OKAY GUYS SO AS USUAL, I OWN NOTHING THAT THE WONDERFUL J.K. ROWLING HAS SO GRACIOUSLY IMAGINED.

On another note entirely. I'm BAAAAAACK!

(I'm aware you are tire of hearing this. But as I've gotten my fiance involved in this fan fic and now constantly bugging me to write and type. I can honestly say I predict more regular postings.)

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The next morning I awoke in the Gryffindor Sixth Year Boys' dormitory with the previous day's clothes still on, George's gangly arm pulling me tight to his chest and all of his roommates gawking at me. George's groggy reminder of their never having any girls in their beds was enough to stop their sniggering. It was even enough to chase all but Fred from the room, although Lee did take the chance to exaggerate changing the door sign to "Do Not Disturb" with caused Fred to chuck some dirty socks at his retreating figure.

He did have the right idea, but not the right intention. After a few more protection and silencing charms, the dorm became the perfect setting to fill them in on what had happened last night. I overwhelmed them with details about the lesson with Dumbledore, but kept the details for the later part of the night purposely sparse, which did not escape their notice.

"Don't get me wrong; it's totally awesome that you can manipulate the elements, but what's this about the Slytherins?" Fred interrogated. He had a spectacular talent for bringing up subjects I'd rather not discuss.

I looked to George for help, but seeing the concern set in the lines of his face, I continued with a sigh, "It was no big deal. Just Slytherins being Slytherins."

I was trying to be as evasive as possible, but that was easier said than done when you have been best friends with someone for nearly seven years. But the truth would only lead to a lifetime sentence in Azkaban for the both of them, the government still not taking to murder too kindly.

"And what exactly does that mean?" George demanded.

"Just you know…" A glance up from my fumbling, useless hands told me they most certainly did not know, "Slytherin stuff…doing evil, being dumb…"

"Okay, enough." George said in a firmer tone that I had ever heard him have before, especially not while talking to me. "What are you not telling us? And I know it's something bad if that was the best explanation you could think up."

He was right; I should have worked on that before falling into a sleep of the dead. They were looking at me expectantly now and I didn't know what to say, except for the truth. I managed to keep a few parts to myself without their suspicion. A little bit of editing on my part. It helped that I made them promise not to say anything until I finished. Flint never got further than my knees, and I was able to think quickly enough to replace their suggestions of what they should do with me with slightly more tamed ones, and I certainly did not mention what Flint said about George.

They managed to comply with my request with the exception of protests when I told them who I thought had arrived with Malfoy. I could not stress enough how I did not know if it was him for sure or if my mind was playing tricks on me because I was already terrified.

"What I want to know is what the bloody hell Malfoy has to do with this, or the rest of the Slytherins for that matter." George asked to no one in particular, once I gave both of them the go-ahead to speak.

"Simple. One answers the other. Wherever Malfoy goes his lackeys follow." Fred answered.

"Right, you are, Fred" I did not like the tone of George's voice or the look he and Fred were exchanging.

"This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you!"

"You're mad? At us?" They asked in shocked unison.

"You should be mad at them! For disrespecting you like that! I will show them what its like to be powerless and afraid like they made you feel. "George added, his fists clenching and unclenching on his lap.

"First off," I said in a way that gave me their undivided attention, "I am not, nor ever will be powerless. I am here and I am fine, am I not?"

"But—"

"Second of all, that is exactly why I didn't want to tell you. I do NOT want you getting in trouble, getting expelled and thrown in prison because of what some Slytherin said or did to me.

"You better believe I got my revenge, and I can never get in trouble for it because it ever happened. I erased their memory of it. It's done. Now, let's get some breakfast. I'm starving".

"But—"

"It's done!" I repeated. To show them I was not playing around, I made my way to the door, pausing only to ask, "Are you coming or not?" before turning around, not waiting for an answer.

By the way they stomped all the way behind me to the dinning hall assured me that this conversation was in no way finished. Still, they gave my temper the benefit of the doubt by switching to a more cheerful subject. "Are you ready for Defense today?" George asked, the seemingly innocent question. Only I knew by the glimmer in his eyes he was hoping he would learn something to use against the Slytherins the next time he came across them in a secluded hallway.

"Not particularly." I sighed.

"Not still pining for Professor Lupin, are you?" Fred sniggered.

"He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor we've had so far!" I defended last years Professor gallantly. But I could not swear it was all to do with his amazing teaching abilities and nothing to do with his rather handsome yet shaggy appearance.

"What is it with you and older men?" George jested.

"What can I say? Maturity is sexy."

"Should I be worried?"

"If it's maturity she's into, then yes," Fred laughed.

"What's so funny?" Ron said, approaching the table, Harry and Hermione not far behind him.

"I'm leaving your brother for a middle-aged man." I said with utmost seriousness.

"A werewolf." George added just as seriously.

"As long as we can sit with you, that's all fine by me," Ron digested the news spectacularly well.

"By all means, I'm just still thrilled to see you two talking again," I said as the three of them joined us at the table. "It would have been such a shame to see your friendship end over a misunderstanding."

Hermione broke the palpable tension that followed by saying, "I completely agree, but what is this about a werewolf?"

"I'm going to leave Hogwarts so Remus Lupin and I can elope and run away together."

"Well, at least you have a plan." Harry said with obvious relief that attention was lifted from him.

"Speaking of plans, Harry, got one for the Second Task?" Fred asked.

"Oh, oh yeah," Harry muttered, "Nearly got it."

"Don't worry, mate. It'll come to you," George reassured him.

"Yeah, of course it will! And if it's anything like that Dragon, you should be fine! Better than fine!" Ron encouraged, dishing out a rather generous portion of black pudding onto his plate.

"Yeah," Harry said, not sounding convinced in the slightest.

"Anyway, we really must be going," Fred said abruptly.

"George?" I asked, unaware of any urgent plans we had attending to.

George looked at the clock in the wall and sighed. "Oh, dear. Mustn't keep Snape waiting."

"Snape?" Harry asked.

"Two Saturday detentions," Fred replied, unconcerned.

"Would've been three if the next one wasn't Christmas." George answered in a similarly nonplussed fashion.

"You two don't seem too upset with spending your Saturdays with Snape." I said in a rather accusing tone.

"That's because it was entirely worth it." George winked.

"What could you have possibly done that was go great that we haven't heard of yet?" Ron questioned.

"A rather well placed banishing charm to a few members of the Slytherin Quidditch team that happened to be at exactly at the right place at the wrong time, "Fred beamed, a vicious gleam in his eyes.

"What did you do?" I demanded.

"Nothing that they didn't deserve." George stood firm.

"What did you do?" I repeated.

"Like he said, a simple banishing charm."

"Aimed at a particular part of the male anatomy," Fred added with a grin.

"You didn't!" Ron exclaimed. Both Harry and him were visibly squirming.

"We did." They replied in cheery unison.

"You shouldn't've!" I chided, Hermione violently nodding her agreement.

"Like I said, they deserved it." George affirmed, "And to think, we did this days ago." He eyes shining with a forming scheme. "My only regret is that Snape reversed the charm without letting them suffer long enough."

"Speaking of suffering, we really need to get going." Fred interrupted, quickly gathering his belongings.

"Will I see you later?" I pouted.

"Of course, Woman! We've gotta eat don't we!" Fred muttered impatiently, "George—"

"Yeah, yeah. We've got to go." George sighed, also removing himself from the table but not before a whispered "I love you" and kissing my forehead.

There was only a moment of awkwardness once they left the hall. Then Ron, the only glue holding the four of us together, had to sense to end it before it could spread.

"Andrella, I've got a very serious question to ask you." He said, looking as if he had just settled a great internal debate.

"Go on." I urged with trepidation, nervous as to where this was going.

"Will you go to the ball with me?"

Hermione actually snorted into her porridge. "Oh, honestly, Ron!"

"Sorry, but I'm going with George." I said as kindly as possible. I thought about reaching out to pat his arm, but I was fond of the camaraderie Hermione was showing me. Ever since Ron had kissed me, she had been coldly distant.

"Why are all the good ones taken by barmy gits?" Ron exclaimed, attacking a second helping of pudding.

"That's your brother!" Hermione defended.

"Your point?" he snapped.

"Because the smart guys haven't waited until the last minute!" I chuckled.

"Last minute? There's still two full weeks left!" Harry said indignantly.

"Like Ron said, it's only the good ones that are taken." I winked. " Hermione, you've gotten a date haven't you?"

"Oh, um, yes." She mumbled her answer to the table.

"See, point made!"

"We've still got plenty of time!" Ron said encouragingly to Harry.

"Well, I've got to go to the Library. There is still a ton of work to be done before break. Harry, are you coming?" Hermione said abruptly.

"Why would I want to go to the library on a Saturday?" He asked, staring at Hermione as if she had grown three extra heads and tentacles out of her eyes.

"The egg, Harry! The egg! The second task is almost here!" She hissed.

"We've still got loads of time for that, too!" Ron defended. "And he said he's working on it!"

"Whatever! Do not come crying to me when you haven't figured it out and can't do it!" Hermione huffed. "I, on the other hand, will be doing something productive with my time."

"Mind if I join you? I need to check out a few books for a divination essay." I said, already wolfing down the rest of my food.

"Oh. Oh, yeah. Of course." Hermione replied, clearly taken off guard.

"Excellent." I grinned, chugging the rest of my pumpkin juice and standing to gather my bag.

The walk to the library was quiet at best, horribly awkward at worst. I knew things had grown awkward between us since the Ron incident, but it had never been more apparent than when we walked alone. I wanted to say something but didn't know what. I grasped at straws, and picked the most neutral topic imaginable.

"Do you already have your dress for the ball?"

"No, not yet." Hermione said, then quickly added. "I have to go to Hogsmeade during the last emergency trip next Saturday."

"Yeah, I'm going then, too. Nothing like last minute dress shopping, eh?"

"Yeah, "

"Hey, listen? Are you planning on going with anyone? To shop, I mean?"

"Oh, no. Well, maybe Ginny. She's going with Neville."

"Excellent! I'm only going with Renae so we can all go together!" I suggested.

"I, uh, yeah. That would be nice," Hermione conceded with a genuine smile.

"It's a plan then!" I beamed, happy that things were finally looking up for the two of us. She really was someone that was nice to talk to, especially for when the need for an intellectual conversation arises, which I'll admit was rare.

We were both happy when the door to the Library came into view and we were able to go our separate ways with quickly muttered 'goodbyes' and 'see you laters'. I headed straight up to the second floor, as if I had a clear destination, but to be perfectly honest, I had doubts if I'd be able to find anything about the Ismerte in the Library, much less not even in the restricted section. I'm sure that Dumbledore would give me permission to check there if I asked him, but did I even want to? Did that really matter to me right now? No, it didn't. I just needed to get away from what I didn't tell anyone. It needed to continue to have never happened. It didn't happen, it almost did but it didn't. That's what I needed to remember, that's what I needed to forget about completely.

I needed to do research, to search and scan the shelves and find results and feel more secure with my powers. I needed to know that if such a situation ever occurred again, I would be able to control my powers and use them to protect myself.

Because I was alone, except for the occasional Ravenclaws and other overachievers, or fellow procrastinators, I was able to fully freak out, picking out as many books that seemed promising as I could carry. I wobbled over a secluded table in a quiet corner and arranged them in the order of which ones I thought would be most useful. I did not consider myself to have any sort of OCD, except while organizing, especially books, most likely due to my forbidden love of them. I hated reading textbooks, but storybooks, actual history books, of anything that could give me valuable information that is what I was passionate about. I kept this love as quiet as possible, simply to avoid the inevitable teasing from the twins.

I picked up a few books about fortune telling, specifically focusing on visions, a book focusing on obscure creatures and magicks, and one called "The Principles of Time: How to Really Use it to Your Advantage"—I began reading that one first. After skimming through the first chapters, I decided that I would check it out. I did the same with the other books, including more that I pulled from the shelf after examining the first few, until I had a pile of book to check out and precious little time before class.

I had succeeded too well in distracting myself. It wasn't until I reached the Librarian's counter and heard her voice that I realized how badly of a trap I had just walked into. Books already sprawled across the counter, Renae walked in line behind me with her own books in one hand, as she called out "Hey! Andi!"

She was not alone.

She was hand-in-hand with Draco, whom she didn't bother to separate from as she leaned over and hugged me. The whole gang, every last face from last night, flanked the couple. Every fact I had been trying to avoid thinking about for the last twelve hours.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I said awkwardly, cursing Madame Pince's ever-slow pace.

"I convinced Draco to stop in so I could get a book on dream deciphering. Our textbook doesn't go in quite enough depth as Madame Trelawney expects. What about you?" Unaware of my internal death, Renae answered in her typical chipper manner.

I glanced at the selection, quickly thinking of a lie, "The same thing. Essay due next week and all."

"I would have thought you wouldn't be in here until Wednesday!" Renae joked. The paper was due Thursday. I was not in the mood. They were all staring at me. They didn't remember what had happened but they were thinking it anyway.

"Never too late to get a head start," I said lamely, refraining from sighing as I noticed Madame Pince was finally on the last book.

"Yeah, right…" The look in Renae's eyes as she knitted her brow together was how I felt inside. Uncomfortable. Awkward. Confused. Suspicious. "What are you doing later?"

"Um—"

"Wendling! Do you hear me?" Pince snapped, saving me from answering. "You better have these books back to me in two weeks UNHARMED! I do not want to see a repeat of last time! Do you understand?"

"Yes, Madam Pince!" I said in a solemn tone, scooping up my tower of books. I prided myself on resisting the urge to remind her that it was the Twins' fault for having an explosion so close to where I was studying. How could I be blamed for the singed pages? She hadn't accepted that last time, either. She told me to invest in better friends.

When I turned around, Renae was still looking at me expectantly. So much for being saved. "Honestly, I need to catch up on studying tonight. I am way far behind." I muttered an excuse, not so lame by the way of books nearly spilling out of my grip. I did not dare put them in my bag (or the depths of its undetectable extension charm) with the present company watching my every move.

"Perfect! I'll see you in the dorm later. We can have a girls-all-night-study-party!"

"Excellent." I choked, forcing a smile that at least attempted to look sincere.

"I'll see you there at eight!" Renae chirped, placing her own books on the counter.

"Great. Yeah. See you." I said distractedly, as I walked out of the library in a daze. Even with my superior ability to escape horrible situations, there was no way out of this one and I was cursing myself for getting myself into this situation in the first place.

XXX

I couldn't drag it out any longer. I had already eaten three pieces of pie, and even worse Fred and George were refusing to play along any longer. The one night I counted on them to goof around and easily pass the time with me, they insist on being practical.

"I'm very sorry, Drells, but we really got to get some work done. With Bagman not answering our owls, we've got to work twice as hard now," George apologized as they finally stood from the table.

"That means no distractions." Fred chimed in.

"I'm not a distraction!" I exclaimed.

"Oh, yes you are!"

"George?"

"I'm sorry, Drells, but he's kinda right," George admitted, avoiding eye contact and rubbing the back of his neck.

"Fine, then! Go!" I said in a huff, but as Fred turned his back to leave, I gripped his hand. "No! Don't leave me!"

"Stop being a baby and come with us!" Fred ordered as he headed the exhibition out of the Great Hall, and I scrambled up to follow them, not wanting to be left behind. Although we were causing somewhat of a very minor scene, that was the beauty of being with Fred and George—it was expected therefore attention was diverted.

Fred waited until we were making our way up the main staircase, until continuing his thought. "I don't see what the big deal is anyway. She is your best friend, after all."

"You're my best friend." I said without missing a beat, linking all of our arms together, giving them both side hugs. The end result was quite hilarious, as we were still climbing the stairs.

"Besides us." Fred rolled his eyes.

"That's the point! She's my best friend and I have to lie to her! Which just makes everything so so so much worse!"

"You don't have to lie to her," George offered.

"You just have to withhold some truth." Fred finished.

"Easier said than done," I groaned, already preparing myself for the verbal assault of questions awaiting me upstairs.

"C'mon, it shouldn't be that hard. If your mum was right some of our charming ways should have rubbed off on your by now," Fred grinned, eyes twinkling to make the point.

"Don't make me go in. Let me stay with you. I'll be quiet and let you work, I promise." I begged as we reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

George gave Fred a look that made him sigh, say goodnight to me and disappear back down the staircase.

"What was that about?"

"I know you're worried about not having anything to tell her that isn't a lie, so I wanted to give you something else to talk about." George said after a long moment of silence.

"What are you talking about?"

"He didn't answer, instead he continued his tangent. "Just so you know, I had a whole night planned with littlies and fire whiskey," I stopped to give me a cheeky, yet charming wink. "But the timing just seems right."

"Wha—"

"Will you go to the ball with me, Andrella?"

"Yes." I replied without hesitation.

"Wicked." George smirked, even after I playfully slapped his arm at the comment.

"These lilies and fire whiskey plans sounded nice," I purred changing the tone as I traced his shit collar. "What else did you have planned?"

"That depends."

"On?"

"What are you doing tomorrow night?"

"I thought we had plans…"

"Good! Now, you'll just have to wait until then to find out, because right now you've got to explain to Renae why you were so late." He punctuated his statement with a teasing kiss to the corner of my mouth, causing me to crane my neck to catch his eyes.

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Bright and early."

"I love you." I pouted.

"I love you, too. Now, go!" He laughed, making hand motions toward the door, as he took reckless backwards steps down the staircase so that he did not have to look away.

"Good night." I sighed before saying the password and taking the first step through the entryway, closer to my doom.

It wasn't as bad as I thought. In fact, Renae wasn't even there. No one was. The unexpected silence as I gathered my books and parchment allowed me the necessary time to gather my thoughts and get my story straight. Renae was so late that I had time to wash my face, change into pajamas and settle down into bed. It was two minutes to nine and I just cracked open my Astronomy book when Renae stumbled in giggling.

"Hey there, Andrella!" She saluted.

"Are you drunk?" I accused, smelling the stench of fire whiskey on her from where I was sitting across the room.

"No, I'm Renae." She giggled again, "Don't be silly." She then immediately stumbled over a pile of shoes Angelina left near the doorway.

"Whoa there!" I said, rushing to break her fall.

"Hellooooo!" She laughed loudly into my ear as I threw her arm around my shoulder.

"Let's get you to bed."

"No! I want to talk! I have so much to tell you!"

"You can tell me when you're lying in bed." I insisted practically dragging her to the bed in the corner.

"Okie dokie!" She squealed, allowing me to change her into her pajamas but not without bombarding me with a jumbled mess of information.

"Sorry, I was late tonight, except not really. I was with Draco, and you know that problem I thought we were having? I don't think we have it. I don't think it's a problem. Wanna know why?" she blabbed.

"I'm not really sure that I do…" Her blushing was enough to make me grimace.

"We almost did it!" She blurted out, hiding her beet red face behind her stuffed lion named Da Vinci that her little brother gave her once she had been sorted into Gryffindor.

"What?"

"Well, you know when a boy and a girl like each other very much, or at least think the other is bonny, they sometimes take of their cloth—"

"I get the picture!"

"Except we didn't take off our clothes, at least not all of them. Is it weird being naked in front of a guy? It must be. It felt awkward enough with just our knickers on—"

"Okay! That's enough!" I shouted, leaping off the bed. "I'm sorry, I really am. I'm glad that you're happy, sincerely, but I cannot do this. I can't hear the details about your having sex with Draco Malfoy!"

"But we didn't have sex, or wait-does it count if—"

"LA LA LA LA LA LA LA!" I shouted, sticking my fingers in my ears and spinning in circles with my eyes clothes like I was five years old and having a full-blown temper tantrum.

"When I deemed it safe to look back at Renae, there were three of her and my legs were wobbling as my vision spun.

"Are you quite done?"

"Are you?" I countered.

"I want to talk to you about this!" Renae whined.

"Fine! But kept it PG-13!"

"What?" Renae asked in confusion.

"Never mind, but keep it clean, yeah? No gory details." I revised my statement so that she would have a chance of understanding.

"Like I was saying—" She harrumphed, "We almost did it! —But we didn't, and I think it kinda ended awkwardly, but I'm not really sure, because I'm just a tad drunk," hiccup "maybe."

"I haven't noticed."

"Well, maybe I am. Maybe more. You didn't take a doubling potion by any chance, did ya?"

"A what?"

"Something, an elixir perhaps, that would make three blurry outlines of you appear in my vision?"

"Not today, sorry."

"Bollocks. Definitively the whiskey then."

"What happened, Renae? Why are you like this?"

"Can't a girl have a few drinks? A little fun?"

"A girl can, but you're a girl that doesn't like anything harder than pumpkin juice. So why did you drink so much?" A light bulb, or more of an incriminating spark ignited. I couldn't hide the menace from my tone. "Did Draco get you drunk?"

"No, no. Don't be silly." Renae physically waved the idea away. "It was all my idea. We were sitting on his bed, and I was nervous and I saw it on the dresser and thought it would be a good idea, for the nerves, you know?" She giggled that infuriating giggle.

"And was it a good idea?"

"Not so much."

All though it pained me to do so I had to ask, "What happened next?"

"Well, we were taking turns taking sips from the bottle—" I couldn't contain my snort. The image of Draco Malfoy doing something so common as putting his lips to a bottle, much less sharing one, was snort-worthy.

"As I was saying-"We were drinking, and then we were kissing and touching, and all that happened, where I was naked mostly…"

"All what?"

"Yeah, what we just fought about. Anyway, just as he was reaching for his underpants, Crabbe walked in without knocking, demanding Draco come with him."

"What?" I sat up in sudden attention, now hanging on to every unreliable drunken word.

"Yeah, I know it was really weird! And so embarrassing! Good thing Draco's first instinct was to cover me with the blanket so Crabbe couldn't see me. Could you imagine?"

I couldn't help myself from girlishly squealing, "No way! What did you do?" The scene in my head was already hilarious enough-details would make it priceless.

"I just laid there! What else could I do?"

"I don't even know! What happened next? What did Crabbe want?"

"Crabbe started talking and saying that Draco had to come with him right then because his dad was up in the Astronomy tower, completely livid and looking for him!"

"Lucius Malfoy? In the castle?" My excitement fell just as quickly as my confusion elevated.

"No, couldn't be. Against the rules, isn't it? Crabbe must have been wrong. But either way Draco shut him up as soon as he said it. I think with a slap because Crabbe said "Ow". Draco said he'd be right down and then he threw me my clothes and told me he was sorry but he had to leave. So I got dressed and left."

"He just kicked you out like that?"

"Well, yeah, but something was obviously up, even if Crabbe wasn't being honest about the reason, and I'm not upset about it."

"But still—" I protested.

"No 'but still'! I'm tired of this Andi! Can't you just be happy for me?" Renae whined.

"I'm sorr—"

"I know you're sorry but I'm not! I'm too busy being happy that the boy of my DREAMS actually likes me! I know you don't like him but can you, PLEASE, please try to give him a chance for me? Renae practically begged.

Deciding it was not worth the fight, especially while Renae was so inebriated, I conceded, "I can try," with a sigh I added. "I can at least keep my negative comments to myself."

"Thank you! That is all I can really ask." Renae mumbled, her head already sagging against her pillow.

I could tell I was loosing her, but I still had something to tell her. "I'm glad you're happy, I truly am. But I love you like a sister and I will defend you like one."

"Love you, too." Renae said patting my arm in a clumsy daze before turning her back to me, clutching at the blanket I was sitting on.

I got up and tucked her in before going back over to my own bed, where I sat for several minutes before giving up. With Fred and George thinking I was perfectly safe and sound in bed, now was the perfect time to slip away to do something risky; something not even they would approve of.

I tiptoed over to the bathroom to stare at my reflection in the dark. I never completed the spell before, but I heard that it helps to look yourself as your said the spell until you had mastered it. Starting at my lips as they said they words, I whispered the incantation, aloud and in my head simultaneously, willing myself to disappear or at least for my being to be invisible to the human eye.

I stood there for at least five minutes, furrowing my brown into wrinkles I might regret later—might not if it worked. I decided that I would never find out if it worked, if I remained alone in the dark bathroom. I made my way into the common room, treading lightly. It will all be for naught if they hear me coming. Thankfully, it was packed with procrastinators either working hard to finish writing essays, or slacking off in the case of Ron, who was perched next to Hermione on the couch nearest the fireplace. She was writing feverishly and he was starting off into space. Harry sat opposite them, staring just as hopelessly as Ron but not a set of notes but the damnable golden egg. I could think of no better test subjects, so I made my way over, careful not to bump into anyone else.

I approached them and nothing.

I waved my hands in front of Ron's face. He sighed out of boredom, but otherwise, nothing.

I had to physically restrain my excitement as I rushed out of the common room, where I could safely vocalize my intense feeling of satisfaction. It had worked. I was invisible. However, I could not allow my excitement or pride to carry over into phase two. The first phase was a cakewalk compared to what was coming still. Overconfidence could do nothing but get me killed, or at least into a situation twice as bad as last night.

No, I had to be careful now and stay focused. More importantly, I had to keep my wand at the ready, prepared to aid me if sheer will power alone failed. I had already decided that something like that would never, ever happen to me again. I would not be caught with my guard down, not even for a second.

It was already easy to walk around the castle undetected at night if you knew the right shortcuts, and it was even easier now that I was invisible. It felt as if I could do anything, go anywhere unnoticed and it filled my entire being with a sense of freedom I had only felt when I discovered I could fly. The thought brought a smile onto my face until I reached the staircase at the bottom of the Astronomy tower.

At first, I wasn't sure if I had made a huge mistake by coming here, if this was a complete waste of my time. But then I saw Crabbe lumbering down the stairs, rubbing the back of his head and mumbling to himself.

"Always the head! Bloody always!" He cursed, walking by me so closely I wouldn't even have to fully extend my arm to grasp him, but as I held my breath in anticipation for the encounter, he walked right past me.

Now there was no doubt I was in the right place and there was nothing else to do but start the walk up the winding stairs. As each step took my closer to an unknown, my heart beat faster, furiously trying to tell me to turn back in the only way it could. Even as the feeling of unease festered in my belly, I kept marching up the stairs. I didn't stop until I heard voices—familiar voices.

"How could you be so stupid, Draco?"

"Father—"

"Don't you 'father', me! Do you realize how serious this is? What your mistake will cost me?" before Draco could answer his irate father, Lucius continued, "Of course you don't! You're too busy wasting our time with that stupid blood traitor. I should have never allowed you to do this. I knew you couldn't handle it. "Lucius sneered.

"You approved the plan and I've followed every instruction you've given exactly as you've told me to." Draco argued with only the slightest hint of resentment. "Tonight went exactly as expected. She should be here any moment now, maybe longer if Renae is fighting the effects of the Firewhiskey. "

"But how can you be sure that she will tell her? "

"They're girls. They talk about everything." Draco said uncertainly, as if just realizing a potential flaw in his plan.

"What time is it?" Lucius snapped, relieving Draco the task of fabricating an answer.

"Nine twenty three, sir. " A third voice replied. It was gravely voice that made my blood freeze in my veins. It was a voice that had the capability to immobilize me with fear and made my sweat glands work thrice as hard.

My living nightmare. The sound and smell of that I'll never be able to forget. The man in the forest. The horrible, disgusting, foul creature that promised her death in such a personally delighted way.

"She should be arriving any moment then." Lucius said.

The smugness in his tone was lost on me. For all intents and purposes, I was glued to the wall with my own nervous sweat. I couldn't connect the dots; much less hear what they were saying anymore, if anything at all. My brain processed nothing, just repeated over and over, "It's him. HIM. You need to leave. You need to get out of here." But my legs wouldn't listen, not after I commanded them, begged and even reasoned with them. They wouldn't move and I began to panic.

"She's here. I can smell her." The mysterious monster growled, in the same vicious that on the rare occasion I allow myself to be alone I hear ringing over and over and over and over again in my mind.

"Bring her to me." Lucius ordered.

Although I couldn't bring my legs to move, as the large figure made the first steps down the staircase, I did have a sense of mind to hold my breath and keep very still. My eyes trained on his shadow-hidden face. My mind cursed my failing feet, as he approached closer, sniffing the air wildly.

"I know you're here, girly." He whispered. "I can smell your—"He paused to sniff the air dramatically. "Intoxicating fear."

Two steps away from knocking into me, his face caught the light and what an ugly face it was. Tufts of wiry, scraggly hair coated his dirty leather face, and his foaming mouth of disintegrating jagged shards of rock was turned into a grimace. I could not contain my responding gasp to seeing that the possible face of death was that incredibly terrifying.

It was a bad move.

"Gotcha," He snarled, lunging forward-

…. into nothing.

I was rolling on the floor clutching my soon-to-be-shredded sides, howling in terror for several moments before I realized I was fully intact and on a carpeted floor. I chanced a peek from my left eye—no monster, or regular human being in sight.

Instead of the top of the Astronomy tower stairway, I was sitting in an empty dormitory. A scan around the room told me it was the Gryffindor sixth year boys', and no one was home.

I sat on the floor for several minutes trying to catch my breath and come up with a course of action. I knew I should go get Dumbledore and tell him about the intruders in the castle, but I truly did not believe I could make it on my own at the moment. My legs had failed me once again and failed me once more as they began to quake.

My mind had not failed me and I had to remember that. I was here and I was safe…somehow. For the first time in twenty minutes, I contemplated how I came to be that way.

The only explanation I could think of was apparation, and I knew that I certainly hadn't managed that. It didn't fit anyway because there was no jerking or spinning sensation. Charlie Weasley told me there was definitively a spinning sensation at first, when I had asked him my first summer at the burrow. I had a fascination with the idea of being in a place one moment and somewhere entirely different next. Besides, Charlie had a way of explaining things that made you fully understand what he was saying but didn't make you feel stupid for asking so many questions. If he didn't feel the need to surround himself with dragons instead of people, he would have made an excellent teacher.

That wasn't really the point.

The point was that I did not apparate or use my wand at all, and yet I was still here. And I had to get to Dumbledore, although that man and Lucius were more than certainly gone by now if they had any sense at all.

I needed George.

I needed him now, and I called for him the only way I could. Loudly and in my head.

"I need you."

The voice stopped George Weasley dead in his tracks.

"I need you!"

"Drella?" He muttered, looking around the woods, frantically searching for the source of her voice.

"George?" Fred asked, sensing the change in his twin, always extra aware of his feelings.

"Where are you? I need you now!"

"Where are you?" George asked, looking every which way as he started to walk impossibly fast speeds back to the castle.

"George? George, what's going on? What's wrong?" Fred insisted, trying to keep up with his now running brother.'

"George!"

"Drella? Drella? Where are you?!" George called out, now at a full sprint once the forest was no longer there to slow him down.

"George, come to me."

"Dammit, Drella! Where are you?!" He growled in his mind as he burst through the back entrance of the school.

"In your room." Her voice whispered and that was all he needed. He didn't wait for Fred. He didn't even think about Fred. All he thought about was how his feet were not carrying him up the stairs fast enough, even as he was taking them in fours. He repeated in his mind the entire way, "I'm coming, I'm coming. Don't worry, I'm coming!"

"He's coming," I whispered to myself as I rocked back and forth on the floor, holding my legs to my chest. I wasn't sure how I was reduced to such a quivering wreck, but I know it happened instantly. The moment I started calling George, I was back in the forest, tied to a tree, seeing the end of my life.

I couldn't breathe.

I mean, I knew I could breathe because I was gasping for air, but I couldn't draw it in fast enough. I was losing control.

I heard the rustling over the jagged intake that was my own breathing. Until then my eyes had been closed to will back the tears, and when I peeled them open the panic attacking my lungs only worsened.

It wouldn't stop.

The more freaked out I got, the harder my breath became. In, out. In, out. In, out, in, out, in, out so viciously my lungs ached and I was no longer rocking back and forth as much as being pushed and pulled through the air by the force of my own breathing.

I couldn't stop it.

My panic was gaining power. It began to hurtle heavier objects toward my face until I exhaled just in time, every time. Now quills, inkwells, socks, ties, and even Fred's belt were soaring in the air. I knew I was making it happen, but I didn't know how and I don't know how to stop. The room and all the objects in it were controlled by me and I was uncontrollable.

I couldn't even call for George anymore. All I could think about were the tears falling from my eyes just to smack me in my face. I couldn't believe how stupid I have been or even how stupid I was being now. I was supposed to be something with power someone who inspired equal awe and fear, yet here I was, on the floor, getting bitch slapped by my own tears.

I could have died tonight, again by the hands of my own damn stupidity and meddling instincts, and no one would have ever known what happened to me. It would have been over just as it was beginning. At that thought, my lungs went into overdrive, sucking all the air and loose debris toward me, but never enough to hit me, just enough to make me jump each time and send more ice shard tears shattering on my cheeks.

It was like a horizontal cutting tornado and if it wasn't so frightening, it would have been hilarious. But I was still sobbing and the horrible man was laughing in my face repeatedly as a horribly distorted hallucination of Lucius Malfoy's words rang in my ears, louder than the sound of my wind.

I wasn't sure if my mind, lungs, or heart would go first, but I was certain one of them would collapse any second now. My body couldn't support the stress anymore; I was killing myself with every breath. And just as a book was being hurled at my head and I didn't think I could hand it any longer, it all stopped.

George was here.

Before I could even process that he was there, he had engulfed me in an embrace so fierce he knocked the air back into my lungs.

I could breathe again.

Everything fell to the floor in a loud unison as George held me, smoothing my hair as he said, "Shhhh! It's all right. I'm here. You're okay now. I'm here." He punctuated his coos with kisses.

I was just calming down when Fred burst through the door, hands falling to his knees, panting between each word, "What. Is. Going. On."

"Drella?" George finally pulled away from me, so he could take my chin into his palm, tilting my face to look me in eyes.

"Malfoy." I said, giving up before a reason to fight could even be imagined. I was beyond exhausted.

"Malfoy? I'll bloody wring his neck!" Fred cussed, fury bringing back his breathe as well as passion.

"Lucius and Draco." I added, afraid of the consequences before adding. "And that man." I couldn't hold back a shudder, and I noticed my grip on George tightened and I couldn't tell if it was only me pulling the other in closer.

"'That man'? Drella, you're not talking about—?" George asked, voice raising a few octaves, as he couldn't even bring himself to mention the incident.

I couldn't speak; all I could do was nod in the affirmative and bury my face in George's shoulder, which I could feel tensing by the second.

"She doesn't mean-?" Fred began to ask before George shut him up with a whack to the shoulder.

"Shh, shh." George whispered, pressing kisses against my hair, "You're okay. You're safe."

It took a second for the words to set in before I could actually feel them but when they did they cleared my mind. I wanted to chide myself for being so emotional when there were more important things to be doing, but there was no time. Those important things still needed to be done.

"Dumbledore," I said, breaking the silence. "We need to go talk to Dumbledore."