For the next few days, the entire school talked about nothing else but Sirius Black. Whispers and rumours buzzed around the castle, filled with theories of how he might have gotten into the castle. One of the older Hufflepuffs thought he might have disguised himself as a flowering shrub, and that was one of the more sensible theories.

The weather worsened steadily as the first quidditch match drew nearer. The Slytherins had pulled out of the match, claiming that their seeker was 'too injured', meaning that the match was now between Gryffindor and Slytherin.

The day of the match brought winds strong enough to topple a tree and rain pelting down through the sky. Lilleth, who was not fond of bad weather or quidditch, decided that she didn't particularly want to go, and no amount of begging from Blake, Piper and Dennis could convince her. She had made up her mind before the morning of the match, but did go to see Harry at breakfast.

"Hey." he grinned at the sight of her and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Coming to watch?"

"You know better than anyone that me and rain do not mix." said Lilleth, shuddering. "But don't worry, I'll come cheer you on your victory afterwards."

"Thanks." he said. "So what are you going to do instead?"

"I was thinking I might explore the castle." said Lilleth thoughtfully. "I haven't really had a chance yet."

"Ooh, I could lend you my copy of 'Hogwarts: A History' to help you learn about it." said Hermione eagerly. "I've filled it with notes about things that I've found."

"Oh – uh -" Lilleth went bright red. "No thanks, Hermione. I thought I'd just wander around and see what I can find."

"Don't get lost." said Harry.

"Good luck at the match." she said.

She bent down and quickly kissed him on the cheek, and then ran off again to join Piper and the other girls on the Hufflepuff table.

"Where are the boys?" she asked as she sat down.

"They're Gryffindor." said Piper. "We can't be seen to be consorting with the enemy."

Lilleth snorted, but the other girls all looked deadly serious. She dropped her smirk.

"Wait, seriously?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Quidditch rivalries are serious business." said Ella sternly. "Blake may be Piper's brother, but he's also a Gryffindor. And for today, a Gryffindor is a Hufflepuff's stern enemy."

"What were you doing at the Gryffindor table?" asked Missy, narrowing her eyes at Lilleth suspiciously.

"Oh, wishing Harry bad luck, of course." said Lilleth, nodding her head and trying to sound confident.

"You," said Piper, pointing a fork right between Lilleth's eyes, "are a terrible liar."

"I am not!" Lilleth protested.

"You have a tell." said Mira. "Your ears twitch when you lie."

"No they don't!" said Lilleth, subconsciously trying to cover up her ears.

"They just did again." Missy laughed. "So what were you really doing?"

"He's my brother!" Lilleth whined.

"Piper didn't go talk to her brother this morning." Ella pointed out.

"Yeah, but her brother isn't playing in this weather this morning." Lilleth retorted. "I don't understand how you can all get so agitated over quidditch. It's just some lunatics flying around on broomsticks."

"Quidditch is the best thing in the world." said Piper. "I can't wait to try out for the team next year. I don't understand how you can hate it so much."

"I don't hate it." said Lilleth, rolling her eyes. "I just don't like flying or watching it. It's boring."

"I think she's Satan." Missy whispered to Piper.

"I heard that."

After they'd eaten breakfast, almost all of the school began making their way down to the quidditch pitch for the match. Lilleth waved goodbye to her friends and sent a secret thumbs up over to Harry, and then made her way back down to the common room. What with all the constant weather beating at the castle walls, the underground Hufflepuff common room had quickly become the warmest place to be in the entire school.

Soon, the castle was almost completely empty, and Lilleth had the run of the place.

Bundled up in warm scarves and gloves and a hat, she made her way back up through the castle, revelling in the peace and quiet. It was rare for the castle to have such a calm aura about it, and Lilleth couldn't be enjoying it more. No people, no lessons, nothing to do – she could finally take a break from the business of daily life.

"Why aren't you at the quidditch match?"

She jumped and swung around, looking for who had spoken, but there was no one there.

"Up here."

Lilleth looked up.

"Not that far up." the girlish voice gave a little giggling as it spoke. "Look to your left – wait, no, right."

Lilleth turned around to look to her right and spotted a painting of a young girl waving at her with a wide smile on her face.

"Who are you?" asked Lilleth in awe. She knew the paintings could talk, but she'd never had one talk directly to her.

"My name is Evanora." said the girl. "Most call me Eva. Eva Malfoy."

"Malfoy?" Lilleth exclaimed in shock. "As in – Draco Malfoy?"

"Ah." Eva's lips tightened into a thin line. "My grandson."

"How do you have a grandson?" asked Lilleth curiously. "You're – you look like you're only my age or so."

"This painting was made while I was seventeen, a coming of age present." said Eva, sighing. "There's a sister portrait in Malfoy Manor."

She truly was beautiful, despite the plainness of the portrait itself. Long, platinum blonde hair hung in a plait down her shoulder, tied with a black ribbon in a bow, which stood out very plainly against her pale skin and icy blue eyes. She was wearing a simple brown skirt down past her knees, connected to a white blouse with a black belt, a buckle with the Malfoy family crest holding it all together. The white blouse was long sleeved, and the sleeves flounced out at the ends to reveal several ornate bracelets. Around her pale neck was a silver chain with a blue gem carved into the end of it in the shape of a dragon.

"How old are you now?" asked Lilleth inquisitively.

"I don't exactly know." said Eva nonchalantly, as if it didn't really matter. "My husband trapped me in this painting many, many years ago to punish me. He discovered that I'd been unfaithful, although trapped in a loveless marriage, it was my only source of freedom. If I ever get out of here, I don't know if I'd be the age I should be, which is sixty, or whether I shall return to being seventeen."

"Oh." said Lilleth. "I'm – so sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry." said Eva. "I prefer being here than with him. And I think I had a good life, for most of it."

"What about the part that wasn't good?" asked Lilleth, and instantly regretted it. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, that was so rude -"

"It's alright." said Eva softly. "I had a wonderful childhood. A mother and father who doted on me, three older sisters and two older brothers, and the most fabulous friends."

"What house were you in?"

"Slytherin, of course." said Eva. "I had been betrothed to my husband since I was born, although I didn't meet him until I was fifteen. Abraxas was a cruel man in his ways, although he claimed to love me."

"Did you love him?"

"Love did not matter for us." said Eva, sighing. "It was an appropriate marriage with an approved family. In our time, that was all that was important. But I believe I was fond of him, especially in the beginning, even though he had a nasty temper."

"So what happened?"

"I was pregnant by the time I was nineteen." said Eva. "I had my son, Lucius, at twenty. Then Nova two years later, and another girl, Cassiopeia four more years later. Now, I have a question for you. Why aren't you at the quidditch match?"

"I don't really like quidditch that much." said Lilleth, shrugging. "Or rain. Or wind. Or cold. I just thought I'd explore the castle."

"Well, I shan't keep you then." said Eva, smiling at her. "But it was lovely to meet you. There aren't many people who want to talk to me. Most see me as a Malfoy and wonder why I'm even here."

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?" asked Lilleth cautiously.

"I was a governor of the school in my time." said Eva. "I believe I made some positive improvements. But many years ago, my son insisted that my portrait be hung in the school, and Professor Dumbledore agreed."

"You must know all sorts of secrets about the castle." said Lilleth.

"Of course." said Eva, and a mischievous smile appeared on her face. "But I shan't be telling you any. You need to explore for yourself."

"I think I will." said Lilleth. "It was wonderful to meet you too. I hope I'll see you again."

"Well, it isn't like I can go anywhere." said Eva, laughing delicately. "But I never learnt your name."

"Lilleth." said Lilleth. "Or Lilly, if you'd like."

"Thank you for speaking to me, Lilly." said Eva graciously. "And thank you for not ignoring me."

"Of course." said Lilleth. "I know how it feels to have no one to talk to."