Here it is! Okay, I hope to publish at least one more chapter before I go on holidays. I'll be gone for five weeks and even though I will be able to write and I will have internet connection, I do want to spend some time with my family do I don't know how often I'll update. I only see them a few weeks a year, after all. :/ Anyway, I hope you guys like it so please review if you do. And review if you don't too. I don't mind. I don't even mind flames as long as it's something.

"We'll be at Flourish and Blotts, girls." Mrs Parkinson smiled, running her fingers through Pansy's hair as they exited Twilfit and Tattings.

Pansy, Daphne and Anna nodded and walked away. Or rather, Anna walked away and Daphne and Pansy followed without making it seem too obvious. Pansy didn't really mind following Anna around anymore. Granted, at the beginning it had been annoying seeing as she always kept them in the dark about stuff, but after second year Pansy started to think that maybe being kept in the dark wasn't such a bad thing. Anna did things that were supposed to be kept a secret, dangerous things that most people would probably frown upon. The less Pansy knew the less she could let slip accidentally. And as long as she helped Anna with whatever she was planning, Anna would remember it and keep her around. Pansy wasn't stupid. Anna might have been her friend but that didn't mean that she would do all she was doing just for friendship. There were things for her to gain, mostly safety, and those were important things to her. She was sure it was the same for Daphne.

So when Anna had whispered to them in the changing room that she had to do something without their mothers finding out, they hadn't hesitated in kicking up a fuss about wanting to explore for themselves. Anna had said she'd tag along with them.

Anna walked a few more minutes before pulling them to a small corner where they could talk. Diagon Alley was crowded this time of year, even after the Death Eater attack, and they could barely see the shops through the thick mass off colorful clothing. The air was filled with voices and different smells that wafted from the open doors and windows. They could barely hear themselves think in the midst of that, let alone hear what she had to say. The three girls stood pressed up against each other in the corner.

"We're going to Knockturn Alley." Anna indicated. "To a bookshop called Obscurus Books. Try to not attract too much attention."

Before they could nod she walked on, her grip tight around their wrists tight as she weaved through the crowd. In no time at all they turned got to the slim, dark entrance. With just one glance over her shoulder she hurried into the dark alley. Pansy had never been here before, she was not allowed, and she could feel cold shivers crawling up her spine. The temperature had dropped drastically from the sun-covered, crowded Diagon Alley and her eyes were narrowed trying to see through the dark. It was almost like there was a spell on the alley to turn everything dark, to let no sunlight in.

Suddenly Anna stopped and Daphne and Pansy almost crashed into her. They looked over her shoulder to see a dark, dilapidated wooden door with carved letters that could barely be made out to be the words 'Obscurus Books'. Without hesitation Anna let go of them and turned the handle on the door, whispering lowly 'Stay with me.' before going in.

The shop was dark, barely lit by the few candles floating around and with no windows. The large space was filled with rows and rows of bookshelves that reached the ceiling, carrying dusty tomes that looked like no one had touched them in decades. The floorboards were bare and scratched and dusty. Before them was a path made between the bookshelves that seemed to go all the way to the back of the shop but the darkness was too thick and they couldn't make it out.

Anna walked forwards and they stuck to her side like glue. It didn't seem like she was frightened, but they couldn't imagine how she could manage that. The place was beyond chilling.

As she walked forwards the candles in the shop followed them, lighting the way to a desk which was also covered by thick books, and thick purple curtains covered the wall behind it. Anna stopped in front of it and cleared her throat.

"Agatha." She called, her voice soft but carrying all the way through the empty shop.

Seconds ticked by but Anna didn't seem worried as she passed a finger over the dusty desk and raised an eyebrow at the grime stuck to her skin.

"Yes?"

Pansy jumped as her eyes registered the person who had just appeared in front of them. The curtain behind her swayed without a sound. The person was a woman, or had been at some point. Her face was wrinkled and her skin seemed to be sliding off her face, which was covered by the dark woolen hood of the thick robes she was wearing, even in this heat. Her hair was ashen and thin, just like her eyes. Her eyes were so light Pansy would have thought she was blind if it weren't for how she was staring at Anna in a shocked stupor.

"Miss Lestrange." She whispered, still looking the girl up and down. "You've grown. You look a lot like your mother."

Anna pursed her lips, not startled at her sudden appearance. "So I've been told. I'm looking for a book on... a certain topic that was in the last book I bought. Sadly, it didn't have enough information on the subject."

"I see." The old woman, Agatha, said and looked away to the dark shelves. "And what topic might that be?"

"Horcruxes." Annabelle muttered, just loudly enough to be understood.

Agatha's eyes turned to her, wide in shock, and then she looked back to the shelves. "I'm afraid I must see if I have any, I am not sure." She moved a hand to the curtains behind her. "You're welcome to wait; it will only take a second."

Anna started to walk around the desk but Pansy grabbed her wrist and stopped her. She had a bad feeling about this place and the woman made a knot form in her stomach. But Anna just frowned at her, her jaw visibly tightening as she twisted her wrist out of Pansy's grasp and walked to the curtains. Pansy swallowed and turned to Daphne, who was looking at the curtains -that had already closed behind their friend- with equal apprehension, but at Agatha's weird staring they hurried after Anna.

They found her sitting in a high-backed armchair with a cup of something in her hand, staring into the lit fire. On closer inspection it was steaming tea that she was drinking. They sat in similar chairs and looked around the nearly empty, dusty room. Other than the damp stains on the ceiling, the cobwebs in the corner, the table with teacups and a teapot there was nothing else. Even the fireplace was devoid of anything other than the few logs already burning. There was another door, small and dirty, in the furthest corner from the curtains.

"Anna?" Daphne whispered.

Anna turned to her, sipping the tea and raising an eyebrow questioningly.

"Should you be drinking that?" Pansy asked. "How do you know it's safe?"

Anna shrugged and swallowed. "Agatha is a friend... maybe not a friend, but I know her. I've known her since before I knew either of you. Or Draco, for that matter." She shrugged again. "I trust her just like I trust you."

Daphne opened her mouth to protest but instead a small squeak escaped her as Agatha appeared suddenly again. Anna just turned to the old woman expectantly.

"I'm afraid, miss Lestrange, that I do not have any books on your desired topic." She said, careful to avoid the word, and placed a wrinkle, long-fingered hand on Anna's shoulder. "Those books are very rare but so are most of the books in the Lestrange library. Or so I've heard."

"I see." She said. Then she smiled and stood, handing Agatha her cup. She grabbed the small leather pouch in the purse that hung from her shoulder and took out ten Galleons. She grabbed Agatha's free hand and put the coins on her palm, closing the long fingers around them. "For your cooperation and discretion, Agatha. I hope to be welcome whenever I need to be."

The old woman twisted her face into what could be interpreted as a smile and lowered her head. "Of course, miss Lestrange. Any time."

Anna turned to her friends and motioned for them to follow. As they left the shop Pansy couldn't help but be grateful for being left in the dark. There were some things she didn't want to be part of just yet.

It had to be here somewhere. Anna expanded the light her wand provided as her eyes travelled over the spines of the dozens of books on that particular bookshelf. It had been two weeks since her trip to visit Agatha and every day she would pick out one of the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in the Lestrange library, pick the books which might contain information on Horcruxes and leaf through them. It took her all afternoon, she sometimes even missed dinner. Aunt Narcissa and Uncle Lucius didn't say anything. she didn't know if it was because they had rather she was occupied than asking questions about why they had done what they did in the World Cup or because they didn't want to know what she was up to. As long as she was in Lestrange Manor nothing could happen to her, after all, so they didn't really have to know. Draco was upset that she wouldn't tell him what she was up to, but after she let him tag along one day he had stopped asking. Now instead of staying in the library with her he just explored the mansion until it was time for dinner where he would drag her to the fireplace to take the Floo network to Malfoy Manor. He insisted she shouldn't miss meals though she couldn't see the big deal. This was important.

Sometimes she took breaks and went to her nursery, but she couldn't spend much time there without feeling wretched. It had to be a combination of the fact that she wanted to make her parents proud but not wanting to do what she was doing, which would make her parents proud, which she wanted. Her head hurt by just thinking about it.

One time she had gone to the gardens, or what remained of them. The roses had grown into huge hedges that reached all the way to the second floor. That happened in ten years, it seemed. And all the marble statues and other lawn ornaments were covered is moss and other weeds and it just upset her to see everything in that state. So she locked herself up in the library and focused on her research.

She had to know. Potter was a Horcrux too. So how many horcruxes had he made? How many could be made? Did this give them a connection other than the obvious 'I trust you lets be best friends' feeling they had gotten? Because... that hadn't actually... felt bad. To be completely honest.

With a sigh she picked the last potential book off the shelf and descended the ladder to the shoulder-high pile of books. With slight apprehension she started leafing through them. One had tried to bite her once, and it was not calmed by stroking the spine like last year's book.

Hours later, the sun had set and her head was throbbing as a result of the piercing light of her wand, but that was all forgotten when she found a loose page in a dark arts book from the fifteenth century. The paper was crumpled and slightly burned around the edges and it was folded and of a different texture than the book, but she could still read the words.

Of most inventions, the horcrux is the most mysterious and dark. The act of dividing one's soul permanently damages one's self and only true remorse can piece it back together. However, it has been found that for these souls remorse is nearly impossible. If remorse can be found in the ashes of that heart, the pain might kill them all the same.

Anna already knew this, along with the paragraph that followed on the destruction of horcruxes. Her eyes scanned the page and then turned it. There she found more.

The containers for the fragments must be chosen carefully. Living containers are not advised as traits of the soul will start to invade the living host's mind. If multiple horcruxes are made -and the limit is not known, only that the more there are the less human the original becomes- a living host might sense other horcruxes. It is not known what two living hosts might feel towards each other, it is not known to have happened.

Anna groaned. Not known to have happened. Well fuck. And how did it take so long for this feeling to manifest, huh? Was it contact? Or did time just need to pass for her horcrux to take full... effect?

"I trust you found what you were looking for?" Aunt Narcissa whispered as she kissed Anna on the cheek.

Anna shook her head. "In a way."

Uncle Lucius stroked her hair and nodded. "Be careful this year."

Both Anna and Draco nodded. He grabbed both trunks and headed towards the train, looking over his shoulder to make sure she was following. She smiled at him and he returned it as he handed the trunks over to Greg and Vince, who took them and boarded the train without a word. Anna didn't say anything about it. If they didn't want to do it, they should just speak up about it.

As they were walking down the train, looking for the compartment their friends were supposed to be keeping for them, Draco stopped by an open door. Anna looked over his shoulder, only to find Harry staring back at her, as if he didn't hear Draco insulting his best friend.

Weasley was red in the face as he stuffed a fabric back into his trunk. At that, Harry seemed to register Draco's words.

"A father and a brother in the Ministry and you don't even know?" Her cousin was scoffing.

"Oh, shut it, Malfoy." He snapped, scowling darkly at the blond boy.

Draco was about to retort when she grabbed his arm. He looked at her startled, she usually stayed out of his arguments with the scarhead.

"Drop it, Draco." She said, loud enough for Harry to hear. "They're not worth your breath."

Draco studied her carefully, not saying anything.

"Besides," She continued. "I'm not feeling well. Could we just get to the compartment and sit down?"

At that Draco nodded, giving her a worried look that filled her with shame. Without a glance at the three people in the compartment he turned around and walked away with her hand in his. Anna caught Harry's eye just before the door slammed. As they walked away she heard Weasley yelling.

"Not worth his breath?!"

"She didn't mean it, Ron." Harry answered.

Anna couldn't hear the rest but somehow the shame in her stomach lessened.

At the start of term feast, Anna sat between Draco and Theo, idly listening to their discussion on possible candidates for the Hogwarts champion while she ate her pudding.

"What do you think, Anna?" Theo asked.

She looked up at him and shrugged. "I'm not particularly interested, though I doubt it'll be a Slytherin."

"How so?"

"We work best in the shadows. Taking part in a tournament in which you could die, or be humiliated, is not exactly a self-preserving way to gain fame. We're not so reckless that we'll take such a large risk and any Slytherins that do decide to take it will not be our best. Therefor, Slytherins will probably not be chosen." She kept on eating.

"Well you just took all the fun out of it." Draco pouted.

"Don't pout, Draco. You look like a child." She mumbled.

He rolled his eyes. "See what I have to deal with, Theo? You don't want to have to deal with it."

Theo chuckled. "I think I'll be the judge of that."

Before Draco could answer Professor Dumbledore stood and the whole Hall went quiet.

"So! Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention while I give a few notices." He started, coming to stand in front of the teachers' table. "Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it."

From where they sat, he seemed to be smiling about it, like the whole 'forbidden objects' was a joke. He fixed his turquoise robes and continued: "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year."

He looked around. "It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

The Great Hall erupted in scandalized exclamations. Beside Anna, Draco grumbled about the development. He knew it was going to happen, all the students that knew about the Tournament did, but he was still complaining. She rolled her eyes; there was simply no pleasing him.

After silencing the students with a small raise of his eyebrows, the old professor kept talking. "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts -"

His speech was cut off by the loud rumbling of thunder coming from the ceiling. Dark clouds had amassed over them, small rays of lightning twitching between them and a small drizzle started to fall, that dried up before it reached their heads.

With an earth shattering crash, the doors to the Great Hall slammed open and revealed a hunched over man standing on the threshold. He walked towards the teachers' table and the clunking of a wooden leg echoed in the stunned hall. His hair was grey and matted with rain and his face was deformed, as if he had been hit by far too many curses. A chunk of his nose was missing and his left eye had been replaced by a fake, startlingly blue one. This eye was zooming around in its socket, studying every face in the room.

He limped up to Dumbledore, who whispered something to him, shook his hand and motioned towards the empty DADA teacher's chair.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" said Dumbledore brightly into the silence. "Professor Moody."

Everyone else clapped dazedly, but Anna kept staring at the ragged man. No more words reached her as she couldn't take her eyes off him. Mad-eye Moody. Uncle Lucius had said he was one of the most famous aurors in... well, ever. So why... could she feel a Dark Mark on him? It wasn't even that she was sure there was a Dark Mark it was like... she could feel one but it wasn't on him, like it was hidden or muted or... vanished? But she could still feel it. From this distance it was barely a hum in the back of her head but if she got closer maybe she could figure it out. And if it was a Dark Mark, what was Moody doing with one? He was one of Dumbledore's best pals, there was no way Moody had a Dark Mark.

Anna watched with raised eyebrows as Hagrid brought out crates filled with nasty-smelling creatures which she was in no way interest in how to keep. She let out a disgusted sound and turned away, only to find Theo looking at her with amusement in his eyes, only for that to vanish as he stepped closer.

"Are you alright?" He whispered, pressing a hand to her forehead. "You're flushed."

Anna closed her eyes. His cold hand felt good against her face. Alright, maybe she was in a particularly bad mood because she was feeling light headed. And there was a slight nausea too.

"Not really." She whispered back. Her eyes snapped open as she swayed, but he steadied her by grabbing her shoulders. He studied her, a worried frown marring his features.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Light headed. Nausea. Why?"

"You've got a slight fever."

She sighed. This couldn't be happening. "I need to get to Pomphrey."

"Is it that bad?" Theo asked, wrapping an arm around her waist and leading her towards Hagrid, who was still talking, even though she could still walk by herself. She wasn't feeling that bad. But she wasn't complaining as she felt him gently rub his thumb over her waist through the fabric of her robe.

"Remember first year?" She asked.

"Yeah?"

"It's starting to feel like that."

He hissed.

"Professor?" She called out.

Hagrid turned to them and watched as Theo helped her forwards. His arm around her waist made a few mutters arise in the crowd of students and she definitely heard Draco splutter something, but he just led her to the gigantic man.

"I'm not feeling too well." She said. "Could I go to the Hospital Wing?" She asked.

"Yeh. Yeh, sure Connors. Nott'll take yah, right?"

"Yes, sir." Theo said, never having called Hagrid sir before, and hurriedly helped her to the Hospital Wing.

The halls were empty as they walked, seeing as everybody was in class, but the paintings looked at them curiously. A few even called out questions, which they promptly ignored. Every step they took caused her head to spin. Granted, it was far from being as bad as in her first year, but it was still decidedly unpleasant. Particularly when she felt the bile stirring in her stomach as she remembered the last time she had vomited. After the horcrux... yeah. No, she was not looking forward to this.

It wasn't a long trip to the Hospital Wing and in a very short time, Theo was holding the door open with one hand and helping her inside with the other.

"Madam Pomphrey?" He called out.

A clattering sound was heard from the office and the door opened, revealing a plump woman wearing a white dress and a white apron. Her face twisted into confusion as she saw Anna leaning on him. She hadn't been here since first year.

"I'm not feeling well, madam. It's almost like first year again." Anna said.

"Oh dear." Madam Pomphey uttered, hurrying forwards to help Anna to a bed. She bustled the young girl into a lying position and turned to hurry back into her office. "You can go, Nott!" She called over the shoulder.

Theo frowned and turned to Anna. "No."

She sighed. She was not in the mood for this. "Theo, please go back to class. After that you can take my stuff and I'll meet you in the common room."

He shook his head. "No."

"Yes." She insisted and grabbed Theo's hand. Not thinking about her actions she gave it a squeeze. "Please."

For a few seconds he just stared at her before caving. "Alright. Can you get back to the common room by yourself?"

"If I can't madam Pomphrey will just keep me here."

He nodded and left, looking back a few times before closing the doors behind him.

"That's a worried friend you have there, Connors." Madam Pomphrey commented as she came back carrying a book. Her eyes were fixed on the text as she set the thick tome down and drew her wand.

"Alright. Is there any nausea?"

"Yes."

"Dizziness?"

"Uhuh."

"Fever?"

"Theo said so."

"Head-aches?"

"Not yet, but I feel one coming on."

The matron nodded and started mumbling a long spell which Anna couldn't follow. Gold and orange streams of light started flowing over her, on and on in the same pattern, and she couldn't for the life of her figure out what they were supposed to mean.

Fifteen minutes later, Madam Pomphrey stopped mumbling and set her wand down. With it, the lights disappeared and Anna, who had closed her eyes sometime after the first three minutes, opened her eyes again. The woman helped her sit up and then proceeded to turn her head to the sides, studying her carefully. While she was doing this she started explaining.

"It seems as though your magical core has gotten familiarized with the potion Professor Snape is providing you with. Your core is slowly eroding the barrier the potion creates and the magic around you is slowly, but surely, getting through. If this goes on for much longer the potion will be completely useless."

"And I'll die?" Anna asked, dreading the answer.

"Ultimately, yes."

The girl drew a shaky breath. "What's going to be done about that?"

"For now, you'll have to take two doses instead of one while Professor Snape figures out a way to make it more potent."

"And what?" Anna snapped, anger washing over her. "I'll have to keep increasing the dosage of the potion for the rest of my life?"

"I'm afraid so." Madam Pomphrey admitted, a small tone of sadness lacing her words.

Bile rose up Anna's throat, and that wasn't because of the magic. "Alright." She mumbled. "Could you not tell anyone, please?"

"I have to tell the Headmaster and your Head of House."

Anna groaned. "Fine. Can I go now?"

Pomphrey nodded. "But remember to take a double dose tomorrow."

"Sure."

Anna hurried out of the Hospital Wing. She was finding it hard to breathe and her hands were shaking. A bitter laugh escaped her and she forced herself to straighten up and walk to a window. There she took several deep breaths, trying to slow down the rapid breathing of her heart. She didn't feel like going back to class, least of all to attend Ancient Runes after lunch. Actually, she wasn't hungry either. She wanted to go to sleep now, to sleep and for this nausea and muted pain to vanish. If she was going to bring the Dark Lord back she had better do it quick. She was running out of time.

With a heavy sigh she pushed off and walked to the Slytherin Dungeon, not being able to help the way her feet dragged. It seemed that after getting up her dizziness had only increased. She hated this. She had to do something. But where to start?

Anna was so lost in thought that she didn't hear the heavy clunking coming her way from around the corner and suddenly she was barreled over and she found herself on the ground, staring up and whoever had knocker her down. A brown and an electric blue eye were staring down at her.

"Alright kid?" Two rough hands reached down and grabbed her forearms, pulling her to her feet.

As a reflex her hands grabbed his arms to steady herself. When her hand made contact with his left arm she knew. Even through so many layers of clothing and whatever else was covering it in order to mute it so much, she could feel the Dark Mark. Her eyes widened as she stared at him.

"Get to your class." He growled, his blue eyes still whizzing over her as if it were going mad, and moved past her, not even looking back. At least not that she could see.

Anna put a hand on the wall to steady herself and took a deep breath. She looked back over her shoulder to where... Moody... had disappeared. Well, that was a good place to start.