Chapter Five: The Order of the Pheonix

Don't murder me y'all…

Harry didn't respond to her letters and she worried that he wasn't getting her letters again before she saw Ron reading one from Harry. She swallowing the anger in her throat and just continued passing information along. She knew he didn't want her in danger, but Stella was a Black, a Weasley, and a Slytherin. She would be in danger no matter what.

Sirius was being distant, always pacing around the house. She tried talking to him a few times but he'd just brushed past her and left her alone. Remus had stuck close to her, telling her stories of her mother back in school. Molly and Arthur were being distant as well, blaming the fact that they were just busy with the Order for keeping them away from her. They had plenty of time for anyone with red hair though, and then Hermione when she turned up.

The moment Stella heard about the dementors, Remus had to hold her back from running out of the house to get to Harry. He pulled her into a drawing room, forcing her to sit.

"He's alright," Remus assured her. "He's alright."

Stella was shaking though. Why was it always Remus? Where were her parents? She had three of them after all and it felt like she had none now. Where was Snape? She'd seen him twice since leaving the school and both times he'd avoided her like the Dragon Pox.

"We need to get him here," Stella growled out. "He isn't safe with the muggles, obviously. He should have been here the moment school let out."

"There's to be a trial," Remus told her.

"I'll write to Lyons," Stella grumbled, standing and leaving the room.

Remus sighed as she left the room in a hurry. He'd tried talking to Sirius and Severus about giving her a bit of attention but they both refused. Severus couldn't spy properly if he was giving attention to others, as it would distract him from his mission. Sirius was far too worried about Harry to be worried about his daughter, which seemed rather unfair to Remus. Molly and Arthur, the two who had raised her, were keeping their distance in case Stella decided that she wanted to stay with Sirius rather than them from now on and Remus couldn't help but think that Stella wasn't going to have anyone to choose at the end of it.

Four days after the attack, Remus pulled Stella aside, letting her know that he was going with a group to gather Harry and bring him to Grimmauld. The relief on her face combined with the tight hug she gave Remus, caused a bit of a flurry in his chest. Stella watched the group of nine (Remus, Moody, Tonks, Kingsley, Doge, Diggle, Vance, Podmore, and Jones) leave Grimmauld, waiting anxiously at the bottom of the staircase for them to return.

A meeting had started without them, Sirius shaking his head when he saw Stella waiting on the stairs before going into the dining room/kitchen. Half an hour into the meeting, the front door opened and Stella stood, watching the door that separated her from Harry. Molly walked past her, poking her head out before smiling and leaving the room.

The Order members walked in, Harry and Molly behind them. Remus gave Stella's shoulder a gentle squeeze and Tonks winked at her. Harry made to follow the adults but Molly stopped him.

"No, Harry. The meetings only for Order members. Stella can take you upstairs to Ron and Hermione. We'll have dinner after. Keep your voice down in the hall."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"I don't want anything to wake up," she answered and Stella glanced at the large portrait of Walburga Black before looking back to Harry, who was staring at her with wide eyes.

Stella inclined her head and Harry followed after her. She led Harry up the stairs and down a hall before pushing open the door to the room Harry would be sharing with Ron. She stepped aside and Hermione threw herself into Harry's arms, hugging him tightly. Harry was obviously uncomfortable, even flinching a bit as he set Hermione down and gently pushed her away.

"I'll be trying to listen in if any of you need me," Stella told them, not really wanting to watch any more happy reunions.

Stella and the others had been arguing for the past month. Mostly about Stella passing information to Harry. Hermione had been especially argumentative when Stella had told her about Kreacher forming a bond with her, claiming Stella should never have let it happen and demanding Stella return her S.P.E.W. badge as soon as possible.

Stella had done so before hiding in her room, crying into a dusty old pillow for a while before Kreacher had shown up, giving Stella a bit of tea and a plate of biscuits. She hadn't heard from Blaise, Theo, or Draco all summer. She worried over them every second of the day at this point. She'd hoped she'd be able to get confirmation that they were alright from Snape, but he ignored her still.

Stella was at the foot of the stairs again, using an extendable ear to listen to the meeting. Fred and George joined her before heading up the stairs when they heard Harry's raised voice, wanting to know what was going on. The ear stopped working though and Stella sighed, wrapping it up and heading up the stairs to join the others.

"Oh, hello, Harry!" Ginny's voice greeted him. "I thought I heard your voice."

"It's a no-go with the ears," Stella sighed, passing it to George. "She's gone and put an Imperturbable Charm on the kitchen door. Heard her cast it just before the feed cut off."

"Shame," Fred heaved a sigh. "I really fancied finding out what old Snape's been up to."

"Snape!" said Harry quickly. "Is he here now?"

"Yeah," said Geroge. "Giving a report. Top secret."

"Git," Fred said idly.

"Goodbye," Stella rolled her eyes, leaving out the door and closing it behind herself.

Just because he wasn't speaking to her, didn't mean she was going to listen to people speak badly about him. He was probably just angry at her for standing in front of Harry as someone had tried to cast a killing curse at her. Molly walked pass her on the way down the stairs, letting her know dinner was almost ready and the meeting was over. Stella went to the kitchen, going straight to the stove top and checking on what Molly had been cooking before a loud CRASH sounded. Stella let out a groan, leaving to help close the curtain again.

"Filth! Scum! By-products of dirt and vileness! Half-breeds, mutants, freaks, begone from this place! How dare you befoul the house of my fathers—"

"Shut up, you horrible old hag! Shut UP!" Sirius roared, seizing the curtain from Molly.

"You!" Walburga Black howled. "Blood traitor, abomination, shame of my flesh!"

"SHUT UP!" Sirius bellowed again and he and Remus managed to get the curtain closed.

The screaming stopped and Stella let out a breath of relief. She really would have to ask Kreacher how to get rid of the portrait. Maybe he could keep it in his room? He'd like that.

"Hello, Harry," Sirius was smiling now as he stared at Harry. "I see you've met my mother."

"Sirius," Harry smiled happily, throwing himself into Sirius's waiting arms.

Remus looked over their shoulders, eyes landing on Stella as she just watched the scene unfold. The twins looked shocked, eyes searching for Stella. She knew she shouldn't feel so jealous in the moment but tears were stinging her eyes. She left the entrance way, going straight to an empty drawing room and sitting heavily in one of the armchairs. Fred and George went to follow her but Molly sent them to the dining room for dinner. Remus went to the drawing room, sitting on the table in front of Stella and staying silent as she calmed herself. Last time he'd tried holding her, she'd ended up crying so hard that she couldn't breathe. She'd asked him not to do it again.

Kreacher popped in with plates for both of them, along with butterbeers.

"Kreacher?" Stella asked.

"Yes, miss?" Kreacher asked.

"Would you like to keep Walburga Black's portrait in your room?" Stella asked him with a soft voice.

"Kreacher's room is not large enough," Kreacher told her.

"What room are you in?" Stella asked in confusion.

"Kreacher is in his cupboard."

Stella thought of Harry's cupboard then and felt a cold chill run down her spine.

"Kreacher, how many rooms are in this house?" Stella asked.

"Fifteen bedrooms," Kreacher told her.

"How many aren't being used right now?"

"Ten but Kreacher has kept Master Orion's and Master Regulus's rooms closed. He tried keeping Mistress Walburga's room closed but Master Sirius insisted on keeping the big bird in there."

"Kreacher, you can have any one of the other rooms that you want," Stella told him.

"What?" Kreacher asked, ears flapping.

"You can have one of the rooms that aren't being used. Whichever one you want," she repeated. "Choose a room and place Walburga's portrait in it for safe keeping. Move your things into the room and sleep on the bed. It'll be your room."

"Miss is too kind," Kreacher told her, eyes shining. "Thank you, Miss. Thank you."

Kreature popped away and Stella sighed, rubbing her face harshly.

"Severus asked me to give these to you," Remus spoke up, pulling a few letters from his pocket. "From your Slytherins."

"Thank you," Stella nodded, taking the letters.

"I'll leave you to it," Remus told her.

Her kissed her head before picking up his food and tea and leaving for the dining room. Stella ripped open the letter from Blaise first, hands beginning to shake as she read it.

'Stella,

Theo is staying with us now. He was punished in place of his father for his fathers… misdeeds while the Dark Lord was away. He's written a few letters to you but hasn't sent them. I think he wants to tell you everything that happened in his home but is afraid of the consequences if he is caught. I'll send the letters to Draco and maybe he'll know a way to pass them along. Mine will be with his. I hope you are safe and alright. I'll see you on the train.

Love, Blaise'

Stella grabbed Theo's letter next, breathe becoming uneven the more she read. She stood quickly, rushing to the dining room with tears falling down her face. Remus was up in an instant, going to her. She passed him the letter, letting him read it as she tried to calm herself, all eyes on her.

"We need to get him out," Remus breathed.

"He's staying with Blaise now," Stella choked out. "Blaise wrote as well to let me know."

"What's happened?" Hermione asked, standing and walking over.

"This one's for you," Stella said, passing a letter to Hermione. "From Theo."

"You're in contact with children of death eaters?" Sirius demanded.

"They're my friends and I won't abandoned them just because of who their parents are," Stella growled out through grit teeth, tears still running down her face.

"They may be playing you," Sirius growled back.

"How would you have felt?" Stella demanded, voice raised. "How would you have survived had James Potter decided to shut you out just because you were the son of Orion and Walburga Black?"

"That was different!"

"You're right. It is different. James Potter saved you from an abusive family. I'm going to save Theo, Blaise, and Draco from a dark lord who has killed and tortured innocents."

"Let's all take a breath," Remus tried.

"You couldn't even save yourself! How are you going to save them?" Sirius demanded.

"I wasn't trying to save myself. I was trying to save Harry!" Stella argued.

"ENOUGH!" Remus bellowed and Stella jumped, along with a few of the other people in the room. "Enough. Stella Nova, please go to the sitting room. I'll be there shortly."

Stella grabbed her letter and walked away, peeved that she was about to get yelled at by Remus when all she'd been trying to do for the past month was get a little time with her parents. Stella sat in the armchair, rereading Theo's letter.

'Stell…

He's going to kill me. My father did not live up to his expectations and he's punishing me for it. He's used the Cruciartis I don't know how many times. My elf, Trixy, is trying to find a way to get me out of the house. Father told me that, if I leave, he'll kill me himself. I don't know what to do. I'm supposed to stay with Blaise for a week but if I return to that house, I'll be dead before the month is out.

I couldn't die without telling you though. Blaise is my brother. You are my sister. My world was black and white before you. You're the color. Thank you… for everything.

Tell Mia that I'm sorry. Every time that I tried writing a letter to her, I couldn't get the words onto the paper. It was too difficult to write her a goodbye but I'm trying. I think I'm in love with her.

I love you, Stella.

Goodbye.

-Teddy'

"We're going to get him," Remus announced, walking into the sitting room where Stella was curled into a small ball. "Severus is on his way and he and I are going to go get Theo. Rose was a friend of his when we were all in school. We might come back with Blaise as well. I need you to tell me where they are."

"42 Thornfield Road in London. Brook Green," Stella said, immediately standing. "I'm coming with you."

"You are staying here where it is safe."

"You cannot enter the wards," Stella spoke up. "The wards will recognize me, though, as I've been there before. You take me with you or you won't even be able to see them."

Remus looked torn as Severus walked into the drawing room.

"Get your shoes on," Remus finally deflated a bit and Stella took off at a run.

She rushed up the stairs, Walburga's portrait already gone now. Stella pulled on her high tops and the sweater Molly had made her for Christmas before tossing her hair into a messy bun, wand stuck through it. She rushed down the stairs, walking out of Grimmauld with Severus and Remus. The three walked across the street and Remus took both of their arms and apparated, all three landing together outside of a primary school.

"It's just this way," Stella stated, leading the two wizards down Thornfield Road.

Stella led them to a four story, green painted brick townhouse. The front door was a deep red, almost brown, with a chimney on each side of the house. Stella stepped through the gate, Severus and Remus standing outside of it as Stella walked up to the door and knocked.

Trixy opened the front door, bowing low and allowing Stella inside. Stella walked straight up to the third floor and towards the room designate for Theo whenever he stayed at the house, banging her fist on Blaise's door as she went. Stella heard Blaise run to his door and pull it open, heading poking out as she continued to Theo's room, knocking more gently.

Blaise looked beyond relieved when he saw her, rushing over as Theo opened his door.

"Stell?" Theo asked in confusion.

"Pack your things. We're leaving. I'm taking you to my ancestral home," Stella told him. "Blaise, you can come, too, if you want."

"Absolutely," Blaise breathed out, rushing to his room to gather his things.

"What's happening here?" Rose Zabini asked, looking as beautiful as ever as she walked into the hall, stopping when she saw Stella. "Are you here for him?"

Rose's voice had soften considerably, as had her eyes. Stella often forgot that Rose acted as Theo's mother ever since his had fallen ill when he was just three years old and had passed just a few months ago. She and his mother had been best friends all through school and as adults. It was unsurprising to Stella that Rose would want nothing more than for Theo to be safe.

"I am," Stella nodded. "You can come, too, if you want?"

"No," Rose shook her head. "I have to stay here. Take Blaise with you?"

"He's packing," Stella shrugged.

"Good luck, Stella Black," Rose nodded as Theo and Blaise walked back into the hall with bags packed and their Hogwarts trunks in hand. "Protect my sons."

"I will," Stella nodded before turning to Blaise and Theo, both of whom were wearing their Weasley sweaters now. "Ready?"

"Yeah," Theo nodded.

The boys both hugged Rose and Stella saw a few stray tears escape before she brushed them away, smiling at her boys before kissing their heads and turning to Stella. She pulled Stella into a tight hug. She kissed Stella's head and sent them off. She watched them walk away from the front garden, Severus and Remus shrinking their bags and putting them in their pockets before the group walked back towards the primary school.

They apparated away, Severus holding Stella's arm while Remus took the two boys. He showed them the parchment with the address before Stella led everyone inside. She walked right pass Sirius, Harry, and Molly, taking the boys upstairs and setting them up in the rooms beside hers. They ended up in her room, laying across the bed together after Remus dropped their bags off, leaving the three alone, Severus having left right after bringing them to Grimmauld.

The next morning, Kreature brought them breakfast

"How often do you eat by yourself?" Blaise asked curiously as they sipped their tea.

"Depends on how often Uncle Moony and the twins join me," Stella shrugged. "Get ready. I'm sure mum has work for us. This house was vacated for years before we showed up. I think there's doxies in one of the sitting rooms."

"Oh, what fun," Blaise smirked, going to his room to get changed and leaving Stella and Theo.

"How are you feeling?" Stella asked Theo.

"Sore," he admitted. "Mum gave me something to help with the pain. I've been taking it every morning. Helps."

"Do you need to rest?" Stella asked him.

"I'll be fine," he shook his head. "So, doxies, yeah?"

Theo went to his room as well and Stella changed quickly into jeans and a tank top. She had her wand wrapped in her hair and her dragon hide gloves on her hands. Theo and Blaise followed her down to the first floor, finding everyone just entering to work on the doxies.

"Theo?" Hermione asked at the same time that Ginny asked, "Blaise?"

"My boys are here," Stella smirked to them.

"I thought we were your boys?" Fred and George asked.

"You're seventeen. You can't be boys anymore," Stella argued before tying a bandana around her face. "Let's get to work."

And thus the attack on the house began. Stella put doxies aside for Fred and George's snack boxes as they went, Blaise and Theo noticing and doing the same. Mum left when the doorbell rang around midday and Stella pulled doxies from her pockets and passed them to the twins, Blaise and Theo doing the same.

"Brilliant," George smiled, Fred eyeing Theo a bit as he wondered over to Hermione.

Stella could hear her mum yelling at Mundungus about stolen cauldrons but she didn't really care. She grabbed a sandwich and left while Blaise was distracted by Ginny. She wondered to the other drawing room where Sirius had mentioned a boggart hiding out. She found the desk it was locked in and pulled out her wand, having noticed that her magic wasn't detected here three weeks ago. Kreacher had told her that it was because of the wards around the house that were set to Black blood, meaning that she could do as much magic as she wished while in the house.

"Alohomora," Stella said around a mouthful of a sandwich and the drawer popped open.

The boggart flew out. It was unable to choose a form when met with Stella and she smirked.

"Riddikulus!" she yelled and the boggart fell to the ground, unmoving.

It was a small, black mouse now and Stella wondered if that was how boggarts always looked before taking a form. She stunned the thing and then floated it into an indestructible, very small box. She locked it inside and left the room, finished her sandwich as she went, hiding the box in her room before heading back down the stairs to join the others.

"And there's the mudblood, standing bold as brass…" Kreacher was saying.

"Kreacher!" she yelled and he silenced at once. "Do NOT call her that again. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, mistress," Kreacher answered.

"What are you doing in here?" Stella asked.

"Cleaning."

"Likely story," Sirius's voice stated, walking into the room behind Stella. "Stand up straight. Now, what are you up to?"

"Kreacher is cleaning," the elf repeated. "Kreacher lives to serve the Noble House of Black."

"And it's getting blacker every day. It's filthy," said Sirius.

"Master always liked his little joke," said Kreacher with a bow. "Master was a nasty ungrateful swine who broke his mother's heart."

"Enough, Kreacher!" Stella yelled and Kreacher went silent. Stella's voice softened. "Kreacher, I thought we were making progress. What has happened?"

"Kreacher picked his room as mistress said. Master told Kreacher he does not deserve a room," Kreacher said.

"Seriously," Stella scoffed, turning to face Sirius with her hands on her hips.

"I'm always Sirius."

"He's not living in a cupboard," Stella defended. "Let him have a room. Merlin knows we aren't using all of them. What's the big deal?"

"Well- he's- I mean—"

"I'm waiting," Stella told him, brow cocked.

"Fine," Sirius rolled his eyes. "You can have your room back, Kreacher."

"Thank you, mistress," Kreacher bowed to Stella before popping away.

"I'm the one who gave him the room back," Sirius complained. "Why's he thanking you?"

Stella just gave Sirius a look and he groaned.

"You're worse than Moony," he complained.

"Be happy I'm not worse than Mum," Stella told him and every Weasley child shivered at the thought.

Sirius walked over to the family tapestry and the others followed.

"You aren't on here," Harry commented.

"I used to be there," said Sirius, pointing at a small, round, charred hole in the tapestry, rather like a cigarette burn. "My sweet old mother blasted me off after I ran away from home. Kreacher's quite fond of muttering the story under his breath."

That much was true. Stella had heard it a few times now.

"Where did you go?" Harry asked.

Stella had already asked and was waiting for Sirius to leave like he did with her. Instead, he gave Harry a soft smile before answering.

"Your dad's place. Your grandparents were really good about it. They sort of adopted me as a second son. Yeah, I camped out at your dad's in the school holidays and, when I was seventeen, I got a place of my own. My Uncle Alphard had left me a decent bit of gold. He's wiped off here, too, that's probably why. Anyway, after that I looked after myself. I was always welcome at Mr. and Mrs. Potter's for Sunday lunch, though."

"But… why did you…?"

"Leave?" Sirius smiled bitterly and ran his fingers through his long, unkempt hair. "Because I hated the whole lot of them: my parents, with their pure-blood mania, convinced that to be a Black made you practically royal… my idiot brother, soft enough to believe them… that's him."

Stella saw the name Celeste Black crossed out, Regulus Black below it with a date of death (some fifteen years ago, she made a note to ask Kreacher about it).

"He was younger than me," Sirius said, "and a much better son, as I was constantly reminded."

"But he died," Harry said as if it weren't obvious.

"Yeah," Sirius nodded. "Stupid idiot… he joined the Death Eaters."

"You're kidding!"

"Come on, Harry, haven't you seen enough of this house to tell what kind of wizards my family were?"

Stella took a step back and Blaise and Theo moved to her quickly. She walked out of the room, not wanting to listen to any more. Sirius could tell their family story to Harry but, anytime she asked, he would ignore her and leave the room. It wasn't fair. She felt like it was first year all over again, people showing bias towards anyone in green and silver, all over again. She walked to the second floor and walked through the hall, stopping when she saw a room labeled, 'Do Not Enter! Without the Express Permission of Regulus Arcturus Black.'

"Stell?" Blaise asked.

"Every time that I've asked him something about our family, he's left the room. Harry takes one look at the tapestry and he starts giving him the full story with barely any prompting. He's been avoiding me every chance he gets," Stella stated, still staring at the door. "Harry, Mum, and Dad are avoiding me as well, even though I went against everyone else and sent Harry information for the past month. Hermione has been arguing with me every chance she gets and Ginny and I haven't acted like sisters since her first year."

"And now you're staring at the door of the brother that Sirius hated," Theo said.

"And now I'm staring at the door of the brother that Sirius hated," Stella nodded. "If he isn't going to give me answers, I'll find them myself. Kreacher?"

Kreacher popped up beside her.

"I'd like to get in Regulus's room. I want to make sure there are no creatures in there and I want to see what I can find about my family," she told him. "May I enter, please?"

"Of course, Mistress," Kreature nodded. "Mistress looks just like Master Regulus before he became Regulus."

"Why was the name Celeste crossed out under Regulus's name on the tapestry?" Theo asked.

"Regulus was born a female," Stella shrugged. "Got changed to a male in his fourth year. Thank you, Kreacher. Have you eaten today?"

"No, Mistress," Kreacher shook his head.

"Pop down to Molly Weasley and tell her that you haven't eaten today. Ask her politely for a sandwich, please. Let her know that I sent you down. Then, will you please get back to fixing the pipes as you were?"

"Yes, Mistress. Thank you, Mistress."

Kreacher popped away and Stella walked into Regulus's room. The Slytherin colors of emerald and silver were everywhere, draping the bed, the walls and the windows. The Black family crest, which Stella recognized from her heir ring, painstakingly painted over the bed, along with the motto 'Toujours Pur'. Beneath this was a collection of yellow newspaper cuttings, all stuck together to make a ragged collage. There was a photograph adorning one of the walls of the Slytherin Quidditch team, Regulus in the middle to show he was seeker, Stella remembering Remus's little fun fact at her game against Gryffindor. The room was dusty and untouched.

"Well, let's take a look around," Blaise sighed.

The three spread out, Stella going to the dresser and searching through it, finding nothing but dust bunnies that hopped amongst the socks. Theo read the articles above Regulus's bed, finding that they were all about Voldemort back during the first war and backed away quickly, not wanting to read about it. He dropped to the floor, looking under the bed instead. He found a box and pulled it out, unable to open it. Blaise found nothing in the closet, stepping back out and slapping at the dust bunnies that followed him.

"I found something," Theo spoke up as Stella stood from checking under the dresser. "Can't get it open."

Stella tried and the box stayed closed. She tried a few spells and nothing worked. She decided she would ask Kreacher later once he'd finished working on the pipes. There were books across one wall and Stella began going through them, finding notes in old school books and notes between friends. Stella took out the notes, setting them aside to take to her room and read later before putting the books back in place. It was when she found a journal that she paused, staring at the hand writing for a bit before putting the notes in it and deciding to take the journal from Regulus's final year at Hogwarts with her as well.

They left the room, shutting the door behind them in the process. A letter from Lyons came two days later as Stella was reading from the journal in her down time. She was discovering that she and Regulus were alike in more ways than just their looks. Regulus was an amazing Seeker and rather protective of his friends, Barty (Stella shuddered), Pandora Rosier, and Evan Rosier. He was proud of being a Slytherin. He was also close to Severus Snape, seeing him as an older brother after he and Sirius had a falling out after Regulus's sorting. It all hit a bit too close to home for Stella to be honest.

Lyons was at the ministry, talking to anyone he needed to in order to dismiss the charges against Harry. Apparently he'd had an auror go to Harry's aunt and uncle's house to take his cousins statement, causing Stella to smirk at the idea of how his family would react to that. She went to Harry and Ron's room, knocking on the door before entering. She looked up to find Harry pulling a clean shirt on, his back to her.

She rushed over to him as he turned to face her but the letter was forgotten as it floated to the floor.

"Stella?" Harry asked in confusion as Stella forced Harry to turn back around.

She lifted the back of his shirt back up and Harry tensed. There were bruises across his back and scars that Stella was afraid to ask about. Her fingers ghosted across one of the scars and Harry shivered before turning, pulling his shirt back down.

"Who?" Stella asked.

"It doesn't matter," Harry shook his head.

"Doesn't… Harry it matters. You matter. Your safety matters. If someone is hurting you, then you need to tell someone," she insisted.

"I have. A few times. In the past. No one ever does anything about it," Harry stated. "Please, just drop it."

"Was it your uncle?" Stella asked, the letter from Lyons no longer entertaining as she thought of what his uncle might do to him once he returned home next summer. "Did he do that to you?"

"It was just a bit of punishment," Harry sighed.

"When Mum slapped me and you saw the bruise, did you think it was just punishment?" Stella asked.

"What? Of course not!"

"Exactly," Stella told him. "What makes this any different?"

"It's different because you didn't deserve it."

"And you deserved that? What could you have possibly done to deserve all of that?"

"Accidental magic, burning food, accidentally trampling over some of Aunt Petunia's flowers," Harry shrugged. "The most recent bit was for using the patronus to save Dudley from the dementors."

"You called two of those accidents and I'm sure you didn't burn the food on purpose, either," Stella stated. "Harry, you shouldn't be punished in any sort of way for accidents. And you definitely shouldn't be punished for saving your cousin. What he's done isn't a punishment. Making you stand in a corner is a punishment. Making you write lines is a punishment. Beating your black and blue is not a punishment. It's abuse."

"Just drop it, Stella," Harry said, brushing pass her and leaving the room quickly.

Stella felt tears in her eyes and wiped them away quickly. She picked up the letter as she left the room, heading down to the dining room for dinner. Sirius was complaining about Kreacher stealing back Black family items from the trash every chance he got. Stella had to bite her lip to keep from laughing, knowing that Kreacher had stolen a few things specifically for her. Snape had come around more often now and Stella had seen him taking a few pain potions in the process. She'd had Kreacher make some broth and put it in a flask, which she passed to Snape as he left the meeting that night. The flask was returned the next time he came and Stella just refilled it, passing it back to him when he left again.

A week before the trial was to be held, Harry and Stella both got letters. Stella's was from Lyons, letting her know that he'd gotten the charges dropped completely. Harry's was from the Ministry, telling him the same thing.

"Oh, thank Merlin," Stella sighed, laying back down across Theo and Blaise as she passed the letter to Theo.

"That Lyons is rather good at his job," Theo commented before passing the letter to Blaise to read as Harry passed his letter to Sirius, both smiling brightly as Sirius clapped Harry on the shoulder.

"Case dismissed," Sirius smiled as Remus looked to Stella, taking the offered letter from Blaise to read.

"Well done, Stella," he told her and Sirius and Harry both looked over in confusion.

"What?" Sirius asked.

"Stella had Lyons work on Harry's case," Remus explained. "She received a letter from him as well with the news."

"Oh," Harry's brows rose as he looked to Stella.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Sirius asked.

"When would I have had the chance?" Stella asked, brows furrowed. "You practically run from every room I enter."

"I do no such thing," Sirius started.

"Yes, you do. I've already spoke with you about it multiple times," Remus defended and it was Stella's turn to look surprised. "You're being ridiculous. I get it. She looks and talks like Regulus. That doesn't make her him, though."

"I should go," Stella tried but Blaise and Theo both immediately held her down, wanting to see how the conversation was going to go.

"She is your daughter and you are pushing her away. This ends now before you do anything too damaging or I will take Stella and the boys myself and leave," Remus threatened.

"Well I- You can't just—"

"I think you'll find that I can," Remus told him. "If I see you treating her less than Harry one more time, I will do just that."

Sirius stared at Remus with wide eyes before his gaze flickered over to Stella. He left quickly and Harry watched him go before looking to Stella.

"And you," Remus turned on Harry. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Like what?" Harry asked in confusion.

"The two of you have been connected at the hip as long as I've known you. She was what was taken from you for the second task. Why are you acting like strangers?" Remus demanded.

"Well- I—"

"Yes?"

"She… she stood in front of me," Harry whispered. "He was going to kill her."

"So your response to that is pushing her away when you can see her struggling already?" Remus demanded and Stella wanted to sink into the couch and disappear. "What happened to loyalty?"

Harry ended up leaving as well. Remus let out a rough breath and turned to Stella.

"Sorry," he told her.

"No need to apologize," Stella shook her head.

"It was bloody brilliant," Blaise smirked.

Hogwarts letters arrived a week before they were to head to school. Stella's felt a bit heavier than it should as she opened it. Stella gasped in delight at being made Quidditch Captain before a loud groan of displeasure escaped her, causing everyone to look towards her.

"They made me a prefect," she complained, showing the badge.

"Why the bloody hell did they do that?" Blaise demanded. "You're an absolute menace!"

"I also told Professor Snape not to do it so I'm sure it was just to spite me. Can I say no? Send it back? Hand it to Pansy the next time I see her?" Stella offered a few suggestions.

"Please don't let Pansy be prefect with me," Theo demanded, showing his own badge.

"Hermione and I got one, too," Ron announced, showing his badge as he entered the room.

"There you go! You can partner with your girlfriend and we can give Pansy to whatever poor Hufflepuff got selected! Win-win!" Stella tried.

"Prefects!" Molly yelled and Stella groaned again, knowing there was no way out of it now that her Mum had seen.

"It was a mistake," Stella immediately stated. "I got Pansy's letter by accident."

"It has your name on it," Molly said, staring at the envelope on the table.

"Right…" Stella sighed. "Should have hidden the evidence first."

"That's everyone in the family!" Mum shouted.

"What are Fred and I, next-door neighbors?" George asked indignantly as Molly hugged Stella, who still looked rather put out.

"I don't know why you're so surprised," Theo shook his head. "You're Snape's favorite after all."

"I'm in detention more than I'm out of it," Stella defended as Molly moved along to grab book lists.

"And how many of those detentions are actual detentions?" Blaise shot back.

"… All of the ones not given to me by Professor Snape?" she offered.

"And who gives you about eighty percent of your detentions?" Theo asked, an amused smirk on his face.

"… Professor Snape."

"There it is," Blaise smirked.

"Oh, shut it," Stella complained as Sirius and Remus walked in. "Uncle Moony! Look what Professor Snape did!"

"What is it?" Remus smirked.

"He's finally ingested too many potions fumes!" Stella stated before showing the green and silver badge. "He went and made me prefect!"

"Well, you are top of your class, earn the most points for your house, and on the Quidditch team. Also, all of the younger students look to you for help. It sounds like an obvious choice to me," Remus shrugged.

"What?" Hermione asked. "I'm top of the class."

"You haven't been top of our class since second year," Stella rolled her eyes as Hermione huffed in displeasure. "I was even behind the first half of last year and I still ended up with higher marks. You aren't the only genius here, Granger."

"No need to use the surnames," Theo tried to calm the room.

"You only get the most points for your house because Snape favors you," Hermione shot back.

"Oh, as opposed to all of the other teachers who favor you? Let's face it, Granger, if I were a Gryffindor, I'd earn more than double the points I do now. I told you first year that the professors had a bias against Slytherins and you're still trying to act better than me."

"I don't try to act better than you!"

"Not successfully," Stella shot back.

"Enough!" Remus raised his voice and Stella quieted immediately; Hermione on the other hand.

"If Snape didn't favor you so much, you would be the reason your house loses points rather than gains them! You said it yourself, you're always in detentions with him! If I didn't know better, I would think something inappropriate was going on."

"Say that again," Stella's voice was low, threatening as she took a step towards Hermione.

Remus and Theo were between them immediately.

"Say it again, Granger. I dare you."

Hermione's eyes had widened as she'd taken a step back, looking rather afraid.

"You were so brave just a moment ago, like a true Gryffindor. What happened? Where'd it go?" Stella hissed out. "Say. It. Again."

The room was tense and Stella's magic was flaring a bit, sparks shooting out of her wand from in her hair. Stella probably looked rather frightening with her narrowed eyes and angry expression. Theo and Remus couldn't calm her, and neither could Blaise, though he wasn't really trying, glaring at Hermione as well as he told Stella she wasn't worth it. It was Harry who stepped in.

"C'mon, Stella," he said, voice soft as he stepped in front of her, blocking her view of Hermione with his chest. "Let's go upstairs."

Harry led Stella out of the room. It took an hour of Harry's gentle voice to calm Stella. She was leaning against him on the couch, wrapped in his arms and making her think of how things used to be. That night, Ron got a new broom and a banner was hung in the basement reading 'Congratulations Ron, Stella, Hermione, and Theodore – New Prefects'. Sirius, Remus, Tonks, and Kingsley were already there, Moody showing up shortly after Harry grabbed himself and Stella a butterbeer. Bill and Arthur would be there shortly as well.

"Oh, Alastor, I am glad you're here," Mum said brightly as Moody took off his travel coat. "We've been wanting to ask you for ages. Could you have a look in the writing desk in the drawing room and tell us what's inside it? We haven't wanted to open it just in case it's something really nasty."

"No problem, Molly…"

Moody's fake eye swiveled upward and stared fixedly through the ceiling of the kitchen. Stella stepped behind Remus as Moody told everyone that there was nothing in the drawing room, but there was a boggart in a box in one of the bedrooms. When asked which one, he named the floor and which room, causing a few people to turn their heads, looking for her.

"She's hiding behind Remus," Moody spoke up.

"Snitch," she grumbled before raising her voice. "Yeah, I already trapped it in an unbreakable box. Nothing to worry about. Oh! Is that a boggart's actual form?"

"It is," Moody nodded. "How'd you defeat it?"

"It couldn't choose a form," Stella shrugged. "So, I shot a Riddikulus at it and stunned it before floating it into the box. Figured it was the best bet since there's no known way to kill a boggart."

"Wait, what does it look like?" Hermione asked and Stella just shot a glare at her, causing Hermione to flinch and take a few steps back.

"I was never a prefect myself," Tonks spoke up after a toast. "My Head of House said I lacked certain necessary qualities."

"Like what?" Ginny asked.

"Like the ability to behave myself," Tonks smirked.

"Apparently that is no longer a requirement," Stella smirked as she sipped her butterbeer.

"I gather as much with you," Tonks laughed.

"I guess troublemaking runs in the family," Stella laughed along before her eyes widened. "Oh, my gods! We never told Fred and Geroge!"

"Told Fred and George what?" the twins asked together.

Stella grabbed each of them by an arm and dragged them over to Sirius and Remus.

"Gred, Feorge… meet Padfoot and Moony," Stella smirked, pointing to Sirius and Remus in turn.

Fred's and George's eyes widened before they both fell to their knees bowing dramatically and declaring their love and thanks for the two rather loudly. Stella laughed rather loudly as she went to Blaise's side.

"Troublemakers get prefect badges all the time," Sirius told her after Fred and Geroge had finished conjuring flowers and passing them to him and Remus.

"You?" Harry asked.

"No," Sirius laughed. "No one would have made me a prefect, I spent too much time in detention with James. Lupin was the good boy, he got the badge."

"I think Dumbledore might have hoped that I would be able to exercise some control over my best friends," Remus said. "I need scarcely say that I failed dismally."

"Yes, because you definitely didn't use your power to help them get away with things," Stella smirked.

"Maybe once or twice," Remus smirked.

Stella was already downstairs when Mum yelled for everyone to hurry up. She smirked as she passed a piece of chocolate over to Blaise and another over to Theo as they waited.

"Oh, I swear. Why can't my children be more like Stella. She's always prepared. On time. She even packed their trunks for them last night so this wouldn't happen and they've still found a way to take too long," Molly was grumbling as she moved around the kitchen, making sandwiches for everyone to take on the train with them.

Blaise and Theo were trying hard not to laugh as Stella glared at them, not at all excited for how they were going to be picking on her as soon as they were on the train. She and Theo had both ended up sending their badges back and Snape had shown up looking rather angry about it.

"I told you last year I didn't want to be prefect," she reminded him. "I even caused extra trouble just to prove my point. If you give me that badge back, I swear to use it to help Fred and George get up to more trouble than ever before and I don't think any of us wants that."

"Black, you are the most deserving of it," Snape told her. "Detentions aside, all of your pranks are to cheer others up. You have defended your housemates passionately and take care of the younger students, even the ones who hadn't been sorted yet. You earn the most points and are top of your class."

"Can I stop you there? Cause I'm going to anyways. I don't want it. I have too much to do this year. I'm Quidditch Captain as well now. I honestly don't think I can juggle that, my classes, and Prefect duties," Stella told him honestly and his face softened.

Remus and Sirius, who had been watching on, both seemed shocked at how quickly Severus gave in. He made Theo take his badge back though, causing him to sigh but she could see that he was actually rather pleased about it. Stella suggested Pansy or Tracy as her replacement and Severus nodded, sighing as he left Grimmauld.

That was just yesterday before Stella had gone to make sure all of her siblings were packed. She had a few of Fred and George's inventions hidden away just in case Mum decided to start 'Accio'ing items from them again as she'd done the previous summer.

It took twenty minutes for them to reach King's Cross Station on foot and Stella smiled at the sight of the Hogwarts Express, red paint shining brightly and steam escaping it. Remus and Sirius would be returning to the house in Hogsmeade for the school year again, going back to Grimmauld for meetings when needed. Stella had spelled the bedroom doors so that no one could get in to steal anything, Mundungas having eyed a few things last time he'd been at the house. Kreacher had been told to keep an eye on him whenever he showed up.

Stella ended up in the back of the train with Blaise, the two playing exploding snaps for a while before Theo joined them for a bit before having to patrol the train. He returned long enough to have lunch with them, all three eating the sandwiches that Molly had made and buying butterbeers off of the trolley to wash the sandwiches down.

Stella was very confused for a moment when she heard a brisk, female voice calling for the first years before remembering that she'd overheard that Hagrid had gone off to try talking to the giants for a bit. She figured he just hadn't returned yet. She climbed into a carriage with Theo and Blaise, Tracy climbing in behind them with Lily quickly, Tracy's Prefect badge on display.

"Professor Snape wrote me a letter," she told Stella. "Told me you'd made Quidditch captain and said you couldn't be prefect and captain and that you'd suggested me in your place. Thank you, Stella. My parents were so proud of me."

"Of course," Stella shrugged, giving Tracy a smile.

Stella was laughing as Blaise tried to flirt with a seventh year Ravenclaw as they walked into the castle. He was actually doing quite well as the Ravenclaw blushed slightly, a small smile on her face before Blaise kissed the back of her hand and headed to the Slytherin table, taking the spot between Stella and Theo.

"Getting an early start?" Stella smirked.

"Well, until your sister gets over her crush on your boyfriend, I can't deprive the other witches of the school," Blaise joked.

"Not my boyfriend," she reminded him.

"Fine. Ex-boyfriend. I don't care," Blaise rolled his eyes with a smirk.

"You and Potter broke up?" Pansy asked and other Slytherins looked over at them.

"We were never together," Stella said, having said repeatedly in the past that she and Harry weren't together. "Honestly. That kiss in the paper was my first and only one in my life."

"I will happily volunteer to give you your next one," Blaise winked and Stella slapped him arm as she rolled her eyes.

"I am more than willing to volunteer for the challenge as well," Pansy smirked and Stella smiled back, shaking her head fondly.

"Be careful, Pans. I might take up on that," Stella flirted with Pansy, causing the other girl to blush a bit.

"What in the bloody hell is that thing?" Theo muttered and Stella turned, looking towards the head table where Theo was pointing.

A squat woman with short, curly mouse-brown hair with a horrible pink Alice band in it that matched the fluffy pink cardigan she wore over her robes was between Severus and McGonagall at the Head table, somehow making their black robes look even darker than they were in comparison. She had a pallid, toadlike face and a pair of prominent, pouchy eyes that looked as if they were judging everyone around her rather harshly.

"She looks…" Stella couldn't find the word for it.

"Yeah," Blaise nodded his agreement.

McGonagall led the first years in and placed the hat on the stool. It's brim opened wide like a mouth and it's song for the year began.

"In times of old when I was new And Hogwarts barely started The founders of our noble school Thought never to be parted: United by a common goal, They had the selfsame yearning, To make the world's best magic school And pass along their learning. "Together we will build and teach!" The four good friends decided And never did they dream that they Might someday be divided, For were there such friends anywhere As Slytherin and Gryffindor? Unless it was the second pair Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw? So how could it have gone so wrong? How could such friendships fail? Why, I was there and so can tell The whole sad, sorry tale.

"Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those Whose ancestry is purest." Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose Intelligence is surest." Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those With brave deeds to their name," Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot, And treat them just the same." These differences caused little strife When first they came to light, For each of the four founders had A House in which they might Take only those they wanted, so, For instance, Slytherin Took only pure-blood wizards Of great cunning, just like him, And only those of sharpest mind Were taught by Ravenclaw While the bravest and the boldest Went to daring Gryffindor. Good Hufflepuff she took the rest, And taught them all she knew, Thus the Houses and their founders Retained friendships firm and true.

"So Hogwarts worked in harmony For several happy years, But then discord crept among us Feeding on our faults and fears. The Houses that, like pillars four, Had once held up our school, Now turned upon each other and, Divided, sought to rule. And for a while it seemed the school Must meet an early end, What with dueling and with fighting And the clash of friend on friend And at last there came a morning When old Slytherin departed And though the fighting then died out He left us quite downhearted. And never since the founders four Were whittled down to three Have the Houses been united As they once were meant to be. And now the Sorting Hat is here And you all know the score: I sort you into Houses Because that is what I'm for, But this year I'll go further, Listen closely to my song:

"Though condemned I am to split you Still I worry that it's wrong, Though I must fulfill my duty And must quarter every year Still I wonder whether sorting May not bring the end I fear. Oh, know the perils, read the signs, The warning history shows, For our Hogwarts is in danger From external, deadly foes And we must unite inside her Or we'll crumble from within. I have told you, I have warned you. . . . Let the Sorting now begin."

"Cheerful," Stella commented dryly.

They gained five new students, the least number in a long while. Stella pulled the stuffed snakes from her pocket and levitated them over to the two boys and three girls. All five smiled brightly as the snakes hissed and wiggled a bit, top scales green and the underbelly silver. She smiled before looking to the head table, seeing Severus giving her a pointed look, to which she simply shrugged. Dumbledore stood, beaming at the students.

"To our newcomers," said Dumbledore in a ringing voice, his arms stretched wide and a beaming smile on his lips, "welcome! To our old hands — welcome back! There is a time for speech making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"

There was an appreciative laugh and an outbreak of applause as Dumbledore sat down neatly and threw his long beard over his shoulder so as to keep it out of the way of his plate — for food had appeared out of nowhere, so that the five long tables were groaning under joints and pies and dishes of vegetables, bread, sauces, and flagons of pumpkin juice.

"Finally," Crabbe sighed.

"Did you not eat lunch on the train?" Stella asked him.

"They were too busy bothering your Gryffindors," Pansy spoke up.

"Why?" Stella groaned as Theo tossed more potatoes onto her plate, having noticed that she hadn't been eating as much as she should while staying in Grimmauld. "Can't you all just leave each other be? Pretend the others don't exist so I'm not stuck between all of you?"

"You could drop them and only associate with us," Goyle offered.

"Let's see. You… or my siblings that I was raised with… tough call, tough call," Stella sighed.

"So, Captain," Draco smirked. "When are you holding tryouts for the open positions?"

"I have to build almost a whole new team," Stella sighed. "I'll put a sign-up sheet on the notice board once I get a spot for the pitch reserved."

"Well, I don't think you're Snape's favorite at the moment since you turned him down for prefect," Theo smirked.

"He'll get over it," Stella waved Theo off. "He still got you out of it. It's fine."

"Guarantee, if he had three badges he would have given one to Blaise as well," Draco smirked. "Try to capture all three of you."

"Dream team!" Stella and Blaise yelled, throwing their arms up in the air excitedly and not caring about the strange looks they received.

When all the students had finished eating and the noise level in the hall was starting to creep upward again, Dumbledore got to his feet once more. Talking ceased immediately as all turned to face the headmaster.

"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," said Dumbledore. "First years ought to know that the forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students — and a few of our older students ought to know by now too."

Stella smirked, thinking of tricking Crabbe and Goyle to run through part of the forest on a dare.

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four hundred and sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door.

"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was a polite but fairly enthusiastic applause for each new professor, though Stella eyed Umbridge wearily.

"Quidditch Captains needing to hold tryouts will need to see their Head of House to secure a spot in the field—"

He broke off, looking inquiringly at Professor Umbridge. As she was not much taller standing than sitting, there was a moment when nobody understood why Dumbledore had stopped talking, but then Professor Umbridge said, "Hem, hem," and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech.

Dumbledore only looked taken aback for a moment, then he sat back down smartly and looked alertly at Professor Umbridge as though he desired nothing better than to listen to her talk. Other members of staff were not as adept at hiding their surprise. Professor Sprout's eyebrows had disappeared into her flyaway hair, and Professor McGonagall's mouth was as thin as Stella had ever seen it. Severus looked beyond annoyed and rolled his eyes, causing a few of the Slytherins to snicker. No new teacher had ever interrupted Dumbledore before. Many of the students were smirking; this woman obviously did not know how things were done at Hogwarts.

"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered, "for those kind words of welcome."

"Oh, her voice is annoying," Stella grumbled and the fifth years all held in giggles.

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

Stella looked around, not seeing a single person smiling at her.

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

"That's likely," Stella whispered and Pansy coughed to cover her laugh.

Professor Umbridge cleared her throat again ("Hem, hem"), but when she continued, some of the breathiness had vanished from her voice. She sounded much more businesslike and now her words had a dull learned-by-heart sound to them.

"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. Professor McGonagall's dark eyebrows had contracted so that she looked positively hawklike and gave Sprout a significant look before Umbridge cleared her throat again.

"Does she need some water?" Stella asked and Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy broke, all three letting out laughs before covering their mouths and looking anywhere but at Stella or Umbridge.

"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 . . .

". . . 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."

She sat down. Dumbledore clapped. The staff followed his lead, though Stella noticed that several of them brought their hands together only once or twice before stopping. A few students joined in, but most had been taken unawares by the end of the speech, not having listened to more than a few words of it, and before they could start applauding properly, Dumbledore had stood up again.

"Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating," he said, bowing to her. "Now — as I was saying, Quidditch captains should see their head of house about reserving a time at the pitch to hold tryouts and set up a practice schedule…"

Stella zoned out after that, looking towards the others. They were all dismissed and Stella heard Ron call the first years midgets from across the hall, causing her to roll her eyes. Theo and Tracy gathered the five newest snakes as the older students went ahead to the common room, password having been passed around by the sixth and seventh year Slytherins already.

Stella fell onto the couch, head going onto Blaise's lap and legs going onto Draco's. He held her legs up, speaking to Lily as she took the spot beside him. The first years walked in and Professor Snape followed a minute later. Stella smiled wide and waved at him from her spot, refusing to move when she was so comfortable. He took a breath and rolled his eyes before addressing the students. At the end of his speech, he added another note.

"If the new Quidditch Captain would please stop lounging across her classmates and come see me as soon as possible to reserve a spot on the field and make a practice schedule, I would like to win the cup again this year."

"That's me!" Stella yelled, bouncing up off of the couch and skipping over to Snape, causing the first years to laugh a bit, becoming a bit more comfortable in the snake pit. "Hello, sir."

"Black," Snape rolled his eyes. "Here is a list of open slots. It updates as the other captains chose spots so I would suggest hurrying."

Stella took the list and ran back over to the couch, Theo having taken her spot. She plopped down onto the floor and pulled a self-inking quill from her shoulder bag, immediately getting to it. She reserved the pitch for the next Saturday between one and five for tryouts, pulling out a spare bit of parchment so she could make a signup sheet for tryouts. She then reserved practice slots, taking as many as would be allowed as she saw Angelina Johnson beginning to reserve spots as well. Zacharias Smith from Hufflepuff started right after them and Stella laughed maniacally as she got all of the good spots before Roger Davis, the seventh year Ravenclaw captain, even got the chance to reserve a tryouts spot.

"Lookit!" Stella yelled, holding up the schedule for Blaise and Draco to see.

"Oh, the other captains are going to hate you," Blaise smirked. "You made sure they had to choose Hogsmeade days."

"They should have started writing faster," Stella shrugged. "Anyone want to bet against me on who the Captain will be next year for Gryffindor?"

"As if it wouldn't be Potter," Draco rolled his eyes.

Stella rewrote the tryout sheet first thing the next morning, drying it with her wand before hanging it on the notice board.

Stella and the other fifth years left the common room together, the five first years following behind as Theo and Tracy spoke softly to them. Schedules were passed around and Stella caught all three of the other captains glaring at her, to which she simply smiled and waved enthusiastically.

"Runes, double Potions, lunch, break, double Defense," Stella read. "Should be interesting. Did anyone else read the defense book already?"

"Hermione and I read it together," Theo shrugged. "It seems more pointed towards younger students."

"Think I can convince a Ravenclaw to give me their Runes essays from last year?" Blaise asked.

"I mean, you already charmed that seventh year. How much more difficult could a sixth year be?" Stella smirked.

"Oh, yeah," Blaise smirked, looking around and spotting the seventh year and sending her a wink.

"Does anyone know what they want to do after school?" Pansy asked curiously.

"I'm not sure," Stella admitted. "I feel like it's not fair to make children who still have to ask permission to use the loo to choose a career."

"True," Blaise nodded, eyes wide as he put jam on his toast.

Theo and Tracy led the first years to Transfiguration before the first bell rang. After Runes, they lined up outside the potions classroom. Harry was blushing when he arrived and Hermione was getting onto Ron for having spoken to Cho Chang a certain way when she'd been trying to talk to Harry. Blaise and Theo were staring at Stella, waiting for a reaction, but she just shrugged, completely unbothered. Maybe it was how he'd treated her the majority of the summer or maybe she was just over it after having heard him call her just a friend so many times. She didn't mind though. Maybe this would be the fun year before everything went to shit again at the end of the year. Hopefully, Voldemort would just… disappear again.

Snape allowed them into the classroom and Stella skipped over to her normal desk, Blaise taking the seat next to her as Harry and Ron took the desk next to theirs.

"Settle down," Snape said coldly, shutting the door behind himself.

There was no real need to call for order. The moment that they heard the door close, quiet had fallen and all fidgeting stopped. Professor Snape's mere presence was usually enough to ensure a class's silence.

"Before we begin today's lesson," said Snape, sweeping over to his desk and staring around at them all, "I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an 'Acceptable' in your O.W.L., or suffer my . . . displeasure."

His gaze lingered on Neville, who gulped audibly.

"After this year, of course, many of you will cease studying with me," Snape went on. "I take only the very best into my N.E.W.T. Potions class, which means that some of us will certainly be saying good-bye."

His eyes rested on Harry and his lip curled. Harry glared back, feeling a grim pleasure at the idea that he would be able to give up Potions after fifth year.

"But we have another year to go before that happy moment of farewell," said Snape softly, "so whether you are intending to attempt N.E.W.T. or not, I advise all of you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high-pass level I have come to expect from my O.W.L. students.

"Today we will be mixing a potion that often comes up at Ordinary Wizarding Level: the Draught of Peace, a potion to calm anxiety and soothe agitation. Be warned: If you are too heavy-handed with the ingredients you will put the drinker into a heavy and sometimes irreversible sleep, so you will need to pay close attention to what you are doing.

"The ingredients and method" — Snape flicked his wand — "are on the blackboard" — (they appeared there) — "you will find everything you need" — he flicked his wand again — "in the store cupboard" — (the door of the said cupboard sprang open) — "you have an hour and a half. . . . Start."

Stella grabbed all of her ingredients and got her cauldron ready, copying down any changes to the recipe that she'd missed and added them to her book. Stella put basic potion powder in her cauldron once it was simmering and added powdered moonstone until it turned green before stirring until it turned blue. She continued working on her potion, making the changes on the board as she went.

"A light silver vapor should now be rising from your potion," Snape called, with ten minutes left to spare.

Stella's potion was perfect, having finished it ten minutes ago and sitting back in her seat. Snape walked around the room and nodded at Stella's potion, awarding her twenty points for having correctly brewed her potion first. Hermione sent a glare her way, having only just finished hers.

"Potter, what is this supposed to be?"

Snape sounded so done and Stella looked over, ready to watch Harry get torn apart.

"Draught of Peace," Harry answered and Stella bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"Tell me, Potter, can you read?" Snape asked softly.

"Yes, I can," said Harry.

"Read the third line of the instructions for me, Potter."

Harry squinted at the blackboard and Stella wondered if he needed new glasses.

"Add powdered moonstone, stir three times counterclockwise, allow to simmer for seven minutes, then add two drops of syrup of hellebore," Harry read, voice dropping a bit on the last part.

"Did you do everything on the third line, Potter?"

Stella was actually impressed that Snape had figured out exactly where Harry had gone wrong with just a glance at Harry's potion. Harry muttered something that no one could hear.

"I beg your pardon?" Snape asked.

"No," said Harry. "I forgot the hellebore."

"I know you did, Potter, which means that this mess is utterly worthless. Evanesco."

The contents in Harry's cauldron disappeared.

"Those of you who have managed to read the instructions, fill one flagon with a sample of your potion, label it clearly with your name, and bring it up to my desk for testing," said Snape. "Homework: twelve inches of parchment on the properties of moonstone and its uses in potion-making, to be handed in on Thursday."

Stella walked with her classmates, laughing as Blaise tried hitting on Draco next. Granger must have thought they were laughing at Harry though, or maybe she was mad at the points, because she shoulder checked Stella as she went.

"Handle your girlfriend," Stella told Theo, glaring after the bushy haired Gryffindor as she went.

The fifth year Slytherins ended up grabbing handfuls of snacks and a few goblets of pumpkin juice before heading towards the dungeons, deciding to eat there, all of them having a break after lunch as none of them took Divination. They tossed bits of chicken into each other's mouths, laughing when they missed. They worked together on their essays, Stella helping Crabbe while Draco helped Goyle with his. They dried their essays and put them in their rooms before heading to Defense, all curious as to how the class was going to go.

When they entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom they found Professor Umbridge already seated at the teacher's desk, wearing the fluffy pink cardigan of the night before and the black velvet bow on top of her head. The class was quiet as it entered the room; Professor Umbridge was, as yet, an unknown quantity and nobody knew yet how strict a disciplinarian she was likely to be.

"Well, good afternoon!" she said when finally the whole class had sat down.

A few people mumbled "Good afternoon," in reply.

"Tut, tut," said Professor Umbridge. "That won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge.' One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!"

"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge," they chanted back at her.

"There, now," said Professor Umbridge sweetly. "That wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please."

Many of the class exchanged gloomy looks; the order "wands away" had never yet been followed by a lesson they had found interesting. Professor Umbridge opened her handbag, extracted her own wand, which was an unusually short one, and tapped the blackboard sharply with it; words appeared on the board at once:

'Defense Against the Dark Arts: A Return to the Basics'

"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?" stated Professor Umbridge, turning to face the class with her hands clasped neatly in front of her. "The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your O.W.L. year.

"You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory centered, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following, please."

She rapped the blackboard again; the first message vanished and was replaced by:

'Course aims: the principles underlying defensive magic. to recognize situations in which defensive magic can legally be used. the use of defensive magic in a context for practical use.'

For a couple of minutes the room was full of the sound of scratching quills on parchment. When everyone had copied down Professor Umbridge's three course aims she said, "Has everybody got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?"

There was a dull murmur of assent throughout the class.

"I think we'll try that again," said Professor Umbridge. "When I ask you a question, I should like you to reply 'Yes, Professor Umbridge,' or 'No, Professor Umbridge.' So, has everyone got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?"

"Yes, Professor Umbridge," rang through the room.

"Good," said Professor Umbridge. "I should like you to turn to page five and read chapter one, 'Basics for Beginners.' There will be no need to talk."

Professor Umbridge left the blackboard and settled herself in the chair behind the teacher's desk, observing them all with those pouchy toad's eyes. It was desperately dull, quite as bad as listening to Professor Binns. She felt her concentration sliding away from her; she had soon read the same line half a dozen times without taking in more than the first few words. She'd already read the book though so she sat back instead, not bothering to pretend. Instead, she looked around the room and found Hermione with her book closed and hand raised.

After several more minutes had passed, however, Stella was not the only one watching Hermione. The chapter they had been instructed to read was so tedious that more and more people were choosing to watch Hermione's mute attempt to catch Professor Umbridge's eye than to struggle on with "Basics for Beginners." When more than half the class were staring at Hermione rather than at their books, Professor Umbridge seemed to decide that she could ignore the situation no longer.

"Did you want to ask something about the chapter, dear?" she asked Hermione, as though she had only just noticed her.

"Not about the chapter, no," said Hermione.

"Well, we're reading just now," said Professor Umbridge, showing her small, pointed teeth. "If you have other queries we can deal with them at the end of class."

"I've got a query about your course aims," said Hermione.

Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows and Stella knew that Slytherin was winning the house cup that year if that was how Hermione was going to act every class.

"And your name is — ?"

"Hermione Granger," said Hermione.

"Well, Miss Granger, I think the course aims are perfectly clear if you read them through carefully," said Professor Umbridge in a voice of determined sweetness.

"Well, I don't," said Hermione bluntly. "There's nothing written up there about using defensive spells."

There was a short silence in which many members of the class turned their heads to frown at the three course aims still written on the blackboard.

"Using defensive spells?" Professor Umbridge repeated with a little laugh. "Why, I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell, Miss Granger. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class?"

"We're not going to use magic?" Ron asked loudly.

"Students raise their hands when they wish to speak in my class, Mr. — ?"

"Weasley," said Ron, thrusting his hand into the air.

Professor Umbridge, smiling still more widely, turned her back on him. Harry and Hermione immediately raised their hands too. Professor Umbridge's pouchy eyes lingered on Harry for a moment before she addressed Hermione.

"Yes, Miss Granger? You wanted to ask something else?"

"Yes," said Hermione. "Surely the whole point of Defense Against the Dark Arts is to practice defensive spells?"

"Are you a Ministry-trained educational expert, Miss Granger?" asked Professor Umbridge in her falsely sweet voice.

"No, but —"

"Well then, I'm afraid you are not qualified to decide what the 'whole point' of any class is. Wizards much older and cleverer than you have devised our new program of study. You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way —"

"What use is that?" said Harry loudly. "If we're going to be attacked it won't be in a —"

"Hand, Mr. Potter!" sang Professor Umbridge.

Harry thrust his fist in the air. Professor Umbridge promptly turned away from him again, but now several other people had their hands up too. None were Slytherins, all of them having caught on to how this class was going to go.

"And your name is?" Professor Umbridge said to Dean.

"Dean Thomas."

"Well, Mr. Thomas?"

"Well, it's like Harry said, isn't it?" said Dean. "If we're going to be attacked, it won't be risk-free —"

"I repeat," said Professor Umbridge, smiling in a very irritating fashion at Dean, "do you expect to be attacked during my classes?"

"No, but —"

Professor Umbridge talked over him.

"I do not wish to criticize the way things have been run in this school," she said, an unconvincing smile stretching her wide mouth, "but you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class, very irresponsible indeed — not to mention," she gave a nasty little laugh, "extremely dangerous half-breeds."

Oh, hell no.

"If you're talking about Professor Lupin, he was the best teacher we've ever had!" Stella spoke up and Blaise placed his hand on her knee, trying to calm her.

"Hand, Miss Black! As I was saying — you have been introduced to spells that have been complex, inappropriate to your age group, and potentially lethal. You have been frightened into believing that you are likely to meet Dark attacks every other day —"

"No we haven't," Hermione said, "we just —"

"Your hand is not up, Miss Granger!" Hermione put up her hand; Professor Umbridge turned away from her. "It is my understanding that my predecessor not only performed illegal curses in front of you, but he also actually performed them on you —"

"Well, he turned out to be a maniac, didn't he?" said Dean Thomas hotly. "Mind you, we still learned loads —"

"Your hand is not up, Mr. Thomas!" trilled Professor Umbridge. "Now, it is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be more than sufficient to get you through your examination, which, after all, is what school is all about. And your name is?" she added, staring at Parvati, whose hand had just shot up.

"Parvati Patil, and isn't there a practical bit in our Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L.? Aren't we supposed to show that we can actually do the counter curses and things?"

"As long as you have studied the theory hard enough, there is no reason why you should not be able to perform the spells under carefully controlled examination conditions," said Professor Umbridge dismissively.

"Without ever practicing them before?" said Parvati incredulously. "Are you telling us that the first time we'll get to do the spells will be during our exam?"

"I repeat, as long as you have studied the theory hard enough —"

"And what good's theory going to be in the real world?" said Harry loudly, his fist in the air again.

Professor Umbridge looked up.

"This is school, Mr. Potter, not the real world," she said softly.

"So we're not supposed to be prepared for what's waiting out there?"

"There is nothing waiting out there, Mr. Potter."

"Oh yeah?" said Harry. His temper, which seemed to have been bubbling just beneath the surface all day, was reaching boiling point.

"Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves?" inquired Professor Umbridge in a horribly honeyed voice.

"Hmm, let's think . . ." said Harry in a mock thoughtful voice, "maybe Lord Voldemort?"

There it was. Ron gasped; Lavender Brown uttered a little scream, Neville slipped sideways off his stool, which was actually a bit funny. Professor Umbridge, however, did not flinch, which Stella would have given her points for had it not been for the comment she'd made about Remus. She was staring at Harry with a grimly satisfied expression on her face.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr. Potter."

The classroom was silent and still. Everyone was staring between Umbridge and Harry, a few people glancing towards Stella, as if expecting her to speak up next.

"Now, let me make a few things plain," Professor Umbridge stood up and leaned toward them, her stubby-fingered hands splayed on her desk. "You have been told that a certain Dark wizard has returned from the dead —"

"He wasn't dead," said Harry angrily, "but yeah, he's returned!"

"Mr.-Potter-you-have-already-lost-your-House-ten-points-do-not-make-matters-worse-for-yourself," said Professor Umbridge in one breath without looking at him. "As I was saying, you have been informed that a certain Dark wizard is at large once again. This is a lie."

"It is NOT a lie!" said Harry. "I saw him, I fought him!"

"Detention, Mr. Potter!" said Professor Umbridge triumphantly. "Tomorrow evening. Five o'clock. My office. I repeat, this is a lie. The Ministry of Magic guarantees that you are not in danger from any Dark wizard. If you are still worried, by all means come and see me outside class hours. If someone is alarming you with fibs about reborn Dark wizards, I would like to hear about it. I am here to help. I am your friend. And now, you will kindly continue your reading. Page five, 'Basics for Beginners.' "

Professor Umbridge sat down behind her desk again. Harry, however, stood up. Everyone was staring at him; Seamus looked half-scared, half-fascinated.

"Harry, no!" Hermione whispered in a warning voice, tugging at his sleeve, but Harry jerked his arm out of her reach.

"So, according to you, Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord, did he?" Harry asked, his voice shaking.

There was a collective intake of breath from the class, for none of them, apart from Stella, Ron and Hermione, had ever heard Harry talk about what had happened on the night that Cedric had died. They stared avidly from Harry to Professor Umbridge, who had raised her eyes and was staring at him without a trace of a fake smile on her face. The Slytherins who had Death Eater parents held extremely still, not wanting to be dragged into the conversation. Stella was more than prepared to defend her classmates, even if it was from Harry. She was tired of people going after children.

"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident," she said coldly.

"It was murder," said Harry and Stella could see him shaking in anger. "Voldemort killed him and you know it."

Professor Umbridge's face was quite blank. For a moment she thought Umbridge was going to scream at him. Then she said, in her softest, most sweetly girlish voice, "Come here, Mr. Potter, dear."

He kicked his chair aside, strode around Ron and Hermione and up to the teacher's desk. Stella felt confused. Harry was typically a lot more calm than this. She fiddled with her ring, letting Sirius know how the class was going.

Professor Umbridge pulled a small roll of pink parchment out of her handbag, stretched it out on the desk, dipped her quill into a bottle of ink, and started scribbling, hunched over so that Harry could not see what she was writing. Nobody spoke. After a minute or so she rolled up the parchment and tapped it with her wand; it sealed itself seamlessly so that he could not open it.

"Take this to Professor McGonagall, dear," said Professor Umbridge, holding out the note to him.

He took it from her without saying a word and left the room, not even looking back at Stella, Ron and Hermione, and slamming the classroom door behind himself.

"Now that the excitement is over, please go back to reading your books. Thank you," Umbridge spoke, moving around the classroom again as people went back to reading.

Stella watched Umbridge though as she wondered around the room. Her eyes found Stella's and she gave Stella a smile before looking down at the book in front of Stella. Stella simply closed the book without looking.

"This is reading time, Miss Black," Umbridge spoke up and everyone looked at the two as if they'd been waiting for this moment; Stella Black had never been known as someone to hold back her opinion, including when it came to teachers.

"I've already read it," Stella told her.

"Then move to the next chapter."

"Oh, you misunderstand. I've read the entire book. Twice," Stella told her. "I like to read ahead so I understand the lessons better in class."

"Ah. Well, thank you for sitting quietly as your classmates catch up," she smiled far too sweetly.

"May I ask a question?" Stella asked and Umbridge sighed before nodding. "Are we going to be able to discuss and debate the theories in the book in class?"

This did not seem like the question that anyone expected Stella to ask, Umbridge included. Stella pegged Umbridge for a person that wouldn't stand for outright arguments though, as the class argument had proved. It would need to be underhanded, more Slytherin options. Umbridge stared at Stella for a moment before smiling again.

"Which theories do you mean specifically?" Umbridge asked.

"Such as the use of jinxes defensively and how they're named in chapter fifteen," Stella supplied. "Or the positives and negatives of nonretaliation and negation over going on the offense in chapter thirty-four."

"Ah," Umbridge gasped, not having expected that Stella had actually read the book. "Well, this is not a debate class. It is a Defense class. If you wish to debate the topics on your own time, that is entirely up to you."

"Wouldn't it be more beneficial to have you sit in during the debates?" Stella asked, barely even have raised her hand before she'd begun speaking again. "I mean, wouldn't you be able to make sure we stay on topic and don't use incorrect information?"

"Well- I- Please return to your readings," Umbridge said, face turning as pink as her robes.

Stella smirked once Umbridge was pass her, sending a wink to Hermione when she caught her staring. Once they were all dismissed, Stella rubbed her face, leaning on the wall around the corner and listening as Sirius told Stella that he'd noticed Harry being easily angered every so often at Grimmauld and she remembered how Harry had spoken to her when she'd seen the bruises and scars. She'd have to ask Hermione and Ron if they'd noticed anything as well. All Stella really knew in that moment was that Umbridge was going to be a nightmare.

The following morning, Stella walked right up to the Gryffindor table and sat beside Harry, Ron scooting over when he saw her coming.

"Hello, all," she sang as she grabbed a piece of toast. "How are we all feeling this morning?"

"Hi, Stella," Neville looked relieved to see her, glancing at Harry as he spoke and Stella knew in that moment that Harry's anger had been taken out on his dormmates as well.

Stella looked to Harry, finding him gripping his fork so hard that his knuckles had turned white.

"Harry," she said softly, hand reaching forward and fingers brushing his knuckles.

He tossed his fork down and turned his glare on her.

"Why are you over here?" he demanded.

"I came to check on you," Stella told him, voice still soft even though Harry's was raised.

"Well, I don't need you to check on me. In case you haven't noticed, I am completely able to care for myself. I've kept myself alive this long, ya'know!"

"I came to check on you because you're my friend and you've been angry with everyone lately," Stella's voice was still soft.

"WE AREN'T FRIENDS!" Harry bellowed and Stella was taken aback. "I TOLD YOU THIS LAST YEAR! I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU ANYMORE! THE ONLY REASON I SPOKE TO YOU THIS SUMMER WAS BECAUSE LUPIN TOLD ME THAT I HAD TO!"

Stella had leaned back into Ron, who had pulled her back a bit. The fifth-year Slytherins were all rushing over, wands out as they went to defend Stella. Harry lowered his voice now.

"You are so damn desperate for any attention you can get because you know Sirius prefers me, as do Molly and Arthur, which is why Molly calls me 'dear' now and sends me sweaters. That's why Molly hit you. Maybe if you weren't such a disappointment, one of your parents would actually like you."

Harry turned back to his plate then, going back to his breakfast. Stella felt anger rushing through her and she would regret her next words for the rest of her life.

"I'm the desperate one? Me? You have scars from where your uncle beats you so you cling to any adult that will show you the slightest bit of attention, including all of mine. Maybe if you didn't need to be 'punished' so often, your family would actually like you."

Stella stood from the Gryffindor table, grabbing Draco's and Blaise's hands as she went, dragging them away. Her year mates followed her out of the Great Hall without question, all glaring back at Harry as they did so. Crabbe and Goyle snuck to the kitchens, getting breakfast for everyone before returning to the empty common room. Snape entered as Stella was glaring at the toast that Theo had put in front of her, too angry to eat anything.

"Leave us," Snape told the others and they did, the only one's hesitating being Blaise and Theo. "You two may wait outside the door."

Once they were alone, Snape sat on the couch closest to Stella.

"Would you like to tell me what that was about?" he asked.

"Not really," she admitted. "Harry's in a piss mood and he's taking it out on everyone else, me included apparently."

"I heard him yelling," Snape nodded. "Why were you over there?"

"Harry got in trouble in Defense. I noticed that he's been angrier lately and I wanted to check on him. Excuse me for trying to be his friend apparently," Stella grumbled.

"Well, maybe you should distance yourself from him for a bit," Snape suggested. "Let him cool off and come to you. At least wait for him to apologize before you go running back to him."

"It better be a damn good apology," she said, finally looking to Snape. "You don't hate me, do you?"

"Why would I hate you?" Snape asked confused.

"Well, all of my other parental figures prefer Harry. He wasn't wrong about that one. I just wanted to make sure I still have you in my corner," Stella shrugged.

"I will always be in your corner," Snape promised.

"Better be," Stella grumbled, looking away again. "I don't feel like yelling at you of all people. You'd just stare at me and ask if I was done at the end."

They had double Transfiguration and then double Charms, both with the Hufflepuffs. Stella enjoyed her time away from the lions more than she probably should have, actually being able to concentrate better without them in the room. The first fifteen minutes of each class was spent with McGonagall and Flitwick telling them how important their O.W.L.s were.

"You cannot pass an O.W.L.," said Professor McGonagall grimly, "without serious application, practice, and study. I see no reason why everybody in this class should not achieve an O.W.L. in Transfiguration as long as they put in the work. So . . . today we are starting Vanishing Spells. These are easier than Conjuring Spells, which you would not usually attempt until N.E.W.T. level, but they are still among the most difficult magic you will be tested on in your O.W.L."

Stella earned them ten points when she made her snail disappear on the second try.

"What you must remember," said little Professor Flitwick squeakily, perched as ever on a pile of books so that he could see over the top of his desk, "is that these examinations may influence your futures for many years to come! If you have not already given serious thought to your careers, now is the time to do so. And in the meantime, I'm afraid, we shall be working harder than ever to ensure that you all do yourselves justice!"

They began reviewing charms after that from the previous years. Stella actually liked the heavy workload they were receiving. It gave her more to concentrate on. She began thinking over different options for her future, truly not knowing what she wanted to do. Maybe she should look into the businesses that the Black's owned and get into one of those. She could ask around and see what her professors had wanted to do outside of teaching, see if they had any good ideas.

No one was surprised the next morning when Sprout went on about O.W.L.s for half an hour before starting the double Herbology lesson with the Hufflepuffs. After a quick shower and lunch, Stella headed to Muggle Studies with Theo and Blaise beside her. They were going to have a summer project if they passed their O.W.L.s and Stella was thrilled about the idea of choosing something muggle, taking it apart and putting it back together. Maybe she'd ask Arthur if he had any suggestions.

Stella walked right by as Angelina yelled at Harry for getting a detention on Friday when Gryffindor tryouts were taking place. Stella smirked as she decided to use the map Friday after classes and go spy on the team. She whispered the idea to Blaise and he beamed at the idea, more than excited at the prospect.

"We just have to be careful where we do it from," Stella told him. "If we aren't, Fred and George will spot us."

"Payback for all the times that they've spied on the Slytherin team," Blaise snorted.

"Which reminds me that I'll need someone to watch the map during our tryouts and practices. Make sure no one's spying on us," Stella stated.

"I'll do it," Theo offered with a shrug. "I was going to go to the practices and stuff anyways."

"You sure?" Stella asked.

"Yeah," he nodded.

"What about spending time with Hermione?"

"She's not exactly the best company right now," Theo shrugged. "It'll be alright. Things are just a bit tense at the moment."

"Want me to talk to her?" Stella asked.

"No!" Theo yelled and everyone stared at him. "I mean I'll handle it."

"Alright," Stella breathed, turning to her plate and wondering why everyone thought it was okay to yell at her all of a sudden. Was there a meeting she missed or something? "Let me know if you need me."

"I can handle myself, Stella. I don't need your help," Theo sighed and the words were a little too close to what Harry had said.

"No one needs me. Got it," Stella rolled her eyes, tossing her fork down and leaving the table. "Let me know if any of you even want me anymore, will you?"

Stella ignored Blaise, Theo, and Pansy as they called after her, moving pass Neville as she left the Great Hall, tears in her eyes as she headed to the common room. Stella was on her bed with the curtains closed, watching as the snitch Harry had given her years ago and the one she'd caught at her first game buzzed above her, moving around one another as if doing a dance. Her homework was already thoroughly completed and she was too irritated to actually do anything in the moment.

Stella didn't talk to a single person the next day and none of them talked to her either. Blaise stayed close to her, bumping her side gently every chance he got. Friday night, Stella walked into the common room with the map open, already looking down at it and with her Omnioculars around her neck. Blaise was by her side in an instant, his own pair hanging from his neck, as well. The two said nothing as they left the common room and walked out the dungeons and onto the grounds, Omnioculars hidden in their shirts so no one could see them. It wasn't until they were at the astronomy tower, both laying on their stomachs and using their Omnioculars to spy on Gryffindor that Blaise spoke up.

"Are you alright?" he asked her.

"Yupp," she lied.

"You can tell me."

Stella felt a tear leave her and sniffled. Blaise set his Omnioculars down and pulled Stella close, holding her as she cried a bit.

"I'm just so tired of not feeling wanted. It started with Mum first year and it's just gotten worse ever since. I thought she and I had worked things out after last school year, but then this summer she kept avoiding me. And Harry's right about Sirius preferring him. Uncle Moony even pointed it out, albeit while yelling at Da to knock it off, but still. Then Harry yells at me, Theo raised his voice and his words were so similar to Harry's. I just couldn't…"

Stella couldn't complete her sentence she was crying so hard. Blaise just held her, the two not saying or doing anything until they heard a whistle blow in the distance, announcing the start of tryouts. Stella wiped her eyes and pulled herself together, placing her Omnioculars against her face. Blaise followed suit and the two watched and took notes as five different people tried out for Keeper, Ron included.

Ron wasn't exactly the best and Stella groaned at the idea of having to face off against her brother who spent all of his time with Harry during the next game. She could tell Ron had been chosen based off of the high fives the rest of the team began giving him before they began leaving the pitch. Stella and Blaise put their Omnioculars away again and used the map to get back to the dungeons unseen.

The next afternoon, Theo was watching the map closely with a pair of Omnioculars, looking out towards the castle every so often to make sure no one was spying. Smith had already been caught and his knees had been hexed backwards for his troubles. Stella already had an idea of who she wanted on the team based on how she'd seen them fly during the game the year before, but she needed a reserve team as well, something that only the Slytherins ever seemed to have.

The Slytherins quieted the moment Stella was facing them and she felt powerful for a moment, wondering if that was how Snape felt in his classroom. She slowly looked at everyone around her, sending anyone that was a second or third year to the stands immediately. The Slytherins liked to play dirty and she wasn't about the have the younger kids getting injured because of it. She made everyone fly laps around the field, Draco helping her get rid of the slowest flyers quickly.

"Keepers to the left, beaters to the right, and chasers in the center," Stella separated everyone, nodding as they did as instructed and thankful that only two people were trying out for keeper. "We're going to play a scrimmage game without seekers. I'm going to split you into teams, see how you play under a bit of pressure."

Blaise passed around mesh tops at random, half silver, half green, but being sure to split up anyone who seemed like friends with one another. This put Crabbe and Goyle on opposite teams so that Stella could see how they played apart from one another.

"Green is one team, silver is the other. You may not switch teams. If you send someone to the hospital wing, you're not on the team. In the air!"

The Slytherins rose up immediately and Stella smirked as she released the bludgers and then flew above the participants with Blaise and Draco, who was staying as the reserve seeker, able to fill in if Stella needed to play chaser depending on how tryouts went. She held the ball above the two groups and then dropped it, watching as the game began. The three flew above, watching as everything played out. Crabbe and Goyle were definitely on first line this year, a fourth year and a sixth year as the reserves. The chasers were harder to distinguish.

Stella got distracted when she heard Theo yelling at the twins and she flew around the pitch quickly, sneaking up on them and casting stinging hexes at their back sides, causing them to yell out as they turned and saw her.

"Leave," she told them and they both groaned before doing as told.

Stella watched them walk into the castle and flew over to Theo, watching the map to be sure they were gone before flying back up. Three people had been removed from the game by that point, one for injuring someone, the injured person, and one for not being any good whatsoever. The keepers were both decent but not near good enough. Stella flew over to the younger years.

"Did any of you want keeper?" she asked curiously, knowing it was the safest position on the team.

Three hands went up and Stella waved them onto the field, sending the other two away. They glared at Stella as they passed their mesh tops over, one person waiting their turn in the stands still. The third year was way better than the two sixth years had been. Stella sent the other third year away and the second year took to the sky. Stella smirked as he blocked every single goal, deciding he would be first line and the third year would be reserve.

Five chasers were picked and the rest were sent to the stands as Stella, Blaise, and Draco watched from above as they played, trying to decide who would be first line. The decision was made and Stella called an end to the game. She flew to the ground, everyone that was still in the air flying down to her.

"Crabbe, Goyle, you're first line. Beets, Roves, you're the reserves," she said before looking to the second year keeper. "What was your name again?"

"Baker."

"Your brother graduated last year, right?" Stella asked.

"Yupp."

"Well, you're my first line keeper," Stella told him, looking to the third year next. "Atkinson, you're reserve. As for chasers, Blaise, you already know you're first line. O'Connor and Keeny, you're with Blaise. Walsh, Doyle, Bernard, reserve. I'll get your jerseys to you tomorrow after dueling club. First practice is Friday at five. Dismissed!"

The Slytherins scattered and Stella smirked again, rather proud of how well tryouts had gone. She'd only had one injury and had to hex three people for trying to spy. She'd honestly expected much worse. She expected practice to be more crowded since she had heard that Pansy, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle were planning on bothering the Gryffindor's during their practice the next morning. She said nothing about it though, figuring the worst that could happen was just psyching Ron out before the first game even began.

"Gryffindor are losers, Gryffindor are losers," Draco, Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle sang once they walked into dueling club that afternoon.

"So it went well, yeah?" Stella smirked, rolling her eyes in the process.

The four just laughed and launched into an explanation on how terrible Ron was and how they were more than confident that Stella's team would be winning the Quidditch Cup this year. Snape smirked when he overheard them before telling them to calm down and continue practicing their spells.

'Ministry Seeks Educational Reform; Dolores Umbridge Appointed First-Ever "High Inquisitor"

In a surprise move last night the Ministry of Magic passed new legislation giving itself an unprecedented level of control at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"The Minister has been growing uneasy about goings-on at Hogwarts for some time," said Junior Assistant to the Minister, Percy Weasley. "He is now responding to concerns voiced by anxious parents, who feel the school may be moving in a direction they do not approve."

This is not the first time in recent weeks Fudge has used new laws to effect improvements at the Wizarding school. As recently as August 30th Educational Decree Twenty-two was passed, to ensure that, in the event of the current headmaster being unable to provide a candidate for a teaching post, the Ministry should select an appropriate person.

"That's how Dolores Umbridge came to be appointed to the teaching staff at Hogwarts," said Weasley last night. "Dumbledore couldn't find anyone, so the Minister put in Umbridge and of course, she's been an immediate success, totally revolutionizing the teaching of Defense Against the Dark Arts and providing the Minister with on-the-ground feedback about what's really happening at Hogwarts."

It is this last function that the Ministry has now formalized with the passing of Educational Decree Twenty-three, which creates the new position of 'Hogwarts High Inquisitor.'

"This is an exciting new phase in the Minister's plan to get to grips with what some are calling the "falling standards" at Hogwarts," said Weasley. "The Inquisitor will have powers to inspect her fellow educators and make sure that they are coming up to scratch. Professor Umbridge has been offered this position in addition to her own teaching post, and we are delighted to say that she has accepted."

The Ministry's new moves have received enthusiastic support from parents of students at Hogwarts.

"I feel much easier in my mind now that I know that Dumbledore is being subjected to fair and objective evaluation," said Mr. Lucius Malfoy, 41, speaking from his Wiltshire mansion last night. "Many of us with our children's best interests at heart have been concerned about some of Dumbledore's eccentric decisions in the last few years and will be glad to know that the Ministry is keeping an eye on the situation."

Among those 'eccentric decisions' are undoubtedly the controversial staff appointments previously described in this newspaper, which have included the hiring of werewolf Remus Lupin, half giant Rubeus Hagrid, and delusional ex-Auror 'Mad-Eye' Moody.

Rumors abound, of course, that Albus Dumbledore, once Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, is no longer up to the task of managing the prestigious school of Hogwarts.

"I think the appointment of the Inquisitor is a first step toward ensuring that Hogwarts has a headmaster in whom we can all repose confidence," said a Ministry insider last night.

Wizengamot elders Griselda Marchbanks and Tiberius Ogden have resigned in protest at the introduction of the post of Inquisitor to Hogwarts.

"Hogwarts is a school, not an outpost of Cornelius Fudge's office," said Madam Marchbanks. "This is a further disgusting attempt to discredit Albus Dumbledore." (For a full account of Madam Marchbanks' alleged links to subversive goblin groups, turn to page 17).'

"If people keep talking about my uncle, I'm going to start living up to my last name," Stella growled out as she stabbed a potato with her fork, setting the Prophet on fire with a wave of her wand.

In Defense that afternoon, Stella felt rather bored. She didn't want to reread a chapter that she'd already read four time now, having reread the book twice since last Monday just so she'd be able to quote the damn thing to prove a point if needed. Hermione had her hand in the air again though, and Stella was ready to enjoy the show.

Professor Umbridge had noticed too, and what was more, she seemed to have worked out a strategy for just such an eventuality. Instead of trying to pretend she had not noticed Hermione, she got to her feet and walked around the front row of desks until they were face-to-face, then she bent down and whispered, so that the rest of the class could not hear, "What is it this time, Miss Granger?"

"I've already read chapter two," said Hermione.

"Well then, proceed to chapter three."

"I've read that too. I've read the whole book."

Professor Umbridge blinked but recovered her poise almost instantly. "Well, then, you should be able to tell me what Slinkhard says about counter jinxes in chapter fifteen as Miss Black quoted a week ago."

Stella did not like being called out in Umbridge's class.

"He says that counter jinxes are improperly named," said Hermione promptly. "He says 'counter jinx' is just a name people give their jinxes when they want to make them sound more acceptable. I disagree."

"You disagree?" Umbridge asked, eyebrows high on her forehead and gaze rather cold.

"Yes, I do," said Hermione, who, unlike Umbridge, was not whispering, but speaking in a clear, carrying voice that had by now attracted the rest of the class's attention. "Mr. Slinkhard doesn't like jinxes, does he? But I think they can be very useful when they're used defensively."

"Oh, you do, do you?" said Professor Umbridge, forgetting to whisper and straightening up. "Well, I'm afraid it is Mr. Slinkhard's opinion, and not yours, that matters within this classroom, Miss Granger."

"But —" Hermione began.

"That is enough," said Professor Umbridge.

She walked back to the front of the class and stood before them, all the jauntiness she had shown at the beginning of the lesson gone.

"Miss Granger, I am going to take five points from Gryffindor House."

There was an outbreak of muttering at this.

"What for?" said Harry angrily.

"Don't you get involved!" Hermione whispered urgently to him.

"For disrupting my class with pointless interruptions," said Professor Umbridge smoothly.

"You didn't take points from Stella last week for asking similar questions," Hermione pointed out and Theo tensed beside Stella, causing her to look towards him in confusion.

"Keep her name out of your mouth," Blaise hissed out.

"I am here to teach you using a Ministry approved method that does not include inviting students to give their opinions on matters about which they understand very little. Your previous teachers in this subject may have allowed you more license, but as none of them — with the possible exception of Professor Quirrell, who did at least appear to have restricted himself to age-appropriate subjects — would have passed a Ministry inspection —"

"Yeah, Quirrell was a great teacher," said Harry loudly, "there was just that minor drawback of him having Lord Voldemort sticking out of the back of his head."

This pronouncement was followed by one of the loudest silences Stella had ever heard. Then —

"I think another week's detentions would do you some good, Mr. Potter," said Umbridge sleekly. "And five more points, Miss Granger, for continuing to disrupt the class. You do not tell me how to give or take away points in my classroom."

Hermione rammed Stella's shoulder again right after class and Stella had her wand out and a stinging hex flying at Hermione before anyone could even blink.

"Ow!" Hermione yelled.

"Yeah!" Stella yelled back. "Ow! Knock it off, Granger! Jeez."

Stella turned on her heel and stalked away from everyone, Blaise following after her. They ended up at the lake, sitting under a tree and watching the water for a while. They ended up there after classes a few times a week actually, the two just sitting there, saying nothing. Ron found them there towards the end of September and sat on Stella's other side.

"So, we need to actually learn defense," Ron spoke up.

"Yeah," Stella agreed.

"Hermione and I came up with a plan, but we need your help," he admitted.

"Did she admit to needing my help or…?" Stella waited.

"She admitted it. We need you to help convince Harry to teach students in secret. He's the best at defense and he's actually been in it. You're the only one he'll listen to though."

"I don't know how it may have escaped your notice, but Harry and I aren't friends."

"He feels terrible about what he said. He just doesn't know how to apologize for it. You said some hurtful things to him as well. And you hexed Hermione."

"Am I not allowed to defend myself from them?" Stella asked, glaring at Ron.

"Of course you are," Ron told her, taking her hand. "And you don't have to be nice to them until they apologize. Hermione is afraid you'll hex her again if she approaches you."

"She's not wrong," Stella shrugged.

"Will you help us convince Harry?"

"Fine. But we want in. Me, Blaise, and Theo."

"Deal."

Stella, Blaise, and Theo found Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the library the next day. Well, 'found' wasn't the right word. Stella used the map.

"I was wondering," Stella heard Hermione begin, "whether you'd thought any more on the Defense Against the Dark Arts, Harry."

"Course I have. Can't forget it, can we, with that hag teaching us—"

"Not what she meant," Stella sighed, pulling out the seat beside Harry and falling into it, Theo and Blaise taking a seat as well. "She means the idea they had about you teaching us."

"Wait, what?" Harry asked, seeming confused by the three Slytherins sudden appearance.

"You really need to pay better attention to your surroundings, Potter. Didn't Crouch and Moody teach us about constant vigilance?" Stella offered. "Now, have you thought about it or not because if the answer is no we five will put our heads together and come up with something else."

"Well," he said slowly. "Yeah. I- I have thought about it a bit."

"And?" Hermione said eagerly.

"I dunno," said Harry before he looked to Stella.

"I think it's a brilliant idea," Stella told him, arms still folded over her chest and keeping a bored expression on her face. "You're the best at defense in our year, and that's saying something considering that Granger and I are both at this table and we receive top marks every year. You can produce a full Patronus, you've fought horrors every single year, you can throw off the Imperius Curse—"

"So can you," Harry defended. "You're also brilliant at defense. You've helped me with almost every single spell that I've learned for Charms, Transfiguration, and Defense. Plus, you can fight a boggart easier than I can. Why don't you teach?"

"No one wants to learn from a Slytherin," Stella told him, voice soft.

"Would I only be teaching you lot?" Harry asked, seeming confused now.

"Well," said Hermione, now looking anxious. "Well, now, don't fly off the handle again, Harry, please… But I really think you ought to teach anyone who wants to learn. I mean, we're talking about defending ourselves against V- Voldemort—" Stella smiled proudly at her. "It doesn't seem fair if we don't offer the chance to other people."

"Yeah, but I doubt anyone except you five would want to be taught by me. I'm a nutter, remember?"

"Oh, we know. We've known it since first year though, so I suppose we're used to it by now," Stella joked.

"I think you might be surprised how many people would be interested in hearing what you've got to say," Hermione said quickly and quite seriously. "Look, you know the first weekend in October's a Hogsmeade weekend? How would it be if we tell anyone who's interested to meet us in the village and we can talk it over?"

"Why do we have to be outside the school?" Ron asked.

"Because I don't think Umbridge would be very happy if she found out what we were up to."

"There's the rule breaking Granger that we all know and love," Stella smirked. "Good to have you back. We've missed you."

"Oh, shut it, Stell," Hermione was smiling.

"Will you help me?" Harry asked Stella. "To teach, I mean. You're really good at explaining things."

"I'll help if you need me to but I think you might be better than you think," Stella told him. "We've got to go. Practice. And don't come trying to spy. I already hexed Smith, Davis, Fred, George, Alicia, and Angelina this week for it."

Stella was working the Quidditch team hard. Maybe a bit too hard honestly but they needed to be ready for the upcoming games. She was easier on the keepers but still pushed them. She just used a softer voice. They were excused from the Slytherin house dueling club in favor of practice and discussing strategies instead.

Blaise, Theo, and Stella were also working with Fred, George, and Lee to correct formulas for different ideas. They were selling a few of the inventions to the Slytherins for extra cash as well, which Crabbe and Goyle had already used to get out of Umbridge's class twice now. She told them no more so she wouldn't get suspicious. She seemed the paranoid sort.

Homework was being piled onto the fifth-years more and more every day and Stella and her year mates took to spending every evening together, studying and getting homework done. They were grateful for the breaks that they received in their schedules since they'd all dropped Care of Magical Creatures the year before, because it gave them more time to work and study so that they would still have time for Quidditch practice.

"I have heard a complaint about you recently," Snape told her as he held her after class one day.

"But I haven't gotten the chance to do anything yet?" Stella said in confusion.

"Yet?"

"Come now, sir. You know I'd have pulled off three pranks by now on a normal year," Stella shot back and Snape smirked for a half a second before his normal expression was back in place. "So, what's happened? Was it that Umbitch- I mean, Umbridge- lady?"

"It was two members of your Quidditch team, actually," he corrected, holding in his smirk when he heard the nickname and hoping Stella didn't let it slip during classes.

"Wait, what?" Stella asked in confusion.

The Slytherin team was always pushed hard. She wasn't any worse than Flint had been. In fact, she was much nicer compared.

"Your keepers would like the same treatment that you are giving to the older students," Snape explained. "They think you're going easy on them because of their age."

"Well, they aren't wrong," Stella shrugged. "I didn't want to scare them off. I've still been hard on them, just nicer about it."

"Well, they don't like it," Snape told her. "So, please, yell and scream at them all the same."

"You've got it, sir," Stella smirked.

Next practice, Stella pulled the keepers aside while everyone else got in the air.

"I just want you to know that if you ever have a problem, classes or practice wise, you can come to me about it. I understand going to Snape because he's our head of house, but I am here to train and help you. If you felt like I wasn't treating you the same as the other players, all you had to do was let me know," Stella told them, voice still soft.

"Well, we didn't want to upset you, was all," Baker admitted. "You're a really good captain and you're always so busy. We just want to be treated like everyone else."

"I'll do better," Stella promised. "Now, get in the air with the others."

Once all three of them were in the air, Stella yelled for everyone to do laps around the field, stating that whoever was the slowest was going to have to give up dessert for a month at meal times. It was, as Stella had expected, Atkinson. He was the least used player on the team. Stella told him if she saw him even look at the desserts at dinner she'd hex his mouth closed. She made sure to call out the younger two and yell at them just as she did the older players, pushing them just as hard now. They improved greatly in just two practices under her watch.

The morning of the Hogsmeade visit dawned bright but windy. After breakfast they queued up in front of Filch, who matched their names to the long list of students who had permission from their parents or guardians to visit the village. Filch gave Stella a curt nod before sending her on her way and Stella smirked, wondering how many stink pellets she could sneak back into the castle.

Stella led Blaise and Theo past Zonko's, where she was unsurprised to see Fred, George, and Lee, past the post office, and through the neighborhood that led to a Black property. Remus and Sirius were on the front porch, smiling and waving as the three approached. Stella ran forward, hugging Remus tightly around the waist, him laughing as he held her to him.

"I missed you," Stella admitted.

"So, I've heard," Remus chuckled.

"How?" Stella asked, looking up at Remus's eyes and unable to remember telling Sirius; in fact she'd barely spoked to Sirius lately.

"Blaise wrote me. Told me about you defending me in class and setting the Prophet on fire one morning because it mentioned me," Remus smirked. "Let's get you three inside. The others should be arriving soon."

Stella sighed as she let go of Remus, heading into the house and going straight to the kitchen. When she came out of it with a tea set, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had joined them, Harry under Sirius's arm and smiling brightly. Stella ignored the pang of jealousy that she felt and set the tea down, making cups for Blaise, Theo, and herself, since the other three had been given butterbeers. Blaise pulled Stella into his lap and Theo sat on the floor in front of them, leaning against Blaise's legs as Stella sat across him, all three sipping from their tea cups as they waited. She didn't even notice Remus taking a photo of the three of them.

First came Neville with Dean and Lavender, followed closely by Parvati and Padma Patil with Cho, who Stella noticed Harry staring at with wide eyes, and her friend, Marietta Edgecomb. Luna walked in with Ginny and the two sat on the floor on each side of Theo, being the only ones, besides Neville who had called a "Hi, Stella" when he'd seen her, to even acknowledge that the Slytherins were there so far. All of the Gryffindor team showed up, Fred and George giving Stella's placement on Blaise's lap a strange look before finding their own seats, Lee Jordan, Colin and Dennis Creevey, Ernie MacMillian, Justin Finch-Fletchy, Hannah Abbot, Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner, Terry Boot, Roger Davis, and Zacharias Smith all filed in.

"A couple of people?" Harry asked Hermione. "A couple of people?"

"Yes, well, the idea seemed quite popular," Hermione smiled happily and Stella stood, seeing how nervous Harry was becoming.

"What have you been telling people? What are they expecting?" Harry demanded.

"I've told you, they just want to hear what you've got to say," Hermione tried. "You don't have to do anything yet. I'll speak first."

"Just breath slowly for me, Harry," Stella told him. "In through your nose and out through your mouth a few times. Let Hermione lead and then you'll follow after, alright?"

Harry seemed to deflate a bit and Stella gave him a reassuring nod and smile before going back to her original spot in Blaise's lap.

"Er," said Hermione, her voice slightly higher than usual out of nerves. "Well — er — hi."

The group focused its attention on her instead, though eyes continued to dart back regularly to Harry.

"Well . . . erm . . . well, you know why you're here. Erm . . . well, Harry here had the idea — I mean" — Harry had thrown her a sharp look — "I had the idea — that it might be good if people who wanted to study Defense Against the Dark Arts — and I mean, really study it, you know, not the rubbish that Umbridge is doing with us" — (Hermione's voice became suddenly much stronger and more confident) — "because nobody could call that Defense Against the Dark Arts" —

"Hear, hear," said Anthony Goldstein, and Hermione looked heartened —

"Well, I thought it would be good if we, well, took matters into our own hands."

She paused, looked sideways at Harry, and went on, "And by that I mean learning how to defend ourselves properly, not just theory but the real spells —"

"You want to pass your Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. too though, I bet?" said Michael Corner.

"Of course I do," said Hermione at once. "But I want more than that, I want to be properly trained in Defense because . . . because . . ." She took a great breath and finished, "Because Lord Voldemort's back."

The reaction was immediate and predictable. Cho's friend shrieked and slopped butterbeer down herself, Terry Boot gave a kind of involuntary twitch, Padma Patil shuddered, and Neville gave an odd yelp that he managed to turn into a cough. Remus and Sirius, who were hiding in the back, just gave proud looks. All of them, however, looked fixedly, even eagerly, at Harry.

"Well . . . that's the plan anyway," said Hermione. "If you want to join us, we need to decide how we're going to —"

"Where's the proof You-Know-Who's back?" Smith questioned in a rather aggressive voice.

"Well, Dumbledore believes it —" Hermione began.

"You mean, Dumbledore believes him," he argued, nodding at Harry.

"Who are you?" said Ron rather rudely.

"Zacharias Smith," he answered, "and I think we've got the right to know exactly what makes him say You-Know-Who's back."

"Look," said Hermione, intervening swiftly, "that's really not what this meeting was supposed to be about —"

"It's okay, Hermione," said Harry.

There was a small silence as Harry stepped forward.

"What makes me say You-Know-Who's back?" he asked, looking Zacharias straight in the face. "I saw him. But Dumbledore told the whole school what happened last year, and if you didn't believe him, you don't believe me, and I'm not wasting an afternoon trying to convince anyone. Even Stella believes me and she's one of the most stubborn people I know."

The whole group seemed to have held its breath while Harry spoke. Eyes flicked to Stella and she gave a rather toothy grin and a wave before rolling her eyes and looking back to Harry.

Zacharias said dismissively, "All Dumbledore told us last year was that Cedric Diggory got killed by You-Know-Who and that you brought Diggory's body back to Hogwarts. He didn't give us details, he didn't tell us exactly how Diggory got murdered, I think we'd all like to know —"

"If you've come to hear exactly what it looks like when Voldemort murders someone I can't help you," Harry said. His temper, always so close to the surface these days, was rising again. He did not take his eyes from Zacharias Smith's aggressive face. "I don't want to talk about Cedric Diggory, all right? So if that's what you're here for, you might as well clear out."

None of them left their seats, not even Zacharias Smith, though he continued to gaze intently at Harry.

"So," said Hermione, her voice very high-pitched again. "So . . . like I was saying . . . if you want to learn some defense, then we need to work out how we're going to do it, how often we're going to meet, and where we're going to —"

"Is it true you can produce a Patronus charm, Harry?" Luna asked and a mummer of interest broke out among the group as Stella gave Luna a genuine smile.

"Yeah," Harry nodded.

"Blimey, Harry!" said Lee, looking deeply impressed. "I never knew that!"

"Mum told Ron not to spread it around," said Fred, grinning at Harry. "She said you got enough attention as it was."

"She's not wrong," mumbled Harry and a couple of people laughed.

"And you killed a basilisk with the sword of Gryffindor in our second year while protecting me and Ginny," Stella tossed out.

"Yeah," Harry nodded again, seeming a bit more confident.

Justin Finch-Fletchley whistled, the Creevey brothers exchanged awestruck looks, and Lavender Brown said "wow" softly.

"And in our first year," said Neville to the group at large, "he saved that Sorcerous Stone —"

"Sorcerer's," hissed Hermione.

"Yes, that, from You-Know-Who," finished Neville and Stella saw his eye roll at being corrected.

Hannah Abbott's eyes were as round as Galleons.

"And that's not to mention," said Cho (Harry's eyes snapped onto her, she was looking at him, smiling), "all the tasks he had to get through in the Triwizard Tournament last year — getting past dragons and merpeople and acromantulas and things. . . . All while coming first in points for every challenge."

There was a murmur of impressed agreement around the table. Stella could tell Harry was trying not to blush from the attention that he was receiving from Cho and Stella leaned against Blaise further, him reaching under her sweater so he was touching her skin and running his fingers up and down her spine gently, causing her to shiver as Theo tipped his head back so it rested on her leg, Stella tangling her fingers in his hair and scratching his scalp a bit. Remus looked over at Stella, checking to be sure she was alright while Sirius just glanced between Harry and Stella a few times in confusion, eyes narrowing on Blaise for a moment.

"Look," Harry said and everyone fell silent at once, "I . . . I don't want to sound like I'm trying to be modest or anything, but . . . I had a lot of help with all that stuff. . . ."

"Not with the dragon, you didn't," said Michael Corner at once. "That was a seriously cool bit of flying. . . ."

"Stella helped—"

"And nobody helped you get rid of those dementors this summer," said Susan Bones.

"No," said Harry, "no, okay, I know I did bits of it without help, but the point I'm trying to make is —"

"Are you trying to weasel out of showing us any of this stuff?" said Zacharias Smith.

"Here's an idea," said Ron loudly, before Harry could speak, "why don't you shut your mouth?"

Perhaps the word "weasel" had affected Ron particularly strongly; in any case, he was now looking at Zacharias as though he would like nothing better than to thump him. Zacharias flushed.

"Well, we've all turned up to learn from him, and now he's telling us he can't really do any of it," he said.

Stella groaned and stood again, all eyes turning to her as she did so.

"He isn't saying that he can't really do any of those things. If you would listen rather than asking questions before he can get a sentence out, you'd realize this. He's telling you that he had help learning everything, just as every student who has walked through Hogwarts has done. He's trying to tell you that, in order to learn, we all have to help each other, not just him trying to teach you, Smith. I feel like it would take at least four people to get through your thick head anyways. And, would you look at that. There are one, two, three, four of us standing up here."

"Why are you here? I though he hated you now?" Smith demanded, glaring at Stella.

"He's stressed. He was throwing a tantrum. Kind of like how you are right now. If you don't want to learn, then leave. Go fail your O.W.L.s and be an easy target for Voldemort. I don't care," Stella rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest as she stood tall beside Ron.

Smith didn't move.

"Yes, well," said Hermione hastily, "moving on . . . the point is, are we agreed we want to take lessons from Harry?"

There was a murmur of general agreement. Zacharias folded his arms and said nothing, though perhaps this was because he was too busy keeping an eye on the wand in Stella's hand.

"Right," said Hermione, looking relieved that something had at last been settled. "Well, then, the next question is how often we do it. I really don't think there's any point in meeting less than once a week —"

"Hang on," said Angelina, "we need to make sure this doesn't clash with our Quidditch practice."

"No," said Cho, "nor with ours."

"Nor ours," added Zacharias Smith.

"I can get you a copy of the Quidditch schedules," Stella told Hermione.

"I'm sure we can find a night that suits everyone," said Hermione, slightly impatiently, even as she tossed Stella a grateful look, "but you know, this is rather important, we're talking about learning to defend ourselves against V-Voldemort's Death Eaters —"

"Well said!" barked MacMillan. "Personally I think this is really important, possibly more important than anything else we'll do this year, even with our O.W.L.s coming up!"

He looked around impressively, as though waiting for people to cry, "Surely not!"

When nobody spoke, he went on, "I, personally, am at a loss to see why the Ministry has foisted such a useless teacher upon us at this critical period. Obviously they are in denial about the return of You-Know-Who, but to give us a teacher who is trying to actively prevent us from using defensive spells —"

"We think the reason Umbridge doesn't want us trained in Defense Against the Dark Arts," said Hermione, "is that she's got some . . . some mad idea that Dumbledore could use the students in the school as a kind of private army. She thinks he'd mobilize us against the Ministry."

Nearly everybody looked stunned at this news; everybody except Blaise and Theo, who had already come to that conclusion, much like the rest of the Slytherins, and Luna, who piped up, "Well, that makes sense. After all, Cornelius Fudge had got his own private army."

"What?" Harry asked, confused.

Stella hid her smile behind her hand, keeping in a laugh. She was so happy Luna had shown up.

"Yes, he's got an army of heliopaths," said Luna solemnly.

"No, he hasn't," snapped Hermione, tone harsher than Stella approved of and causing her to turn a glare onto the bushy haired girl.

"Yes, he has," said Luna.

"What are heliopaths?" asked Neville, looking blank.

"They're spirits of fire," said Luna, her protuberant eyes widening so that she looked madder than ever. "Great tall flaming creatures that gallop across the ground burning everything in front of —"

"They don't exist, Neville," said Hermione tartly.

"Oh yes they do!" said Luna angrily.

"I'm sorry, but where's the proof of that?" snapped Hermione.

"There are plenty of eyewitness accounts, just because you're so narrow-minded you need to have everything shoved under your nose before you —"

"Hem, hem," said Ginny in such a good imitation of Professor Umbridge that several people looked around in alarm and then laughed.

"Oh, please don't ever do that again," Stella begged.

"Weren't we trying to decide how often we're going to meet and get Defense lessons?" Ginny asked.

"Yes," said Hermione at once, "yes, we were, you're right…"

"Well, once a week sounds cool," Said Lee.

"As long as —" began Angelina.

"Yes, yes, we know about the Quidditch," said Hermione in a tense voice. "Well, the other thing to decide is where we're going to meet. . . ."

This was rather more difficult; the whole group fell silent.

"Library?" suggested Katie Bell after a few moments.

"I can't see Madam Pince being too chuffed with us doing jinxes in the library," said Harry.

"Maybe an unused classroom?" said Dean.

"Yeah," said Ron, "McGonagall might let us have hers, she did when Harry was practicing for the Triwizard. . . ."

"Or we could use the party room," Stella shrugged.

"The what?" Remus asked, brows raised.

"Shush back there," Stella smirked. "The adults are speaking up here."

Remus and Sirius barked a laugh.

"Would that work? I think the music would be too loud," Harry tried.

"It isn't always the party room," Stella explained. "It's also known as the Come-and-Go Room or the Room of Requirement. It changes based on who's in the room and what they need from it. Making a room where we can practice defense should be simple enough."

"We'll send a message round to everybody when we've got a time and a place for the first meeting," Hermione rummaged in her bag and produced parchment and a quill, then hesitated, rather as though she was steeling herself to say something. "I-I think everybody should write their name down, just so we know who was here. But I also think," she took a deep breath, "that we all ought to agree not to shout about what we're doing. So if you sign, you're agreeing not to tell Umbridge — or anybody else — what we're up to."

Fred reached out for the parchment and cheerfully put down his signature, but Harry noticed at once that several people looked less than happy at the prospect of putting their names on the list.

"Er . . ." said Zacharias slowly, not taking the parchment that George was trying to pass him. "Well . . . I'm sure Ernie will tell me when the meeting is."

But Ernie was looking rather hesitant about signing too. Hermione raised her eyebrows at him.

"I — well, we are prefects," Ernie burst out. "And if this list was found . . . well, I mean to say . . . you said yourself, if Umbridge finds out . . ."

"You just said this group was the most important thing you'd do this year," Harry reminded him.

"I- yes," said Ernie, "yes, I do believe that, it's just…"

"I can spell it so that the people who sign are the only ones who can see it," Stella assured him. "You think the three of us what to be caught with you lot?"

A small laugh left a few people.

"Ernie, do you really think I'd leave that list lying around?" said Hermione testily.

"No. No, of course not," said Ernie, looking slightly less anxious. "I — yes, of course I'll sign."

Nobody raised objections after Ernie, though Stella saw Cho's friend give her a rather reproachful look before adding her name. When the last person — Zacharias — had signed (except for Harry, Ron, Stella, Blaise, Theo, and Hermione herself), Hermione took the parchment back and slipped it carefully into her bag. There was an odd feeling in the group now. It was as though they had just signed some kind of contract.

"Well, time's ticking on," said Fred briskly, getting to his feet. "George, Lee, and I have got items of a sensitive nature to purchase, we'll be seeing you all later."

In twos and threes the rest of the group took their leave too. Cho made rather a business of fastening the catch on her bag before leaving, her long dark curtain of hair swinging forward to hide her face, but her friend stood beside her, arms folded, clicking her tongue, so that Cho had little choice but to leave with her. As her friend ushered her through the door, Cho looked back and waved at Harry.

"So, what did you use on the parchment?" Stella asked Hermione curiously.

"I'll send you the spells. Can you send me the one to hide the signatures?"

"As soon as I find one," Stella nodded. "I knew you did something to it to keep them from talking and Smith isn't exactly trustworthy. He needed to sign."

"He's a wart," said Ron. "Didn't you say you'd hexed him?"

"I've hexed a lot of people," Stella shrugged.

"I'm seeing more and more why you shouldn't have been made Prefect," Sirius smirked.

"Well, if people would stop trying to spy on my team…" Stella complained dramatically.

"I don't like him much either," admitted Hermione, "but he overheard me talking to Ernie and Hannah at the Hufflepuff table and he seemed really interested in coming, so what could I say? But the more people the better really — I mean, Michael Corner and his friends wouldn't have come if he hadn't been going out with Ginny —"

"He what?!" Ron demanded.

"Oh, now you've done it," Stella groaned.

"I thought she and Blaise were a thing? Aren't you and my sister a thing? I thought with the two of you being an item, Stella could keep an eye on you!" Ron yelled at Blaise.

"I'd rather not watch Ginny snog Blaise, thanks," Stella scrunched up her nose.

"They just went to the ball together," Theo shook his head.

"I'll have you know I'm a perfect gentleman," Blaise said to Stella.

"And a terrible liar, apparently," Stella smirked.

"When did this — when did she — ?" Ron was struggling.

"I could prove it to you if you like?" Blaise offered and Stella couldn't tell if he was actually joking anymore or not.

"They met at the Yule Ball and they got together at the end of last year," said Hermione composedly.

"Honestly, Ron," Stella rolled her eyes.

"Which one was Michael Corner?" Ron demanded furiously.

"The dark one," said Hermione.

"I didn't like him," said Ron at once.

"Big surprise," said Stella under her breath.

"But," said Ron, "I thought Ginny fancied Harry!"

Hermione looked at him rather pityingly and shook her head.

"Ginny used to fancy Harry, but she gave up on him months ago. Not that she doesn't like you, of course," she added kindly to Harry.

"Like, you," Blaise whispered in Stella's ear and she slapped his chest, causing him to laugh.

"So that's why she talks now?" Harry asked Hermione. "She never used to talk in front of me."

"Ron," Hermione said severely as she turned and trod on his feet, "this is exactly why Ginny hasn't told you she's seeing Michael, she knew you'd take it badly. So don't harp on about it, for heaven's sake."

"What d'you mean, who's taking anything badly? I'm not going to harp on about anything . . ."

"Remind me not to tell you when I get a boyfriend," Stella smirked.

"When?" Ron asked, eyes wide. "What do you mean, 'when'? Do you already have someone in mind?"

"Oh, here we go," Stella sighed before looking to Remus and Sirius, who were both trying very hard not to laugh. "We should get back to the school. See you both later."

Sirius and Remus both hugged Stella before she left the house, Ron following after her and demanding she tell him who she was interested in.

"And talking about Michael and Ginny . . . what about Cho and you?" Hermione asked Harry and Stella walked backwards so she could hear the conversation better.

"What d'you mean?" said Harry quickly.

"Well," said Hermione, smiling slightly, "she just couldn't keep her eyes off you, could she?"

Harry blushed and looked forward, eyes landing on Stella. Stella gave him a smirk and turned away, jumping onto Blaise's back and accepting the piggyback ride he was offering. Theo walked with Hermione, the two speaking softly back and forth and smiling to one another. Ron was glaring at Blaise, obviously thinking that he was who Stella was planning on dating. Harry just stared at Stella as they walked, a strange feeling stirring in his chest.

'The High Inquisitor of Hogwarts

All Student Organizations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs are henceforth disbanded. An Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students. Permission to re-form may be sought from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge). No Student Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor.

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. The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-four.

Signed Dolores Jane Umbridge, High Inquisitor'

Harry's head popped into the Runes classroom that morning, waving Stella out when the teacher wasn't looking. Stella pulled out one of Fred and George's not so sweet treats. The professor dismissed Stella quickly and she ate the other half, causing her nose to stop bleeding immediately. She cleared the blood from herself and turned a corner, finding Harry waiting for her.

"What is it? What's the- What happened to Hedwig's wing?"

"I don't know," Harry told her, passing Hedwig to Stella carefully.

"She's been attacked by something," Stella inspected. "Let's get her to Grubbly-Plank."

"Hmm," Grubbly-Plank hummed, staring down at Hedwig. "Looks like something attacked her. Can't think what would have done it, though. Thestrals will sometimes go for birds, of course, but Hagrid's got Hogwarts Thestrals well trained not to touch owls."

"Do you know how far this owl's traveled, Potter?" McGonagall asked sharply.

"Just from Hogsmeade," Harry told her.

"I should be able to sort this out if you leave her with me, Potter," Grubbly-Plank told him. "She shouldn't be flying long distances for a few days, in any case."

"Right," Harry sighed as the bell rang. "Thanks."

"No problem," she told him, taking Hedwig and walking away.

"Just a moment, Wilhelmina!" said McGonagall. "Potter's letter!"

"Oh, yeah!" Harry said, having completely forgot after having seen Hedwig injured.

"Potter!"

"Yes, Professor?"

She glanced up and down the corridor; there were students coming from both directions.

"Bear in mind," she said quickly and quietly, her eyes on the scroll in his hand, "that channels of communication in and out of Hogwarts may be being watched, won't you?"

"We'll find a better way," Stella assured her as students flooded the hall. "Thank you, Professor."

Stella approached Umbridge a few minutes later with a permission slip for the Slytherin Quidditch team in hand, Blaise and Draco with her, as they were on the team.

"Professor?" Stella asked, gaining her attention.

"Yes, Miss Black?" she asked, smiling sweetly at Stella.

"Professor, we saw the decree this morning and were wondering about the Slytherin Quidditch team," Stella told her. "I'm captain and Blaise and Draco are on the team, so we thought the three of us would come down and plead our case?"

"Plead your case?" Umbridge giggled. "There's no need to plead a case. Of course, I'll sign permission for the team. I was a Slytherin myself during my school days."

Of course she was.

"Really?" Stella asked. "That explains it then. We were all wondering where the ambition came from."

"Oh, yes," Umbridge smiled at them. "I've heard that you're rather ambitious yourself. All three of you, actually. I hope I can count on you in the future."

"Whatever for?" Stella asked curiously.

"Well, I don't want to say just yet. I'll let you know when the time comes," Umbridge smiled, passing the signed permission slip to Stella.

"Thank you, Professor. We'll see you this afternoon."

The three headed down to the dungeons, all feeling uneasy after having been around Umbridge. Something about that woman just didn't sit right with any of them. They stood outside of the Potions classroom, Gryffindors slowly trickling in.

"Yeah, Umbridge gave the Slytherin Quidditch team permission to continue playing straightaway. We went to ask her just now," Draco was telling the other Slytherins. "Well, it was pretty much automatic. I mean, she knows my father really well. He's always popping in and out of the Ministry. . . . It'll be interesting to see whether Gryffindor are allowed to keep playing, wont it, cousin?"

"I'd rather they got to play," Stella shrugged, not looking up from her potions book. "Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff aren't even an actual challenge. Not that Gryffindor was the last time we played them outside of my siblings."

"I mean," said Malfoy, raising his voice a little more, his gray eyes glittering malevolently in Harry and Ron's direction, "if it's a question of influence with the Ministry, I don't think they've got much chance. . . . From what my father says, they've been looking for an excuse to sack Arthur Weasley for years. . . . And as for Potter . . . My father says it's a matter of time before the Ministry has him carted off to St. Mungo's. . . . apparently they've got a special ward for people whose brains have been addled by magic. . . ."

Stella didn't even hesitate as she slapped Draco across the face. She didn't regret it either as he stared at her on shock. Theo and Blaise were trying to pull her away as Harry and Ron were holding Neville back.

"You are no cousin of mine," Stella hissed at him. "I have told you repeatedly that the Weasley's are family to me and you continue to degrade them in front of me. I don't care that you were trying to get a rise out of Harry and Ron! You would be trying to duel me in the halls if I said something about your parents so stop talking badly about mine!"

Theo physically picked Stella up, carrying her away from the rest of their house without any problems. He really should have tried out for beater. Blaise, Tracy, and Lily went with them. The dungeon door swung open as Theo set Stella back on her feet, holding her still with his eyes as Snape appeared.

"Fighting, Potter, Weasley, Longbottom?" Snape said in his cold, sneering voice. "Ten points from Gryffindor. Release Longbottom, Potter, or it will be detention. Inside, all of you."

Theo didn't let Stella move until everyone else had walked into the classroom. Only then did he and Blaise let her through, both walking directly behind her. Stella froze again though when she saw Umbridge standing in the corner of the room. Stella's eyes flickered to Snape before she took her seat.

"You will notice," said Snape in his low, sneering voice, "that we have a guest with us today."

He gestured towards the dim corner of the dungeon where Umbridge was with her clipboard. Stella had heard about McGonagall telling Umbridge that she didn't allow people to speak when she was in order to shut the pink toad up during her review and Stella wondered if she would actually get to see a show this time.

"We are continuing with our Strengthening Solutions today, you will find your mixtures as you left them last lesson, if correctly made they should have matured well over the weekend — instructions" — he waved his wand again — "on the board. Carry on."

Professor Umbridge spent the first half hour of the lesson making notes in her corner. Stella listened on as she worked on her potion, hearing Hermione whispered instructions at Harry when he almost made a huge mistake. Umbridge jumped to her feet and strode towards Snape, who was bending over Dean's cauldron.

"Well, the class seems fairly advanced for their level," she said briskly to Snape's back. "Though I would question whether it is advisable to teach them a potion like the Strengthening Solution. I think the Ministry would prefer it if that was removed from the syllabus."

Snape straightened up slowly and turned to look at her.

"Now . . . how long have you been teaching at Hogwarts?" she asked, her quill poised over her clipboard.

"Fourteen years," Snape replied. His expression was unfathomable.

"You applied first for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post, I believe?" Professor Umbridge asked Snape.

"Yes," said Snape quietly.

"But you were unsuccessful?"

Snape's lip curled.

"Obviously."

Umbridge scribbled on her clipboard.

"And you have applied regularly for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post since you first joined the school, I believe?"

"Yes," said Snape quietly, barely moving his lips.

He looked very angry.

"Do you have any idea why Dumbledore has consistently refused to appoint you?" asked Umbridge.

"I suggest you ask him," said Snape jerkily.

"Oh I shall," said Professor Umbridge with a sweet smile.

"I suppose this is relevant?" Snape asked, his black eyes narrowed.

"Oh yes," said Professor Umbridge. "Yes, the Ministry wants a thorough understanding of teachers' — er — backgrounds. . . ."

"What background would that be?" Stella growled out and Blaise elbowed her roughly.

Snape had heard her but Umbridge somehow hadn't. She moved towards Stella though to ask her questions about the class.

"How do you feel about the advanced potions?" Umbridge asked her.

"Oh, I love a good challenge," Stella admitted before making a slight dig at Umbridge next. "If the class isn't a challenge, then what's the point? You won't learn anything if it doesn't hold your attention."

"And how do you feel about Professor Snape's teaching style?"

"Professor Snape is my favorite professor because of how he teaches," Stella stated as she stirred her potion and added a beetle eye. "As I said, he challenges us, but it's because he knows we can do better. I'm thinking about getting into teaching one day myself. I hope to be at least half as good of a professor as he is one day."

"Well, I'm sure there are… other professors that you could look up to," she tried.

"Why ever would I do that?" Stella asked. "Professor Snape is my Head of House and our best professor. Well, all the Head of House are actually amazing teachers. Professor McGonagall, Professor Sprout, and Professor Flitwick are exceptional as well. I think all four of them are something to behold."

Umbridge's smile had fallen a bit before it went back into place. She moved along, speaking to Pansy a bit and receiving much the same responses before moving back to her corner. She stood quietly for the remaining hour of class, writing away on her clipboard. Stella shot Snape a smile when the bell rang, to which he simply smirked before nodding at her approvingly.

Defense was after break and Stella wondered if someone could come in and inspect Umbridge's class just to prove a point, specifically McGonagall and Snape. That would be a show to watch. Stella would sell tickets and snacks. Umbridge entered the room as Stella thought of setting off fireworks, wearing her black velvet bow and an expression of great smugness.

"Good afternoon, class."

"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge," they chanted drearily.

"Wands away, please . . ." But there was no answering flurry of movement this time; nobody had bothered to take out their wands. "Please turn to page thirty-four of Defensive Magical Theory and read the third chapter, entitled 'The Case for Non-Offensive Responses to Magical Attack.' There will be —"

"— no need to talk," Stella, Blaise, and Theo said together under their breaths.

Saturday was pouring rain and the Slytherins were the only team with permission in the moment. She yelled over the pouring rain, telling Crabbe off for almost taking Draco out by accident. She ended up calling practice off and they all made a run for it back to the castle. Stella dried and warmed the team with her wand as they walked in, Blaise vanishing mud as they went.

"We can go to the spare classroom and talk strategy instead," Stella told them. "No need for any of us to get sick or injured trying to practice."

"Stella?" Draco approached her as they headed to the classroom.

"Malfoy," she responded.

"I'm sorry," he said, grabbing her arm and turning her. "I know. I keep screwing up. I'm sorry."

"I'm no longer accepting apologies. Only changed behavior," Stella told him before walking away.

Ron approached Stella, Blaise, and Theo on Tuesday.

"Tonight, eight o'clock in the Room of Requirement," he told them before walking away.

A spacious room lit with flickering torches like those that illuminated the dungeons eight floors below greeted Stella. The walls were lined with wooden bookcases, and instead of chairs there were large silk cushions on the floor. A set of shelves at the far end of the room carried a range of instruments such as Sneakoscopes, Secrecy Sensors, and a large, cracked Foe-Glass that Stella was sure had hung, the previous year, in the fake Moody's office.

"Brilliant," Stella smiled as she did a small spin around the room, the Slytherins joining the golden trio as they entered. "Absolutely brilliant."

"I love magic," Harry repeated the sentiment from the World Cup and Stella smiled brightly at him.

There was a gentle knock on the door. Harry looked around; Ginny, Neville, Lavender, Parvati, and Dean had arrived.

"Whoa," said Dean, staring around, impressed. "Place looks different than I remember."

Fred and George came in next.

"I think we hid in here from Filch once," George stated.

"It was a broom closet then," Fred nodded.

"Yeah, us, too," Stella smirked to Blaise, remembering when the two had hidden after spying on the Gryffindors, the team having taken a secret passage to get through the school faster.

Her brothers glared, thinking Stella had meant for a different reason as Blaise winked at her. The others piled in over time. Once

"Well," said Harry, slightly nervously. "This is the place we've found for practices, and you've — er — obviously found it okay —"

"It's fantastic!" said Cho, and several people murmured their agreement.

"Hey, Harry, what's this stuff?" asked Dean from the rear of the room, indicating the Sneakoscopes and the Foe-Glass.

"Dark Detectors," said Harry, stepping between the cushions to reach them. "Basically they all show when Dark wizards or enemies are around, but you don't want to rely on them too much, they can be fooled. . . ."

He gazed for a moment into the cracked Foe-Glass; shadowy figures were moving around inside it, though none was recognizable. He turned his back on it.

"Well, I've been thinking about the sort of stuff we ought to do first and — er —" He noticed a raised hand. "What, Hermione?"

"I think we ought to elect a leader," said Hermione.

"Harry's leader," said Cho at once, looking at Hermione as though she were mad.

"Yes, but I think we ought to vote on it properly," said Hermione, unperturbed. "It makes it formal and it gives him authority. So — everyone who thinks Harry ought to be our leader?"

Everybody put up their hands, even Zacharias Smith, though he did it very halfheartedly.

"Er — right, thanks," said Harry, who could feel his face burning. "And — what, Hermione?"

"I also think we ought to have a name," she said brightly, her hand still in the air. "It would promote a feeling of team spirit and unity, don't you think?"

"Can we be the Anti-Umbridge League?" said Angelina hopefully.

"Or the Ministry of Magic Are Morons Group?" suggested Fred.

"I was thinking," said Hermione, frowning at Fred, "more of a name that didn't tell everyone what we were up to, so we can refer to it safely outside meetings."

"The Defense Association?" said Cho. "The D.A. for short, so nobody knows what we're talking about?"

"Yeah, the D.A.'s good," said Ginny. "Only let's make it stand for Dumbledore's Army because that's the Ministry's worst fear, isn't it?"

There was a good deal of appreciative murmuring and laughter at this.

"All in favor of the D.A.?" said Hermione bossily, kneeling up on her cushion to count. "That's a majority — motion passed!"

She pinned the piece of paper with all of their names on it on the wall and wrote 'DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY' across the top in large letters.

"Right," said Harry, when she had sat down again, "shall we get practicing then? I was thinking, the first thing we should do is Expelliarmus, you know, the Disarming Charm. I know it's pretty basic but I've found it really useful —"

"Oh please," said Zacharias Smith, rolling his eyes and folding his arms. "I don't think Expelliarmus is exactly going to help us against You-Know-Who, do you?"

"I've used it against him," said Harry quietly. "It saved my life last June."

Smith opened his mouth stupidly. The rest of the room was very quiet.

"But if you think it's beneath you, you can leave," Harry said. Smith did not move. Nor did anybody else. "Okay. I reckon we should all divide into pairs and practice."

Stella pushed Blaise towards Ron and went to Neville.

"I already know the spell, so you can practice on me, Nev," Stella told him with a smile.

The room was suddenly full of shouts of "Expelliarmus!": Wands flew in all directions, missed spells hit books on shelves and sent them flying into the air. It took a few tries before Stella even felt the wand shift in her hand.

"Neville, do you have your own wand?" Stella asked him curiously, remembering how many problems Ron had with Charlie's old wand during first year.

"It's my dad's," Neville shrugged.

"Hmm," Stella hummed.

"Why?" he asked, seeming on guard.

"Well, the wand chooses the witch or wizard. I'm guessing that wand didn't chose you, which means that you'll have a more difficult time with spells than others. You're basically forcing it to work with you rather than working together. Hold on. Harry!"

Harry wondered over to them, a curious expression on his face.

"Can I use your wand for a moment?"

"Why?" Harry asked.

"I want to show Neville something."

"Okay," Harry shrugged, passing his wand over.

"Expelliarmus," Stella said and Neville's wand flew to her with no issues and she handed it right back before using Harry's wand. "Expelliarmus. See? I didn't get your wand."

"Oh," Neville's eyes widened. "I never realized."

"Neville and I are going on a field trip," Stella told Harry, passing his wand back. "Don't wait up."

"What?" Neville was confused but Harry just laughed as Stella grabbed Neville's hand and pulled him along.

"Don't argue with her Neville!" Harry called and everyone turned to watch what was happening. "She's very stubborn!"

"And don't you forget it!" Stella called back before she and Neville left the room.

Stella used the map to sneak herself and Neville out of school and into Hogsmeade, disillusioning them once they reached Honeydukes, hand still holding Neville's. She made her way behind the store fronts and made them visible again.

"Kreacher?" she tried and the elf appeared immediately, eyes wide. "Kreacher, can you apparate with two people?"

"I can, Mistress," Kreacher nodded.

"Can you take us to Diagon Alley, please?"

Kreacher grabbed both of their hands and the three disappeared, appearing in the alley. Stella pulled Neville along behind her to Ollivander's, Kreacher following along apprehensively.

"Hello, Mr. Ollivander," Stella smiled as they walked in. "I was hoping you could assist us with something?"

"How many I be of service, Miss Black?" Ollivander asked. "And aren't the two of you supposed to be in school?"

"I won't tell if you don't," Stella shrugged. "It seems that Neville has never had a wand chose him before and is having difficulties in classes because of it. I was hoping you could help?"

"Of course," Ollivander nodded and his tape measure flew out.

Stella stepped away, watching as measurements were taken and Ollivander began pulling a few wands out. It took twenty minutes and sixteen wands before Neville's wand found him.

"Cherry wood and unicorn hair. Eleven inches, bendy," Ollivander nodded. "Potential for great power and very loyal. Also, hard to turn dark. Yes, I think this wand will do you well, Mr. Longbottom."

Stella paid for the wand herself, along with a rather generous tip to keep it quiet. Kreacher returned them to Hogsmeade and Stella sent him back to Grimmauld immediately, telling him to let her know if he needed anything. The two snuck back through the tunnel, returning just in time to hear the end of Harry's class.

"Well, that was pretty good," said Harry, "but we've overrun, we'd better leave it here. Same time, same place next week?"

"Sooner!" said Dean Thomas eagerly and many people nodded in agreement.

Angelina, however, said quickly, "The Quidditch season's about to start, we need team practices too!"

"Let's say next Wednesday night, then," said Harry, "and we can decide on additional meetings then. . . . Come on, we'd better get going. . . ."

"I'm back with the map!" Stella announced, holding it open and proceeding to help get the students out in small groups, telling them which routes to take.

"Thank you, Stella," Neville told her, smiling brightly. "I can't wait to try it."

"Make sure you keep your dad's wand in case of emergencies," she told him. "It might be helpful if we all had spare wands… Another time."

Neville left with Ginny and Stella left with Blaise and Theo, all disillusioned as they made their way to the dungeons.

"Brilliant," Hermione smiled at Stella as she passed her the spell she'd found to hide what the parchment said.

She'd used the map to work on the spell, making it so people had to tap the list and say a key phrase to show the names and another phrase to lock it.

"This is brilliant," Stella held up the Galleon. "How's it work?"

"You see the numerals around the edge of the coins?" Hermione said, holding one up for examination at the end of their fourth meeting. The coin gleamed fat and yellow in the light from the torches. "On real Galleons that's just a serial number referring to the goblin who cast the coin. On these fake coins, though, the numbers will change to reflect the time and date of the next meeting. The coins will grow hot when the date changes, so if you're carrying them in a pocket you'll be able to feel them. We take one each, and when Harry sets the date of the next meeting he'll change the numbers on his coin and because I've put a Protean Charm on them, they'll all change to mimic his."

A blank silence greeted Hermione's words and Stella smirked. She looked around at all the faces upturned to her, rather disconcerted.

"Well — I thought it was a good idea," she said uncertainly, "I mean, even if Umbridge asked us to turn out our pockets, there's nothing fishy about carrying a Galleon, is there? But . . . well, if you don't want to use them . . ."

"That's not why they're shocked," Stella told her.

"You can do a Protean Charm?" said Terry Boot.

"Yes," said Hermione.

"But that's . . . that's N.E.W.T. standard, that is," he said weakly.

"Oh," said Hermione, trying to look modest. "Oh . . . well . . . yes, I suppose it is. . . ."

"How come you're not in Ravenclaw? Either of you?" he demanded, staring at Hermione and Stella with something close to wonder. "With brains like yours?"

"The hat told me I was like my parents but far too ambitious to be sorted like them, so it stuck me in Slytherin," Stella smiled.

"Well, the Sorting Hat did seriously consider putting me in Ravenclaw during my Sorting," said Hermione brightly, "but it decided on Gryffindor in the end. So does that mean we're using the Galleons?"

There was a murmur of assent and everybody moved forward to collect one from the basket. Harry looked sideways at Hermione.

"You know what these remind me of?"

"No, what's that?"

"The Death Eaters' scars. Voldemort touches one of them, and all their scars burn, and they know they've got to join him."

"Well . . . yes," said Hermione quietly. "That is where I got the idea . . . but you'll notice I decided to engrave the date on bits of metal rather than on our members' skin. . . ."

"Yeah . . . I prefer your way," said Harry, grinning, as he slipped his Galleon into his pocket. "I suppose the only danger with these is that we might accidentally spend them."

"Fat chance," said Ron, who was examining his own fake Galleon with a slightly mournful air. "I haven't got any real Galleons to confuse it with."

"Oh, here," Stella grabbed her coin bag, passing a few to Ron with a lie on her lips. "For Hogsmeade. Dad gave it to me at the end of summer and I forgot to give it to you. Here Gin!"

Ginny took the money with a small smile, neither she nor Ron questioning her. When she waved Fred and George over, the two seemed to know exactly what Stella was up to.

As the first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin, drew nearer, their D.A. meetings were put on hold because Angelina and Stella insisted on almost daily practices. The fact that the Quidditch Cup had not been held for so long added considerably to the interest and excitement surrounding the forthcoming game. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were taking a lively interest in the outcome, for they, of course, would be playing both teams over the coming year; and the Heads of House of the competing teams, though they attempted to disguise it under a decent pretense of sportsmanship, were determined to see their side's victory.

McGonagall didn't assign homework the entire week of the upcoming game. Snape was less obvious, always having turned a deaf ear when others complained about Slytherins hexing other students in the halls. When Alicia Spinnet turned up in the hospital wing with her eyebrows growing so thick and fast that they obscured her vision and obstructed her mouth, Snape insisted that she must have attempted a Hair-Thickening Charm on herself and refused to listen to the fourteen eyewitnesses who insisted that they had seen Keeny hit her from behind with a jinx while she was in the library.

"Hey, Potty, I heard O'Connor's sworn to knock you off your broom on Saturday," Pansy called out to Harry one day in passing.

"O'Connor's aim's so pathetic I'd be more worried if he was aiming for the person next to me," he retorted, which made Ron and Hermione laugh and wiped the smirk off Pansy's face.

"We need to find a way to psych Ron out more," Stella smirked to Draco and Blaise.

"Stella Black-Weasley, did you just tell us to actively pick on your brother?" Blaise asked with a wide grin.

"I've already gave permission as long as it's about Quidditch," Stella rolled her eyes.

"I've got a plan," Draco smirked.

All of the Slytherin's were wearing crowns at the Slytherin table the next morning. When Ron and Harry walked in, many people waved at Ron, laughing loudly as he walked by. Stella was humming a tune under her breath, causing those around her to laugh as they realized that it was the song Draco had come up with on the fly the night before and taught all of them. She was going to convince Peeves to sing it once everyone returned from the game.

"Everyone eat!" Stella yelled at her team, noticing the younger students seeming a bit nervous.

Small vials appeared in front of those ones, stomach soothers that Stella gave a pointed look until they got the message. After everyone ate, the team followed Stella to the changing rooms. They all got changed quickly and Stella stood in front of the team, smirking when she saw the pins.

"Oh! I forgot that I'm in charge of giving these speeches now," Stella admitted, getting a laugh from the team. "Flint would tell you to win or get murdered. I'm not going to do that. I'm hard on all of you because I believe in you. Honestly, this is the best team that we've had in ages. I like the sight of the Quidditch Cup in Snape's office, gives me a bit of a view when I'm stuck in detentions," another laugh. "You are all more than capable and I know that we can do this. So, let's go out there and play a nice, fun, dirty game and show those Gryffindors how it's supposed to be done!"

There were loud cheers from the crowd and Stella could hear the Slytherins singing loudly. Beside Stella stood Blaise, smirking as they watched the Gryffindor team come out. Crabbe and Goyle lurked behind them, swinging their bats playfully. Baker, O'Connor, and Keeny were nervous but doing beautifully at hiding it, causing pride to swell in Stella's heart.

"Captain's shake hands," ordered Hooch and Stella shook Angelina's hand tightly. "Mount your brooms…"

The whistle blew and Stella flew high into the air. The balls were released and the game had truly begun.

"Keeny of Slytherin gets the quaffle first. Good Lord, he's fast!" Stella smirked proudly as she searched for the snitch, eyes catching Harry's every so often as she split her attention between him, searching for the golden ball, and watching out for her team. "Passes to O'Connor, back to Keeny, to Zabini and- SCORE! Ten-zero Slytherin.

"And it's Johnson with the Quaffle. What a player that girl is. I've been saying for years but she still won't go out with me—"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor. Johnson ducks Keeny, passes O'Connor – OUCH – hit in the back by a bludger from Crabbe!"

"Good job!" Stella yelled as she flew pass Crabbe.

"Zabini catches the Quaffle, heading back up the pitch and – nice bludger from George Weasley – Zabini drops the Quaffle—"

"You alright?" Stella asked.

"I'm good," he assured her, rubbing his shoulder for a moment before chasing after Katie.

"- Katie Bell with the Quaffle, reverse pass to Spinnet. Dodges Keeny and a bludger. The crowd are loving this, just listen to them, what's that they're singing?"

"Weasley cannot save a thing, He cannot block a single ring, That's why Slytherins all sing: Weasley is our King!"

"Alicia passes back to Angelina. Come on now, Angelina. Looks like she'd got just the keeper to beat! SHE SHOOTS- SHE- aaah…"

Baker blocked the goal, passing the Quaffle to Keeny who took off between Alicia and Katie like a bullet train. The singing grew louder.

"Weasley is our King, Weasley is our King, He always lets the Quaffle in, Weasley is our King."

Stella pretended to conduct the Slytherins for a moment before taking off into the sky, thinking she'd seen something gold above.

"Keeny to O'Connor, O'Connor to Zabini, Zabini to Keeny. Keeny out of bludger range and just the keeper ahead—"

"Weasley cannot save a thing, He cannot block a single ring!"

"— a test for new Gryffindor Keeper, Weasley, brother of Beaters, Fred and George, and a promising new talent on the team — come on, Ron!"

But the scream of delight came from the Slytherin end: Ron had dived wildly, his arms wide, and the Quaffle had soared between them, straight through Ron's central hoop.

"Slytherin score!" came Lee's voice amid the cheering and booing from the crowds below. "So that's twenty-nil to Slytherin – bad luck, Ron…"

Stella rolled her eyes. It wasn't bad luck. Ron just wasn't good enough.

"WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN, HE ALWAYS LETS THE QUAFFLE IN!"

Since when was that in the lyrics?!

"- Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell tanking up the pitch."

"WEASLEY WILL MAKE SURE WE WIN, WEASLEY IS OUR KING!"

Stella was chasing the snitch and people were starting to notice. Keeny and Blaise both scored twice more and Gryffindor had finally gotten a point before it was announced though.

"BLACK CHASING THE SNITCH!" Lee yelled and Harry started chasing her.

They both dived, flat on their Firebolts. Stella's hand reached out and…

"YES!" Stella screamed, pulling up at the last second and ending up taking a bludger for Harry by accident. "FUCK!"

Stella laid still on the ground as both teams landed next to her.

"STELLA!" Blaise's voice broke through the crowd as he and Ron pushed pass the others, Fred and George right behind him.

"I got it," Stella smiled happily, holding the snitch up.

"Can you move?" Fred asked her.

"Course I can," Stella rolled her eyes before flipping onto her feet, flinching slightly and knowing she probably had a bad bruise that would need to be looked at.

"You tried so hard to save Weasley's neck," Draco's voice spoke up from behind the crowd and everyone turned to see him. "I've never seen a worse Keeper but then he was born in a bin. Did you like my lyrics, Potter?"

"Malfoy," Stella growled out.

"We wanted to write another couple of verses!" Draco called as Blaise pulled her away, looking as angry as she did. "But Stella wouldn't let us mention how fat and ugly his mother is. Couldn't mention his useless loser of a father, either."

Theo had appeared and was carrying Stella again. Harry was holding George while Angelina grabbed Ron and Alicia and Katie held onto Fred.

"Well, I'm sure even the Weasley hovel smells nice when you're dragged up by muggles. Or perhaps you can remember what your mother's house stank like, Potter, and Weasley's pigsty reminds you of it—"

Harry had released George and they both ran at Malfoy, jumping on him.

"Get 'em!" Stella shouted out.

Theo had pulled Stella off of the field at that point, Blaise moving with them.

"My back," Stella admitted now that no one else was nearby, sinking against Theo's shoulder a bit. "Think there's a bad bruise."

"We'll get you looked at," Theo promised, walking her directly towards the castle, still thrown over his shoulder.

"I'm going to kill Malfoy," Stella promised.

"We'll help," Blaise growled. "Your parents are practically saints. They don't deserve all that."

"Had it not been for me seeing that bludger hit you, I would have gone at him myself," Theo admitted.

"Who hit the bludger?"

"Crabbe."

"He's off first line."

Harry and the twins were banned from Quidditch and were sulking when Stella found out, rushing as fast as she could with her injured back to Gryffindor tower.

"It's just unfair," said Alicia. "I mean, what about Crabbe and that bludger that he'd aimed at you after the whistle had been blown? Has she banned him?"

"Stella kicked him off first line," Ginny offered.

"Kicked him off the team," Stella corrected as she joined them, flinching as she sat down. "Theo's reserve now."

"Are you alright?" Fred asked, seeming rather worried.

"Fine. Also, Malfoy's in the hospital wing. Apparently if you hit someone with an 'Anteocultia,' 'Densaugeo,' and a 'Stenius' all at once, you end up sneezing antlers and your own teeth. Who knew? He'll be eating nothing but mashed potatoes for the next two months while his teeth grow back."

"Brilliant," Harry actually cracked a smile.

"You let them sing that song," Ron glared.

"I let them sing most of the song. Did not know that Malfoy had added in the 'born in a bin' bit until I heard it on the field," Stella told him.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I told Malfoy to stop talking about my family?"

"No. Why did you let them sing the song at all?"

"Because I like to win and you were already nervous. You were an easy target," Stella shrugged. "Honestly, Ron. You have got to calm down or you truly will just keep giving other teams the win."

Stella left after that, not feeling as welcomed anymore as she slowly left the tower. She stopped to get her breath halfway to the dungeons. Stella sighed, fiddling with her ring and telling Sirius everything that had happened.

'A lifetime ban?' Sirius asked.

'I'm fine, by the way. Thanks.'

'Sorry, Stella…'

Stella didn't respond to Sirius for the rest of the night. She even debated taking the damn thing off as she laid in bed before hearing the lullaby being sang to her. Instead, she went to the boys dorm, knocking softly before Goyle opened the door, giving a glare when he realized it was her.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Who is it?" Theo asked, going to the door and eyes widening when he saw Stella. "What's wrong?"

"Do you have bruise cream?" she asked him.

"Come on," Theo nodded, waving Stella in.

"I didn't get you that badly," Crabbe rolled his eyes.

Stella ignored him, going to Blaise's bed and sitting down. Blaise helped Stella out of her over shirt as Theo rummaged through his healing potions until he found the bruise salve, passing the container over to Blaise and going back to his bed. Blaise closed his curtain, sitting behind Stella and helping her lift her tank top before slowly applying the salve to her back, a large, black bruise to the right of her spine. Madam Pomfrey had given her a minor pain potion that had only lasted half an hour earlier, not realizing just how bad the bruise was.

Stella hissed when the salve touched her and Blaise froze.

"Sorry," he whispered.

"Didn't hurt," she shook her head. "Cold."

Blaise let out a quiet chuckle and rubbed the salve between his hands for a moment before continuing.

"Better?" he asked.

"Yeah," she nodded, sending a small smile over her shoulder.

"How's your crush on Potter?" Blaise asked as he worked.

"Gone," she told him. "Getting ignored and then yelled at kind of killed it."

"Are the two of you still fighting?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "I mean, he's my friend… I think."

"Did he apologize?"

"Nope."

Blaise didn't say anything else as he finished. Stella sighed, leaning back against Blaise and thanking him quietly. Blaise moved them a bit so they were laying next to one another instead, pulling the blanket over them and holding her close.

'Sleep now, my star, under the night sky. When you wake, they'll be no reason to cry. The moon will watch… over you. And then, My love, I'll join you soon.'

Stella drifted off to sleep as Sirius sang to her, safe in Blaise's arms, and she found herself smiling when she woke the next day. Blaise was still asleep and the sun hadn't risen in the sky. She turned her head slightly, seeing his face having relaxed in his sleep. She gave a gentle smile before sitting up, pulling her over shirt back on and heading out of the boys dorm.

'You awake?' she asked Sirius once she was back in her own dorm, her dormmates all asleep.

'I am. And I'm sorry. For everything. Remus was right. I'll do better, be better in the future.'

'I'm going to hold you to it.'

'I'd be disappointed if you didn't.'

She ended up sneaking off to Hogsmeade again, running through the snow to get to the house. Sirius smiled and allowed her in.

"I think you might sneak out of the castle more than I did when I was in school," Sirius joked.

"Well, I've got to break the record, don't I?" Stella joked. "I brought you a few of Fred and George's inventions so you can take a look at them."

Stella explained each sweet to Sirius and he listened with interest.

"Amazing," Sirius laugh. "I wish we'd had these when I was in school."

"They're trying to make something that'll let you daydream in class more freely as well," Stella told him. "They're brilliant, I tell you."

The two ended up on the couch sipping tea in front of the fire.

"Where's Uncle Moony?" Stella asked curiously.

"Dumbledore sent him on a mission to talk to werewolf packs," Sirius shrugged.

"Well, that sounds lovely," Stella grumbled.

"He hates it," Sirius sighed. "Most of the werewolves have given into their… desires so to speak. He once described it as a giant orgy."

"Ew," Stella wrinkled her nose and set her tea down. "Do not need that mental image."

Sirius laughed loudly, head thrown back.

"So, after the holidays, I'll be staying to Grimmauld again," Sirius told her. "The house will still be here if you, Blaise, Theo, or the others need to get away."

"Thanks," Stella smiled as Sirius passed her a key.

"I'm heading out tomorrow to get the house ready for Christmas. I hope you'll join me there? Blaise and Theo are more than welcome to come as well. I mean, they do live there now after all."

"Of course, Da," Stella smiled.

Sirius hugged her tightly before walking her to Honeydukes. He walked in with Stella disillusioned behind him and distracted the shop keeper as Stella snuck through the backroom.

December arrived, bringing with it more snow and a positive avalanche of homework for the fifth years. Theo was called in as prefect to help hang decorations, which made Stella laugh loudly when he returned with garland and glitter on him before he stood over her, shaking his hair and robes out so the glitter rained on her. Stella snuck around the school, hanging up mistletoe again for people to get stuck under. Stella also began working on her mum's gift. She was knitting a Weasley sweater for her Mum, something that none of them had somehow thought to do before.

Ginny rushed over to Stella one day and dragged her away to an empty classroom.

"What?" Stella asked with a laugh, Ginny's excitement radiating off of her.

"I've been made seeker," Ginny told her.

"Oh, my Gods!" Stella yelled, pulling Ginny into a tight hug. "Oh, I'm so proud of you!"

"We should get to the meeting," Ginny smiled brightly and the two took off together, reaching the Room of Requirement and skipping in together.

"Mistletoe," Luna told Harry and he jumped away from her. "Good thinking. It's probably full of nargles."

That reminded Stella. She and Ginny were the last ones in so Stella waved her wand behind her, putting mistletoe up somewhere near the door.

"Okay," Harry said, calling them all to order. "I thought this evening we should just go over the things we've done so far, because it's the last meeting before the holidays and there's no point starting anything new right before a three-week break —"

"We're not doing anything new?" said Zacharias Smith, in a disgruntled whisper loud enough to carry through the room. "If I'd known that, I wouldn't have come. . . ."

"We're all really sorry Harry didn't tell you, then," said Fred loudly.

Stella, Ginny, and Luna giggled.

"We can practice in pairs," said Harry. "We'll start with the Impediment Jinx, just for ten minutes, then we can get out the cushions and try Stunning again."

Stella worked with Neville again, who had gotten much better with a wand that was actually for him. After ten minutes on the Impediment Jinx, they laid out cushions all over the floor and started practicing Stunning again. Space was really too confined to allow them all to work this spell at once; half the group observed the others for a while, then swapped over. At the end of the hour, Harry called a halt.

"You're getting really good," he said, beaming around at them. "When we get back from the holidays we can start doing some of the big stuff — maybe even Patronuses."

A murmur of excitement went through the room and everyone began dispersing. Stella had forgotten about the damn mistletoe and was glaring up at it where she was stuck.

"What's wrong?" Blaise asked.

"No, wait!" Stella tried but it was too late. "Damn it, Blaise."

"Damn me? You're the one who put these everywhere," Blaise reminded her.

Stella glared at Blaise and he smirked.

"Come now, Black. I can't be that bad," he joked.

A wolf whistle sounded and Stella turned, finding quite a few people staring at them. Ron and the twins looked rather angry and Theo was trying hard not to laugh, having to bite his lip and look away so he wouldn't. Harry was rather red as he stared at them, mouth slightly open in shock.

"The longer we stand here…" Blaise reminded her.

"Oh shut it," Stella rolled her eyes and Blaise could see the nerves that she was hiding.

Blaise took Stella's face gently in his hands and stared into her eyes.

"I've got you," he whispered to her and Stella heard Lavender Brown and Padma Patil 'aww' loudly at them. "Just trust me."

"Of course, I trust you," Stella whispered back and the 'aww's got louder.

Blaise gave her a smile and leaned in close, stopping just before their lips touched. She nodded and he closed the distance between them. His lips were softer than Stella had anticipated and he held her face gently. Stella wasn't sure exactly what to do so she copied him the best she could. They both felt the spell on the mistletoe break and snow onto their heads. Blaise pulled away slowly, almost reluctantly, and the two stared at each other for a moment. Everyone seemed to understand that they were intruding now and began leaving quickly in small groups.

Theo walked slightly behind Stella and Blaise as the three headed towards the dungeons, none of them speaking as they went. Blaise went straight to his dorm room, Theo chasing after him as Stella knocked on Snape's office door, the two having a meeting time set up a week earlier. He called for her to enter and Stella went to her chair silently.

"Black?"

"Sorry, sir?" Stella's head popped up.

"Has something happened?"

"Nope," Stella blushed. "Sorry, sir. I found something that I wanted to ask you about."

"Is this one of your eleven questions that you have yet to ask me?"

"We can count it as one," she shrugged. "I remember you mentioning a branch of magic once and I came across it in a book recently. I was hoping you could teach it to me?"

"What is the branch of magic?"

"Legilimency and Occlumency," Stella told him.

"You wish to know how to occlude?" Snape asked.

"I do. I was hoping there were books I could read and then you could help me learn after the holidays?" Stella asked.

"I will send you some books over the holidays and, if you would like, we can begin now?"

"Really?" Stella asked, brightening.

"Don't get excited. It will not be pleasant. Reading about the subject will only get you so far though. It's a practical type of magic. You will need to discipline your mind and create a barrier to hide your memories and thoughts behind. I will say that the Black family is known for having natural shields though, so you may have an easier time than others have in the past, myself included."

"Well, that feels a bit unfair," Stella frowned before shrugging. "What do I need to do."

"Let's stand. Wand in hand, now. Clear your mind and empty yourself of emotions," Snape said before pointing his wand at Stella. "Three… Two… One… Legilimens."

Stella was caught off guard by the sudden spell. She felt as if she were floating for a moment before pain hit her. Blaise's kiss was the first thing on her mind, being revealed to Snape in a second. Flashes of memories with Blaise and Theo went through her mind; the three laughing on the train, doing homework in front of the fire, sitting on top of each other in the house in Hogsmeade, both holding Theo after a nightmare, watching fireworks go off by the lake.

"Ow," Stella complained when Snape came out of her head, slowly getting back to her feet. "That was a terrible warning."

"I'm afraid it's the best way to learn," Snape told her with a sigh. "How long have you and Zabini been an item?"

"We aren't," Stella told him. "We got stuck under mistletoe just a bit ago."

"Yes. I found a few third years stuck under some earlier," Snape rolled his eyes. "Again?"

"Give me a moment," Stella closed her eyes, trying to clear everything from her mind before opening her eyes and nodding to Snape.

This time, it was her parents in her mind. Sirius hugging Harry and walking away from Stella, Molly slapping her, Arthur angry for her and facing off against Lucius Malfoy, Remus beaming proudly, Snape smirking as he gave her points.

"Oh, my God. Why is that so terrible?" she questioned before standing again.

"I am digging into your mind," he reminded her.

"Still," she complained.

"When did the altercation between yourself and Molly happen?" Snape asked, eyes narrowed slightly.

"It was just before the World Cup," Stella shrugged before lying. "It's fine. We've talked about it."

Snape took a deep breath and then nodded, waiting for Stella to gather herself and nod. She took a few deep breaths, remembering what Snape had said about walls. She imagined the castle with its wards and stone walls and imagined it held her memories. The important ones were hidden in secret passageways and behind tapestries, the classrooms holding random bits of information. She opened her eyes and nodded.

"Legilimens."

Snape found her castle and smirked, impressed with what she'd thought of already. Nothing was truly hidden yet but it was a good foundation to start with. The Black's and their natural skill towards occlumency were definitely showing. He saw flashes of Stella and the Weasley children playing as kids, singing sea chanties and pretending to bury buried treasure that was actually just some of Molly Weasley's pots and pans. Next, Stella was tossing garden gnomes and gathering eggs before helping cook meals in the Burrow. These memories were warm and happy, a feeling of content settling over the both of them. Snape pulled out of her mind and caught her as she fell.

"Easy," he told her, helping her to a chair. "That's enough for tonight. When you go to bed, I want you to practice clearing your mind and building your shields."

"Okay," Stella nodded, slightly out of breath.

"Here," he passed her a pain potion. "This will help."

"Thank you, sir," she smiled, drinking the potion quickly.

"Off you go," he sent her away.

Stella smirked and left to the common room. She went up to her room, and took a long, hot shower before laying down for bed, ready to pass out for the night after having had someone rustling around in her mind for an hour. She was woken far too early by Snape shaking her shoulder.

"Sir?" she asked and he placed his finger over his mouth, quieting her.

She slipped on her slippers and silk robe, putting her wand in her pocket, before following Snape through the school and to the headmaster's office, getting there at the same time as McGonagall, who was followed by the twins and Ginny. Snape left her with them and headed in a different direction. Harry and Ron were inside with Dumbledore when they entered.

"Harry — what's going on?" asked Ginny, who looked frightened. "Professor McGonagall says you saw Dad hurt —"

"Your father has been injured in the course of his work for the Order of the Phoenix," said Dumbledore before Harry could speak. "He has been taken to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. I am sending you back to Sirius's house, which is much more convenient for the hospital than the Burrow. You will meet your mother there."

"How're we going?" asked Fred, looking shaken. "Floo powder?"

"No," said Dumbledore, "Floo powder is not safe at the moment, the Network is being watched. You will be taking a Portkey."

He indicated the old kettle lying innocently on his desk.

"We are just waiting for Phineas Nigellus to report back. . . . I wish to be sure that the coast is clear before sending you —"

There was a flash of flame in the very middle of the office, leaving behind a single golden feather that floated gently to the floor.

"It is Fawkes's warning," said Dumbledore, catching the feather as it fell. "She must know you're out of your beds. . . . Minerva, go and head her off — tell her any story —"

Professor McGonagall was gone in a swish of tartan.

"He says he'll be delighted," said a bored voice behind Dumbledore; the wizard called Phineas had reappeared in front of his Slytherin banner. "My great-great-grandson has always had odd taste in houseguests. . . ."

"Come here, then," Dumbledore said to Harry and the Weasleys. "And quickly, before anyone else joins us . . ."

Harry and the others gathered around Dumbledore's desk.

"You have all used a Portkey before?" asked Dumbledore, and they nodded, each reaching out to touch some part of the blackened kettle. "Good. On the count of three then . . . one . . . two . . .three."

Stella's knees buckled when she hit the floor and she was lifted to her feet again quickly by Sirius. They were in the gloomy basement of Grimmauld. The only sources of light were the fire and one candle, which illuminated the remains of a solitary supper. Kreacher was standing just at the door, staring at Stella in concern. She nodded at him, letting him know she was alright.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked. "Phineas Nigellus said Arthur's been badly injured—"

"Ask Harry," said Fred.

"Yeah, I want to hear this for myself," said George.

Stella, Ginny, Fred, and George all turned to Harry, waiting for an explanation.

"It was- I had a- a kind of- vision…"

He went into the details and Stella felt she was going to be sick. Harry was getting visions somehow pertaining to Voldemort and now Arthur… The man who had raised her, her dad, was in St. Mungos. Fred, George, and Ginny continued to stare at him for a moment but Stella turned away, hiding her face in Sirius's shoulder.

"Is Mum here?" said Fred, turning to Sirius.

"She probably doesn't even know what's happened yet," said Sirius. "The important thing was to get you away before Umbridge could interfere. I expect Dumbledore's letting Molly know now."

"We've got to go to St. Mungo's," said Ginny urgently.

Stella looked around at her siblings; they were of course still in their pajamas.

"Sirius, can you lend us cloaks or anything — ?" Ginny said, noticing as well.

"Hang on, you can't go tearing off to St. Mungo's!" said Sirius.

" 'Course we can go to St. Mungo's if we want," said Fred, with a mulish expression, "he's our dad!"

"And how are you going to explain how you knew Arthur was attacked before the hospital even let his wife know?"

"What does that matter?" said George hotly.

"It matters because we don't want to draw attention to the fact that Harry is having visions of things that are happening hundreds of miles away!" said Sirius angrily. "Have you any idea what the Ministry would make of that information?"

Fred and George looked as though they could not care less what the Ministry made of anything. Ron was still white-faced and silent. Ginny said, "Somebody else could have told us. . . . We could have heard it somewhere other than Harry. . . ."

"Like who?" said Sirius impatiently. "Listen, your dad's been hurt while on duty for the Order and the circumstances are fishy enough without his children knowing about it seconds after it happened, you could seriously damage the Order's —"

"We don't care about the dumb Order!" shouted Fred.

"It's our dad dying we're talking about!" yelled George.

"Your father knew what he was getting into, and he won't thank you for messing things up for the Order!" said Sirius angrily in his turn. "This is how it is — this is why you're not in the Order — you don't understand — there are things worth dying for!"

"STOP!" Stella screamed and everyone looked at her. "I know that we're all scared right now but he's right. There's no way that we should know right now. We need to wait—"

"Easy for you to say!" bellowed Fred. "Your dad is standing right next to you!"

Stella took a step back, shocked. Fred slowly realized what he said and horror appeared on his face.

"Stella, I'm sorry."

"I'm going to bed," she stated, turning and leaving the room to head up the stairs to her room.

Stella flopped onto her bed, hiding her face in her pillow and letting out a scream that turned into a sob. All of the stress and fear that she was feeling came out, all of the pain and hurt. She wanted Blaise and Theo but they were still at Hogwarts, resting peacefully in their beds and would wake up to find Stella missing. She got up and found some parchment and a spare quill in her desk in the corner of the room and wrote out notes for both of them, letting them know that something had happened to her dad, 'the Weasley one' she specified, and she'd left the castle early and she would see them when they arrived in two days.

"Kreacher?" Stella asked and the elf appeared. "Will you please deliver these notes for me? One for Blaise and one for Theo."

"Yes, Miss," Kreacher bowed before disappearing with the letters.

Stella had nightmares when she finally fell asleep, something she hadn't dealt with in a long time. She woke up at four in the morning, unable to breath as she fell out of her bed. She got to her window and forced it open, sticking her head out of it for the fresh air. Footsteps were heard coming down the hall and Stella pulled back slightly so she could still get air but so it didn't look like she was trying to throw herself out the window as everyone ran in.

"I'm fine," she said immediately. "Nightmare. I'm fine."

Ron reached her first, checking her over before slowly pulling her away from the window. His arms were wrapped around her protectively as he led her out of the room. Harry shut the window and followed them all out, Sirius staring at Stella with concern.

It was almost an hour later that Molly showed up, looking extremely pale as she entered the kitchen where they were all sitting around the table together.

"He's going to be all right," she said, her voice weak with tiredness. "He's sleeping. We can all go and see him later. Bill's sitting with him now, he's going to take the morning off work."

Fred fell back into his chair with his hands over his face. George and Ginny got up, walked swiftly over to their mother, and hugged her. Ron gave a very shaky laugh and downed the rest of his butterbeer in one. Stella laid her head down on the table, letting out a relieved sigh.

"Breakfast!" said Sirius loudly and joyfully, jumping to his feet. "Where's that accursed house-elf? Kreacher! KREACHER!"

"Kreacher?" Stella asked, voice soft and the elf appeared. "Will you help us make some breakfast, please?"

"Yes, Miss," Kreacher nodded and snapped his fingers.

Pots and pans floated around the room and food began cooking immediately. Stella thanked Kreacher as she stood, accepting her mum's hug and holding her tightly. Mum hugged Ron next before pulling Harry into a tight embrace and whispering to him.

"Oh, Sirius, I'm so grateful. . . . They think he'll be there a little while and it would be wonderful to be nearer . . . Of course, that might mean we're here for Christmas. . . ."

"The more the merrier!" said Sirius with such obvious sincerity that Mrs. Weasley beamed at him, threw on an apron, and began to help with breakfast.

"Sirius," Harry muttered. "Can I have a quick word? Er — now?"

The two left, speaking in the pantry for a bit as Stella, Kreacher, and Molly made breakfast for everyone, returning a bit later. After everyone ate, Stella went up to her room and Kreacher appeared, passing notes to Stella; one from Theo and one from Blaise. She thanked Kreacher and he popped away. She opened the one from Theo first.

'Stell- I hope your dad's alright. I let Hermione know as well and she asks that you send word once you know what's happening. Are you alright? We'll see you soon. -Teddy'

'Stella, I am so sorry. I hope he's okay. We'll be there soon. With love, Blaise'

Stella sighed as she put the notes away in her scrapbook. It's where she'd been keeping everything important to her lately. He letters from the both of them over the summer were sitting in there as well. She debated laying down and getting some more sleep but she wasn't tired anymore. She'd probably be awake until Blaise and Theo got to her, too stressed for anything else.

She changed into Muggle jeans and one of Blaise's sweaters along with her winter boots before tying her hair up in a messy bun on her head. Everybody except Harry was riotously happy and talkative as they changed out of their robes into jeans and sweatshirts, and they greeted Tonks and Mad-Eye, who had turned up to escort them across London, gleefully laughing at the bowler hat Mad-Eye was wearing at an angle to conceal his magical eye and assuring him, truthfully, that Tonks, whose hair was short and bright pink again, would attract far less attention on the underground.

"Not far from here," grunted Moody as they stepped out into the wintry air on a broad store-lined street packed with Christmas shoppers. He pushed Harry a little ahead of him and stumped along just behind; Stella knew the eye was rolling in all directions under the tilted hat. "Wasn't easy to find a good location for a hospital. Nowhere in Diagon Alley was big enough and we couldn't have it underground like the Ministry — unhealthy. In the end they managed to get hold of a building up here. Theory was sick wizards could come and go and just blend in with the crowd. . . ."

They had arrived outside a large, old-fashioned, red brick department store called Purge and Dowse Ltd. The place had a shabby, miserable air; the window displays consisted of a few chipped dummies with their wigs askew, standing at random and modeling fashions at least ten years out of date. Large signs on all the dusty doors read closed for refurbishment. Stella distinctly heard a large woman laden with plastic shopping bags say to her friend as they passed, "It's never open, that place. . . ."

"Right," said Tonks, beckoning them forward to a window displaying nothing but a particularly ugly female dummy whose false eyelashes were hanging off and who was modeling a green nylon pinafore dress. "Everybody ready?"

Stella walked through the glass with Tonks, Molly, and Ginny.

They had arrived in what seemed to be a crowded reception area where rows of witches and wizards sat upon rickety wooden chairs, some looking perfectly normal and perusing out-of-date copies of Witch Weekly, others sporting gruesome disfigurements such as elephant trunks or extra hands sticking out of their chests. The room was scarcely less quiet than the street outside, for many of the patients were making very peculiar noises. A sweaty-faced witch in the center of the front row, who was fanning herself vigorously with a copy of the Daily Prophet, kept letting off a high-pitched whistle as steam came pouring out of her mouth, and a grubby-looking warlock in the corner clanged like a bell every time he moved, and with each clang his head vibrated horribly, so that he had to seize himself by the ears and hold it steady.

Witches and wizards in lime-green robes were walking up and down the rows, asking questions and making notes on clipboards like Umbridge's. They had crest embroidered on their chests: a wand and bone, crossed.

"Are they doctors?" Harry asked Ron quietly.

"Doctors?" said Ron, looking startled. "Those Muggle nutters that cut people up? Nah, they're Healers."

"Over here!" called Mum over the renewed clanging of the warlock in the corner, and they followed her to the queue in front of a plump blonde witch seated at a desk marked inquiries. The wall behind her was covered in notices and posters saying things like 'A Clean Cauldron Keeps Potions From Becoming Poisons' and 'Antidotes Are Anti-Don'ts Unless Approved by a Qualified Healer.'

Meanwhile, at the front of the queue, a young wizard was performing an odd on-the-spot jig and trying, in between yelps of pain, to explain his predicament to the witch behind the desk.

"It's these — ouch — shoes my brother gave me — ow — they're eating my — OUCH — feet — look at them, there must be some kind of — AARGH — jinx on them and I can't — AAAAARGH — get them off —"

He hopped from one foot to the other as though dancing on hot coals.

"The shoes don't prevent you reading, do they?" said the blonde witch irritably, pointing at a large sign to the left of her desk. "You want Spell Damage, fourth floor. Just like it says on the floor guide. Next!"

"Hello," she said. "My husband, Arthur Weasley, was supposed to be moved to a different ward this morning, could you tell us — ?"

"Arthur Weasley?" said the witch, running her finger down a long list in front of her. "Yes, first floor, second door on the right, Dai Llewellyn ward."

"Thank you," said Mum. "Come on, you lot."

They followed through the double doors and along the narrow corridor beyond, which was lined with more portraits of famous Healers and lit by crystal bubbles full of candles that floated up on the ceiling, looking like giant soapsuds. More witches and wizards in lime-green robes walked in and out of the doors they passed; a foul-smelling yellow gas wafted into the passageway as they passed one door, and every now and then they heard distant wailing. They climbed a flight of stairs and entered the "Creature-Induced Injuries" corridor, where the second door on the right bore the words "Dangerous" Dai Llewellyn Ward: Serious Bites. Underneath this was a card in a brass holder on which had been handwritten 'Healer-in-Charge: Hippocrates Smethwyck, Trainee Healer: Augustus Pye.'

"We'll wait outside, Molly," Tonks said. "Arthur won't want too many visitors at once. . . . It ought to be just the family first."

Mad-Eye growled his approval of this idea and set himself with his back against the corridor wall, his magical eye spinning in all directions. Harry drew back too, as if about to head to Sirius's side but Mum reached out a hand and pushed him through the door, saying, "Don't be silly, Harry, Arthur wants to thank you. . . ."

The ward was small and rather dingy as the only window was narrow and set high in the wall facing the door. Most of the light came from more shining crystal bubbles clustered in the middle of the ceiling. There were only three patients. Dad was occupying the bed at the far end of the ward beside the tiny window. He looked around as they walked toward him and, seeing who it was, beamed.

"Hello!" he called, throwing the Prophet aside. "Bill just left, Molly, had to get back to work, but he says he'll drop in on you later. . . ."

"How are you, Arthur?" asked Mum, bending down to kiss his cheek and looking anxiously into his face. "You're still looking a bit peaky. . . ."

"I feel absolutely fine," he answered brightly, holding out his good arm to give Ginny a hug. "If they could only take the bandages off, I'd be fit to go home."

"Why can't they take them off, Dad?" asked Fred.

"Well, I start bleeding like mad every time they try," said Dad cheerfully, reaching across for his wand, which lay on his bedside cabinet, and waving it so that seven extra chairs appeared at his bedside to seat them all. "It seems there was some rather unusual kind of poison in that snake's fangs that keeps wounds open. . . . They're sure they'll find an antidote, though, they say they've had much worse cases than mine, and in the meantime I just have to keep taking a Blood-Replenishing Potion every hour. But that fellow over there," he said, dropping his voice and nodding toward the bed opposite in which a man lay looking green and sickly and staring at the ceiling. "Bitten by a werewolf, poor chap. No cure at all."

"A werewolf?" whispered Mum, looking alarmed. "Is he safe in a public ward? Shouldn't he be in a private room?"

Stella immediately glared at her.

"It's two weeks till full moon," Dad reminded her quietly. "They've been talking to him this morning, the Healers, you know, trying to persuade him he'll be able to lead an almost normal life. I said to him — didn't mention names, of course — but I said I knew a werewolf personally, very nice man, who finds the condition quite easy to manage. . . ."

"What did he say?" asked George

"Said he'd give me another bite if I didn't shut up," said Mr. Weasley sadly. "And that woman over there," he indicated the only other occupied bed, which was right beside the door, "won't tell the Healers what bit her, which makes us all think it must have been something she was handling illegally. Whatever it was took a real chunk out of her leg, very nasty smell when they take off the dressings."

"So, you going to tell us what happened, Dad?" asked Fred, pulling his chair closer to the bed.

"Well, you already know, don't you?" said dad, with a significant smile at Harry. "It's very simple — I'd had a very long day, dozed off, got sneaked up on, and bitten."

"Is it in the Prophet, you being attacked?" asked Fred, indicating the newspaper that dad had cast aside.

"No, of course not. The ministry wouldn't want everyone to know a great serpent got—"

"Arthur!"

"-got -er- me."

"So where were you when it happened?" Stella asked.

"That's my business," he dismissed with a small smile. "I was just reading about Willy Widdershins's arrest when you arrived. You know Willy turned out to be behind those regurgitating toilets last summer? One of his jinxes backfired, the toilet exploded, and they found him lying unconscious in the wreckage covered from head to foot in —"

"When you say you were 'on duty,' " Fred interrupted in a low voice, "what were you doing?"

"You heard your father," whispered Mum. "We are not discussing this here. Go on about Willy Widdershins, Arthur."

"Well, don't ask me how, but he actually got off on the toilet charge. I can only suppose gold changed hands."

"You were guarding it, weren't you?" said George quietly. "The weapon? The thing You-Know-Who's after?"

"George, be quiet!" Mum snapped.

"Anyway!" Dad raised his voice. "This time Willy's been caught selling biting doorknobs to Muggles, and I don't think he'll be able to worm his way out of it because according to this article, two Muggles have lost fingers and are now in St. Mungo's for emergency bone regrowth and memory modification. Just think of it, Muggles in St. Mungo's! I wonder which ward they're in?"

"Didn't you say You-Know-Who's got a snake, Harry?" asked Fred, looking at his father for a reaction. "A massive one? You saw it the night he returned, didn't you?"

"That's enough," and Stella knew they were about to get ran off. "Mad-Eye, Tonks, and Sirius are outside, Arthur, they want to come and see you. You lot can wait outside and come say goodbye afterwards. Go on."

They traded places with the adults and Fred began rummaging in his pockets.

"Looking for these?" said George, holding out what looked like a tangle of flesh-colored string.

"You read my mind," said Fred, grinning. "Let's see if St. Mungo's puts Imperturbable Charms on its ward doors, shall we?"

He and George disentangled the string and separated five Extendable Ears from each other. Fred and George handed them around. Harry hesitated as he was handed one but Stella was left out.

"Go on, Harry, take it! You saved Dad's life, if anyone's got the right to eavesdrop on him it's you. . . ." said Ron.

Grinning in spite of himself, Harry took the end of the string and inserted it into his ear as the twins had done.

"Okay, go!" Fred whispered.

It was a minute later that Harry pulled the Extendable Eat out of his own and looked around at the others.

"What is it?" Stella asked.

"They said that they think You-Know-Who is possessing him," Ron whispered as he continued listening.

"Even if that were true, which it isn't, you still didn't attack dad. You were at the school, Harry," Stella told him, forcing him to think about it logically.

Harry looked unbelieving and Stella sighed, knowing that nothing she said would help.

"Are you all right, Harry, dear?" whispered Mum, leaning across Ginny to speak to him as the train rattled along through its dark tunnel. "You don't look very well. Are you feeling sick?"

They were all watching him. He shook his head violently and stared up at an advertisement for home insurance.

"Harry, dear, are you sure you're all right?" said Mum in a worried voice, as they walked around the unkempt patch of grass in the middle of Grimmauld Place. "You look ever so pale. . . . Are you sure you slept this morning? You go upstairs to bed right now, and you can have a couple of hours' sleep before dinner, all right?"

He nodded; here was a ready-made excuse not to talk to any of the others, which was precisely what he wanted, so when she opened the front door he proceeded straight past the troll's leg umbrella stand and up the stairs and hurried into his and Ron's bedroom.

The next day, Stella smiled as she helped put up Christmas decorations. At six o'clock in the evening the doorbell rang and Stella rolled her eyes as Sirius went to answer the door so that Blaise and Theo could get in.

"Oh, Hermione! You've come, too!" Sirius said happily and Stella and Ron ran to the entrance way, smiling as Hermione, Blaise, and Theo walked in.

"Shouldn't we be asking them questions?" Stella smirked, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the wall. "Make sure they're them?"

"Do you want us to start spilling all your secrets?" Theo asked.

"And in front of your father, no less?" Blaise joked.

"It's them," Stella rolled her eyes.

"We still don't know about Hermione," Ron complained.

"Honestly, Ronald," Hermione rolled her eyes, hand-in-hand with Theo.

"It's her," Ron smirked.

"Come in, come in," Sirius laughed and the three teens walked in.

"Divide and conquer?" Stella asked Ron with a sigh.

"I'll have Hermione get Harry to come out of Buckbeak's room. Us and Ginny will deal with Harry. You fill them in," Ron nodded.

"On it," Stella smiled, grabbing Blaise's hand, who grabbed Theo's as she led them away, Theo and Hermione giving each other amused looks as they released each other. "Come on."

Stella, Theo, and Blaise ended up in her room, Stella explaining everything to them. Both were beyond confused by Harry having seen what had happened but also relieved because it meant that Arthur would live. They told Stella that Umbridge was furious that they'd all disappeared right under her nose and Stella had laughed, feeling a bit accomplished for that at least.

The three ended up not separating from one another for a while, sleeping in Stella's room wrapped around one another. Sirius had about had a heart attack when he'd found them the next morning before Hermione had walked into the room, looking a bit confused before smiling.

"I was wondering where you were," she told Theo.

"Sorry," he blushed, thinking he was going to be in trouble.

"Honestly, I don't know why I didn't look here first," Hermione laughed. "You three are always together."

"Bit like you, Harry, and Ron in that sense," Stella smirked as she stretched.

"I'm sorry?" Sirius asked, eyes still wide.

"Sorry," Stella flinched a bit. "Doesn't happen often. Just when one of us is a bit too stressed."

"Draco used to be included in the slumber parties but he's talked badly about Mr. and Mrs. Weasley a few too many times now," Blaise shrugged.

Theo left with Hermione and Blaise went to get dressed. Sirius stared at Stella for a bit, chewing his lip before settling a bit and leaving as well. Stella got changed, wearing Theo's sweater this time as she walked out of her room at the same time that Blaise was coming back to it.

"Sorry," they said at the same time before letting out nervous laughs.

"So, um…" Blaise started.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Stella asked nervously.

"We don't have to if you don't want to," he told her, seeming a bit panicked.

"Last time I didn't talk about one of my best friends kissing me, I ended up getting hurt," Stella admitted. "I think it would be better to get the awkward conversation out of the way."

"That's fair," Blaise breathed and they went back into Stella's room where she shut the door so they'd have a bit of privacy.

"So, um…" Blaise started.

"You said that already," Stella smirked at him.

"So, I did," he nodded.

"Yeah," Stella nodded.

They stood silently for a moment before Blaise finally broke the silence.

"Can I kiss you again?"

"What?"

"Can I kiss you again?" he asked her. "I just… there were people around and there was mistletoe. I want to kiss you like you should be kissed."

"Like I should be kissed?" Stella repeated, eyes wide.

"Stella, I don't think you have any clue what sort of effect you have on people," Blaise smirked.

"Apparently not," she laughed.

"So, can I?" he asked, voice soft.

Stella thought it over for a minute.

Did she want Blaise to kiss her again? Blaise who was a bit of a charmer and had never actually had a girlfriend? Blaise who made out with three people at every party he went to? Blaise, who was one of her best friends, was always there for her, had never made her feel unloved or unwanted, and she trusted with her life?

Yes, yes she did want him to kiss her again.

"Yes," she breathed.

Blaise moved forward and cupped Stella's face with his hands. He leaned down and captured Stella's lips with his own, lips still soft against hers, though a bit more forceful this time around. He pressed her against the closed door, his body molding to hers. Stella let out a small noise when her back hit the door and Blaise pulled away slightly, both breathing heavily.

"I don't know what to do with my hands," she admitted with a laugh.

Blaise laughed as well before leaning in and kissing her again. His hands left her face and took hers, placing one on the back of his neck and the other on his chest. One of his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her body against his as the other wrapped in her hair. She felt his tongue brush her bottom lip and she gasped before Blaise's tongue entered her mouth. She copied his movements and Blaise let out a quiet moan, pushing his body against hers even more. Stella let out another gasp as his hand moved down, gripping her ass firmly.

His lips moved from hers and he kissed down to her neck. Stella arched into him, pressing her chest against his and letting out a quiet moan as he continued, his teeth moving against her skin every so often and causing sharp gasps to leave her. The hand on his chest moved around to his back, pressing him closer. His lips moved back up to hers and he kissed her roughly again, pressing her completely against the door.

They separated a few minutes later, both breathing heavily and staring into one another's eyes as they caught their breath. Blaise brushed her hair behind her ear as he stared into her eyes. They smiled at one another before leaving the room to join the others.

Christmas morning, Stella woke to a pile of presents at her feet. It was the first morning she'd woken alone since Blaise and Theo had arrived, the two sleeping on either side of her every night. She began opening her gifts, finding defense books from Remus and Sirius (though Stella knew it was more Remus than Sirius), Occlumency books and a new journal from Snape, a planner from Hermione, a small, working model of a Firebolt, which Stella already had one of but didn't mind having another, and candy from Ron, trick sweets from Fred and George, and mince pies, fudge, and a hand-knitted, emerald green jumper with the letter 'S' in silver.

She popped a piece of fudge into her mouth before going to her last three gifts. Harry had gotten her a compass for her broom, decorated with Sirius's constellation. Theo gave her a vintage hair pin that looked like a snake, emeralds for eyes and fluorite for scales, which she immediately used to put her hair up in a bun. Blaise had gotten her a golden watch that looked like a snitch, causing her to let out a small laugh since she'd gotten him a pocket watch that had a quaffle on the front of it, a picture of her, him, and Theo inside of it.

After clasping the watch onto her wrist, Stella got dressed, pulling her jumper over her head and making sure her hair stayed in place in the process. She walked out of her room, rubbing her eyes a bit. She had noticed it was still dark as she walked down to the kitchen, deciding to start on breakfast so that Kreacher didn't have to do all of the work. She turned on the radio, made some tea, and got started on the blueberry cinnamon rolls, kneading the dough and letting it rise for a bit before kneading in the blueberries and letting it rest again. She peeled, cut, and boiled potatoes as she pulled four large skillets and a large baking pan out. She sliced mushrooms, cut cherry tomatoes in half, chopped an onion and bell pepper into tiny pieces, and sliced ham into small chunks. Once the potatoes were soft, she drained the water and fried them in oil and butter with the onion and bell pepper before rolling out the cinnamon roll dough and spreading butter across it before spreading a cinnamon-sugar mixture over the butter with more blueberries and rolled the dough up before slicing the dough.

She placed the cinnamon rolls in the baking dish and stoked the fire in the oven before putting the rolls in. She mixed the potato mix with the tomatoes, mushrooms, and ham, mixing in seasonings as she went, before portioning the mixture into skillets, making wells to crack eggs into, sprinkling salt and pepper onto the eggs.

She made an icing for the rolls with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and heavy cream. Once she pulled the rolls out, she put the four skillets in, making sure the fire was hot enough as she stepped away. Once the rolls had cooled just a bit, she pulled two out, putting them on separate plates and adding frosting to each of them.

"Kreacher?" she called and the elf appeared, already wide awake and seeming confused.

"I'm making breakfast. Made some rolls to hold us over. Would you like one and some tea?" she asked softly.

"Miss is too kind," Kreacher shook his head.

"We're bound to one another, Kreacher," Stella shook her head. "We're supposed to take care of each other, not just you taking care of me. Come. We'll sit at the table together."

"Kreacher cannot sit at the table," he shook his head.

"Where can you sit?" Stella asked.

"Kreacher can sit on the floor," Kreacher told her.

"Kreacher, if I tell you that you can sit at the table with me, will you?"

"Only if Kreacher is ordered."

"I won't order you to do something you don't want to do unless I absolutely have to," Stella shook her head. "How about I get us some pillows and we sit on the floor together. Would that be alright?"

"Kreacher would accept that," he told her and Stella smiled.

"I'll be right back," she smiled before going to the sitting room and grabbing two throw pillows from the couch and hurrying back into the kitchen. "Alright. One for me, one for you. Which do you want?"

"Kreacher will take the black one."

Stella set the pillows down and Kreacher sat. Stella grabbed the plates and two cups of tea and set them between the pillows before sitting as well. She and Kreacher ate in peace as everyone else in the house began to wake. Mum made her way down first, fully prepared to start breakfast just to find Stella and Kreacher eating on the ground, rolls on the stove and hash in the oven.

Mum smiled, patting Stella's head as she went by her. She iced the rest of the rolls and moved them to the table. Kreacher snapped his fingers and the table set itself, plates and silverware flying over with cloth napkins, which folded themselves to look like trees. The kitchen was suddenly spotless as well, dust completely gone and no dust bunnies left under or in the hutch. The cold box was operating at full compacity now as well and the stove seemed to warm a bit more.

"You've been holding out on me, Kreacher," Stella smirked.

"Miss is nice to Kreacher. Treats Kreacher like equal. Kreacher will treat Miss with respect," Kreacher explained and Stella felt her heart soar a bit.

"Thank you, Kreacher," Stella smiled gently.

Molly watched the entire exchange, tears filling her eyes a bit and a smile on her face. Stella went to check the skillets and Kreacher told her it wasn't ready and he'd have it pulled out when it was.

"That's so cool," Stella smirked and Kreacher's ears flapped happily.

"KREACHER!" Sirius bellowed and Stella glared at the door.

"We're in here!" she called back and Sirius walked into the kitchen, seeming confused before his eyes landed on Stella and Kreacher sipping tea on the floor together.

His breath caught in his throat, remembering when Regulus would do the same with Kreacher when they were younger, causing a bond to form between the two. Kreacher had formed a bond with Stella the moment he'd seen her but it was different now. The entire house was suddenly clean and brighter than it had been just moments before and every room felt warmer. He knew Kreacher had done something but he didn't realize that it had been because of his Stella.

"How- What?" he asked, staring at the two.

"Kreacher and I just finished our rolls. There's some on the table if you want one. Breakfast will be done shorty," Stella told him.

"Oh," Sirius breathed, still staring at her strangely. "Okay. Thank you."

"Yeah," Stella smiled and Sirius went to the table.

Molly pat his shoulder as he passed her to sit at the head of the table. He pulled a roll onto his plate and took a bite, almost moaning at the taste.

"Kreacher, what did you put in these?" Sirius asked.

"I made them," Stella spoke up. "And they're blueberry."

"You made these?" Sirius asked in confusion.

"Yeah," Stella shrugged. "I also made the hash that's cooking."

"Duck, please," Kreacher requested and Stella, after years of playing Quidditch and living with older brothers, immediately did.

The skillets flew over to the table, serving spoons flying after them and pot holders slipping onto the handles. Everyone followed in not long after, the smell of food waking them. Stella made sure to grab a few extra rolls and pack them away to take to Dad in a few hours.

"Hoarding food?" Sirius smirked.

"I grew up with Ron. Ya snuck food or ya didn't eat," Stella joked.

"Hey!" Ron yelled.

"She's not wrong," Fred smirked.

"Oh!" Molly yelled, having just opened the gift from Stella. "Oh… I love it."

Stella smiled as Molly pulled the pink jumper on, tears in her eyes before she looked to Stella, smiling brightly.

A few hours later, they ended up at St. Mungos to see Arthur. Stella passed the roll to him and he smiled, pulling her in for a hug and thanking her. When Dad mentioned having gotten stitches, Stella moved with Remus over to the werewolf, who had been staring rather wistfully at their large crowd. The others fled the room as Mum began screaming but Stella just let out a quiet laugh, which Remus elbowed her lightly for, almost making her laugh louder.

"My name is Remus Lupin," he introduced himself to the werewolf. "A werewolf. And this is Stella Nova—"

"A menace," Stella smirked, shaking the man's hand.

The man couldn't help but smile at Stella. She pulled another roll from her pocket that she'd grabbed specifically in case the man was still there.

"I hope you like blueberry," she told him as she set it on his tray. "Made it fresh this morning."

"You don't have to give me your treat," he tried to argue.

"Nonsense," Stella waved him off. "I have a rather large tray of them at the house. Well, unless Teddy gets to them before we get home. Quite the sweet tooth on him."

The man gave a weak smile.

"My name is Walter," he told them.

"It's lovely to meet you Walter," Stella told him.

The man smiled a bit more at that. They made a bit of small talk before Stella excused herself, claiming the need to make sure the other teens weren't causing any trouble… without her.

"You have a wonderful daughter," Walter told Remus as Stella left.

"I do," Remus agreed, not having it in him to correct the man.

"… And you must be Hermione Granger?" a woman's voice spoke up and Stella followed the voice, finding Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione standing in front of Neville and an older woman that must be his grandmother. "Yes, Neville's told me all about you. Helped him out of a few sticky spots, haven't you? He's a good boy but he hasn't got his father's talent, I'm afraid to say…"

"What?" Ron asked and Stella sent an elbow into Ron's ribs so he'd stop trying to ogle patients.

"Hi, Neville. You must be Neville's grandmother?" Stella smiled politely.

"Stella Black," Neville's grandmother gasped. "Oh, you are even more beautiful than I imagined."

"Thank you?" Stella asked.

"Neville's told me all about you, how kind you are," she smiled, shaking Stella's hand gently, "for a Slytherin."

Stella held in her comment and just nodded, not wanting to offend the woman.

"Is that your dad down at the end, Neville?" Ron asked and Stella stomped on his foot, getting him to actually stop this time.

"What's this?" said Mrs. Longbottom sharply. "Haven't you told your friends about your parents, Neville?"

Neville took a deep breath, looked up at the ceiling, and shook his head.

"Well, it's nothing to be ashamed of!" said Mrs. Longbottom angrily. "You should be proud, Neville, proud! They didn't give up their health and sanity so their only son would be ashamed of them, you know!"

"I'm not ashamed," said Neville faintly and Stella decided to step in.

"Neville told me," she lied quickly and Neville stared at her with wide eyes. "He isn't ashamed. He's very proud of them and to be their son, Mrs. Longbottom, of that I can assure you. And Neville has actually been getting much better in school. I'm sure you'll be very proud of his grades at the end of the year."

"Oh, well, I- yes Alice dear, what is it?"

Neville's mother had come edging down the ward in her nightdress. She no longer had the plump, happy-looking face that Stella had seen in the article she'd seen in the library her first year. Her face was thin and worn now, her eyes seemed overlarge, and her hair, which had turned white, was wispy and dead-looking. She did not seem to want to speak, or perhaps she was not able to, but she made timid motions toward Neville, holding something in her outstretched hand.

"Again?" said Mrs. Longbottom, sounding slightly weary. "Very well, Alice dear, very well — Neville, take it, whatever it is. . . ."

But Neville had already stretched out his hand, into which his mother dropped an empty Droobles Blowing Gum wrapper.

"Very nice, dear," said Neville's grandmother in a falsely cheery voice, patting his mother on the shoulder. But Neville said quietly, "Thanks Mum."

His mother tottered away, back up the ward, humming to herself. Neville looked around at the others except for Stella, his expression defiant, as though daring them to laugh.

"Well, we'd better get back," sighed Mrs. Longbottom, drawing on long green gloves. "Very nice to have met you all. Neville, put that wrapper in the bin, she must have given you enough of them to paper your bedroom by now. . . ."

But as they left, Stella was sure she saw Neville slip the wrapper into his pocket after giving her a thankful smile. She pat his shoulder gently as he went, giving him a soft smile and quietly wishing him a happy Christmas. The door closed behind them.

"I never knew," said Hermione, who looked tearful.

"Nor did I," said Ron rather hoarsely.

"Nor me," whispered Ginny.

They all looked at Harry.

"I did," he said glumly. "Dumbledore told me but I promised I wouldn't mention it . . . that's what Bellatrix Lestrange got sent to Azkaban for, using the Cruciatus Curse on Neville's parents until they lost their minds."

"I found an article about it my first year when I was trying to find information on Sirius," Stella explained.

There was a long silence, broken by Lockhart's angry voice. "Look, I didn't learn joined-up writing for nothing, you know!"

"Oh, hell no. Let's get out of here," Stella begged, dragging the others away.

On the last day on holidays, Stella was in the kitchen, preparing snacks for everyone for their return back to Hogwarts when Snape showed up.

"Miss Black," he spoke, causing her to jump.

"Sir," Stella said, hand on her chest. "Hi. What are you doing here?"

"He came to talk to Harry," Remus said, coming in behind him. "Do you mind if we take over the kitchen for a bit, Stella Nova?"

"She can stay," Snape stated. "She'll be involved."

"She will be?"

"I will be?"

"What are you involving my daughter in?" Sirius demanded.

Snape rolled his eyes and passed a letter over to Sirius before sitting at the table. Stella shrugged and put a piece of Victoria sponge with strawberry jam and buttercream on a plate and set in in front of Severus with a fork, tea floating over to him in the process. He gave her a nod of thanks and began eating the cake. She continued packing pieces of lemon drizzle cake in little bags and cornish pastries in separate bags, making sure there were enough for herself, Blaise, Theo, Ron, Hermione, Harry, Ginny, and the twins for the next afternoon so they wouldn't have to actually go to the Great Hall for dinner.

Harry walked in just as Stella had finished packing everything up and Kreacher made Snape's empty plate and dirty fork float to the sink to be washed. Stella turned, arms crossing over her chest and finding Snape and Sirius glaring in opposite directions, the silence between them heavy. Remus seemed rather entertained though, trying not to laugh as he leaned against the counter beside Stella.

"Er," said Harry to announce his presence to the two of them.

"Sit down, Potter," Snape told him.

"You know," said Sirius loudly, leaning back on his rear chair legs and speaking to the ceiling, "I think I'd prefer it if you didn't give orders here, Snape. It's my house, you see."

A flush reached Snape's face. Harry sat beside Sirius, facing Severus.

"I was supposed to see you with just Miss Black, Potter. This Black however—"

"I'm his godfather," Sirius stated and Stella noticed that Sirius didn't mention her, so much for doing better.

"I am here on Dumbledore's orders," said Snape waspishly. "And she is your daughter. You do remember that, yes?"

Stella really hated how well Snape knew her. Sirius flushed this time, looking over to Stella who refused to meet his eye. Snape's lip curled in triumph as he turned to Harry.

"The headmaster has sent me to tell you, Potter, that it is his wish for you to study Occlumency this term."

"Study what?" said Harry blankly.

Snape's sneer became more pronounced.

"Occlumency, Potter. The magical defense of the mind against external penetration. An obscure branch of magic, but a highly useful one."

"Why do I have to study Occlu — thing?" he blurted out.

"Because the headmaster thinks it a good idea," said Snape smoothly. "You will receive private lessons once a week, but you will not tell anybody what you are doing, least of all Dolores Umbridge. You understand?"

"Yes," said Harry. "Who's going to be teaching me?"

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"I am," he said

Stella had to hide her face in Remus's arm as she tried not to laugh at the look of horror on Harry's face.

"Why can't Dumbledore teach Harry?" asked Sirius aggressively. "Why you?"

"I suppose because it is a headmaster's privilege to delegate less enjoyable tasks," said Snape silkily. "I assure you I did not beg for the job."

"And how does this involve Stella Nova?" Remus asked.

"She is already taking the private lessons from me," Snape shrugged and every eye turned to her at the news.

"Oh, hey, I'm learning how to Occlude," Stella tossed out with a shrug.

"Why?" Sirius asked.

"I read about it and thought it sounded useful, so I asked Professor Snape to teach me," she answered.

"I will expect you at six o'clock on Monday evening, Potter. My office. If anybody asks, you are taking Remedial Potions. Nobody who has seen you in my classes could deny you need them. Miss Black?"

"I'll be there," she nodded.

He turned to leave, his black traveling cloak billowing behind him.

"Wait a moment," said Sirius, sitting up straighter in his chair.

Snape turned back to face them, sneering.

"I am in rather a hurry, Black . . . unlike you, I do not have unlimited leisure time…"

Stella knew that one had to hurt. Sirius wasn't allowed on missions due to his treatments for being exposed to Dementors for so long. It's why she was never truly mad at him.

"I'll get to the point, then," said Sirius, standing up. He was rather taller than Snape who, Stella noticed, had balled his fist in the pocket of his cloak over what Stella was sure was the handle of his wand. "If I hear you're using these Occlumency lessons to give Harry a hard time, you'll have me to answer to."

"How touching," Snape sneered. "But surely you have noticed that Potter is very like his father?"

"Shit," Remus cursed, already moving towards the two slowly.

"Yes, I have," said Sirius proudly.

"Well then, you'll know he's so arrogant that criticism simply bounces off him," Snape said sleekly. "I also noticed that, once again, you have failed to think of your own daughter. Did the dementors do such a number on you that you forget she exists? Nothing to worry over. Remus and I are doing a rather good job at raising her without your… assistance."

Sirius pushed his chair roughly aside and strode around the table toward Snape, pulling out his wand as he went; Snape whipped out his own. They were squaring up to each other, Sirius looking livid, Snape calculating, his eyes darting from Sirius's wand tip to his face.

"Sirius!" said Harry and Stella loudly, but Sirius appeared not to hear either of them.

"I've warned you, Snivellus," said Sirius, his face barely a foot from Snape's, "I don't care if Dumbledore thinks you've reformed, I know better —"

"Oh, but why don't you tell him so?" whispered Snape as Remus moved between the two. "Or are you afraid he might not take the advice of a man who has been hiding inside his mother's house's for weeks very seriously?"

"Tell me, how is Lucius Malfoy these days? I expect he's delighted his lapdog's working at Hogwarts, isn't he?"

"How does it feel to know that your brain is so fried that you aren't of any use to the Order? To your own daughter?"

Sirius raised his wand.

"DAD!" Stella yelled and everyone froze, turning to Stella.

She hadn't meant to yell it, especially not while looking at Snape out of all the people in the room, but it happened and she was thankful that no one realized who she'd yelled it at. Four pairs of wide eyes stared at her and she glared from Snape to Sirius and back again.

"I am tired of dealing with people acting like four year olds throwing tantrums," she hissed at them. "You are grown men. Act like it."

The kitchen door opened and the entire Weasley family, plus Hermione, Theo, and Blaise, came inside, all looking very happy, with Arthur walking proudly in their midst dressed in a pair of striped pajamas covered by a mackintosh.

"Cured!" he announced brightly to the kitchen at large. "Completely cured!"

He and all the others froze on the threshold, gazing at the scene in front of them, which was also suspended in mid-action, both Sirius and Snape looking toward the door with their wands pointing into each other's faces and Remus standing between them, Harry looking panicked and Stella looking beyond angry.

"Merlin's beard," said Arthur, the smile sliding off his face, "what's going on here?"

Both Sirius and Snape lowered their wands. Stella looked from one to the other. Each wore an expression of utmost contempt, yet the unexpected entrance of so many witnesses seemed to have brought them to their senses. Snape pocketed his wand and swept back across the kitchen, passing the Weasleys and friends without comment. At the door he looked back.

"Six o'clock Monday evening, Potter… Stella."

He was gone. Sirius glared after him, his wand at his side. Stella looked away, a deep blush on her face as she pretended to organize the snack bags in front of her. Remus went to her side, leaning against the counter again and not saying anything.

"But what's been going on?" asked Arthur again.

"Nothing, Arthur," said Sirius, who was breathing heavily as though he had just run a long distance. "Just a friendly little chat between two old school friends. . . . So . . . you're cured? That's great news, really great. . . ."

"Come on," Remus tilted his head towards the door.

Stella followed him out, hiding her face behind her hair, hand brushing Blaise's as she went. By the time they reached the sitting room, Stella's blush had thankfully disappeared. Stella sat on the couch and Remus sat on the table in front of her.

"Are you alright?" he asked her.

"Yeah," she nodded.

"Stella Nova."

"Why do you call me that?" Stella asked. "Stella Nova, I mean. You're the only one who calls me by my first and middle name all the time. I'm not complaining, just curious."

"Well, I guess because Lily and your mother, Marlenne, did. I caught onto it after hearing them say it so often," Remus admitted.

"Ah," Stella nodded, having heard a few stories about her mother from Remus now, having learned that she was excitable and protective, both things Stella had inherited.

"What's going on?" Remus asked her and Stella let out a long breath.

"I feel like the people that I consider family don't all feel the same way," she admitted.

"Tell me," Remus urged her.

"Harry and I rarely speak anymore and we were so close before. Molly and Arthur still aren't speaking to me. Ginny barely speaks to me. Percy isn't speaking to anyone. Sirius said he'd do better and I thought we were making progress but it seems like I may have been too hopeful. Fred said Arthur isn't my dad when we arrived, which I'm sure was because he was worried about him, but still. Didn't feel good and he's keeping his distance now as well, which means George is, too. D- Professor Snape has to keep a certain amount of distance due to his spying."

"Well, you still have me," Remus smirked, not mentioning if he'd caught her almost slipping up.

"That I do," Stella smiled, grateful that he didn't mention it if he had.

The next morning, Molly and Arthur gave out hugs to everyone except the Slytherins, who just received smiles. Sirius gave Harry a one-armed hug and when Stella stopped in front of him, he just smiled and patted her shoulder before sending her out the door. Stella sighed as she went to Remus's side, looping her arm around his waist when his settled on her shoulders, Theo and Blaise right behind them.

"Come on, the quicker we get on the bus the better," said Tonks, and Stella thought there was nervousness in the glance she threw around the square.

Remus flung out his right arm. BANG. A violently purple, triple-decker bus had appeared out of thin air in front of them, narrowly avoiding the nearest lamppost, which jumped backward out of its way.

A thin, pimply, jug-eared youth in a purple uniform leapt down onto the pavement and said, "Welcome to the —"

"Yes, yes, we know, thank you," said Tonks swiftly. "On, on, get on—"

Stella got on quickly, followed by Blaise, Theo, and then Harry.

" 'Ere—it's 'Arry-!"

"If you shout his name I will curse you into oblivion," Tonks threatened as Ginny and Hermione climbed on board, Ron and the twins following right after.

"I've always wanted to go on this thing," Ron said happily.

"Looks like we'll have to split up," said Tonks briskly, looking around for empty chairs. "Stella, Blaise, Theo, Fred, George, and Ginny, if you just take those seats at the back . . . Remus can stay with you. . . ."

The others headed up the stairs and Stella passed over enough coins for all of them. Stella laid her head on Blaise's shoulder as the bus began moving, chairs and bags sliding this way and that as they went, coming to a quick stop at random before it would begin moving again.

It took a total of twenty minutes for them to get to the gates of Hogwarts. Remus and Tonks helped them off the bus with their luggage and then got off to say good-bye.

"You'll be safe once you're in the grounds," said Tonks, casting a careful eye around at the deserted road. "Have a good term, okay?"

"Look after yourselves," said Remus, shaking hands all round and reaching Harry and Stella last. "And listen . . ." He lowered his voice while the rest of them exchanged last-minute good-byes with Tonks, "Harry, I know you don't like Severus, but he is a superb Occlumens and we all — Sirius included — want you to learn to protect yourself, so work hard, all right?"

"Yeah, all right," said Harry heavily. "See you, then…"

Remus pulled Stella into a tight hug, kissing the top of her head.

"Take care of yourself," he told her. "Send word if you need me at all or if you just need to talk. I don't care where I am or what I'm doing. I'll be here if you need me."

"Thanks, Uncle Moony," Stella whispered. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he told her, voice sounding a bit unsteady as he said it, as if he were trying not to cry.

It took a few more moments for the two to release each other. Stella stepped into the gates and turned back, waving to Remus as the bus pulled away, disappearing in the distance.

"So, how long have you two been official?" Theo asked as the three sat in the empty common room, all reading different books.

"Two weeks," Blaise answered, rubbing Stella's leg gently from where it was draped across his lap, her head in Theo's lap like normal.

"Next Hogsmeade trip is on Valentine's Day," Theo told them.

"Taking Hermione to Madam Puddifoot's?" Stella asked innocently.

"I actually want to keep my relationship, thank you," Theo told her. "I will be taking her to the book shop and telling her to pick as many books as she wishes."

"She's putting out," Stella joked to Blaise before Theo bumped her forehead with his book. "Ow."

Theo smirked for a moment and Stella smiled, eyes going to Blaise and winking to him. Blaise smiled back brightly. No one noticed Stella and Blaise holding hands, used to the two and Theo touching each other at random. Monday at five-thirty, Stella walked into Snape's office without knocking and sat in her usual spot, smiling widely.

"Black," he breathed.

"Sir," Stella told him. "How was your first day back? Make anyone cry?"

"No but it's only five-thirty and Potter is on his way," he offered, not looking up from the essay he was working on.

"That's the spirit," Stella smirked and the two sat in silence for a bit, Stella stealing a few essays to grade for him.

"Have you been practicing?" Snape asked her as six approached.

"I have. I told Harry to do the same but I don't think it's going to go well," she admitted. "No idea why, but he doesn't seem to like you, which means he isn't going to put forth a lot of effort."

"Shut the door behind you, Potter."

Stella jumped, turning to find Harry standing in the doorway. He closed the door, looking extremely uneasy. He sat in the chair beside Stella and she continued grading the essay she was working on as Snape spoke to Harry.

"Well, Potter, you know why you are here," he said. "The headmaster has asked me to teach you Occlumency. I can only hope that you prove more adept at it than Potions."

"Right," said Harry tersely.

"This may not be an ordinary class, Potter," said Snape, his eyes narrowed malevolently, "but I am still your teacher and you will therefore call me 'sir' or 'Professor' at all times."

"Yes . . . sir," said Harry.

"Now, Occlumency. As I told you back in your dear godfather's kitchen, this branch of magic seals the mind against magical intrusion and influence."

"And why does Professor Dumbledore think I need it, sir?" said Harry, looking directly into Snape's dark, cold eyes and wondering whether he would answer.

Snape looked back at him for a moment and then said contemptuously, "Surely even you could have worked that out by now, Potter? The Dark Lord is highly skilled at Legilimency —"

"What's that? Sir?"

"It is the ability to extract feelings and memories from another person's mind—"

"He can read minds?"

"May I?" Stella asked, sitting up and looking completely done already.

"Please," Snape sighed and Stella turned to Harry.

"He can't just 'read you mind' whenever he wants to. He has to be looking into your eyes and perform a spell to do it. It's the spell that Professor Snape is going to perform to help you build walls against anyone else trying to get into your mind. You are connected to Voldemort somehow though, making it so you can feel certain emotions and see into his mind every so often. It's an extremely rare thing. So rare that it's never happened before," she explained and Harry didn't interrupt as Stella continued, something that peeved Snape off a bit considering he couldn't get half a sentence out before Harry would interrupt. "There is no way to direct you on how to build your walls. You have to figure it out on your own. It is exceedingly difficult to do and will be painful but the end result will be that Voldemort can't turn the connection around and use it against you to spy on the Order or give you false visions.

"I'll go first so you can see. Okay? Don't interrupt, though. You could seriously injury Professor Snape and myself if you do."

"Okay," Harry nodded, sitting back in his chair.

Stella nodded to Snape and they both stood. Snape had taken a few memories out of his head as Stella had spoken that Stella guessed were sensitive information or just memories he wanted to protect and keep private. They both had their wands out and Snape raised his wand.

"Legilimens."

"Dad!" Stella yelled while looking at Snape.

"Dad?" Stella asked in the Hospital Wing, searching for Snape.

"How many dad's do you have?" Blaise joked, laying back down.

"Let's see. There's Arthur Weasley, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and, how could anyone forget, Professor Snape," Theo answered.

Stella just rolled her eyes and continued petting Sirius' head.

"You don't hate me, do you?"

"Why would I hate you?" Snape asked confused.

"Well, all of my other parental figures prefer Harry. He wasn't wrong about that one. I just wanted to make sure I still have you in my corner," Stella shrugged.

"I will always be in your corner," Snape promised.

"Better be," Stella grumbled, looking away again.

"Oh yes," said Professor Umbridge. "Yes, the Ministry wants a thorough understanding of teachers' — er — backgrounds. . . ."

"What background would that be?" Stella growled out and Blaise elbowed her roughly.

"…which means George is, too. D- Professor Snape has to keep a certain amount of distance due to his spying."

"How do I fall down every time?" Stella demanded as Snape helped her into her chair.

"Because you're still learning," Snape reminded her, not able to meet her eye. "Potter."

"I don't really think I want to," Harry said, eyeing Stella warily.

"It's not too bad," Stella lied.

"Really?"

"You get used to it."

Another lie.

"Alright."

"Remember to imagine a wall protecting your memories," Stella stated as Harry stood in front of Snape.

After a few minutes, a flash of light left Harry's wand and he fell, Stella just barely catching him as Snape rubbed his wrist.

"Did you mean to produce a Stinging Hex?" asked Snape coolly.

"No," said Harry bitterly, getting up from the floor.

"I thought not," said Snape contemptuously. "You let me get in too far. You lost control."

"Did you see everything I saw?" Harry asked, unsure whether he wanted to hear the answer.

"Flashes of it," said Snape, his lip curling. "To whom did the dog belong?"

"My Aunt Marge," Harry muttered, hating Snape.

"Well, for a first attempt that was not as poor as it might have been," said Snape, raising his wand once more. "You managed to stop me eventually, though you wasted time and energy shouting. You must remain focused. Repel me with your brain and you will not need to resort to your wand."

Was that a compliment? It sounded like a compliment.

"Clear your mind, Potter," said Snape's cold voice. "Let go of all emotion…"

Stella knew it wouldn't work. She took a few more turns, tossing out the castle idea, deciding it was far too large to work with. She chose the Burrow instead. Snape felt the warmth she had for the place and how protective she felt over it.

"It's a good choice," he told her when he came out of her mind. "You'll protect it well."

"That's what I thought, too," Stella told him, having actually managed to stay upright this time.

Harry went twice more before he was too angry to continue. He was given a pain relief and sent on his way, a hall pass in hand even though he'd pulled his cloak on before leaving the room. Once she was sure Harry was gone, Stella turned to Snape as he passed her a pain potion.

"That went better than I thought it would."

Stella went looking for Neville the moment she saw the Prophet. She found him in an abandoned classroom, gripping the Prophet in his hands and staring down at the photo of Bellatrix Lestrange who, along with nine other Death Eaters, had broken out of Azkaban the night before. She sat beside him on the floor, neither speaking as they sat silently. She heard Neville sniffle a few times and simply leaned against him, giving him a bit of comfort. At some point, her arms wrapped around him, holding him in a tight hug where he just let his sobs out freely, cursing Bellatrix Lestrange's name.

A new decree went up stating that teachers were not allowed to speak to students about anything other than the subject that they were being paid to teach. This led to a great number of jokes among the students.

"Exploding Snap's got nothing to do with Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor! That's not information relating to your subject!"

Next time that Stella saw Lee, his hand was red and bleeding and she'd gotten so angry when she realized that a blood quill had been used on him that the glass in the trophy room shattered around them, causing multiple people to scream, Fred, George, and Lee looking around in confusion before their eyes landed on Stella, who was still staring at Lee's hand. She thought of all of the detentions Harry had received and ran to the Transfiguration classroom, ignoring McGonagall as she grabbed Harry and dragged him to an empty classroom to inspect his hand.

'I must not tell lies.'

It was time to rage a war on Dolores Umbitch.

Everyone was working harder in the D.A. after the news of the Death Eaters breaking out, especially Neville. The news of his parents' attacker's escape had brought a strange and even slightly alarming change in him. He barely spoke during D.A. meetings anymore but worked relentlessly on every new jinx and counter curse Harry taught them, his plump face screwed up in concentration, apparently indifferent to injuries or accidents, working harder than anyone else in the room. He was improving so fast it was quite unnerving and when Harry taught them the Shield Charm, a means of deflecting minor jinxes so that they rebounded upon the attacker, only Hermione and Stella mastered the charm faster than Neville.

Harry was doing terribly at Occlumency and Stella was improving in strides. Snape had admitted to Stella that Harry had the potential to be great at the subject, his mind was strong, but his dislike of Snape was keeping him from it. Stella suggested trying to teach him herself and Snape had immediately shot her down, telling her that the two of them could get lost in each other's minds forever since they had no experience with it.

Blaise stole Stella away every chance he got. He pulled her behind tapestries, into secret alcoves, unused classrooms. Theo would have minded if it didn't mean he got more time with Hermione now, the two moving up a bit in their relationship. He'd admitted that they'd snogged quite a few times and that he would not be giving any other details about it.

Stella and Blaise's snogging was rather hot and heavy every time. They never went much further than they had during the Christmas break but it still made it rather hard for Stella to get her breathing under control every time.

With the amount of homework they'd been assigned, working on Occlumency, Quidditch, and snogging sessions, January flew by and Stella barely remember to ask Sirius about becoming an Animagus. He offered to send his journal to her next chance he got, needing to search for it and block out anything inappropriate before doing so. He'd told her a few books to read in her spare time and she planned to pick them up in Hogsmeade in February.

"So, I'm guessing you don't want to go to Madam Puddifoot's?" Blaise smirked as they headed towards Hogsmeade, holding hands yet again.

"Absolutely not," Stella laughed.

They walked into Honeydukes, buying a few sweets before going to the bookstore for Animagus books and then Zonko's, checking for new items. It was raining rather harshly when they exited the store and Blaise wanted to get out of it but Stella just tipped her head back, smiling and enjoying the feeling. After a moment, she tipped her head forward again and opened her eyes, finding Harry staring at her. She gave him a smile and a wave before running after Blaise towards the Three Broomsticks where he was watching her from with a smile.

"You're going to get a cold," Blaise told her, casting a drying and warming charm on her.

"I love the rain," Stella told him.

"I know," Blaise smiled softly, taking her hand and kissing it before leading her to a table. "I'll be right back."

Stella smiled as she watched him go, passing Harry as he made his way to the bar. Harry didn't even see her, going straight to Hagrid. She shrugged and looked back to Blaise, seeing him carrying two butterbeers over.

"I ordered us a bit of lunch as well," he told her.

"Thank you," Stella smiled, grabbed her butterbeer and taking a sip. "Mmm."

"Don't be making those sounds, now. We'll end up in the back room."

"Oh, no. Anything but making out with my boyfriend," Stella rolled her eyes before she saw Theo approaching them and frowned. "Teddy? Where's Hermione?"

"She says she has something important to talk to Harry about," Theo shrugged, looking rather upset about it. "I'm waiting until she finishes with him."

"Taking turns with your girl?" Blaise joked.

"I didn't think you were into that," Stella smirked.

"You're perfect for each other," Theo rolled his eyes.

Stella winked at Blaise as he beamed at her.

"Do you mind if I crash your date for a bit?" he asked them with a sigh. "I don't really fancy sitting by myself on Valentine's Day, to be honest."

Blaise looked to Stella and she nodded to him.

"Sure," Blaise told him.

"You're always welcome to crash," Stella told him as Blaise moved to the seat beside Stella, putting Theo across from them.

"Well, maybe not always," Blaise corrected.

"Got it," Theo laughed, taking a seat as a butterbeer was brought over to him. "So what have you two done so far?"

"Honeydukes, bookshop, and Zonko's," Blaise shrugged. "Figured we'd get lunch and take a bit of a walk but then the rain started up."

"He won't play in the rain with me," Stella pouted at Theo.

"However will you go on?" Theo joked dryly.

"I'm going to waste away," Stella sighed, leaning back in the booth dramatically.

All three laughed and broke into conversation about the upcoming Quidditch game of Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff. As much as Stella wanted Smith to get destroyed, she knew that it was rather unlikely with three new players on the team. Stella had a hard enough time training a full team with Blaise and Draco's help. There was no way to train two beaters and a seeker in such a short amount of time. Hermione never returned for Theo and the three Slytherins ended up leaving together, Theo dancing in the rain with Stella a bit when she grabbed his arm and pulled him along, getting him to laugh and brighten up a bit in the process.

It was the Monday after Gryffindor was destroyed by Hufflepuff that people began treating the Slytherins worse than ever. Stella was confused until Luna found her and gave her a copy of the Quibbler. Stella found Harry's interview on the very first page, his face splashed across the cover. Stella ran to Snape's office and he called all the Slytherins to the common room immediately, forcing them all to leave their lunches to do so. Stella sat to the side, legs bouncing as she held the rolled up Quibbler tightly in her hands.

"As some of you may have figured out, Harry Potter gave an interview about the events he claims took place in June. It mentioned certain people by name, accusing them of committing crimes."

"Is this about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" a second year asked.

"It is," Snape nodded. "I know that I've told you all to stick together before but I need you listen to me. You are not to travel anywhere alone. You are not to let your guard down. I want older students with the younger students at all time. We need to stick together and protect one another."

"But why should we protect people who have committed crimes?" a first year asked.

"Because the people in this room have not committed any crimes," Stella spoke up, standing in front of her house mates. "The people in our house are not their parents. They make their own decisions and their own choices. We should protect one another because it is the right thing to do. It is what we have always done and will continue to do."

Theo was being targeted at all times and Stella and Blaise were guarding him. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were sticking together, Tracy, Lily, Daphne, Pansy, and Millicent sticking to them. Stella helped with the younger students, who she'd already had to defend twice. Honestly. They were first years. Their parents weren't even named. Umbitch had banned the Quibbler but that only made it more popular. If Stella hadn't been so busy protecting Theo and the first years, she would have marched up to Gryffindor tower and screamed at Harry, Hermione, and Ron for not warning her so she could have better prepared the Slytherins from attacks. They probably didn't even know what they had done. At least Luna had made sure to get her a copy of the magazine so she knew what was happening.

She refused to take Occlumency with Harry anymore. He wasn't making any progress and it was a waste of time for her to watch him refuse to try when she was actually interested in the subject. That and she worried she would scream at him if she ended up in front of him.

D.A. meetings were a thing of the past. They'd tried going once after the Quibbler and multiple people had tried cursing Theo at once, causing Stella to cast a shield charm so strong that four people had been thrown back hard enough to break glass. They hadn't stuck around.

Stella wasn't on first year duty one time and all five were in the hospital wing! She felt anger rushing through her as all five of them clutched their stuffed snakes in their hands as they slept, a bit of Amortentia in each one so whatever comforted them would help keep them calm. Madam Pomfrey had gasped when she saw Stella there, watching over the students instead of in her dorm getting rest.

"I'm fine," Stella told her. "I don't have morning classes. I'll sleep then. Blaise is going to take over watch when I leave."

"No one needs to keep watch," Pomfrey tried.

"There are five eleven year old children in your hospital wing and the older students who put them here didn't care about anything other than the fact that they're Slytherins. I'm staying, Madam."

As she traded off with Blaise, Stella overheard Umbitch speaking to Filch.

"I've found them," she laughed. "I've got Potter now. I just have to rally a few students and gather him up from the Come-and-Go room."

Stella ran to the kitchens.

"Dobby!" she called out.

"Mister Harry Potter's friend," Dobby's ear flapped.

"Dobby, I need you to get to Harry and tell him that Umbridge is coming. Hurry!"

Dobby immediately popped away and Stella took off running again, heading towards the seventh floor. She saw members of the D.A. scattering. The moment they were all out, Stella ran in. Hermione, in her rush, had left the list and the photo of the old order behind. Stella grabbed both and told the room that she needed a way out near the dungeons, relief flooding through her when a door appeared. She ran straight to the Snape's office, tossing herself into her chair and breathing heavily, both items in her hands still.

"Is there a specific reason that you are out of breath? Should I be prepared for something to explode?" Snape asked.

"Well, Harry- had been- running- a secret- dueling club- Umbitch found it… Running- hate running… Oh, Merlin…"

Snape groaned, rubbing his face with his hands.

"Explains why I've had to make so much Veritaserum," he sighed. "I've been slipping antidote into all of the Slytherin drinks and into Potter's, Granger's, and all of the Weasley's cups."

"Smart, sir," Stella nodded. "I should warn you that Hermione jinxed the sign-up sheet. Blaise, Theo and I didn't sign just in case something went wrong though."

"I'll be back," Snape sighed, leaving the room to, hopefully, save Harry's ass.

She waited for two hours before Snape returned.

"Well?" she asked him, voice small.

"Dumbledore has been removed from the school and I shall never sign a piece of parchment from Miss Granger," Snape responded.

Stella groaned.

"She's going to make herself headmistress."

Sure enough, a new decree was waiting in the morning naming Umbitch Headmistress. The office was not allowing her entry though, which Stella found absolutely hilarious. Umbitch approached Stella, Blaise, and Theo after breakfast, offering them 'Inquisitorial Squad' badges, to which Stella couldn't hold back the bark of laughter before simply walking away. Blaise and Theo had smirked and followed after her.

Stella went straight to the twins, who were standing with Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ernie.

"I'm bored," she announced and the smile that she received from the twins caused Ernie, Harry, Hermione, and Ron to take a large step back, Blaise and Theo just smirking from each side of Stella.

"Peeves?" Stella asked, smiling innocently. "Can you get in and out of Umbitch's office?"

"I can," he smirked.

"Can you carry things in?"

"I can."

"Will you snitch if I happen to hand you a few dungbombs to use at your leisure?"

"Never."

Stella sat in Defense, leaned back in her chair and looking extremely proud of herself. Umbridge's scream of anger and disgust reached their ears and she sighed happily, tipping her head back and listening with a large smile on her face.

"PEEVES! YOU DISGUSTING POLTERGIEST!"

"UMBITCH IS ANGRY!" Peeves yelled as he flew out of her office and through the classroom.

"Does everyone know how to do a bubblehead charm?" she asked the room and everyone nodded. "You're gonna need it."

The office door opened and the smell of twenty dungbombs reached them. Stella had her bubblehead charm on within seconds, still smiling happily. Umbitch ran out, shooting spells at him. Umbitch saw the entire class wearing bubblehead charms and she glared, eyes falling on Harry as he laughed happily.

"Detention, Potter!"

"Whatever for?" Stella asked and everyone looked to her.

"Finally," Theo sighed, smiling brightly.

"For the dungbombs!"

"I thought that was Peeves?"

"He's laughing!"

"So are all of us."

"And for the article!"

"I don't think you can talk to us about the dungbombs or the article," Stella shook her head. "Neither have anything to do with your subject. We're also not supposed to talk about the article in general so you bringing it up—"

"Detention, Black!"

"Bullshit," Blaise laughed.

"What?"

"He said bullshit," Theo offered. "Do you need to get your ears checked?"

"ALL THREE OF YOU! DETENTION!"

"Okay," Stella shrugged. "Draco, remind me to send a letter to Uncle Lucius later, yeah?"

"Will do," Draco smirked. "I'll just send it along with mine if you like?"

"Oh, that would be wonderful cousin!" Stella smiled happily at him.

"Uncle Lucius? Cousin?" Umbridge looked shocked.

"I'm a Black. Draco's mother is a Black, specifically my father's cousin. Makes Uncle Lucy, well, my uncle," Stella shrugged. "I think he'd be very interested to know that you've broken two decrees set by the ministry this morning. He and the Minister are rather close, you see."

Umbridge looked as if she'd been punched in the stomach.

"Everyone out!" she yelled and they all left.

Stella tossed her defense book onto the ground in the process, as did the other Slytherins, following after her as she left the class, all marching out like a green and silver army preparing for battle. The Gryffindors watched them go, Harry staring at Stella in awe before being pulled away by Ron. Two days later, Filch was looking for Harry and Stella told the twins that they needed a very large distraction at lunch.

Dragons comprised entirely of green-and-gold sparks were soaring up and down the corridors, emitting loud fiery blasts and bangs as they went. Shocking-pink Catherine wheels five feet in diameter were whizzing lethally through the air like so many flying saucers. Rockets with long tails of brilliant silver stars were ricocheting off the walls. Sparklers were writing swearwords in midair of their own accord. Firecrackers were exploding like mines everywhere Stella looked, and instead of burning themselves out, fading from sight, or fizzling to a halt, these pyrotechnical miracles seemed to be gaining in energy and momentum the longer she watched.

Filch and Umbridge were standing, apparently transfixed with horror, halfway down the stairs. As Stella watched, one of the larger Catherine wheels seemed to decide that what it needed was more room to maneuver; it whirled toward Umbridge and Filch with a sinister wheeeeeeeeee. Both adults yelled with fright and ducked and it soared straight out of the window behind them and off across the grounds. Meanwhile, several of the dragons and a large purple bat that was smoking ominously took advantage of the open door at the end of the corridor to escape toward the second floor.

"Hurry, Filch, hurry!" shrieked Umbridge. "They'll be all over the school unless we do something — Stupefy!"

A jet of red light shot out of the end of her wand and hit one of the rockets. Instead of freezing in midair, it exploded with such force that it blasted a hole in a painting of a soppy-looking witch in the middle of a meadow — she ran for it just in time, reappearing seconds later squashed into the painting next door, where a couple of wizards playing cards stood up hastily to make room for her.

"Don't Stun them, Filch!" shouted Umbridge angrily, for all the world as though it had been his suggestion.

"Right you are, Headmistress!" wheezed Filch, who was a Squib and could no more have Stunned the fireworks than swallowed them. He dashed to a nearby cupboard, pulled out a broom, and began swatting at the fireworks in midair; within seconds the head of the broom was ablaze.

Blaise pulled Stella behind a tapestry with Fred and George already there, Harry running in a moment latter, all laughing loudly.

"Impressive," Harry said through his laughter. "Very impressive . . . You'll put Dr. Filibuster out of business, no problem. . . ."

"Cheers," whispered George, wiping tears of laughter from his face. "Oh, I hope she tries Vanishing them next. . . . They multiply by ten every time you try. . ."

"Brilliant," Stella smiled brightly, leaning against Blaise so she'd keep standing from laughing so hard.

The fireworks continued to burn and to spread all over the school that afternoon. Though they caused plenty of disruption, particularly the firecrackers, the other teachers did not seem to mind them very much.

The upshot of it all was that Professor Umbridge spent her first week as headmistress running all over the school answering the summonses of the other teachers, none of whom seemed able to rid their rooms of the fireworks without her.

Stella was laughing as she left Charms, Blaise having to help hold her up again in the process due to how hard she'd been trying not to laugh, Theo leaning on Blaise's other side and having the same issue. Stella'd vanished the firecracker on purpose and Theo'd tossed a stunner at it. Umbridge was so disheveled and soot-blackened that you almost couldn't recognize her.

"Thank you so much, Professor!" said Professor Flitwick in his squeaky little voice. "I could have got rid of the sparklers myself, of course, but I wasn't sure whether I had the authority. . . ."

Beaming, he closed his classroom door in her snarling face. Stella joined the crowd of Gryffindors, walking with them to Gryffindor tower, Blaise and Theo right there with her. In the common room, Fred and George were being treated like heroes. Even Hermione fought her way through the excited crowd to congratulate them.

"They were wonderful fireworks," she said admiringly.

"Thanks," said George, looking both surprised and pleased. "Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-Bangs. Only thing is, we used our whole stock, we're going to have to start again from scratch now. . . ."

"It was worth it, though," said Fred, who was taking orders from clamoring Gryffindors. "If you want to add your name to the waiting list, Hermione, it's five Galleons for your Basic Blaze box and twenty for the Deflagration Deluxe. . . ."

"How much to make more as soon as possible?" Stella asked, pulling out her money bag, Blaise and Theo doing the same behind them. "Oh! Don't drink anything Umbitch offers you. It's got truth potion in it. Snape warned us."

"You are my favorite adopted sister," Fred smiled, lifting her into the air and spinning her.

"I would hope so," she laughed. "I'm the only one you've got."

"Theo…" Hermione said, voice soft.

"Granger," he said back coldly.

The two had broken up after the article. He wasn't mad that Harry told his story. He was upset that Hermione hadn't warned him and had completely ditched him on Valentine's Day. He'd also mumbled something about Stella but had refused to elaborate when Stella had asked him about it, Blaise just shaking his head and refusing to tell her what was going on when she'd ask him.

"How are you?" Hermione asked.

"Spectacular," he said, turning back to the twins and wrapping an arm around Stella's waist. "So, how much?"

"Well, to get some made before Easter holidays… Fifty galleons?" George asked Fred.

"Seventy, actually," Fred corrected.

"Oh, yeah," George sighed.

Stella, Blaise, and Theo passed over seventy galleons each and Stella winked to the twins before leaving. Stella found Harry and Cho arguing the next day by the hourglasses.

"That was a really horrible trick of Hermione Granger's," said Cho fiercely. "She should have told us she'd jinxed that list —"

"You're lucky it wasn't me," Stella spoke up, going to Harry's side without hesitation. "Some boils that spell out 'SNEAK' were the nicer option. Had it been up to me, it would have been painful boils all over her body that she could never get rid of."

"Yes, well, I expect nothing else from a Slytherin," Cho spat back.

"I'm with Stella," Harry said coldly.

"Oh yes, I forgot – of course, if it was darling Hermione's and spectacular Stella's ideas—"

"Don't start crying again," Harry told her and Stella let out a mean laugh.

"I wasn't going to!" she shouted.

"Sure you weren't," Stella laughed again. "All you ever do is cry about something or another. Run along and bother someone else. We're done with it."

Stella grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him away. Cho turned on her heel and stalked off, red in the face.

"You alright?" Stella asked him.

"Yeah," he sighed and Stella released his hand.

"Good. Go calm down and get to remedial potions."

"Hilarious," Harry rolled his eyes.

"Tell him I held you up," she told him. "That way you won't get yelled at."

"Thanks," Harry nodded and left.

Stella saw Draco and Snape rushing up the stairs a few minutes later, Harry not following behind. She headed to Snape's office, opening the door and finding Harry in the pensieve.

"Shit," Stella cursed, rushing over and pulling Harry out.

It was too late though. Snape had returned and he must have thought Stella had been looking as well from the look on his face.

"Having fun?" he asked, face white with rage.

"Sir—" Stella tried.

"Enjoying yourselves?" he asked, grabbing Harry's arm and pulling him further from the pensieve.

"N-no…" Harry said. "Stella didn't—"

"Amusing man, your fathers, weren't they?" said Snape, shaking Harry so hard that his glasses slipped down his nose.

"What?" Stella asked, now extremely curious.

"I — didn't —" Snape threw Harry from him with all his might.

Harry fell hard onto the dungeon floor.

"You will not tell anybody what you saw!" Snape bellowed.

"No," said Harry, getting to his feet as far from Snape as he could. "No, of course I w —"

"Get out, get out, I don't want to see you in this office ever again!"

Harry ran from the office but Stella stayed where she was.

"I said I never want to see you in this office again…" he hissed at her.

"Sir, I wasn't—"

"OUT!" Snape raised his hand, as if ready to strike her.

Stella ran straight into the common room and to her empty dorm room, ignoring Blaise as he called after her. Snape was too angry at whatever Harry had seen to listen to her. She would tell him after potions the next day. She would tell him and everything would be alright. She walked into Potions, taking her normal spot. They took notes all class period and, when the bell rang, Stella went straight to the front of the room. Everyone else left and Stella was staring at Snape, waiting for him to look up.

"Do you have a question about the notes, Black?"

He said her name with so much venom that Stella flinched.

"No, sir. I wanted to tell you—"

"If it is not about Potions, I cannot assist you," he told her.

"Sir, please—"

"Out…"

Stella took a small step back.

"Sir… please…"

"Are you so desperate for a healthy father figure that you can't see where you aren't wanted?" he asked. "I already know the answer to that. Arthur Weasley prefers his real children and Black prefers Potter. Lupin may act like he cares for you, but it is only out of obligation to his precious Gryffindors that he keeps you around."

"Sir!" Stella tried.

"GET OUT!"

"I WASN'T IN THE PENSIEVE!"

"I CAUGHT YOU IN THE ACT!"

"Just like you caught me second year?" Stella asked, anger clear on her features. "You were wrong then, as well, were you not? I saw you and Draco going up the stairs and, when Harry didn't follow, I went looking for him to make sure everything was alright! I pulled him out! He tried telling you when you were screaming at us but you are too blinded by your hate for a dead man to listen to anything he says to you! I thought you and his mother were friends? I guess your hatred will ALWAYS outweigh your love, if you can even feel love at this point."

Stella left after that, not caring to listen to any arguments that Snape had to give, not noticing how Snape's face crumbled, his thought on someone else who had said the same much of the same thing to him when they were still in school.

Stella saw that she was having career advice first thing on Monday and rolled her eyes. No one had been able to figure out what her terrible mood was about except for Blaise. He'd pulled her up the stairs to the boys dorm as soon as he'd gotten the chance. She'd told him everything and he'd held her close.

"Any chance you could distract me?" she asked with a smirk and Blaise laughed before he began kissing her.

They ended up on his bed, bodies pressed together and breathing rather heavily. The curtain around his bed was pulled closed and clothes came off. Blaise was careful and gentle, making sure Stella was alright every so often. He handed over his jersey and a pair of sleep pants, helping her dress and holding her as they both slept that night, Theo the only other one in their year who had stayed for the Easter holiday finding them as he headed to bed.

The three read through the career information the next day, passing it over as the other fifth years returned from their break. Stella sat in Snape's office, having fully intended to make a joke about it until she saw Umbitch in the corner, a clipboard on her knee, a fussy little pie-frill around her neck, and a small, horribly smug look on her face.

"Miss Black, have you thought about what you may want to do once you leave Hogwarts?" Snape asked.

"I think I'll just take over the Black businesses. May give teaching a go eventually," Stella shrugged.

"Hem, hem."

"I thought Professor McGonagall provided you with cough drops?" Stella asked innocently.

Umbitch's smiled faltered for a moment before it reappeared.

"I was just wondering if you planned on taking the Black family Wizengamot seats back," she stated.

"Don't fancy the ministry. I'd rather do something useful with my life. I'm sure Harry, Hermione, Fred, and Geroge would be more than happy to take my seats though. Well, technically, Harry has more seats then I do, so that won't work. I'll ask Ginny and Ron. Thank you for reminding me."

"Dismissed, Black. I'll send you information for teaching."

"Thank you, sir."

Stella left quickly, not even glancing back as she walked out with her head held high. In Potions, Draco knocked Harry's bottled potion off of Snape's desk and Stella looked over, seeing Hermione had already cleared away his potion. She bottled two of hers, passing one to Harry as she went before turning her perfect potion in. Harry turned in another, with his name on it, right after. Stella moved it so it was behind hers so no one could knock it over.

Stella set off fireworks during Defense, smiling brightly as she vanished the biggest ones, causing them to multiply, before all of the students evacuated the classroom. She'd also helped sneak a Niffler into the office while Umbitch was distracted.

'Snape screamed at you and Harry?!'

'How do you know about that?'

'Harry just told me.'

'Busy.'

Stella was watching as Umbitch stood in front of Fred and George, slipping her ring off so she could hear what was happening.

"So… you think it amusing to turn a school corridor into a swamp, do you?"

"Pretty amusing, yeah," Fred looked at her without the slightest bit of fear.

"I've got the forms, Headmistress," Filch smiled wickedly. "I've got the forms and I've got the whips waiting. Oh, let me do it, now…"

"Very good, Argus. You two," she gazed at Fred and Geroge, "are about to learn what happens to wrongdoers in my school."

"You know what? I don't think we are," Fred smirked and turned to George. "George, I think we've outgrown full-time education."

"Yeah, I've been feeling that way myself," said George lightly.

"Time to test our talents in the real word, d'you reckon?"

"Definitely."

"Accio brooms," they called together.

There was a loud crash and Stella saw Harry duck just in time. Stella did an advanced severing charm and the heavy chains broke off of the brooms.

"We won't be seeing you," Fred told Umbitch as he swung his leg over his broom.

"Don't keep in touch," George told her.

"If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated upstairs, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley — Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes," he said in a loud voice. "Our new premises!"

"Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat," added George, pointing at Professor Umbridge.

"STOP THEM!" shrieked Umbridge, but it was too late.

As the Inquisitorial Squad closed in, Fred and George kicked off from the floor, shooting fifteen feet into the air. Fred looked across the hall at the poltergeist bobbing on his level above the crowd.

"Give her hell from us, Peeves!"

Peeves saluted Fred and George and they flew off. Umbitch grabbed Stella's arm, dragging her along. Stella rolled her eyes, not really caring about the detention she was about to receive for cutting the chains. She ended up in Filch's office and she looked around in confusion as she was forced to stand in the center of the room.

"You," she growled out. "You helped them."

"I haven't even seen the swamp yet," Stella complained. "How could I have helped with something I didn't know about?"

"You cut the chains!"

"Very well spotted," she rolled her eyes. "Why are we here?"

"For your punishment," Umbitch seemed far too excited, as did Filch as he moved around behind Stella.

"It's ready," he announced and Stella turned to see what he was talking about.

"You're not chaining me to a wall," she rolled her eyes before she felt a stunning charm hit her back.

When she woke again, Stella was chained to the wall, her back exposed.

"You will take yours and their punishments," Umbitch seethed before stepping away.

Stella hadn't felt pain like that in her entire life. At least when she was paralyzed she couldn't feel it. The whips hitting her back and tearing into her skin caused her knees to buckle and she was forced to hang from the wall by the chains. Thirty lashes. She received ten for herself, ten for Fred, and ten for Geroge.

The chains came undone and Stella fell to the floor. She had occluded through the majority of it, which kept her from screaming out in pain. There was blood splattered across the floor and her shirt was tossed at her before it was magically on her again, along with her cloak. Stella pulled herself to her feet, refusing to seem any weaker than she already did. She took a few breaths and turned but Umbitch and filthy Filch had already left. She slowly walked out of the office and found an empty classroom to hide out in until everyone was in bed, not wanting anyone to see as she headed to the hospital wing.

She ended up falling asleep from exhaustion and used her wand to figure out the time, finding it to be one in the morning. Everyone should be in bed right now except for a few random teachers and ghosts wondering around. Had anyone tried looking for her? Blaise and Theo definitely would have.

She reached in her pocket and slid her ring back onto her finger. She let out a groan of annoyance when she realized that she'd left the map beside Blaise's bed, meaning she had to try avoiding everyone in the process. Technically, Snape's office was closer, but Stella didn't think he'd actually care if she showed up.

That was a lie. She knew he'd care, no matter how angry he was at her in the moment. He'd probably murder Filch and Umbridge himself. She didn't need him going to Azkaban for her though.

Slowly, Stella pulled herself back to her feet, feeling rather dizzy as a bit of blood still dripped onto the floor. She'd definitely bled through her shirt and was thankful that her cloak was black, otherwise that would be ruined as well. She used the wall to hold herself up, making it to the stairs leading out of the dungeons and stopping. She let out a pitiful moan as she set her foot on the first stair.

Each step felt like it took an eternity as she climbed the small number of steps, not even wanting to think of how many stairs she was going to have to deal with in the entrance hall or the staircases themselves. She got to the entrance hall and realized that she wouldn't have any walls to hold onto to get to the stairs. Stella stood as best she could and as slowly as possible walked to the stairs, each step pulling on her back as she went.

She used the railing to get up the stairs at the entrance hall and then the wall again as she walked through the hall towards the stairs. She didn't realize that she'd been at it for two and a half hours already or that there was a trail of blood following her. She reached the staircases and climbed a few steps before losing her balance, too dizzy to hold herself up any longer. The stairs moved and Stella felt a wave of nausea hit her and she took a few deep breaths when the stairs came to a stop. She looked down and realized that the stairs had brought her to the correct floor on their own volition, the bottom of the steps that she was closest to being the side that was by the correct floor.

Stella bit her lip hard as she got off the stairs and reached the next wall, losing her stomach the moment she got to it. After a few minutes, where she tried to catch her breath, Stella started moving again. She reached the hospital wing at five twenty in the morning, pushing the door open and falling to the floor just inside the threshold.

Madam Pomfrey almost had a heart attack when she saw her, weak and bleeding far too much. Had it not been for her magic, Stella likely would have died. The amount of close calls that she'd had in this school was getting ridiculous. Stella was floated to a bed and her cloak and shirt were removed once she was behind a privacy screen. Blood replenishers and pain potions were forced into her system before Dittany was used on the wounds. Stella, thankfully, passed out once the pain potions started working.

The blood was found by students and eventually the heads of house discovered who had been injured. Snape fell into the chair beside her bed when he saw her, looking far too pale with blood soaked bandages across her back. Dittany could only do so much. McGonagall wanted to alert Sirius and Molly, but the moment she went to do it, Umbridge walked in.

"As Head Mistress, it is my responsibility to alert parents and guardians of any injuries a student acquires."

"She was attacked!" McGonagall yelled.

"Miss Black received the injuries during a punishment," Umbridge corrected. "Her father was sent a letter when she received the punishment. Nothing more needs to be done."

"If Sirius Black doesn't kill her, I will," Snape hissed out once Umbridge left the hospital wing.

"I don't think she actually told him what the punishment was," McGonagall whispered, hand on his shoulder.

"She'll tell him," Snape stated. "Her Heir ring is connected to his Head of Family ring. She'll tell him."

"Will she?"

Stella was released from the hospital wing Monday morning, just in time for class. She hadn't told Sirius, no matter how many times McGonagall and Snape told her to. Instead, she allowed herself to heal over the weekend and then resumed her classes as soon as possible. Every teacher, minus Umbridge, was giving her a pass on the homework she'd been assigned over the weekend. She wrote her Defense essay in History of Magic, ignoring Binns completely. Blaise and Theo had tried to get her to tell them where she'd been but she shook her head, not wanting them to know, either.

Inspired by Fred and George's example, a great number of students were now vying for the newly vacant positions of Troublemakers-in-Chief. In spite of the new door, somebody managed to slip a hairy snouted niffler into Umbridge's office, which promptly tore the place apart in its search for shiny objects, leapt on Umbridge on her reentrance, and tried to gnaw the rings off her stubby fingers. Dungbombs and Stinkpellets were dropped so frequently in the corridors that it became the new fashion for students to perform Bubble-Head Charms on themselves before leaving lessons, which ensured them a supply of fresh clean air, even though it gave them all the peculiar appearance of wearing upside-down goldfish bowls on their heads.

Filch prowled the corridors with a horsewhip ready in his hands, desperate to catch miscreants, but the problem was that there were now so many of them that he did not know which way to turn. The Inquisitorial Squad were attempting to help him, but odd things kept happening to its members. Warrington reported to the hospital wing with a horrible skin complaint that made him look as though he had been coated in cornflakes. Pansy Parkinson, to Hermione's delight, missed all her lessons the following day, as she had sprouted antlers. Stella winked at her when she heard the news.

Meanwhile it became clear just how many Skiving Snackboxes Fred and George had managed to sell before leaving Hogwarts. Umbridge only had to enter her classroom for the students assembled there to faint, vomit, develop dangerous fevers, or else spout blood from both nostrils. Shrieking with rage and frustration she attempted to trace the mysterious symptoms to their source, but the students told her stubbornly they were suffering "Umbridge-itis." After putting four successive classes in detention and failing to discover their secret she was forced to give up and allow the bleeding, swooning, sweating, and vomiting students to leave her classes in droves.

But not even the users of the Snackboxes could compete with that master of chaos, Peeves, who seemed to have taken Fred's parting words deeply to heart. Cackling madly, he soared through the school, upending tables, bursting out of blackboards, and toppling statues and vases. Twice he shut Mrs. Norris inside suits of armor, from which she was rescued, yowling loudly, by the furious caretaker. He smashed lanterns and snuffed out candles, juggled burning torches over the heads of screaming students, caused neatly stacked piles of parchment to topple into fires or out of windows, flooded the second floor when he pulled off all the taps in the bathrooms, dropped a bag of tarantulas in the middle of the Great Hall during breakfast and, whenever he fancied a break, spent hours at a time floating along after Umbridge and blowing loud raspberries every time she spoke.

The only student he didn't mess with was Stella. In fact, Stella was pretty sure he knew what Filch had done to her because he targeted the man almost as often as he targeted Umbridge, looking over to Stella every so often when she was there to witness whatever he had planned.

None of the staff but Filch seemed to be stirring themselves to help her. Indeed, a week after Fred and George's departure Stella witnessed Professor McGonagall walking right past Peeves, who was determinedly loosening a crystal chandelier, and could have sworn she heard her tell the poltergeist out of the corner of her mouth, "It unscrews the other way."

Stella received a howler from Molly, screaming at her that she shouldn't have let Fred and George leave. She simply set the howler on fire and went back to her lunch. She was called into Snape's office at the end of the day and Stella opened the door, standing outside of it defiantly.

"Don't be childish—"

"I'm respecting your wishes. Is there something you wished to speak to me about regarding my Potions work, Professor Snape?"

People in the common room turned their heads quickly, confusion clear on their faces with how cold Stella was being.

"Stella-"

"Heir Black," Stella corrected, practically growling the title at him to remind him just who she was.

"- Heir Black, would you please come sit so that we may discuss what happened to you Friday afternoon?"

"Nope," Stella answered, turning and walking away, slamming the office door closed as she went.

Stella had Draco play against Hufflepuff and he'd given her a strange, questioning look as she handed him her Firebolt to use.

"Why aren't you flying?" he asked as the rest of the team left the locker room.

"Umbitch let Filch whip me as punishment for Fred and George leaving. I'm not allowed any strenuous activities, such as Quidditch, for another week. Don't let me down, cousin. You've made so much progress this year and I believe in you. Go win this for us."

Shock, anger, and then determination crossed Draco's face and he left the locker room, Stella following out behind him. She sat with Lee in the commentator booth, watching the game and trying to keep him cheerful after Fred and George had left him behind. Slytherin had demolishing Hufflepuff 300-50 and Stella nodded to Draco to put the Hufflepuffs out of their misery. He caught the snitch just after Blaise scored again, making the final score 460-50. There was no way that Gryffindor would be able to catch up now.

During the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw game, Stella was standing, leaning forward and watching the game carefully as the Slytherins sang 'Weasley Is Our King' behind her, the line about being born in a bin having been taken out. The song ended up being changed by the Gryffindor's halfway through.

"Weasley is our King, Weasley is our King, He didn't let the Quaffle in, Weasley is our King. Weasley can save anything, He never leaves a single ring That's why Gryffindors all sing: Weasley is our King!"

Cho caught the snitch but Ravenclaw still lost. Slytherin had still won the cup at the end so Stella didn't mind a whole too much.

O.W.L.s were finally upon them and Stella was forcing herself to stay calm. Blaise helped, stealing her away every chance he got. It was the day before their first O.W.L. that he saw the marks on her back.

"What happened?" he demanded, fingers running down her spine gently. "These weren't here last time."

"Umbitch and Filthy Filch," she told him, voice low.

They had a privacy spell around his bed but Stella was still paranoid. Her cousin was literally only a bed away after all. Blaise's fingers froze for a moment before he continued.

"I'll kill her," he whispered, hatred in his voice.

"Can we just enjoy this right now?" Stella asked, rolling and pulling Blaise on top of her. "I don't think my father is going to allow you anywhere near me this summer."

"Well, we better get as much in as possible before that happens," he smirked, kissing her roughly.

The younger students were quiet in the common room, being respectful as the fifth and seventh years studied for O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. The next two weeks were hell and Stella had a migraine a majority of the time. The Slytherins and Ravenclaws did not witness the attack on McGonagall but they heard about it from the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors first thing in the morning. She could barely focus as Theo quizzed her on History of Magic.

All of fifth year entered the Great Hall at two, sitting in a desk and waiting.

"Turn over your papers," said Professor Marchbanks from the front of the Hall, flicking over the giant hourglass. "You may begin. . . ."

She had just finished when Harry screamed and fell sideways out of his seat. Stella ran to him, not caring about the exam anymore. Stella helped him to the entrance hall and, once they shook off Professor Tofty, he dragged Stella up the stairs, heading towards Gryffindor tower.

"Can you reach Sirius on your ring?" Harry asked and Stella fiddled with her ring, calling out to her father.

"He isn't responding," Stella said, confused. "He always responds."

"It's Voldemort," Harry told her. "He's got Sirius."

Stella felt as if her heart had stopped.

"Voldemort's got Sirius," Harry told Blaise, Theo, Ron, and Hermione once they'd left Pomfrey and ran looking for them.

"What?"

"How d'you — ?"

"Saw it. Just now. When I fell asleep in the exam. Stella can't get him on her ring."

That caused Blaise and Theo's eyes to widen.

"But — but where? How?" said Hermione, whose face was white.

"I dunno how," said Harry. "But I know exactly where. There's a room in the Department of Mysteries full of shelves covered in these little glass balls, and they're at the end of row ninety-seven . . . He's trying to use Sirius to get whatever it is he wants from in there. . . . He's torturing him. . . . Says he'll end by killing him…"

"How are we going to get there?" Stella asked, voice shaking just as Harry's was.

"Get there?" Ron asked, confused.

"Get to the Department of Mysteries, so we can rescue Sirius!" Harry said loudly.

It took a while to convince Stella and Harry not to run off, Ginny and Luna joining them at some point while Harry was shouting at Ron and Hermione and Stella was whispering back and forth with Blaise and Theo.

"Maybe he took his ring off?" Hermione offered.

"He doesn't take it off," Harry argued.

"We need to confirm that he's not at Grimmauld first," Hermione stated. "All of us can draw Umbridge away from her office and you and Stella can check the floo."

"Blaise and Theo can't get caught," Stella spoke up.

"They won't," Hermione promised. "Ginny and Luna can be lookouts."

"Okay," Harry said aggressively to Hermione, "Okay, if you can think of a way of doing this quickly, I'm with you, otherwise we're going to the Department of Mysteries right now —"

"The Department of Mysteries?" said Luna, looking mildly surprised. "But how are you going to get there?"

Stella and Harry ignored her.

"Right," said Hermione, twisting her hands together and pacing up and down between the desks. "Right . . . well . . . One of us has to go and find Umbridge and — and send her off in the wrong direction, keep her away from her office. They could tell her — I don't know — that Peeves is up to something awful as usual. . . ."

"I'll do it," said Ron at once. "I'll tell her Peeves is smashing up the Transfiguration department or something, it's miles away from her office. Come to think of it, I could probably persuade Peeves to do it if I met him on the way. . . ."

It was a mark of the seriousness of the situation that Hermione made no objection to the smashing up of the Transfiguration department.

"We need to keep students away from her office while we force entry, or some Slytherin's bound to go and tip her off," Hermione continued.

"We can deal with the Slytherins," Theo spoke up.

"And Luna and I can stand at either end of the corridor," said Ginny promptly, "and warn people not to go down there because someone's let off a load of Garroting Gas." Hermione looked surprised at the readiness with which Ginny had come up with this lie. Ginny shrugged and said, "Fred and George were planning to do it before they left."

"Okay," said Hermione. "Harry, Stella, and I can be under the cloak and we'll sneak into the office and the two of you can talk to Sirius—"

"He's not there, Hermione!"

"We have to make sure before we break into the Department of Mysteries," Stella told him, still fiddling with her ring and trying to get Sirius to talk to her.

"I… okay," Harry nodded, seeing the worry and fear etched on Stella's face. "Okay."

"Right, well, even if we do all of that, I don't think we're going to be able to bank on more than five minutes," said Hermione. "Not with Filch and the wretched Inquisitorial Squad floating around."

"Five minutes'll be enough," Harry nodded.

"Let's go," Stella agreed.

"Now?" Hermione asked, shocked.

"Of course now!" said Harry angrily. "What did you think, we're going to wait until after dinner or something? Hermione, Sirius is being tortured right now!"

"I — oh all right," she said desperately. "You go and get the Invisibility Cloak and we'll meet you at the end of Umbridge's corridor, okay?"

Harry and Stella did not answer but flung themselves out of the room and began to fight their way through the milling crowds outside. Two floors up they met Seamus and Dean, who hailed them jovially and told them they were planning a dusk-till-dawn end-of-exams celebration in the common room. Harry and Stella barely heard them. They scrambled through the portrait hole while they were still arguing about how many black-market butterbeers they would need and were climbing back out of it, the Invisibility Cloak and Sirius's knife secure in Harry's bag, before they noticed they had left them.

"Harry, d'you want to chip in a couple of Galleons? Harold Dingle reckons he could sell us some firewhiskey!"

But Stella had pulled Harry along, not that he needed any prompting as he grabbed her hand and the two ran. It only took a few minutes but it felt like a lifetime before they jumped the last few stairs and joined the others, Theo and Blaise already off to distract the Slytherins.

"Let's go," Stella panted.

"All right," whispered Hermione as a gang of loud sixth years passed them. "So Ron — you go and head Umbridge off. . . . Ginny, Luna, if you can start moving people out of the corridor. . . . Harry, Stella, and I will get the cloak on and wait until the coast is clear. . . ."

Ron strode away, his bright red hair visible right to the end of the passage. Meanwhile, Ginny's equally vivid head bobbed between the jostling students surrounding them in the other direction, trailed by Luna's blonde one.

"Get over here," muttered Hermione, tugging at Harry's wrist and pulling him and Stella back into a recess where the ugly stone head of a medieval wizard stood muttering to itself on a column. "Are — are you sure you're okay, Harry? You're still very pale."

"I'm fine," he said shortly, tugging the Invisibility Cloak from out of his bag. "Here."

The cloak was tossed over the three of them and they stood waiting.

"You can't come down here!" Ginny was calling to the crowd. "No, sorry, you're going to have to go round by the swiveling staircase, someone's let off Garroting Gas just along here —"

They could hear people complaining; one surly voice said, "I can't see no gas . . ."

"That's because it's colorless," said Ginny in a convincingly exasperated voice, "but if you want to walk through it, carry on, then we'll have your body as proof for the next idiot who didn't believe us. . . ."

Slowly the crowd thinned. The news about the Garroting Gas seemed to have spread — people were not coming this way anymore. When at last the surrounding area was quite clear, Hermione said quietly, "I think that's as good as we're going to get, Harry — come on, let's do it."

Together they moved forward, covered by the cloak. Luna was standing with her back to them at the far end of the corridor. As they passed Ginny, Hermione whispered, "Good one . . . don't forget the signal . . ."

"What's the signal?" muttered Harry, as they approached Umbridge's door.

"A loud chorus of 'Weasley Is Our King' if they see Umbridge coming," replied Hermione, as Harry inserted the blade of Sirius's knife in the crack between door and wall.

The lock clicked open, and they entered the office. The garish kittens were basking in the late afternoon sunshine warming their plates, but otherwise the office was as still and empty as last time. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief.

"I thought she might have added extra security after the second niffler."

"I think she did and we have less than five minutes. Go, Harry," Stella pointed to the fireplace.

Harry dashed over to the fireplace, seized the pot of Floo powder, and threw a pinch into the grate, causing emerald flames to burst into life there. He knelt down quickly, thrust his head into the dancing fire, and cried, "Number twelve, Grimmauld Place!"

She could hear him yelling for Sirius multiple times and the terrible feeling in her stomach got worse and worse.

'Da, please… Please answer one of us… Please…'

"Where's Sirius, Kreacher?" Harry demanded.

It was quiet for a moment.

"Where's he gone? Where's he gone Kreacher?" Another moment of silence. "I'm warning you! What about Lupin? Mad-Eye? Any of them, are any of them there?"

They were out of time.

"Where is he?" Harry asked and suddenly Harry's head was ripped out of the fire.

Draco had Harry's wand and was barely holding Stella, her wand in his hand as well. He slipped both wands into Stella's pocket, trying to signal something to her but she was too close to tears to understand.

"I want to know why you are in my office," said Umbridge, shaking the fist that was clutching Harry's hair so that he staggered.

"I was — trying to get my Firebolt!" Harry croaked.

"Liar." She shook his head again. "Your Firebolt is under strict guard in the dungeons, as you very well know, Potter. You had your head in my fire. With whom have you been communicating?"

"No one —" said Harry, trying to pull away from her.

"Liar!" shouted Umbridge. She threw him from her, and he slammed into the desk.

Millicent had Hermione. There was a commotion outside and several Slytherins entered, each gripping Ron, Ginny, Luna, and — to Stella's bewilderment — Neville, who was trapped in a stranglehold by Crabbe and looked in imminent danger of suffocation. All four of them had been gagged. Theo and Blaise had joined the Slytherins somehow undetected.

"Got 'em all," said Goyle, shoving Ron roughly forward into the room. "That one." he poked a thick finger at Neville, "tried to stop me taking her," he pointed at Ginny, who was 'struggling' in Blaise's hold, "so I brought him along too."

"Good, good," said Umbridge, watching Ginny's struggles. "Well, it looks as though Hogwarts will shortly be a Weasley-free zone, doesn't it?"

Ginny glared at Umbridge defiantly and Stella felt pride well in her chest at the action.

"So, Potter," she said. "You stationed lookouts around my office and you sent this buffoon," she nodded at Ron, and Malfoy laughed even louder, "to tell me the poltergeist was wreaking havoc in the Transfiguration department when I knew perfectly well that he was busy smearing ink on the eyepieces of all the school telescopes, Mr. Filch having just informed me so.

"Clearly, it was very important for you to talk to somebody. Was it Albus Dumbledore? Or the half-breed, Hagrid? I doubt it was Minerva McGonagall, I hear she is still too ill to talk to anyone. . . ."

Stella felt rage rushing through her but Theo shook his head and she stayed still.

"It's none of your business who I talk to," Harry snarled.

Umbridge's slack face seemed to tighten.

"Very well," she said in her most dangerous and falsely sweet voice. "Very well, Mr. Potter . . . I offered you the chance to tell me freely. You refused. I have no alternative but to force you. Nott — fetch Professor Snape."

Stella wanted to breathe a sigh of relief but held it in. Was Umbridge really stupid enough to send her best friend after Severus Snape? Apparently, she was. How had Stella forgotten about Snape? They should have gone to him immediately!

There was silence in the office except for the fidgeting and scuffling resulting from the Slytherins' efforts to keep Ron and the others under control. Ron's lip was bleeding onto Umbridge's carpet as he struggled against Warrington's half nelson. Neville was turning steadily more purple in the face while tugging at Crabbe's arms, and Hermione was attempting vainly to throw Millicent Bulstrode off her. Luna, however, stood limply by the side of her captor, Tracy, gazing vaguely out of the window as though rather bored by the proceedings.

"You wanted to see me, Headmistress?" said Snape, looking around at all the pairs of struggling students with an expression of complete indifference.

"Ah, Professor Snape," said Umbridge, smiling widely and standing up again. "Yes, I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can, please."

"You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter," he said, observing her coolly through his greasy curtains of black hair. "Surely you did not use it all? I told you that three drops would be sufficient."

Umbridge flushed.

"You can make some more, can't you?" she said, her voice becoming more sweetly girlish as it always did when she was furious

"Certainly," said Snape, his lip curling. "It takes a full moon cycle to mature, so I should have it ready for you in around a month."

"A month?" squawked Umbridge, swelling toadishly. "A month? But I need it this evening, Snape! I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with a person or persons unknown!"

"Really?" said Snape, showing his first, faint sign of interest as he looked around at Harry. "Well, it doesn't surprise me. Potter has never shown much inclination to follow school rules."

"I wish to interrogate him!" shouted Umbridge angrily, and Snape looked away from Harry back into her furiously quivering face. "I wish you to provide me with a potion that will force him to tell me the truth!"

"I have already told you," said Snape smoothly, "that I have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter — and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did — I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victim much time for truth-telling. . . ."

"You are on probation!" shrieked Professor Umbridge, and Snape looked back at her, his eyebrows slightly raised. "You are being deliberately unhelpful! I expected better, Lucius Malfoy always speaks most highly of you! Now get out of my office!"

Snape gave her an ironic bow and turned to leave. Stella spoke up from her corner where she hadn't been spotted yet.

"He's got Padfoot!" she called. "He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden."

Snape had stopped with his hand on Umbridge's door handle.

"Padfoot?" cried Professor Umbridge, looking eagerly from Stella to Snape. "What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What does she mean, Snape?"

Snape looked around at Stella. His face was inscrutable. Stella knew he understood and the look in his eyes told her that he wouldn't let her down.

"I have no idea," he said. "Black, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little, if Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork, and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if ever you apply for a job."

The door closed with a snap and Stella let out a low breath. Umbridge was not satisfied though.

"Very well," she said, and she pulled out her wand. "Very well . . . I am left with no alternative. . . . This is more than a matter of school discipline. . . . This is an issue of Ministry security. . . . Yes . . . yes . . ."

Stella rolled her eyes, fingering the wands in her pocket.

"You are forcing me, Potter. . . . I do not want to," said Umbridge, still moving restlessly on the spot, "but sometimes circumstances justify the use . . . I am sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice. . . ."

Stella slowly pulled the wands out.

"The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue," said Umbridge quietly.

"Stupefy!"

The spell sent from two wands hit Umbridge so hard that she flew across the room.

"Incarcerous!" Draco shouted from beside her.

Black ropes wrapped around Umbridge and Stella let out a few harsh breaths before passing Harry his wand and turning to Draco.

"Thanks," she told him as the Slytherins all released the Gryffindors.

"Theo told us what was going on so we volunteered to grab you when the Inquisitor Squad was called," Draco explained. "What's the plan? Can we kill her?"

"We aren't killing anyone!" Hermione screamed.

"You don't have to participate, Granger," Blaise rolled his eyes.

"We aren't killing her," Stella confirmed.

"You take all the fun out of it," Draco complained.

"You did not take your potions this morning," Stella rubbed at her face harshly.

"How do you know about my potions?"

"I'm on the same ones, dumbass."

"Can we concentrate, please!" Harry yelled. "We have to get to Sirius!"

"What's happened to Cousin Sirius?" Draco demanded.

"No time. How are we getting to London?"

"We fly, of course," Luna shrugged. "We won't all be able to go."

"Right," Stella sighed as they all left the office and headed down the hall. "We don't have enough brooms."

"Thestrals," Luna spoke up. "They're in the forest. Most of you can't see them."

"Thes- what?" Theo asked.

"Thestrals," Harry provided. "You can only see them if you've seen someone die. Are there enough for all of us?"

"Everyone will have to pair up with someone who can see them," Luna shrugged. "I don't think enough of us can see them for all of us."

Stella was paired with Blaise, who'd seen two of his step-fathers die, Hermione was with Theo, who had been there when his mother had passed, Ginny went with Harry, and Ron ended up with Luna. Neville got his own invisible horse.

"Okay, you all just be careful and we'll let you know as soon as we figure out what's happened," Stella told the other Slytherins. "Thank you. So much."

Draco and Tracy hugged Stella quickly and sent her away, Blaise helped Stella up and she did not like not being able to see what she was currently sitting on. Blaise chuckled in her ear and held her close by her waist.

"This is mad," Ron said faintly, moving his free hand gingerly up and down his horse's neck. "Mad . . . if I could just see it —"

"You'd better hope it stays invisible," said Harry darkly. "We all ready, then?"

Everyone nodded and Harry looked uncertainly down at what Stella assumed was the Thestral.

"Ministry of Magic, visitors' entrance, London… If you know… Where to go?"

Nothing happened for a moment and then the next Stella felt the creature move beneath her and then they were in the air. Stella let out a little yelp of surprise and Blaise just held her tighter, assuring her that she was fine and he had her.

Twilight fell: The sky turned to a light, dusky purple littered with tiny silver stars, and soon it was only the lights of Muggle towns that gave them any clue of how far from the ground they were or how very fast they were traveling. How much time had elapsed since he had seen Sirius lying on the Department of Mysteries floor? How much longer would he be able to resist Voldemort?

On they flew through the gathering darkness. Had it not been for Blaise holding her, Stella was sure she would have frozen to death.

'Please be alive. Please, Da. You can't leave me already.'

They were descending at last and Stella let out a small shriek, causing Blaise to chuckle in her ear. She made a note to slap his arm for it later. Bright orange lights were growing larger and rounder on all side. They could see the tops of buildings, streams of headlights like luminous insect eyes, squares of pale yellow that were windows. Quite suddenly, it seemed, they were hurtling toward the pavement. The horse touched ground lightly and Blaise slid off, helping Stella down.

"Never again," she told him, legs shaking a bit.

"I can give you something better to ride," he wiggled his brows at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Where do we go from here?" Luna asked and Stella remembered how they got into the ministry for Sirius's trial.

"This way," she said and everyone followed her and Harry to the phone booth.

They all piled into the phone booth, squished together. She dialed six, two, four, four, two and a female voice sounded inside the box, "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."

"Stella Black, Theodore Nott, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Blaise Zabini, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood. We're here to save Sirius Black," Stella spoke clearly.

"Unless your ministry can do it first!" Harry added.

"Thank you," said a cool female voice. "Visitors, please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes."

Stella passed the badges over her head. Hers read 'Stella Black: Rescue Mission.'

"Visitor to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium."

"Fine!" Harry said loudly, as his scar gave another throb. "Now can we move?"

The floor of the telephone box shuddered and the pavement rose up past the glass windows of the telephone box. The scavenging Thestrals were sliding out of sight, blackness closed over their heads, and with a dull grinding noise they sank down into the depths of the Ministry of Magic.

A chink of soft golden light hit their feet and, widening, rose up their bodies. Stella bent her knees and held hers wand as ready as she could in such cramped conditions, peering through the glass to see whether anybody was waiting for them in the Atrium, but it seemed to be completely empty. The light was dimmer than it had been by day. There were no fires burning under the mantelpieces set into the walls, but he saw as the lift slid smoothly to a halt that golden symbols continued to twist sinuously in the dark blue ceiling.

"The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant evening," said the woman's voice.

The door of the telephone box burst open; Harry and Stella toppled out of it, followed by Neville, Theo, and Luna. The only sound in the Atrium was the steady rush of water from the golden fountain, where jets from the wands of the witch and wizard, the point of the centaur's arrow, the tip of the goblin's hat, and the house-elf's ears continued to gush into the surrounding pool.

"Come on," said Harry quietly and the nine of them sprinted off down the hall, Harry in the lead, past the fountain, toward the desk where the security man who had weighed their wands had sat and which was now deserted.

Harry led the way. They took the lift and then ran through the "Department of Mysteries" hall. Harry made a turn towards a plain black door.

"Let's go," he whispered, and he led the way down the corridor, Stella right behind him, determination in her eyes before Harry stopped within six feet of the door. "Okay, listen. Maybe… Maybe a couple of people should stay here as a lookout."

"And how're we going to let you know something's coming?" asked Ginny, her eyebrows raised. "You could be miles away."

"They're coming with us, Harry," Stella glared. "Now, stop wasting time. Let's go."

They were standing in a large, circular room. Everything in here was black including the floor and ceiling — identical, unmarked, handle-less black doors were set at intervals all around the black walls, interspersed with branches of candles whose flames burned blue, their cool, shimmering light reflected in the shining marble floor so that it looked as though there was dark water underfoot.

"Someone shut the door," Harry muttered.

He regretted giving this order the moment Neville had obeyed it. Without the long chink of light from the torch-lit corridor behind them, the place became so dark that for a moment the only things they could see were the bunches of shivering blue flames on the walls and their ghostly reflections in the floor below. Then the room began rotating. Theo and Blaise both grabbed Stella, making sure she was alright as the walls spun, just in case the floors spun as well.

For a few seconds the blue flames around them were blurred to resemble neon lines as the wall sped around and then, quite as suddenly as it had started, the rumbling stopped and everything became stationary once again.

"What was that about?" whispered Ron fearfully.

"I think it was to stop us knowing which door we came in from," said Ginny in a hushed voice.

"Well, it worked," Stella complained.

"How're we going to get back now?" Neville asked.

"We'll have to check every door," Theo answered.

"Well, that doesn't matter now," said Harry forcefully. "We won't need to get out till we've found Sirius."

"Where do we go, then, Harry?" Ron asked.

"I don't —" Harry began. He swallowed. "In the dreams I went through the door at the end of the corridor from the lifts into a dark room — that's this one — and then I went through another door into a room that kind of . . . glitters. We should try a few doors," he said hastily. "I'll know the right way when I see it. C'mon."

He marched straight at the door now facing him, the others following close behind him, set his left hand against its cool, shining surface, raised his wand, ready to strike the moment it opened, and pushed. It swung open easily.

There were just a few desks and, in the very middle of the room, an enormous glass tank of deep-green water, big enough for all of them to swim in, which contained a number of pearly white objects that were drifting around lazily in the liquid.

"What're those things?" whispered Ron.

"Dunno," said Harry.

"I'd rather not find out," Blaise added, still holding Stella's hand in his.

"Are they fish?" Ginny asked.

"Aquavirius maggots," Luna offered.

"No," said Hermione. "They're brains."

"What did I just say?" Blaise complained.

"This isn't the right room," Harry told them. "We need to try another door."

"There are doors here, too," Ron offered, pointing.

"In my dream I went through that dark room into the second one," he said. "I think we should go back and try from there."

They left the room and Stella turned to the door before leaving the room.

"Flagrate," she cast and the word 'Brains' appeared on the door.

The moment that the door clicked shut behind her, the rumbling started again and the walls spun again. There was now a red blue mixed in amongst the faint blue and when all became still again, the word 'Brains' still clearly visible.

Harry strode forward and pushed the next door open, his wand raised and everyone at his heels.

This room was larger than the last, dimly lit and rectangular, and the center of it was sunken, forming a great stone pit some twenty feet below them. They were standing on the topmost tier of what seemed to be stone benches running all around the room and descending in steep steps like an amphitheater. There was a stone dais in the center of the lowered floor and, upon the dais, stood a stone archway that looked so ancient, cracked, and crumbling that Stella was surprised that it was still standing. Unsupported by any surrounding wall, the archway was hung with a tattered black curtain or veil which, despite the complete stillness of the cold surrounding air, was fluttering very slightly as though it had just been touched.

"Who's there?" Harry asked, jumping down onto the bench below and no one answered.

"Careful!" Hermione whispered and Stella followed after Harry quickly.

"Sirius?" Harry asked, voice quieter now.

"He isn't here," Stella told him but Harry was staring at the archway with wonder. "Harry?"

"Harry, let's go, okay?" Hermione tried.

"Okay," Harry nodded but didn't move.

Ginny, Luna, Neville, and Theo were staring at the archway as well. Blaise grabbed Theo's arm and pulled him away while Stella grabbed Harry, Hermione grabbed Ginny and Luna, and Ron grabbed Neville.

"We're here for Sirius, Harry, remember?" she tried and Harry took a forceful step back.

"Right," he nodded. "Let's go."

Stella marked the door as 'Arch' and the room spun again. The next door wouldn't budge and Harry's knife melted. Stella labeled it as 'Locked' and they moved on.

"This is it," Harry told Stella and the two ran ahead of everyone, taking off as the others followed behind.

As Stella's eyes became more accustomed to the brilliant glare of the room, she saw clocks gleaming from every surface, large and small, grandfather and carriage, hanging in spaces between the bookcases or standing on desks ranging the length of the room, so that a busy, relentless ticking filled the place like thousands of minuscule, marching footsteps. The source of the dancing, diamond-bright light was a towering crystal bell jar that stood at the far end of the room.

"This way," Harry told her.

They pushed through another door. They were there, they had found the place: high as a church and full of nothing but towering shelves covered in small, dusty, glass orbs. They glimmered dully in the light issuing from more candle brackets set at intervals along the shelves. Like those in the circular room behind them, their flames were burning blue. The room was very cold and Stella felt Blaise cast a warming charm on her.

"Which row?" Stella asked.

"Ninety-seven," Harry answered and Stella pointed at the 53 beside them.

"We need to go right, I think," whispered Hermione, squinting to the next row. "Yes . . . that's fifty-four. . . ."

"Keep your wands out," Harry said softly.

They crept forward, staring behind them as they went on down the long alleys of shelves, the farther ends of which were in near total darkness. Tiny, yellowing labels had been stuck beneath each glass orb on the shelf. Some of them had a weird, liquid glow; others were as dull and dark within as blown lightbulbs. They passed row eighty-four . . . eighty-five…

They couldn't hear the sounds of someone being tortured and Stella feared the worst, still messing with her ring and trying to reach her father.

"Ninety-seven!" whispered Hermione.

They stood grouped around the end of the row, gazing down the alley beside it. There was nobody there.

"He's right down at the end," said Harry. "You can't see properly from here…"

And he led them forward, between the towering rows of glass balls, some of which glowed softly as they passed. . . .

"He should be near here," Harry whispered and Stella froze.

'Stella?'

'Dad?'

'What's wrong?'

'Where are you?'

"Harry, this one has your name on it," Ron stated.

"Stella?" Theo tried.

'Grimmauld. Why?'

"It's a trap!" Stella yelled but it was too late, figures were surrounding them now, black cloaks and silver masks.

'We're at the ministry. Dad, we're at the ministry. Harry was tricked and we're in the Department of Mysteries. I'm so sorry.'

"Well, at least one of you figured it out," the voice of Lucius Malfoy spoke up. "A bit late, but still. I'm a bit proud that it's you, Stella Black. Now, Potter, turn around, nice and slow, and give that to me."

'Lucius Malfoy is here. There are Death Eaters.'

'We're coming, Stella! We're coming! Just stay alive! All of you! We're coming!'

"To me, Potter," Lucius repeated.

"Where's Sirius?" Harry asked.

"Home," Stella answered.

"Give me the prophecy, Potter," Lucius tried again and Stella knew that, no matter what else happened tonight, Harry was not to give the orb over to Lucius Malfoy.

"But, he was here. You had him here," Harry argued.

"The little baby woke up fwightened and fort what it dweamed was twoo," a woman mocked.

"Don't do anything," Harry whispered to all of them. "Not yet."

They were all pressed close to each other, wands up. The woman let out a raucous scream of laughter.

"You hear him? You hear him? Giving instructions to the other children as though he thinks of fighting us!"

"Oh, you don't know Potter as I do, Bellatrix," said Malfoy softly. "He has a great weakness for heroics; the Dark Lord understands this about him. Now give me the prophecy, Potter."

"Bellatrix," Stella's eyes widened and she glanced at Neville beside her, whose hand had started shaking when he heard the name.

"He was here!" Harry insisted.

More Death Eaters laughed, though Bellatrix still laughed the loudest.

"It's time you learned the difference between life and dreams, Potter," said Malfoy. "Now give me the prophecy, or we start using wands."

"Go on, then," said Harry and Stella wasn't sure how she felt about that statement.

Almost all of the people she loved were around her, the rest on their way. If a wand fight was going to start… Well, she was willing to die for Harry once. She was willing to fight for him and the others, ready to die if needed to protect them.

"Hand over the prophecy and no one need get hurt," said Malfoy coolly.

"Yeah, right!" Harry laughed. "I give you this — prophecy, is it? And you'll just let us skip off home, will you?"

"Accio Proph —" Bellatrix started.

"Protego!" Harry, Stella, and Theo yelled.

"Oh, he knows how to play, little bitty baby Potter," she said, her mad eyes staring through the slits in her hood. "Very well, then —"

"I TOLD YOU, NO!" Lucius Malfoy roared at the woman. "If you smash it — !"

The woman stepped forward, away from her fellows, and pulled off her hood. Azkaban had hollowed Bellatrix Lestrange's face, making it gaunt and skull-like, but it was alive with a feverish, fanatical glow.

"You need more persuasion?" she said, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "Very well — take the smallest one," she ordered the Death Eaters beside her. "Let him watch while we torture the little Black. I'll do it. Teach my family which side she should be on."

The others pushed closer to Stella, blocking her from view. Ron stepped directly in front of Stella so he was between her and Bellatrix.

"Hurt my sister, and I'll kill you," Ron growled out.

"Ooh! Let me play with him?" Bellatrix begged Lucius.

"Touch my brother and I'll slit your throat," Stella hissed and Bellatrix laughed loudly.

"You'll have to smash this if you want to attack any of us," Harry told Bellatrix. "I don't think your boss will be too pleased if you come back without it, will he?"

She did not move; she merely stared at him, the tip of her tongue moistening her thin mouth.

"So," said Harry, "what kind of prophecy are we talking about anyway?"

"Maybe it tells us what our O.W.L. scores are," Stella suggested, reverting to sarcasm and bad humor.

"What kind of prophecy?" repeated Bellatrix, the grin fading from her face. "You jest, Harry Potter."

"Nope, not jesting," said Harry, his eyes flicking from Death Eater to Death Eater, looking for a weak link, a space through which they could escape. "How come Voldemort wants it?"

Several of the Death Eaters let out low hisses.

"You dare speak his name?" whispered Bellatrix.

"Yeah," said Harry, maintaining his tight grip on the glass ball, expecting another attempt to bewitch it from him. "Yeah, I've got no problem saying Vol—"

"Shut your mouth!" Bellatrix shrieked. "You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your half-blood's tongue, you dare —"

"Did you know he's a half-blood too?" said Harry recklessly. Hermione gave a little moan in his ear. "Voldemort? Yeah, his mother was a witch but his dad was a Muggle — or has he been telling you lot he's pureblood?"

"STUPEF-!"

"NO!"

A jet of red light had shot from the end of Bellatrix's wand but Malfoy deflected it. His spell caused hers to hit the shelf a foot to the left of Harry and several of the glass orbs there shattered.

"DO NOT ATTACK! WE NEED THE PROPHECY!"

"He dared — he dares —" shrieked Bellatrix incoherently. "— He stands there — filthy half-blood —"

"WAIT UNTIL WE'VE GOT THE PROPHECY!" bawled Malfoy.

"So this little family reunion has been wonderful and all but I think we should really be getting back to school now. I don't think the headmistress will be all too happy with us for leaving and there are parties in the common rooms to get to. We'll just see ourselves out—"

"You insolent, little brat!" Bellatrix yelled at her.

"Yeah, well, what can I say? I take after my father," Stella shrugged, still fussing with her ring as she relayed everything to Sirius, who was beyond panicked now that he knew Bellatrix was there. "So, if you'll please just—"

"You still haven't told me what's so important about this prophecy," Harry stated and Stella could strangle him.

"Do not play games with us, Potter," said Malfoy.

"I'm not playing games," said Harry.

"Can I suggest Monopoly?" Stella tried.

"Please stop," Blaise begged from beside her.

"Sorry, love. Bit of a habit at this point," Stella told him.

"Theodore," a deep voice interrupted and Stella, Theo, and Blaise looked over immediately, finding Theo's father staring at Theo in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, where Stella goes, we go," Theo shrugged.

"We're her shadows," Blaise nodded. "Now, about that Monopoly…"

"Dumbledore never told you that the reason you bear that scar was hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries?" said Malfoy sneeringly.

"I — what?" Harry asked. "What about my scar?"

"Can this be?" said Malfoy, sounding maliciously delighted; some of the Death Eaters were laughing again, and under cover of their laughter, Harry hissed to Hermione, moving his lips as little as possible, "Smash shelves —"

"Dumbledore never told you?" Malfoy repeated. "Well, this explains why you didn't come earlier, Potter, the Dark Lord wondered why —"

"- when I say go—"

"— you didn't come running when he showed you the place where it was hidden in your dreams. He thought natural curiosity would make you want to hear the exact wording. . . ."

"Did he?" said Harry. Behind him he felt rather than heard Hermione passing his message to the others and he sought to keep talking, to distract the Death Eaters. "So he wanted me to come and get it, did he? Why?"

"Why?" Malfoy sounded incredulously delighted. "Because the only people who are permitted to retrieve a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries, Potter, are those about whom it was made, as the Dark Lord discovered when he attempted to use others to steal it for him."

"And why did he want to steal a prophecy about me?"

"About both of you, Potter, about both of you . . . Haven't you ever wondered why the Dark Lord tried to kill you as a baby?"

Stella really wished Harry would hurry it up so that they could make a break for it.

"Someone made a prophecy about Voldemort and me?" he said quietly, gazing at Lucius Malfoy, his fingers tightening over the warm glass sphere in his hand. It was hardly larger than a Snitch and still gritty with dust. "And he's made me come and get it for him? Why couldn't he come and get it himself?"

"Get it himself?" Bellatrix laughed madly. "The Dark Lord, walk into the Ministry of Magic, when they are so sweetly ignoring his return?"

"So he's got you doing his dirty work for him, has he?" said Harry. "Like he tried to get Sturgis to steal it — and Bode?"

"Very good, Potter, very good . . ." said Malfoy slowly. "But the Dark Lord knows you are not unintell —"

"NOW!" Harry yelled.

Nine different voices yelled "REDUCTO!" Nine curses flew off and shelves exploded as they hit. The towering structure swayed as a hundred glass spheres burst apart, pearly-white figures unfurled into the air and floated there, their voices echoing from who knew what long-dead past amid the torrent of crashing glass and splintered wood now raining down upon the floor —

"RUN!" Harry yelled.

Stella, Blaise and Neville took off together, arms over their heads as they tried to protect themselves from the glass. They ran through a door and ended up in the hall again but they were being followed. Stella grabbed Neville's hand and pushed Blaise towards an unmarked door, dragging Neville with them.

The room was blindingly bright. It looked as if they were up above clouds in the sky. Stella pulled everyone against the doorframe, worried about what would happen if they stepped off of the cloud they were currently on. The door opened and Stella turned, grabbed the Death Eater, and pulled him in. She pushed him forward and he stepped off the cloud. Except, he didn't step off of it. He fell out of the sky.

"Okay. Back through the door," Blaise demanded and the three ran through the door, Stella writing cloud on it quickly before slamming it closed.

They ran through another door, seeing Stella's previous writings had now disappeared. She cursed and they ran through another door. They were back in the prophecy room and Stella let out an angry yell as they left it again, Stella marking that one as well. Before the room could spin, Ron, Luna, and Ginny fell out of a door.

"Stella!" Ron yelled, laughing. "You look funny, Stell! You're all messed up!"

"What?" she asked in confusion.

Ginny sank against the wall once it stopped spinning and Luna bent over Ginny's leg.

"I think her ankle's broken," Luna explained. "I heard something crack. Four of them chased us into a dark room full of planets."

"I saw Uranus!" Ron was doubled over in laughter and something black was dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"Let's find Theo," Stella stated. "He's good at healing charms."

Before they could move, Bellatrix appeared in the doorway.

"There you are!" she yelled at Stella.

They all ran through a door, Stella shooting stunning spells at Bellatrix, Neville by her side doing the same. Blaise reached out and pulled them both through the door.

"Colloportus!" Blaise yelled and they heard three bodies slam into the door on the other side.

They were in what appeared to be the planet room. None of them moved, all panting.

'We're entering the ministry now.'

"Oh, thank Merlin," Stella sighed. "The Order is here. Just arrived."

"So we just need to find the others," Blaise nodded. "Got it."

"Uranus," Ron giggled as Blaise held him back to keep him from running off.

"Think it's clear?" Ginny asked, sweating.

Stella placed her ear against the door and heard nothing on the other side.

"One way to find out," she sighed.

Stella held her wand up, as did Blaise, and Neville opened the door. The room was empty again and they walked through the door. Ron got loose and ran through a door, Luna and Neville running after him but the door closed behind them.

"Fuck!" Stella yelled as the room spun again. "I'm going to kill him if he doesn't die!"

They were in the arch room and Stella let out a frustrated groan as Blaise set Ginny down in the rafters, hiding her in case an attack came.

"What now?" Blaise asked.

"I'd say let's keep going but it's useless," Stella sighed.

Just then, the door slammed open and Harry ran in.

"Stella!"

"Potter, your race is run," drawled Lucius Malfoy, pulling off his mask. "Now hand me the prophecy like a good boy. . . ."

Nine Death Eaters followed him in and the three teens backed up quickly, Ginny staying hidden.

"Let the others go and I'll give it to you," Harry told him.

A few Death Eaters laughed.

"You are in no position to bargain, Potter," Malfoy laughed. "You see, there are nine of us, and three of you."

They were near the arch now and Stella debated telling Harry to just toss the prophecy in and let the Death Eaters chase it. They were being surrounded. Blaise looked to Stella, staring at her as if he were studying what she looked like, as if he thought he would never see her again. Stella did the same to him before looking away as two more doors burst open and five people sprinted into the room: Sirius, Remus, Moody, Tonks, and Kingsley.

Malfoy raised his wand but Tonks had already sent a stunner at him. The teens dived off the dais and out of the way. The Death Eaters were completely distracted by the appearance of the members of the Order, who were now raining spells down upon them as they jumped from step to step toward the sunken floor.

The stone floor between them exploded as a spell hit it, leaving a crater right where Blaise's hand had been seconds before. They scrambled away from the spot, then a thick arm came out of nowhere and seized Harry around the neck. Stella didn't hesitate.

"BOMBARDA!"

The three were now covered in blood and bits, but Harry was released. They lurched past Sirius and the Death Eater he was fighting, dueling so fiercely that their wands were blurs. Harry slipped on Moody's eye and Blaise pulled him back to his feet.

"PROTEGO!" Harry yelled as a purple spell shot towards them, pulling them down at the same time just in case.

"ALARTE ASCENDARE!" Stella yelled and the Death Eater flew into the air before falling back to the floor, a loud crack ringing through the room as multiple bones broke.

"You need to get out of here!" Sirius yelled at them, in front of them suddenly.

The four ducked as a jet of green light flew over their heads.

"Take the prophecy and run!" Sirius yelled before rushing off to face Bellatrix.

They started running when Lucius Malfoy appeared in front of them.

"The prophecy, give me the prophecy, Potter," he snarled

"Impedimenta!" Harry yelled and Malfoy flew backwards.

They backed up towards the dais where Sirius was dueling Bellatrix. Remus blocked an attack from Malfoy when he stood again, wand pointed at them.

"Stella! Round up the others and GO!"

They started moving again and another explosion caused them to back up again. Harry tripped and the orb flew from his hands, smashing against the floor. They stared at the place where it had broken, appalled at what had happened, a pearly-white figure with hugely magnified eyes rose into the air, unnoticed by any but them.

"Dumbledore!" Blaise yelled, pointing.

Harry and Stella turned, finding Dumbledore standing in the doorway from the Brain Room, wand held aloft, his face white and furious. Dumbledore sped down the steps past Blaise, Stella, and Harry, who had no more thought of leaving. Dumbledore was already at the foot of the steps when the Death Eaters nearest realized he was there. There were yells; one of the Death Eaters ran for it, scrabbling like a monkey up the stone steps opposite. Dumbledore's spell pulled him back as easily and effortlessly as though he had hooked him with an invisible line —

Stella ran to where Sirius and Bellatrix were fighting, blocking a stunning spell. Blaise pulled her aside and a stunner hit him next. He fell into Sirius and they began falling backwards, both of their wands falling to the ground beside her. Stella reached out, trying to grab them but she wasn't fast enough. They both fall backwards through the veil, disappearing from sight.

"No…" Stella muttered, falling to her knees.

"SIRIUS!" Harry bellowed. "SIRIUS!"

"There's nothing you can do, Harry!" Remus's voice could be heard.

"Get him, save them, they've only just gone through!"

"It's too late, Harry!"

Bellatrix was laughing madly and Stella's head turned slowly, finding her dueling Kingsley now, who had run forward when Stella had fallen. She grabbed the wands from beside her and jumped up, letting out an angry scream as she rushed forward.

Kingsley let out a yell of pain and fell down. Bellatrix turned tail and ran. Stella was right behind her though, anger and determination etched on her face and three wands in her hand.

"STELLA! HARRY! NO!" Remus yelled but Stella didn't care.

They ran through the brain room: Bellatrix followed by Stella followed by Harry.

She aimed a curse over her shoulder and a tank rose into the air and tipped. Stella blasted the brains aside. She slid across the floor and leapt over Luna, who groaned on the floor, past Ginny, who Luna had retrieved when the Order had arrived, who called after Stella and Harry, pushed a giggling Ron aside and past Hermione and Theo, neither of which she got a good look at. She caught the door before it closed and she and Harry followed Bellatrix straight through the door. She caught a lift before them, winking and waving goodbye. Harry slammed his fist on the button to call the lift, having caught up with Stella now.

"Come on!" Stella screamed as the lifts took far too long to get to them.

It jangled and banged lower and lower before the grills slid open and they dashed inside, Harry now hammering the button marked Atrium. The doors slid shut and they were rising.

They forced the grills open once they reached the floor. Bellatrix was almost at the phone booth at the other end of the hall. She looked back as they sprinted towards her and shot a spell at them. Harry dodged behind the fountain but Stella slid on her knees under the spell before jumping to her feet again.

"Crucio!" Stella shrieked and Bellatrix was writhing and shrieking on the floor.

Stella stood over Bellatrix, watching with a mad sort of glee as the witch that she looked so much like laid before her on the ground, in so much pain from Stella's wands. She didn't know how long she held her under the spell before she was blasted backwards, Harry just barely catching her as she flew through the air. Voldemort was standing over the pair of them now.

"You smashed my prophecy," Voldemort hissed out.

"Master," Bellatrix's voice sounded raw from her screaming and she was sobbing; Stella couldn't stop the wide smile that spread across her face. "Master, I am sorry. I knew not. I was fighting her father! Master, you should know—"

"Be quiet, Bella," said Voldemort dangerously. "All those months of planning and you allow me to be thwarted by Harry Potter yet again. I shall deal with you in a moment. Do you think I have entered the Ministry of Magic to hear your sniveling apologies?"

"But Master — he is here — he is below —"

Voldemort paid no attention.

"I have nothing more to say to you, Potter," he said quietly. "You have irked me too often, for too long. AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Stella moved so her body covered Harry's but there was no point. The golden statue of the wizard in the fountain had sprung alive, leaping from its plinth, and landed on the floor with a crash between the two teens and Voldemort. The spell merely glanced off its chest as the statue flung out its arms, protecting Harry and Stella.

"What — ?" said Voldemort, staring around. And then he breathed, "Dumbledore!"

Voldemort raised his wand and sent another jet of green light at Dumbledore, who turned and was gone in a whirling of his cloak; next second he had reappeared behind Voldemort and waved his wand toward the remnants of the fountain; the other statues sprang to life too. The statue of the witch ran at Bellatrix, who screamed and sent spells streaming uselessly off its chest, before it dived at her, pinning her to the floor. Meanwhile, the goblin and the house-elf scuttled toward the fireplaces set along the wall, and the one-armed centaur galloped at Voldemort, who vanished and reappeared beside the pool. The wizard statue thrust Harry and Stella backwards, away from the fight, as Dumbledore advanced on Voldemort and the golden centaur cantered around them both.

"It was foolish to come here tonight, Tom," said Dumbledore calmly. "The Aurors are on their way —"

"By which time I shall be gone, and you dead!" spat Voldemort. He sent another Killing Curse at Dumbledore but missed, instead hitting the security guards desk, which burst into flame.

Dumbledore flicked his own wand. The force of the spell that emanated from it was such that Harry and Stella, though shielded by their stone guard, felt their hair stand on end as it passed, and this time Voldemort was forced to conjure a shining silver shield out of thin air to deflect it. The spell, whatever it was, caused no visible damage to the shield, though a deep, gonglike note reverberated from it, an oddly chilling sound.

"You do not seek to kill me, Dumbledore?" called Voldemort, his scarlet eyes narrowed over the top of the shield. "Above such brutality, are you?"

"We both know that there are other ways of destroying a man, Tom," Dumbledore said calmly, continuing to walk toward Voldemort as though he had not a fear in the world, as though nothing had happened to interrupt his stroll up the hall. "Merely taking your life would not satisfy me, I admit —"

Stella felt the same way about Bellatrix.

"There is nothing worse than death, Dumbledore!" snarled Voldemort.

"You are quite wrong," said Dumbledore, still closing in upon Voldemort and speaking as lightly as though they were discussing the matter over drinks. "Indeed, your failure to understand that there are things much worse than death has always been your greatest weakness —"

Another jet of green light flew from behind the silver shield. This time it was the one-armed centaur, galloping in front of Dumbledore, that took the blast and shattered into a hundred pieces, but before the fragments had even hit the floor, Dumbledore had drawn back his wand and waved it as though brandishing a whip. A long thin flame flew from the tip; it wrapped itself around Voldemort, shield and all. For a moment, it seemed Dumbledore had won, but then the fiery rope became a serpent, which relinquished its hold upon Voldemort at once and turned, hissing furiously, to face Dumbledore.

Voldemort vanished. The snake reared from the floor, ready to strike. There was a burst of flame in midair above Dumbledore just as Voldemort reappeared, standing on the plinth in the middle of the pool where so recently the five statues had stood.

Fawkes swooped down in front of Dumbledore, opened his beak wide, and swallowed the jet of green light whole. He burst into flame and fell to the floor, small, wrinkled, and flightless. At the same moment, Dumbledore brandished his wand in one, long, fluid movement — the snake, which had been an instant from sinking its fangs into him, flew high into the air and vanished in a wisp of dark smoke; the water in the pool rose up and covered Voldemort like a cocoon of molten glass.

For a few seconds Voldemort was visible only as a dark, rippling, faceless figure, shimmering and indistinct upon the plinth, clearly struggling to throw off the suffocating mass — Then he was gone, and the water fell with a crash back into its pool, slopping wildly over the sides, drenching the polished floor.

"MASTER!" screamed Bellatrix.

Sure it was over, sure Voldemort had decided to flee, Harry made to run out from behind his statue guard, but Dumbledore bellowed, "Stay where you are, Harry!"

For the first time, Dumbledore sounded frightened. Stella could not see why. The hall was quite empty but for themselves, the sobbing Bellatrix still trapped under her statue, and the tiny baby Fawkes croaking feebly on the floor. Stella pulled Harry back down to her and he let out a yell of pain, hand pressing to his scar as he fell, head landing in Stella's lap.

"Kill me now, Dumbledore. . . ." a voice that did not belong to Harry spoke using Harry's mouth. "If death is nothing, Dumbledore, kill the boy…"

"Harry," Stella begged, tears streaming down her face. "Please, Harry. I can't lose you, too. Please."

Harry gasped, his eyes going from red back to green. Dumbledore kneeled down beside them, so close to them that his nose was almost touching Harry's face.

"Are you alright, Harry?"

"Stella," Harry mumbled.

"I'm here," she promised, hands brushing the hair from his face. "I'm here."

"Where- where's Voldemort?"

The Atrium was full of people. The floor was reflecting emerald green flames that had burst into life in all the fireplaces along one wall, and a stream of witches and wizards was emerging from them. Dumbledore pulled them to their feet and Stella caught a glimpse of Fudge looking shocked.

"He was there!" shouted a scarlet-robed man with a ponytail. "I saw him, Mr. Fudge! I swear it was You-Know-Who!"

"I know, Williamson, I know, I saw him too!" gibbered Fudge, who was wearing pajamas under his pinstriped cloak and was gasping as though he had just run miles. "Merlin's beard — here — here! — in the Ministry of Magic! — great heavens above — it doesn't seem possible — my word — how can this be?"

"If you proceed downstairs into the Department of Mysteries, Cornelius, you will find several escaped Death Eaters contained in the Death Chamber, bound by an Anti-Disapparation Jinx and awaiting your decision as to what to do with them," Dumbledore spoke up.

"Dumbledore!" gasped Fudge, apparently beside himself with amazement. "You — here — I — I —" He looked wildly around at the Aurors he had brought with him, and it could not have been clearer that he was in half a mind to cry, "Seize him!"

"Cornelius, I am ready to fight your men — and win again!" said Dumbledore in a thunderous voice. "But a few minutes ago you saw proof, with your own eyes, that I have been telling you the truth for a year. Lord Voldemort has returned, you have been chasing the wrong men for twelve months, and it is time you listened to sense!"

Stella wasn't listening anymore. It sounded like wind was rushing through her ears. She felt herself stumble backwards and Harry's hands caught her, green eyes filled with concern and focused on her. She saw his lips moving but couldn't hear anything. The wind got louder and magic flowed through her. Stella gasped and fell to her knees, her heir ring glowing before turning into a Head of Family ring on her finger. The family magic filled her and Stella let out a heart wrenching scream.

Stella was sitting in the hospital wing. She had no injury but she felt completely empty. They were gone. Sirius, Blaise… Theo had jumped in front of Dolohov's curse to protect Hermione from it. He was in St. Mungos now, in critical condition. Ginny's ankle was being fixed, as was Neville's ribs. Ron had been poisoned and then attacked by one of the brains. Snape had fixed the poisoning easily but the injuries from the brains would take some time. Hermione had a bad concussion and cuts all over her from when Stella had blown the brains up.

Snape approached Stella and tapped her head with his wand, clearing the blood and body bits off of her. She hadn't even realized that she was covered in bits of Death Eater still, completely shut down. She'd taken the potions passed to her, but she still didn't speak, didn't look at anyone. Harry hadn't shown up from Dumbledore's office yet and chances were he wouldn't be there until morning.

Remus entered the hospital wing and whispered back and forth with Snape for a minute before Remus approached Stella. He kneeled down in front of her, hand resting on her knee. Stella just blinked slowly, still not moving.

They were gone. Her boyfriend and her father were just… gone. And it was her fault. If she hadn't run to Sirius, he would have been able to take Bellatrix. Blaise wouldn't have pulled her out of the way and they wouldn't have fallen through. If she hadn't let Theo get separated from them, she could have protected him, he wouldn't be in danger of losing his life as well. She should have done better… should have been better.

Remus let out a sigh after having tried speaking to her for a few minutes to get no response. He lifted Stella Nova into his arms easily and carried her out of the hospital wing. Snape led the fastest way out of the school, away from prying eyes. The three climbed into a carriage and were taken down to Hogsmeade. Remus carried Stella Nova into the house there, placing her gently on the bed in the bedroom that Sirius had set up for her if she'd ever decided that she wanted to stay the night on one of the nights where she had snuck out.

He pulled her shoes off and pulled a blanket over her, making her take a dreamless sleep before he stepped out of the room. He sat on the couch beside Severus, letting out a ragged breath. Severus pulled Remus close immediately and Remus began to sob into his chest. Severus cried a bit as well, thinking of Blaise and Theo. After a while, Remus lifted his head off of Severus's chest and wiped his face, thinking of Stella Nova in the other room and standing to check on her. She was still fast asleep, no nightmares thanks to the potion.

He returned to the sitting room, sitting beside Severus again.

"Are you going to be alright?" Severus asked in his low voice.

"I have to be. Someone has to look out for her," Remus shrugged. "She's devastated."

"I need to tell you something that Albus told me," Severus admitted and Remus turned to face him, giving him his full attention. "She and Potter ran after Bellatrix after… Well, after. She tortured Bellatrix for almost four minutes before the Dark Lord showed up. Potter said he tried stopping her but he couldn't get through to her."

"The Black madness," Remus sighed, rubbing his face. "I was worried about that. I witnessed her kill two Death Eaters and Neville told me of another before we got there."

"I've been working on a potion," Severus admitted and Remus smirked.

"Of course you have."

"It's for her," Severus rolled his eyes.

"Careful, Severus. Your heart is showing."

"All of my heart is dead or in this house," Severus shot back before a blush spread across his face.

"Is it two parts of your heart or just her?" Remus asked, knee bumping his.

The two had been dancing around one another since he'd taught at the school two years prior. Stella Nova had called them both out on it a few times but Severus was far too shut down to act on his own. Remus had been getting to know him all over again, trying to figure out the man he'd become since they'd broken things off in their fifth year after having secretly dated for three years.

Anytime that they were both in a meeting, Remus found a spot close to Severus, if not right next to him. He'd even flirted a time or two, causing Severus to blush before leaving the house completely. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't missed Severus all these years and he didn't want to miss the man again.

Staring at Severus, waiting for him to answer… it felt like forever. Severus took a deep breath and turned to Remus then. Instead of saying anything, Severus moved forward quickly, capturing Remus's lips with his own. Remus pushed Severus onto his back quickly, body molding to his. They both needed a distraction, a way to work through their stress and grief, and they'd been tiptoeing around each other for far too long.

They ended up in Remus's room, naked in his bed and under a thin sheet, Remus's arms wrapped around him from behind. Stella woke up before they did and looked around, confused as she slipped her shoes back on. She looked around the house, finding Snape being the little spoon and immediately went to the sitting room. She wrote a note and left it on the table before heading back to the school. She walked into the school in time to hear Harry dealing with Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle.

"You're dead, Potter."

Harry raised his eyebrows.

"Funny," he said, "you'd think I'd have stopped walking around. . . ."

"You're going to pay," said Malfoy in a voice barely louder than a whisper. "I'm going to make you pay for what you've done to my father. . . ."

"Well, I'm terrified now," said Harry sarcastically. "I s'pose Lord Voldemort's just a warm-up act compared to you three — what's the matter?" he said, for Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had all looked stricken at the sound of the name. "He's your dad's mate, isn't he? Not scared of him, are you?"

"You think you're such a big man, Potter," said Malfoy, advancing now, Crabbe and Goyle flanking him. "You wait. I'll have you. You can't land my father in prison —"

"I thought I just had," said Harry.

"The dementors have left Azkaban," said Malfoy quietly. "Dad and the others'll be out in no time. . . ."

"Yeah, I expect they will," said Harry. "Still, at least everyone knows what scumbags they are now —"

"Expelliarmus," Stella cast with all three wands and three more flew towards her.

She let them fly through the air and land on the floor. Stella didn't have it in her anymore to give any chances to Malfoy, family or not. She chose her family from here on out and he would never be included in it again.

"Cousin—" Draco started.

"I disinherit you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, from the Black family," she said a flash of white light appeared over them. "I disinherit Narcissa Grace Malfoy from the Black family. I disinherit Bellatrix Faith Lestrange from the Black family." Another flash. "I welcome Andromeda Hope Tonks back into the Black family, along with any and all of her children."

This light was as black as the family name, bringing Andromeda and Tonks into the Black family once more. Draco looked horrified and took a large step back, feeling most of the Black family magic leaving him. Stella wondered for a brief moment why Walburga Black had never disinherited Sirius but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth in the moment.

"From this moment forward, you are not intitled to any inheritances or rights of a Black. Come along, Harry," Stella held her hand out and Harry went to her side quickly.

They turned to leave the school when they saw McGonagall in the doorway.

"Wonderful show, Miss Black," McGonagall smirked. "Fifty points to Slytherin."

"Can you give them to Gryffindor instead? They need a bit of help," Stella told her.

"Of course," McGonagall nodded before looking towards the other three students. "You two – Crabbe, Goyle – come."

She beckoned them forward imperiously and they came forward, shuffling their large feet and looking awkward.

"Here," said McGonagall, thrusting her carpetbag into Crabbe's chest and her cloak into Goyle's, "take these up to my office for me."

They turned and stumped away up the marble staircase.

"Right then," said Professor McGonagall, looking up at the hourglasses on the wall, "well, I think you, Potter, and your friends ought to have fifty points apiece for alerting the world to the return of You-Know-Who. Fifty each for you, Potter, the two Weasleys, Longbottom, and Miss Granger. Miss Black, your points to Gryffindor. Oh, and I supposed fifty points for Miss Lovegood as well… and fifty for each Mr. Nott… and Mr. Zabini… It is a beautiful day outside. I think the two of you should go enjoy it while Mister Malfoy escorts me to my office."

Stella and Harry didn't have to be told twice.

"I'm going to see Hagrid," Harry told her. "Do you want to come with me?"

"No," Stella shook her head. "I actually need to go get a few things from my room."

"Here," Harry passed her the cloak.

"Thanks," she nodded, putting it on quickly and heading back into the school.

Stella walked into the Slytherin common room. They didn't know about Theo or Blaise yet and Stella hoped she'd be gone before they were told. She went to their room, gathering their belongings with her wand and spelling them into their chests. She shrank the trunks and put them in her pocket before heading to her own dorm room.

She waved the three wands and her suitcase packed itself quickly. She shrank her trunk and stuck it in her pocket next to the other two before leaving, still hidden under the cloak. She was outside again, heading towards the gate when she saw Remus heading through it, seeming a bit frantic. She took the cloak off and they both froze, just staring at one another.

Stella ran to Remus and he caught her in his arms. Tears left her freely and he just held her, carrying her back out the gates.

"They're gone," she said, voice completely broken. "They're gone. It's my fault."

"It's not your fault," he told her but Stella didn't believe him.

"It is," she insisted. "I shouldn't have let Theo get separated from us. I shouldn't have run to Da. I shouldn't have let Blaise pull me out of the way. I shouldn't have let them come with us. It's all my fault."

"Shh," Remus told her gently as they approached the house again.

"It's my fault, Uncle Moony. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

Stella stood on the Platform next to Remus a few days later as the other students exited the train and came out of the wall. Moody's fake eye was hidden under a hat and it was more than likely zooming in every direction. Tonks was just behind him, bright bubble-gum-pink hair gleaming in the sunlight filtering through the dirty glass station ceiling. Molly and Arthur stood at the front of the line wearing their Muggle best next to Fred and George, who were both wearing brand-new jackets in some lurid green, scaly material.

"Ron, Ginny!" Molly hurried forward as Stella went to Harry, Molly hugging the two redheads tightly.

Harry took Stella's hand and let her lead him over to Remus.

"What are they supposed to be?" Ron asked, pointing at Fred's jacket.

"Finest dragon skin, little bro," said Fred, giving his zip a little tweak. "Business is booming and we thought we'd treat ourselves."

"Hello, Harry," Remus greeted him.

"Hi," said Harry. "I didn't expect . . . what are you all doing here?"

"Well," said Lupin with a slight smile, "we thought we might have a little chat with your aunt and uncle before letting them take you home."

"I dunno if that's a good idea," said Harry at once.

"It's a brilliant plan," Stella stated, but the smirk she tried to wear felt more like a grimace.

"Oh, I think it is," growled Moody, who had limped a little closer. "That'll be them, will it, Potter?"

"Ah, Harry!" said Arthur, turning from Hermione's parents, whom he had been greeting enthusiastically, and who were taking it in turns to hug Hermione. "Well — shall we do it, then?"

"Yeah, I reckon so, Arthur," said Moody.

"Good afternoon," said Arthur pleasantly to Uncle Vernon, coming to a halt right in front of him. "You might remember me, my name's Arthur Weasley."

Harry's uncle turned a deep shade of purple, as if trying very hard to hold his breath so he didn't begin yelling obscenities. His aunt looked both frightened and embarrassed. His cousin seemed to be trying very hard to appear small and failing extravagantly at it.

"We thought we'd just have a few words with you about Harry," said Arthur, still smiling.

"Yeah," growled Moody. "About how he's treated when he's at your place."

"I am not aware that it is any of your business what goes on in my house —"

"I expect what you're not aware of would fill several books, Dursley," growled Moody and Stella would have laughed under different circumstances.

"Anyway, that's not the point," interjected Tonks, whose pink hair seemed to offend Harry's aunt more than all the rest put together, for she closed her eyes rather than look at her. "The point is, if we find out you've been horrible to Harry —"

"— and make no mistake, we'll hear about it," added Remus pleasantly.

"Yes," said Arthur, "even if you won't let Harry use the fellytone —"

"Telephone," whispered Hermione.

"If Harry doesn't write to us twice a week—" Stella tacked on.

"Yeah, if we get any hint that Potter's been mistreated in any way, you'll have us to answer to," said Moody.

"Are you threatening me, sir?" Harry's uncle said, so loudly that passersby actually turned to stare.

"Yes, I am," said Mad-Eye, who seemed rather pleased that the man had grasped this fact so quickly.

"And do I look like the kind of man who can be intimidated?"

"Well…" Moody moved his hat out of the way so that his eye and scars were more visible, causing Harry's uncle to leap backwards. "Yes, I'd have to say you do, Dursley."

"So, Harry, give us a shout if you need us. If we don't hear from you for three days in a row, Uncle Moony and I will make a house call," Stella said loudly enough for the three Dursleys to hear as she turned to look at him.

Harry wrapped Stella in a tight hug, as if afraid she would disappear as well. Stella couldn't blame him considering how tightly she held him in response. It took a minute, but the two finally separated and nodded to one another.

"Bye, then, Potter," said Moody, grasping Harry's shoulder for a moment with a gnarled hand.

"Take care, Harry," said Remus quietly. "Keep in touch."

"Harry, we'll have you away from there as soon as we can," Molly whispered, hugging him.

"We'll see you soon, mate," said Ron anxiously, shaking Harry's hand.

"Really soon, Harry," said Hermione earnestly. "We promise."