"I did it, father," Marina confirmed proudly. "I made him fall for me. The mission is completed."

The shadow of the Dark Lord entered her dreams, staring at her with his head held high. His black curls fell in front of his eyes, the eyes which reflected hers, and he let out a loud, hoarse laugh.

"You have done well, my dear..." he walked close to her, each step in sync with her heartbeat. "It is time to bring the boy to me."

"I will, father, but you must understand," she crossed her arms behind her back and batted her eyes, "that I must grow even closer to him. Give me the holiday, and I promise: I will have him at the gates of Malfoy Manor before the train leaves for Hogwarts."

Even though it was dark, Marina could see the Dark Lord look at her full of anger before turning his back to her.

"You are to be rewarded for the hard work, dear. You will see your present soon."

With a matter of seconds, her father had turned into a ray of black smoke which flew toward the sky, disappearing. Marina shot up in her bed, gasping for air.

Ginny rushed to her side a split second before Hermione did, both calling her name and reaching out to help her. She began to cough violently, which surprised even her. She had not called upon her father for many months, and she had forgotten what if felt like to wake up afterward.

She felt as if she was about to pass out and vomit at the same time; as if someone was pressing her chest and pulling her down against the pillow.

"I'm sorry." She uncomfortably shifted in her seat once retrieving her normal breathing pattern, accepting a glass of water from Ginny. "Just a stupid nightmare..."

Hermione nodded slowly. "Do you get them often?" she asked.

"Yes. It's mostly flashbacks from the Tournament," Marina started but didn't wish to continue. "I hope I didn't wake you."

"Don't worry, we've been helping Mum all morning," Ginny smiled, putting her hand over Marina's.

Although Marina had only stayed at the Burrow for a day, she had felt a strong sense of belonging. Mrs. Weasley had welcomed her with a gigantic hug once she had stepped through the door, bragging about how much Harry had talked about her. Mr. Weasley had shaken her hand, saying that she could stay as long as she wanted (because they certainly had enough space in the house for her).

She slept in Ginny's bedroom, along with her and Hermione. It was a small room, but still very cozy. Ginny had decorated it with Quidditch supplies and everything red and gold, showing off her Gryffindor pride. It was so unlike the manor, where everything was black and made of either silk or stone. There was never a silent minute in the Burrow, as there was always a Weasley running around screaming, in contrast to Malfoy Manor, where you could always hear your own heartbeat.

She did, however, miss the long Christmas nights at the manor, when she would stay up all night to talk to her cousin about everything and anything, and how he would hold her close after the nightmares had woken her. But, now she was unsure if the two would feel close again anytime soon.

When Marina had told Draco that she was staying at the Burrow over the holidays, he had shouted at her louder than ever before.

The two had woken up most of the Slytherin house when Draco had started throwing things around, complaining about how she chose a family of blood traitors over him. She ended up stunning him and using a silencing charm on him.

The day after, before the train left from Hogwarts, he refused to say goodbye to her. Instead, he got Crabbe and Goyle to pretend to be his bodyguards. Pansy was over the moon when she realized that she could finally sit next to him on the train.

"I should go to the kitchen table with this," Marina whispered, holding her now empty glass up and glancing at Ginny.

Walking down the many staircases of the Burrow, the dark-haired witch inhaled the sweet smell of pine and cinnamon, passing several mistletoes on the way. She could hear Mrs. Weasley speak loudly in the kitchen, and simply assumed her and Mr. Weasley were having a heated discussion:

"It is time!"

"No, it is not!"

"Then why did he bring her here? You've got to see it," Molly spoke louder for each word, "you've got to accept it! She's here. She's ready."

But when Marina entered the kitchen a second later, Molly was the only person in the room. The woman smiled wide at the sight of her, throwing her hands up in the air.

"I didn't know you had a dog, Mrs. Weasley," Marina said, watching a black dog run across the kitchen and past her.

"I'll take that, dear," the older woman spoke, taking the glass from her hand and putting it on top of a tower of dishes and pans next to the sink.

"Mrs. Weasley, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Why are you being so nice to me? I mean, I grew up with the Malfoys, who constantly insult your family and try to bring you down. Lucius has been trying to get Mr. Weasley fired from his job for years, and Draco has been on Ron's neck since the first day of Hogwarts. Then again, my name is Black, so I don't even understand how you-"

"Marina, will you sit down with me, please?"

Mrs. Weasley sat down on one of the many chairs around the large table stretching from the kitchen to the living room and patted the spot next to her. Marina watched as a teapot flew into the air and poured tea in two teacups on the table before sitting down.

"I'm sorry if I am too much, Mrs. Weasley," she smiled a shy smile, realizing that she felt strangely comfortable and calm around the woman. "I am just happy and confused, all at once."

"How come you be so different from the Malfoys," Molly sighed, "if you grew up with them?"

CRACK

Fred apparated into the room, landing steadily on both legs right behind Marina's chair, making her jump high into the air.

CRACK

George apparated to behind Mrs. Weasley, to which she simply rolled her eyes.

"Better get used to that," she said, standing up from her chair and clapping the girl on her shoulder.

"Well, hello there," George smiled, taking the seat next to Marina right away.

"We've got something for you," Fred took the seat on the other side of her, shoving his hand into the pocket of his jacket.

"Try this," they both said in unison, Fred handing her a candy wrapped in red wrapping with a gigantic W on it.

"Why do I feel like you are trying to poison me?"

She grabbed the candy and looked at Fred with narrow eyes just as Harry appeared in the doorway.

"I don't think that's a good idea," he quickly put out, walking to take the candy from her hand and sitting down in the chair Mrs. Wesley had sat in.

As he kissed her cheek, the twins were fast to run from their seats.

"Merry Christmas, Harry."

"Merry Christmas, Marina."

"Ugh!" Ron entered the room with bags under his eyes, and his pajamas still on. "There are mistletoes in the hallway, get out there!"

Harry immediately blushed. Ron shook his head, walked up to him, and then snatched the candy out of his hand, throwing the wrapper off and putting it into his mouth.

"Oh, Merlin, no-"

Instantly, green plants grew out of his ears, making him cry out in horror.

Fred and George started jumping up and down. Marina wasn't sure if she was about to laugh or run to help the boy.

"There's your mistletoe," laughed Ginny, now entering the room with Hermione.

"WHAT?" Ron screamed, "I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

"God, Ron," Hermione gasped, "what did you do?"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

"I'm sure the twins have something to remove-" Ginny began, but stopped mid-sentence when the boys looked down at the floor and scratched the back of their heads.

"THEY HAVE WHAT?"

With complete chaos bursting out in the room, Ron began grasping his ears and whining loudly.

"Wait until mum finds out about this-"

With a quick flick of her wand, Marina made the plants grow brown before falling to the floor. Ron let out a groan, flinching as the spell worked.

"And you were going to give that to me?" She turned to the twins with her wand now pointed at them, making them duck and cover their heads. "Well, can I borrow some? Think I know just what to give Pansy Parkinson next time she gets on my nerves."

"Blimey," Ron whispered, "she's one of us!"

"No, no, no!" An irritated Mrs. Weasley stormed into the room, clutching her fist around a pan. "SIT DOWN!"

At once, every person in the room found a seat at the table and turned silent. Marina was looking around with her jaw dropped as no one dared to look Mrs. Weasley in the eyes. Behind her stood Mr. Weasley, with a stack of presents in his hands, and the Black couldn't quite decide if he looked amused or worried.

"Thank you," the mother said with a sudden light, gentle voice, lowering her pan. "Now, I got presents ready!"

She smacked the pan onto the table right in front of George's nose, making both of the twins jump and look at each other with wide eyes.

Molly snatched the presents from her husband's grip, giving them to her children with a big smile. Ron was the first to open his present: a new beanie decorated with the Gryffindor colors. Ginny got a scarf, which her mother said would be perfect for the upcoming Quidditch matches. The Weasley twins got each their pair of socks, Hermione a pair of mittens and finally, Harry, a beanie that matched Ron's, only with a gigantic H on it.

Marina watched with a small smile as they opened their presents, though her eyes were watering. She had not expected a present; it was just that she missed the manor. A Christmas ago, she had gotten Nagini, and spent the day talking to her aunt about boy problems. This was so different from what she was used to.

Molly looked up at her with sad eyes and empty hands after giving out the presents. Marina nodded her head and smiled a little wider, indicating that she didn't mind it.

"Drumroll, please!" George burst out as soon as everybody had opened their presents.

"It's been a long time," Ginny smiled, throwing her hands down to turn the table into a drum. The others followed.

Marina furrowed her eyebrows as they all turned to her. Molly reached under the table, bringing out a huge box wrapped in purple.

Everyone cheered as Marina opened it, revealing a knitted dark green sweater with a white M covering half of it. She felt the blood rush to her face as she looked up at the one who had stayed up all night knitting it.

"It's just like the one I have seen you wearing at school," Marina said, turning to Ron.

"Yeah, it's kind of a thing in this family."

She smiled for a moment, letting her chest fill with warmth. The Black got to her feet, ready to run to hug Mrs. Weasley, just as-

"Stupefy!"

In just a moment, Marina had reached for her wand in her pocket and pointed it directly at the man standing in the doorway. Although she had never seen him in person, she recognized him from the posters that had been hung in Hogsmeade during her third year.

The man fell to the floor at an instance, and Harry shot up from his seat, running to help him up.

"Quite the temper, that one," the man laughed while taking Harry's hand and getting to his feet.

"Yeah, runs in the family, doesn't it?" Harry answered.

Family. Marina froze. The warmth in her chest had now turned into growing, burning anger which soon took over her whole body.

In front of her stood the man she had been warned about all her life; the man she had been taught to hate, despise; the man who was a shame to her family's name.

Sirius Black.

"Thought you'd be rotting by now."

"Well, don't you sound like Bella?"

"Er- why don't we go out, children?" Molly broke the uncomfortable silence, making all of the Weasleys and Hermione stand up from their seat and jog out of the room within seconds.

Marina was standing tall as the door closed, looking at Sirius as if he was dirt on the floor. "I'm disappointed," she hissed, "you looked scarier in the pictures."

Sirius smiled wide as she sat back down in her seat.

"Yes, Harry, she's definitely a Black."