Fifth Year.

Hardly a day had gone by, and Helena hadn't gotten used to Anna being there. She missed her being curled up in front of the fire or rather next to her. She almost spoke her name to call her to her a few times, but then remembered that she couldn't come to her. She just sincerely wished that Anna was still here with her, that she was still alive, that she wasn't so broken. All she ever wanted was a dear friend, a companion, to get her through her darkest of times.

Due to Anna's unfortunate death, she hardly noticed any speeches or what she was eating. In fact, she wasn't sure that she ever ate at all,due to a dull aching pain in her stomach - but this was probably the empty feeling of Anna being gone, not waiting for her in the Ravenclaw Common room. Katie had not attempted to speak to her, for she knew that she had other things in her mind. Helena wished that she didn't miss Anna so much - for she did not want to be 'zoned out' for their very first day back. After all, they were due to start their OWLs in June. She did not want to miss anything so suddenly, as she would have a lot to catch up on, even though she might know it anyway.

That night the Common Room was quiet except for a distant flickering of the fire, both sitting in silence. Helena was staring into space,absent-mindedly, not thinking anything particular. Katie, she was reading a book, trapped in another dimension. Both were oblivious to the pounding rain on the windows, that a storm was raging on outside. That the cold was something much worse at first sight...

x

Monday
Potions (9 AM - 10 AM)
Potions (10 AM - 11 AM)
Break
Muggle Studies (11:15 AM - 12:15 PM)
Lunch
Dark Arts (13 PM - 14 PM)
Dark Arts (14 PM - 15 PM)

Tuesday
Charms (9 AM - 10 AM)
Charms (10 AM - 11 AM)
Break
Herbology (11:15 AM - 12:15 PM)
Lunch
Transfiguration (13 PM - 14 PM)
Transfiguration (14 PM - 15 PM)

Wednesday
Ancient Runes (9 AM - 10 AM)
Muggle Studies (10 AM - 11 AM)
Break
Transfiguration (11:15 AM - 12:15 PM)
Lunch
Herbology (13 PM - 14 PM)
Herbology (14 PM - 15 PM)
Astronomy (11 PM - 0 AM)

Thursday
Charms (9 AM - 10 AM)
Ancient Runes (10 AM - 11 AM)
Break
Arithmancy (11:15 AM - 12:15 PM)
Lunch
Muggle studies (13 PM - 14 PM)
Potions (14 PM - 15 PM)

Friday
Arithmancy (9 AM - 10 AM)
Arithmancy (10 AM - 11 AM)
Break
Ancient Runes (11:15 AM - 12:15 PM)
Lunch
Dark Arts (13 PM - 14 PM)
Dark Arts (14 PM - 15 PM)

"Double potions today," stated Helena.

"Ugh no way," moaned Katie.

"And double Dark Arts..."

"Awful day, includes Muggle Studies too..."

"Hey, I'm finally talking to you," stated Helena.

"Yeah... I suppose it's about time, isn't it?"

"I just needed to clear my head, you know. I needed to process what happened. Get over the shock of it."

"I know what you mean. After I left, I couldn't get over the fact that I did it. Like, I never thought that I would ever be doing that. It's weird to think that the things that we never thought that we might do may come true."

"I didn't realise you felt that way," said Helena shortly.

"I didn't expect you to, after all, I didn't want you to notice. I was afraid that you may find me ungrateful, or something like that. I wanted a new start, with no arguments, you get what I mean?"

"Yeah. I do."

x

"As you all know by now," Snape droned on. "Your Ordinary Wizarding Levels will be taking place later on in your school year. It is my job to prepare you for these examinations and I will expect all of you to pass. To prepare you, I've decided to grade your tasks set by me according to the grades you will receive. Any questions?"

The dungeon stayed ever so still in its daunting silence.

Snape's mouth curled ever so slightly.

"Over the next few weeks, we'll be investigating the properties of the Draught of Peace Potion, and how it can affect the victim's mind. Miss Prince,"Snape said abruptly.

"Yes, Professor?" Helena asked.

"Tell me what will happen to the victim if the Draught of Peace if brewed incorrectly."

"An all matter of things can go wrong, Professor, but the main one is generally irreversible sleep."

"What about if the potion succeeds?"

"Then the victim will feel calm, as it relieves anxiety. In essence, they wouldn't need to worry that they're being tortured at all."

Snape continued to talk on for at least five minutes, in which Helena partially zoned out of the classroom. But then she realised that theywere instructed to create the potion, due to the movement and clattering beginning to start in the classroom.

She got up reluctantly and started working. She triple checked every line to make sure she got it right.

Sure enough, by the end of the lesson she was the only one to have emitted silver vapour from her cauldron - though no onewas surprised. She was usually the only one. As a result, she was the only one who didn't receive homework for that lesson.

"It's not fair," groaned Katie.

"What isn't?"

"You hardly pay attention, yet you manage to do it correctly."

"And?"

"Share your secrets,"she said darkly, but Helena knew she was joking.

"Anyway, I'm confident that I got at least an Outstanding."

"Rude."

Helena laughed.

"Hardly. I -" she suddenly stopped speaking. Katie knew immediately why before even asking. Maybe it's because they've been through this situation countless of times. Or perhaps it was because Lord Voldemort was obsessed with this frequent habit.

"Hello, my Lord, I was wondering when you would turn up."

"Pleasure at its finest, Helena," he smirked.

"That's an understatement, my Lord."

"Indeed it is."

"Why are you here this time? Come to recruit me, perhaps?"

"Certainly," said Voldemort. "And it's about time too -"

"No," said Helena immediately. "I know what you did to Anna. And it's not the first time, either."

Voldemort stopped smirking and his attitude became more cold. Helena suddenly got the daunting feeling that she just did something very wrong indeed.

"Very well, Helena. We shall meet again soon, no doubt. But perhaps where you least expect it. Oh by the way, consider this as defiance. Good day."

And he stalked off.

Katie snorted.

"He calls that defiance? It's like he just suddenly expects you to say yes the first time he asks you... It's like he thinks after all that's happened, you'll just go 'Oh you know what, I'll be your follower'..."

But Helena wasn't listening. Even then, she knew the price of defying the Dark Lord more than once.