Hey y'all before we start just wanted to say thanks to everyone who is still reading this long freaking story!! I'm very grateful for all my followers and readers who continually vote and comment. So this chapter has a few POV changes but I figured you guys wouldn't mind the first one 😘 seeing as we haven't heard from him in a hot minute. Anyways that's it I hope y'all enjoy. 💛

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Draco's POV

"What happened to only just that once?"

"We both know I'm a terrible liar."

Her lips were warm and soft.  They parted slightly, allowing my tongue to slip inside. Our bodies pressed together heatedly against the wall, breathing heavily as her arms grip my shirt pulling me closer.  I could taste our shared breath, feel the thud of our combined heartbeat as we fumbled over to the bed.

CRASH

Peeling away from the kiss, I peek over to see the desk chair laying on its side along with papers now flown everywhere across the floor.

"Oops..."

I watch as she giggles lightly, eyes still closed while she wore a huge grin. My heart skips a beat as I stare in complete awe at the beautiful masterpiece that was Karina Grey. I loved this girl. I would always love her. I don't think I could ever stop.

"You're so clumsy."

"Oh no love I don't think so. I believe that was your fault."

Slowly her eyes open to reveal her glimmering hazel eyes as she smiles softly, "Oh really?"

"Yes really... Karina love I'm sorry to tell you but you've got two left feet. I would know I've danced with you many times."

"You're quite the comedian Dray... dance with me..."

I chuckle grabbing her hands already getting in the position to waltz around the small room, "Right here? Right now?"

"Right here... right now is all we have Dray. So why not make the most of it."

Nodding I intertwine my fingers with hers as her feee hand lays on my shoulder. Pulling her closer she lays her head on my chest as we slowly spin around forgetting everything that was happening around us at the moment.

Slowly Karina lifts her head up and looks deeply into my eyes, showing nothing but the honest truth... fear.

"Dray I don't know what to do..."

My hands leave hers as they move to the side of her face. I could feel the soft tickle of her breath beneath my nose, fingers carding through her hair as we breathed each other in.

"I don't kn- I j-just don't understand why he would want me so bad. What use am I?"

The Dark Lord had gotten into her head. He ruined everything that Karina had worked on. Ruined her.

"I don't know love. But I'm not going anywhere. No matter how much you push me away I'll just keep coming back. Every single time."

"I don't want you to get hurt. Not you or your mom. If anything happened I couldn't live with myself."

"Nothing will happen."

"I keep seeing it... I feel it... I wake up screaming and clawing my arms like it's actually happening at that moment. I don't know why he wants me to join him so bad..."

"It'll all be okay. I'm gonna keep you safe. I promise."

...

Karina's POV

"Ah!!!!"

"Karina!"

Sitting up I try to catch my breath as my heart beats frantically. Pansy sits beside me looking at me with pity. She knew how hard it was for me. Every night I would wake up with night terrors.

Tonight I saw HIM.

The Dark Lord.

It was the same as the last time but this time I saw him. It was like I was sitting right in front of him. He wanted to break me. Just like he did to my mother, as he said. I don't understand why I'm so special. Why he would want someone like me?

"You want some water?"

Shaking my head I wipe my tears away and try to smile lightly, "No thank you Pan. Sorry for waking you up again. You know what it's probably best if I tell Snape that I need to room by myself. I don't want to disrupt your sleep anymore-"

"Oh shush you. I don't care about that. I care about you. I worry about you Ari."

I shrug whispering as my eyes start to tear up, "There's nothing I can do to fix them. It's inevitable. Everything I saw happened. And everything I see now will happen."

Pansy sits cross cross while grabbing my hand and squeezing it gently, "Don't say that and don't give up now. You're not a quitter. You're Karina freaking Grey. The girl that I look up to. You're so strong and so courageous and you don't even know it."

"Yeah right."

"Just because you show your emotions doesn't mean you're a wimp Ari. You're going through hell and still hold your head up high every single day. Not only that but you look great while doing it."

We both chuckle making me smile. I look up and let out a huff of breath before pulling Pansy into a hug.

"What would I do without you and Draco."

Pansy rolls her eyes, "Be a gryfinndork."

...

3rd Person's POV

Karina scans the books as her finger trails across the spine of the row on the bookshelf. She had spent two hours in the library trying to find out anything about her family's history. Of course there was many things about her mother and father. Even her grandmother. But her grandfather had no name and no face. It's like he didn't exist.

Huffing Karina crosses her arms and slides down the bookshelf with her back to the books. She plops onto the floor then pulls her tote bag over to her shoving a book into it for later. Picking up an old family tree poster that she took from her Gran's attic when she found pictures of her mother and Snape, Karina slowly runs her finger along the edges. It's not the first time she had seen it. She remembered seeing this exact thing on a tapestry in Sirius' home. Of course her grandfather's place was blank. Looking down at the poster as she slowly picks at the edge e notices that it was starting to peel. Gasping Karina slowly picks at the page and then peels the film that covered the top.

Now revealed was a much more elaborate family tree with names, dates, and pictures for every person. Why had it been covered?

Biting her lip she takes her pointer finger and drags it over to her name. Sliding up her finger trembles as it passes her mother and father. Up a tiny bit higher she sees her gran and right beside her was the answer to her troubles.

...

Slamming the door open to the dungeon, Karina storms into Snape's empty class. She hurries right up to his desk as he look up in wonder and shock. Slamming the poster down onto his desk she backs away crossing her arms over her chest.

"Did you know?"

Silence.

"Did you?"

Snape sighs, "Karina..."

"It's a simple no I was oblivious. Or yes I've been lying to you and keeping secrets this entire time."

"Karin-"

"So you know why he wants me... why he is so bent on having me on his side..."

"Yes I did. I didn't intend for you to find out until absolutely necessary."

"And when would that be? When I'm on my death bed? When I'm seconds from my last breath?"

"It was to keep you safe."

"I'll never be safe! I'm his blood! He's my family. He will never stop looking for me. And the fact that I'm the second seer in my family... same as my own mother... I'll always be hunted."

"Karina your mother thought it would be best to keep it hush. If word got out about you, then people would fear you and try to not only use you but kill you."

"How? How is he..."

Snape sighs, "Your grandfather Tom Sir was married but the marriage was failed. It was not as loving and perfect as they wanted everyone to believe. Your grandmother had lost her first husband due to war and she met Tom almost five years later. They never got married because of his current marriage-"

"So my gran was his dirty little secret? Grandfather of year award goes to..."

"Karina..."

"Sorry continue."

"Your mother was born. Her father was Tom Sir and mother was Raine. Tom Riddle had already been born years before your mother came into the picture. Your grandfather paid Raine to keep it a secret and would send money to take care of your mother. Your mother grew up with no father or siblings to her knowledge. When Tom Riddle became the Dark Lord he found out that he had a half sister. And because she was his blood and because Raine was so deep in her ways, your mother became part of the dark side to her dismay. She tried to fight it and tried to leave but the Dark Lord would threaten anything that brought her happiness. Then you came along. And your mother knew of the great power you held. She wanted nothing more than to hide you and keep you a secret. She didn't want you to turn out like her. Trapped."

"So I'm meant to be evil..."

Tears start to fall down her face as she slowly back away to the door of the dungeon.

"I'm meant to be part of the dark side? All this time I've been remembering seeing my mom telling me not to be like them... now I know what she truly meant. My gran raised my mother to be on the dark side. That backfired for both of them. Now the past is coming to bite me in the arse. All because of a side I was born into. That's not my fault. I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask for any of this. I don't know what to do."

"Live."

Karina's head slowly lifts up to see Snape stand up from his desk and make his way over to her.

"Don't give up just because you learned about what side you were born into. That's not who you are. You know who you are. Fight. Fight for something Karina. You're a Slytherin. You don't just tuck your tail and give up. He hasn't found you yet. He doesn't know where you are. If you give up then your mother, my best friend died for nothing. I don't know about you but I'd rather remember her as a mother who loved her child and did what she had to do to keep her safe. A mother who yes was on the dark side but still fought even when times were tough. A woman who knew what family she was born into but didn't let it define who she was and what she stood for... So I ask you Karina... what do you stand for?"

...

Karina's POV

On a wild, blustery evening at the end of September, I sat with the golden trio in the library, looking up potion ingredients for Snape.

"I was wondering," Hermione said suddenly making Ron snap his head over to her in worry.

I lift my eyes slowly from the top of my book already knowing where this conversation was going. Giving Hermione a warning stare she nods then takes a deep breath.

She had to tread carefully with this subject. Lately Harry's temper was on a small string.

"I was just thinking about whether you'd thought any more about Defense Against the Dark Arts, Harry."

"'Course I have," Harry replied grumpily. "Can't forget it, can we, with that hag teaching us —"

I snort out a chuckle shaking my head.

Hermione huffs, "I meant the idea Ron and I had-"

Ron cast her an alarmed, threatening kind of look making her frown at him.

"Oh, all right, the idea I had, then- about you teaching us."

Harry did not answer at once. He pretended to be perusing a page of Asiatic Anti-Venoms. I knew what was running through his mind. He had come to me many times in the past few days asking whether I thought Hermione's idea was good or just plain insane. But what he didn't realize is that he had already made up his mind. I saw him writing down lessons, planning the best spells if they were to encounter Death Eaters and other dark creatures. He wasn't fooling me.

"Well," he says slowly.

Rolling my eyes I slam my book closed and nudge his arm, "Oh just come out with it already Harold."

Groaning Harry nods, "yeah, I — I've thought about it a bit."

"And?" Hermione sits up in her seat straight looking at him eagerly.

"I dunno."

"I thought it was a good idea from the start," Ron shrugs with a light smile.

Harry shifts uncomfortably in his chair.

"You did listen to what I said about a load of it being luck, didn't you?"

"Yes, Harry," Hermione sighs gently, "but all the same, there's no point pretending that you're not good at Defense Against the Dark Arts, because you are. You were the only person last year who could throw off the Imperius Curse completely-"

"Mhmm..."

Hermione rolls her eyes with a small grin, "Sorry Karina as well... Harry you can produce a Patronus..."

Harry bites the inside of his cheek, "So can Karina."

I scoff turning to Harry slightly, "Don't bring Karina into this. Karina has already made up her mind."

Hermione continues, "You can do all sorts of stuff that full-grown wizards can't, Viktor always said —"

Ron looked around at her so fast he appeared to crick his neck; rubbing it, he said, "Yeah? What did Vicky say?"

I frown confused at why Ron was jealous, "Vicky?"

"Ho ho," said Hermione in a bored voice. "He said Harry knew how to do stuff even he didn't, and he was in the final year at Durmstrang."

Ron was looking at Hermione suspiciously, "You're not still in contact with him, are you?"

"So what if I am?" said Hermione coolly, though her face was a little pink, "I can have a pen pal if I —"

"He didn't only want to be your pen pal," Rom replied accusingly.

Hermione shook her head exasperatedly and, ignoring Ron, who was continuing to watch her. I reach across the table and flick Ron on the forehead.

"Ouch! What was that for?"

"For being a jealous blubbering idiot."

Ron pouts, "I'm not jealous."

Raising an eyebrow I stare at him knowingly, "Yes and I'm the Queen of England."

Hermione shakes her head at the two of us and turns back to Harry who was still quiet as can be, "Well, what do you think? Will you teach us?"

"Just you and Ron, yeah?"

"Well," said Hermione, now looking a mite anxious again. "Well... now, don't fly off the handle again, Harry, please... But I really think you ought to teach anyone who wants to learn. I mean, we're talking about defending ourselves against V-Voldemort — oh, don't be pathetic, Ron — it doesn't seem fair if we don't offer the chance to other people."

Harry considered this for a moment, then said, "Yeah, but I doubt anyone except you two would want to be taught by me. I'm a nutter, remember?"

"Well, I think you might be surprised how many people would be interested in hearing what you've got to say," said Hermione seriously, "Look, you know the first weekend in October's a Hogsmeade weekend? How would it be if we tell anyone who's interested to meet us in the village and we can talk it over?"

"Why do we have to do it outside school?" said Ron.

Groaning at the fool I sit back in my chair with my arms crossed, "You idiot. Obviously we can't do spells on school grounds with the pink sweater slithering around, now can we?"

Hermione nods agreeing with me, "I don't think Umbridge would be very happy if she found out what we were up to."

...

3rd Person's POV

"So who did you say is supposed to be meeting us?" Harry asked, wrenching open the rusty top of his butterbeer and taking a swig.

"Just a couple of people," Hermione repeated, checking her watch and then looking anxiously toward the door. "I told them to be here about now and I'm sure they all know where it is- oh look, this
might be them now —"

The door of the pub had opened. A thick band of dusty sunlight split the room in two for a moment and then vanished, blocked by the incoming rush of a crowd of people.

First came Neville with Dean and Lavender, who were closely followed by Parvati and Padma Patil with Cho and one of her usually giggling girlfriends. Looking around dreamily Luna Lovegood skips inside; then Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, and Angelina Johnson, Colin and Dennis Creevey, Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch- Fletchley, Hannah Abbott, and a Hufflepuff girl with a long plait down her back whose name Harry did not know.

Three Ravenclaw boys he was pretty sure were called Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner, and Terry Boot; Ginny, followed by a tall skinny blond boy with an upturned nose whom Harry recognized vaguely as being a member of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, and bringing up the rear, Fred and George Weasley with their friend Lee Jordan, all three of whom were carrying large paper bags crammed with Zonko's merchandise.

"A couple of people?" said Harry hoarsely to Hermione, "A couple of people?"

"Yes, well, the idea seemed quite popular," said Hermione happily, "Ron, do you want to pull up some more chairs?"

The barman had frozen in the act of wiping out a glass with a rag so filthy it looked as though it had never been washed. Possibly he had never seen his pub so full.

"Hi," said Fred, reaching the bar first and counting his companions quickly. "Could we have... twenty-six butter beers, please?"

The barman glared at him for a moment, then, throwing down his rag irritably as though he had been interrupted in something very important, he started passing up dusty butterbeers from under the bar.

"Cheers," said Fred, handing them out. "Cough up, everyone, I haven't got enough gold for all of these..."

Harry watched numbly as the large chattering group took their beers from Fred and rummaged in their robes to find coins. He could not imagine what all these people had turned up for until the horrible thought occurred to him that they might be expecting some kind of speech, at which he rounded on Hermione.

"What have you been telling people?" he said in a low voice. "What are they expecting?"

"I've told you, they just want to hear what you've got to say," said Hermione soothingly; but Harry continued to look at her so furiously that she added quickly, "You don't have to do anything yet, I'll speak to them first."

"Hi, Harry," said Neville, beaming and taking a seat opposite Harry.

Harry tried to smile back, but did not speak; his mouth was exceptionally dry. Cho had just smiled at him and sat down on Ron's right. Her friend, who had curly reddish-blonde hair, did not smile, but gave Harry a thoroughly mistrustful look that told Harry plainly that, given her way, she would not be here at all.

In twos and threes the new arrivals settled around Harry, Ron, and Hermione, some looking rather excited, others curious, Luna Lovegood gazing into space. When everybody had pulled up a chair, the chatter died out. Every eye was upon Harry.

"Er," said Hermione, her voice slightly higher than usual out of nerves. "Well — er — hi."

The group focused its attention on her instead, though eyes continued to dart back regularly to Harry.

"Well... erm... well, you know why you're here. Erm... well, Harry here had the idea... I mean-"

Harry had thrown her a sharp look.

"I had the idea— that it might be good if people who wanted to study Defense Against the Dark Arts, and I mean, really study it, you know, not the rubbish that Umbridge is doing with us..." Hermione's voice became suddenly much stronger and more confident, "because nobody could call that Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Hear, hear," said Anthony Goldstein, and Hermione looked heartened.

"Yes well, I thought it would be good if we, well, took matters into our own hands." She paused, looked sideways at Harry, and went on, "And by that I mean learning how to defend ourselves properly, not just theory but the real spells —"

"You want to pass your Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. too though, I bet?" said Michael Corner.

"Of course I do," said Hermione at once. "But I want more than that, I want to be properly trained in Defense because... because..." She took a great breath and finished, "Because Lord Voldemort's back."

The reaction was immediate and predictable. Cho's friend shrieked and slopped butterbeer down herself, Terry Boot gave a kind of involuntary twitch, Padma Patil shuddered, and Neville gave an odd yelp that he managed to turn into a cough. All of them, however, looked fixedly, even eagerly, at Harry.

"Well... that's the plan anyway," said Hermione. "If you want to join us, we need to decide how we're going to-"

"Where's the proof You-Know-Who's back?" said the blond Hufflepuff player in a rather aggressive voice.

"Well, Dumbledore believes it —" Hermione began.

"You mean, Dumbledore believes him," said the blond boy, nodding at Harry.

"Who are you?" said Ron rather rudely.

"Zacharias Smith," said the boy, "and I think we've got the right to know exactly what makes him say You-Know-Who's back."

"Look," said Hermione, intervening swiftly, "that's really not what this meeting was supposed to be about—"

"It's okay, Hermione," said Harry.

It had just dawned upon him why there were so many people there. He felt that Hermione should have seen this coming. Some of these people— maybe even most of them— had turned up in the hope of hearing Harry's story firsthand.

"What makes me say You-Know-Who's back?" he asked, looking Zacharias straight in the face. "I saw him. But Dumbledore told the whole school what happened last year, and if you didn't believe him,
you don't believe me, and I'm not wasting an afternoon trying to convince anyone."

"I'm just trying to figure out what makes you so special."

Ron glares, "You know what if you've got an issue with Harry-"

"Then you can leave."

Everyone freezes hearing a familiar voice that they didn't think would ever step foot around the likes of them. Well everyone but the golden trio and the twins of course.

Karina walks through the entrance and lets the door slam as she continues towards Zachariah.

"No one said you had to be here. No one said you had to believe Harry. But if you're going to be an arse and cause problems for anyone who actually does want Harry's help, then you can let the door hit you on the way out. Or better yet I can throw you out."

Zachariah sits up straight trying not to show fear as Karina stands in front of him glaring with hatred. The Slytherin girl knew how to threaten people.

Fred and George chuckle making Karina glance up at them and wave.

"Hello twinsies. Nice to see you again."

"Likewise." They reply.

"What are you doing here?" Justin Finch stutters.

Karina smiles but still leaves everyone unnerved. No one knew what made the girl blow but they knew what made her tick.

"Helping you all. With Harold's experience and my smarts I'm sure we can turn you guys into a... decent squad."

No one says anything. They were too in shock that a Slytherin was actually helping.

Although Lee Jordan was the one daring soul who had to ask the question that everyone knew would make Karina upset.

"Aren't you supposed to be on his side? No offense but I mean your parents were Death Eaters..."

Breathing in deeply Karina tilts her head to the side still a smile on her face. Honestly it scared the crap out of Neville, literally.

"I'm my own person. I'm not my mother or father. I'm not my grandmother. I'm Karina freaking Grey. I may be a Slytherin but I know right from wrong. Like Professor Trewlaney, I can see things. Many things I've never in my life thought was possible. I've seen my entire family's deaths played out right before my eyes like some sort of movie. And when the time comes I'm sure I'll be able to see my own death. I saw what happened to Cedric and I couldn't do anything to stop it. Now I can with you all. I am here to help and if you've got a problem with that then there's the door. And if you've got a problem with me... I will turn you into a toad and then throw you into the lake. I'm here to stay whether you like it or not. I'm not here to be your friend. I'm here to help you survive. So now that that's out of the way... anyone else brave enough to ask me something about my family or my intentions?"

Silence.

"No other questions? Are you sure?"

Everyone shakes their head hastily as Hermione slaps her forehead. The girl would make them all run away before they learned one spell.

"You all scared?"

Everyone nods.

"Good. Let's get started."

𝐘𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐬𝐬𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝗼𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞!! 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝗼𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐧 𝐭𝗼 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝗼𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.

𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝗼𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝗼 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝗼𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝗼𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐧𝗼𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝗼𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝗺𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠.

𝐇𝗼𝐰 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝗼𝐮𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝗼𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝗼𝐧?

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝗼𝐮𝐭? 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝?

𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝗼𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐀𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝗼𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝗼 𝐬𝐞𝐞.