A/N: I'm back, finally. I'm trying to get this story done and I've finally got the rest of it mapped out for the most part. My sudden obsession with Harry Potter has come back again with the nearing release of the final movie. I fully intend to dress up and shall be going as Jessica in her Death Eater form. I'm pretty excited. Lol! I'm post a link on my front page later so you can see exactly what the costume will look like.

Jessica hit the ground at a dead run, racing toward the crowd in the center of the field. She had been practicing the flight technique Severus had taught her when she'd felt the shock waves running through her blood. She'd only experienced something like this once before, on the day her brother had nearly died on holiday.

She shoved her way to the center of the crowd. Shivers ran down her spine as her father wailed. It couldn't be . . . Not Cedric. On the ground was her brother, his eyes staring up, unseeing, unblinking. Dead. Jessica felt as though someone had poured a bucket of ice water into her veins. She froze, torn between grief and rage. Someone had murdered her brother, the brother who would never know her again.

"Let's go, Jessica," Severus murmured, pulling his young student away from the sight of her brother's dead body. The pair of them fled the field, flying over the grounds once out of the sight of the crowd.

"He's dead," Jessica whispered numbly as Severus escorted her into his office. She sank down into the chair she'd taken to calling "hers." A thousand thoughts raced through her mind, each vying for dominance. She didn't understand how her brother could have died. The Tournament was supposed to be a safe competition. No one was supposed to die.

"Voldemort has returned," Severus informed her. That got the girl's attention.

"What?"

Her mentor rolled up his sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark emblazoned on his forearm. It was writhing about, a sure sign that the Dark Lord had summoned his followers.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, staring as if hypnotized at the Dark Mark. Early in her training, Severus had told Jessica exactly who he had been during the last War. Now Voldemort was back, and he was summoning his followers.

"I intend to present myself to the Dark Lord, offering my services as a spy within Hogwarts. That was my role before he fell, and, if my skills have not dulled with age, it shall be my role again," he answered.

"May I come?"

The question startled Severus, even though it was something he'd hoped she would say.

"Come where?" he asked slowly, pretending not to know exactly what his student was thinking. Jessica needed to tell him exactly what she wanted before he would make any assumptions.

"Can I go with you to the Dark Lord? I want to help you in any way I can," Jessica told him bluntly.

"You do realize that it is not simply a matter of showing up and signing up?" he countered.

"Of course, I would be disappointed if it were that easy," the young woman retorted as the numbness inside her gradually turned to a form of controlled anger that burned within her, fueling her plans. With or without Severus' approval, she would infiltrate the Death Eater ranks and destroy the Dark Lord's army from within. Severus would make the entrance much smoother and simpler.

The pair regarded one another for a long moment. The dark-haired man was not sure if he wanted to risk the life of the wonderful girl he'd come to love as dearly as a daughter. To place her within Voldemort's reach was to place her on a knife's edge, but to keep her away from him would be almost impossible.

The fire flared briefly in the hearth as Dumbledore stepped through.

"You should be on your way quickly, Severus," the old wizard advised softly. The pair knew what he meant without asking.

"I will return for you, Jessica," Severus said, gently pressing the girl back into the chair as she started to follow him. "I must greet the Dark Lord and ensure that I am in his good graces before bringing you before him."

Jessica reached out and gave her mentor's wrist a gentle squeeze, the only physical sign of endearment the pair had. It was her way of telling him to be careful. He returned the gesture before exiting the room through the Floo network.

"I had best brief you on the Castle's network if you are to join Severus in the ranks of the Death Eaters," Dumbledore observed after the other man had vanished from sight. "It seems the Order needs to be revived."

Only a few days after Cedric's funeral, Jessica was being escorted through the dark halls of an unfamiliar building by Severus. The pair wore dark cloaks and had come under the cover of darkness. Strangely, the girl felt completely calm, utterly comfortable with her ability to hide what thoughts she wished in order to become a valuable spy within the Dark Lord's army. The other skills Severus had given her would prove useful in convincing Voldemort to allow her entrance to his inner circle.

The pair entered a large room, empty of furniture save for one armchair placed before a large, cold fireplace. Seated in the chair was the pale form of a man, cloaked entirely in black, his face serpentine in appearance. Severus dropped to one knee when they were only two arm lengths from the chair. Jessica followed suit, kneeling just behind and to the left of her mentor.

"This is the new recruit you promised me, Severus?" the man hissed. He was not angry, Jessica sensed that immediately. No, he was amused by the sight before him. It showed in his voice.

"I must say, I am disappointed," the Dark Lord continued, "I had hoped for someone of greater power."

"She is more powerful than many believe, my lord," Severus ventured. "I trained her as you trained me. Her skills are even greater than mine in many aspects."

Jessica kept her head bowed as she felt a contact with her mind's outer defenses. The mental touch could only belong to the Dark Lord as it felt utterly inhuman. As Severus had told her to do, Jessica lowered her mental shields, allowing Voldemort entrance into her mind. She had nothing to fear at this point. Severus had taught her everything he knew about concealing memories while giving the appearance of complete openness. It was a skill that had brought him back into the good graces of the Dark Lord, and he had taught her so well that he could find nothing unless she wished it.

It took all of the young woman's will power not to slam her shields down on the intrusive mental touch. The Dark Lord's touch was harsh and violent, roughly pushing through memories and thoughts without regard for the pain he was causing the mind's owner. Though, Jessica supposed, he was likely to purposely cause the pain to make a weaker person's hidden thoughts and memories fall out into the open. Severus had impressed upon her the necessity of not underestimating the Dark Lord. Voldemort could, if he so chose, slip into her mind with no real indication he was there.

Jessica resisted the urge to sigh with relief as the rough mental touch withdrew. To do so would be to admit the Dark Lord bothered her.

"So she is, Severus," the Dark Lord murmured. "Come to me, girl."

Jessica rose and drew closer to Voldemort. He held out one hand dispassionately. Without hesitation, Jessica placed her left hand, palm side up, in his. With a flick of his wand Voldemort rolled her sleeve out of the way.

"Swear to me your loyalty and deliver upon your oath, for if you do not, you will not live long enough to regret it," Voldemort hissed, gripping Jessica's wrist tightly.

"I swear my loyalty to you," Jessica intoned firmly. She shut her eyes at the sudden pain as the Dark Lord dug his wand tip into her forearm. All sounds of discomfort were quickly bit back as the Dark Mark was etched slowly into her forearm.

"Welcome, Jessica," Voldemort said with a smirk. He released her arm and waved his two Death Eaters out of the room.

Severus escorted Jessica back to his home where she was staying. Once safely within, he cast a soothing spell on his charge's arm to ease the lingering pain he knew the Dark Lord would have left. Jessica gave him a small smile in thanks before sinking down in a chair and falling asleep. The experience had been a draining one in every way; Severus knew this from personal experience.

With a soft sigh he drew a blanket over the unconscious girl and exited the room. Today's events had been only the first step.