TRIGGER WARNING; Contains depictions of child abuse. Not overly graphic, but anyone particularly sensitive to scenes involving child abuse please take care.

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"Do you truly believe that a being as powerful as Voldemort would be complacent with his current position?"

"Now, don't judge me too harshly. Animal taming through the art of the harp isn't exactly my speciality."

"I always wanted a wife."

"I mean, if you do the math, she was only a baby when they locked up her parents so I doubt she even remembers them. If that's the case, who could they influence her at all?"

"He's got the Snitch! Harry Potter receives 150 points for catching the Snitch!"

"You will look at me when I speak to you."

"I'm getting hints of bacon, orange juice, pepper, sausage and...yeah, that's definitely milk."

"Perhaps it does not even know itself."

"I smell the blood of a well-deserved suffering."

"TROLL! IN THE DUNGEON! T-TROOLLL IN THE DUNGEON!"

"Do you take pleasure in infuriating me?"

"Do you...do you ever miss your parents?"

"If you have the power you always claim to have then you wouldn't care what people say!"

"Just because you find the lesson boring does not give you the right to take a learning opportunity away from others."

"This world isn't yours to command."

"Merry Christmas, Professor."

"I think we're going to need another feather over here, Professor."

"Sir, I don't treat anyone with respect between the hours of ten PM and eight AM."

"But who would choose such a life?"

"Wait! Don't. Please, I was just coming here to protect the stone! I swear!"

~~~

Valentine sat up and threw the pillow across the around.

What is up with this dream?

She glared at the large windows on the wall facing out to the front grounds of the manor. It was still dark out but she could see the lightest hints of dawn peeking through.

She enjoyed sleeping. It happened to be a vital part of keeping her body functioning so this whole situation of waking up early or even in the middle of the night was entirely unappreciated.

She looked to her left where her desk was, where Olivia and then Leah's bed would have been if she'd been back at Hogwarts. It was just her and it was strange. She'd been at the manor for two full days and still wasn't accustomed to it again. She was generally never alone of a long period of time.

At school, she had the constant company of friends. Even lurking around at night she was often around Dumbledore and Snape and then it would be back off to her shared room. And here at Malfoy Manor Draco was always near. They had quite literally never been separated before. His room was right across the hall from hers. Knowing he wasn't there was the strangest of all. But she wasn't overly worried about strange. She could handle strange. It was Draco she worried about. They had truly never been apart so she had no idea how he would react. What if he needed her?

Oh, stop it. Draco's a bit dull in the head sometimes but he's not baby. Besides, he has Liam and Blaze and Olivia and of course Leah. He's known her just as long as me. A month and a half extra even if you consider the difference in our births.

Searching for a distraction she groped around on the bed for a moment to find the charms textbook she had been reading. Once she found it, she slipped out of bed and headed over to her desk, still littered with books from the night before. She lit the lantern again and found the place she had left off from.

She read as the morning dragged on, slowly but surely filling the room with light. At one point she was sure she heard the echo of distant talking, someone was awake.

Not too long later, tapping and a screech from her window made her lookup. Draco's owl that he and Leah had so affectionately named Beak Face, sat on the ledge of her window, peaking its beck at the glass.

Valentine hurried to her feet and slid open the window. Beak Face flew in and landed on the end of her bed, carrying a decent sized parcel with it.

Beak Face was a grey horned owl with large yellow eyes and a perfectly average size beak despite what his name might have suggested. He shifted to the side as Valentine came near so that he wouldn't be sitting on the package.

Valentine stroked his back as she pulled it into the lap and started untying the string holding the brown paper tightly. She opened it to find a sizeable pile of envelopes all addressed to her.

She selected the first because she recognized Draco's handwriting. He didn't bother to greet her and lunched right into asking how she was and how his father had reacted and then moved on to complaining about Leah.

The second letter had been in Blaze's writing. Blaze often wasn't one to drag on with his sentences. Hello, I assume you're alive because you're a scary badass, I want to kill Leah and Draco has already tried, Pansy has been hanging around and she's so damn annoying, please scare off her the second you get back. That was the general gist of it.

The next was one Olivia. Hello, I hope you're well, we miss you, Leah pouts every time someone mentions you, Draco seems a little down but Liam and Blaze keep him busy, I hope we see you again soon.

Valentine read her letter twice. Blaze nor Draco himself had mentioned anything about Draco feeling down but Olivia didn't seem all that worried. Valentine trusted that she would have said more if something more drastic had happened.

Next was Leah. Her envelope was the thickest and that Valentine found that was because she had stuffed as many drawings in there was possible. Herself and Olivia in fluffy princess dresses, Liam if Liam was a cat, Draco dancing with a goblin, Blaze falling down some stairs and lasting Valentine herself brandishing a sword and trying to stab Snape.

Valentine laughed out loud and spent a fairly lengthy amount of time staring at the last one. Leah had thrown in a letter as well although it was more or less a hundred words of 'I miss you' and another hundred of 'I hate Blaze'.

The very last letter was from Liam and was a stark contrast of neatness compared to the pure chaos of Leah's. Like Olivia, he asked how she was and said that they all missed her. He said that Snape had been particularly enjoying her absence and Pansy had been following them around since she left.

Valentine pursed her lips. She knew Draco would let her hang around so long as she gave him all the attention and praise that he wanted. And what was worse was that Leah didn't even seem to mind Pansy. Valentine pity, Olivia, Liam and Blaze.

There was a knock at the door and Valentine quickly started to put the letters back in their neat pile.

"What is it?" She called out.

"Breakfast is-is read-y, Miss." Came Haley's stutter.

"Come in," Valentine ordered as she sat the letters on her bedside table.

The door opened hesitantly.

"Yes, M-Miss?"

"Feed the bird." She said plainly. "And keep it on the grounds until I say otherwise."

"Right, a-way, Miss." Haley bowed her head as Valentine moved over to her wardrobe to get dressed for the day.

-----Pretending To Hate-----

When Valentine entered the main dining room, Narcissa wasn't at her usual place at one head of the table. Lucius, however, sat at his, Daily Prophet covering his face.

As Valentine went to the only other place set at the table, he spoke.

"You're grandfather is ill." He said plainly, not sparing her a glance. "Your aunt went to him early this morning."

Valentine didn't reply and just sat. She didn't need more details. She only had one living grandfather, after all.

Ill enough that Narcissa ran to his side? Must be serious.

Valentine grabbed a bread roll from the centre of the table along with the butter and a knife.

Emma was standing against the wall across from her. Their eyes met for a passing moment and Emma stiffen.

Valentine studied the knife causally, running one finger along the edge. It was only a butter knife so there really wasn't a risk of her injuring herself or anyone else for that matter, but she knew it made Emma nervous nonetheless.

Valentine was happy to eat her breakfast in silence and then return to her room and keep studying but she should have known better than to ask for so much.

Lucius cleared his voice and folded his paper. He looked directly at her but she didn't give him the courtesy of showing she noticed.

"I will assume that you have had some time to think."

"I don't know what it is I could have been thinking about." She returned swiftly.

"Watch what you say." Lucius's gaze darkened. "Narcissa isn't here to intervene should you provoke me."

Is he freaking serious?

"Provoke you?" Valentine ripped a chunk from her bread roll. "Now, why would I ever do that?"

"Why indeed," Lucius says tensely. "These reports of your behaviour are hardly a surprise to me but I will not accept you acting so defiant at home. I am the head of this family. You are to listen and obey."

"Hmm." Valentine hummed noncommittally.

Lucius brow itched at her flippancy.

"Well, then. Since you seem to understand, I expect you will adjust your attitude."

Valentine coughed out a bitter laugh.

"I wouldn't count on it."

"Dammit, Valentine!" Lucius slammed one fist down on the tabletop. "Why must you be so ungrateful? Even Draco can see what I do for this family!"

"Even Draco?" Valentine bristled. "He practically worships the ground you walk on and you say 'even Draco'?"

"He is my son." Lucius sniffed. "It is his duty to respect his father as I respected mine and he respected his."

"And you reward that respect with what? Beatings? Scoldings?" Valentine was now turned completely to face him, hostility radiating off her very skin. "You say he is your son and yet you find fault with every move he makes."

"I will not discuss this with you." Lucius pulled back his chair to stand.

"What?" Valentine snarled, baring her teeth. "Is tormenting me not as fun as it is, Draco? Is it because I don't cry when you hit me? Or is it because I don't beg for your forgiveness?"

"I have been incredibly patient with you this morning." Lucius gripped the edge of the table with iron fists. "Do not press me any harder."

Valentine looked him directly in the eyes as she lifted the glass goblet from the table.

"Valentine..." Lucius growled warningly.

She loosened her fingers and the goblet fell to the marble floor, shattering on impact.

Lucius gave an enraged growl, slamming his fists on the table again. Then he was marching towards her and yanking her up out of her chair by the collar of her dress.

"Why do you do this?" He shook her violently and shoved her back against the table, sending her plate and breakfast clattering to the floor.

"I do this for Draco." Valentine spat.

"Draco doesn't need you." Lucius glowered.

Valentine shoved him back so she could stand.

"I can't wait for the day he realises what a coward you are."

His hand was flying and her face snapped to one side.

She turned her face to stare at him like she had when she had first arrived back at the manor.

"Is that all?"

He hit her again, still on the same side, then his foot struck out and hit her knee. She went down immediately, skull smacking on the floor. Her vision blurred for a brief moment but she made a point to grin up at him through her hair.

"Feel better yet?" She could feel the sting of her lip when she spoke.

He reached down and grabbed a handful of her hair, half lifting her off the ground.

He glared down at her, fury boiling in his eyes. Valentine glared back, pure madness sparkling in like blue fire.

She was certain he would hit her again but he just leaned down close to hiss at her.

"Stay out of my sight." He dropped her back to the floor and stormed out of the room.

By then, Haley had rushed in. Emma still stood against the wall, frozen.

Valentine let herself slump against the cool floor. Her head and knee hurt. She could feel blood dribbling down her chin.

"Emma, start cleaning up that glass." Haley was the first to move. "Miss Valentine, are you alright?"

She didn't reply.

"Mi-Miss Valentine?" Haley repeated softly, Valentine could hear her creeping nearer.

Valentine turned her cold eyes on the maid abruptly and she jumped slightly in shock.

"Miss, you're bleed-bleeding."

"Thank you, for that riveting assessment." Valentine rolled her eyes heavily, heaving herself off the ground.

Haley took a step closer and Valentine snarled.

"Don't touch me."

Haley immediately backed up and Valentine stood fully, head throbbing.

"Keep your damn hands off me."

"B-but, you're hur-hurt." Haley stared down at her feet.

"I don't need your help." Valentine scoffed and shoved past her.

She headed out into the hall and once out of view, leaned against to wall to catch her breath. She waited for the room to stop spinning and wiped her lip on the back of her hand. She could already feel it starting to swell.

A wave of faintness and nausea swept over her for a moment and she clutched at the wall to keep herself standing. She probed around her scalp until she found wetness and stinging pain.

Bloody hell. Maybe I took that a little too far. He nearly split my damn head open. I could have a concussion.

She started up the hall again at a slow pace.

Well, I think I've had enough of this place for the day.

-----Pretending To Hate-----

Valentine stumbled in through the fireplace of Lovat Manor and into the large hall. She hadn't been back in a while but nothing had changed. The wooden floor was so smoothly polished that she could see her reflection in it. The walls were lined with paintings in gilded golden frames. There was a round table in the centre of the room, a large vase of flowers arranged perfectly on top.

Her head ached and screaming at her. She wanted to lay down somewhere dark and pass out. Rose would be around somewhere, she would no doubt panic and flit about doing everything she could to help in a colourful flurry. As irritating as that might be, Valentine wasn't willing to risk dying in her sleep from a concussion.

So, she forced herself to the end of the hall and out into the corridor. She had only walked a few steps when she heard a voice behind her, it sounded distant and distorted, clearing as it came closer.

"Valentine. Valentine?"

A large hand on her shoulder turned her around and she had to grab it to steady herself as she felt another wave of faintness.

"Valentine..." It was William Lovat that stared at her face in barley perceivable shock. "What happened?"

"I was insolent and disrespectful and ungrateful," Valentine replied drolly. "According to my uncle at least."

Something in William's gaze changed but in her haze, Valentine couldn't see it clearly.

"Come on." William lifted her into his arms.

They walked down the hall and into an open space.

"Penny," William called out in that deep drone that for a brief second, Valentine thought sounded quite like Snape. "where is my wife?"

"She's indisposed, sir."

Valentine heard the voice about didn't see the owner. Not that she needed to, she had known the maid for years.

"Very well," William replied immediately. "Let her know that Miss Valentine has been injured as soon as is possible."

"Of course, sir."

By the time she was set down on a couch, she was relieved. She was far too old to be carried around, injured or not. Though she doubted he would have listened if she had objected either way.

The nausea was quickly faded and her vision had cleared completely, by now she was hardly worried anymore.

William immediately went to work silently, getting out his wand. He accioed a bowl and some cloth and then filled the bowl using magic as well.

He soaked the cloth in water and moved to press it to Valentine's lip but she snatched it away.

"I can do it myself." She insisted.

William didn't rebuke her and just waited as she dabbed and wiped the blood from her mouth and scalp.

"Is the pain bad?" He asked.

"This is nothing compared to having Leah scream in my ear all day."

William didn't laugh, but of course, he had never been an overly humorous man.

"I would suggest not provoking Lucius in the future." William just blinked his dark eyes at her.

"Oh, but it's just so much fun." Valentine pouted and then let her face fall into a sneer.

"So much fun that it's worth this?"

"I had nothing better to do." She simply shrugged.

Once she was done cleaning away the blood, William took his wand again and first waved it over her lip.

She felt her lip warm and the vaguely felt the skin begin to knit itself back together. Then he moved on to her head and she waited, tapping her foot impatiently.

William Lovat had never been any other way. Silent, practically the complete opposite of Leah. Standing in the shadows while his wife, Narcissa and Lucius conversed. Valentine felt quite like him in that regard.

"Are you injured anywhere else?" He asked once he had finished.

"No." Valentine sat straight again, smoothing out her dress.

"And the pain?"

"I'll live." Valentine rolled her eyes.

"Very well." William stood. "You should stay until my wife comes to see you. She'll go looking even if you go home."

"How horrifying." Valentine murmured, leaning against the back of the couch.

"I'll have some food brought to you."

Valentine would have spoken against that but he was already out the door.

-----Pretending To Hate-----

Rose was still fussing when Narcissa arrived.

Rose had an entire meal prepared, potions for the pain, a bath drawn and multiple blankets. Valentine refused all of these except the food. Now that it was in front of her she remembered how her breakfast had been cut short.

"Don't you worry, darling." Rose constantly assured her. "Narcissa and I will talk to Lucius. Discipline is one thing but this is entirely too much."

Valentine would just grunt in reply and keep eating her chicken. Rose didn't need much encouragement though. She just went on about how her parents used to spank her as a punishment when necessary but they never let it go to such extremes.

"Lucius knows what you're like." She tutted as she ate a sliced piece of baked potato. "He really shouldn't expect you to behave the same way as other children. Intelligent types always need special care and allowances. That's how they keep being geniuses."

Valentine just grunted again. Rose was typically well-meaning but tended to miss the point.

"Valentine!" Then Narcissa came rushing in, Penny on her heels.

"It's alright, Narcissa," Rose assured her. "She's right here."

Narcissa went straight to Valentine, checking her over for injuries. She spotted the quickly fading scar on her lip and touched it gently.

"I told that man to control his