The Slytherin-Gryffindor quidditch game found Evanna in the Restricted Section of the library, researching to find ways into Dumbledore's office that he may not catch her immediately. Of course, her mind kept floating to her brother's response, rather, his lack of response. Evanna had not expected Draco to write immediately, but certainly within a fortnight. And with Draco back in the country, perhaps Evanna might gain an audience with the Headmaster and with an audience with the Headmaster….

She still was not the better duelist. Maybe one day, with the training she was receiving from her father, but for all her power, Evanna was not even of age yet. Dumbledore had a century of power within him, even her father….

Even her father was afraid of Dumbledore.

Her father was terrified of the man-everyone knew it-but he had assigned his heir to be Dumbledore's assassin. The man who was supposed to have been her savior from Lucius was sending her out like a lamb to be slaughtered while he stayed perfectly safe behind the walls of Malfoy Manor. And she was no longer the same terrified girl he presented to the Death Eaters; no, she had seen more, done more. She had fallen in love with the teenage boy her father wanted to kill.

Merlin, she was in a mess.

As the hour grew later, the library remained empty. Presumably, the game was over, but on a Friday evening students would be going to celebrate the winner or commiserate with the losers, not finding study time. Evanna found herself grateful to be away from it; though she had gained more control over her powers through the years, post quidditch the Common Room was always a headache.

Why should she be here, researching to kill a man she had no hope of killing? She was still young, even with the headache her powers may bring, she ought to be celebrating her youth with her Housemates, sneaking chocolates from the kitchen, or finding sweet stolen moments with her boyfriend. Perhaps it would be better to allow her father to enact his wrath when he grew tired of how long she was taking, and simply enjoy life until then… There was little hope of her survival. Narcissa had been hidden away from a dangerous man before, surely she could hide again…

"I saw you all alone on the map," a voice came from behind. Evanna jumped, turning to see Harry, still in his quidditch uniform. Any other time, she might have chastised him for approaching her, but she was tired of it all.

"And? Who won?" she asked. Harry gave her a cheeky little grin and held his hand open to reveal a Golden Snitch. Evanna rolled her eyes and turned back to her book dramatically.

"What? No congratulations?"

"I am a Slytherin, Harry, in every sense of the word," Evanna grumbled. Despite her annoyance (for she could not help her loyalty to the silver and green), Evanna found it quite difficult to tear her eyes from the way Harry looked in his quidditch leathers. From the smirk on his face, Harry did not need to be a mind reader to know what was going through her mind.

"Like what you see?"

"I am merely perplexed as to why anyone would willingly wear red and gold. It is garish."

"I think you would look lovely in my red and gold," Harry said, his eyes dark in a way she had not seen before. Something swooped low in Evanna's stomach. She coughed, trying to dislodge the sudden tightness in her throat.

"Oh? And what makes you think I would ever do such a thing?" she said lightly. Harry took a step towards her, grabbing her book and tossing it over his shoulder. It thunked softly on the rug. Harry leaned closer to her and Evanna was not able to resist being the first to reach up and press her lips tightly to his. He had become so confident with her, his fingers trailing from her face to her neck, her robe slipping from her shoulder as she pressed her hands to the hard muscle beneath his quidditch leathers. If only she could spend every moment lost in Harry's kiss, she might forget the rest of the world even existed…

"Oh, Merlin!"

Harry all but leapt away from Evanna. Her heart pounded in her throat as her mind whirled with how she might get out of this, how she might hide her mistakes, when she finally registered the bright red hair and freckled skin. This was even worse than she had feared.

Ginny.

"Gin, don't-"

"Don't 'Gin' me, Harry James Potter, not when you're snogging a Death Eater!"

"I am not a Death Eater-"

"And you!" Ginny rounded on Evanna and almost at the same moment, both former best friends had their wands pointed at one another.

"I would put the wand down, Ginevra," Evanna said mildly even as her heart pounded in her ears.

"Not helping, Ev," Harry muttered. No matter how attractive that was. Evanna smirked at the thought that was clear as day from her boyfriend.

"And what exactly do you plan to do, Malfoy?" Ginny hissed. Evanna saw it in her eyes a millisecond before she began to say the spell. "Vola-"

Just as her father had taught her, Evanna reacted silently and ruthlessly, whipping her wand in a complicated motion that had Ginny wrapped in invisible ropes from her ankles to her mouth, lifting her slightly in the air. Muffled grumbles came from Evanna's former best friend as she struggled against her bonds. Harry stepped between them, green eyes wide.

"Ev, love," he said in a low voice that funny things to her stomach as they came from his kiss-swollen lips. "Please put her down."

"She tried to hex me," Evanna said darkly. "I do not take kindly to being attacked, especially when I have done nothing wrong."

"I don't like it either, but still," Harry pleaded. "She was your friend once. Beyond that, we are bound to get caught if we don't explain things to her."

"I am plenty capable of erasing her memory," Evanna growled, hoisting her wand higher. Ginny scowled at her, beginning a jabbing motion with her wand that Harry stepped in front of.

"Ginny! She is not a Death Eater!"

"Have you checked her arm lately-she's been awful covered up-"

"I wear the Hogwarts uni-"

"I've seen a lot more than-"

"Potter!" Evanna growled. Harry had the audacity to smirk even as Evanna felt her face flush crimson.

"She doesn't agree with her father, Ginny," Harry said. Evanna froze as Ginny scoffed.

Harry, what the hell? Evanna pushed the thought in his direction.

Do you trust me?

Evanna had so rarely trusted anyone. So few had told her the truth about the most important things, and more had hurt her in unspeakable ways. But, Harry? He was honest to a fault, and so kind even when he had more reason than most to loathe her.

Always. But don't do anything rash.

I would never. Honest and kind, but not self aware evidently.

"She killed her father, Potter, but that given it was with Voldemort's blessing, so I fail to see your point," Ginny scoffed.

"You don't have the full story, Gin," Harry gave Evanna a meaningful look.

If you're wrong about this, Harry….

She could be what you need to break out on your own, make a difference, he thought back to her. She could be how we survive this, Ev. It can't just be us against the world.

Weasleys are not known for subtlety, Harry. I could wind up in Azkaban instead. Or worse.

If it seems to go that way, Obliviate her.

"I question more every day why you weren't in Slytherin, Potter," Evanna grumbled, finally lowering her her wand, though she did not sheathe it. "Lucius Malfoy was not my father, Ginny."

Ginny's eyes went wide as she took in Evanna, looking her up and down. "The rumors are true? Professor Snape-"

Harry snorted. "I'd never get to leave detention if that was true. I'd probably be poisoned."

"You say that as if you aren't being actively hunted by my father as it is," Evanna replied, rolling her eyes while monitoring Ginny's reaction carefully.

"No offense, Ev, but as it stands, I am beating your father zero to-" Harry began sticking out fingers because apparently her boyfriend was enough of an idiot to count the number of times he had escaped death while they were flirting with it actively.

Ginny's eyes went wide. "You're his heir. Voldemort's. That's why you didn't join us-"

"She did," Harry cut Ginny off, his tone all of a sudden deadly serious. "She saved Sirius, but no one could know. She's the same Evanna we've always known."

Evanna was not so sure of that. She was a murderer. She had lead murderers, freed them from their prison. She was plotting the death of the one wizard who could truly stand against her father.

"Why didn't you-"

"Tell you?" Evanna snorted. "Why would I tell anyone? I'm in Dumbledore's school. He ignored Lucius abusing me for years. And there is no family more loyal to Dumbledore than the Weasleys."

Ginny winced.

"My father is who he is," Evanna said. "It's true the Wizarding World needs to change, desperately, but the way he goes about it…. I feel like either side is ready to kill me at any moment."

Harry's hand slid into her own and squeezed it tightly.

Bloody over my dead body. Ice coated Evanna's heart.

Don't even think that, Harry.

Ginny's eyes were locked on Evanna and Harry's hands. Then she did something entirely unexpected.

She smacked Harry in the head.

"Oi!"

"And you're dating her?" Ginny shrieked. "Damnit, Harry, your whole thing is being self-sacrificial and you're snogging her knowing she will be killed in some horrific way-"

"It's my choice, too!" Evanna said. "You don't get to go half a year without speaking to me-"

Ginny rounded on her. "And you idiot are snogging him in the library where anyone could see and tell your-"

"The Slytherins are loyal to me," Evanna said haughtily.

"Aren't you the one always on about that Slytherin isn't the only House with Death Eaters?" Ginny scoffed. "And we could never have a Death Eater in disguise among the staff-oh, wait-"

"Why do you even care? I thought I was just some coward-"

"Damnit, you've always been my best friend, even when we both are idiots!"

Evanna paused, mouth agape, even as words began to tumble from Ginny's mouth.

"I'm sorry, okay? I was just so hurt and confused and I knew you were keeping secrets and I should have known there was a good reason for it, especially after everything you've been through, and you bloody saved my life second year and you've always been a better friend to me than I have to you-"

"That's not true, I lied to you for over a year about who I am-"

"You were scared-I can't imagine finding out something like that-"

"But I've known you since first year! I should have known that you would never-"

"I wouldn't! But it's okay-you told me now-"

"I'm so sorry-"

"No, I'm so sorry-"

Somehow, the girls had turned into a crying heap, holding onto one another in the barrage of apologies while Harry watched in utter confusion.

"Er-I'm happy you're happy and all-but we are still in the library and this is not exactly the most private spot-"

The girls slowly gathered themselves, wiping noses and eyes and helping each other up. Ginny held onto Evanna tightly still, as though everything might come crumbling down again if she let go.

"So what is the plan?" Ginny said after a moment. "There is a plan, right?"

Evanna and Harry exchanged glances.

"Not to die?" Harry said.

Ginny huffed. "I'm ignoring you. Evanna?"

"I don't know-"

"You aren't some sadist trying to take over the Wizarding World, yes?" Ginny said. "But I know you-you won't help Dumbledore. So, what is the plan?"

"There isn't one," Evanna said quickly. Too quickly, because Ginny raised an eyebrow. Evanna's shoulders slumped and she knew it was time. "But there is a prophecy. Another prophecy."

Both Gryffindors gave her identical looks of shock.