The loud sharp knocking was what awoke Olivia that morning. She could have recognised that knock out of a dozen and immediately sat up in bed.

"I want you up and downstairs in two minutes!"

"Yes, mother!" Olivia was already throwing off her blanket and pulling off her nightdress.

The cold floor under her feet made her shiver. The sun was barely starting to rise outside her window but early mornings we're status quo in the Benson household. She knew she had slept in a little longer then she should have. At Hogwarts she usually had about a full extra hour in the mornings, however, her mother didn't believe in wasting a second off sunlight.

She had always been taught that it was extremely poor manners to wear pajamas to breakfast. She needed to be dressed and ready for the day before she sat down to eat. She's already laid out her clothes the night before as she always did, doing up the buttons with one hand while reaching for her hairbrush with her other. When her mother said two minutes, she meant two minutes.

She slept with socks on to make things easier and laced each shoe in between making her bed. Then she was out the door, straightening her dress collar as she went and wiping the sleep from her eyes.

The house was small and so it was seconds before she was hurrying down the stairs to the first floor. The walls were wood painted beige and as plain as the colour itself. The only thing hanging from the walls was the painting of a waterfall over the mantel on the right side of the space. The left side was the dining area where are parents sat each at the head of the table.

"You test my patience, girl." Her mother's bright green eyes settled on her.

"I'm sorry," Olivia spoke quickly, "I promise I'll be quicker tomorrow."

"See that you are." Was all her mother said, tone dismissive.

"Good morning, darling." Olivia's father gave her a cheerful smile, a stark contrast to the cold words of his wife.

"Good morning." Olivia returned his smile and pressed a kiss to his temple as she passed him.

She sat in her place between her parents and begun to eat away at the plain porridge. Her mother didn't like to spend money frivolously which had never given Olivia reason to pause in the past. Then after experiencing the abundance of food and flavours that Hogwarts had to offer, she found herself longing for a single drop of honey. She ignored that longing without complaint. Her mother was just being responsible after all. Why should they have more when they didn't need it? The porridge was warm and thick so she found no reason to risk sounding ungrateful.

"Did you have a good sleep?" Her father asked, sipping his tea.

"Yes, thank you."

"Did you dream of bunnies?" He gave her a knowing grin.

He had asked her that every morning since she was three. Olivia opened her mouth to answer, to concoct some wild make up a story for him when her mother cleared her throat.

"She's far too old for you to treat her like a child." She narrowed her eyes at her husband. Olivia dropped her head and kept her mouth tightly shut. "She has responsibilities and duties that need her attention. Not bunnies."

"Sorry, dear." Olivia's father smile wavered.

Selena and Ray Benson were two very different people. Selena, Olivia's mother was all sharp edges with her pointed cheekbones and jawline. Her blonde hair was pulled back tightly in its usual braided bun and her startling lime green eyes contrasted again her pale complexion. Her temperament had always been cold and brisk, Olivia couldn't remember it any other way and her father never liked to talk about how they had met or what they were like in their school days. Olivia certainly didn't feel she could ask her mother. She had more important things to think about than in the past.

Ray, Olivia's father was also blond-haired, although his was a dark, sandy colour and sat on his shoulders like Olivia's own hair. His eyes were a warm brown and his spectacles sat atop his head, only used for reading. He had a penchant for...peculiar patterns and so boasted an...interesting collection of sweater vests. Today the one he wore was orange, purple, yellow and blue, knitted into a pattern that formed the shape of tall mountains.

Olivia's mother hated his clothing taste and refused to allow him to wear them anywhere he could be seen by others in it. While Olivia did find them a little garish and bold for her own personal liking, she thought they suited her father quite nicely. Just like how Leah someone always managed to fit any colour combination she was currently flaunting. Some people just weren't made for practical clothing. Of course, appearance-wise wasn't the only way her parents differed.

Ray Benson had always been a rather jovial man, positive and easy-going. He didn't like conflict and preferred to settle any issues as calmly as possible. Olivia had always felt he was very childlike in his sentiments and yet somehow very mature and reasonable. She was very fond of her father, which was not to say she hated her mother as she did not. She loved both her parents as a daughter should and looked up to them. Her mother was the stern, disciplinary and her father had been something of a friend to her. She would have done anything for either of them.

So, Olivia kept her head down and ate quickly, although not so quickly as to appear bad-mannered. She assumed today would be like any other. She would wake, eat, study and if her mother thought she had made sufficient progress then she would be allowed lunch. Then after lunch, she would return to her studies until it was time for dinner. She was usually be allowed dinner no matter her achievements of the day, but it was the quantity that would be reduced if her mother thought she was lacking that day. Then she would bathe and study until she fell asleep. Then the next day would start with more of the same. If she kept to her work and satisfied her mother then she'd even have time to read through some of the mail she'd gotten from her friends. It was a simple kind of life and Olivia didn't think it was right of her to ask for much more.

"You know," Her father suddenly spoke up, voice casual. "It's going to be warm today. I was thinking that I would like to have a picnic, get some sun and fresh air. And, I wish thinking that perhaps my favourite person could join me."

He nudged Olivia's foot with his own and she peered up at him through her lashes, a smile finding its way onto her face.

That sounded lovely. She hadn't had had a picnic with her father since before she had started school. Their favourite time to go was in the spring. They lived in a wooded area, secluded from the town a mile away and in the spring the trees were alight with colours and the breeze was warm and inviting. She could almost smell the biscuits her father had made the last time. She'd had strawberry jam while he preferred plum. It was a like dream from long ago.

"Out of the question." Her mother placed her teacup down heavily, eyes narrowed once more. "She will spend the day studying."

"Well...surely just an hour couldn't hurt?" Ray said carefully. "We could go at lunchtime so that she'll still be able to study as well. She is a hard worker this one, I think she could do with a little break."

"Nonsense." Selena scoffed. "Hard worker? A hard worker wouldn't be only tenth in her year."

"Eighth." Olivia couldn't hold in her murmur.

Her mother's bright gaze turned on her and she immediately regretted speaking. How stupid she felt. She knew her mother wouldn't tolerate disrespect. A little voice sat far in the back of her mind whispering.

Oh, poor little Olivia. So stupid that she can't even keep her own mouth shut. When will she learn?

"What was that?" Her mother blinked as if she couldn't quite believe what she had heard.

"It was nothing, mother. I'm sorry." Olivia shook her head, hands clenched in her lap.

"Nothing? Well, I didn't hear nothing."

"I..."

"Speak up girl!"

Olivia couldn't help the way her whole body flinched. She forced herself to look over at her mother. She's been taught that eye contact was important. She swallowed. Her mother had a look in her eye that Olivia had seen so many times before. Anger, irritation, disappointment.

Really? Didn't she raise you better than this?

"I'm...I'm eighth in my year."

"Oh, so you were correcting me?" Selena's voice was so tight and sharp Olivia swore it sliced through the air like a blade.

"I-I just-"

"No, no." Selena waved her off. "Clearly you know better. Ignore me. I must have no idea what I'm saying."

"No, mother, I-"

"No." Selena's voice twisted into a dark growl. "Since you think eight from ten is such an amazing achievement you can have the whole day off since you clearly don't need it! It's not as if, Valentine Lestrange wasn't first."

Olivia dropped her head again, shoulders curling in around her.

"Since you're so much smarter than me now, I suppose you can make all your own decisions. So mature and worldly you are, I can't believe I never saw it before!"

Tears pricked in Olivia's eyes but she blinked them away. She refused to let them fall. Her mother abhorred whimpering, whining children.

"So, then." Selena crossed her arms on the table, shifting to give Olivia her full attention. "Being so enlightened now, I'm sure you must have a plan of your own to achieve our goal, then? Hmm? Speak up, I can't hear this brilliant plan of yours. It must be some fine coming from a girl like you."

Olivia just sat there. Head down. Mouth shut. This was what her mother wanted. Not an argument, just to say her piece unrebuked. Olivia felt she owed her that much for such clumsy words. Sometimes she wished she couldn't speak at all. If she was mute then she'd never been able the say such foolish things.

"Oh?" Selena pouted and tilted her head slightly. "Nothing to say then? No brilliant plan to bestow? And I was so sure that you had reached a breakthrough. After all, eighth in your year! We could rule the world on an achievement like that, now couldn't we?"

Still nothing.

"Hmm. Really nothing to say? Pity. And I was so looking forward to it."

Selena stood and stalked around the table to Olivia. Every hair on Olivia's body was instantly on end. She tried desperately to make her hands stop clenching her dress so tightly. He mother strongly disapproved of ugly creases in the fabric.

Selena stopped behind her and Olivia was now holding her breath. She could hear the of a long robe sleeve as her mother moved and wished so dearly that she was brave like her friend. Like Valentine. She would never tremble like this. She would never be so pitiful a daughter. She'd take whatever punishment her mother deemed appropriate. She deserved it.

Selena reached slowly over Olivia's shoulder and grabbed the bowl of porridge from in front of her.

"Get out of my sight, girl. Disappointment me again today and I'll show you how much it hurts to have to deal with such a burden."

-----A Day in the Life of Olivia Benson-----

Olivia's eyes narrowed as she focused, falling deeper and deeper into the large textbook she was reading. She'd been studying all morning as her mother had told her. The textbook was for Transfiguration at a fifth-year level and she was struggling to make sense of the difficult phrasing and vocabulary. She wasn't a natural prodigy like Valentine and never would be. These things would never come easily to her without the necessary effort. She worked hard, for hours on end each and every day. She would give herself that much. She earned whatever grades she received and yet no matter the hours she out in, no matter the effort, she never even grazed Valentine's level.

Valentine was exceedingly intelligent and magically advanced and Olivia was conflicted. This girl was her friend and yet Olivia couldn't help but be so damn jealous. She rarely had to study and seemed to absorb whatever information they needed from classes alone. Oh, to be a prodigy, blessed with the natural gifts of an excellent memory and a sharp mind.

Most everything about Valentine mystified her. She was so strong and frighteningly so. There was some about her that drew your eye to her in a crowded room. She was this infallible point of interest. And Olivia had certainly been looking. Her mother had asked her too after all. It allowed Olivia to see things that others might miss, and dare to suspect things that others wouldn't.

She was certain Valentine was hiding something but she couldn't be sure what. She would disappear at random times and show back up with no explanation. She would sneak out at night and be gone for hours at a time.

The others, Leah, Blaze, Liam and Draco, weren't all that phased by Valentine's habit of vanishing. Both Draco and Leah said it was a 'Lestrange' thing and no one was willing to press further. Valentine wasn't an easy person to question.

Calm and collected one moment threatening and violent the next. The other students at Hogwarts were afraid of her and the teachers were cautious in every sense of the word. Olivia didn't blame them. She understood the fear. It wasn't founded on baselessness. Valentine Lestrange truly could bring the world to her knees if she wanted to do so. How could she ever be able to match someone like that? Just thinking about it made her nervous. Olivia still found it hard to believe that she was even friends with Valentine at all. Two years ago, even achieving that much had seemed out of reach for her. How would sweet Leah feel if she ever found out about this? That she had given her a way to get to Valentine without a second thought? Thinking about going up against Valentine made her nervous, but her betrayal being revealed to Leah made her sick to her stomach.

And yet, Olivia continued on as her mother asked despite it all. Despite knowing how the others would turn on her if they ever found out what she was hiding. They were all steadfastly loyal to a fault. She's seen the ways they looked at Potter and his friends. Would they look at her the same? Could she possibly go on living if they hated her? And what of Leah who loved her so much that she made a point to tell her multiple times a day? It wasn't fair to make her pick. Olivia didn't even want to think about it. That was probably because she already had an answer to her question and was simply too afraid to face it.

Yes, despite all this, Olivia carried on and that the ingenious girl didn't seem to have an inkling of her ulterior motives. Valentine seemed completely clueless about the whole thing. She saw Olivia as a silly little thing that let Leah get away with everything and apologized too much. It gave her a sense of sick pride to know she had such a brilliant mind in a blind spot. It gave her hope that she might actually be capable of this, that her mother might one day see her as something other than a failure. Of course, none of that meant Olivia didn't near have a heart attack when Valentine caught her going through her trunk.

Olivia had been sure that it would all end there, that Valentine Lestrange would lose her temper and lash out like a wild feral beast. Olivia could still feel the hair's raise on every inch of her body as the other girl's bright eyes narrowed and glared deep into her soul. She knew she needed to come up with a plan, a lie, something and but a split second she could think of nothing but her own dread. What would Valentine do to her? What would Olivia's mother think of her if she died here on this day, her task uncompleted? She'd managed to pull it together into the end, concoct the lie she needed and for the most part, Valentine seemed satisfied with that, but Olivia didn't dare underestimate her. This was the same girl that went toe to toe with Snape on a daily basis!

And although she had all the reasons in the world to hate her, Olivia couldn't bring herself to do it. She didn't agree with her purest views. She didn't like the violence. She didn't like how Valentine could be so harsh on her friends, Leah in particular. Valentine enjoyed the fear she rallied in others, even if she was seeing it in the eyes of her friends. Olivia had caught herself trying to justify these things when she knew she shouldn't. And when Valentine's blood had splattered on her desk in potions her heart at had stopped altogether. This beast, her friend. The one who was always reminding her to be stronger and not apologize to people who didn't deserve it, who acknowledged her intelligence even if they weren't equals, who pulled her wand on an upperclassman all because he'd bumped her and she'd grazed her knee. Olivia could hold up layer after layer of rose tinting but it wouldn't make Valentine a good person. It wouldn't change that she was friends with bullies and honestly cared for every one of them.

Olivia took a second to take her eyes off the book and rub her face. It was so hard to concentrate with all this running through her head. She just wanted to be back at Hogwarts, she wanted to see her friends, bullies or not. She missed the boys and their banter, their jokes and dramatics. She missed Valentine sitting with them even though she was just reading and could do so elsewhere. And most of all, she missed Leah with her constant chatter in her ears, the pouting and the laughter. She missed how Leah crept into her bed at night and poke at her and whispered strange I unthinkable questions. She missed how Leah would cling to her, this warm unrelenting force that loved and appreciated her.

Olivia stopped herself and sucked in a breath. She was getting herself worked up and she knew it was pointless. There was still over a month before she would see any of them again. But she saw Leah's tearful face on the platform in Hogsmeade and it was so damn hard.

A sharp knock sounded from her door and she had no time to even turn around before it was opening.

"Yes, mother?" Olivia blinked rapidly, eyes still on her textbook like she had been reading the whole time.

"I have an errand to run." Now Olivia looked at her. "I expect you won't slack off simply because I'm not here."

"Of course not."

"Hmm." Selena hummed, unconvinced. "Have that book memorized by the time I get back. I'll be quizzing you."

"Yes, mother." Olivia fought the urge to swallow.

"And I trust you haven't forgotten how serious this is for us." Selena's eyes darkened, brimming with malice. "When the Dark Lord returns, and I know he will, he will need those truly loyal to him close. Those people are not the Lestrange's."

"Yes, mother." Olivia could only repeat herself.

And then she was gone, almost slamming the door as she went. Olivia looked back down at the book and wanted to cry all over again. She was nowhere near finished and she had no clue when her mother would return. Today was not a good day.

She pinched her arms a few times, hoping it would yank her out of the dark hole she'd dug and then jumped headfirst into. It took a few minutes and she needed to restart the chapter she was on but she knew she needed to get as much of this down as she possibly could.

Fifteen minutes later, slowly sinking back into complete focus, there was another knock on her door.

This one was just as familiar as her mothers but nowhere near as sharp. It was a light sound, rapping out a playful pattern.

The door creaked open and she turned to watched her father poke in his head in the room. His eyes sparkled and she knew that