𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖊𝖓
sacrificial lamb

✦

         THE GREENES WERE a fearless family, stubborn in every way with conviction in their tone; once they had an opinion on something, it was not going to be changed for anyone. And even though by blood Maia was not apart of this family, she was by nurture which was just as powerful as nature.

She was raised to always go with her gut and stick to it, never changing for anyone, and to fully believe in everything you're in otherwise you won't be fully committed. She was raised by fury-eyed Nadia Greene whose electric blue pierced into the souls of all who saw her; it made her great at her job. Nadia would never back down and her eyes showed that to the world, but they were also the kindest color that Maia had ever known.

By nature, she knew she was supposed to be in full support of a wicked man who hated her brother and his kind. By nature, she was supposed to fall in line with her parents and become a child soldier, trading her life for this man's and it was supposed to be fine and dandy; she was supposed to want it but she didn't. Because her nature was not her nurture, and her nurture showed her grace and full goodness on display that her nature could never dream of.

By nurture, she was supposed to stand up to her father and the other Death Eaters, tell them to go fuck themselves because she would never ever even dream of becoming the thing that had killed Lily and James Potter.

And yet, even through all of this, she was having to commit herself to something that she didn't fully believe in and she was allowing herself to be persuaded. There was no other choice for her other than receiving the mark and becoming the thing that her birth father wanted more than anything and what her adoptive mother hated more than anything. Really, her entire adoptive family.

Because the Blacks had a rough history with them, seeing as the generation before her was the first to break away from the evil clutches of their ancestors and become something more; something better. Sirius Black was the first, starting with his assortment into Gryffindor house and then when he ran away from home and was decidedly called a bloodtraitor by the family.

The next was Remelda, or Regulus. She knew that the younger brother had faked his death – a new fact that she had just learned over Christmas with some of the others – and then after that Remelda had broken away from the family, no longer a royal but an outcast to them. It occurred around the same time and officially Regulus Black was dead and he wasn't a bloodtraitor so things were a little sticky there...

And some part of Maia knew that if she came forth she would be protected; all of them would have to move out of fear, disappearing into the night, but that wasn't the life Maia wanted to give them. Remelda and Nadia had never everything for her and Leo, she understood that now, and she could not repay their kindness by making them leave their lives and their names because of her father again.

No, this was her burden and her burden alone. She would not tell a soul, she would not fight, she would take on the weight of the name of the Death Eater and make her birth father proud. Bring shame to her name in the eyes of her family, sully her name in the eyes of them, but it was all for them. They could hate her, but she would be their savior and they would never even know...

She was the sacrificial lamb for them.

And she would bare the price because they were her family; because Leo was her brother and she loved him to pieces even though she never showed it. She would bare the weight because they didn't deserve to die because of her and Demetri Carrow. She was going to become his darling Amara Carrow, his golden girl, because there was no other choice for her where her family would live good lives. It was all for them and they would only think of her as a traitor.

She had to be okay with it, so she was. Not entirely, but it's what had to be done and she would acknowledge and respect that, she would fall into the plans. She was sure that if someone knew how to read the strings of fate, they would know her ending as the fallen child of Nadia Greene who succumbed to her nature. It's what had to be done, so it would.

"Uh, exams are killing me, Maia," Emilia groaned beside her, "Even Charms, which I studied hours for and still I'm dying!"

Maia smiled and laughed at her friend, "I can see that. You're as pale as a ghost."

Emilia pouted at her, "Like you're any better, Miss I-Don't-Like-To-See-The-Sun-Ever!"

"Hey, at least I own up to it! You still like to pretend that an hour once a week will do something for your skin," Maia defended herself.

"It has to!" Emilia insisted, "It's better than staying inside all day and keeping that bloody pale skin!"

"Your skin will be pale regardless. And, hey, I like my pale skin – it suits me," Maia said.

"Well I wouldn't know since I've never seen you tan before. Like, ever. Even when we went to the beach together two years ago you never went tanning," Emilia said, "I can't see how you stand it. The sun is beautiful and bright and makes you feel all warm inside..."

"Are you saying that I have a cold heart or something?" Maia questioned, though it was joking she still thought about Demetri – thought about the Death Eaters.

"Not in those words, no, but you are very cold blooded and that's why I hate holding your hand; I crave warmth, Maia, and you have absolutely none!" Emilia proclaimed to her.

Maia rolled her eyes, "You'd think you'd be used to it by now seeing as we've known each other for, oh, five years?"

"I still like to think the best of you," Emilia told her, "Like, one day you'll be magically warm and glowing like a fucking star but instead of you're just cold. It reminds me of my parents, you know? That's why I liked the lifeguard over summer, I think, he was all glowing and glittery – shiny..."

"You're beginning to sound like a crow," Maia told her and instead of getting offended, Emilia grinned.

She placed her head onto Maia's shoulder and pushed herself against the brunette, "Am I a crow? Because I think they're great! I mean, they kinda remind me of death and everything – which is terrible – but they like shiny things, too. And glitter is great, why do you think I own so many glittery eyeshadows?"

"Because you like attention?" Maia jokingly guessed.

Emilia rolled her eyes, "No, silly. Well, kinda, I do like it when guys notice me, but it's glittery! And you're rude for making fun of me."

"I wasn't making fun of you," Maia defended herself, pushing the brunette off her body, "I was just joking a little."

"Whatever, how do you think you did on Charms?" Emilia changed the subject back to what they were originally talking about. The girl inspected her nails and then frowned, "Shit, I really need to change the polish – this is, like, three weeks old."

"Well, we haven't really had the time to paint them with exams," Maia said before answering her question, "And I think I did alright on it. I mean, it was hard, obviously, but I think fine overall."

"Lucky you," Emilia commented, no bitterness or envy in her tone.

Maia shrugged indifferently. She didn't like to flaunt her smarts and boast about her grades, that was such first year bullshit, but if someone asked, she had no problem telling them the truth. They were the one that wanted it and if they felt bad about themselves after...well, it wasn't her fault.

But she also knew that she wasn't the smartest. Everyone knew that Hermione Granger was the brightest in their grade – as every professor liked to remind them of, especially the ever boasting Dumbledore (ugh) – and there was no sense of competing with her, but Maia also just didn't care to put in the extra work to get on her level. She wasn't crazy like Hermione; she was sensible and she knew that grades weren't everything.

Besides, she no longer had to worry about her career or future, it was already being decided for her; she would just have to do whatever You-Know-Who wanted her to, seeing as she would become his puppet over summer. Even more reason not to care.

"What did you think about Potions?" Maia asked her friend, watching as the girl groaned.

"Merlin, I don't even want to think about that atrocity. Like, he didn't even prep us for his exam and then he gets all pissy the next year because she didn't all do fucking perfect. Like, sorry dude, become a better professor or something," Emilia ranted, rolling her eyes, "Not that it matters. He won't and he doesn't really care about us. The pissy attitude's just an act because he wants everyone but his precious Slytherins to fail. Thank Helena we're not Gryffindors."

"Thank Helena," Maia repeated, "But I feel you. I think I failed it, too."

"But the thing is, you don't," Emilia told her, "Because you're really smart and you always think you fail his exams until you get the score back and it says you actually did great. Are you still doing Potions next year?"

Maia nodded, "Yeah. Mum thinks it's best for me 'cause I'm really good at it and a lot of the careers I might want require it."

"Good luck," Emilia snorted, "Dropping Potions is the easiest choice I've ever made. I'll finally be free next year!"

"Lucky you," Maia repeated her words from earlier, giving her a grin that made Emilia shine like the sun.

And maybe that was their friendship, why they worked so well. Maybe they complemented each other; Emilia was the sun, Maia was the moon. Emilia was good, Maia was evil. Emilia was an angel, she was a demon.

"I know," Emilia cheekily said, "Now, come on. It's almost time for dinner and I'm starving."

"Alright, fine," Maia groaned as she got up, stretching before walking with Emilia to the door and leaving the Ravenclaw common room.

They started to walk down the staircase, Maia not even paying attention, until Emilia had a noise and stopped. "Who's that?" she pointed her finger to another person, "I have never seen her before but she looks like she's around our age which isn't right at all."

"What?" Maia asked before looking up and seeing a familiar face. "Huh, I've seen her before. I think she said her name was Lucie or something."

Emilia frowned, "Lucie? I've never heard of her before and I'm sure that there's only Lucy Goodman, the slut who graduated last year."

Maia hummed, "I never really knew Lucy, obviously, but I think those were more rumors than anything else."

Emilia shot her a look. "She cheated on her boyfriend, Maia, that's true," she stated, "I don't know about anything else and I don't care; all that matters is that she cheated on Tony Milkovich and so now she's a fucking slut."

"Tony Milkovich was pretty hot..." Maia considered, remembering the Hufflepuff boy who golden locks and opportunities as high as the ceiling.

"I know," Emilia sighed before snapping out of it, "But I don't know this girl."

"She seemed lost before, bet it just happened again," Maia supplied as they got closer to the Lucie girl.

"Hogwarts is pretty confusing," Emilia started, "But no one just ends up at Ravenclaw tower because they got lost. I don't believe that."

Emilia began to march up to Lucie and even though Maia tried to get hold of her arm and plead "wait, don't!" it didn't work. "What are you doing here?" Emilia demanded of the girl.

Her hair was still in the same pony tail as before, clothes looking similar, and the trance on her face matched what it was when Maia had first seen her. It was as if nothing changed about her; like nothing would ever change.

"Hmm?" Lucie asked, blinking in shock that someone had spoken to her and stopped her in her tracks.

Emilia huffed, "I said, what the fuck are you doing here? You're not going to get into the tower!"

"The tower?" Lucie repeated, as if it wasn't connecting in her brain. Like her mind was a maze and the tower was so far in it and she had yet to get there to connect the dots together, "The tower..."

"Yes, the tower," Emilia said impatiently, "So why are you here?"

Lucie looked around, seemingly unaware of where her feet had led her. "Here...is near the tower?" it was like a guess, so unsure of herself and the words that were forming from her mouth.

Emilia nodded.

"I don't...I think I'm in the wrong place. I think I'm in the wrong place," she repeated the phrase, almost like she didn't know that she was saying it again and it only confused Maia and Emilia more.

"Are you okay?" Maia stepped forward, her tone much softer and kinder than her friend had been. She searched the glossy eyes of Lucie, reaching for some connection. "Do you remember me?"

"You?" Lucie questioned, peering up to meet Maia's eyes. There was no spark of recognition. "I think I'm in the wrong place. I have to go."

"Wait –" Emilia went to reach out, not yet done questioning the girl, but before she could even get to her Lucie had turned away and disappeared into thin air. "What the fuck? There's another ghost here?"

"Oh my Godric," Maia whispered, "I hadn't even noticed it before, when I saw her the first time. She's – she's a ghost!"

"Well, we have to tell someone," Emilia decided and Maia gave her a look, "What? No one even knows about her – Lucie! It's not like she's Peeves or Nearly Headless Nick who make their presence known whenever they can!"

"Yeah, but who can we tell? We can't report this to Umbridge or to Flitwick and no one else will listen," Maia said.

Emilia slumped, "Then I don't know what to do."

"We need to help her," Maia said determined, "She didn't even know who she was or where she was. It's not like the other ghosts here – I don't even think she knows she's dead."

"Fine," Emilia agreed, "But next year. It's not like we have the time right now and the year's almost over."

"Next year," Maia nodded, though she found a lump in her throat at the thought of it. Next year was going to be different, next year she was going to be different.

"Now, come on, I wasn't kidding about being starving before," Emilia grinned, as if they hadn't just been talking to a ghost, and Maia found it easy to agree.

✦

Leo was bored, and very lonely. He was sitting in the living room of Grimmauld Place by himself because Remelda and Nadia were out of the house and so were the Weasleys and his mother wasn't making any appearances like she usually did when he was alone. So he was bored and reading because this place didn't have a fucking TV (which was tragic) and he knew that he was so behind on Friends that it wasn't even funny anymore.

The book, however, was boring as well and it did nothing to make him forget about the time. Usually he had Nancy to talk to or he would be out with Thea, but the girl had a mandatory family thing tonight and couldn't do anymore and even so, Kreacher was keeping a close eye on him tonight as per the request of Remelda so it's not like he would've been able to get out without being caught.

He huffed, groaning in utter boredom, and all he wanted to do was throw his book against the wall and scream. But he knew that would awaken the portraits and if Sirius was home (he wasn't really sure where and where not Sirius was – he could be out with Nadia and Remelda and he would be none the wiser) he would ask if everything was alright. Well, if he even cared enough.

It was hard to tell with Sirius because he never really came out of his room and when he did he certainly never spoke to Leo. He only really talked to Remelda, Remus, Nadia, and Kingsley Shacklebolt (the list including Calypso and Regulus when they were present) – people he knew before he went into prison – and no one else. So they had only spoken a handful of times and he was almost certain that Sirius didn't like him at all.

Part of him understood, he presented a new era and his girlfriend's life after his arrest, and that must be painful. His life was put on halt – should have been the end of a true one if he hadn't escaped – but Nadia had moved on and found a new life to live, starting by taking in him and Maia.

But the other part of him was hurt. It wasn't like he had done anything wrong; it's not his fault that his father wanted to murder him because he had no magic in his bones (and also his sister just to make sure) and then ended up killing his mother when she gave them away to Remelda who then in turn placed them in the care of Nadia. Yet he was feeling the pain from that, the anger, and it just wasn't fair. He had done nothing wrong!

As he threw the book onto the other side of the couch, finally done with it, he went into the kitchen for a snack so that he could do something. While in there, he heard a voice, "Hello? Anyone there? Uncle Pads? Mum?"

He stilled; it sounded just like Calypso. He looked around in the kitchen before his eyes were set upon the fire place, where the fire was now burning bright with her muddled face inside it. It must be magic, he knew, so he came closer so that she might see him too.

"Cal? What's going on? What are you doing? Why is your head in the fire?" he fired out the questions, unable to stop himself because maybe now he would gain some entertain.

"We don't have time for this," Calypso waved off his questions, eyes wild, and Leo felt his gut drop as something had to be wrong again, "Have you seen Uncle Pads lately?"

He almost wanted to snort, to make a joke about the man, but he refrained since Calypso looked so incredibly serious and worried. But he did frown, knowing that something bad was going on if she was attempting to contact him through this way instead of a letter, and shook his head. "No, he doesn't come out of his room too much. I've only spoken to him maybe...two times before – what's going on?"

Leo had to ask again, to try and gain some insight, some knowledge because he hated to be left in the dark with all his worry brewing.

"Is it possible he could've been taken?" Calypso asked him instead of answering.

He was taken aback by that question. "I don't think so – well, I don't know, he did go out a night or two ago with some other Order members, and he might be out tonight with mum and Aunt Mel," Leo told her, "But I don't think he was taken – again, why?"

He placed more stress on the question this time, hoping that now she would finally answer him. But still, "Is he here?" was all he got in response.

"No...but –" he started as Calypso was yanked back, her face out of the fire and the flames unlit again. "Cal? Calypso?"

He yelled at the fire, wishing desperately that he had magic to talk to her again but alas, he did not. He looked up in a panic, something was wrong and someone didn't like Calypso poking around and talking to him.

Leo practically ran up the stairs, not even caring about Walburga Black's portrait or the others. "Sirius! Sirius, are you here?" he called out before banging on the door.

Thankfully, for him anyway, Sirius opened the door with alarm at the loud noise and the banging. "Leo, what are you doing?"

"I think something's wrong at Hogwarts," Leo told him seriously, "Calypso just came through the fire and she was asking about where you were and if you could be taken and then...she was gone."

Sirius grew pale, knowing that this was no joking matter, he rushed out of his room and the two went down the stairs. "It must be Harry – his mark," he whispered, "Voldemort must have left another vision slip through and now he thinks that I've been taken."

"Well, what do we do?" Leo asked, though he knew it was probably erroneous of him to include himself in this equation. He was simply a muggle; he had no involvement in wizarding matters and he never could.

"I have to go get Remelda and Nadia," Sirius said before turning back and looking at him, "You stay here."

He wanted to argue, to prove that he could do something to help because this was his family too – Calypso was his cousin – but he knew it was futile. He couldn't do anything, so he just nodded, watching as Sirius Apparated away to find his sister and ex-girlfriend and leaving Leo behind.

He just resigned himself to the couch again, though this time not bored, but paranoid.

✦

That night, after the realization that Lucie was a ghost, Maia found herself sitting outside on a bench and looking up at the stars. She always did love the stars, loved watching them and pointing out all the constellations that Remelda had taught her when she was younger. Pointing at the Regulus and Sirius stars, sad smile on her face, tight voice, but adoration full.

The doors close to the bench burst open as a group of students left. Maia frowned and she looked to see Calypso with them and Regulus – Regulus who was supposed to be acting like a cat right now because everyone thought he was dead.

Of course she had no other choice but to stop them. "Why is Regulus here?" she got up from her spot, running to her cousin, "What if he's caught?"

She didn't know Regulus at all really, but that didn't mean she didn't want him to be caught. He deserved a free life. But Calypso had no time to explain that as she simply stated, "Sirius has been taken. Come with us to save him?"

Her first instinct was to say yes, to be the loyal cousin and fight with Calypso to save Sirius, but a second voice appeared to say that it was dangerous. If Sirius was taken, it was by the Death Eaters; the same ones she was going to become over summer. If they saw her fighting alongside Harry Potter they might break the deal and kill her family; kill her or still force her to become one of them.

This could be the end; this could be their demise because she was apart of this operation. She wanted to say no, to explain everything right then and there, and was about to until she met Calypso's eyes again. They were so incredibly pleading and desperate so she couldn't say no. She only gulped and nodded, accepting that this might be the fuck up in all their fates.

Calypso smiled and they began to walk again, going to the edge of the Forbidden Forest which Harry Potter and Hermione Granger walked out of.

"So, how do we get to the Ministry?" Ron asked the group, giving Harry and Hermione their wands back.

There were so many questions Maia wanted to ask, but she refrained since she knew that there wasn't enough time to explain everything to her.

"I'd imagine we should fly," Hermione suggested but Harry was quick to shake his head.

"We've got no brooms," he reminded her, looking at the girl who deflated a little at the reminder.

"There are other ways to fly," Luna spoke up, "I mean, they can fly, and they're very good at finding places you need to go."

Maia gave the Lovegood girl a puzzled expression; she had no idea what the girl was even trying to allude to. It wasn't until Harry looked past them and asked, "What are those?" that she realized that they were looking at something the others couldn't see.

"What are what?" Ron asked his friend before turning to Regulus, "And who are you?"

"Regulus Black," he answered, not offering any other explanation of how he was alive and at the school; it would take too long anyway.

"There's nothing there, Harry," Hermione brought them back to Ron's first question at Harry's statement.

"Yes, there is. They're Thestrals. You can't see them unless you've seen someone die," Luna told them and even though it was a sad statement to make, there wasn't an ounce of that found in her voice.

Neville, looking almost ashamed and embarrassed, said, "I can see them to."

Maia wanted to add and I will soon but that would raise too many questions. Once she became a Death Eater, there would be murder and it would be by her wands. She would see the Thestrals soon enough when she became a murderer.

Harry clapped his hands. "Alright, then. Get on one and we'll be off."

"And what about those of us who can't see them?" Ron asked his friend.

Luna smiled and went to the redheaded boy. "I'll show you," she told him kindly and led him to one of the Thestrals as the others who could see them did the same with the others.

As they flew away towards the Ministry, Maia knew that tonight was going to end up in a disaster. Something in her gut seemed to almost call her there but plead for her to stay away, to get out of the fire before it could burn her.

She didn't listen.