Tracy Davis hated her life.

She had once had everything. She had been completely happy. Her vision in the Mirror of Erised was finally beginning to be realised.

Then it had all come crashing down in a flaming heap of twisted wreckage.

Raised on stories of The Boy Who Lived, she'd had a girlhood crush on him. Actually meeting him on the Hogwarts Express before they even got to school had been a stroke of luck, and she'd discovered that the stories were entirely fabricated.

Reality was even better.

Harry was not a braggart. He was thoughtful, considerate, kind, and entirely cute. Her crush reinvented itself by the time they were all Sorted.

She reached out to him, and he responded, turning to her with all manner of questions about the world. By Halloween, they were fast friends, and she rejoiced, knowing how important it was to build on friendship.

They had started dating in third year, and she knew he cared for her. He valued her friendship so highly that he wasn't willing to risk taking their relationship any further. She hadn't understood at the time what it really meant. She had only felt her heart breaking as the boy she thought she might love broke up with her.

With her sister Jamie's help, she had gotten over her setback and came to understand that she wanted whatever he was willing to give her. She worked to repair and maintain her friendship with Harry, and when he had been hurt and needed someone to comfort him, she had been there. When he had been ready to move on, he hadn't been afraid of the risk any longer. Their second time was just as sweet, but so much more fulfilling.

It had all been going so perfectly. Then the world intervened.

The wizarding world was at war, and she had chosen a side. Her sister had chosen the other.

Jamie had taken a post at Hogwarts in the hospital wing, the perfect place to spy on the castle. Merlin only knew how much intelligence she had passed on to Voldemort.

Tracy still couldn't believe the memories Harry had shown her in the pensieve. But there was no doubt. Jamie was a Death Eater.

Harry's trust in her had been broken, beyond repair. She could probably kill Jamie right in front of him, and he would still think it a trick to gain his confidence. Even her offer to take an Unbreakable Vow had been rejected. She didn't understand his reasoning. It was possible he didn't have any and was just reacting out of hurt.

She was isolated completely now. Nobody wanted to associate with the sister of a known Death Eater. Her last few days were solitary. She began to forget the sound of her own voice.

Her compartment on the train was empty. She heard some other students talk about a party that the Slytherins were having in a modified compartment and fought back tears. She tried to read but couldn't focus. She tried to sleep, but her mind wouldn't stop racing.

When at long last the train pulled into King's Cross station, she waited patiently for the students to debark and the platform to clear out. There was no need to invite everyone's stares.

She sighed deeply, got to her feet, picked up the handle of her trunk, and wheeled it to the front of the train. The trainmaster, a nondescript wizard with brown hair and navy blue robes, was waiting for her.

"Finally," he said with a touch of impatience. He held out her wand. "This yours?"

"Yes," she said without emotion. "Thank you."

"Next time, behave with it."

She didn't answer, only nodded and got off the train. The coast was clear. There were no students left, just the train staff going about their business. Even the Aurors on duty had gone. She headed for the Apparition point.

Her parents were waiting for her. They did not seem irritated that they'd had to wait for her. When they smiled at her, Tracy felt a rush of emotion. I knew I missed them, but I hadn't realised how much.

"There you are," Daddy said with mock exasperation. "I expect you got caught up in reading and didn't even notice the train had arrived."

"I wish I could have lost myself that way," she said. "I couldn't focus enough to read. Things have all gone horrible. Death Eaters attacked the school, and Jamie-"

"Let's wait until we get home, shall we?" Mother suggested.

"But this is important."

"All the more reason to be comfortable while you tell the tale, hmm? Let me get your trunk."

Mother tapped the trunk with her wand and shrank it to a more manageable size. She put it in her pocket and gestured to the Apparition point.

"One thing," Tracy said. "Is Jamie at home?"

"We haven't seen Jamie in several days," Daddy replied. "She's so busy with her studies."

Tracy focused on her home, but with her scattered wits, she feared to Splinch herself. "Mother, will you Apparate me?"

"Of course, dear, but don't you want to do it yourself? You must be so proud to have passed the test."

"I'm quite tired and don't want to take chances."

Tracy took Mother's arm and endured the compression as they returned to Villa Davis.

They only had one house elf, but Reiky worked hard enough for three. Tea was waiting for them, along with a plate of sandwiches and biscuits.

Tracy exhaled and tried not to collapse on the spot from relief. Home. I'm home.

"Now then," Daddy said, pouring tea into her cup, "you mentioned an attack at school? We read about it in the paper. You don't have to fill us in if you would rather not think about it."

"But I must. Death Eaters broke in, and the duelling club helped defeat them."

"You're in the duelling club. Are you saying you fought them?"

"Not exactly. You see, we suspected there was a spy in the castle, and we thought it was this fifth year girl named Michelle Holt."

"Why do I know that name?" Daddy said.

Mother replied, "She's the little tart who was trying to steal Harry away from Tracy."

"Oh yes."

"Well, it wasn't her." Tracy drew a deep breath. "It was Jamie."

Daddy dropped his teacup, spilling tea. "Tracy Aliza Davis, you had better have some proof for that accusation!"

"Unfortunately, I do. She was working in the hospital wing under Madam Pomfrey, and when two Order members were brought there after the attack on Big Ben-"

"Order members?"

"Order of the Phoenix. Dumbledore's group. They were injured and Dumbledore brought them to Hogwarts to be treated. The next morning they were both dead. Jamie had prepared Healing Draughts, but she must have given them something else, something deadly. Harry told us there was a big uproar about it."

Daddy stroked his chin. "That's no proof of anything."

"I won a phial of Felix Felicis from Professor Slughorn on the first day of Potions class."

"I remember that," Mother said. "I was so proud of you."

"Jamie stole it, and the one Michelle Holt won."

"How do you know that?"

"There's an old secret passage to Hogsmeade that collapsed years ago. She repaired it to let the Death Eaters into the castle."

"My eldest daughter is a Healer and an engineer?"

"During the attack, she ambushed Harry and Neville Longbottom. They had Bellatrix Lestrange cornered and were about to capture her when Jamie hexed them from behind. She used Cruciatus and then helped Bellatrix to escape."

"Tracy, this is madness," Daddy said firmly. "You can't just accuse your sister of heinous acts without evidence."

"I saw Harry's memory in a pensieve. It was Jamie." Tracy started to cry, emotions she'd bottled up since Harry had walked away from her finally boiling over. "He doesn't trust me anymore. He broke up with me, forever. I'm nothing to him now, and it's all Jamie's fault."

Then Mother was there, holding her close, stroking her hair and whispering soothing words.

At last Tracy calmed down and dried her tears.

"There, there, dear. It will be alright. Don't worry about Jamie."

"But she's a Death Eater!"

"We know about Jamie, dear."

Tracy nearly jumped out of her skin. "You do? But how? How can you be so calm?"

"You too will have the chance to serve the Dark Lord."

She went for her wand, but her pocket was empty. Struck speechless, she saw it in Mother's hand.

"You won't be needing this, not until you have knelt at his feet and made your oath to serve."

Tracy began to scream.

Her parents tolerated it for about a minute before Mother used a Silencing Charm on her.

"Tracy, dear, that's quite enough. You've made your point."

Tracy threw her teacup. She launched herself off the sofa and tackled her mother, trying desperately to get her wand. She had never been so grateful for the callisthenics she'd endured in Duelling Club.

Mother was bowled over. She dropped the wand, and Tracy grabbed for it. She cast non-verbal magic, and Mother was immobilised. She whirled and cast a Stunner at her father as he was rising from his chair, and he crumpled to the floor.

Tracy performed the counterspell on herself and turned on the spot, trying to Apparate away. She went nowhere.

Anti-apparition jinxes! Got to get outside.

She headed for the door and stopped short.

Jaime stood there, wand in hand.

"You!" Tracy said with deepest loathing.

"Me," Jaime replied. She glanced at their parents on the floor. "I told them you were good. I guess they didn't take me seriously. Good thing I decided to be here."

"How could you, Jaime?" Tracy demanded. "How could you?"

"I am sorry to deceive you." She sounded quite sincere. "I never wanted to hurt you. I do love you, little sister."

"Don't! Just don't!" Tracy snarled. "I'm not going to let you trick me again."

"I'm not trying to trick you," Jamie protested. "I've loved you since the day you were born. I used to feel you kicking at Mother's tummy while you were still in the womb."

"What do you want?"

"I want you to join me," Jamie said casually. "The rewards of being in the Dark Lord's service are myriad."

"I'll never betray Harry," Tracy swore fervently.

"He won't have you back, you know," Jamie said as though it were obvious. "Even if you were to take me prisoner and deliver me to him, he'll never trust you again."

"I'll find a way." Theo had killed his own father rather than betray Harry and join the Death Eaters. Harry had forgiven him and welcomed him into the Order of the Basilisk. Even if there was no guarantee of returning to Harry's good graces, she at least had to try.

"I've always admired your optimism, Tracy."

"Tell me why!" It had been a question she could not puzzle out. There was no logical reason for Jaime to have joined the Death Eaters, but she had clearly done so. "Why did you take his side?"

"Many reasons," Jaime said with a casual shrug. "I could say that I've never stopped hating Elan since he rejected me and wooed my best friend. I could say that with the Malfoys backing Harry, there's no place for us in society if he should chance to win. I could say that I am under the Imperius Curse. I could say that the Death Eaters approached me because they knew of your closeness to Harry. I could say they threatened to wipe us all out unless I gave them information about you and what you were getting up to with his Order. I could say that I hate Harry for the way he treated you and allowed others to treat you."

Tracy shook her head, as if to reject all the lies. "Would any of it be true?"

"If Elan were my motivation, he would already be dead, him and Bridget both," Jamie said. "As it is, I may still kill them, but my hatred for him is not why I follow the Dark Mark. I'm not trying to preserve our place in society, because if he'd wanted to do it, Elan could have already ruined us. He's not vindictive like his father is."

"Imperius?" Her tone was hopeful.

Jamie shook her head. "Sorry to disappoint you. I know you'd give anything for me to be acting under compulsion."

"So Death Eaters threatened the family?" That motive Tracy could understand. Family was the most important thing to a great many Slytherins.

"They did, yes. They nabbed me in Diagon Alley one day and made the usual threats. I couldn't bear the thought of our parents being tortured, but the turning point was when they mentioned you. I went berserk when one said he was planning to treat you no better than a Muggle. There was another who was going to feed you to a werewolf. A third one talked about getting a child on you."

Tracy shuddered. The Death Eaters valued pure blood but had no respect for a witch's opinions. The idea of being reduced to nothing more than a brood mare was disgusting.

"You don't deserve that, Tracy, any more than you deserved how Harry treated you. He broke your heart and snubbed you and allowed Parkinslag and the rest to treat you worse than dirt. Then he used you to get over the death of that little strumpet, Slagger."

"Slater," Tracy corrected absently. "He didn't use me. I was willing to be there for him however he needed me."

"I knew he would love you and leave you once he'd gotten tired of you."

"Harry would never do that to me!" she flared. "You encouraged me to sleep with him!"

"I was hoping you would make a baby," Jamie explained. "Harry is far too noble to abandon his child, so he would have married you and made you happy."

It was Tracy's dearest wish to marry Harry and make babies. She'd told Jaime so many times. The idea of her dream being so twisted made her want to be sick.

"But they were going to kill you, or worse. I knew I could never let anything happen to you, Tracy, so I made the best deal I could. I knelt before the Dark Lord and swore you would do the same."

"I would rather die!" Tracy declared.

"He has the power to make your dying last an eternity," Jamie warned. "You will wish you were dead but not be allowed to die."

"Turn back from this Dark path, Jaime," Tracy implored. "Choose freedom, not slavery. You know what Voldemort does to those who fail him!"

"Do not speak his name!" Jamie ordered. "Failure and incompetence must be punished. I have pleased him and shall be rewarded. You too can share in his favour."

Tracy blinked. "You're insane."

"One way or another, you will bow to him."

"Never!" Tracy swore.

"Never is a very long time. Do I have to compel you?"

"Try me, big sister," Tracy invited.

Jaime smiled without affection. "You forget. I have seen you train. I know what you are capable of. Can you say the same?"

Tracy cast a non-verbal Stunner. Jaime batted it away.

"I can see you're going to be difficult about this."

"You see nothing. You are blind."

"My eyes are wide open. As yours soon will be."

Jaime cast a non-verbal spell. Tracy countered with a Protego Shield. She lashed back with a Bludgeoner.

Tracy was conflicted. On one hand she hated Jaime for what she had done, but she could not forswear a lifetime of sisterly love so rapidly.

I just need to incapacitate her. Then I can get away.

The duel raged on.

Ginny Weasley was supremely grateful that her OWL year was over.

The stress of the tests had been bad enough. Her professors, all acting as though their subject was the only one the students were studying, had made classes miserable. Adjusting to life in Slytherin without her best friend had been even rockier than she had imagined.

Without Laine to rule them, the fifth year Slytherins had fallen apart. Sarrah and Shawna had paired off and most often kept to themselves. The social pariah Michelle had not tried to reintegrate after Pansy Parkinson had warned her off. Jeremiah had always been a loner. Lucas had turned into a psychopath, constantly training for combat, delving into Dark magic, thirsting for revenge, and ultimately dying at the hands of the Death Eaters. Arcen had been even more of a pest, constantly nearby, even after she had started seeing Draco. She'd threatened more than once to hex him, and she had ultimately sicced his older sister on him.

Draco. It had been three months since he revealed a terrible secret to her. Shocked to the quick, her brain unable to process it all, she had simply walked away from him. She didn't swear or curse his name anymore. She had done that so often, there were no more names to call him. She was beyond wanting to practise every spell she had learned in Duelling Club on his worthless self. She didn't even care to use the darker and more vicious magic they studied in the Order of the Basilisk. He simply wasn't worth it.

Being around him those last three months had been difficult, but at least he had been smart enough to leave her alone. If it hadn't been for Harry, she probably would have lost it. He had kept them apart during all the meetings of the Duelling Club and the Order, usually on opposite sides of the room. He had also been willing to listen when she wanted to cuss. It had meant a lot to her when he'd said that he wanted her to stay in the fight and stay in the Order.

Now at last she was on her way home. The Burrow was likely to be crowded. Percy had gotten married and moved out, so Bill and Charlie had taken over his room. She'd have her own room back, even if she did have to share.

Bill's fiancée Fleur Delacour had moved in a few months ago to get to know the family better. She had asked Mum to teach her how to cook in the English fashion. Wanting the best for her firstborn, Mum could not refuse. It had been a disaster at first.

Seeing her mum at the platform was a relief. There was just something about her presence that was soothing. When she wasn't on the warpath for whatever reason, she was downright terrific.

"Ginny, dear! Oh, I'm so glad to see you." She wrapped her daughter in a tight hug.

"Hi, Mum. How are you?"

"Just fine, dear. Doing well. Well enough, anyway."

"Oh?"

Mum hesitated a moment. "Nothing is wrong, so much as frustrating. I still haven't adjusted to having another woman in the house, is all."

"The cooking lessons aren't going any better?" Ginny tried not to be snarky, but sometimes she couldn't help it.

"Oh, it's not that. She's managed to learn a few things." Mum made an exasperated face. "She doesn't burn the water anymore."

"So what is it?"

Mum sighed deeply. "I guess it's just becoming more real for me. The wedding is only a month away."

"Is everything ready?" Ginny asked in surprise. "Surely you're not still planning."

"As ready as it can be." Her eyes hardened. "I'm worried what the twins will get up to. If they embarrass the family and ruin things, I'll skin them alive."

It generally took a threat of something awful to keep the twins' sense of humour contained. It would be just like them to make Bill's robes disappear or turn all the flowers black during the ceremony. If they could be persuaded to behave during the ceremony itself, who knew what they might do during the reception? After all, they did have a line of food-based tricks. It would probably not go over well if the guests suddenly sprouted bird heads.

Mum changed the subject. She looked intently at Ginny. "How are you, dear?"

"I'm okay. Glad the OWLs are over. Looking forward to catching up on sleep this summer."

It was a deflection, and Mum knew it, but she let it pass.

"Where is your brother?"

Ginny snorted. "Probably saying goodbye to his girlfriend."

"I do hope he's behaving himself," Mum fretted. "I've heard some stories."

"I bet you have. Did you know she's only a fourth year?"

Mum's eyes widened. "No! That I didn't know."

"I tried to tell him he shouldn't be dating a girl two forms down, but he never listens to me."

Mum's lips drew into a line. "I'll talk with him. He shouldn't be with a girl so young."

"How's work going?"

"Oh, just wonderfully, dear. Madam Rosmerta and I have become such good friends. She's moving forward with expanding the building, if you heard. She's just given me a pay rise."

"That's good news."

"Indeed it is. Your father has also managed to work his way out of the Centaur Office at last. He's joined the Department of Magical Transportation. He'll be in charge of maintaining the Ministry's automobiles."

"That's good, right?" Dad loved to tinker with automobiles.

Mum looked uncertain. "I don't know. We heard that Lucius Malfoy spoke in his favour, and you know how your father feels about him."

Ginny tried not to let the mention of the man bother her. "I think all of Britain knows." Dad wasn't wrong.

"At least it's a start. Anything is better than being idle at a desk all day."

Ginny was about to ask about their involvement with the Order of the Phoenix when Ron picked that moment to put in an appearance. He had red lipstick smeared on his face, reddish purple marks on his neck, and a goofy grin on his face.

Mum's face began to flush. "Ronald Weasley, what have you been doing?"

"Nothing, Mum. Romy knows we won't be able to see each other much this summer, so she wanted to say goodbye."

"Goodbyes are said with words, young man!" She pulled out her wand and used a Cleaning Charm to scrub his face.

"Gerroff!" he sputtered.

"Get yourself to the Apparition point immediately."

Ron had gotten his licence in the Spring, so he was able to transport himself. Ginny needed Mum's help, even though she had worked on Apparition in secret with the Order of the Basilisk. When she reappeared in the kitchen at the Burrow, Ginny breathed a sigh of relief and felt herself begin to unclench. She was home. She was safe.

Mum continued to scold Ron, and his protestations did nothing to put her off. Everyone else was at work, so Ginny found herself alone with her soon-to-be sister-in-law.

"Ginny!" Fleur rushed over and deposited kisses on her cheeks. "'Ow are you?"

"Hi, Fleur. I'm okay."

"You do not seem okay. You seem sad."

For only seeing her for ten seconds, it was an insightful observation. It suddenly occurred to Ginny that if anyone could give her advice about how to handle her problems, it would be Fleur.

"Have you got some time? I need to talk to someone who is female and isn't Mum."

The French witch looked both surprised and delighted. "But of course! What is ze trouble?"

Ginny sighed. "Boys. One boy in particular."

"Ah. Your muzzer mentioned zat you 'ad broken it off with zat Malfoy. Ez 'e still bozzering you? I shall take my wand to 'im."

Fleur's offer was so immediate and so sincere that Ginny almost started crying.

"No, he's not bothering me. It's the memories. We kissed and did other things, and he turned out to be slime. Now I can't forget."

"Slime?" Fleur raised one eyebrow. "A 'arsh word. What 'as 'e done?"

"He lied to me. Sort of. He kept the truth from me about something his father did. He gave me a cursed object that almost killed me."

Fleur's eyes blazed. "Slime ez too soft a word for zis."

"Mister Malfoy is a powerful man. I can't do anything against him, but that's not the worst of it. Harry mentioned that he writes to you."

"'E does. 'E asked me to contact my Veela kin and ask zem to 'elp in ze war. I 'ave sent many letters, but zey do not respond."

"Did he mention anything about getting more involved?"

"Once. 'E said that 'e and some friends were training up. Are you one of zeez friends?"

Ginny nodded. "We've been working out of Malfoy Manor."

Fleur understood immediately. "And now you cannot go zere because you will see 'im."

"Exactly. I don't want to stop training. I've learned so much. I aced my Defence OWL."

"Who ez doing zis training?"

"Mister Malfoy, of course. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin too. I don't know if you know them."

"Monsieur Black 'ad ze interest of all ze girls from Beaxbatons at ze Yule Ball. 'E ez quite a rogue, ze say."

Ginny grinned. "That sounds like him. Then when we're at school, Harry runs things. Professor Snape drops by from time to time, but it's Harry doing most of the work. Professor Umbridge made him captain of the Duelling Club, and he's a natural leader. He has helped me so much."

Fleur gave her a sly look. "You sound as zo you are quite smitten wiz 'Arry."

Ginny laughed. "I'm grateful to him for all he has done to help me. He's the one who let me join Slytherin House when I had nowhere else to go."

"'E iz so noble, iz 'e not? Quite 'andsome too."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Are you suggesting I make a pass at him?"

"'Arry is my friend." Fleur's tone was all innocence. "You could do much worse."

"I've done much worse," Ginny said sourly. "I think I'm done with boys."

Fleur raised an eyebrow. "You will look for a girl now?"

Ginny considered it. "I did kiss Pansy Parkinson once, but that was more of a joke than anything. No, I just think I need to put my love life on hold for the time being. I need to get over Draco before I try to start something new."

"Et will happen when ze time is right," Fleur said confidently. "I did not find Beel until after I 'ad finished school. Perhaps so it will be wiz you."

"Maybe." Ginny wasn't ready to date again, but she didn't want to wait another two years or more.

"So, a 'appier topic. I only 'ave Gabrielle to attend me at ze wedding. I would like you zere as well."

Ginny couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You want me to stand with you?"

"Oui."

"We barely know each other," Ginny protested. "This is the first real conversation I've ever had with you."

"I know, but I wish zat to change. I would very much like to be friends, Ginny. I have few friends, none close enough to ask to be wiz me when I marry. All ozzer girls are jalouse of me. Zhey worry zat I will steal away zeir boyfriends. Zhey do not understand zat all ze attention of men iz not wanted."

Ginny knew about unwanted attention, even if it wasn't to that degree. "I would be honoured, Fleur. Thank you."

"Magnifique! Splendide! Merveilleux! Let us talk about your dress. You must be le plus beau."