Hogwarts was not the only place having a Christmas ball that year. My parents' annual Yuletide celebration was to double as a coming of age party for Bella, who had recently turned seventeen. Every respectable pureblood family would be present, and no expense would be spared in providing the very best entertainment money could buy.

"Mother will take us shopping for new gowns," Bella announced to Cissy and I one morning at breakfast, her eyes scanning the letter that had just arrived with our family owl, Atropos. "As soon as we arrive home. And there is to be a ceremony, between father and I, that I must prepare myself for."

"Sounds dramatic," drawled Narcissa. She was quartering a strawberry, looking bored and withdrawn. I watched her curiously, and after a while she glanced up at me. "What?"

"Are you sick?" I asked, pointing to her plate.

She shook her head, making her white-blonde hair glint in the early morning light.

"Don't tell me you're choosing to eat a single strawberry for breakfast?" I said incredulously.

Cissy gave me a disapproving look that was eerily reminiscent of our mother. "I'm watching my figure," she told me.

I snorted, and both my sisters frowned at me. "You've got to be kidding," I said. "Cissy, you're like… tiny."

"And I want to remain that way," she said, taking a prim bite of her strawberry. "After all, looking good is half the battle."

I had no idea what she was talking about. "Half the battle for what?"

Her eyes slid to Lucius Malfoy, where he sat some way up the table. "The battle for a boy's attention," she said quietly.

"Not that Andy has any trouble with that," said Bella as I took a sullen bite of toast, shaking my head at Cissy's behaviour. "Has Leo asked you to the ball yet?"

"Sort of," I grumbled.

I didn't notice Bella's reaction until her hand closed vice-like around my wrist. Glancing up in surprise, I saw her face inches from my own, eyes keen as a bird of prey as she studied my face. "What do you mean, sort of?" she demanded in a whisper. Across the table, Cissy paused with a quarter of strawberry halfway to her mouth.

"I mean, yes he has," I said calmly, though my heart was beating rather hard. "He asked me in the Prefect meeting last week."

Bella watched me for a moment longer, before releasing her grip of my wrist. "Well, good," she said. "You know what this means Andy, don't you?"'

"What what means?" I asked, feeling rather wary of her apparently fluctuating mood.

She laughed. "My being seventeen now. It means," she said, leaning forward again and dropping her voice so that only Cissy and I could hear her. "I'm ready."

I'm not sure whether it was her words or her expression, but something about what she said filled me with foreboding. "Ready for what?" I asked, not entirely sure I wanted to know the answer.

But my sister only leaned back and smiled that strange, unsettling, arrogant smile of hers, and refused to answer any more of our questions.

The first Quidditch game of the season, Gryffindor verse Slytherin, was played in wet, overcast conditions. I was not surprised, and was perhaps (secretly) even a little pleased, when Slytherin lost 250 – 40. Leo had not caught the snitch and Rabastan fumbled at least a dozen passes. He had also fouled Frank Longbottom ten times, resulting in almost half of Gryffindor's final score.

I thought it best to keep out of the Slytherin common room that night, because I was sure I would end up provoking Rabastan and getting into a fight with him. Besides, the mood was as sombre as a funeral in there, whereas I was feeling rather buoyant; the loss served them right, as far as I was concerned.

"Want to go for a walk?" I asked Annabelle.

She glanced up from the book she was reading, giving me a strange look. "Walk where?" she asked.

"I don't know. Anywhere," I said. "We could go wherever we wanted."

"Isn't it after curfew?"

I waved a hand. "Who cares? I know the patrol routes, so we won't get caught. We could go up to the Astronomy Tower?"

Her button nose wrinkled. "No thanks. You know how much I hate heights. Besides, it's too cold."

"Suit yourself," I said, getting to my feet.

I wandered up to the third floor, then the fourth, dodged Peeves on the fifth, and before I knew it I was on the seventh floor, passing the Arithmancy classroom and the Divination Tower. My feet carried me all the way up to the Astronomy Tower. I felt great. My cheeks were flushed and my body felt warm from the exercise, and when I reached the edge and looked over the barrier to the inky dark ground far below I felt a thrill akin to when I was flying, like I was powerful and untouchable up so high. The wind blew my hair away from my body, and above me the night was carpeted in stars, with a rising crescent moon bathing the canopy of the forbidden forest in a milky light. It was truly beautiful.

I stayed there for a long time, taking deep breaths of the cool night air, before the chill began to creep over me and I detached myself from the edge, stepping away and beginning my slow descent back down the stairwell.

It was while I was walking along the seventh floor corridor that I heard voices. I ducked quickly into an alcove as a painting in front of me swung forward, and two people stumbled out as though they had just been ejected from the wall. In the brief glimpse I had before the portrait closed again, I saw what looked like a common room; it was filled with people, and loud music blared out into the corridor before muffling again as the painting returned to the wall. It looked as though I had stumbled inadvertently across the Gryffindor common room.

The two people in the corridor now were not Gryffindors, however. I recognised them both instantly, the wheat-blonde hair of Ted Tonks and the slightly darker head of Emily Howard. They were both laughing.

"…such a prat!" Emily was saying, slapping Ted rather playfully on the chest. It was obvious she was drunk. I narrowed my eyes.

"Hey!" he said in mock outrage. "You're no Mother Teresa yourself, you know."

"No mother what?"

"Never mind."

"See," she said, slapping him again. "Prat! Big, fat – "

He caught her wrist in his hand. "There's no need for violence," he said in a low voice.

They had moved a little away from me along the corridor. I could not catch Emily's next words, but her actions were unmistakable. She bit her lip, then pulled Ted towards her, kissing him full on the mouth. Her body pressed against his, and after a moment I saw his hands slide to her waist, turning them so Emily's back was against the wall. She moaned, and I saw her hands reach up to rake through his hair…

I clapped a hand to my mouth as nausea made my stomach turn. Spinning on my heel, I ran in the opposite direction, not caring that I was making enough noise to disturb them. All that mattered was that I get away from that spot as fast as possible. My feet pounded on the cold stone floor and I nearly tripped over the new caretaker's cat as I took the shortcut that connected the seventh and sixth floors.

"Get out of my way," I growled as its amber eyes glowed up at me reproachfully. She meowed in a rather accusatory manner and slunk off, no doubt to find her master and report a student being out of bed. Well, I would be long gone before Filch got there. Maybe he would find Tonks and Howard and give them both a year's worth of detentions…

I took the stairs two at a time, nearly tripping and breaking my neck on several occasions. Before I knew it I was clattering down the dungeon stairs. I paused for a moment outside the door to the common room to compose myself, smoothing my wind-swept hair and attempting to wipe away the look of horror that was no doubt plastered across my face.

"Merlin," Annabelle remarked as soon as I entered, proving my efforts had been in vain. "What happened to you?"

There weren't many people left in the common room. After a defeat of the kind Slytherin had suffered an early night was clearly considered in order. I could see my sister though, and Rodolphus, sitting huddled in a corner. Bella's face was only partially revealed by the firelight; the flickering effect of the flames against her milk-pale skin was rather sinister.

"Nothing," I said in a quavering voice. "Just… just Mudbloods, being Mudbloods."

Annabelle frowned. She opened her mouth as though to ask something more, before seeming to think better of it.

"Are you alright Andy?" asked Bella as I passed near her on the way to my room. I saw that she had her wand out, and was running it rather lovingly along her neck; her other hand she had laced with Rodolphus'. "Need anything sorted out?"

I thought of Ted and Emily, the picture of them I now had in my head – arms embraced, lips locked – and my gut heaved again. "No," I said. "No, I'm fine."

"Well alright," drawled my sister. "But if you change your mind…"

My next patrol with Ted was probably our most awkward yet. I refused to even look at him, because every time I did I saw a repeat of that night, and my stomach threatened to bring up my last meal.

"Is something wrong?" he finally asked after about a dozen failed attempts at starting a conversation.

I ignored him. There were only twenty minutes left. I was determined to get through them without speaking.

"Is this about the Quidditch?" he ventured a little while later. "Because, you know, it's not me you should be taking it out on. I'm not the one who lost you that game. I didn't even play!"

No, but you certainly celebrated afterwards, I thought, poking my wand rather forcefully at a concealed doorway. It spat red sparks back at me. "Ow!"

"Are you okay?" asked Ted quickly. He put a hand on my shoulder and I jerked out of his grasp so violently I almost stumbled backwards.

"Don't touch me!"

So much for not speaking.

Ted frowned. "Why not?"

"I don't – I don't want your filthy Mudblood hands near me," I said, trying to inject my voice with the same passionate outrage my sister always managed.

To my indignation, he only laughed. "You'll have to do better than that, Andy," he said sarcastically.

I glared at him. "I told you not to call me that!"

He stared straight back at me. "I guess I changed my mind."

Anger bubbled up inside me, and I clenched my fingers around my wand. "You – you've got some nerve," I panted, anger rendering me slightly incoherent. "Acting all – like you're just – such a – Ugh!" I threw up my hands, before turning and racing up the corridor, not even bothering to check the stairwell that I passed.

"Andy wait!" I could hear him behind me, hurrying to catch up. "Andy – will you just – will you just stop for a second? I'm trying to figure out what's wrong!"

I whirled on my heel, almost bumping into him as he skidded to a halt. "And have you ever considered that it's none of your business?" I demanded.

Ted was scrutinising my face as though trying to solve a puzzle. "Is this about Dorcas? She told me you had a – "

I almost screamed in frustration. "Can't you all just leave me alone?" I yelled, not caring that I was making enough noise to wake half the castle. "You and Dorcas and all your little Gryffinpuff buddies. I don't need you to try and figure me out! I don't need anything from any of you! Especially not when – when…"

Ted took half a step toward me, so that he was less than a foot away. "When?" he pressed softly.

I opened my mouth, but a second later there was a loud clatter, and suddenly a wastepaper basket was upended on both of us. The cackling that followed left me in no doubt as to who was responsible.

Ted groaned. "Peeves!"

The poltergeist hovered above us, a manic grin on his wicked little face. "Lover's tiff?" he crooned, doing a loop mid-air and beginning to pelt us with pieces of chalk. "Tonksy and Black, that's so whack. What will your sister say, you'll get such a smack!"

"Come on," said Ted, and he grabbed my hand. We began to run back down the corridor under chants of "Tonksy and Black, clap clap clap!" Ted didn't release my hand until we had skidded all the way into the entrance hall.

"This should be okay," he said, wincing as he clutched at a stitch in his side. "He won't make trouble down here. The Bloody Baron… and McGonagall's office…" He took a deep breath and blew the hair out of his face.

There was an awkward pause. I glanced at the magically illuminated clock that hung over the entrance hall. Our Prefect patrol was nearly finished. "Well," I said without looking at him. "I guess we'll call it a night. We basically did the whole corridor, and I'm sure nobody will mind if we – "

"Yeah, okay," said Ted. His voice was tight and irritated. After a moment he said, "Are you sure you don't want to tell me what's wrong?"

Unbidden, an image of him with his hands all over Emily Howard flashed into my mind, and I clenched my mouth shut. "Definitely not," I said. "Goodnight Tonks."

"Goodnight, Andy."

What with the organisation of the Christmas ball, ignoring both Ted and Dorcas, and the extra homework teachers continued to pile on, fifth year was passing before my eyes. I was not sure I was keeping up in all my classes, but the high grade I received on my shrivelfig essay went someway to assuaging this.

"An excellent paper," Professor Beery told me at the end of class one day. He beamed at me from underneath his large broad-brim hat. "Well done, Miss Black."

"Thank you sir," I said.

"Have you considered a career in Herbology?"

I blinked, pausing in the act of peeling my dragon-hide glove off. Professor Beery looked at me expectantly.

"You have the talent, my dear! Oh yes, most definitely. Why, I'd say you are one of the most naturally gifted students to pass through my greenhouses in the almost four decades I have been teaching at Hogwarts."

This was high praise indeed, but I was not quite in the right frame of mind to appreciate it. "Th-thank you," I said. "But I haven't – I mean I don't – "

Professor Beery seemed to read my mind. "You haven't given much thought to your future," he finished for me. I flushed.

"Well, not exactly. I just haven't had much time to think about it and… and I'm not sure…"

"Best get to it my dear," he said crisply. "You'll be asked to choose your subjects for next year soon. It would be a travesty not to see you in my Advanced Herbology class."

I left the classroom with a lot to think about. I knew we received career advice at the end of fifth year, but I had hardly spared it a thought. Wealthy pureblood witches generally did not work, and I knew my parents would find the idea objectionable. But as soon as this thought crossed my mind a spark of determination seemed to flare to life within me. I was good at Herbology. And I was good at Potions. If there was a career that combined those subjects, and I found it enjoyable, why shouldn't I do it? I was talented, and enthusiastic… why shouldn't I work? I had just as much right as any other –

My feet tripped over something in front of me. It was another person, first or second year judging by their size, and I had not even seen them approach.

"Ow!" a voice bit out, and I saw a very ruffled looking boy glaring up at me. "Watch where you're – " but then he broke off, as recognition swept across his features. He immediately went very pale. "I mean, I – I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get in the way. S-sorry. Please don't hurt me!" He scrunched up his face in fear.

I gaped at him in confusion. When I didn't respond the boy cracked one eye open. His chest was heaving, and he seemed convinced I was about to hex him into oblivion.

"What's your name?" I asked at last.

"S-Simon," he said, in a voice that suggested he thought giving out this information was a very bad idea.

"Okay," I said, sure I had never met this boy before in my life. "Um, Simon, can I ask– why are you so afraid of me?"

He grimaced. "You're… you're Bellatrix Black, aren't you?" he said in a whisper. "I – I've heard… but I'm sorry – I didn't mean – please don't hurt me!" he begged again.

Understanding made my skin crawl. I had been mistaken for my sister once or twice before, usually by first years who were not yet used to picking out the differences between us. But never before had I had someone react to me in that way. It was unnerving.

I reached down to touch the boy's shoulder, and he flinched. "I'm not Bellatrix," I said quietly. "I'm her sister. Now go on, and… and take care of yourself."

The boy raced away as fast as his feet could take him, clearly unable to believe his luck. I sighed, and rubbed at my temples, where a dull throbbing had started up. The whole encounter left a bitter taste in my mouth. I wanted to talk to Bella about it, but I wasn't sure I could find the words, or if she would even listen to me anymore. And all at once I felt very alone.

At our next Prefect meeting we were asked to choose a theme for the ball.

"We want it to be something everyone can relate to," Molly advised us, her fingers laced with the Weasley boy's. I stared at their interlocked hands with curiosity, confirmation of the rumour that had been circulating around school that they were a couple. At least they were both purebloods, but I was sure Molly could do better. The Prewetts were a good family, and the Weasleys were… well, Weasleys. "Something fun, but classy. We thought we'd throw it open for you to decide."

There was a long pause. "How about Quidditch," suggested a Gryffindor sixth-year. "We could have the place decked out in red and gold, since we're all but guaranteed the cup this year." He tipped his hat in the directions of the Slytherins, who glowered back at him.

"Um, well, that's not really – " Molly cast a nervous glance at the Slytherins. "We were thinking more along the lines of – "

"How about purity?" suggested Samuel Wilkes, a Slytherin seventh year, in a cold voice. "That way only Slytherins could attend."

"You'd be ruled out though, wouldn't you Wilkes," said the same Gryffindor. "Didn't your uncle marry a Muggle-born?"

There was a rumble of outrage from the Slytherins. Samuel got to his feet, and I thought wands were about to be drawn when Weasley intervened.

"Neither of those were really what we had in mind," he said, shooting warning glances at the Gryffindors and then the Slytherins. "If we could all discuss this like adults, that'd be great."

I sighed. What exactly had they been expecting? Asking Gryffindor and Slytherins to discuss things like adults was like asking Peeves to behave like a respectable ghost.

"How about the 1920s?" suggested one of the Ravenclaw girls. "I always loved their style…"

"No way," said Emily Howard. "1920s fashion is awful."

I sneered at her. Of course 1920s robes would look awful on her. She was frumpy and as unattractive as one of my Aunt Walburga's umbrella stands, as far as I was concerned.

"We could have a tropical theme," said Frank Longbottom after another stretch of silence. "You know, coconut trees, hoola skirts, fake sand…"

"They said classy, Longbottom," drawled Will Selwyn. Frank gave him the finger.

A few more suggestions were bandied about, and I began to see a pattern emerging. If it was a Gryffindor's idea, it was quickly shot down by the Slytherins, and vice versa. Ravenclaws didn't seem to like Hufflepuff suggestions, and Hufflepuffs weren't happy with Ravenclaw ones. After twenty minutes of failed discussion my head was throbbing and I was just wishing everyone would hurry up and agree on something. The ball was looking like a less attractive prospect by the minute.

"What about timeless?" I heard Dorcas say when there was a temporary lull in the bickering.

There was a pause as everyone digested this. To my surprise, there were no immediate objections from my own group of classmates. Perhaps even they were getting tired of arguing.

"I like it," said Molly slowly. "Nice and simple, yet classy. And flexible enough that people can interpret it the way they want. Excellent!" She beamed at Dorcas, who shrugged in response as though to say "It really wasn't that hard."

"So are we all in agreement?" asked Weasley. He seemed to pointedly avoid looking at the Slytherins, clearly hoping that by ignoring us he could prevent anyone from vetoing the plan. "Great, it's decided then. The theme is 'timeless.' Molly and I will think about decorations and get back to you soon about setting up. Until then, I think we're finished here."

"Timeless?" scoffed Leo as we began to leave. "That's a bit lame…"

"It was better than your suggestion," I retaliated. Leo had proposed 'futuristic' as the theme. Even I had been glad when that was knocked back.

Leo glared at me and stalked off. Not particularly bothered, I followed after him at a leisurely pace. I had to pass by Ted and Emily to reach the door, and as I did so I caught a snippet of their conversation.

"… a bit stupid, if you ask me," said Emily in a haughty voice. "I mean, it's so vague it could mean anything."

I couldn't resist sending her a poisonous glare. Unfortunately, she glanced in my direction at the exact same time, and caught my look. Her own features soured.

"Is something wrong, Black?" she demanded coldly.

I sneered. "Only your face."

Her jaw dropped, an expression of such offence crossing her features that I almost regretted speaking. I hurried past and heard her say behind me, "What's her problem?"

"I don't know," Ted answered thoughtfully. I felt his eyes follow me to the door, but walked on without looking back.

The ball was to be held on the last day of term, to give the students (and teachers) a chance to let their hair down and unwind before the holidays. It was all anyone could talk about in the lead-up, the older students discussing dates and the younger students complaining that they wouldn't be allowed to attend.

"I'm so glad I'm in fourth year," Cissy could be heard to say on multiple occasions, usually in the presence of some of the younger Slytherin girls. "I couldn't stand not being a part of it, having to sit in here while the rest of us enjoyed ourselves." Her next favourite topic was who was taking who. "It's just so nice to have a date," she would say, parading through the common room with her arm linked through Lucius Malfoy, who was going as her partner. "Imagine how awful it would be to have to go alone." Clearly she thought we should all be envious of her position. Personally I thought Lucius was a bit of a smarmy git, but as long as my sister was happy, I didn't mind. It was all a lot of fuss over nothing, as far as I was concerned.

"You're lucky you have a boyfriend," Annabelle confided to me later that week, looking rather harangued as she sat beside me in the common room. "You don't have to worry about not getting a date."

"As if you need to worry about that," I said with a roll of my eyes. "You could go with anyone you wanted."

"Not anyone," she murmured, and I saw the tell-tale way her gaze drifted to the other side of the room, where Will Selwyn was lounging with his friends.

"Why don't you just ask him?" I said, and her eyes swivelled back to me in alarm.

"Andy!" she hissed, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "I couldn't! And, oh, you won't tell anyone, will you? Everyone will laugh – "

"No one will laugh," I told her firmly. "You'd be a great couple." As I watched, I thought I saw Will's gaze flick briefly in our direction and away again. "He might even fancy you back, you know," I said with a grin.

"Don't be stupid," muttered Annabelle, burying her head in a magazine.

But sure enough, less than a week later, Annabelle burst into our dormitory in a flurry of excitement. "He asked me!" she squealed, jumping onto my bed and bouncing up and down like a child. I had never seen her look so excited. "He asked me to the ball!"

"Who?"

She gave me a reproachful look. "Will. He came up to me after class and asked if I'd be his date! Oh I'm so excited. I thought I was going to have to go with Crabbe or someone awful like that." She hugged herself, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Well of course he asked you," I said. "He'd be mad not to." My laughter faded as I thought about my own date. Watching Annabelle's happiness had reminded me of my initial feelings towards Leo, and my chest constricted a little as I realised how long it had been since I had anything close to a genuine relationship with a boy. Now that I knew Leo was gay, there wasn't anybody in Slytherin who appealed to me in that way. It was rather depressing.

"You know what this means," said Annabelle in an excited whisper.

I shrugged. "That you and Will are going to be the most attractive couple at the ball, and we'll all be green with envy?"

She swatted my arm. "No silly. Dresses!"

"Pardon?"

"It means new dresses!" she explained gleefully. "I wasn't going to bother buying anything new, since I thought I'd only be going with some chump. But now I'm going with Will, I have to get a new dress. And you need one as well – we can go to Hogsmeade together!"

My stomach plummeted. I hadn't even thought about what I was going to wear. "Oh, I don't know," I said, smoothing the bedspread to avoid looking at her. "I was just going to wear one of my old dresses… I don't really need to – "

"Nonsense," she cut me off. "We'll go this weekend. It's the only chance we'll have before the ball. Don't worry Andy, you're going to look fabulous. Leo won't be able to keep his hands off you."

I laughed humourlessly. "I don't think there's much danger of that," I muttered, but Annabelle didn't hear me.

As it was, I ended up bowing to her persistence and going to Hogsmeade. Her enthusiasm was infectious and, despite the rather uninspiring date I had to look forward to, I found myself growing a little bit excited at the prospect of dressing up. After all, what teenage girl doesn't love the chance to show off now and then? And since money wasn't an issue, I could have practically any dress on offer, although according to Annabelle my taste left a lot to be desired.

"How about this one?" I asked, holding up a plain white frock with long sleeves and a high-necked lace bodice. Annabelle gave it a critical once over and shook her head.

"Andy, that's the sort of robe you wear to your Great Aunt's 60th birthday," she said, and I snorted.

"Okay… what about – "

I hadn't even pulled the dress out from the rack before Annabelle slapped my hand away.

"For Merlin's sake, if you wanted to cover up anymore I'd worry you had something to hide!" She gave me a cheeky grin and pinched my waist. "You have a great figure, you shouldn't keep it hidden."

I flushed. The reality was, I had no one to show off to, and couldn't see the point in flaunting my figure. Whatever I wore would no doubt be utterly wasted on Leo, and there wasn't anyone else I wanted to impress.

"How about… aha, see – something like this," said Annabelle, pulling out a bright red, figure-clinging dress that looked like something my sister would wear when she snuck off to be with Rodolphus.

"No," I said at once. "Red's Bella's colour."

Annabelle frowned, but she put the dress back all the same. "Alright, well… " she flicked through a few more.

"You're sure I shouldn't just buy this one," I said, my hands wandering back to the white frock.

"No, absolutely not…" she trailed off. "Ooh, Andy, what about this one?" She pulled out an emerald green dress and held it against me. "Yes, it brings out the green in your eyes," she murmured, her eyes moving over me.

"I don't have green in my – "

"It's lovely," she interrupted me. "Try it, go on. Go on!"

She pushed me toward the change rooms, and with a sigh I did as she asked. I had to admit the dress was beautiful; it was a velvety material, thick and heavy, with short sleeves and a lace bodice that dipped but was not so tight as to make me uncomfortable. The skirt clung to my waist before falling in folds to my ankles, and here and there silver thread was woven into the fabric like little stars.

"Oh my goodness," Annabelle breathed when I finally drew up the courage to step out and show her. "Andy, you look…"

I laughed, and did a twirl. The skirt fanned out around me before falling back against my legs.

"You have to get it," Annabelle said firmly.

"I don't know…" I mused, fiddling with the satiny ribbon that looped around my waist. "You don't think it's a bit much?"

"Andy, we're not leaving this store until you buy that dress."

"Well, if you insist… " I said, laughing again as I went to change. Who cared about Leo, or the fact that I didn't have a boy to impress? I was buying this for myself.

Prewett and Weasley had decided that, in line with the theme that had been chosen, the decorations of the Great Hall were to be of a similarly vague nature.

"We're thinking classic elegance," Molly informed the Prefects as we gathered in the Great Hall the morning of the ball. "That means chandeliers, crystal, mahogany… and satin, lots and lots of satin!"

Beside me, Leo groaned.

"What, you don't like satin?" I teased him.

"It's too early in the morning for satin," he muttered.

I chuckled. "Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed?"

"It's not that," he sighed, pulling out his wand and poking rather unenthusiastically at a frosted Christmas tree. A single white lily bloomed where he had touched. "It's just… everything. It's all so – overblown."

I had to admit Leo wasn't the only one looking unimpressed. Several of the boys were muttering mutinously under their breath, and the other Slytherin Prefects seemed to have decided such menial decorating work was beneath them; they had seated themselves at a table in the corner and looked as though they were about to go back to sleep. "It's not that bad," I said, thinking of the dress waiting for me back in my dorm room.

"Speak for yourself."

"I thought you liked dancing?" I asked him. With a wave of my wand I caused a stream of glitter to float upwards toward the ceiling. It hovered over us, making the still-dark sky sparkle and shine. I smirked in satisfaction; we had only just learnt that spell in Charms, and I was glad to be able to put it to use.

"I do," said Leo. "It's just… " he puffed out his cheeks and looked at me with a pained expression. "Gee, I'm sorry Andy."

"Sorry for what?"

"I don't know," he said glumly. "I'm not being very good company, am I?"

"Leo, we're decorating Christmas trees at 7am," I said. "It's not exactly high tea."

"No, but tonight will be. And I shouldn't – I mean, I'm sorry you have to – I'm sorry I can't be a better boyfriend."

I fidgeted, suddenly very uncomfortable having this conversation. We were not exactly in a private location; Ted and Emily were dressing up a suit of armour only a few feet away from us. "Leo…" I began.

"No," he interrupted me. "You were right, the other day, when you said – you know, about – about my – about it preventing you from getting a real boyfriend." His cheeks turned pink, but he ploughed on. "I mean, it's not really fair and – "

"Leo, I was just being stupid." And there's no one I want to date anyway, I added silently.

He didn't reply, staring sullenly up at the now glittering sky above us. I wandered away under the pretence of helping Edgar Bones string mistletoe, but I had a feeling that particular conversation with Leo was not finished yet.

We were dismissed after an hour of decorating. Standing at the entrance, I thought it was amazing what a few people could achieve when they set their minds to it. Along with the usual decorations of frosted Christmas trees, non-melting snow and festoons of mistletoe and holly, there were also glittering, floating chandeliers, a sparkling ceiling and walls that had been transformed into smooth mahogany and crystal, so that the entire hall looked as though it had been transported from some glorious, ancient manor. I had to admit that Dorcas' vision had been achieved: it was truly timeless.

"Looks good, huh?"

I blinked at Ted, who had ambled close without my realising, then cast a quick glance around. Most of the other Prefects had already left, no doubt eager to return to bed. There was only Molly and Arthur, finishing up a few loose ends, and a couple of overzealous Gryffindors trying to charm the suit of armour to belt out rude carols.

"I suppose," I mumbled.

"I like the glitter," he said conversationally, pointing to the ceiling. "It's a nice touch."

"Thanks."

The silence stretched. Across the room, the suit of armour was reciting a broken and rather bawdy version of 'God Rest Ye, Merry Hippogriffs.'

"So," said Ted. "You're still mad at me then?"

I wanted to tell him that I didn't care enough about him to be mad, but I couldn't quite get my lips to form the words. I heard Ted open his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything else Emily Howard's voice rang out.

"Are you coming Ted?" she demanded impatiently, from her position at the other end of the Great Hall.

Ted closed his mouth with a snap. "Yeah I'm coming," he called back, before turning to me. "Alright, well, guess I'll see you round then," he said quietly.

"Yeah, I guess," I said. I watched him leave out of the corner of my eye before spinning on my heel and making my way back to the Slytherin common room. When I got there I found the place in uproar.

"What's going on?" I demanded, grabbing the arm of a second year as he scampered past me. "What's happened?"

He looked at me with fearful eyes. "H-haven't you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"Th-there's been an attack," he stammered, trying to break free of my grip so that he could run to his friends. "Someone in the Ministry. Someone's dead."

I released him in shock, my heart beginning to hammer in alarm. Surely something couldn't have happened so early... but I couldn't deny that there was far more activity than was normal for this time of the morning, particularly on the last day of term.

Leo was standing in the middle of the room, his eyes skimming a copy of The Daily Prophet he had picked up from somewhere. His expression was even graver than it had been when he left the Great Hall.

"Is it true?" I asked him in an undertone. "Is someone dead?"

He shoved the paper at me without answering.

I scanned the article as quickly as I could. Words seemed to jump out at me… Intern at the Muggle Liaison Office… murdered… Dark Mark found floating… supporters of Lord Voldemort… questions raised…

The paper fell out of my hand, landing with a flutter on the floor. A moment later and somebody had snatched it up again.

"Andy?" Leo's voice came as though from a long distance. "Andy are you okay?"

Ignoring him, I walked in a daze towards my dormitory. Blood seemed to be pumping in my ears, making it difficult to think straight. I pushed open the door to my room and found all of Helena, Phylissa and Annabelle with their heads together, a copy of the same newspaper open between them. They stared at me as I entered.

"Hi," said Annabelle in a small voice. "You – er, heard the news then?"

I nodded.

"It's terrible that they could just… I don't know, die like that," said Phylissa. Her words hung heavily in the air, and she hurried on as though to fill the silence. "Then again, I guess they did work for Muggles."

"What, and that makes it okay for someone to kill them?" I snapped angrily. My cousin stared at me in alarm.

"N-no," she stammered. "I just mean – "

"Come on Phylissa," said Helena, shooting me a nasty look. "Let's go and eat some breakfast. It was only an intern." And before I could say anything they had both left, leaving a tense silence in their wake.

"Andy, are you okay?" Annabelle asked tentatively.

I sank onto my bed and tried to run a hand through my hair. My fingers hit a snag and I winced. "Yeah. Yeah I'm fine. I just didn't expect this, that's all."

"Tell me about it," said Annabelle. "Talk about ruining a perfectly good day."

There was a long pause. I stared at my hands, wondering what it would be like to die by dark magic. We had only just learnt about the Unforgiveable curses in Defence Against the Dark Arts. I couldn't imagine how the family would be feeling.

"Um, I reckon I'm going to get some breakfast as well," said Annabelle after a while. "Do you want to come?"

I shook my head, and a moment later she slipped out, leaving me alone.

I leant back onto my mattress and closed the hangings around my bed. Everything felt strange, and I was sure I should have been more upset. Or perhaps, said another voice in my brain, I should have been less upset? And what was I even upset about? People died every day, after all…

And I realised, abruptly, that I hadn't even learnt the name of the intern that was killed. My eyes burned with unexpected tears, and I curled over on my bed and tried to convince myself there was nothing wrong.

.

A/N: Fun fact, Argus Filch is supposed to have commenced as Hogwarts caretaker around 1968, which puts him smack bang in the middle of this timeline. Trying to imagine a young Filch is... an interesting experiment XD