Having gone to Gringotts to transfer some galleons into muggle money, Lena went shopping for some nicer muggle clothes and a backpack that she then charmed to the top with extension charms and anti-thief charms, before applying to the cafe that was a bit of a walk from the orphanage.

She didn't mind the walk though, the brisk mornings and cool nights almost calming in a way- as Jack always used to tell her she herself was the scariest thing that was hiding in the darkness, and it was true now, magic pooling at her fingertips.

Lena was put on the cash register at first, but it seemed that her inability to smile on command forced the woman who owned the place to teach her to make the drinks, having her work with that and getting people their food. Though most days she just bussed tables and enjoyed the music that was played in the background.

During this time she also had a mandrake leaf stuck to the top of her mouth with a powerful sticking charm, and other than the slightly weird taste it left in her mouth she learned to ignore it.

The next full moon, she spat the leaf into a glass vial that was under the moon's rays shining into her cramped room- before adding a hair from her head, a silver teaspoon of dew that had not seen sunlight or been touched by human feet for seven days, and the chrysalis of a Death's-head Hawk Moth.

Then she stored the potion away in her trunk to wait for the next electrical storm.

Luckily enough, one such storm struck half a week later on a hot summer day when she had nothing to do but sit around, as she wasn't working.

Her newest secret?

She was an animagus… though it, admittedly, had taken a bit of work and more practice into occlumency from the book that Vlad had given her the year before.

Bussing tables, hair piled in two buns like ears with a black apron skirt over her simple dark green shirt, she heard her name being called. Balancing the plates she was trying to carry with a bit of help from her magic, she turned only to pause and blink at where a tall boy with a smirk on his lips who was wearing a fitted suit was strolling her way.

Rolling her eyes, she gave the boy a look and then moved to put the plates in the back, the woman who owned the place- Miss Stacy- following her. "Who's that boy Lena? He was asking after you and he looked really relieved to hear you worked here."

"We're friends from boarding school."

The woman peaked out to the front, presumably looking at where Janus was standing- looking out of place in his formal attire. "Well, he's cute. Take a break and go talk to him. He'll draw in customers if he stays."

Lena raised an eyebrow at the woman, who just shooed her out. Snorting, she washed her hands and moved out to give the older boy a half-smile. "I heard that you've been looking for me."

"Blaise and I both. I already told him that I would look into this cafe while he went to the one down the block, so he should be by soon." Janus Carr frowned at her slightly, crossing his arms and pretending to be upset with seeing her when she could see the playful look in his eyes. "You didn't owl them. Or me."

"Oh… didn't I?" She hummed, grabbing the small plate of botched pastries that Stacy's husband set aside for her and waving the boy to a small booth. "Must have slipped my mind. Just like mentioning that I'm not going back to Hogwarts."

His eyes widened. "What?"

Two more people sat down with them, Blaise next to her and Theo next to Janus. "We might have forgotten to tell him."

"Just like he forgot to mention Theo was with you?" She smirked and bumped shoulders with Blaise. "It's good to see you three."

"Wait! Hold up!" Janus held up his hands, looking as if his world-view had been offended. "Lena, you can't just- You have to go back! You haven't even taken your OWLs yet! Or- or had a decent defense Professor!"

She raised an eyebrow. "I liked Quirrell."

""No one else did."" Blaise and Theo both snarked back at the same time, the Italian boy grabbing a pastry with a smirk.

Lena huffed softly. "I know that you all care and I appreciate you coming to see me, but I'm not going back when I'm not wanted there. Last year made it extremely clear that I'll get blamed for anything the other houses want and I just-… I told Dumbledore, but I'd rather not have all my good memories of Hogwarts be tainted."

Janus frowned. "Then… why don't you make new, better memories as you go?"

"Sorry." She stood up, then pushed the plate of pastries towards them. "I don't know that I can."

She really should have known better when she thought that would be the end of it.

Slytherins were horribly persistent when they wanted to be.

It started with Ginny, who showed up with her dad (who gaped at everything and made her explain exactly how she made his drink), sitting down and having coffee.

Janus and Gemma Farley became regulars, as apparently, the Ministry was close by, and with them sometimes came familiar older students or even Lords and Ladies in fancy clothes.

Marcus then showed up, one time dragging the whole Quidditch team along, and even Daphne smirked at her as she sauntered in with Blaise and Theo every once and awhile.

Though it was Madame Zabini, Lady Greengrass, and Lady Malfoy- all dressed in elegant dresses and giving her nods- that broke the camel's back.

"What in the seven hells? I thought you were an orphan?" Stacy hissed at her with wide eyes, staring at the three women. "How- how do you know them and- and all those rich people that keep coming in?"

"I… I used to be the head of a... group or- uh- club at my boarding school. Most of them were either in that club or have kids that are in the club now. Janus, the guy who always gives me shit about going back to school? He used to be head of the organization-thing."

The woman looked at her, shaking her head. "You're crazy for leaving, but whatever. Go serve those ladies… they're scaring everyone else."

Nodding, she walked over to the group and flipped out a small notepad. "What can I get you today, Ladies? Madame?"

Madame Zabini hummed softly, studying her. "You've gotten even more stunning since I last saw you. Now if you would just smile…" The woman waved her hand when Lena's eyes narrowed slightly, chuckling. "Ah, but that's alright. What do you recommend, dear?"

"I recommend you go shove-..." Taking a deep breath, she let her irritation go and just gave a thin smile. "If you like coffee, then that's a favorite, but if not then the chai is excellent. And if you are eating, then a popular choice is the cherry tart."

Sharing amused glances, Miss Malfoy nodded to her. "Three cups of chai then."

"Please tell me you have money that's not galleons." She raised an eyebrow.

Madame Zabini grinned toothily. "Don't worry dear. After my son's mishap, I made sure the ladies knew to prepare beforehand."

Nodding, she turned to go make the drinks, coming back a bit later to set the three mugs and a small plate with three tarts down in front of the women. "A treat on me for three Alumni of my house."

"Your house?" Lady Greengrass tilted her head.

Lena just smiled conspiratorially and moved to buss a few tables, ignoring the eyes on her as she worked, cleaning up and just generally minding her own business.

It went on like that for much of the summer, though as it got closer to the school year, fewer students showed up and Janus got more consistent with his lectures- as did she with diverting them.

Lena was running a bit late to her shift and she apologized to Stacy as she moved into the back to throw on her apron. "What can I do? Where do you want me to-"

"Lena. Breathe." Miss Stacy smiled. "A kindly old man has been waiting for you and even bought you breakfast, so go sit with him for a few. We're not that busy right now… Though is he a monk or something? What's with his clothes?"

Suspicion curling in her stomach, she peered out, sighing deeply when she saw Dumbledore sitting at a table in the corner. "He's… very old and doesn't understand modern fashion." Smirking when the woman laughed, she moved to sit in the empty seat across from the man.

They were both silent for a second, the old Headmaster watching her as he sipped a cup of tea.

"And here I thought that our talks were over."

Dumbledore smiled at her. "Not yet my dear. I hear from a few of my students that there's a young lady in this lovely place that makes wonderful teas, so I came to offer her a place at Hogwarts."

"I left."

The man looked at her with kind eyes over his glasses, smiling slightly. "And yet you didn't take the bracelet off and give it back." His voice was soft, unassuming, but she still flinched back slightly before catching herself.

Bringing her hand to the silver bracelet, she took it off slowly. "I-… I forgot." Then with great reluctance, she held it out to the man. "Take it, if it matters so much."

"I didn't come for it. I came because a man escaped Azkaban. Peter Pettegrew is his name and he was one of the spies for… Tom. He was the man that betrayed the Potters in fact." The old man took a sip of his tea and hummed as if he was just telling a story and not recounting what most wizards considered an extremely dark time in Britain's history. "The school, as the Minister has decreed, will be subject to Dementors prowling the grounds."

Lena snorted. "More of a reason not to go back."

Dumbledore smiled at her. "Is it? Severus and Mr. Carr have told me about what you have done for the House of Slytherin-"

"What? Torment it?"

"No, my dear. Save it. Severus told me about your protection of the students, your deal with the house-elves, and even of your little book club. Mr. Carr told me what Severus did not. Staying up late to reassure your pears, providing safety and a familial environment…" The man took another drink of tea, blue eyes knowing as he watched her. "Would you care if the mere presence of those creatures makes all your work for naught?"

She wouldn't-

Couldn't-

And yet… she knew exactly who of her house would be most affected and who wouldn't want to speak to Snape because they didn't like asking for help from authority figures. She knew who would pretend like everything was fine and bottle it all up like they'd been doing before she'd become Queen. She knew that the house- her House- would indeed diminish under the influence of the foul creatures.

And didn't that thought- the thought of having what she'd put almost two years of her life into building falling apart because of a few stupid dark creatures just piss her off...

Her hands clenched tightly and she glared at the table. "You're manipulating me."

"I am offering a scope of possibilities, my dear, though I am sorry if it seems this new information has put you in a choice you don't want to make." Dumbledore put down his teacup, looking at her with a sad smile. "I just came here to offer this: keep the bracelet. If you make it to the Welcoming Feast this year, your position as Assistant Staff will be renewed. If you do not… it will just be a bracelet."

Watching as the man stood up and wrapped a brightly colored blue shawl around his purple robes, she offered up a slightly stiff smile and reached in her pocket to pull out a peppermint candy. "Thank you for your patience."

Dumbledore smiled widely at the words he'd spoken to her the year before. "Thank you..." He switched the candies with a wink. "For your trust." Walking a bit away, the man looked back. "Oh and that means all of the Welcoming Feast, should you wish to make an entrance."

Lena just nodded.

With a smile, the man ambled out into the light of the day cheerfully.

They both knew what she would inevitably choose, even if she would pretend she still had yet to make up her mind.

There was a reason that she'd gotten the third-year books at the beginning of the summer and had been to the Knockturn Alley bookshop more than a few times, even if she had tried to pretend there wasn't.

"It's fine! I'll be fine!" Charlie's mom batted away Sirius from where he was fussing over her as if a worried parent, crossing her arms and glaring at the man. "You and Remus will see me during the weekends I expect and I'll be fine without you two hovering over me. Now get your butts in gear and get through that floo before I curse you to lose all your hair!"

Remus winked down at Charlie, both smirking softly at his mum's temper.

Sirius, however, cringed back slightly but refused to give up on his nit-picking. "Okay but you know that we'll be writing as much as we can, right? And I'm sure if this old house gets too big that Molly or Amelia would be more than happy to have you over… and if you wanted you could always meet us in Hogsmeade…"

"We're worried." Remus summarised easily, smiling softly at his mum. "And we know it's only nine months, but we haven't been apart that long since…"

"I know." Lily Potter softened, moving to draw the three of them into her arms, placing a kiss to Charlie's forehead as she did. "But I'll be alright. Molly and Amelia both already threatened to storm the Manor if I didn't check in with both of them at least once a week… But I'll miss you."

The four of them hugged tighter, words of love and caring muttered to each other-

But all Charlie could think of was Lena, who would never know what having a family of more than one person felt like.