Author's Note: Happy New Year! This is my attempt at getting back to the mindset of writing. I apologize in advance for making it darker than I even expected. Please review. Thank you!

~Of Silver & Gold~

Chapter 55: Back to a Darker Reality

The last thing she saw was Sirius looking crestfallen at her departure. She waved half-heartedly hoping to not make him feel worse as she was being dragged back to her real world. She didn't dare speak nor wipe the tears that were threatening to fall. She did not want to leave, she wanted to stay there and have the normalcy that she never knew she wanted so badly.

The tug in her stomach signaled her that they had arrived in one of the fireplaces of Malfoy Manor. She knew based on the noise that the party was in full swing. She knew it was late but for any pureblood event, it went on until the morning.

"I will notify your parents you have arrived. Do go change to the appropriate clothes"

She didn't bother fighting him, it was only a few more days before she would return to school and see Harry again with everyone else. That kept her going. Going down the back passageways towards her room she found herself realizing how cold the house was. What was meant peace was now quiet and dead, funny how things change so easily when you see what warmth really is.

Disrobing, she slipped into one of the rose gold dress her parents had probably chosen for her while she was gone. She put her hair up in a bun allowing her slender neck to show the heart shaped necklace she had received from Sirius. She knew that it was once her mothers and she refused to take it off. A simple glamour charm made her really take a look in the mirror to take herself in. She looked nice, at least she thought she did, she just looked…fake. She made herself smile in hopes to help her look more authentic, but that was not the case. The smile would not reach her eyes. She took one deep breath and pushed her shoulders back before heading towards the noise.

The ballroom was bright and filled with people discussing politics, the world, news, and their families. She knew that it was during these parties that marriage contracts were made; people traded family members like a swing dance. When she entered slowly people began to mutter amongst themselves, and she didn't dare let her mind think about what that was about.

"My Love!"

She turned around to see Narcissa coming to her. She looked gorgeous in a white and gold dress that accentuated her regality. She wrapped her arms around Angel tightly and she held her for a long time. In return, Angel did nothing but lightly wrap her arms around her waist, unsure about what was to come from all of this.

"Merry Christmas" she whispered softly.

"Oh Honey I was so worried about you. How can you be in school all by yourself for so long." Narcissa grabbed her and as they crossed the room towards a nicer corner to speak quietly and handed her a glass.

"Alone does me good mother, especially after what happened." She avoided eye contact from her mother not wanting to say more or to make her angry on Christmas.

"Darling please" Her mother begged. "You know I love you and so does your father I-I apologize for what you heard but I assure you we can mend this."

"Does Draco know?" she whispered softly gripping her glass tightly. She feared knowing the answer.

"We…I…I wanted you to be here to discuss this. I do not think that it will be necessary to do that to him. It's hard enough as it is and your father well…he wants to avoid anything messy."

"Is she still here?" she ignored the conversation. She figured they would never tell him.

"She is my sister, of course-"

"Look your little pookie arrived!" speaking of the devil, Bellatrix appeared and placed her hands on Angel's face. She squeezed her cheeks tightly, as the sharp nails lightly pricked her skin.

"Bella, leave her alone" Narcissa begged but she did not once step in front to intervene.

"Oh fine" she snarled before letting her go. "She should be happy to be back after everything. If I were you now that she knew I would have her leave" she pulled her closer and bent down to make eye contact.

"You're mine tomorrow"

Angel shivered slightly at the dark eyes that stared straight into her soul. She didn't want to look weak, but she was frightened of the woman in front of her. She had no heart and if she maybe did, it was filled with obsession to the Dark Lord.

"May we please return to hosting the party, you are being quite impolite" Lucius drawled from behind the three of them.

Narcissa immediately did as she was asked and pulled Bellatrix along in hopes of distracting her older sister. Angel looked on as she was left alone with Lucius.

"Were you proud of the hysteria you brought your mother? You should be ashamed of your immaturity."

She looked up at him annoyed bit but her tongue. She would not get in an argument at the moment. This just made her wish she was at Sirius' home with everyone. You felt the warmth and love through that house, but here, she swore she felt a cold breeze go through.

"I needed some peace after all of it and so I went to school. I did not think—"

"That's right, you didn't" he interrupted her.

She glared but said nothing instead turning to look at the dances happening at the moment. She refused to fall for his cheap traps; each and every day it was getting harder and harder to love the Malfoys.

"Come"

He grabbed her arm firmly and took her out to the dance floor so they could dance. She knew that he brought her to the center so people would look at them and judge her for her reaction. The unpleasant conversation continued and she felt herself shaking in anger.

"Tomorrow you will train with your Aunt Bella. She told me you are weak when it comes to wandless magic. Draco is excelling and you…you my dear are doing Troll level work"

She tightened her grip on his hand and spun as the dance dictated before returning to the conversation once more.

"I do not wish to train with her. I am not as advanced as Draco because I am not prone to using Dark Magic. I am not good with it and I doubt I ever will be."

"While you are under my roof you will work in learning what is necessary. The Lord will want you to excel and once he hears of your excellence along with Draco, we will have favor in his court."

She curtsied and spun once more before falling in his arms once again. She wanted to argue everything he just said but the one thing that she wanted to say came out.

"So we are no longer pretending that you were innocent from the first war?" she ignored the way his hand squeezed her wrist tightly. "Very well, if we are being honest, He already knows of me. He possessed me or was that forgotten?" he pulled her back with more force than usual when he heard her say this. "He nearly killed me, trust me he knows who I am."

"You insolent little-" he lifted his hand as if to slap her yet she refused to flinch.

"May I interrupt?" Draco said softly.

Lucius looked torn but did so because he felt his face get red with anger. Angel merely slipped her hand into Draco's as they began to spin; she was never as grateful as she was now for her brother. As a slower song began to spin she placed her head on his shoulders as they danced.

"You shouldn't have run away you know. You do that way too often." He murmured.

"I had my reasons and I don't regret it"

Her eyes were cold as she looked disinterestedly to the crowd. She wouldn't dare make eye contact with him, her anger still coming off of her in waves.

"So a Christmas all alone was worth it?"

She thought about the two nights she had and found herself smiling at what she had experienced.

"Absolutely, I would do it again."

"You worried Mum and Dad. You know better."

"Again, I had my reasons and I would appreciate if you stop pushing me."

"What aren't you telling me?" he asked curiously.

"Mother said that if you had questions to go to her not me."

He didn't push and instead they continued to dance. He wished he knew what ran through her head, but it was just too hard to even consider. He never once thought of her as a complicated person, until she grew older. But as she sighed and pulled him closer, he knew that despite everything he loved his sister dearly.

…

It was morning and she refused to give Bellatrix the pleasure of having to wake her up. She woke up earlier on purpose and dressed in comfortable clothing that would make it easier to move along with Bellatrix's crazy scheme. She tapped her foot at the bottom of the stairs waiting for the two of them. But instead she noticed something, it was only Bellatrix looking pleased with herself.

"Let's go."

"But Draco-"

"He did what he needed to do. You are very behind on your studies and so it will just be you and I. Now let's go."

Angel felt nervousness running down her back at the thought of being alone with the crazed woman. She knew that she only needed to survive a few more days before rushing back to school.

"Now go back to the center of that lake and you better think about fire. We will move from there into something else. Now burn!"

She closed her eyes and allowed herself to just feel the burning sensation in hopes of having it occur. She thought of the warm fire, a dragon, the sun, but all she could get from those images was warmth.

"Hurry up!"

Ah, the anger. She allowed her anger her hate for the woman in front of her to begin to rise. She thought about the disappointments, the ugliness in her life and the ugliness of Bellatrix to fuel the deep dark recesses of her magic. She emitted a cry of anger wishes destruction to occur on Bellatrix, wishing for death, pain, torture and then suddenly the flames began to burn. The fire came out like you could imagine water doing so. It flowed through her gracefully but with power, the fire was not red though, it was a blue/green fire, the colors that always hid behind a true flame. She pushed it towards Bellatrix with all the hate she had in her. Immediately it engulfed Bellatrix and in one brief moment she hoped her aunt was dead. But as the flames died, and the lake melted leaving behind only a floating piece of ice, she realized her aunt was perfectly fine.

"Took about time." She said nonchalantly as she stood in the middle of what had once been a lush spot of grass. "Blue flame, interesting…we will work on it later. For now…we will work on something new."

She signaled her to swim and Angel had no choice but to do it to stop her from doing something drastic. It was clear the woman hated her more than anything and the feeling was mutual. Pulling herself out of the freezing water and on a patch of grass she looked up at Bellatrix who was ready to eat her all up.

"Now I want you to close your eyes, to block all your secrets, all your little juicy stories and simply let yourself concentrate. We will be learning about Occlumency and Legilimency. If you mess up…your secret is out." The wide smile that was given to the young girl made her shiver.

Closing her eyes. Angel imagined her mind as a home. She imagined closing the doors, which held secrets she did not wish to share. Every thought of Harry and her deep love of him were hidden in rooms that she made sure to lock. Her adoration for Sirius and their conversations were deeply hidden in boxes.

Before she could say she was ready, she felt a stab in her mind and she cried out.

Flashback…

She needed it; she craved it more than anything. Those pages, that book called out to her. It didn't matter what it had or whom it belonged to. No, she needed desperately to touch and skim the pages of the book.

As the diary floated to her hand she caressed its spine. It seemed like it was meant to be hers. It had called out to her. It had chosen her. It wasn't the blood traitor that the diary needed it was her. She held it close and then it all went dark, all she could hear was the hissing of something.

End Flashback..

"Block me!"

Flashback…

When she first heard him calling her she felt a deep pain and yearning but she did not know where to go. She wished to see him to bring Tom the thing he wanted most. But it was the moment she stood staring at the book that changed everything. When Ginny Weasley pushed her in, she found herself finding her way to the Chamber of Secrets, and to find Tom who looked expectantly.

"Come to me" he purred.

In her dream, Angel knew that she needed to reach him. He was so handsome, with the swoop of his hair and his tall serious stance. She walked over to him the book in hand as she handed it to him. Slowly he wrapped his arm around her waist to bring her closer and played with a strand of hair.

"Soon we can be together, but you need to sleep."

"Sleep?" she whispered. "Tom what's going on?"

"Soon you will know all…" he slipped the strand behind her ear before pressing his thumb against her forehead making her see black.

The deep dread that came through her system shocked her. She felt sorrow, misfortune, and eminent death. The purgatory like sleep only changed as she felt a bright light coming to her. Life, and it came in the force of Harry Potter. Slowly she felt the warmth in her soul, her toes tingling as she realized everything would be alright.

End Flashback…

It was then that things began to change and more intimate moments began to rise and she began to panic.

She imagined the doors and locks and pushing someone out of her home. She pushed and pushed until…

"Gah!" a cry.

Angel gasped in both pain and relief. Her body shook in surprise at how it affected her. She felt violated, her inner thoughts, emotions, things she didn't want to relieve played like a never-ending scene of a play. She never realized when she had fallen over, but her legs were weak, and her body curled hoping to catch her breath.

"You…."Bellatrix hissed.

Suddenly Bellatrix pinned her down and she cried out in pain; the woman pressed her wand deep into her collar like she would a sword and the young girl shook in fear at the aggression. She knew her aunt was crazy, but never to this degree to try and kill her on the spot.

"You saw him, you could have saved him and you didn't die?! Why didn't you die?!"

"I-Let go of me. I had nothing to do-"

"You shared his mind, you shared our beloved Lord's mind and he wanted you to sacrifice it all for him and you didn't. You stupid, insipid girl! You ruin things, you ruin the good things and he could have brought us so much joy!"

She slapped her once more making Angel cry out in pain. Angel struggled relentlessly attempting to push the woman off of her. Even in the darker moments of her life she was never as scared as she was now. The woman above her had no loyalty to family not even her own. Digging her own nails into her aunt's hand, she found herself uttering words in sheer dillusion.

"You" Angel breathed out, "you kill me and my mother will die as well. You know that"

Angel's eyes darkened as the crazy witch froze for a brief second. She knew that there were little moments of humanity for Bellatrix and Narcissa was on of them. Still as the woman lowered herself to stare at Angel like prey, there was something darker looming. Something that was more frightening than she had imagined.

"My sweet pet, your mother is dead. She's lucky too, had she not died I would have had the pleasure of killing her. She was a dirty American that got with our dirt of a cousin. Those blood traitors, weak and useless in this world." the grin was manic in the eyes of the woman and Angel felt pure hate coursing in her veins.

The older woman spoke ill of the woman that gave life to her was unacceptable. Angel screamed and in defense she slapped Bellatrix in anger. The slap echoed and surprised the two of them, but only for a second. She never fate so much disgust for a human being as she felt now. Her aunt did not back off, but instead dug her wand deeper and muttered something that began to create a stinging cut down Angel's collarbone. She cried out in pain and for a brief second she was relieved as the weight of her aunt was removed for a second.

High pitched screams echoed through the property. They were screams of sheet pain and as if someone was dying. Angel heard screams and in her haze she did not know where they came from, that is until she realized that it was her own voice wailing for help. But no one would help her, not in a home that had sided with the Dark Lord.

The Cruciatus Curse. The vile witch had hit her with an unforgivable and it was a pain that she had never experienced. Every nerve in her body was being hit and her body convulsed as if she was having a stroke. Her screams were dying out, her body too tired to even emit any more screams. This is how she was going to die.

"Enough!" Lucius appeared and dragged Bellatrix off his daughter.

Bellatrix did not even struggle instead laughed at the damage she had caught. "I did her good Lucius! Look at her, this is a girl that has had it too good, she needs to know that the world is ugly. Ugly like her! I want to make her ugly, let me have a go won't you? You all already let the Dark Lord down, might as well pay with some bloodshed yourself. She's ugly, but her blood is so beautiful"

As she continued to ramble about restitution, Angel began to breathe for the first time. Her body was cramped, and she felt so unsure of her body. Her only solution was to curl up and come back to reality only to take the scene before her. She felt liquid pooling around her collarbone to her chest and she looked down to realize that was not the water or her tears but rather blood. The dark red blood made her shake in shock at how far it had gone. She was surprised that Lucius even stopped it, but she couldn't stop crying at how violated she felt in her own home. A home that had once brought her joy and comfort now brought her fear and pain.

"Angel!" her mother wailed as she ran to take the scene in, with Draco behind her running as well. Both froze as they took in all that was happening.

"Come now, it's all fun and games" Bellatrix said shaking off Lucius. "She needs to learn how to grow stronger and this is the only way I know will work."

"Bella how could you!" Narcissa said as she slowly moved closer to Angel only to pull back as her daughter scooted away like a small animal.

She could not bear the thought of being touched again, especially not in this household. "Don't touch me" Angel hiccupped. "No one touch me!"

Draco had never seen his sister so broken before. He knew his aunt was eccentric with her training but never to this degree. She had never hurt him as visibly as she had done to his sister. As she curled on the ground, wet from the lake, and bleeding profusely he knew that this had gone too far. He felt something pooling in his stomach and he knew it was guilt. He wanted to move forward to hold her but the fear in her eyes was aimed at everyone.

"She's over exaggerating Cissa. She's just weak, unlike Draco, but don't worry, I'll break her and build her up again so she can be an asset to the Dark Lord. Just give me some time to break her" her voice was so menacing that Angel grew even more scared if that was possible.

As best as she could Angel attempted to find her footing. Her legs shook in fear and she struggled a few times until she successfully got up. Taking all of them in she realized that this was not her family anymore. The Malfoys that she loved deeply were always loyal to one another, would kill and would ruin lives for the sake of family. But she was no longer their family. Their gazes of shame and pity did nothing to soothe her soul. She felt a bitter taste rise in her mouth at the realization that her vision of a perfect family was never real. Blood really meant more than they cared to admit. And no matter how many times Narcissa told her that she loved her, it meant nothing if she allowed Bellatrix to do this to her. And Lucius, his love had a limit, and while he did stop her aunt from killing her, he stood by as she was tortured. And Draco. Her brother had done nothing wrong with her, and she loved him deeply, but he had no mind of his own at the moment. His commitment in family laid in their ideologies and not his own. This was not what she wanted.

"You will not break me" she rasped out. "None of you will," her hate was palpable. "I am stronger than you give me credit for. But what's clear is that you're all monsters, absolute monsters to protect an animal like that." Pointing at Bellatrix. "I will be spending the rest of my time in Hogwarts, and I'll be taking my things. There is no need for me to be here." She stared straight to the man she had considered her father. "I will strictly be studying and will be under the grounds like the rules state. But I will not be attending any function anytime soon. That is if I get your permission"

She remembered the contract well. She knew she needed the family permission to leave for good or else her magic would weaken.

"No"

"Yes"

Both her parents stared at one another in surprised. Lucius had of course denied her request, but as Narcissa protested they were both at ends. In her lifetime, her mother had never gone against her father at any point it was just not the way. But as Narcissa stood shaking as she stood up to him with tears in her eyes.

"Narcissa please" Lucius said, "I will not have my daughter be out there refusing to attending functions."

"You cannot imprison her. She will hate us and I-I love you my darling" the way her voice cracked made Angel almost regret her request. As Narcissa turned to face her husband she moved closer and held his hands. "Let her come as she wants. We cannot force her; force does not foster love. Please love." she whispered.

Lucius glared at the young girl as she stood there crying before him. Despite the trouble she had caused him, and the resentment she built against him, he loved her with all his heart. It hurt to see her pull away and it hurt to see his wife looking so shaken over all of this, he knew what he had to do.

"Leave" he ordered his daughter."I don't want to see your face"

Angel slowly lifted her gaze to stare at him and he swore he saw her eyes harden and her heart close him out. She nodded not saying a word and wobbly walked towards the house in hopes of going back to her level of comfort.

"She can't! Father please don't kick her out" Draco begged.

"Enough!" Lucius raised his voice louder than either children had heard before. "She will leave…but will return when she pleases."

Narcissa cried harder and wrapped her arms around her husband in thanks. She knew it was hard for him too to accept that they had done some wrong. She thought of her poor children separating from one another, and Draco being in the dark as to what brought all of this on.

"Angel you can't leave!" Draco cried out, his own eyes filling up with tears. "You're family you can't leave!"

Angel did not dare look back, the house was near and she knew exactly what she needed to do. As she entered, she didn't dare hide her injury as some of the elves and servants stood from afar and watched. She merely climbed the stairs ignoring the trail of blood she left from her hand and went straight to her room. She grabbed what she needed. Her books, her clothes, and jewelry she might need to sell in a later date, along with her medicines. She did not think she would ever come back. She wasn't quite sure when everything had changed so drastically. 'Or was it always like this and you were just naïve?' That was a thought she found unpleasant. If life was always like this when…then she had changed and grown into her own person. She only hoped her brother would do this one day.

As she grabbed her suitcases she walked to the chimney, only stopping to see Draco looking so heartbroken. She had never seen him so vulnerable in front of her no matter what they had gone through.

"Don't leave us" he begged softly tears falling down his cheeks.

In any moment she would want to hold him close and comfort him, but she could not do that. She could not promise him to stay if it meant her own life was in danger. She allowed herself to cry for him, for them and the broken relationship.

"I will always love you Draco" was all she could say.

"You're abandoning your family" His hurt tone had changed to one of anger and disappointment.

The bitterness was palpable but she refused to break. She promised herself and told them that she was unbreakable. Yet the tears still fell.

"I'm sorry"

And with that whispered where she wanted to go, with a blurry image of Draco being the last thing she saw. Her heart was broken, her body was broken and she she needed time to heal. She was out and there was only one place that would do her heart good. For now, she merely felt the tug in her stomach and the whoosh before disappearing to her new home.