It was finally time to go back to The Barrier. 

Silver was ecstatic. Silver and her friends stood in front of the train. They walked in. There was an empty compartment near the back, so they stayed there. Leona grunted, putting her bags down. Sophie sat down. 

"Me and mom aren't going anywhere this time, we're just going to celebrate grandpa's 70th birthday! Maybe go on a road trip. I don't know, but I'm excited!"

Alfred smiled. "That's good, I'm staying home. My cousins are coming. You, Leona?" Leona sat down. "I'm going on a trip to, I don't know where." Leona raised her head at Silver. Silver leaned her head on the wall. "I'm staying home, it'll be fun though."

The train finally arrived at the station. Alfred woke Sophie up. Leona snapped up from her book. Silver stretched. 

They all walked out of the train. A lot of people were there already, waiting for their children. Alfred dangled his arms around Leona and Silver. "Owl me bitches." He gave Sophie a hug and ran to his father waiting for him. Silver chuckled, Leona rolled her eyes. They all said goodbye to each other.

Silver glanced around. She saw Tom and the knights talking to each other. She thought about walking up to them, but she chose not to. Why would she anyway?

She tore her gaze away from Tom and walked out of the station.

Silver found an empty spot. She looked around and quickly opened the portal behind a big bush like she did last year. The portal opened and she jumped in.

When Silver saw Neyda and Cassandra, she sighed happily. 

"Silver!!!!" Silver jumped and gave Neyda a big hug. "Fuck, I missed you!" She let go of Neyda and hugged Cassandra. Cassandra laughed. "You did well this year, Silver." Silver smiled sadly. "I messed up a lot too, Myrtle-" Cassandra shushed her. 

"There are some things we just can't change." 

Neyda nodded. She put her arm around Silver and walked with her to their room.

"So, what are we going to do for the next year?" Cass thought for a bit. "Tom's obviously interested in you, so we just continue on from there. We can't really plan things detail by detail because it's 100% not going to go exactly as planned." Neyda snorted. 

"Just fuck him or something." Cass hit Neyda's arm. Neyda still laughed. Silver groaned. "Sometimes, I feel like he likes me, but most times, he just doesn't." Neyda threw a candy in her mouth. "He's in denial I think." 

Silver laughed. "Didn't know I was so desirable."

Neyda threw a candy wrapper at Silver. "You're not." Silver threw it back. Cass rolled her eyes. 

Silver thought for a minute. 

"Wait, if I get him to actually fall in love with me, what's next...?" 

Cassandra smiled sadly. 

"Your memories will be wiped and you'll have to live as Silver Prennington forever."

Neyda gasped. Silver gaped. "Mom, what the fuck!?" Neyda yelled.

Cassandra hid her face in her palms. "I mean, if he's in love with you he'd want you around until you both die right? I mean, someone has to be there to control him on a leash." 

Neyda scoffed. Silver gulped. "That makes me want to fail this shit to be honest." Cassandra sighed. "Tom Riddle is like a river, it will be polluted with trash if there's no barrier. Silver, you are the barrier." Ironic. Silver huffed. "If the barrier leaves, the trash will come back eventually. You can't leave that son of a bitch." Silver raised her eyebrows at Cassandra's language. 

"Uh, cool, can't I just kill him?" 

Cassandra inhaled sharply. "Probably."

Silver nodded.

"Then I'll kill him."

Cassandra gaped. Neyda looked at Silver in disbelief. "Don't tell me you don't have feelings for him at all, because I know you like him!" Neyda shouted. 

Silver rubbed her eyes. "Of course I do.But he's a monster at the same time. I'm sorry but I don't want to stay there forever, being a completely different person." Neyda leaned back on her chair.

Cassandra nodded slowly. "Okay, but you can't kill him right away Silver, you have to wait for him to be completely trusting of you. It'll take a few years maybe, I don't know." Silver shrugged. 

"I'll fucking do it." 

Cass took a deep breath. "Don't try to kill him this year, he does not trust you yet. You'll just die, trust me." 

Silver blinked.

"Sure."

Silver said her goodbyes. She jumped into the portal. 

This year is going to be different. She has to focus on killing him, not to make him fall in love with her. But at the same time, to kill him, he had to trust her. 

Ugh. 

Silver felt miserable. She had to kill Tom Riddle. 

She liked him, she really does.

Silver was on the ground again. 

She walked into Kings Cross and walked into platform 9 ¾ . The train was still as magnificent as ever. She looked around and saw Tom himself. Druella Black was beside him, Lana was walking towards him too. Silver rolled her eyes, she examined him. He got taller and he looks more handsome. 

Silver gulped.

Who is she kidding? She can't kill this bitch. 

Even if he's unconscious right in front of her, she still wouldn't kill him. She can't, she just can't. 

Silver took a deep breath. She felt like crying, she's such a failure. 

She remembered what Cassandra said to her 2 weeks ago.

"Silver." 

Silver looked back at Cassandra. "What?" 

Cassandra smiled sadly. "You don't have to kill him, you know." 

Silver ran her fingers through her hair. "Him falling in love with you or at least, tolerating you, would be easier." 

Silver's eyes watered. "But that means I'll never see you guys again. 

You saved me, Cass." 

Cassandra shrugged. "I can go there, visit you." she joked. 

Silver let the tears roll down her eyes. "But that won't make me myself anymore. I'll have to be a different person forever. No social media, just sadness." She laughed. 

Cassandra's eyes softened. "Do you not remember who you were? You were a little Amelia Hernate." 

Silver froze. "You were her, but here you are. Listen, nothing could change you if you don't let it. You're still Amelia Hernate deep down, nothing had changed." 

Silver looked down. 

"I don't know, I'll think about it." 

She felt herself tearing up again. 

Silver sighed and rubbed her eyes. Could she kill him? Anything could happen, everything could go wrong. 

Silver's hands felt sweaty. She blinked a few times and walked to the train. 

Druella Black caught her eyes. Black scoffed at her. Lana called her over. "Silver!" 

Silver huffed and walked over to them. She caught Tom's eyes.

"How was your summer, Sil?" 

Silver smiled back at Lana. "It was fine." Lana giggled. "Where are your friends?" Silver shrugged. "They're not here yet I think." 

Druella laughed. "Mudbloods are usually late, aren't they?" Silver glared at Druella Black. Lana giggled. "She's just joking, Silver, don't be so sensitive." 

Silver scoffed and walked away. "She's so sensitive isn't she Tom?" she heard Lana say to Tom. Silver turned around. Lana smiled fakely at her and brushed 'dust' off Tom's shoulder. Silver bit her cheek. She looked at Tom. Tom looked annoyed. Silver rolled her eyes and tried to find her friends.

She found Alfred. He's now more handsome than ever. He was handsome before, but he's gorgeous now. Silver gasped. "What happened to you?" Alfred looked alarmed. "What, is there something wrong with my face?" Silver laughed. "You look like one pretty boy." Alfred's cheeks turned pink. Silver crossed her arms. "Oh, Leona would LOVE this." Alfred rolled his eyes and put his arm around Silver's shoulders. They just stood there and looked at everybody. Alfred pointed to the knights gathering together. 

"Look at all those idiots, they always look like they're going to a fucking funeral." Silver snorted. 

"Their heart died."

"BOO!" 

Alfred screamed and Silver jumped. Sophie was laughing like a maniac. Alfred hit Sophie. "Sophie, damn it!" Sophie still laughed. She looked at Alfred and laughed even more. Alfred rubbed his face. "You look SO different!!" Alfred hit Sophie again.

"What are you guys doing!?" 

They all snapped their heads to the voice. Sophie jumped and hugged Leona. "Hellooo!!" Leona laughed. Silver hugged Leona too. Leona looked at Alfred and raised an eyebrow. "Where's my hug, idiot?" Alfred blushed and hugged Leona. Silver had to put her hand on her mouth to contain her laughter.

They all boarded the train.

Sophie was asleep, Leona was knitting, a new hobby she picked up in the summer. Silver sighed and looked at Alfred, he was eating some chocolate. Silver stood up. "I'm going to change into my robes." She grabbed her clothes and went out of her compartment. She bumped into the one and only Abraxas Malfoy. He sneered. Silver blocked him from walking away. She smiled. "How is everything?" Abraxas groaned. "It's none of your fucking business." Silver let out a laugh. "Did you know my birthday was just a month ago? I had some vanilla cake and-" Abraxas shoved her to the ground. "Bitch!" Silver yelled. Abraxas laughed. He leant out his hand to her. "Get the fuck up." Silver took it and huffed.

Silver finished changing and instead of going to her friends, she decided to stop in the knights' compartment. Silver saw Druella. She clenched her jaw. They made eye contact and Silver slid the door open. 

"Hi." 

They all sneered or rolled their eyes. Tom gave her a blank look. Druella on the other hand laughed at her. "There's no more room for you here, fatty." Silver got in anyway. He closed the door and stood there. Tom rolled his eyes. "Tell me about your visions."

Silver completely forgot about this. She thought for a few seconds. "None too important to be honest, I saw you in like... this room, having a meeting. You were already ugly so I'm guessing it's not in the near future. Nose-less idiot." Tom gave Silver a dangerous glare. Silver snorted. "It will be amazing if you take this seriously, Silver, you're as useless as ever." Druella giggled. Silver bit her cheek. Maybe she can kill him, whatever. He had no interest in her, he just hates that Silver isn't in love with him like every other girl.

Silver sighed and sat on the floor. Tom scoffed and glanced away from her. He cleared his throat. "I've been thinking, as my faithful knights, there should be something setting you all apart from the others." Silver thought about the dark mark. Bleh. Silver groaned. "You're just going to mark us all like animals for slaughter." Tom looked at Silver sitting very ungracefully on the floor. "It's a symbol you should be grateful of if I let you have it." Silver rolled her eyes.

"You think I don't know any of your plans? The things you want to do. Out of everyone in this room right now, I know most about your plans, other than you, Tom. Why would I be grateful for a hate symbol towards MY kind?" 

Tom didn't look angry, he looked amused.

"You have no choice but to bow down to me, Silver." 

Silver stood up. "I'm leaving."

They all arrived in the Great Hall. Everyone was excited to be back. It's going to be their last year in Hogwarts. Mixed feelings. Dippet welcomed everyone and informed everyone about the new Head Boy and Girl. Tom was obviously the Head Boy, a Ravenclaw girl was the Head Girl. The sorting ceremony started. Quite a lot of students got into Hufflepuff. The table was full. Silver sipped her goblet. She looked up and saw the knights conversing with each other. Silver sighed.

Silver walked to the Room of Requirement for a knights meeting. She opened the door and everyone was already there. She closed the door and walked to the couch. Tom cleared her throat. "Now that everyone's here, I want to get back to the topic of our symbol. I named it the Dark Mark." 

The knights look eager. Silver rolled her eyes. "I'd like to give one of you the dark mark tonight." Silver leaned back on her chair. Tom looked at all of them one by one. His eyes landed of Silver. She shrank down. 

"You, Silver." 

Silver put her face in her palms. She muttered a no. Tom's lips quirked up. 

"What was it, Silver?"

Silver faced him. "No." 

Tom raised an eyebrow. "No?" 

Silver rolled her eyes. "You clearly know I'm the last person who wants the 'dark mark' on my arm." 

Tom smirked. "I never said it was going to be on your arm." 

She groaned. "But I already know, don't I?" 

Tom sat straighter on his chair. "I'm gifting you the dark mark tonight. It's not a choice. It's a demand." 

Silver stood. "No." Tom stood up from his chair too, his smirk gone. The other knights watched.

Tom grabbed her left wrist. Silver grunted and pulled her hand out of his grip. If she gets the mark, there's no turning back. 

She won't have a choice anymore. 

She put her arm behind her back. "Do you not fucking understand what no means!?" 

Tom clenched his jaw. "I know exactly what it means, Silver." 

He pointed his wand to her and muttered crucio.

Silver's eyes widened. 

She fell to her knees and screamed. She sobbed, pleading him to stop. 

Tom looked down at her. He chuckled. She's all his. Silver had a hard time breathing under all the pain she's experiencing. Tom stopped the spell. Silver let out a cry of pain. She cried on the ground. Her whole body was aching.

Tom sat back on his chair. He stared at Silver. 

His followers looked scared now, even Druella looked quite shaken. Silver was panting on the floor. Tom sighed. 

"Come here Silver." 

She let out a sob. Silver tried getting up, but fell right away. Tom walked back to her. Silver tried punching him, but her hands were too tired to even form a fist. Tom picked her up and she continued to sob. Tom sat on his chair and sat Silver on his lap. She struggled in his arms, but eventually she stopped and leaned into Tom, tiredness taking over her.

"Abraxas." 

Malfoy shot his head up. "You'll be the first to take the dark mark, next meeting." 

Abraxas nodded eagerly. "With pleasure, my lord." Tom ran his hair through Silver's hair, untangling it. 

"Meeting's over."

Everyone left. Druella Black huffed and walked out too. Silver's head was on the crevice of his neck. Tom carried her to the couch. He laid her down on the couch, with her head on his lap. Tom looked down at the sleeping girl. Tom brushed Silver's hair away from her face. He looked at her uneased face and leaned back.