From her room Ayleen had been able to watch closely as Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange had entered her father's house. She would have liked to sneak down to the living room and eavesdropped on them but she knew that this wasn't possible, as her father locked her room magically when death eaters showed up here. Narcissa probably knew that Ayleen was here somewhere, after all she was raised by Severus. Ayleen knew that Voldemort had asked Severus several times to bring her to him, but he had always been able to convince him that it would be no use to them. The black haired girl watched the street in front of the house until the two women left it again, then she went as fast as she could down the stairs and into the living room. Her father stood in front of the fireplace and starred thoughtfully into the flames. "What were they doing here?" Ayleen asked upset. Severus slowly turned around and eyed his daughter. With every day that passed she looked more like Lily. If it hadn't been for the black hair, he could have sworn that his friend was standing in front of him. "Were you eavesdropping?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. "You know exactly that I can't", Ayleen said angry crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Ayleen it's only for you safety", Severus said massaging his forehead. Ayleen dropped her arms. "I know Sev. What were they doing here?" Ayleen asked again, but a little less demanding. "I can't tell you that", Severus said smiling sadly. Ayleen sighed, she hated those secrets, but she knew that it had to do something with Voldemort if her father was keeping so quiet. "Does it have something to do with what happened in the ministry and the imprisonment of Lucius?" Ayleen tried her luck. At the end of the last school year Harry and some of his friends from the DA had broken into the ministry. Several Death Eaters were arrested, including Draco's father. Severus stepped towards his daughter and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Ayleen I know that you only want to help, but it's to dangerous. Please stay out of this", Severus asked. Ayleen wanted to open her mouth to object, but Severus beat her to it. "Don't worry about me, I know what I'm doing", he said and kissed her forehead before he left the room. Sighing Ayleen looked after her father. She was scared for him, as she knew how dangerous his task as spy in the ranks of the dark lord was. Should Voldemort figure out what kind of game her father played he would loose his life.
Ayleen was looking for Draco in the dungeons, since the beginning of the school year he avoided her and over the summer he had barley replied to her letters. "Draco!" she called as she spotted the blond and thanked Merlin that he was so tall. The blond turned around at the sound of her voice and Ayleen was startled. Draco looked even paler than usual, his cheek were hollow and he had dark shadows under his eyes. "Draco what's wrong with you?" she asked concerned, placing her hand on his cheek and stroked his cheekbone gently. Draco closed his eyes at her tough for a moment before he grabbed her wrist and pushed her hand away softly. "Everything's fine, just stress", he said. Ayleen didn't quite believe him, he had already completed his OWLs and even if he was now attending NEWT courses, that didn't explain why he looked so emaciated. "Just stress?" she asked. "Yeah just stress, so don't worry about me", asked Draco. Ayleen bit her lips it was clear that something bothered him, but she didn't want to push him. "Alright, but please tell me if I can help you somehow", Ayleen asked with a smile. Draco returned the smile even though it didn't reach his eyes. "I promise", Draco said kissed her palm and disappeared down the hallway. Ayleen watched him for quite a while, sure that the whole thing had something to do with Narcissa's visit.
It was horrible, Katie Bell had been cursed on the way from Hogsmeade to the school. Her father had told her that she had touched a highly cursed necklace and was lucky to be still alive. The thought sent a cold shiver down Ayleen's spine again. Harry was sure that Draco was behind all that but Ayleen doubted it and even if he had to do something with it he didn't do it of his own free will. Whether her brother wanted to admit it or not Draco was not a bad person. Ayleen stopped on her way through the castle when she heard sobbing from the bathroom. It was a boys' washroom, but she couldn't just walk past it. What if a first grade student was homesick or something similar. Carefully she pushed to door open and was glad that it was a toilet that wasn't used often. She blinked in surprise when she saw who was bending over the washbasin. "Draco", she said softly closing the door behind her. The blond turned to her and wiped his eyes. "Merlin what's wrong?" she asked and hurried to him. Draco shook his head and Ayleen just wrapped her arms around him. Draco returned the hug and buried his face in her hair. For a while they stood there and just held each other. "Draco please talk with me", Ayleen begged with her face on his chest. She could feel how Draco shook his head. She let go of him and looked into his reddened eyes. "Please tell me what's wrong", she asked again. "I can't" he mumbled. "Draco please I'm worried about you", Ayleen said. I can't tell you anything or I'll only put you in danger," Draco said. "Please Draco I…" but that was as far as Ayleen got because Draco simply pressed his lips to hers. "Please understand that you mean to much to me for me to drag you into this", Draco whispered as he let go of her. Without an other word Draco left her and the room.
"Can you tell me what's going on!" Ayleen hissed and starred angry at her father. Severus raised an eyebrow and looked at his daughter incredulously. The way she stood there in front of him with her hands on her hips reminded him even more of Lily. "I don't know what you mean", Severus replied simply. Ayleen snorted. "Harry caught you offering your help to Draco. What do you want to help him with?" Ayleen asked continuing to glare angrily at her father. "Potter should keep out of things that aren't his business" Severus said. "And what about me, is it none of my business?" Ayleen asked more exasperated. Severus sighed looking at his daughter. The girl looked troubled and he could understand it. She saw how Draco crumbled under the task that the dark lord had given him and she didn't knew what was going on. "Ayleen…" Severus started. "No. It's about you and Draco I just want to help you", she sobbed and Severus saw how tears streamed down her face. Quickly he went to her and whipped the tears from her face. "I know that you just want to help, but neither my nor Draco can allow that, it's to dangerous." Ayleen sniffed looking up at her father. At the pain in her eyes his heart almost broke. "Will you help Draco even if he doesn't want you help?" Ayleen asked. "Of course, I know how much he means to you", Severus promised wrapping his arms around Ayleen.
It was exhausting every time Ayleen tried to get something out of Draco, he blocked it. Even tough they spent more time with each other he disappeared just as often. When she asked him where he was, he just silenced her with a kiss and even though Ayleen liked to kiss him she didn't quite know if it was because he wanted to distract her or if he really liked her that way. She was wondering around the castle as she ran into Harry. "Ayleen is a professor around here?" he asked out of breath. "Harry what's wrong?" she wanted to know. "No time for explanations is there a professor?" "I…" "Miss Potter, Mr. Potter what's going on here?" Ayleen heard the voice of her father and turned to him. "Professor come with me", Harry said and ran down the hallway. Severus looked at Ayleen who just shrugged before both followed Harry. He led them to the bathroom where Ayleen had found Draco crying. He pushed the door open and Ayleen froze. Draco lay gasping on the floor. There were cuts on his chest from which he was bleeding. Severus hurried past Ayleen and knelt beside Draco. He pulled his wand and started to close Draco's wounds. "What did you do?" Ayleen asked when she got over her shock and looked at Harry. "I didn't want that", he whispered back. "He may die", Ayleen hissed. "Ayleen I really didn't want that, I didn't know…" Ayleen shook her head and stepped closer to the bloody scene. "Will he make it?" she asked Severus. "Don't worry Miss Potter, Mr. Malfoy will be fine", he said standing up. With his wand he conjured a stretcher onto which he placed Draco. "Accompany him to the hospital wing. Mr. Potter you go and get your potion book", Severus requested from her. Ayleen nodded and followed the floating stretcher to the hospital wing.
Sighing Ayleen starred at the two letters laying in front of her. One was from her father the other from Draco. After the ambush on the castle in which Dumbledore had died, both had fled from Hogwarts. Both had told her their view of the events on the Astronomy Tower and even if Ayleen believed them, it would be hard to convince anyone else that it was the truth. Especially the statement of her father, that he killed Dumbledore at his request would not be so easy to prove. Ayleen closed her eyes. Draco had written her why he had done all of this and she could understand him, so there was nothing for her to forgive him. He had tried to protect his family. She took the two answers she had written and left the Gryffindor tower. As she entered the owlery she noticed that it wasn't empty. "What are you doing here?" she wanted to know when she saw Harry, Ron and Hermione. "Not important, what about you?" her brother answered. Aylee held the letter up. "Are you not even allowed to send anything anymore?" she asked snappishly and went to one of the school owls. "Sorry", Harry mumbled. "Forget it", Ayleen said and tied the letters to the legs of two owls and send them on their journey. "What are you doing now that Snape is on the run?" Harry wanted to know. Ayleen turned around and shrugged. "You could spend the summer at the burrow", Ron suggested. "That sound good and what are you planning now that Dumbledore's gone" Ayleen asked Harry. Harry sighed and looked at his two friends. "I won't come back here, Dumbledore gave me a mission and I have to fulfill it or we can't beat Voldemort", he explained. "Harry…" Ayleen tried to object, but Harry had stepped to her and laid his hands on her shoulder. "Nothing will change my mind. Just promise me that you will take care of yourself. Without Dumbledore, it won't be safe here." Ayleen wrapped her arms around her brother. "Whatever you're planning be careful", she mumbled against his chest. Harry returned Ayleen's hug and kissed her head. At that moment, they both hoped that they would make it out of the war unscathed.