Perenelle found her by the lake, the night air crisp and she couldn't feel her cheeks, sure that her tears had turned to ice by now. Sitting down next to her, the Frenchwoman draped a blanket over her shoulders. "You look like you're freezing."

Lena didn't answer for a long moment, just looking out across the lake. "I'm supposed to fight Voldemort and I…" She licked her lips, unable to find the right words for the turmoil in her chest.

"I understand. If someone told me that I had to fight Nicolas to save the world, I am not sure I would be able to raise my wand." A warm arm pulled her into the woman's side, her head resting against Perry's shoulder as the woman spoke in a mournful voice. "And though I will never stop being proud of you, I understand it will hurt to harm your other half."

She didn't respond.

There was no point.

But Perenelle seemed to understand her silence just as well as any words, looking down at her with furrowed eyebrows. "You… you don't plan on harming him... You plan on losing?"

"By the time I am done running there will only be a man instead of some immortal creature of fear. I am sure that one of those I trust will be more than lethal enough to strike To- Voldemort down when I fall." Her smile was something that didn't fit on her face, as fake as the gold beads in Perenelle's hair even if just as pretty. "...they all seem to get that from me."

"Oh, my dear child." The whisper was more like a prayer for her as arms wrapped around her snuggly. "You deserve so much more than even what magnificence you have shaped with those bloody and worn hands of yours."

Lena snorted softly. "I deserve the world, just like Jack used to say… but sometimes I think I am just too weak to reach out and take it."

"Never weak. Only kind." This was whispered into her hair, and they sunk into silence.

Hands reaching up to curl in the edges of the blanket, she gripped onto the soft fabric tightly as if it would help her to drift away. "Wouldn't you? If Nick couldn't recognize you from any other faceless enemy- would you be able to fight back, even knowing that he would be dangerous to everyone else?"

Perenelle's eyes were deeply saddened when she studied Lena for a moment, before looking back to the lake, a tear slipping down the woman's cheek that she pretended not to notice. "No… I think I would do the same as you."

Nodding just slightly, as she knew this before she'd even asked, they sat in a comfortable silence watching the stars glimmer off the lake.

"You're avoiding me."

Not looking up from her book on shady magics that Dumbledore had let her have out of his office- the pale wand (that, strangely, she'd had to 'win' from the old man over a game of chess) in her boot pressing against her leg like a constant reminder of why she was avoiding her guardian's presence- she shrugged. "That's an interesting theory."

Severus Snape sighed and sat down on the table in front of her chair, manners obviously not in play if he was doing such (even in private). "Lena. We said we'd work on talking things out…"

"Oh, you wanted to talk? Then talk." Sitting back, she crossed her legs and looked at the man with a cool stare.

"What- why are you acting like this?" Severus was frowning at her, eyebrows drawn down as he hissed the words in a whisper as if that would stop her from being upset. "Your moods change so much and I never know what I did wrong! Can't you just let me know what I did wrong and let me apologize?"

Lena let her magic pool under the skin of her hands, clenching them as her nails sunk into the leather for a moment, before finally releasing them along with a short huff of air. "October 31st, 1981."

The man's face froze, eyes watching her as if she wasn't a girl anymore but a poisonous viper that he knew could kill him in seconds.

"Tell me…" Sitting forward, she tilted her head as she studied him, hands still on the arms of her chair to control her temper. "Should I forgive you for ruining my life? Should I forgive you when it wasn't Voldemort who destroyed my childhood but you?"

"Lena…" His voice was a whisper.

She looked into his eyes, seeing the way that the exact truth she'd spoken had already been eating away at the man, standing smoothly and looking at the man blankly. "I never thought you were the one to tell the Dark Lord about the prophecy that sealed my fate. Do you two still talk? Are you pen-pals? Do you tell him how his enemy likes chocolate and reading to people, or maybe you just told him about what I was learning so he knew how I would fight when he came to kill me?"

"I would never-"

"Right, whatever, you still got your wish in the end." Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she started for the door. "Dumbledore's sending me away next year and even I don't know where I'll be going."

Lena found herself sitting in the library, curled up in a sunbeam under one of the large windows. She could feel eyes on her, but then again that was normal, as most of the first years were a bit awed by her presence before they got it through their heads that she wasn't really any more than a mentor and guide for the house to look to when they needed something.

Flipping open a book on household charms and jotting down a few notes to expand on them later, she sighed and let her arm fall to the side.

She was still stuck on her conversation with Severus, plaguing her mind with betrayal and doubt. Lena felt like her stomach had twisted itself into a knot thinking about what her life would have been like if the man hadn't done what he did.

Standing, she shuffled a few books around to get the stack she was done with, then moving through the isles to place each book back where it was needed.

The tingling sensation of being watched got stronger as she rounded the shelf to put away the last few tomes.

"So about that- uh- that help with Charms and Transfiguration..." A voice came out of seemingly nowhere and she stiffened slightly, almost fumbling the books in her hands as she looked up to see Terry Boot watching her.

"Oh, hey Terry." With a thin smile, she slid another of the books back on the shelf, then frowning slightly. "Did you see any first-years snakes around here? I thought I could feel a few little snakes watching me." Lena discretely scanned the open spots around her general area, sending the boy a small smile.

Terry shrugged slightly, shaking his head. "Not that I've seen... Can I help you with those books?" Reaching out, he took a few off the top of her stack before she could reply.

Brushing it off as wanting to help, she offered up a slightly larger lopsided smile. "I'm just putting back the ones I don't need anymore, but thank you." And when all the books were back in their proper places, she padded back to where she'd been sitting, pulling out the course books for their year in case he hadn't had the chance to grab his. "What's giving you so much trouble with Charms? We can work through the different spells a bit first before moving on to Transfiguration." Setting the large tome McGonagall had assigned for the year aside, she lifted her gaze to find the boy already staring at her.

"I have the theory down," he then looked away slightly as his cheeks flushed with what she could guess was mostly shame, "but it's the execution that I can't seem to get right..."

"What a wonderful and interesting person to be around that can't even do a few simple charms," Tom scoffed in her head.

Big talk for someone who can't produce a Patronus. Isn't that a charm?

Tom was silent for a little while as Terry and her made plans for the next day to use an abandoned classroom to get the practicals down and she reached up to take out the locket and brush her fingers against it gently in apology.

Sorry… I know you've been told that was because of some moral failing and I know it's really because you didn't have the right memories to use, I just-

"It's alright, Lena." Riddle's voice was soft, though there was a slight smile to his voice. "You did well holding your ground when I was being rude and I won't fault you for that. Plus, I have every intention to someday wow you with my Patronus, as I'm sure it will turn out to be a silvery figure of you."

Her lips curved up in a fond smile.

"Lena… Lena?" Terry shook her shoulder slightly and she restrained herself from pushing his hand off her, as she realized he was just trying to get her attention, having probably spaced out.

"Sorry- what's up?" She tucked the locket back in her shirt with a small smile to the boy before looking to where he was trying to get her to look over a paper, missing how his eyes lingered on the gold chain around her neck for a second longer before he started to ask for her advice on his most recent transfiguration essay.

Blaise threw back his head with an echoing laugh that had the others around them smiling as well, Theo continuing with his story. "-but then- get this- Mr. Malfoy turns the corner and sees us sprawled out across the grass. Now Dray's got barbecue sauce all over his pants, I'm missing my shirt because of that stray hawk we had to fight off, and- and he just shakes his head and-" The boy paused to gasp for laughter as Draco groaned and buried his face further into Charlie's neck where the Hufflepuff had joined their group for the evening. "And then he says 'I wish I had a daughter' and just turned around!"

By this point Theo and Blaise are in hysterics, Draco's ears red with embarrassment even though he's also laughing, Ginny cackling hard enough that the redhead isn't able to continue braiding Daphne's hair.

Lena chuckled softly, shaking her head slightly at the story they'd heard before, as it seemed to get funnier every single time Theo told it. "Of course I am required to remind you that, Draco and you are perfect as you are and I wish not a single difference on you."

This helped Theo calm down a bit, grinning at her brightly. "Thanks, Lena-beana."

"Of course, Theo-weoh." Her voice was mocking, rolling her eyes when Daphne and Ginny snickered lightly.

"Your friends are humorous, if ridiculous."

Glad to hear you're starting to finally warm up to them, darling, as it's been a long time coming.

"Hey Lena," Warrington caught her eye from across the room, at the door to the Common room. "There's a- uh- Terry Boot who wants to come in?"

Riddle sighed. "Not this fool again."

And we're back to being petty.

Tilting her head slightly as she wondered what the boy wanted, she waved her hand with an appreciative smile. "He can come in, thanks, Cassius." Then standing from her hair and stepping carefully around where Blaise had been sitting in front of her chair, she started for the other side of the room when her eyes caught on Terry. "Oh my-"

Sporting a purpling black-eye, the boy smiled at her faintly, glancing behind her at the court. "I- uh- I didn't know where else to go…"

"Preferably a shallow grave."

She ignored Riddle. "No- it's okay, I'm just-... what happened?" Taking a hold of his arm gently, she guided him to sit down in her chair, Blaise hissing and standing up in a rage when apparently Terry stepped on his hand.

"What the hell?!"

Seeing Terry flinch back, she put a hand on Blaise's chest. "Hey. Zucchini… can you look at me?" When dark eyes finally fixed on her, she reached out to take his hand in hers, magic soothing his pain and fixing anything possibly wrong. "I'm sure that he didn't see you, right Terry?"

"Y-yeah I… sorry Zabini."

She didn't look away from her friend, smiling softly and then brushing a hand against his cheek gently. "I'm sorry I didn't warn him you were sitting there. Are you alright?"

With a glance behind her, the boy nodded a bit stiffly, though his eyes softened when they looked back at her. "Yeah, I'm alright. Because of you, not despite you, alright? It wasn't your fault." Then he dipped his head just slightly to press his forehead to hers, before pulling away and moving to tuck himself against Ginny and Daphne.

"Sure. He still has one good eye and still can't see Zabini's noticeable figure enough to not fully tread on the boy's hand? Give me a break."

Riddle, darling, please spare me the conspiracies.

Lena almost felt as if the common room had gotten colder, but a glance to the fire told her nothing had changed there, frowning slightly.

"That-" There was a hiss from behind her. "Ow, that hurts..."

Spinning around, she gave a small smile to the boy she'd almost forgotten. "Sorry about that, let's see about that ugly wound of yours…" Perching herself on the side of the chair so she could get close enough, she hummed at the slowly purpling skin.

"What's it look like?" Lucian Bole moved to stand next to her with his medicine bag, frowning at the boy. "Hm. Not great then."

"Can you help? If not then-"

The older Slytherin smiled at her, waving it off. "It's fine, Lena. You shouldn't have to be running around wasting your raw magic on something so simple."

Terry seemed to tense, shying into her side. "I- I want Lena to heal it." Then the boy looked up with slightly watery eyes. "If- if that's… alright with you? I mean, I just- I'm not sure about..." His eyes flicked from Lucian to her.

"Alright. If that's what you'd prefer." She turned back to her snake, whose face had gone somewhat blank with careful neutrality and she wondered slightly if the boy was upset with her. "Thank you, Lucian. I appreciate that you're so willing to help."

"Of course Lena." With a small smile her way, the elder Slytherin stood with his bag in hand. "Anytime."

A hand tugged at her sleeve slightly, Terry wincing softly. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to-"

Putting a hand on the side of his head to keep him still, his voice cutting off, she laid her other hand over the bruised skin. "It's alright. This won't hurt, so just relax." She then let her magic reach out to heal the wound, taking away the pain.

And after that, she was pulled into a conversation on what they'd been going over in Charms, almost not noticing when Ginny brushed a hand against her shoulder to let her know they were heading to bed.

"Doesn't this boy seem to be taking up more of your time than is rational?"

If you have no other basis for your foul mood but the jealousy that you're not everything my world revolves around, then I'm inclined to ignore you.

Riddle scoffed slightly. "Of course I am jealous. I have to be stuck in this damned locket whilst my soulmate is being wooed over by, frankly, the worst flirting I've ever seen. That still does not make my question any less valid."

Eyes sliding to the side, she sighed under her breath, fingers moving to brush against the locket. "Darling, Terry's only real friend at the moment is me, it's no wonder he's come to me before anyone else. Now if you'll let me finish my conversation with him, I'd be happy to curl up in your arms as soon as I can."

"Fine... I will await your sunshine presence with eager-"

"Lena?" Terry snapped his fingers slightly, smiling slightly when she blinked at him. "Oh, hey, are you alright? I thought you'd fallen asleep or something." His eyes though lingered on the locket for a moment with a small frown.

Tucking it back under her shirt, she nodded. "Yeah, just a bit tired I guess. What were we talking about?"

It was needless to say that she fell asleep almost the second that Riddle pulled her into his arms so he could card a hand through her hair, having stayed up later talking to Terry than she'd expected.