When the rest of the students returned to school, the news of Granger's transformation spread very quickly. Madam Pomfrey wasn't letting anyone near enough to see her, leading to rumours that she had been the latest victim of the Heir of Slytherin. Now almost everyone seemed to be avoiding Aurora outside of the Slytherin common room - and even then she could tell there was a divide between those who believed she was the Heir and wanted to stick on her side, those who believed it and wanted to distance themselves from the reaches of her reputation, and those who didn't believe it at all. She was glad Gwen seemed to fall into the last category, as did Robin Oliphant. "You've always got your nose in a book," he told her a couple of days into term, when she was sat with him and Gwen. "I just don't think you'd find the time."

"Good to know you have such high faith in my morals," she said clippedly.

"That as well," he said. "What are you reading all the time anyway?"

"De-enchanting Dark Objects," she said, showing the book's spine. "There's a couple of things came into my possession from my family. Lovely jewellery, but I don't want to get cursed."

"Your family curses jewellery?"

"Cursed," she corrected, and he winced. "Don't look like that."

"Like what?"

"Apologetic," Gwen supplied. "She hates it."

"But - why would they curse jewellery?"

She shrugged. "Why would they curse anything? I'm hoping they haven't cursed the jewellery - I've touched it and nothing's happened so I can't see that wearing it would make a difference - but there are definitely enchantments. And the jewellery's really nice, so I want to be able to wear it."

"Even if it's cursed?" Robin asked, seeming perplexed.

"I'm going to undo the curse first, genius," Aurora snapped. Gwen snickered.

But there was one thing that she was researching which she did not want to tell anyone else about. She read up on mild poisons covered in relatively inconspicuous Potions textbooks. Things to cause mild headaches, stomach aches, and general inconveniences that would leave a victim feeling like crap but otherwise would not do any lasting harm. These poisons also would not raise very much suspicion. Aurora did not need to be accused of anything else, thank you very much.

There was one poison she decided upon. Well, two, technically, but from research she was fairly certain they could blend together. A Dizziness Draught blended with a Fatigue Potion - it would induce light-headedness, fatigue, and a headache for around a day or so before wearing off. She did consider a laxative potion, but there was no telling how fast-acting it might be and it was also a rather disgusting idea, so she settled on dizziness and fatigue. They also weren't technically classed as poisons, which meant she was less likely to get caught out or into trouble. Both were easy enough to brew - the trick would be to get it into Potter and Weasley's food or drink without anyone noticing.

"Kreacher!" she called in her empty room one night in January.

There was a loud crack and her house elf appeared, rather dirty and wearing the same tablecloth she always remembered him wearing. She wrinkled her nose as he bent into a low bow, long nose scraping the floor. "Mistress has called for Kreacher," he muttered. "Mistress does not call Kreacher often - no, no Kreacher has remained at home, as old Mistress told him..."

"Stand up please, Kreacher," Aurora said awkwardly, and was a little surprised by how quickly he did so. But she supposed she was his mistress now, wasn't she. "Kreacher, do you know where the Hogwarts kitchens are?"

Kreacher nodded. "Kreacher knows... oh yes, many house elves are there... those not loyal to a family, pledged to their Dumbledore, Mistress never liked Dumbledore, lover of blood traitors and half-breeds and-"

"That's quite enough, Kreacher," Aurora said tightly. "Tell me how to get into the kitchen."

"Kreacher Apparated."

She sighed. "Tell me how I could get into the kitchen, Kreacher."

She could have sworn he was smirking, his old face twisted by the action. "There is a portrait, down the stairs on the West end of the castle... A fruit bowl. Mistress must tickle the pear."

"Tickle the pear. That's it?" Kreacher nodded. That was one thing down, but she still didn't want the house elves to know she was there - just in case anybody did ask. "Kreacher, you will not tell anyone any of the details discussed in this conversation."

"Kreacher understands, Mistress," he said in a slight snarl. "Kreacher keeps his family's secrets."

"Kreacher, how would I be able to determine who each plate would reach?"

"There is little way to know, Mistress," Kreacher said. "If Kreacher knew, Kreacher would go amongst the kitchens and spit in the food of-"

"Kreacher," she said, and he broke off abruptly. "Don't spit in anybody's food. That's disgusting."

"Of course, Mistress," he muttered, bowing again. Aurora shifted awkwardly. Kreacher was definitely weirder now than he had been when she was young. "Kreacher will obey Mistress."

There might not be any way to ensure the potions got to Potter and Weasley at a meal time. But that wasn't the only time they drank. "Kreacher, I would like you to follow Harry Potter and Ron Weasley."

His eyes snapped up and widened. "The blood traitor brat? The boy who defeated the Dark Lord?"

She nodded. "You are not to be seen by anyone. You are not to inform anyone that you are doing this. You will tell me what they drink and eat regularly outside of meal times, and you will tell me when and how I might access this food and drink. Understand?"

Kreacher stared at her. "What is Mistress planning, Kreacher wonders?"

"Kreacher will not tell anyone what Mistress has asked of him."

Kreacher nodded and sank into a bow again. "Yes Mistress, young Mistress. Kreacher will follow the blood traitor brats."

"Thank you, Kreacher," she said. "And please have a bath."

He looked at her, down at himself, then back at her. "Yes, Mistress," he muttered reluctantly. "Old Mistress never told Kreacher to bathe, Kreacher kept everything clean, kept that Black house clean but now it is filthy, filthy like the blood traitor's blood."

Aurora swallowed. "Go, Kreacher."

With another crack, he vanished, and just in time, as Gwen opened the door and frowned. "Who were you talking to?"

"Oh, just myself," Aurora said cheerfully. Gwen narrowed her eyes. "Actually, it was the monstrous beast I keep in a secret chamber beneath the school. He's been feeling a bit lonely."

"That isn't actually funny," Gwen said seriously. "The Heir's still on the loose."

"I know, I know," Aurora muttered, waving a dismissive hand. "Don't worry about it, I'm not stupid enough to say something like that in front of other people," Aurora told her with a grin, though Gwen didn't look like she was abated by this. "I know you believe me."

"You still shouldn't joke about it." Gwen sighed, sitting down on her bed. Stella, who had been dozing contentedly during the conversation with Kreacher, now leapt to her feet and ran over to Gwen, almost begging for scratches. Aurora rolled her eyes fondly. "Really, though, who were you talking to?"

"Just myself," she lied with a shrug. "I'm trying to figure out this ring. It's like there's something stuck in the stone, I just don't know what."

The smoke was still swirling in the ring as Aurora pointed to the jewellery box. Gwen wrinkled her nose. "Well, I don't know much about smoky rings. I just think it looks cool."

"It's definitely got some sort of enchantment," Aurora said. "Can't you hear it whispering?"

Thy both went silent. Gwen frowned and held the ring to her ear. "No," she said, after a long moment, and held it out to Aurora. She took it - it was definitely whispering.

"Can't you?"

Gwen shook her head. "It's a family ring, right? Maybe it only talks to family members."

"Maybe," Aurora said, running her thumb over the cold silver engravings on the ring band. "That might be it."

It was definitely whispering, though. She couldn't make out any of the words, but they were there, spoken in quiet and hallowed reverence under the dark reflections of the stone. It only made her more curious.

Kreacher returned to give Aurora his report at the beginning of February, shortly after Granger returned to classes. "The Potter boy drinks at meals, Mistress," he told her. "His friend, Weasley, the blood traitor's son eats a lot."

"What do they eat?"

"Chocolate frogs, Mistress... Weasley boy collects the cards."

A thought struck Aurora. Valentine's Day was just under a fortnight away. She grinned. "Thank you, Kreacher. You may return to Grimmauld Place. And remember, do not tell anyone about this."

Kreacher scraped into a low bow. "Mistress," he said, and then Disapparated with a loud crack. Aurora sat back on her bed, beaming. She still had a small stack of unopened chocolate frogs, and the two potions she had thought of both could, in theory, be applied to solid foods. All she had to do was brew the potions, perhaps add some non-influential dyes - that was to say, dyes that wouldn't change the effects of the potion itself - lace the chocolate frogs with said potions, and do a good enough job of covering up her tampering that Potter would accept it as an anonymous Valentine's Day gift. She grinned as Gwen entered, immediately suspicious.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," Aurora said, quite cheerfully. "I've just had a breakthrough on my Potions essay is all."

Gwen raised her eyebrows. "You aren't going to tell me, are you?"

"Maybe." She shrugged. "In time."

The night before Valentine's Day, Aurora snuck out to give a small box of five chocolate frogs to one of the school owls to take to Potter's dormitory in the morning. No one saw her, she was sure, and so a school owl delivery couldn't possibly be traced back to her.

She slept soundly through the night, and woke excited about what she was sure was going to be a success.

When she went down to the Great Hall for breakfast in the morning, she was shocked by the... Pinkness of it all. Pink flowers on the walls, pink confetti falling from the ceiling, it even looked like the food had been dyed pink. "What happened in here?" she asked Draco, who looked quite appalled.

Pansy giggled, exchanging excited looks with Lucille. "It's Valentine's Day, remember? Clearly the teachers thought we should celebrate!"

"It's very pink," Draco said faintly. "And girly."

"It's lovely," Pansy sighed. "Haven't either of you gotten Valentines?"

"No," Aurora said. Should she have? She hadn't expected to get any. "Have you?"

"I got three."

"No you did not," Daphne said, staring. "From who?"

"Well, I don't know," Pansy said, appearing rather smug. "They're meant to be secret, aren't they? Did none of you get Valentines?"

"I got two," Daphne mumbled, and Aurora noticed she looked rather annoyed that Pansy got more than she did. "Lucille only got one."

"I didn't get any," Millicent said dejectedly. She looked a little worried about this. "How come I didn't get any?"

"Well, I didn't get any either," Aurora said breezily, linking her arm through Millicent's. "And it's only morning. Besides, Valentines don't mean much at our age, do they? I'd much rather someone told me to my face that they fancied me."

With that, she strode confidently into the Great Hall and got Millicent to sit down next to her at the table. She watched the Gryffindor Table carefully for signs of Potter and Weasley entering, and when they did so, kept her eyes out for any signs of discomfort. There were none, but that didn't worry her too much. The potions weren't meant to work immediately, and besides, they might not have eaten the chocolate yet.

"You're looking awfully interested in the Gryffindor Table," Daphne whispered to Aurora, smirking. "Has someone caught your eye?"

"Oh, I'm just wondering if Granger thinks she's going to get a Valentine's gift," she said, grinning when the other girls laughed.

"Oh, absolutely not! If Aurora doesn't, Granger has no chance!" For that, Aurora gave Pansy a very dark glare. "Oh, don't look like that Aurora, you will get a card from someone, I'm sure. And I thought you said it didn't matter?"

"It doesn't," she said sweetly. "I'm just wondering who sent you cards, Pansy. I can't come up with many names."

Pansy pursed her lips tightly, and muttered, "Shut up, Aurora."

Aurora leaned back happily in her seat, smirking as she tucked into her breakfast. Next to Pansy, Draco hid his smirk, and the only one who didn't look amused was Pansy. Even Lucille smiled a little bit. "Attention!" It was Lockhart's voice that called over the hall; he was wearing lurid pink robes that seized both Aurora and Daphne with uncontrollable giggles. "Happy Valentine's Day! And may I take the time to thank all the forty six students who have sent me Valentine's cards!" Aurora stared. Forty six? Really?

"That's a horrifying thought," Daphne whispered.

"Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little celebration for you all, now that all the danger is over!" Aurora stared at him. Over? They had no proof of that. The Heir hadn't been caught, and there were still multiple Petrified victims in the Hospital Wing. This man was an idiot, and even her fellow Slytherins were whispering about it. "And it doesn't end here!"

He clapped his hands together and the doors to the Great Hall swung open again. A parade of very grumpy looking dwarves came into the hall, dressed as little cupids. "That's an even more horrifying sight," Aurora whispered back to Daphne, mouth hanging open as the dwarves came grudgingly down the aisles.

"They look way too ugly for Valentine's day," Millicent said bluntly, prompting Daphne to laugh loudly. One of the dwarves heard, and glared maliciously in a most un-angelic way. Aurora giggled into the palm of her hand.

"My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" They did not look friendly at all. "They will be roving around the school today giving out Valentines!" Any hope Aurora had had of possibly receiving a Valentine quickly disappeared. She now could not think of anything worse than getting a Valentine from one of those dwarves. "And the spirit of the day doesn't end there! I'm sure all my colleagues want to join in the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape how to whip up a Love Potion?" Aurora couldn't help herself from laughing; she had to bend over her cereal, certain she could feel Snape glaring at her. She imagined his face if one of them asked about Love Potions and started giggling harder than she had in quite some time. "And while we're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than anyone I've ever met, the sly old dog!"

This was enough to set Millicent off too. Her shoulder bumped into Aurora's as she tried to stop herself laughing. By the time they had to set off for classes, Aurora was still teetering on the verge of giggles, while Pansy and Lucille tried to appear dignified about the occasion, Daphne was talking loudly about how she expected many more Valentine's to arrive for her, and Millicent wondered aloud whether one of the dwarves had bitten Lockhart when he tried to put wings on them. "I would have," she said, breaking Daphne from her speech and sending her and Aurora into giggles again.

To her horror, though, she did end up receiving one Valentine. A dwarf caught up to her when she was on her way to Defense Against the Dark Arts with Gryffindor, which was the worst possible time for it to happen. "What?" she asked, cheeks already burning in embarrassment.

"I have a Valentine for Aurora Black."

"Brilliant."

"It's written down that it's a declaration of love."

"Even better." If she ever found out who was behind this, she would poison them. Maybe she'd poison Lockhart too while she was at it. She could put it in his stupid hair dye. "Let's hear it."

A small crowd of the Gryffindors had arrived. She could see Potter laughing, and tried very hard to resist the urge to hex someone. Neville looked rather fretful.

"Aurora Black, Aurora Black,

"Like the lights in the sky.

"And whatever they say, I don't care,

"You never fail to catch my eye."

The dwarf looked at her assessingly, grunted, and then stomped off, leaving Aurora wit her cheeks blazing. "That didn't even flow well," she protested, as the rest of her class fell about laughing. "Whoever did this needs a poetry lesson, and quickly! And what does that mean, whatever they say? What do they say! That's not even complimentary!"

"At least it was original! They even put your name in it!"

"I'd rather they didn't," she said, crossing her arms furiously as they entered the classroom. "It would have been better if they were cliche and sweet, but that was just terrible! What absolute idiot thought that was going to woo me."

"Always the critic," Pansy said, smirking. "At least you got a Valentine."

"Nice Valentine, Black," Seamus Finnigan called out, and Aurora sent a book sailing towards his head. It narrowly missed, clipping Potter's ear instead.

"Notice you didn't get any, Finnigan!" she called back. "Though I suppose someone would have to be mad to send you a Valentine."

"Oi," Weasley said angrily. "That's not on!"

"Shut it, Weasley," Aurora snarled. "Focus on your own embarrassing love life - or lack of it."

At that, Weasley went red, but they were saved from any further confrontation by the arrival of Lockhart, sweeping into the classroom in pink robes. He made Potter act the part of a banshee, which was highly amusing, and Aurora and Draco both found themselves near tears.

Potter hurried out the classroom as soon as he could, and Aurora went on at a slower pace with Pansy and the girls. They caught up to them on the stairs, where Potter had been caught by a dwarf of his own. He was looking highly embarrassed, and his bag had split, sending ink over all his books. Justice.

"Who'd be sending Potter a Valentine?" Aurora said loudly. Pansy laughed, and Draco sent her an appreciative look.

"Right," the dwarf said loudly. It sat down on Potter's ankles, stopping him from getting up. "Here is your singing Valentine."

This should be good, Aurora thought. If she had to be humiliated, at least she hoped Potter could be humiliated more.

"His eyes are green as a fresh pickled toad,

"His hair is as dark as a blackboard.

"I wish he was mine, he's really divine.

"The hero who conquered the Dark Lord."

Aurora burst out laughing. "Points for form," she said across the hall, smirking. "If not for taste."

"Shut up, Black," Potter muttered, as the dwarf left and let him gather his school things. "You probably sent yourself that poem."

She laughed shrilly. "I'm insulted you think so lowly of my poetry abilities, Potter."

"Off you go now," said the Prefect Weasley, trying to usher the other students away. "Off you go to class, the bell rang five minutes ago."

Sneering at Potter, Aurora was about to head to History with the girls when Draco called her name. "Look at this! Potter's got a diary! What have you been writing, Potter?"

Aurora pressed her lips together. Potter kept a diary? Well, that would be interesting - she wondered if he wrote anything about his attempt to transform into Crabbe and Goyle? There could be a confession in there. "Give that back," Potter said, sounding very serious. There must be some juicy secrets in there.

"I want to see what you've written first, Potter."

"Hand it over, Malfoy," Prefect Weasley said tensely. "Now, please."

"When I've had a look," Draco said, taunting Potter as he waved the diary in the air.

"I wonder whose eyes Potter's been thinking of."

"As a school Prefect-"

"Expelliarmus!" Potter yelled, and the diary went soaring out of Draco's hand. Weasley caught it deftly, grinning.

"Harry!" the Prefect yelled. Granger wrung her hands nervously. "No magic outside the classroom! I'll have to report this!"

"Let's go," Aurora muttered to the girls, sending one last sneer towards Potter. "I've seen enough of Potter embarrassing himself for one day; now it's just painful."

"Oh, sod off, Black!"

"I'm going," she smirked, holding her hands up. "No need for bad language, Potter."

She tossed her hair and turned around, just in time to hear Draco call, "I don't think Potter liked your Valentine very much!"

Aurora froze momentarily, turning around. She only relaxed when she realised Draco hadn't yelled it at her - of course he hadn't, he didn't know, nobody did - but after Ginny Weasley. She came out of her shock only just enough to reprimand him quietly and drag him along to History of Magic before someone could hex him. "You are so lucky you got away without a fight," she informed him.

"You were laughing too!"

Well, she couldn't deny that. She just grinned and went on her way, wondering how long it would be before Potter tucked ate his chocolate frogs.

The next day, Aurora kept a close watch on both Potter and Weasley. They grew gradually paler, and she heard Potter complaining of a headache to Granger, who fretted about his scar. "I've got a headache too, Mione," Weasley told her in the corridor.

"You two are probably dehydrated. I keep telling you, you need to drink more water!"

Throughout the day, she kept hearing reports of their discontent, and was quietly delighted not just that they were discomforted - though seeing it did give her some satisfaction - she was pleased that it had worked. Even better was that they had both gone to Madam Pomfrey for Pepper-Up Potions and returned to Potions with steam pouring out of their ears. Weasley looked like his head was on fire, and Potter just looked silly. She and Draco had both been in peals of laughter, and even Snape seemed amused by their misfortune. Neville frowned at Aurora for laughing, but she just shook her head at him. "Lighten up," she told him. "It's funny." And though for the next few days, as Potter and Weasley stopped feeling the effects of the potions, Aurora was nervous about being found out, it seemed she had gotten away with it. She couldn't brag about it, most unfortunately, but that didn't stop her from carrying a cheerful mood over the next few weeks.

The second match of Slytherin's season - against Ravenclaw - had a low turnout, whether because it came right at the end of February or because the school students were nervous about the Heir. On multiple occasions, Aurora caught Kevin Entwhistle and Michael Corner scurrying out of her way in the corridor, and heard Padma Patil and Lisa Turpin whisper nervously to one another during class. At least, she thought, having her on the Slytherin Team might intimidate the Ravenclaws enough that they'd be put off their game.

"Good luck!" she called to her team as they bounced off to their positions, leaving her to sit nervously on the bench again. Only Draco responded, waving cheerfully before he took to his broom opposite the Ravenclaw's Seeker. A pit of nerves grew in Aurora's stomach. After their defeat by Gryffindor, they needed this win to get back up in the league standings and have a chance of winning the cup again.

Ravenclaw's Team was relatively decent. They had a strong group of Chasers and their captain Davies was, while young, pretty determined about winning. Their issue was the Beaters. They seemed to be trying for aim and strategy over strength, and while Aurora didn't have anything against trying to aim well, they kept taking too long to deliberate and only managing feeble, half-hearted hits that did them no good. At least Derrick and Bole made up their minds quickly, and usually managed to divert Chasers, helping Slytherin's score tick over up to fifty to nil. Their Seeker was pretty weak too; a sixth year boy who flew aimlessly around the pitch, not even paying attention to Draco.

There was no need for the dirtier style of play they had employed against Gryffindor. Not only was their rivalry not as fierce, but they weren't up against the same force. Ravenclaw excelled in play tactics, while Gryffindor favoured raw talent, intuition, and instinctual play. Slytherin juggled both, and adjusted its style to suit. That didn't mean they couldn't play dirty, though. Derrick sent a nasty Bludger at Roger Davies' head, which he only narrowly ducked. Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw alternate, winced in sympathy on the other side of the pitch, and a moment later the score ticked to seventy-nil.

"Come on, boys!" Aurora yelled encouragingly from the sidelines, amidst the cheers of her housemates in the stands. "Keep it going!"

Draco shot her a grin as he passed, before flying off upwards in search of the Snitch again. Aurora waited with bated breath, watching the game closely. The Chasers passed between each other, but a Bludger made them scatter; the Quaffle dropped to Davies, he was soaring across the pitch, he was going to score! "No!" Aurora cried out, but it was too late, and Bletchley missed his save. "Damn it!" Seventy ten. Lee Jordan sounded entirely too pleased with himself.

"Get it together!" Flint yelled, but a few minutes later Bletchley had fumbled another save. A tactical hit from a Bludger got him in the head and he went down.

Aurora sprung to her feet as Madam Hooch blew the whistle for time out. She was going to be called into action, she knew it. Keeper wasn't her best position, but any place on the pitch was good enough for her. "Come on, Miles," Flint was saying, grunting as he hauled the Keeper back to his feet. "You can see? Move your fingers?" Bletchley nodded, blinking. "Good. He can play."

"Wait," Aurora said quickly, hurrying over. "He doesn't have to. I'm alternate, remember, I can play."

"I'm fine," Bletchley said, a little slurred.

"No you're not. Flint, I should play, I'm not injured."

Flint huffed. "He can play. He's more experienced than you - and, putting in an alternate now shows weakness."

"So does having a Keeper who can't keep his head on."

"Watch it," Bletchley said, trying to sound intimidating but failing.

Flint glared at her. "Go back to your bench, Black. We don't need you."

"But I'm the alternate! What's the point of having me if you don't use me?"

"GO!"

The look on his face was furious, just the same as Aurora's as she stormed over to her bench. Bletchley did not look good when he was in the air. He let in another three goals, almost letting Ravenclaw take the lead, before Draco went into a deep dive, having spotted the Snitch.

A cheer went up from the stands and Aurora stood up, wringing her hands nervously as she watched. Draco was flying faster, and the Ravenclaw Seeker had only just caught on; but he was soaring towards Draco, and he was already closer to the ground, putting on the speed. Aurora held her breath, hardly daring to watch as Draco clasped his hand around the Snitch and pulled up, out of his dive to triumphant yells.

"Yes!" she screamed, punching the air as her team roared in triumph. "Yes, Draco!"

He beamed as he ran over to her. "I did it! I got it! I got the Snitch!"

Aurora tackled him in a tight hug as the rest of the team ran over after landing, thumping him on the back. "Good show, Malfoy!" Flint said, ruffling his hair. "Guess we'll keep you on the team after all. Alright, boys, back to the changing rooms! Black, help the rest get the party together! We're going to get back to the top of the league, just you wait!"

She couldn't help the coil of frustration as her teammates went on without her, revelling in their victory. They wouldn't even give her a chance. If Draco hadn't caught the Snitch, Ravenclaw might have caught up with Bletchley injured like that. And she couldn't even celebrate with them.

"I'm the only girl, too." It was Cho Chang who spoke, standing a little ways behind Aurora. She turned around, quite startled. "They get on your nerves, don't they?"

"They're not so bad."

Cho laughed. "They can be." She shook her head. "They played well though. I'm going to be Seeker next year whether they like it or not."

Aurora grinned at her determination. "Well, I don't know about Seeker," she said, thinking of Draco. "But I'll be on the team, one way or another."

Cho grinned warmly. "I look forward to it."

"Chang!" Roger Davies bellowed. "Over here, team meeting, now!"

"See you later, Black."

"Yeah," Aurora said, smile slightly less bitter. "See you."

She went back to the common room alone, still thinking. If only they'd give her a chance. Yes, she was an alternate, but she had a point. And she knew that if it hadn't been for Draco, she wouldn't have even been considered but she wanted so desperately to prove that she was just as good. No. That she was better. The best. And one way or another, no matter how long it took, she was determined that she would.