Sitting down calmly in her armchair by the fire, she went to open her book but was stopped by a hand. Looking up into Blaise's eyes, their faces only a foot or so apart, she arched an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"You're going to roll up your sleeves and prove to us that you're fine or I'm going to Snape to tell him you're hiding an injury."

"Oh?" Slowly putting her book to the side, she stood, closing most of the distance until her nose brushed his chin, tilting her head to look up at her first friend. "And you think that I cannot deal with my own wounds? Maybe… this is you projecting your worry onto me, wanting to have some reason to take care of me, like how you used to be the only one who could make me smile…"

Dark eyes flickering between her eyes, tongue wetting his lips and pupils dilating, the boy leaned in as if instinctively drawn forward. "I see you, Lena. Even when everyone else only looks skin-deep, I know you best. I have known you the longest, and I will always be here for you."

"Um- wrong? We know you better than he ever will angel."

"He's quite wrong indeed. After all, for almost all the time he's been friends with you, one of us has been near you- if not in your very head."

With a small smile cresting her lips, she tilted her head slightly, her nose just barely brushing over his chin. "You're not going to get me to reveal anything I don't want to."

"Is that right?"

"Mhmm." Reaching up to smooth her hand across his cheek, she let him lean forward just a bit more, voice soft. "And normally I would give you a reminder of your place, but I think for these extents and purposes a bit of positive punishment would be good… don't you think?"

Obviously reading her mind, he leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers gently before pulling back just enough to look her in the eyes. "Is this-"

Pulling him in again with a soft huff, she clenched her fists in his robes, pressing their lips together before whispering against his lips. "Shut up and kiss me, fool."

Blaise took that as a command, hand tangling in her hair before he proceeded to slowly knock the breath from her lungs, and she wondered faintly why she hadn't done this before as she bit his lip softly and grinned slightly when he groaned softly.

"Angel, precious, this is literally painful."

Sod off, this doesn't include you.

"I think that's the reason we're both so uncomfortable with this."

She pulled back, blinking a few times.

What? Why?

Riddle sighed softly. "Marvolo literally proposed to you earlier today and you still don't get it?"

Marvolo was being sarcastic.

Marvolo snorted softly. "Yes, always, but also no. You're our fated, our angel, our treasure… why in Merlin's name would we want you kissing someone else?"

"Lena?" Blaise looked at her with a small frown, hand smoothing down her shoulder gently as if trying to comfort her. His eyes drifted to the gold chain around her neck, before rising back to her eyes. "Everything alright?"

Pulling him in for another kiss, this one shorter, she gave him a crooked smile. "Wonderful." And then with a wink and a light brush of her hand over his shoulder, she made her way back to her seat, the words carved into her arm obviously forgotten as the room took to gossiping about her 'new relationship'.

I wonder if all of you have the same obsessive tendencies, or are you going to blame that too on us having owned the same type of wand? Because I still had a different wand when I met the diary and the diadem.

"You're just that magnetic, dearest."

"You really aren't taking the twin wands seriously, are you? I can't believe you kissed that fool."

Lena smiled down at her book, amused.

Does it help soothe your raised hackles that my first kiss was the diary?

Marvolo seemed to pout. "Only slightly."

Get over it then- you're not here to control me, you're here for the ride.

Lena sat down at the head of the Slytherin table a little later than usual as she'd stayed up to talk Cassius Warrington and Cecilia Grimards through a relationship spat, starting to make herself a plate of breakfast, choosing to ignore the ugly pink bitch that was standing not too far away from where Theo usually sat.

"Hem hem."

She chose to spread some jelly over a piece of toast, taking a long sip of her hot chocolate before finally looking up as the woman cleared her throat again. "Professor. You must be lost. The Head Table is to your left."

"Educational Decree Twenty-Four was passed, stating that all student organizations, societies, teams, groups, and clubs are henceforth disbanded. No such things may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor. And any student found to have formed or to belong to an organization, society, team, group, or club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled." Umbridge seemed to preen, back straightening with importance.

"Good for you." She took a bit of her toast, chewing slowly while staring at the woman.

Umbridge huffed. "That means that your little… court is disbanded. You're nothing more than a disobedient pissant of a fifth-year."

"Okay." Standing, she looked out over the Slytherins, raising her voice so that she could reach everyone present. "The Court has been disbanded forcefully! By the ancient laws of our house, Delores Umbridge is now named an enemy of the House of Slytherin and the crown will go to the Head of House! As Delores Umbridge has been declared an enemy of the house, any who wish not to go to her classes can self-study or come to me for questions. Are there any who oppose this movement?"

All the snakes were silent.

The woman's eyes widened almost comically, seeming to flail for something to do in response. "This- you can't do such a thing! This is insubordination! A week's detention!"

Lena tilted her head. "Oh. Right. I forgot." Holding up her hand, the Slytherin house ring glinting in the light, she grinned sharply and then looked to Dumbledore. "Delores Umbridge has been declared an enemy of the Slytherin heir, and as I am the only heir of Hogwarts currently in residence, an enemy of Hogwarts itself- does the Headmaster see my claim?"

Dumbledore smiled at her fondly, nodding as if it was a decision he didn't want to have to make, but that he thought was right. "Yes, Hogwarts and I both see your claim."

With a flash of lightning across the ceiling of the Great Hall, a shower of rain started to pour exclusively on Umbridge and Lena grinned brightly as she sat down. "Karma, bint."

"Detention! Detention for the whole year! And no Hogsmeade visits!" Turning on her heel, the woman walked out quickly, the storm cloud above her head following her until she left the hall, sopping wet.

"Have I mentioned that I absolutely love you? Because that was… beautiful."

"Indeed, a wonderful power play."

It seemed that Blaise had the same thought, pulling her into a deep kiss- that effectively soured both Marvolo and Riddle's good moods- Ginny wolf-whistling in the background.

Someone cleared their throat and they broke apart, Severus glaring at Blaise. "Get your hands off my Goddaughter."

The Italian boy let go immediately but sent her a small smirk as he sat down.

Lena covered a smile of her own with an impassive mask. "Snape. Did you want something or did you come to ask for help braiding your hair like Perry did over the summer so it was easier to brew?"

"Neither. Brat. We have to talk about your test in two weeks."

She cursed under her breath, having forgotten in the drama with Umbridge, collecting food in a napkin, and throwing her bag over her shoulder. "Okay, yeah, let's get to business."

As the other teachers- Umbridge not included- knew about her going in for her potion mastery the ninth day of November, she was temporarily excused from all her classes, and other than helping other students with Defense, her life revolved around potions.

Severus set up a complicated ward design, helped by her, to keep her brewing area completely and absolutely free of all magic or even dust that could affect her potions.

It seemed like the castle was really liking being able to mess with Umbridge because there were constant rumors and whispers about the woman being tripped by the stairs, getting lost, or even missing her teacher evaluations. Apparently, the castle wouldn't let her near the astronomy tower or the dungeons (or Flitwick's class after she'd tried to use a tape measure to record his height) and was constantly changing around her own office to mess with her.

However as she was still 'High Inquisitor', as much as Lena wished that Severus could take her detentions, she knew that it was not to be.

But tonight, it seemed was especially bad.

With every line of the quill, every cut digging into her skin, she felt herself getting fainter and fainter- barely getting out of the room before she was swaying- and she felt arms catch her as she started to fall to the ground. "Lena?"

Charles Potter's face swam before her, before she was collapsing, bleeding onto the stone.

When she woke again, head pounding, it took a second for her eyes to focus. She gazed up at the grey stone ceiling of an unfamiliar room and laying on a grey sofa, licking her dry lips, and her voice was hoarse when she spoke. "Char- Charlie?"

A face moved into view, concerned, with messy black hair falling in his face. "Yeah?"

"Where am I… and why am I here?"

"You're in my office and you're here because you were bleeding out- from a curse-scar, might I add - in the middle of the hallway." Severus's voice was soft and yet dangerous as she looked to where she just noticed he was soaking her arm in murtlap essence. "Tell me… how long has that hag been using a blood quill for your detentions? And don't you dare tell me that you haven't been- because you literally have the words 'I will not tell lies' carved into the very bone of your arm."

Eyes drifting back to the stone of the ceiling, she shrugged. "I made a blood oath with her. She cannot use the blood quill on anyone else and I will not tell anyone directly."

Severus was silent, seeming to go over the possibilities for why she could have done that, and as he seemed to come to the same conclusion she'd made herself, he hissed softly. "You're impossible! What kind of a deal- sacrificing yourself to a madwoman and for what? The mere possibility of that outcome?"

"She'll do it. I know she will. I, more than anyone, know her type, as I lived under the Maton for the first twelve years of my life!" Her voice quieted, eyes looking away so she didn't have to see their disappointed faces. "I couldn't let her hurt anyone else. You have to understand, I knew- I know I can take it. Just a bit longer."

"Your detentions will be with me from now on, I don't care if you have to stay in the Common Room and my office to hide from her, but you are not going back. That wound will at least scab over by the time you go in for your mastery or I am going to kill her myself." Then the man stood up and looked at Charles. "Potter. Should you tell anyone about what you saw or our conversation I will remove your vocal cords. Now go."

With a glance at her, Charlie nodded and hurried out of the room.

Severus cast her a glare. "Leave your arm where it is. I will be telling the snakes you are running a fever and you will be sleeping in here for the night."

Nodding, she watched the man leave before she closed her eyes and sinking back into her mindscape.

The grand library was empty this time, the bookshelves overrun with ivy and roses, the floor sprouting flowers in its cracks.

Moving to the middle where there were two large couches and an armchair, she sat down next to Marvolo on the couch he was lounging on, leaning into his side. "It's been a while."

"Too long, angel. I've been so cold without you here..." Pulling her into his arms, his long hair brushing against her cheek, he dipped down to press a kiss to the corner of her mouth and then grinned when she elbowed him in a weak reprimand.

"He's being dramatic." Riddle sat down at her other side, ignoring the whole couch and getting as close as he could while trying to act like it was a mere coincidence that he did. "It's warm being in contact with you at all, but when you come here it's brighter and more focused as if you're literally the sun."

Lena hummed slightly, not sure how to respond to that. "Only a few days until my test. Tomorrow's Samhain."

The two shared a look and Marvolo's arms tightened. "I was thinking that perhaps... you should let one of us go soon. To get ahead of the other one of us and all. Tomorrow would be a good a day as any and-"

"No." She looked at him with a frown. "You can't ask that of me. Not until Umbridge is dead."

"Darling, you're in danger…" Riddle's hand came up to play with her hair, a fond look on his face along with a small smile. "Plus, weren't you the one to tell me you couldn't keep us forever?"

"Fine. But not one second before Umbridge is gone." Hissing softly when they both looked about to argue, she shook her head. "No, I will not reconsider, so how about you two give up and cuddle with me? I have to get some sleep for the test or Severus will actually poison me."

Samhain (Halloween) was spent with the other Slytherins in the Common Room, as Umbridge wasn't able to get in, and the rest of her time was mostly with Severus going over potions and ingredients and having her perfect brewing the potions that she'd been spending all summer trying to come up with.

Before long she was putting on a simple blue dress that Perenelle had got her and they'd sewn steady-hand and confidence runes into, having Daphne braid her long hair back neatly, and meeting Severus at his floo.

"I can't go with you, as I am not allowed to leave the castle at the moment… and all magical objects that are not clothes or important rings will need to be taken off."

Nodding, she slid the Hungarian ring off her finger.

I promise Severus will keep you safe and I'll be back before you know it.

"Good luck angel."

"Remember that if done you'll be the youngest potions master alive!"

Smiling, she slid off the Hufflepuff ring and the Locket, looking to Severus. "These would probably be allowed, but I don't want them to be anywhere near unstable potions just in case."

Nodding, the man transferred them to the top drawer of his desk, locking it. "Do your best Lena, and know that I will be proud even if you don't pass, though I doubt that will happen"

Grabbing a handful of floo powder, she smiled and threw it down, calling out for the ministry.

The floo, as always, was slightly uncomfortable but she just brushed herself off as she stepped out and proceeded through the crowds of the Ministry without even blinking.

Acting as if she knew where she was going, she scanned the signs and ended up in a small sitting room with many men and a few women sitting in white chairs.

"You lost, girl?" One of the men with a smug face and curly hair raised an eyebrow at her. "If you need directions the-"

"Lena, darling! I'm so glad you made it- I heard about that horrible woman trying to keep you and had to come to make sure you got here yourself!" Madame Zabini strolled in with a grin, a small blueberry muffin in her hands. "I hope you got breakfast, but I thought I'd get my favorite Slytherin a muffin before she went for her first mastery! And to think, Severus got you to go for potions before runes too!"

Taking the muffin and sitting, the woman sweeping into the chair next to her, she shrugged slightly. "He said he would weep if I dared to get my runes mastery before my potions mastery. I just don't have the heart to tell him that technically since Janus had to register his cloak before the board as a new rune-scheme that I technically have my mastery, I just have yet to sign the form."

The woman looked at her intently. "When did you give him that cloak again?"

"First year."

A few of the witches and wizards around them coughed, one witch across from her leaning forward with intent eyes. "How old are you, dearie?"

"Fifteen. And if you must call me anything, 'Miss Farland' would work, as it's much less patronizing."

Madame Zabini stifled a chuckle behind her hand. "I hear from my son that you've finally relinquished the crown and it was to Snape of all people. Apparently, also Miss Umbridge is an enemy of Slytherin now? And the castle is blocking her every move?"

Lena shrugged, keeping her eyes to herself unlike everyone else in the room. "Umbridge is not my favorite, no. The castle, however, just takes cues from the rest of the student body, who all despise her with a passion."

"I see... well good luck on your test- and I expect to see you in Italy before you head off to France next!" Patting her head, the woman strolled out.

Rolling her eyes, she finished the muffin and then vanished the napkin and crumbs, leaning back in her chair so she could close her eyes and listen to different names being called occasionally for two different testing rooms.