My eyes peered out of the compartment window, families were hugging one another goodbye, my gaze lingered on the Malfoys. Mrs Malfoy was hugging her son, a noticeably absent Mr Malfoy not there. A sense of longing whilst watching all these families took hold, despite that, a flicker of a smirk appeared on my face at the thought of Lucius Malfoy being imprisoned in Azkaban.

Tears leaked down my cheeks, not just for the longing, but the pictures of Greyback flicking through my mind, that was one of the worst moments of my life, it couldn't get any worse.

'Come on, this is the only one left.' came a familiar voice, the door slid open

'Hi, Mara,' My head turned towards Harry Potter, and with him Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood, I quickly wiped my eyes but I fear they noticed as Harry and Neville looked uncomfortable.

'Uh, mind if we join? Everywhere else is full.'

I nodded

'Thanks.' he entered with Neville and Luna, and I could feel Harry examining me as I turned back towards the window.

'So...have a good summer, Mara?'

I winced, I couldn't very well tell them what happened, what's going to happen to me once Greyback get's his hands on me again, that threat ever hanging over me.

'It was okay, thanks.' I didn't continue on the conversation, and I barely listened to what was going on around me, or their conversations

'Oh, hello Mara,' I looked around, aware of my surroundings again as Hermione and Ronald entered the compartment much later 'have a good summer?'

I nodded and turned back to the window, Hermione frowned and Ronald shrugged.

The journey seemed agonizingly long as I replayed images in my head, but soon darkness fell outside the window, and the train began to slow down. I rose to my feet and pulled my trunk off the shelf, noticing Harry was absent, and that Ron and Hermione were wondering where he went.

Upon entering the grounds, we noticed our trunks were being searched.

'Aurors.' said Hermione in front, whose trunk was next to be looked through.

Mine was next, but my eyes caught Snape's who was standing nearby, shame and embarrassment crept up on me.

'Miss? Miss are you alright?'

I jumped, the Auror was watching me with a concerned look, I guess I must have been staring into space.

'Oh, uh, f-fine.'

The Auror didn't look convinced.

'Well...' said the Auror 'my name's Oscar, you'll probably be seeing me around the school, new security measures in place and everything.'

'Yes, I heard all about it.' I muttered 'I'm Mara.'

The boy smiled a kind smile at me, one that was reassuring.

'Well, your trunk is safe, but, oh, there's no more carriages left, you were the last student.' the boy scratched the back of his neck 'I could walk with you to the school? Just to be safe.'

'I will escort the girl,' said Snape 'come.'

I scurried after Snape as he walked on, I glanced back over my shoulder at the kindly boy who was watching us leave.

The silence was uncomfortable along the way, I had no idea what to say to Snape now, after what he had seen, what must he think of me?

'What am I going to do, Professor!?' I blurted out, unable to help myself 'I'm done for! Greyback's going to have me! Voldemort as much said so himself! I can't stay at that manor, I just can't!'

Snape glanced sideways at me, his speed slowing.

'I'll have to go on the run eventually!' I panicked 'We know what that bastard is going to do to me! And I doubt he'll keep me alive afterwards! A nice tasty snack for that freak!'

Snape turned to me and pulled out a phial from under his robes.

'Take a calming draught, you are panicked and not thinking straight.'

I sighed heavily, but took the potion and downed it.

'You are feeling better?' asked Snape after a few moments

'Y-yes, Professor.'

'Then let us proceed to the feast.'

A burst of talk, laughter and tinkling of plates greeted us through the doors standing open into the Great Hall. The Great Hall, with it's four long house tables and staff table set at the top of the room, was decorated as usual with floating candles that made the plates below glitter and glow. Despite the beauty of the place, it was hard to appreciate it with Greyback still in my minds eye.

I slumped down on the bench of the Slytherin table, and began to pile my plate with food despite my lack of appetite.

No matter how I tried I couldn't get to sleep that night, and I cried silently into my pillow.

Next morning, I made my way to the Great Hall, there, a few Aurors could be spotted walking back and forth through the entrance hall.

'Oh, hello again,' said the boy I recognized from the night before 'Mara, isn't it?'

'Uh, that's right, Oscar, correct?'

'Yep,' the boy replied 'how did you settle back in?' he asked, the Auror on the other side of the door rose an eyebrow at the talkative Oscar.

'Well, um, okay, I guess I didn't really sleep much.'

'How come?' Oscar frowned, with a concerned look on his face

'It's not your problem, I should go.' and I hurried past him without a word, damning myself for letting that slip.

The ceiling of the Great Hall was serenely blue and streaked with frail, wispy clouds, just like the squares of sky visible through the high mullioned windows. I stared at my bacon sandwich, not feeling hungry at all.

Soon I noticed Snape making his way down the table with a pile of papers floating beside him, which he was handing out to the students along the table.

'Morris, your new timetable,' said Snape 'Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Transfiguration,' he said in his usual drawl 'in short, everything required to become a Healer passed-Exceed's Expectations in Herbology, Charms, and an Outstanding in Potions, Defence against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures.' he tapped the blank sheet of paper with his wand and handed it over to me, which I looked through.

'And also, Morris,' Snape continued 'I saw you talking to that Auror, they aren't to be fraternized with, is that understood?'

'It isn't my fault,' I retaliated 'it's him what starts the conversation!'

'Then ignore him.' Snape said 'he is here to protect the school, and it's residents, not to make friends.' and he wandered off down the table to the next person. Sighing, I decided to take a few bites out of my sandwich, if only because I knew I would only get hungry during lessons.

Since I hadn't taken divination, I took to sitting outside against one of the tall stones in the sundial garden, luckily there was no one around and I cried into my knees, it was a habit that I could not control as of late which was crying at random times. I felt it was my fault Greyback did what he did, if I had have just gone to my room like Snape said, perhaps I wouldn't be in that situation, if I had put on some clothes perhaps none of it would have happened. That bastard still has my robe, and I disposed of the stained nightie the next morning, and showered for a long while until I felt clean, and I still do not at this moment, no matter how much I wash.

'Uh-are you okay?'

It was that boy again-I quickly wiped my eyes and noticed him emerging from the bridge

'I-I'm fine-'

'Are you sure?' Oscar frowned and I glared at him, it felt like he had been following me, but perhaps that was just paranoia

'It's none of your business,' I snapped, unable to help myself 'leave me alone.' and I rose onto my feet and darted to the bridge

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean-' and I was too far away before he finished his sentence. Part of me felt guilty when I looked back at his upset figure, but, I just wanted to be alone.

I was the first in queue when Defence Against the Dark Arts was upon me, my heart quickened it's pace as it did recently upon seeing Snape, it was uncomfortable being in his presence now, and I was going to have to sit in class for two whole hours with him without trying to think about things.

Soon, there were students lined up along the wall to the classroom, all in happy chatter with one another.

'AWOOOO'

I jumped fiercely and glared over who had made the howling noise, and of course, it was Draco, who was now laughing with Parkinson at his obnoxious display, luckily for me, he didn't know what Greyback had done precisely, he only knew the brute attacked me somehow, and figured I was probably afraid of the bastard, which, I now was.

'Who's afraid of the big bad wolf, is it you, Morris?' he laughed

'Shut up!' I snapped, and turned my back on the laughing ingrates.

The door opening caught everyone's attention, and the laughter simmered down, we all walked in one by one. Snape had imposed his personality upon the room already it seemed; it was gloomier than usual, as curtains had been drawn over the windows, and was lit by candlelight. New pictures adorned the walls, many of them showing people who appeared to be in pain, sporting grisly injuries or strangely contorted body parts. Nobody spoke as we settled down, looking around at the shadowy, gruesome pictures. I began pulling out my books and placing them on the desk, but Snape said 'I have not asked you to take out your books,' and those who had pulled them out put them away once more.

'I wish to speak to you, and I want your fullest attention.' His black eyes roved over our upturned faces, lingering for a fraction of a second longer on Harry's than anyone else's. 'You have had five teachers in this subject so far, I believe. Naturally, these teachers will all have had their own methods and priorities. Given this confusion I am surprised so many of you scraped an O.W.L. in this subject. I shall be even more surprised if all of you manage to keep up with the N.E.W.T. work, which will be more advanced.' Snape set off around the edge of the room, speaking now in a lower voice; the class craned their necks to keep him in view.

'The Dark Arts,' said Snape, 'are many, varied, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible. Your defences,' said Snape, a little louder, 'must therefore be as flexible and inventive as the arts you seek to undo. These pictures' - he indicated a few of them as he swept past - 'give a fair representation of what happens to those who suffer, for instance, the Cruciatus Curse' - he waved a hand toward a witch who was clearly shrieking in agony - 'feel the Dementor's Kiss' - a wizard lying huddled and blank-eyed, slumped against a wall - 'or provoke the aggression of the Inferius' - a bloody mass upon ground.

'Has an Inferius been seen, then?' said Parvati Patil in a high pitched voice. 'Is it definite, is he using them?'

'The Dark Lord has used Inferi in the past,' said Snape, 'which means you would be well advised to assume he might use them again. Now…'

'Oh, Sir-Sir.' Said Draco Malfoy, his arm raised high with an enthusiasm that sounded much like Hermione Granger answering a question. 'Sir, what about Werewolves,' paused Draco, who looked over at my alarmed face 'is The Dark Lord using them this time, too?' I glanced at Snape fearfully, whose own eyes dropped on me.

'It is safe to assume so, Mr Malfoy-now let us-'

'But, Sir,' said Draco 'I've heard of this one werewolf, called Fenrir Greyback?' I glared viciously at Draco as he smirked back at me

'I heard he is really nasty, and is being recruited-who is he, exactly?' that bastard knew damn well who Greyback was, and was just doing it to rile me up-which was working.

Everyone's curious faces were directed up at Snape, and he relented.

'Fenrir Greyback,' began Snape 'is perhaps the most sadistic of his kind to exist,' his eyes dropped on me for a second, my face was red and my eyes glaring at Draco.

'Do not presume to believe that this is I being prejudice,' said Snape, resting his gaze upon Hermione 'it is fact, Fenrir believes in turning young children into werewolves, he believes that, to turn them young he stands a better chance of twisting their mindset into that of his own, to hate wizarding kind with a burning passion.' said Snape 'Fenrir positions himself near his victims during a full moon, sometimes he has orders to kill, sometimes he does so for his own enjoyment. He enjoys torture, and will act upon his own brutish, animalistic instincts and bloodlust even if the Dark Lord does not order it.' a thick silence fell upon the class, one in which I was urging myself not to lose my temper and fire a hex at Draco 'You would be foolish to assume he would show one ounce of mercy should you find yourself trapped within his clutches.' Snape finished 'Now, let us press on...'

'You BASTARD.' I growled once I was in the Entrance Hall, having caught up with Draco 'Why did you do that! Do you think it's funny do you!?' I seethed

'I do actually,' Draco retorted 'my mother tells me everything Morris, everything, and she didn't tell me what went on, so, I'll have a laugh with it at your expense.' he smirked, and Pansy beside him cackled.

'What's going on here?' it was the boy from before

'Oh, nothing, I was just going.' and Draco shoved past me.

'Mara?'

I was enraged, how could Draco laugh at Greyback attacking me? Even if he didn't know what he did, it wasn't right!

'Let's calm down,' said Oscar 'why don't we go for a walk? he pressed his hands on my shoulders and turned me away from the curious onlookers nearby, and he led me out into the courtyard outside

'Tell me what happened,' said Oscar 'maybe I can help.'

'I-I can't tell you! I can't tell anyone! And that asshole thinks it's funny.'

Oscar looked at a loss for what to do.

'I can see you're upset,' he said 'maybe you need a calming draught, we'll go to the hospital wing.'

We turned and walked the path to the wing, where Madam Pomfrey could be seen tending to a couple of patients.

'Miss Morris, what brings you here?'

'This student needs a calming draught, Madam Pomfrey, I found her arguing with a student and well, she's upset.'

'That I can see.' said Madam Pomfrey, examining my red faced shaking figure and angry expression 'well, sit on a chair and I'll retrieve one for you.'

Oscar followed me as I sat down, my hands pressed into my head as I tried to calm my nerves. Surprise came over me when the boy's hand pressed on my shoulder in a comforting gesture, which he quickly removed upon Madam Pomfrey's return.

'Here you go, Miss Morris,' Madam Pomfrey was shooting the Auror a disapproving look whilst I drank the potion 'now just wait for it's effects to take hold, and I will be right back.'

'How are you feeling?' Oscar asked after an awkward silence

'A little better.' I said, raising back up from hugging my head in my hands

'That's good.' Oscar smiled 'Now, maybe you can tell me what that argument was about?'

'N-nothing,' I replied 'it was just Draco Malfoy being his usual self, insulting me.'

'Oh..' Oscar didn't look convinced, and I was thankful when Madam Pomfrey came back

'How are you now, Miss Morris?'

'Better'

'Then you're free to go, try not to get into any more arguments with students.' she warned and wandered off.

'I have to get to Care of Magical Creatures.' I said, still feeling myself shake.

'I could walk with you,' said Oscar 'I'm meant to patrol that area anyway.'

'Alright.' I sighed

What was with this boy?