Hogwarts was once a home. A beautiful place filled with laughter and talk of the future, but it was all so distant now, and all one Alessandra Sabre could do was cling to the little hope she had left. She was normally bright and optimistic, but this last week back had been nothing short of disaster. No muggleborn students were in attendance, all of them either on the run or hiding, or both. Just like her father, whom she was worried for. The last memory she had with him was the argument they had about her return to Hogwarts. But her brother assured their father he would give her some tips and she was allowed to return. And her mind had been a haze since. Walking into the Dark Arts class was the worst of it all. But she had friends. Connie and Neville were her biggest supports, but Connie was so far away. And the small smile Neville offered, it offered some ease, so she returned the small favor. But this lesson was already going to be hell in a hanf basket, and when Neville dropped his wand and Carrow called him forth, Ally held her breath. Neville had every reason to be sensitive to the subject, and Ally couldn't help the fact her eyes softened when he was interacting with Carrow. The fact that it didn't go unnoticed was what got her called up to the front, she was sure. Still, Ally remained silent and held her head high as she approached the front. "Alright, Sabre, use the cruciatus curse on Longbottom." He demanded, and Ally froze. Notonly was she completely unable to use the curses period, she could never turn her wand on her best friend. "No," she whispered, and Carrow looked at her. "What did you say?" He asked, more or less hissed really. "I said no." She spoke again, more clearly and louder, and that earned her a glare that sent daggers througb her soul it felt. "Then perhaps a demonstration is inorder." He cackled. Her hearing faded as pain jolted through her, she had barely heard the curse be called, and it was taking everything she had to not succumb. But she did, her body falling, first to her knees as tears filled her eyes, a scream escaping her. Then it stopped, but her body still burned and she felt like she was being stabbed endlessly, and she barely realized she was fully on the ground before hearing a manic laugh. "Anyone else?" Carrow's voice came. Staring down at her. She could feel what little strength she had leaving her as she barely managed to bring herself up, tears still coming as she tried to stand tall. Nothing could have prepared her for that, nor what happened next. - - - He was a prince amongst the rest. A tall, dark, and handsome prince with quite a reputation. But did that bother Blaise Zabini at all? Why should it? His reputation gave him a good edge,and with all that was going on already, he was glad to have it. He was in the good graces of all the teachers, and though he dare not say it aloud, he wasn't allied either way really. Though, being in Slytherin, and a seventh year at that, made people assume, but he didn't mich care to correct them. He did have to say that some of the Slytherins were annoying him. Picking on a first year was very beneath them, and with the castle their playground, Blaise still knew to keep a noble air about him. He was essentially royalty here after all. Still, through his own haze of thoughts and pleasant greetings he was given the task of babysitting Pettiwick. A right pain in the side if you asked him. He would deny any sort of pull he felt to her. She may have been gorgeous and pureblooded,but she was a blood traitor and hr couldn't be associated with that. The kiss last year was a fluke, as he recalled throwing insults at her jusy as viciously as she had to him. Still, the class was starting off, and he gave her a look, his eyes nearly locking hers. "Be on your best behavior." He coolly taunted her, but as Longbottom and Sabre were called forth, he could see her tense. Just as she had with the first year and his idiot housemates. Sabre surprised him though, and when their teacher's wand turned on her, he grabbed hold of Pettiwick. It was a good five minutes of the girl, who was obviously fighting her own screams, being tortured before it stopped. Carrow was smiling, viciously, but after that, he turned back to Longbottom. "Now, let's see if you outlast mummy and daddy." Carrow said, his eyes dangerously lit. Blaise was far from a protector, and Connie was far from his worries, but he had seen her act before, and it had to be stopped. Don't think differently of him, but he needed to save this confrontation foe another day. "Professor Carrow." He began smoothly, and the man looked to him. "How do you know you're working the curse right? You work it so effortlessly, and call me thorough, but when I go to use it, I don't want a backfire." He explained. He seemed to have stroked the man's ego well for the moment, as he directed his attention away from Sabre and Longbottom for the moment to nod and explain it as best he could. Maybe Blaise had ulterior motive, but for now, he would just play off the curious angle, as he had never once used the curse before. "Come on up here, Zabini, you too Pettiwick. Time for a learning experience." Carrow cackled.