Perenelle stilled Lena's hand where she was about to add a whole flobberworm to her potion, a small frown on her face. "You're distracted, Lena."

Slowly putting the wiggling worm to the side, she put her palm down against the table so she could feel the chilled surface against her warm skin. "I don't-... I wasn't raised on fairy tales with a mother that would sit down and feed me homemade cookies, tell me that one day I would fall in love with a white knight that would sweep me off my feet. Jack would barely talk of his wife, so I don't…" She trailed off.

"What's on your mind, young one?" The woman moving around the bench to sit beside her on a stool, taking one of her hands gently, her skin in dark contrast with Lena's lighter tan. "What is bothering you so much you're messing up your potions, because if we don't take it off your mind then Severus might have an aneurysm and ban you from the lab until it's time for you to go back."

Lips quirking at the thought- Severus would surely be furious, as he was on one of his hypervigilance kicks where he literally followed her everywhere while worrying needlessly- Lena let herself sigh softly.

"Is this about the conversation you had with your godfather, angel?"

It is.

"I have my doubts." She looked to the side, smiling slightly bitterly. "Unlike what some might think, I'm not sure of everything. In fact, I'm not sure about anything when it comes to Voldemort. I don't know why Albus hasn't done anything if his old enemy has risen, I don't understand why the evil bastard-"

"Rude."

"-hasn't just killed me yet…" Lena frowned, not knowing how to explain why thinking about the whole thing made her head hurt and her heart ache strangely, so she just oversimplified it for the sake of not mincing words. "It's all very upsetting to me not to know where to put my pieces on the chessboard. Usually, to me, both sides are easy to see."

Perenelle smiled. "Usually you do not know your opponents as well, or care as much."

Lena furrowed her eyebrows. "My emotions are tainting my decisions?"

"Well, yes, but that's not always a bad thing." The woman's smile was soft, sappy in a way when she only got when talking of her husband. "I find that there is no losing side between two people in love. Not with simple games like yours." Then with a wink, the woman added a sprinkle of moonstone to her potion and walked off towards the front of the house, humming under her breath.

Severus emerged from the staircase, raising his eyebrow when he saw her standing still staring at the place the woman had left. "Lena? Everything alright?"

She nodded absently, huffing softly and turning back to her cauldron. "Perry just decided to impart me with a puzzling riddle, is all."

"Ha- I get it. 'Riddle.'"

"Exceptionally bad pun, dear."

I wasn't trying to make it a pun.

"You have your notes?"

Lena rolled her eyes, back turned away from the man, calmly packing her bag as the dour Potions Master ran around. "Yes."

The man shoved more of his books in his bag. "And your clothes? All your dresses Perenelle got you? Shirts, shoes, trousers, and- er- underthings?"

"Mhmm." She folded the Cashmere sweater, smiling slightly as she packed it away. "I made a checklist days ago and methodically cleaned up all my stuff while you were being suspicious of every person that walked into Nick's shop and lurking around like a bat."

Severus huffed, moving to collect his scattered notes and notebooks. "And your blankets on the deck?"

Lena rolled her eyes again. Harder. "Yes, Dad."

Her body deemed it a perfect time to cringe in mortification, seeing the man also freeze out of the corner of her eyes.

He cleared his throat, purposefully not looking her way, starting to pack again, though it was decidedly less frantic and more automatic as if his body had gone into autopilot in the face of foreign territory. "If you…"

"I want to forget I said that." Her voice was a whisper, seeing him twitch a bit and grimacing at her bag. "I mean, not tha-"

"It's okay." Turning, Severus smiled dryly at her, she could see it in her peripheral vision. "I never wanted kids anyway."

That…

She had been about to say that she wasn't comparing him to Jack, that she wanted to take it back because of the timing, and that she wished it had been something they could have talked about first…

But now it just felt as if she'd been punched.

Except worse, something raw chafing the very inside of her chest.

Lena smiled lopsidedly, the action feeling as wrong as it used to feel when she was in the orphanage. "Exactly. You never wanted kids." Taking her bag, she tried to be relaxed as she turned, but her whole body felt stiff still.

Wrong.

So she tried for a normal jab of teasing, keeping her lopsided and broken smile. "Don't forget your socks."

"I already packed them." Severus' voice sounded wrong too, stiffer than it had been around her since she'd been a first-year.

Taking the loss, she nodded jerkily and then moved to escape the room.

Of course, I had to go and mess everything up.

"He is like your father already, so why would he not accept you?"

Don't know. Still sucks as much.

Riddle, as always was ready with the logical advice: "Kill him."

Ignoring the supposed 'voice of reason', she moved into the empty kitchen and made it look as if she was searching for something of hers.

No... no, i t's okay. He might not feel as if he has the skill, being as his father was not the kindest to him. And that's alright. It's okay.

"Angel, you said that already."

I'm trying to convince myself. Mock me and I'll throw you in a river.

"Do it. I'll happily support this idea."

Marvolo made a noise of exaggerated offense. "Hey! You two are teaming up on me!"

Lips turning into a smile against her will as they started to bicker like children, she stood and turned, leaning against the counter to find Nicolas smiling at her.

"Looking for something?" Then he grinned and held up her set of knives that the Flamels had gotten her in preparation for her Mastery.

The knives she'd forgotten that she'd forgotten.

Making an 'oh!' face, she moved to grab them with a smile. "Thanks, Nick, I thought I was missing them but forgot where I'd put them." Hearing the stairs creak, she grabbed the Immortal's hand, starting to pull him to the front door. "Oh, we best find Perenelle, because-"

Tugging on her arm to stop her short, the man raised a bushy eyebrow, angular face questioning. "You're avoiding Severus."

"I am not."

"And why are you not waiting for him then?"

Lena worried at her lip, but as she was about to sigh and give in, the lanky man's black-robed form brushed past them briskly. "Come. We will be late."

Nick's eyebrows shot up to his forehead, eyes glancing to where she was looking away before he frowned deeply. "Snape!" His voice was commanding and she noticed the black-robbed man stop.

"What."

"You and Lena will not leave this house fighting. Get over whatever you two are irritated about and make up or you will miss your portkey."

She rubbed at the bridge of her eyes. "Nicolas, please. It's nothing. I said something that I shouldn't have and set him off. He has every right to be irritated."

"'Set him off '? You were the one freezing up and getting all stiff with me!" The man spun around with a deep scowl on his face. "Like I'm some stranger! I'm not going to put up with that icy exterior from you! I'm not some peasant you push away like that!"

Lena narrowed her eyes. "And what- I have to be sweet and nice to you when you're acting like I'm some charity case you were obligated to take in? Because I have to be reminded that I'm not wanted?!"

Severus' face twisted in aggravated confusion. "You don't get to say things like that when you're just going to dismiss me as part of your family! When you get to just pretend like you can rip that away from me!"

This was all going wrong.

But he continued, hands clenched and eyes wild. "Have I not given you a home?! Have I not-"

"YOU'RE NOT JACK!"

The man stilled, seeming to not even breathe before his face descended into a sneer. "Of course. Because I'll never live up to the man that raised you. Not the perfect Jack Farla-"

"Shut up. You're wrong." Lena pinched harder at the bridge of her nose, staving off the tears she didn't want to have to shed. "It's not that. It's because I'd never compare you to him. And you'll never be your father." Gripping her bag, she moved to the door to the shop, their shoulders in a line even though they were facing different ways.

It was reminiscent of the second year, when he still thought her a monster, in a way that hurt her heart.

"...you shouldn't have to doubt your ability to raise me because of one word. Not when you've done well without it."

She moved to walk away, as she had done three years ago, but this time arms caught her and she was yanked into a black-robed chest, hugged tight.

If she could call it a hug.

It felt as if he was trying to suffocate her.

"I'm not going to be left behind, nor am I some idiot that'll give you back to the orphanage." Severus' voice shook slightly. "I never wanted kids, but I have one now… so I'll find a way to deal with it."

Lena sniffed haughtily, trying to pretend that she didn't have wet eyes. "Idiot."

"Demon."

Pushing him away, she straightened out her robes, looking up as she tried not to cry. "I hate you, you know. I'm definitely going to poison your tea."

With a wobbly smirk, the man reached into his pocket, pulling out a bezoar. "Potion Master, remember?"

"Oh just cry and hug each other already!" Perenelle yelled at them with a grin, leaning back against her bigger husband with a fond smile on her face, Nicolas' arms wrapped around her waist.

Huffing slightly, she sniffed once and then moved to latch onto the taller man. "Sorry. I didn't mean to yell."

A thin potion-stained hand patted her head affectionately. "It's okay… we're okay."

Thank Merlin for meddling Immortals.

"I think that should be your new catchphrase, dear."

And that means?

"It's a surprise, angel."

Rolling her eyes where no one could see it, she sighed lightly. Just try not to kill anyone with your plotting. I hate cleaning up blood.

Daphne and Blaise had gotten the position of 'Prefect' (as she was already technically part of the staff) so Theo, Ginny, Draco, and her sat quietly in their compartment and caught up on the gossip while sharing stories about their summers. Luna joined them not long after, having been driven from her own compartment by the 'popular' Ravenclaws, and they accepted her easily into their space.

However, when Lena was halfway through a story about how she'd found the Hufflepuff house ring for Daphne, Luna looked at her with big blue eyes and interrupted her, voice soft but certain. "I see you have completed the set. Good. You will need the support this year to remember that pain is only temporary."

"This is the girl who you thought was the Seer, correct?"

Yeah.

Marvolo sounded a bit like he did when he wanted to squeeze her tightly and never let go. "You know a seer? And she's just giving out tips to you? What did we ever do to deserve you, angel?"

"Speak for yourself, Casanova."

Shush, both of you. You're both very sweet, but I should be talking to the seer, remember?

Then, ignoring the hissed words of vitriol between the two as they both tried to shush each other, she blinked at Luna. "You know about the set I'm collecting? And what do you mean by pain?"

"I know that your set is complete and pain is only temporary. Plus, I think that the elder Malfoy will help lead them here when it's time."

Draco blinked. "My father? Help to lead who?"

Luna smiled brightly. "The collective, of course!" Then the girl turned to her bright magazine and left Lena's brain to go in a thousand directions at once, wondering what the cryptic messages meant.

"I see this year's going to be interesting…"

Sitting down at the head of the Slytherin table, Lena looked to the Head Table, her eyes finding a woman in all pink who looked a bit like a fat pale toad and had a pink bow in her hair.

That's Umbridge if I had to guess.

Marvolo snorted. "She looks atrocious."

"I wonder if she eats flies? Toads cannot eat human food, so why does she have a plate in front of herself? Surely she's not trying to fool anyone, no one would really believe her human..." Riddle's voice was a sneer, disdain dripping from every word. "I would bet good money that's she's going to be the source of this 'pain' Miss Lovegood talked of."

Lena tilted her head just a bit, clapping absentmindedly along with the rest of Slytherin when a first-year was sorted. Maybe she's not that bad, after all, Janus has never liked the color pink anyway.

"You may hold out hope angel, but I doubt that woman has a good bone in her whole body… No worries though. We're here to keep an eye on her for you, precious!"

Thanks, dear.

She smiled down at her plate when the food was served, brushing her thumb against the ring.

But as you are a voice in my head, that might be a bit hard.

Riddle chuckled softly, but it was dark in a way that sent shivers down her spine. "We have our ways, lovely… we have our ways."

"Hey Lena, are you doing your Potions tests this year?" Ginny leaned over to her with a hesitant smile and big puppy dog eyes. "Because I tried to get the twins to help me with potions, but they've been busy making pranks and such all summer with Charlie's uncles. I swear those four are trouble- they died my hair all manner of different colors testing their stupid pranks until I set them straight by covering them in snakes!"

"I'll help you, and if needed I can talk to Severus about private lessons, as I know he usually has the extra time before dinner."

Theo leaned over, giving her an exaggerated pout.

Lena sighed. "And I'll help you out with Charms, I guess."

Dumbledore stood, the hall quieting, and she looked up to smile at the man in the lime robes with orange stars on them.

"A travesty of an old man. If he weren't so powerful…" Marvolo mused.

"If he wasn't so powerful we would have killed him long ago."

She didn't let that bother her.

I don't doubt it.

"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention. We have had a change in staffing this year. We are delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Dumbledore continued, "Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the-" He broke off, looking at Umbridge, who as Lena was closest to the Head table, had heard the small 'hem hem' the woman gave as if clearing her throat.

Blaise's face curled into a disdainful sneer.

Again the toad made the same noise, "Hem, hem," and it became clear that she wanted to make a speech.

Dumbledore looked to Lena with a look as if to say 'oh, this should be interesting', before sitting down and motioning for the woman to speak, even as the rest of the staff seemed to decide to hate Umbridge as a unanimous whole because of it.

"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge didn't sound thankful in the slightest, "for those kind words of welcome."

Lena licked her lips, trying to restrain the absolute loathing she had for the woman's voice- like that of the fake little girls that would cut her hair in the orphanage because they were jealous of it.

"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" The woman smiled, revealing very pointed teeth. "And to see such happy little faces looking back at me!"

"No one in this whole hall is happy."

"No one in her mere presence can be happy… Yes, I think I will be right about this horrible woman."

"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all, and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"

Students giggled and whispered to themselves at this, but the Slytherins were silent, either understanding the type of controlling narcissist the woman was... or at least seeing the dark look on her face and guessing she knew something they didn't.

Professor Umbridge cleared her throat again ("Hem, hem"). "The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the Wizarding community must be passed down through the generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished, and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching." Professor Umbridge paused here and made a little bow to her fellow staff members, none of whom bowed back. "Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation . . ."

So she is a traditionalist. And probably a sadistic one too, if she is making everyone have to look at her clothes. I mean Dumbledore has bad fashion taste, sure, but he doesn't know any better. This is on purpose.

"I think we should enlist your godfather to help us drive her out, as he seems to dislike her just as much."

Her eyes drifted to where Snape was scowling deeply, meeting his eyes as he looked at her and offering up an eye-roll to which he smirked slightly.

". . . because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognized as errors of judgment. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness, and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."

Finally, the woman sat down, but Lena did not clap, nor did her court- as surely they had all noticed the words 'pruning whatever practices we find that ought to be prohibited.'

The Slytherin table sat, still, as the rest of the houses clapped because they were not listening and did not understand the woman was here to leach them of everything good Hogwarts had to offer.

Umbridge's eyes narrowed on her table, before sliding to her and narrowing even further.

Lena met the woman's gaze, tilting her head slightly and then slowly and deliberately throwing up a quick two-finger salute, making Theo and Blaise grin sharply from her side.

Dumbledore was speaking about something related to Quidditch, but Umbridge stood and pointed a finger at her as if going to smite her down. "Detention, Miss Potter, for disrespecting a teacher like such!"

The hall fell silent.

"Oh, but I think you must be mistaken… I would never do that to a Professor." Her smile was pleasant, if not a bit sharp around the edges, hands in her lap.

"Miss Umbridge, if you do not have another witness to this 'disrespect' you are talking about, then sit and let the Headmaster speak." Severus raised a sharp eyebrow at the woman, all the other teachers looking away when the woman in pink looked around.

Glaring at her, the toad huffed and sat down.

Dumbledore winked at her, going on to give a warning about the Forbidden Forest before dismissing them.

Marvolo sounded a bit put out. "Great. Now you're going to make me like the old man…"

"It's hard not to when with Lena. He is frustratingly likable through her eyes." Riddle agreed.

She grinned at her house, hands in her pockets as she strolled out of the hall, Daphne and Blaise rounding up the first-years.

Oh, yes, he's quite funny sometimes. I really do adore the old man.