I was in the corner watching and if I interrupt, I get threatened by either him or you."

"I don't threaten you! I just stop you from doing foolish things that can get you killed."

"Like?"

"Opposing the Dark Lord," she stated swiftly.

Katie laughed.

"And you don't?"

"Yes, I do, but I can handle it."

"What, so you're saying I can't handle things for myself?"

"No. It's just he's powerful and I accept that he may kill or torture me."

"So you're expecting torture and death?"

"Yes, but without a Death Eater invitation first, of course."

"Perhaps, but if I'm honest, I think he'd just use you against me. Like, say that we got captured together, right? He'd be like: Become a Death Eater or I'll kill Katie and I'll be like fine and then I become a Death Eater."

"Am I not good enough?" she asked defensively.

"Why, would you want to become a Death Eater?" Helena asked.

"No," Katie replied shortly.

"Well there you go. You have nothing to worry about."

"Of course I do! I have to worry about you giving yourself up for me."

"I will."

"I don't want you to."

"My decisions. If I want you to stay alive, then I'll become a Death Eater and he'll find a way to kill you anyway. If not, I'll watch you die and he'll force me to become a Death Eater anyway. Happy?"

"Not really, but ok."

"Okay," Helena said calmly.

We shouldn't have to plan in advice for when we get captured, she thought. It's not our world that's the problem, it's him. People seem to miss that quite often. But we didn't. Not now, anyway.