Chapter One

Alana wasn't quite sure she could pinpoint the precise moment that everything went to shit but she was pretty sure the downhill spiral started on a brisk autumn morning the first day of her sixth year at Hogwarts. Breakfast at the Slytherin table was its usual busy affair and Professor Snape was scowling as he handed out timetables, snapping at first years and seventh years alike as they asked "stupid and inane" questions. To avoid his wrath Alana accepted her timetable and ducked quickly away before he could berate her for anything. Although he seemed perpetually in a bad mood, today Professor Snape seemed particularly vindictive, and she was keen to not be on the receiving end of his sharp tongue.

She glanced at her timetable and was pleased to see that had Transfiguration, Defence and Potions that day. Transfiguration was her best subject, and she would also get a chance to see Hermione. Interhouse friendships were not common between Gryffindor and Slytherin but ever since second year, Hermione and Alana had become unlikely friends. They had met after Alana had told Malfoy off for bullying her, Hermione was so small that Alana had assumed she was a first year. After that they bumped into each other regularly in the library and slowly a friendship built. Alana was just as serious as Hermione when it came to grades, but Alana had very different plans to Hermione for when school finished. Plans she could not bring herself to discuss with her friend.

As much as Alana adored learning, her future was set in stone. Her parents had decided to follow a traditional pureblood route, and she was due to marry soon after her NEWTs. Her parents had wanted this to happen sooner, right after OWLs had finished but Alana had begged and pleaded and finally got her way. Two years left of freedom. Two years left before she would marry a man she had likely never met and who was likely much older than she was.

She shook her head and snapped back to the present as Medea in the year above came over to look at her timetable.

"Not bad Al." Medea said as she read it through.

"It certainly could be worse, although I'm not sure I'm looking forward to having Snape today! I can't remember the last time he looked so foul." Replied Alana as she glanced further down the table to where Professor Snape was snarling at a second year for dropping his pumpkin juice on the floor, where it had then splashed everyone in the vicinity.

"Normally it takes Potter to get him so pissed," Medea laughed "Still he might have cheered up by the time Defence rolls around."

"True, everyone knows he's always wanted it, might mellow him a bit now he's got what he wants, one can dream." Sighed Alana hopefully. As she was speaking, she looked up noticing that an owl had been late delivering post. She was most surprised when it dropped a letter at her feet. Bending she checked the name, and it did indeed say Alana Pettern. Medea was watching and quirked an eyebrow questioningly, but Alana just shrugged,

"No clue, don't recognise the handwriting."

Dear Miss Pettern,

Please come to my office after your lessons today.

Please also keep this request to yourself.

PS. I do so love gummy worms.

Albus Dumbledore

"So?"

"Oh, it's nothing interesting," she said dismissively and promptly burnt the letter with a quick incendio, "just another suiter trying to interest me with his massive stables and humongous bank account."

Medea rolled her eyes understandingly. She too was facing marital pressures but hers were closer than Alanas'.

"We'd better get going or we'll be late, I'll see you in the common room later." Alana said as she grabbed her bag off the bench and headed to Transfiguration. However, for once her mind was not on her favourite subject. Why did Dumbledore want to see her? He had never spoken to her privately before, what had her parents done? Was she being removed from Hogwarts and married off sooner than she had thought? No! she wasn't ready! She had promised herself two years before this would happen. I won't do it she thought to herself they can't make me.

For the first time ever she was completely inattentive in class. She was desperate for lessons to end so she could find out her fate. As happens when one is desperate for time to fly, it did the opposite. She could not believe that only one minute had passed since she last checked. However, before she knew it she was stood outside Dumbledore's office and suddenly her mouth was dry and she was too afraid to knock. This could be my last few moments as an un-engaged woman, she thought.

"Ah Miss Pettern, thank you for joining me" Dumbledore beamed over his half-moon glasses.

"Of course Professor, it is my pleasure." Her pureblood manners kicked in, stopping her from going mute with shock that her parents were nowhere to be seen.

"I saw you destroyed my letter, clever lie you told your friend. A most believable deception," he eyed her carefully as he said this, but she kept her face smooth, polite, banal. Just as she had been taught. She was a perfect demure lady.

"You requested the contents of that letter remained private, unfortunately she would have persisted if I had not said what I said. I hope you do not think me dishonest."

"Not at all Miss Pettern, you acted as I hoped you would," he was still watching her carefully but her demeaner did not falter.

"Miss Pettern, I have encountered an issue, one I hope you may be able to assist me in but first I would like to invite you to sit. Refreshments?" He gestured towards his desk where they took their seats.

"Just a glass of water for me Professor." One appeared as she spoke, and a teapot and cup appeared before Dumbledore.

"As mentioned a moment ago, I am in need of assistance. You seem to fit the profile but correct me if I am wrong." His smile was good natured, but it was clear he did not expect to be corrected.

She waited and he continued.

"You are of course aware of the volatile climate in which we are currently living. How could you not be with your blood status. What you may not be aware of is that the Order of the Phoenix are better prepared than Voldemort could possibly imagine." She blinked calmly as he spoke, he was watching her for weakness. She felt certain that one wrong move and he would obliviate her, this conversation gone. Perhaps another would be planted so she would not be suspicious that anything was missing.

"We have been made aware that since coming back to a physical body Voldemort has been experiencing some side effects that he is both adverse to but incredibly curious about. I will not beat around the proverbial bush here," at this he glanced away, "his sexual appetite has been awakened by his new body." He looked at her quickly assessing how she was reacting. Alana sat still, her features still passive.

"Continue," she said mildly.

"He has requested that any pureblood daughters be offered to him for him to choose from. He wishes to…" he trailed off, clearly unsure how to finish the sentence.

"He wishes for a wife? He wishes for a sexual plaything? He wishes for what Professor?" Her voice remained steady as she reached for her glass of water, the cool soothing her rising panic as she realised why she had been called here. She was after all a pureblood.

"He does not wish to marry."

"Ah a plaything then."

"Yes"

"I am pureblood. My parents will no doubt be among the first to offer."

"But you do not seem content with your parents' politics."

"And what makes you say that? Perhaps I am a baby Deatheater, a Bellatrix protegee?"

"You are not," he said simply.

"You know that how?" She was surprised to find she was almost laughing; he was so desperate to believe that people were good.

"You are friends with Hermione Granger."

This pulled her up short. She had not realised their friendship was so widely known, to be honest she had not realised that anyone at all had noticed. The corner of the library where they studied was almost always empty.

"Yes" she said slowly "Hermione is my friend, but it is still guesswork to say that I do not align myself with Voldemort. She is my only muggleborn friend."

"So let me ask the question we are dancing around" his eyes once more became piercing. "Do you align with Voldemort?"

She wasn't stupid, she had known that in the near future she would have to choose one way or the other, but she hadn't expected it to be so sudden. She considered it carefully. Deep down she knew what she wanted her choice to be, but she also knew what the easy choice was. To choose the light was to abandon her life as she knew it. Choosing Voldemort guaranteed her a life of riches and stability, the light would not win this war, but did she want the lavish life? Did she want to be some little Deatheater wife?

"No" she said softly but surely. "I do not align with Voldemort."

"Well, that is a relief to hear."

"Ask." Alana said looking Dumbledore in the eye.

"Ask me the real question you summoned me here for. You already knew where my allegiance lay. So ask what it is you really want to know." Her voice remained steady. She had already guessed at least part of what he wanted from her. Wanted from her young, female, pureblood body. She sipped her water and waited.

"Whoever satisfies Voldemort's more carnal desires may be privy to some sensitive information," he was speaking carefully, considering his choice of words. It was clear to Alana that he was deeply uncomfortable with this conversation, but he persevered.

"Men like to talk when they're happy." She said, more to herself but Dumbledore replied anyway.

"Precisely, for all else that he now is, Voldemort is still just Tom Riddle. He is still a man."

"You want me to make him happy and collect the information for the Order of the Phoenix." It wasn't a question but once more Dumbledore replied.

"Yes." His voice was gentle but somehow that made it worse. This was not a rash decision on his behalf. Oh no. This had been carefully considered. He had had time to think this through and still he had chosen to ask her.

"Why me?" She asked. "I am not the only pureblood girl, I'm not even of age. Legally I cannot make this decision for myself."

"You have certain attributes that I believe make you more adept for this task than others and as for legality, I believe as you said that your parents will offer you anyway," he replied.

"You are incredibly bright; you are popular among your peers, but you are not a bully. You have engaged in a friendship with a muggleborn, and you align yourself with the light to name a few favourable qualities. But you have a natural talent for Occlumency, that is to say you have a remarkable poker face and your mind is almost entirely unreadable. This talent is what makes you a perfect candidate. I believe you will be able to keep Voldemort out of your mind." She raised an eyebrow, his comments on her had surprised her.

"I had not realised I was under such a careful watch."

"No, I don't suppose you would. Professor Snape realised your talent in first year when you were caught out of bounds. He was unable to discover what you had been up to even when he tried to look into your mind."

"You're both wrong though." She said with a soft smile. "I am not a natural Occlumens, I was taught the beginnings and then I stole the book and finished learning by myself. Most of the time now I Occlude subconsciously when I Occlude intentionally no one can look into my thoughts".

The shock on Dumbledores face was as she had hoped. Although she was an excellent student, most of the time she was overlooked. Hermione and Malfoy tended to garner most of the attention despite the fact her grades were equally as impressive. This recognition of her talent was gratifying. He recovered quickly though.

"So Miss Pettern, you have already guessed what I am going to ask of you, but I feel it only fair that I actually ask it and give you a chance to make your choice." His eyes were once more piercing, and she carefully wiped her face of any expression.

"The Order of the Phoenix wishes to ask you to become sexually involved with Voldemort in order to attempt to discover his secrets. This may be an extremely dangerous act and ultimately could cost you your life or your sanity. No one but me would know about this arrangement and you would not be able to tell anyone. You will be presented before Voldemort and should he choose you, you will be expected to take the Dark Mark and attend him at his behest. Voldemort may choose to reveal your name and/or face which would make you an outcast to the light. I would do my absolute best to ensure your safety, but I can guarantee nothing. All we can offer in return is the promise that we will do our best to rid the world of Voldemort and should we succeed, you will be free to pursue any career of your choice with complete freedom. You will have a trust fund set up for you meaning you will never have to marry and that your life will be your own. Are these terms acceptable to you?"

"I wish to think on this."

"I'm afraid I cannot let you out of my office until I have confirmation one way or another…" He trailed off, she had been right, this conversation would be obliviated if she refused.

She thought it over carefully, her parents would offer her anyway, even if she refused Dumbledore there was a good chance she would still end up under Voldemort. She was smart, pretty and had the right kind of blood. Her mind turned to the act itself. She had never had sex. Her parents would have disowned or killed her, she was a beautiful pureblood witch, her future husband would be expecting a virgin on their wedding night. She tried to envision herself in a white gown but with the threat of being routinely raped by Voldemort hanging over her head, the gown kept staining red. She wasn't naive, she had heard of some of the depraved acts that went on in Voldemort's inner circle but as many pureblood girls her age did, she put them out of her mind. She did not dwell on them. She did not allow herself to think about it, but she must. She must think about all she had heard because if she were to say yes, and potentially even if she didn't, these acts would be committed in front of her and likely to her. Yet did she really have any choice? Her parents were desperate social climbers, rich but not as rich as the Malfoys, pureblood but not as ancient as the Blacks, her father would do anything to increase his status. Even sell his only child into sexual slavery. Whether she wanted to or not, this was going to happen. She was going to be presented and likely she would be chosen. She was the youngest of the likely candidates. The Weasley girl was younger, but her parents would never put her forward. Men like them young. Her future was almost certain, but her allegiance was still up for debate. This was likely to be the only choice she was afforded in the matter. Already her mother would be drafting a letter to her daughter, informing her that she was to be pulled from school for a few days. With or without her consent this would happen.

Her mind strayed to some of the other girls who might be presented. What if they were chosen? What if it was Medea? She could hear Medea's phantom screams and sobs, she would have no idea why she had been summoned home by her parents. No idea what she was walking into until it was too late. The thought of her friend being raped over and over again was enough her to make up her mind. She would protect the others at any cost. Her body for theirs. She could do it. She was strong enough to endure whatever Voldemort wanted to do to her body. She was strong enough to keep the Orders secrets safe.

Dumbledore was watching her carefully; he seemed to be waiting for her to make a break for it. She was made of sterner stuff.

"Compete freedom once Voldemort is gone, guaranteed immunity for any crimes I may be forced to commit, my own Gringotts account independent from my parents, full access to the Library now and daily delivery of the best contraceptive potion that money can buy."

"Done."