There was nothing but fire, eating its way through every single atom in her body, and a voice.

"He will suffer for this."

Who? Who would suffer? And why for this?

The voice was soft, smooth like the hand that she felt brush away her hair, the touch soothing against the fire in her veins. "Even as I know that this was done by your own hand, for a reason I will never understand… You should never have been hurt. Never."

Why? Why do you care?

"I will see you again, as I promised."

Something clicked in her brain, like the last puzzle piece falling into place.

Riddle? Tom?

Wait…

Come back...

When she finally woke, the fire having dimmed, she jerked out of bed and limped determinedly to the door of the infirmary while looking around wildly for Tom.

"Whoa there girlie- you should be laying down." A staff moved to block her way, Moody's grizzled face twisting as he raised an eyebrow. "What're you doing up? You look to have seen a ghost."

"I-" She looked out the door, before resigning herself to just having been hallucinating the voice. "In a way, I did…"

The man eyed her, face unreadable.

She shook her head, forcing a small smile onto her face to hide the cold sinking into her bones. Two left. All she had were two more... "It's nothing- Just thought I heard the voice of an old friend." Limping back to her bed slowly, she waved her hand at the man as she got back into the white bed, trying to divert the topic. "Any news about the next task?"

"The golden eggs… they have some sort of clue inside them to your next task." The man's blue eye swiveled to her side table. "And I believe that you have more than a few admirers from that stunt you pulled."

Lena followed his eye to where a pile of presents was taking up her bedside table, the tiny figurine of the dragon she'd gotten sitting atop the pile sleeping soundly. "Should I be afraid?"

Moody scowled. "I made sure they weren't harmful." Then he reached into the pile and pulled out a small black box. "Though this is the only one that isn't a love letter or chocolates."

Humming, she opened the box, looking at the gold locket inside and gasping softly. "Who..." But when her fingers brushed against the locket that bore the symbol of Salazar Slytherin, her eyes widened at the soothing warmth it gave, taking it in her palm and smiling softly at it. "Oh... I see that she was right… I didn't even have to go looking for it."

"I suggest you rest." Moody glanced at the golden locket and then her with a strange look, before smirking meanly. "I suspect you'll need it before you face the wolves."

Ignoring his strange prod, she nodded absently, moving to put the locket around her neck and then dropping the outer barriers of her mind. Waiting silently, a presence moved in, but it didn't try to enter her mind further- just settling there.

"Hello, Lena. It's nice to finally meet you. You are certainly prettier than I expected."

Riddle. It's good to meet you.

Her smile was fond, closing her eyes and sinking back into her own mindscape. Opening her eyes to stand in a giant library, the wood floors cool against her bare feet, she hummed softly as she strolled through the towering stacks. "Are you after the Diadem then? Or maybe before him?"

"Before." The soft voice seemed to echo off the walls of the library and she caught a glimpse of black robes out of the corner of her eyes, but when she turned there was nothing there. "I am the third of the five- the middle child if you wish."

Lena snorted at the metaphor for the five different Riddles, looking around for the boy who seemed to be playing hide and seek with her. "Sounds lonely. Ignored by your parents for the younger ones and not old enough to be independent…"

Her wrist was caught and she was spun around before being pulled in by a hand on her waist, a boy that looked about Janus' age grinning down at her, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Ah, my dear, but I have you here now to keep me company."

"It's not permanent." She let herself be held by the boy- for now- if only to give him a small but sad smile. "Eventually, I will have to destroy you, as I did the others."

Leaning in with brown eyes hiding the barest hints of red, the boy brushed his nose against hers. "Why? If you wished you could just… keep me?"

"Because, if I am not wrong, your existence is tied to the man who has started to play with my life and I am merely preparing for the worst outcome… as he has already been the cause of one near-death experience." Leaning in, she stood on her tippy toes to press her cheek to his, voice a whisper in his ear. "And because if I kept you, I would never let go."

"Do it." The voice in her ear was rough, almost pleading, the hand on her back digging its fingers in slightly.

Lena backed away with a smile, glad for the way he let her leave his grasp, even if his hands twitched as if he didn't want to. She looked over the boy- his dark hair short and styled neatly, robes less classy than normal but still in pristine condition- and smiled teasingly. "Oh, but that's just the strange obsession every part of you seems to have with me talking, dearest. I get the feeling you'd hate me if I actually kept you, as I don't let go of what I consider mine."

Riddle smiled darkly, moving forward as if he was stalking his prey. "But for now, I am yours."

Right before he reached her, she was gone, blinking up at the ceiling of the medical wing with a smirk. "No, dear, you are still all yours. I'm just a… handler of sorts for now."

"Rude."

"It's all fair in love and war, dearest." At the soft huff she got in return at that, she just moved to take the golden egg in her lap, twisting the top to open it.

Inside was a slip of paper.

Apparently, the four slips of paper were different parts of a whole poem.

Viktor's slip read the first part-

The first is one of woe,

A tale often told by Poe,

A salty drop left on white stone,

It will come after a final groan.

Cedric got the second slip-

The second is a scare,

Something everyone does share,

A chilling terror deep inside,

Without care, it will destroy your pride.

Fleur having the third-

Third by cupid's bow found,

By good marriage often crowned,

The only thing stronger than death,

The thing to swear until one's last breath.

And Lena… she received the fourth-

The final fourth a joy,

The opposite of annoy,

A Patronus needs this to live,

And by others do this to you give.

Lena frowned in the mirror at where the tiny dragon was clinging to her hair, trying to set it on fire. "Brat."

It made a soft huffing sound, biting at her braid.

"I know you understand me. Stop that."

"Snake." The tiny dragon hissed out, climbing up to the top of her head and then trying to dangle itself down to where it could gnaw on the top of her ear with tiny fangs. "Hungry."

Riddle's voice was amused. "You've already been promoted to 'snake'. Impressive."

Quiet, you.

Tucking in her blouse and moving to tie her tie off in a smooth move, she threw her outer robes over an arm, tucking her socks and shoes in her bag which she then slung over her shoulder. "Fine. I'm going."

"You know you are in a partial state of undress, right?"

Bare feet is not 'partially undressed' dear. This is 'partially undressed.

She pushed the memory of the first task at Riddle to distract him, then sighed lightly, addressing the tiny beast still gnawing at her ear. "That hurts. Can you stop it?"

The dragon immediately stopped and as she strode out of her room to the doors of Slytherin, she felt it climbing up her scalp again, this time clutching onto her hair with its back legs as it dangled itself down in front of her face. "You do not show pain."

"Yes, well I'm unfortunately pretty good at that."

"Wait. You went out in front of the whole school and anyone in the Wizarding World who was watching in the stands- without a shirt?"

Yup.

"I have no words."

I feel as if that isn't true.

Setting her bag down at the table, she pulled out her outer robes and then moved to get her high socks on before slipping into her shoes.

Riddle made a sound of frustration. "I have many words I would like to say to you, but I have no kind words that you would like to hear. Better?"

Sure.

"Since we're here, can you get down?" She held up a hand for the dragon, which climbed into it. Sitting down, she started to feed it small strips of bacon. "Would you want to go stay with someone I know who stays with other bigger dragons?"

The tiny dragon paused, looking at her. "Big dragons?"

Viktor and Fleur were watching this curiously, as she knew that the French girl had already given her dragon to her younger sister and Viktor had already asked around about who would be able to take his dragon in.

Lena nodded. "Big dragons."

Seeming to consider it, the tiny creature nodded. "Yes. Snake takes me to human."

Scooping up the dragon, she padded across the hall to the Gryffindor table, ignoring the stares as she looked to where an older redhead boy was sitting next to Ron Weasley. "You work with dragons."

Glancing to his brother who was sneering at her, the elder Weasley's eyebrows furrowed but he nodded. "Uh- yeah. I'm Charlie Weasley."

"I know." She held out the tiny dragon. "Say hello."

"Hello."

The boy blinked, eyes wide. "It- did it just-"

"Speak? Yeah. Do you want him? He keeps trying to eat my hair or ears."

The dragon gave a hissing laugh. "Snake tastes good."

She scowled at the creature, before looking at the older boy. "See? He's annoying me to no ends and Charles said you work with dragons so… Do you want him?"

Nodding, still seeming stunned, Charlie Weasley took the dragon carefully- not even blinking when it moved to bite at his fingers. "I-... Thank you… This- I promise I'll take care of him…" The guy then seemed to snap out of his reverence, looking at her with a wide smile. "Thank you, Miss Farland. Are you sure you want to give him to me?"

"He would do nothing but remind me of another time I had no power but to do what others wanted, so yes. Please, have him." Then with a sharp nod, she put her hands in the pockets of her outer robes and started back to her table.

Ginny smiled at her when she sat down from the spot beside her. "Next my mom will be sending you sweaters for Christmas, as being friends with more than one Weasley makes you family."

She shook her head, but let the girl tuck herself under her arm. "Only if they're in black or green. And no tacky letters."

The girl laughed softly. "So… bright pink with a big 'L'?"

"I would burn it."

This only made the redhead snicker more.

"I think you would look lovely in whatever you were to wear."

Socks and flip-flops it is then.

Riddle growled lowly. "Don't make me take that back, because I will."

She couldn't stop herself from giggling softly, shaking her head when Ginny looked up at her.

Her suggestion for the foreign students to stay in the dorms was finally heard after too many of the french students complained about the weather, and as the students were allowed to choose, Fleur, Viktor, and her were all in the Slytherin dorms.

(Cedric just abused his privileges as a prefect to join them in their after-dinner talks.)

Lena had gone down to the kitchen for her semi-monthly talk to the elves and praise of their service, returning to the Common Room with a quiet hiss to open the door and arms laden with trays of food the elves had insisted upon giving to her.

"-but really, why would she got to the Yule Ball with- with someone like me?" Cedric was pacing the area in front of Viktor and Fleur, who both looked highly amused about something. "She's way out of my league!"

"Personally I think that such ways of speaking are negative and you just need a bit of chocolate... perhaps with fire-whiskey in it." Lena moved past the startled boy easily, laying out the trays with the grace of a waitress who was used to keeping trays balanced.

Cedric sounded mortified, his face a bit red. "Lena! I- uh- I didn't see you there!"

"Yes, because you are an idiot with no spacial awareness."

Riddle didn't seem to like Cedric much.

Lena refrained from rolling her eyes.

Please don't insult my friends.

Once the food was laid out and starting to get taken by the snakes, she turned to the other three. "I was just talking to the elves. What's all this about a ball?"

Viktor leaned forward with a smirk. "The Yule Ball. It is dancing and music. Champions are required on getting a partner for the first dance." The boy glanced at Cedric, smirk turning into an outright grin. "Pretty boy wants to ask-"

Silencing the Bulgarian, Cedric turned even redder. "No one! I wasn't going to ask anyone!"

"Sure he wasn't."

"It's alright to be embarrassed." Lena grabbed one of the mugs of apple cider, another replacing it, and went to take Cedric's hand with a small smile. "I'm sure that whoever you ask will be more than happy to have you as your date, as you're really a sweet guy Ced." Then letting go of his hand, she moved to sink into her armchair by the fire.

"Break my heart, why don't you?"

That wasn't in the plan, handsome, but if you want me to...

Daphne raised a brow at her from where she and Theo were cuddling. "And have you thought about who you want to go with?"

In fact, no, she hadn't even known about the damned event, but now it was looming over her head like a vampire waiting to strike.

"Don't you wish I had a body right about now."

I do, dear. I do…

Hiding her smile at the briefly stunned feeling she got in response, she looked back up to the girl with a sly half-smile. "I had an idea… but I fear that choice of mine might be a bit hard to achieve without a bit more preparation…"

Riddle snorted. "I am a busy man, after all."

She grinned, mimicking the words. "He is very busy, after all."

Very busy running a commentary in my head, you slippery snake you.

"Oooooh?" Daphne's eyes sparkled, Ginny and Fleur also smirking as the three girls all leaned in. "And who has ensnared the eyes of our lovely Ice Queen? Someone in our grade? Younger?"

Hestia leaned into their conversation, eyes mirthful. "I bet it's someone older, with how mature our Queenie is."

What do I say to that? Disembodied spirit?

Riddle didn't answer, just snorting slightly.

Humming softly, she brushed her fingers across the locket around her neck, feeling it vibrate in response slightly as if purring, and she couldn't fight off her slightly fond smile. "I would say it depends on the day, as he can hold a conversation well some days… and then others he acts like some sappy Hufflepuff."

"That is the meanest thing anyone has ever said to me."

Giggling softly, she waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "But I can't ask him to the Ball, so I'll probably just ask Moody."

"Moody?!" Ginny half shrieked, half the people around the room choking on their food or drink.

"Well yes, he's my coach is he not? Plus, his paranoia is quite humorous. The other day he cursed a cookie I tried to give him because he thought it looked a bit off-color." Then she tilted her head. "Though I suppose as ice skating's off this year I should ask Dumbledore if he wishes to have a dance instead, as I would like to talk to him about taking a few more of my NEWTs next year."

"You are killing me. Slowly."

Ginny sputtered. "What? No! You're supposed to take someone you're attracted to! Like a date."

Lena took a long sip of her drink. "Oh."

I don't understand... How do I tell if I am attracted to someone?

"Usually by physical reaction. Feeling warm, getting nervous, wanting to be around them all the time… it differs between people, I find."

She blinked slowly, looking down at her cup.

I haven't felt that with anyone but you… although I have most of those reactions to Janus or Blaise, maybe even Cedric. Without the nervousness most of the time, of course.

Riddle's voice was soft, but there was an edge behind it. "That might just be friendship then, sweet one."

Oh… Okay.

"-ena?" She looked up to find Blaise was standing over her, a hand on her shoulder. His eyes fixed on where she was gripping the locket, a frown tugging at his lips. "You spaced out there for a moment... You okay?"

"Yeah." Putting her hand over his on her shoulder for a second, she then stood up, looking to him with a slight smile. "Don't worry Zucchini, I'd tell you if I was in danger. No, I was just puzzling over what being attracted to someone feels like, as I believe I suppress those types of emotions more often than not."

The boy nodded slowly, watching her tuck the locket away. "Well, you are the Ice Queen."

Humming softly, she turned towards the door to the common room. "Excuse me, I have someone to talk to."

"I have a question." Lena stood in the doorway of the office where she'd slipped through the wards easily, looking at where a younger man in Moody's chair jolted and pointed Moody's wand at her, eyes wide.

"You scared me half to hell- Merlin, Lena, you're going to get yourself hexed one day sneaking up on people like that…" Settling back down in the chair, the Moody impostor looked at her as if she was juggling kittens on a unicycle. "What in Rowena's name are you doing here this late?"

Lena shrugged. "Curiosity… and I have a question. One that the spirit currently possessing me can't answer well enough." Ignoring his look, she curled up in the chair across the desk from him. "What's it like to be attracted to someone?"

The man sneered slightly. "Go away, kid. It's not the time for stupid questions."

"Is it stupid if I honestly don't know?" She sighed when he only stared at her, shaking her head as she stood up. "Nevermind. I forgot that emotions aren't included in the summoning ritual for Death Eaters. I'll ask someone who isn't a psychopath."

Whatever-his-name-was stood, but she was already out the door and down the hall, headed for the iced-over lake.

"This is upsetting you more than I thought it would."

"I can't-... how can I be human if I don't even know my own emotions?"

Riddle paused for a moment. "Must you trouble yourself with this? How about you give the locket to a weak Gryffindor and I'll possess them for a night so we can dance? It would be much easier than asking anyone else."

She pursed her lips slightly, pulling on her skates. "I'll probably end up asking Cedric, though maybe I'll consider letting you possess a muggle so we can dance... later."

The boy huffed, leaving her to ice skate in silence.