Author's note: Hello everyone, I'm sorry there was such a a long break between chapters. I've been busy and having major writer's block. Hopefully I can get back to writing on a regular basis again. Hope you all enjoy!

“No Hermione?”

“She had to run back to her room for something. Where are the others?”

“Crabbe and Goyle are getting a little more practice in, and the girls said they needed to get cleaned up. So will we need to save an extra seat?”

“Not necessary. I'm heading back to the dorms when I'm done eating. I think I've endured enough having to be social for today. So how did the game go?”

“Fair. And weren't you watching?”

“Not enough to pay attention.”

“Well I'm pretty much a shoe-in for the team next year, hopefully as seeker. Pansy has a good chance of making beater if she actually tries out.”

“She hasn't mentioned it.”

“You should try out, too. I've seen you on a broom.”

“It's not really my thing.”

“Well I still say you'd make an excellent chaser.”

“And you're sure the team didn't mind having a Gryffindor spectator?”

“If she were on their house team, maybe. But if the Slytherin Princess wants her friend to join her, who are the rest of us to argue?”

That made both of us chuckle. “You prat.” I said as I pushed him by his shoulder.

“You're being summoned.” Pansy informed me as she plopped down on her bed.

“By?”

“Snape.”

“Uggg. Better get some clothes back on then.”

Pansy chuckled. “Yeah. That's probably best.”

“So his office, then?” I asked as I slipped off my nightdress and pulled on my purple dress from earlier.

“Uh huh.” Pansy was already engrossed in her magazine. “Give your head a shake.”

I did as instructed and felt my hair fall into place.

“Better.” Pansy said, still engrossed in her reading material.

I slipped on my boots and made my way through the common room, into the castle proper, and through the few corridors leading to my destination. The castle was still rather lively, as it always is on a Saturday night in the hours between dinner and curfew. I've become accustomed to feeling like people are staring at me, conversations that stop as I approach, but tonight it seemed amplified. I had an entire entourage half the day, but now, walking alone left me feeling extra vulnerable. Part of me just wanted to hide away and cry but someone gave me another dose of dry eyes at dinner, most likely Pansy but it's hard to say for certain.

Fortunately I didn't have far to travel. The door to Snape's office was closed, so I knocked. It took only a brief moment for the door to open.

Professor Snape was standing, staring out his window, which just like the common room, only showed the darkness that is the Black Lake. He turned his head to glance at me momentarily without turning his body. "Have a seat, Miss Potter.”

I smoothed my dress beneath me as I sat and crossed my right leg over my left. There was a long and awkward silence. “I'm not in trouble, am I, Professor?” I asked.

“No.” There was another pause before he turned around to actually face me. “I understand that you and Miss Bones are no longer together.”

“Ummm. Yes. Since last evening.”

“And your appearance today and your cavalier attitude have some people within the castle worried.”

“Well, this whole outfit and the makeover was courtesy of the girls. And they keep dosing me with a dry eyes potion, so as much as I want to crawl back into my bed and cry, I physically can't.”

“Yes. I've heard as much from Miss Farley.”

There was another awkward pause.

“Umm, Professor, why does my appearance have anyone worried? I mean, I know it's a tad bit on the fancy side, but it's not like no one ever dresses up all fancy.”

“It's not any one thing, but you…” I could tell Professor Snape was having trouble choosing exactly the right thing to say, or maybe he was trying to not say the wrong thing, but either way it only took a moment. “Tell me, Potter, how much do you know about the war?”

It was my turn to be at a momentary loss for words. “Just the basics, I guess. Nobody really talks about it.”

Professor Snape sat down behind his desk before continuing. “There was a woman that attended Hogwarts, she was a seventh year Slytherin during my first year and she was a role model for many of us. She was among the top of her class, she was charismatic, she hailed from a very influential pureblood family, and she was the best duelist many of us had ever seen. After she graduated she joined the Dark Lord and rose to be one of his top generals. Something in her changed during the last years of the war that drove her to commit some of the worst crimes in recent history.”

“And right now I remind people of this person?” I asked, trying my hardest to control my emotions, thankful that my friends took away my body's ability to cry.

“There have been several times through the year, actually, but now you look just like her, just like…”

I whispered the name before he could say it. “Bellatrix…”

Our eyes met in stunned silence, both of us knowing the other has more to say, but neither of us wanting to reveal any more. I, however, wanted to know more more than I wanted to guard my hand.

“Professor, you are the godfather to Draco, so that means you know his parents very well. Does that mean you know Mrs. Mafloys family on a personal level as well?”

I watched the face in front of me go through a gambit of emotions and thoughts, each given away by only the merest of expression. His face finally settled on something that I've seen countless times in class any time someone turns in a sub par potion.

“I doubted the wisdom in that old hat sorting you into Slytherin at first, but you continue to prove how fitting that decision was.”

“I'm glad I didn't disappoint.” My attitude suddenly perked up a bit.

“That wasn't a compliment as much as a word of caution. You are playing a very dangerous game right now, Miss Potter, and some may not be so understanding. Fortunately for you I am in a mood to let you keep your secrets… For now.”

“I understand, Professor. Is there anything else?” I asked as I stood up. Professor Snape was still glaring at me, but I've come to understand this particular state as more akin to concern rather than anger.

“No.” Snape let the word linger on his tongue for a bit longer than was necessary. “You are dismissed.”

Sunday passed by all too quickly, all of my fellow students seemed to have moved on from the topic of my still very recent breakup and back to the topics of reviews, exams, and the much anticipated summer break. I still had not seen Susan at all, not even during any of the meals, but I did spot Hannah leaving the Great Hall with a plate of food when I know she sat down and ate dinner, so at least she's not starving herself. As much as I try being resentful or just not caring, neither of those are possible. A part of me wanted to curl into a ball and cry, but my body simply wouldn't let me. Pansy gave me a knowing look and a bit of a smile when she noticed my conflicted look.

I was sitting on my bed making sure I had everything packed in my bag for class tomorrow when there was a knock on the door, which was open. I looked up to see Gemma standing there, looking concerned.

“Hi Holly, can I come in?”

“Of course. What's up?”

“I overheard something earlier that I think you might want to know.”

I didn't verbally respond, but my brow furled in concern.

“All I heard was third floor and quidditch final. I'm not going to ask and I hope that doesn't mean anything to you, but if it does I just want you to be prepared.”

“And who did you overhear this from?” I asked, trying to hide any emotion from my voice.

“Professor Sprout and a Hufflepuff prefect while I was doing the normal rounds in the greenhouses. They walked off before I could hear anymore.”

“Well, thank you, Gemma. But why are you telling me?”

“I've noticed you sneak out of the dorms on several occasions. And if you were planning anything… I just don't want you getting caught.”

I gave her a weak smile. “Thank you. But I don't think you have anything to worry about there.”

“Of course not. Have a good night.”

“You too.”

“How could she! She knows what this means to me!”

“So we’ll figure out another time to go. We still need to test the flute to make sure it works.”

“Yeah.” I sighed. “I just don't get how everything has fallen apart. I feel like I've been stabbed through the heart by the one person I should have been able to trust the most.”

“Lyra, she had to have a reason. I don't think she wants to hurt you.”

“That's all she's done since Friday, Hermione! All I want to do is cry, but I can't!”

Hermione grabbed both of my hands in hers. “I know. But you can't let yourself be filled with hate.”

“I know. And for the record I'm just hurt and angry. I don't hate Susan, I just wish she would talk to me.”

“She will… eventually.”

“I hope so.”

“Are you ready for class?”

“Yeah… Thank you Hermione.”

Classes were awkward and it was actually a relief to be standing outside the greenhouses by myself. Susan wouldn't even look at me, and none of the other Hufflepuffs wanted to talk to any of us Slytherins. The Gryffindors will choose any reason they can to side against us, so they were all giving us the cold shoulder, except for Hermione, who was nearly ostracized by her house, which in turn made the Ravenclaws stick to themselves completely so as to not take sides in what they probably considered an overreaction on all sides.

I took a deep breath, glad the year is almost over and walked into the greenhouse to begin another week of detention. Professor Sprout seemed glad to have my assistance, even though she didn't really have much for me to do. She gave me a list of tasks to accomplish through the week, which seemed to only be about four or five hours of work in total, and then informed me that the rest of my time with her would only be an hour long study hall session.

I chose to clean the used pots that still had soil in them that never got cleaned after they were used as my first task to complete. There was a large storeroom of them, too many to count. If there is one thing a person doesn't need when they are sad or upset is a never ending amount of repetitive work. My mind wandered all over the place, mainly revolving around Susan and how most of my plans have to change now, which reminds me, I really need to write to Aunt Narcissa and inform her that I no longer have a plus one. Maybe Hermione would like to come? I should probably enquire if that would be a problem before I ask if she wants to accompany me.

I was about three quarters of the way done when I had to take a pee break. It felt good to walk around after being stationary for so long. When I had finished in the loo I decided to save the rest of the cleaning for tomorrow and knock out one of the easy tasks that let me stretch my legs, taking a large amount of fertilizer to Hagrid’s hut. I loaded all of the bags into a large crate and floated it alongside me as I walked. The sky was much darker than it should have been at this time, the sun was just about to set, but it looked like a storm was rolling in.

I watched as all of the students hurried inside the castle as the first thunderclap rolled across the sky and a moment later felt the first drops of rain hit me as I walked along. Hagrid’s hut appeared around the bend before the rain was falling in force, which was good for me, but following another thunderclap, I saw the lights of the cabin brighten and then caught the smell of burning wood. “Uh-oh. This can't be good.”