Chapter 11

"Detention? Again?" Hannah said with disbelief during dinner.

Senna nodded sullenly.

"Let me guess… It wasn't your fault?"

Senna sighed. "Not entirely. It was her fault for talking during the lesson, but I'm the one that laughed."

Hannah raised her brow. "What did she say that was funny?" Hannah threw a glance toward the Slytherin table. Senna followed her gaze. Viola sat rigidly, she had been sulking since potions. Senna didn't blame her, she was a prefect, a star student who's never even gotten detention—until now. Because of Senna.

"She asked if I was the spawn of evil."

"You?" Hannah laughed, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "You're far too nice to be the spawn of evil. I think those rumors are silly."

As much as Senna appreciated the reassurance, she couldn't help but want to investigate the doubt in her eyes. The image of Snape flashed through her mind, followed by the dark mark.

Senna had heard the heard about Snape, through the minds of the students around her. He used to be a death eater, the Dark Lord's right hand man. But after he fell thirteen years ago, Snape was tried and released. Most don't buy his pledge to the side of light, and suspected he is working for the Dark Prince in Voldemort's absence. But Senna didn't know how that started the whole spawn of evil rumor.

"How did that rumor start, anyways?" Senna asked her.

Hannah shrugged, implying that she didn't know. But she did. Senna could hear it in her thoughts.

Because you're a Snape. And the Snape's are related to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

Senna spat out her pumping juice, drenching the table cloth, and several Hufflepuffs. Senna stood up without apology.

Professor Snape is related to Voldemort? Senna almost voiced this out loud, but clamped her jaw tightly shut. No, that would not be a good idea.

She ignored the Hufflepuffs grumbling in annoyance and spun around.

"Where are you going?" Hannah called after her.

But Senna ignored her and kept walking. She left the great hall, and paused. Where was she supposed to go? She was much too early for detention. She decided to go the library.

It was still early in the evening, yet the corridor windows showed nothing but black sky. Winter was on it's way in.

The sound of soft footfalls made Senna pause. She was only a few yards away from the library now. Everyone should be eating, who else would be here?

And then she remembered that this was one of the main patrol routes the Aurors took. She flattened herself against the wall, waiting for the footsteps to fade away. But they didn't. It was coming closer.

Damn. Who would she have to explain to? Dolohov? Proudfoot? Tonks?

The footsteps were only around the corner. Senna decided not to hide. That would only look more suspicious. She was allowed to visit the library during mealtime.

She stepped out into the corridor, coming face to face with Nymphadora Tonks. She was as beautiful and eccentric as always. Her hair was longer today, jet black bangs fell across her face, and the short back was spiked in every direction. Under her signature maroon cloak, she wore a form-fitting black turtleneck, and black jeans. Her eyes were a startling blue today, and looking into them made her stomach do a flip.

Tonks's face lit up in surprise and recognition. The corner of her mouth lifted into a grin, but as if catching herself, she recomposed herself and put on an indifferent expression. "Why are you not in the Great Hall like everyone else?"

The coldness in her voice made Senna's heart sink. Why was she being so stoic?

"Library. Need to catch up on studying, so I ate fast." Senna tried to make her voice cold too, but it sounded weak.

"Very well." Tonks nodded and continued forward.

When she passed, Senna's heart gave a desperate lurch. She should say something. Anything.

"Tonks?" Senna said tentatively.

Tonks didn't answer, but she stopped walking.

"What's wrong?" Senna asked.

"Nothing." She said casually.

"Did I do something to upset you? Why are you acting like this?"

"Acting like what?"

A feather of anger ran down Senna's chest. So she was going pretend that nothing was wrong?

"Like you hate me now." She said in a low voice.

"I don't hate you, Senna." A bit of softness returned to her voice. She turned around to face Senna. "I just have a job to do, and can't afford distractions. I thought you'd understand."

Senna understood. She and Tonks had spent a good portion of that night last week crying and making out while she was supposed to be on patrol. And last weekend, she had tried to steal Tonks's time at Hogsmeade. But Tonks could've refused.

She understood, but it still hurt. Those few, stolen moments had been happier and more powerful than anything else in the last sixteen years.

She thought back to Tonks's embrace. How it had warmed her very soul. How her kiss set a flame raging through her body. How her skin felt so good under her hands. Impossibly good.

And she wanted those things again.

She exposed a part of herself to her that she had never shared with anyone. Her tears. Her personal demons. And with that, she manage to invest a piece of herself with Tonks, without even realizing it. And now, no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't take it back.

"I see." Senna tried to sound unaffected, but she sounded pretty glum—even to herself. "Don't let me hold you up. Have a good night."

Senna walked away, rounding the last corner and entering the library. She dug up Chasing Magical Tournaments from its hiding spot, between two shelves, and opened it up. She tried her best to distract her mind with a flood of useful information, but was unable to concentrate.

Damn it. She had always been able to drown her sorrows in books. But Hogwarts was doing strange things to her.

At 7:45, Senna closed the book, hid it in its hiding place, and left to meet her appointment. A knot of dread tightened in the pit of her stomach. This was her second offense, so detention was bound to be worse. She hoped she didn't have to gut frogs like Lee Jordan. She also felt a pang of guilt. Its was partially her fault that Viola no longer had a perfect track record. She didn't like Viola, but she was still human.

She spotted the mane silky of red curls as she approached Snape's office. Viola didn't look at her or acknowledge her arrival in any way. They both stood silently, waiting at Snape's door.

Viola seemed to be trying very hard to clear her mind of all thought and emotion—the first step to beginner occlumency. No doubt to keep Senna out. This was good. Senna was getting tired of hearing her vicious thoughts.

They both jumped when the office door swung open.

Snape stuck his head out to glare at them both, his face contorted in a scowl. "Look at what we have here," he sneered, "The two most competent potion students in detention. I must say that I am disappointed." He turned his gaze to Viola whose cheeks were red with shame. "Especially you. It is most unusual for you to act up."

Viola stared at her shoes.

"Inside, both of you." He commanded.

They both scampered inside.

Snape pointed to the two chairs on the other side of his desk. "Lines. You will write I will refrain from disrupting the classroom."

"How many times?" Senna asked him.

"Until I tell you to stop." Snape snapped.

Senna and Viola took their seats and picked up their quills. Senna was relieved. It could have definitely been worse. She's heard rumors about his detentions. They said he'd sent people into the forbidden forest to pick toxic flowers, made students dig through dung piles with their bare hands to find tubber worms, and used them as guinea pigs to test out new and deadly potions he'd invented. The first two seemed likely, but that last one was probably made up. She hoped.

Viola scribbled the words angrily across the page. Senna felt like snape was watching her, but she dare not look.

It was not until a half-an-hour later when Senna risked a peek towards Snape. And she was right about the feeling she had. Snape was staring at her intently, an unreadable expression on his face.

He promptly looked away upon getting caught.

This struck Senna as strange. This was the second time. During her last detention, she swore he'd been staring at her the whole time too.

It wasn't at all strange to have men staring at her. She was used to it. She had gotten drooling stares from men since puberty. But this wasn't one of those stares. It was almost like there was something about her that unnerved him. She was tempted to ask, but she doubted he would answer her truthfully. Maybe he believed in the rumors, believed she was a freak. An abnormality.

But what was it? Why did he watch her like a bomb about to explode?

A frantic pounding on the door broke the silence. The sound made the three of them jump in their chairs. Snape quickly rose and glided to the door. When he opened it, professor Flitwick literally fell into his office, panting.

"Death Eaters Severus. At least five of them." He panted. "One Auror down, and we don't have—"

"Stay here." He called over his shoulder at the two girls, interrupting Flitwick's words. Then he bounded out of the room, following Flitwick into the dark corridor. His office door swung shut, and an eerie silence followed.

One Auror down…

Oh God. The image of Tonks's beautiful face came into her mind. She was grinning, her eyes alight with a mischievous playfulness.

Not her. Anyone but her.

Another image infiltrated her mind. One where Tonks was lying on the ground, cold and unmoving. Her hair was a dull, mousey brown. Her eyes, distant and staring. No more grin. No more vivid hair.

Senna didn't miss a beat. She was on her feet propelling herself towards the door—but a hand caught her around the wrist. It was Viola's hand.

She stared down at it in disbelief.

"Let go of me." Senna growled.

"No." Viola hissed.

"Now." Senna's voice was low and dangerous. A dozen different hexes went through her mind. What was she going to use on this girl?

Viola wrapped her hand tighter. "We're supposed to stay here."

Senna, not having the patience to argue with Viola, yanked her hand backwards as hard as she could. Senna had to hand it to her—she had quite the grip. Instead of breaking free, Senna managed to wrench Viola from her chair, and sending her into the shelves on the other side of the office. She landed with a thud and a gasp, sending the contents of the shelves onto the floor. Ingredient jars dropped like Christmas ornaments, shattering on the floor. A pang of guilt shot threw her. That looked like it hurt. She was sometimes unaware of her own strength.

"Sorry," Senna said quickly, "I didn't mean to throw you, but i've got a friend out there, and she might be hurt. I have too—"

Have to what? Senna didn't have a plan, but she wasn't going to waste any more time here. Tonk's was out there, and if she wasn't dead yet, she was going to do everything she could to keep it that way.

She threw one last apologetic glance towards Viola, who was leaning against the wall, clutching her side. A flash of emotions funneled through her green eyes. Anger, as always. Viola never seemed to run out of that emotion. But there was also fear. Fear of the danger to come.

And fear for Senna. Because Senna was about to do something reckless and dangerous. That's why she didn't let go. She was afraid. For her.

Senna shook her head. That was stupid. Viola absolutely loathed Senna. Her legilimency must be misfiring.

Without another backward glance, Senna open the office door and bounded into the night.