September 1st.

By the time it is time for Annalee Fawley to get back to school, she's fully a different person. While Tom Riddle might believe he had made an impact on her, she's only become more convinced of what's good and true and what's bad and terrible.

She listens to her friends babble on about their pureblood mania. 

"Personally, I'm just glad the Dark Lord is making some real progress. The mudbloods and muggles are simply destined to die a terrible death," Dorothy sneers.

Regulus nods his head in agreement.

"Stop! You can't really believe that?" The Ice Queen exclaims, breaking posture.

They both gape at her.

"Of course we do, Annalee," Regulus says coldly. "And I thought you did too."

"I'll see you at school," Anna says, with an enviable note of chill. It sends shivers down the girlfriend and boyfriend.

She gets up and stalks out of the compartment. She roams through the train until she stumbles upon Lily's compartment. Anna knocks on the door, steeling herself.

It opens to a blonde that she recognizes as one of the chasers for the Gryffindor quidditch team.

"Can I help you?" Marlene says rudely.

"Is Lily in there?" Annalee asks patiently.

"Why? Want to call her the m-word?" the blonde glares.

Anna grimaces, "Just tell her I need to talk to her. It's important."

"Fine," Marlene sneers.

She turns around and whispers something. Seconds later, Lily comes to the entryway looking sympathetic.

"You okay, Lee?" she asks kindly.

Anna shakes her head. "I lost my mirror, by the way."

"I know. Sirius has it."

"Oh. Okay. Do you mind if I sit? If you do, I can just find somewhere-"

"No! Please, sit," Lily smiles. 

She moves and then guides Anna inside and sits her down next to her.

"Guys, this is Annalee Fawley-" Lily begins.

"We know who she is," Marlene interrupts. "And she's a Slytherin. What are you doing with her?"

"Listen, I'm not sure what you think you're going to do to me by saying rude things but I've had a rough Summer and a rough couple minutes. I thank you to put aside your pointless prejudice. I've grown up with mine and I was able to put it aside, so you can too," Anna says bluntly.

"What's wrong, Lee?" Lily asks, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Dory and Reggie are gone. There's truly nothing left to it," she confesses, ignoring the open-mouthed Gryffindors around them.

"I'm sorry," Marlene interjects. "I shouldn't have assumed. And I shouldn't have been so rude. I'm Marlene McKinnon-"

Anna smiles warmly, "You're the best chaser in Hogwarts. How could I not know you?"

Marlene smiles back, "Thanks. That's Alice Fortescue. And that's Dorcas Meadowes. It's nice to meet you."

"You as well. Might you bear with me as I regale Lily dear with the horror story of my life?" Anna jokes.

Alice smiles, "Please. We'll try not to interrupt."

"Just starting with the most recent events, Regulus and Dorothy are officially destined to be Death Eaters. Narcissa and Lucius are officially engaged - I've seen the ring. It's actually like 5 thousand galleons, unless I'm mistaken. Ugly as hell, though. Bellatrix has reportedly been meeting with Tom Riddle for the past half year and he's been tutoring her," Anna recounts.

"Sorry, who's Tom Riddle?" Marlene asks.

"Voldemort," she says frankly. 

The three girls gasp.

"Good Godric," Lily mutters.

"I need to go find Sirius. No idea how I'll get through this year without that mirror. Be back in a bit. Ta-ta," Anna says, before walking briskly out of the compartment.

Behind her, Marlene declares, "I like her."

"Seconded," Alice says dreamily.

"Thirded," Dorcas chuckles.

"I already liked her, what are you looking at me for?!" Lily asks indignantly when they all turn to face her.

Meanwhile, Anna finds and knocks on the Marauder's compartment door.

"Come in!" James Potter's voice commands.

When she walks into the compartment, and the breath is knocked out of her by the mere sight of him, Annalee decides she officially hates Sirius Black and all his merry comrades.

"Sirius, you took my mirror. I want it back," she commands coldly.

"Here it is!" he says cheerfully.

"Thanks for stealing it," she sneers.

In unison, they all mutter, "Mer-lin."

"Leave me alone," she glares. "And don't talk to me or steal my stuff again. I'd say thank you, but this is truly just common courtesy. Bye now."

She leaves the compartment and returns to Lily's. She talks with the other girls there for the rest of the train ride.

Back at Hogwarts, she reconvenes with Bellatrix. She finds out that the dorm room is now just her and Bellatrix. Dorothy now is with Narcissa.

That evening in their dorm, Bellatrix and Annalee start talking.

"Is it true what Dorothy said? That you don't believe in the pureblood supremacy?" Bellatrix asks, her last tidbit of childishness shining through.

"I'm sorry, Bells. It's not too late for you. You can still join us."

"Join who?" Bella pleads. "I thought we were friends. Friends stick together."

"Yes, exactly. Just humor me. Do you remember, in second year, Dorothy and I played you that song, Anna (Go With Him)?"

"Yes. It was a good song, Anna," Bella breathes.

Anna smiles at the memory, "That was a muggle song. There are hundreds more. Thousands. Tens of thousands. Muggles are incredible. They're brilliant, they're good, and when they're not - they try to be better. They believe that there is strength in happiness. They believe in redemption and kindness. You could look outside into their cities and see the homeless people who are begging for money. Or, you can look to the people who are giving them it. You say that they are polluting our planet, but instead look to the people protesting. The people standing together peacefully and demanding their voice be heard. You say they are ravishing our planet with war when they are just fighting for peace. They are not fighting for land, at least not anymore. They are fighting for freedom. For their right to choose. Their right to be who they wish. Muggles are flawed creatures. But they do their best. As do we. And in the end, isn't that all that matters?"

"Yes, Anna. You're right. I'm just not sure that I can help you. If not for my own preservation, for my families. For Rodolphus's. You've seen the Dark Lord. You've witnessed his power. How can I betray power?"

"The first day he came to tutor me, he told me something along those lines. I told him he was wrong. I told him that there is power in love. Power in unity. It isn't possible to govern on fear. You can't spend weeks alone in a cave believing you won't be saved, or ruing the day humanity came into existence. But we can survive together. Always. I believe in the power of love. In the power of good. You should too. The power of love will trump the power of hate every time. And, if all else fails, at least you'll be missed."

"I guess you're right, but I can't do that to my family, Annalee Fawley. I love them. And I'll come to love in the Dark Lord's teachings."

"I wish you wouldn't," Anna says softly. "But I believe in you, Bells. If you ever realize that love can never spring from the soil of hate, then come to me. I would never turn a girl who's alike to a sister to me away."

"Thank you, Anna. I don't say that enough. You're incredible. And poetic," Bellatrix chuckles. "I hope you succeed. I'm sorry if I can't help you, I really am."

"I know. Just- just don't lose yourself," Anna wishes, her ice crumbling as a single tear rolls down her face.

"The same goes for you. Don't forget that. You can lose yourself in a good mission - in your love - just as much as I can."

The girls go silent after that. 

When Bellatrix's breathing evens out, Anna leaves. She walks quietly through the empty halls of Hogwarts and up to Dumbledore's office. 

"Lemon drop," she whispers. Gary, the gargoyle, turns and lets her in.

"Ms. Fawley. I've been expecting you," Dumbledore says in the wise, comforting tone he always speaks in.

"Hello, Professor. I apologize for approaching you so late, but I felt as though I could not wait until morning," Annalee says. "And please, call me Anna or Annalee. I'm not too fond of the Fawley name at the moment."

"Please, Ms. Annalee, sit down. What can I help you with?" he asks, voice dripping with grandiose.

"Over the Summer, I was being tutored by Tom Riddle. I'm sure I don't need to tell you who that is."

"No. You don't. But I suggest you elaborate before I feel the need to make use of legilimency."

"I've found five things out. I cut a deal with him. Each day he... mentored me. In return, he answered one of my questions. He's found a way to become immortal. He's forsaken every last thing in an attempt to take over the world. He's incapable of love. He's more powerful. But he has a lot of weaknesses. And," Anna laughs slightly, "he's dead scared of you."

Dumbledore nods his head, "You've done well, Ms. Annalee. I appreciate this. I know you're young, but I've grown increasingly worried about your home situation. I'm going to make you an offer. Please don't hesitate to refuse. If you agree, it will supply you with a safe place to live over the Summers. It will help you join the fight against Voldemort. You'll finally have a home where you can be loved and flourish."

"What is it, Professor?" she urges.

"The Order of the Phoenix. I created it to fight against Voldemort. There are headquarters in a house outside of Wales. You will have a home there, and family who will help you to become better."

Anna considers this for a second, before saying, "I'm sorry, Professor, but I have a duty. A duty to help the ones I love, even if they don't love me and even if they are bad, bad people. I made an oath following those words to one of the few people that showed me kindness in the pureblood world."

"That is a very honorable goal. So long as you remember to only go so far so you don't get hurt. Can you make that oath to me, Anna?" Dumbledore asks solemnly.

"I can. I promise you, I will not get hurt from this."

"Good. Now off to bed. You need sleep if you want to start a revolution," Dumbledore says pleasantly.

"Thank you, Professor," Anna says, a smile quirking on her lips. "I'll be off to do just that."

Annalee goes off to do the exact opposite. She heads down to the kitchens.

She sits there, happily eating a piece of pizza, until a voice of an old friend with gray eyes and shaggy black hair brings her back to reality.

"Hey, Anne," he says. "It's been a hot minute."

She turns around, face going stony, "Hello, Regulus."

"Can't sleep?" he asks conversationally.

"Yes. I assume your situation is alike to mine?" she asks, assuming the role of Ice Queen.

"Yep. Listen, I just kind of wanted to talk to you about the last couple of months."

She waves her arms, "Please. You have the floor, Regulus."

"I know you don't believe in supremacy, just please hear me out."

"First, just tell me honestly: do you?" Anna asks desperately, face crumbling.

"Of course not. You're the best person I've ever had the privilege of meeting, but I can't betray my family. My love," Regulus reassures her. "You know what's right. What's good. We're about to start fighting a war, in more ways than one, and you need to decide where you'll land. On the good side? Or the winning one? I know more than one person who wants you on the winning one. I want you on the winning one."

"How can you say that, Reggie? You- you used to be this innocent little boy that was like my brother. You were pure. You were good. You knew how to control yourself, learned right from wrong. I thought I taught you good from bad. Where did I go wrong? What did I do to make you stray from all morals and flock to a man who deems himself worthy of the crown that is Earth itself? Who deems himself better than those who can feel the wind whipping on their face? That can love? That will sacrifice everything for those people we love, and for the good of our world?" Anna asks.

"I am sacrificing everything, Anne. I'm sacrificing you for my family. For the girl who will soon be my family," Regulus insists. "You had everything. I had nothing. And then I had you. And when I go along with their wishes, I have my parents. And with my parent's blessing, I have Dorothy."

"You're wrong. You, Andy, and your brother were the only family I had for a very long time. Now, I have Lily. A... a mudblood who is more clever, kind, and beautiful than I could ever hope to be. I had parents who used the cruciatus curse when I didn't do as they said. I had parents who used the imperius curse when I didn't want to say something. Or go somewhere. You act like I have some perfect life. No, Regulus Black. I have the life that I fought for. That I'm fighting for!" Anna argues.

"Well I'm not brave like you, Anne. I'm just not."

"You don't have to be brave, Reg. You just need to be true. And, whether it be a day, a week, a month, a year, or ten years that it takes for you to see that, remember my words. Remember all that I taught you. Or maybe you won't see that. Ever. And you'll look out over a vista of burning buildings and ash and you'll finally realize that it doesn't matter if you win or lose. It doesn't matter if you have to sacrifice the people you can't save. It only matters that you carry yourself with honor. I'd rather die tomorrow knowing I died with people who will miss me because I did good, than to die in a hundred years as a coward. Goodnight, Regulus. I hope you find your way," she says, brushing the tears from her eyes as she runs from the kitchens and back to the Slytherin dorms.

She climbs into her emerald bed with silky green covers and stairs up at the silver ceiling. After at least an hour, she drifts into the arms of sleep.

A/N Apologies for the angsty chapter, but I hope you enjoyed nonetheless. As always, please give me any critiques, comments, and suggestions.

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