The Christmas at the Potters was the quietest yet that year. There was no party. No big gathering.

It was just Fleamont, Euphemia, James, Jenna, and Sirius, as they drank hot coco in front of the fireplace in the living room, watching the snow falling outside from the windows.

       After returning to Hogwarts for the new term, Jenna seemed to be the only one among her friends who didn't worry about their upcoming N.E.W.Ts.

        Lily wouldn't let down her book for even a split second and read even at meal times or between classes.

        Whenever Alice was missing, they were sure that they could find her in the library, studying in a corner as she hummed a song to herself.

       And Marlene claimed that she was having a mental breakdown at least three times a day.

       But Jenna was now too busy focusing on the new task that Dumbledore had set her.

       Now that she had mastered Occlumency to a good level, Dumbledore wanted her to work on her Metamorphic abilities.

Obviously she couldn't ruin the mission by letting her hair suddenly turn pink or silver in Voldemort's presence in the body of a Death Eater, which meant that she had to learn how to control her emotions and not let them take the better of her.

        A month had passed and they soon reached February, but keeping her emotions at bay was proved harder than it  looked like to Jenna.

       Each time Sirius made a smooth comment or kissed her, she had to hold back her hair from turning pink. Or when she got angry at the Quidditch practices, she needed to stop it from going red.

"Ugh, will you just put that thing away?" Jenna told Lily with a groan as they were walking out of Charms class.

Lily had nearly bumped into someone as she was holding her book up to her face when they walked down the corridor. Alice had already left them to go to the library, while Marlene was mumbling grumpily to herself about how hard the new lesson was.

"No, I won't put it aways. And you should be studying too, Jen," said Lily, only briefly closing her book to scold her friend. "This is important for our future."

        Jenna opened her mouth to retort, but she was stopped by Marlene, who let out a gasp.

"Oh, God... is that Marvin?" Marlene suddenly said, stopping in her tracks as she pointed at the end of the long corridor.

Jenna looked up, only to see that three large fifth year Slytherin boys were laughing as one of them had his wand pointed at Marvin, suspending him upside down in the air, as if he were hanging from an invisible rope by his ankle.

"Oi! Pea brains!" Marlene yelled at them as she rushed down the corridor, drawing out her wand. "Why don't you pick up one someone your own size!?"

Lily and Jenna threw each other a glance as they hurried after Marlene, both thinking the same thing; they definitely weren't the same size as those boys either.

But as the three huge Slytherins were busy sniggering and mocking Marlene, she suddenly raised her wand at one of them and jinxed his legs together, causing him to hurtle down and fall on his face.

The two other boys, now alarmed, drew out their wand and pointed them at Marlene, but Jenna was quick enough to hex one as Marlene jinxed the third one, meanwhile Lily ran toward Marvin to use the counter curse on him, brining him down.

"Hopefully that would've taught you," Marlene snarled at them as they watched their bodies on the floor. She then turn to her brother with a half smile. "You okay, Marv?"

"I-I think so," he said in a small voice, throwing his gaze down. But he looked far from fine.

So Marlene sighed, going on her knees to level down with her brother, bringing him into a hug. "It's okay. I've got you."

***

As the weeks went by, the seventh year students barely had time to sit peacefully by the Black Lake or just lay down in the common room to relax. They were too busy trying to catch up with their homework and essays.

That day, they were in their Defense Against the Dark Arts class, learning about Dementors that suddenly the classroom's door opened and to everyone's surprise, Professor McGonagall peered inside.

"Excuse me, Professor," said McGonagall, an obvious look of sadness in her eyes. "Can I talk to Miss Evans?"

By that, the room went silent. All eyes fell on Lily as she looked up at McGonagall fearfully.

They had watched throughout the years how the Head of Houses took the students to their office, and never for a good news.

So not knowing what to expect, Lily gulped, her heart pounding as she stood up. Jenna placed her hand on hers and gave a comforting smile before Lily followed McGonagall out of the class.

They waited all day for Lily, but she didn't even show up for dinner, and when they went back to the common room, she wasn't there either.

"Go check your dorm," James told his sister worriedly, "she might be there."

"Okay." Jenna nodded weakly, walking up toward the girls' dormitory, but Lily wasn't there either.

Jenna went back down into the common room, shaking her head. They sat down in silence along with Marlene, Alice, Sirius, Remus, and Peter. No one knew what was going on, but all they could do was hope that nothing too horrible had happened.

When the portrait swung open and Professor McGonagall entered the common room, the seven Gryffindors jumped to their feet.

"Professor, what happened?" James asked her urgently, his eyes huge with worry.

"Professor Dumbledore wants to speak with you, Mr. Potter," she said and then turned to face Jenna. "You too, Miss Potter."

The twins glanced around the room at their friends before nodding, following Professor McGonagall toward the headmaster's office in silence.

As they walked past the Gargoyle statue and entered Dumbledore office, they found him sitting behind his table as always.

"Thank you, Minerva," said Dumbledore and so Professor McGonagall nodded at him politely before closing the door, leaving.

"Professor, can you please tell us what's going on?" James said demandingly, but Jenna remained quiet, too afraid of what she might hear if she asked.

"Please, take a seat," said Dumbledore softly, gesturing at two chairs by his desk.

Jenna was first to obey, knowing Dumbledore well enough after two years that there was no point arguing with him, and so James followed her lead, sitting down.

"Miss Evans has been sent home," Dumbledore started. "I'm most unfortunate to inform you that her parents have died."

James and Jenna glanced back at each other, as if to check if they had heard him right. Jenna threw her gaze down, her eyes filling up with tears. James had uncontrollably turned his hands into fists so hardly that his knuckles turned white.

"We need to go see her!" James said hoarsely, getting up to his feet fiercely.

"And you will, when I've said what you're here to know," said Dumbledore in his calm voice. James stared angrily into his eyes, but at last gave up and sat back down.

"How did it happen?" Jenna whispered, not meeting his eyes.

"The Muggle authorities say that it was a tragic accident that took place in a festival, but we believe it was otherwise," Dumbledore explained.

"It was the Death Eaters, wasn't it?" James snarled through gritted teeth. "It was You-Know-Who's lot!"

"Yes, it was." He nodded. "But I suggest you call him by his real name from now on, Mr. Potter. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."

James said nothing, so Dumbledore went on.

"I called you two to my office, not only because you were closest to Miss Evans, but because I trust the pair of you," he said. "I wanted to discuss an important matter with you."

"What is it, Professor?" Jenna asked hesitantly, finally looking up at him.

"It's about the Order of the Phoenix."