"For weeks you carry around this book, practically sleep with it, and yet you have no desire to find out who the half blood prince is?" Hermione complained as we walked down the streets of Hogsmeade. It was nearing Christmas already and the paths were all filled with snow.

"I didn't say I wasn't curious, and I don't sleep with it" Harry muttered.

"But it's true! All you do is read that bloody book, he's become Hermione," Ron added on.

"Well I was curious, so I went to the-"

"The library" Harry Ron and I said in unison.

"...And nothing. I couldn't find a reference anywhere to the half blood prince"

"There we go, that settles it then" Harry muttered.

"Yes! Hoping to find you in the three broomsticks?" Professor Slughorn asked Professor Flitwick from a distance.

"Ah, no. Emergency... Choir practice" Professor Flitwick replied walking away.

"Does anyone fancy a butter bear?" Harry asked watching Professor Slughorn walking into the three broomsticks, "I'll pay,"

"Let's go" Ron said walking towards the Three Broomsticks.

The Three Broomsticks were filled with more people than the last time I came here with Draco. At the very front, Professor Slughorn was chatting loudly with one of the waiters. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and I took a seat at an empty table by the staircase. Harry sat across from me to keep an eye on Professor Slughorn just above my shoulder.

As I was sitting down, I met eyes with Draco. He was wearing all black with his usual serious face. I smiled weakly at him before looking away and sitting back down. I just didn't feel so comfortable around him anymore now knowing he was a death eater. Although it was strange he came to the Three Broomsticks all by himself and not with his friends.

"Something to drink?" A waiter asked coming to our table. His gaze fell on me and a small smirk appeared on his face. I smiled at him quickly before looking away feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Four butterbeer please," Harry said coughing a little. The waiter eyed Harry and I before walking away slowly nodding.

"Oh, bloody hell" Ron muttered looking over my shoulder. I turned around to see Ginny and Dean sitting together at the corner of the store holding hands and flirting. "Slick git"

"They're only holding hands," Hermione said looking towards them. Ginny and Dean stared into each other's eyes for a moment slowly leaning in before kissing. I jumped a little and looked away.

"...And snogging," Hermione said looking back towards Ron.

"...I'd like to leave," Ron said as the waiter brought us our butterbeer. He placed the cups down in front of us, smirking at me while he placed mine down. The whole time Harry's eyes didn't leave the waiter until he left. Once he made sure the waiter was far away, he shifted his eyes back to Professor Slughorn.

"What? You can't be serious" Hermione exclaimed.

"That happens to be my sister" Ron replied furrowing his eyebrows as I drank my butterbeer.

"What if she looked over here and saw you snogging me? Would you expect her to get up and leave?" Hermione said making me choke on my butterbeer.

"Harry my boy!" Professor Slughorn came towards our table furrowing his eyebrows at me as I continued to cough.

"Hello, sir. Wonderful to see you" Harry said getting up to shake his hand, "So what brings you here?"

"Oh, three broomsticks and I go way back than I care to admit. I can remember it being one broomstick" The two broke into laughter causing Professor Slughorn to spill his beer on me. I jumped quickly moving away as Hermione grabbed a napkin trying to wipe away as much of it as possible.

"All hands on deck Clermont," He said to which I smiled lightly to.

"Listen, my boy. In the old days, I used to throw together the occasional supper party. Select a student or two. Would you be game?" Professor Slughorn asked leaning in closer.

"I'd consider it an honor sir" Harry replied smiling.

"You'd be welcome too Granger and Clermont," Professor Slughorn said looking down at us.

"We'd be delighted sir" I replied smiling.

"Splendid! Look for my owl!... Good to see you Rupert" He said turning to face Ron before walking off.

"What're you playing at?" Ron asked Harry furrowing his eyebrows.

"Dumbledore asked me to get to know him"

"Get to know him?"

"I don't know, it must be important. If it wasn't, Dumbledore wouldn't ask"

"You've got.. little bit-" Ron stuttered pointing at his own lips looking at Hermione who had a bit of cream around her lips. She looked away and wiped the cream off with her sleeve before looking back at him.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom to clean myself up," I said getting up and walking towards the bathroom. On my way, I ran into Draco who seemed to have come from the direction of the girl's bathroom. He jumped looking at me nervously and looking around frantically.

"Draco?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows.

"I didn't mean to-" He whispered.

"What?"

"I didn't want to- I had to" He continued to whisper until he froze looking somewhere. I turned around and saw Harry looking at Draco and I. I turned around to face Draco again when he quickly pulled me out of his vision by my wrist.

"Draco what is going on? What did you do?" I asked again.

"Whatever happens, promise me you won't leave me. I can't lose you too" He whispered, his breath was shaky and unsteady.

"What in Merlin's name are you talking about?"

"Just promise me!" Draco yelled out bringing attention to us. I looked around to see everyone looking over at us, even Harry. I sighed and grabbed his wrist pulling him outside the Three Broomsticks.

"You tell me what's going on right now Draco" I said a little frustrated.

"I can't tell you, they'll kill you if you know. You'd be putting everyone you love including yourself in danger"

"They? Who's they?"

"I can't tell you" He spat looking away. I sighed rolling my eyes in frustration when the door to the Three Broomsticks opened and Katie and her friend walked out holding something. From behind the two, Harry, Hermione, and Ron came out.

"Do you need something Malfoy?" Harry spat grabbing my arm pulling me away.

"Nothing from you Potter" He spat storming off towards the other direction.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked furrowing his eyebrows at me.

"I don't know" I replied walking off as the trio followed.

"By the way, did you hear what she was saying? What on earth was she thinking? As if" Ron muttered referring back to Hermione's statement on the two snogging.

Hermione sighed wrapping her arm around my shoulders smiling when a high-pitched scream filled the air. In front of us, Katie was laying on the snow while her friend was panicking.

"I warned her, I warned her not to touch it!" Her friend Leanne yelled at us. From behind her, Katie suddenly slid to the left then right before getting yanked up by something invisible, she was possessed. She was trying to tell but no sound came out of her mouth. Soon, she dropped suddenly losing her consciousness.

"Don't get any closer, get back all of you!" Hagrid said walking in between Harry and I towards Katie. He scooped her up effortlessly as I walked towards a black box that had fallen on to the snow, the same one Katie was carrying.

"Do not touch that, except for the wrappers. Do you understand?" Hagrid said before walking away. The black box was opened and a necklace had fallen out of it. It was a very beautiful necklace with blue gems on it, but cursed.

~***~

"You sure Katie did not have this in her possession when she entered the Three Broomsticks?" Professor McGonagall asked Leanne looking down at the cursed necklace sitting on top of her table.

"Like I said, she left to go to the bathroom, and when she came back she had the package. She said it was important that she deliver it"

"Did she say to whom?"

"To professor Dumbledore" Leanne replied cautiously. Draco was making his way out of the girl's bathroom before running into me. This was what he was talking about, he cursed the necklace and gave it to Katie.

"Very well, thank you Leanne, you may go," Professor McGonagall said taking a deep breath as Leanne made her way out of her office.

"Why is it when something happens it is always you four?" Professor McGonagall asked turning to face us.

"Believe me, professor, I've been asking myself the same question for 6 years" Ron replied.

"Oh Severus" Profesor McGonagall called out to Snape as he walked inside the office. He walked over eyeing the four of us before examining the necklace by picking it up with his wand using magic.

"What do you think?" Professor McGonagall asked concerned.

"I think Miss Bell is lucky to be alive"

"She was cursed, wasn't she? I know Katie, she wouldn't hurt a fly. If she was delivering that to Dumbledore she wasn't doing it knowingly" Harry spoke out.

"Yes, she was cursed" Professor McGonagall replied nodding.

"It was Malfoy," Harry said. Hermione, Ron, and I quickly turned to face him furrowing our eyebrows. I felt my hands getting sweaty, I didn't know if I had to tell Professor McGonagall the truth or not. What would happen to Draco if I had told her? He had no choice, Voldemort chose him.

"That is a very serious accusation Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said as I kept silent.

"Indeed" Snape added on staring at Harry, "Your evidence?"

"I just know"

"You just... know?... Once again I'm astonished by your gift Potter, gifts only mortals can dream of possessing, how grand it must be to be the chosen one"

"I suggest you go back to your dormitories, all of you," Professor McGonagall said and we all turned around to leave.

"Evelyn," I turned around when Professor McGonagall stopped me. "Any idea who might have done this?"

Snape looked at me closely and I felt my heart beating faster. If I were to give Draco away, what would happen to me? He said if I knew, 'they' would kill me and everyone I love would be in danger. And Draco? He had no choice, it's not his fault. No, I refuse to believe it.

"No Professor," I said as Snape raised his eyebrows slightly at me.

"Very well then," She said sighing.