Rachel awoke the next morning, immediately noting the emptiness of the chair at her bedside. She looked around, observing the Hospital Wing, which was now bathed in the golden light of the rising sun.

Rachel briefly wondered where Sirius had gone before remembering the conversation between the two of them last night. She was still curious as to what Sirius knew about Voldemort's claim of soon being reunited with his followers. He had said it didn't matter at the time but Rachel knew based on his reaction that it did.

"You're going to have a lot of visitors tomorrow," she recalled one of the last things Sirius had said to her and smiled at the prospect of seeing everyone. It hadn't been that long since she had seen anyone, but due to the unusual circumstances, it felt as if it had been an entire lifetime.

She found herself excited to see Ginny, remembering their conversation the night before Rachel was taken. Ginny had confided in her about what was causing her frequent nightmares.

"Miss Dare, a pleasure to see you awake and well," a familiar voice startled out of her thoughts. Rachel looked at the entrance of the Hospital Wing, observing the old headmaster that must have entered while her mind was elsewhere.

"Good morning," she replied weakly, not knowing how else to respond.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, moving closer to her.

"Much better, thank you," she responded, testing out her still sore muscles.

"Excellent to hear," he said honestly. "Your gratitude, however, would be much better suited for our school matron, Madam Pomfrey and the friend of yours which brought you back to us."

"Apollo," Rachel said with a small smile. "Is he still here?"

"He left this morning to fulfill his 'godly duties' as he said. He did, however, part with a promise to return later," Dumbledore replied.

Rachel nodded in understanding, watching the old man apprehensively as he sat in the empty chair. She remembered what Sirius had said about Dumbledore wanting to know what happened at Malfoy Manor.

"Miss Dare, as I realize that you have been through a terrible ordeal, I would not take offense if you did not currently wish to speak about what happened," he said carefully. "Nevertheless, I do believe it would prove beneficial for everyone if we did discuss the events that took place at the Malfoy's residence."

Rachel nodded, agreeing, and proceeded to tell Dumbledore exactly what she had told Sirius last night. She found it extremely easier to talk about what happened the second time around and felt an immense amount of appreciation toward Sirius. She mentioned the visions she had as well as her suspicions about how Voldemort knew she could give prophecies. Of course, she left out Sirius' theory about Snape being the traitor that had told Voldemort about her.

Dumbledore listened to her story intently, a pensive look remaining on his face throughout, never once interrupting.

When she was finished, the two sat in silence for a few moments. Dumbledore looked at nothing in particular as he considered all that Rachel had told him. Rachel had never seen such an intense look of concentration on his face.

"Professor?" Rachel asked.

He looked at her finally and nodded for her to continue.

"Sirius said it wasn't important, but I was wondering what Voldemort meant when he said he would be reunited with his most loyal followers?" she asked, hoping he wouldn't give her an answer like Sirius'. "It's just... If the followers he has right now aren't his most loyal... then who are?"

Dumbledore adopted a grim expression and sighed. "I feared the possibility of this when you shared your vision concerning Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange. Now I am certain that this it is true."

"What's true?" Rachel asked, perplexed.

"You see, Miss Dare, after the First Wizarding War, when Voldemort fell, his followers knew that for their crimes they would be placed in Azkaban."

"The prison for magical people?" Rachel remembered Sirius telling her about it.

He nodded, continuing, "Yes. Well, most of his followers, namely the ones you saw at Malfoy Manor, did not want that to happen, so they denounced Voldemort and said they had only acted in favor of him because they were under the Imperius curse."

When seeing Rachel's confused expression, he explained how the unforgivable curse worked. "His other, more radical followers, on the other hand, remained devoted to him and his cause, and were ultimately sent to Azkaban prison for their crimes."

"I fear, based on your visions, that Voldemort is somehow planning to break out the Death Eaters which were sent away," he finished, looking unpleasant.

"Bellatrix is one of them," Rachel guessed.

He nodded

"Well, since we know it's going to happen now, can't we stop it?"

"We may try, yes," Dumbledore said. "I fear, however, that any attempts made by myself or anyone in the Order will be thwarted by the Minister of Magic. As you may be aware, he does not give credence to the idea that Lord Voldemort has returned."

Rachel nodded. They were interrupted as, once again, the door to the Hospital Wing opened.

"Rachel!"

Rachel smiled as she heard several exclamations of her name from those standing in the doorway. Ginny raced over to her bed while Hermione, Harry, Ron, and the twins followed eagerly behind.

"This is where I leave you," Dumbledore said, looking amused. "But I will return later to continue our discussion."

Suddenly, Rachel felt herself being pulled into a tight embrace by Ginny and though her muscles protested against the hold, Rachel returned the gesture with just as much enthusiasm. Once the two had pulled away from each other, she was immediately greeted by the others in a similar way.

"Rachel, we've been worried sick about you," Ginny said once everyone had settled down. "They wouldn't tell us anything when you went missing."

They spent the next hour catching up with each other, the group recounting what had happened at Grimmauld Place while Rachel was gone. The redhead found herself touched by the attempts the others made to find out what she had gotten herself into. Although Rachel was certain that at this point the others had been informed about the events that took place, there was no mention of Voldemort, Death Eaters or Malfoy Manor. For that, Rachel was grateful.

Despite this, Rachel could sense the lingering gaze of a certain bespectacled boy. Every time she looked at Harry, his expression told her that he was holding back, that he wanted so badly to ask Rachel about what she had seen.

Finally, after some time spent together, Mrs. Weasley came into the room, rushing towards Rachel and bringing her into a bone-crushing embrace. After Rachel spent several minutes assuring her that, yes, she was alright, Mrs. Weasley gave the bad news that it was time for them to return to Grimmauld Place.

"Rachel needs rest!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed with finality upon the protests of her children. Though she very much enjoyed everyone's company, she did find herself rather tired and was grateful for Mrs. Weasley.

Rachel watched as they rose reluctantly from their seats and said their farewells, promising to return again as soon as possible. The last to approach her was Harry, who still looked as if he had something he wanted so badly to say.

"Rachel..." he said and it was clear to Rachel that whatever he had to say was important and for her ears only.

The redhead looked at Mrs. Weasley, hoping her expression conveyed that she wanted to be left alone with Harry. Though she looked confused, Mrs. Weasley seemed to understand and began to shoo the remaining children towards the door.

"We'll wait for you outside, Harry," she said with a smile.

As soon as the door shut, Rachel turned to Harry curiously. He remained silent for a few moments.

"You saw him? You saw Voldemort?"

"Yes, I did," she answered.

"He... he tortured you?" Harry asked timidly.

Rachel hesitated, her brow furrowing, slightly confused, "Yes."

Harry sat down beside Rachel on the edge of her bed.

" He used the Cruciatus Curse," he phrased it as a question, to which Rachel nodded. "He did the same to me in the graveyard."

Rachel's gaze immediately softened and she suddenly felt a strange connection to Harry. It made her feel better knowing that someone had gone through the same thing as her and she was sure he felt the same way. Carefully, Rachel leaned forward and delicately wrapped her arms around the younger boy.

"I'm so sorry, Harry," she said. "No one should ever have to go through what you went through that night."

Harry was still at first, but when the tension in his body melted away, he returned her embrace and responded, "I'm sorry too."

After Harry left, Rachel was hoping to get some sleep but as she laid back on her bed, the door to the infirmary opened, revealing Dumbledore coming to talk to her yet again. The smile that formed on her face when she saw Sirius following behind the old headmaster faltered upon seeing the grave expression on his face.

"Hello again, Miss Dare. Although I am sure you are in need of rest, do not worry, I will not take up much of your time. I have a very important matter to discuss with you and Sirius."

Rachel glanced towards Sirius curiously and became nervous when she saw the stress in his eyes.

There was a moment of silence and Rachel could tell by the look of contemplation on his face that he was choosing his next words carefully.

"After consideration of recent events, I have come to the conclusion that it may be in everyone's best interest if you were to stay in a place where I can be certain that you

will not be in harm's way."

"What are you saying?" Sirius' response was immediate.

"I think it would be best if Miss Dare no longer stayed at Grimmauld Place," Dumbledore said evenly.

Sirius looked irate while Rachel didn't know what to say. Was Dumbledore sending her back home? After all she had gone through? After how much she had helped the Order? Rachel managed to get over her shock enough to say, "So, you're sending me back to America?"

"Absolutely not!" Sirius blurted before Dumbledore could respond. "She needs to be under the protection of-"

"I agree, Sirius," Dumbledore said calmly. "And that is why I believe that it is in Miss Dares best interest if she stays here at Hogwarts."

Sirius scoffed, "In what way? Death Eaters may not walk the halls of this school, but have you forgotten that their children do?"

Rachel immediately remembered the blonde haired boy from Malfoy Manor and wondered briefly if he attended Hogwarts. She wasn't positive that he was Lucius Malfoy's son but the resemblance was too similar to not come to that conclusion.

"I am fully aware of this Sirius, but I can assure you that Hogwarts is extremely secure and no Death Eater will have the opportunity to harm Miss Dare, even if their children are in attendance. Of course, this security is also dependent on Miss Dare ability to remain within the walls of the castle."

Rachel smiled sheepishly, looking down at her lap in order to avoid the older man's gaze.

Sirius didn't seem convinced. "How can she be safer in a place where any of those kids can report back to their parents that she's here as opposed to a place that can't even be seen without your express permission?"

"The decision to keep Miss Dare in Grimmauld Place was one made with the intention of keeping Voldemort and his followers from finding out about her existence," Dumbledore explained. "Since that is now not an option, the only chance we have at keeping Miss Dare safe is to keep her in a place where I am sure Voldemort will not attempt to take her again."

Even though there was a certainty in Dumbledore's tone that told her he had made up his mind and there was almost no chance for it to be changed, Rachel was prepared to argue and even though she may be able to convince him that she would never leave Grimmauld Place.

However, when she really thought about Dumbledore's idea, it made sense and seemed as if it was the best option when it came to securing her safety. After all, there was still the question of how Voldemort came to know about her abilities. Though she was still unsure of who specifically informed him, information like that could only come from someone that had been inside Grimmauld Place. Was it really safe for her to remain in the company of someone that had direct contact with Voldemort and, more importantly, someone that had no problem giving up information that could potentially result in her demise?

Of course, there was also Sirius that she had to consider. It was clear that he didn't want her to leave and she would feel absolutely terrible if she was able to leave the house he rarely could. She didn't want to leave him either.

"Rachel," said girl looked up in surprise as Dumbledore called her by her first name. "You should know that I am not attempting to force you to stay at Hogwarts. After all, it is entirely up to you where you take up residence. I encourage you, however, to consider your well-being and nothing else when choosing," he said as if reading her thoughts.

He continued when she remained silent, "Your abilities have been a great asset to The Order in this time of need, and for that, we are grateful. However, I feel I must remind you that you are no assistance to any of us should you end up in the hands of Voldemort again."

Rachel glanced over at Sirius, only to see that his face was set in a deep scowl and he was glaring intensely at Dumbledore.

"How would I be able to stay here? Would I be pretending to be a student?"

"Ah, no, not a student exactly," Dumbledore said, "You would come under the guise of an American witch that is seeking an apprenticeship with our very own Divination professor, Sybill Trelawney."

Sirius scoffed, "That's believable. As if anyone would seek an apprenticeship with her."

Going based on the stories she had heard about the eccentric professor from the others, Rachel had to agree.

"Though I am sure there will be some suspicions from certain staff members, I am sure that I will have no problem convincing them of your intentions," Dumbledore assure them.

Rachel considered her options for a moment. Though she knew that it would upset Sirius, she also knew that Dumbledore was right. Staying at Hogwarts would be in her best interest. She had to consider her safety and the fact that if it was compromised again, she wouldn't be able to help anyone. After all, that was what she came here to do in the first place.

"I think that you're right, Professor Dumbledore," she said, her voice strained. She kept her eyes trained on him so as to not see Sirius' reaction, which she doubted was good. "It would be best for me to stay at Hogwarts."

Immediately after she said this, Rachel heard the scrape of a chair beside her and then the sound of retreating footsteps echoing through the Hospital Wing. She didn't have to look to know it was Sirius.

"Thank you for your time, Miss Dare," Dumbledore said, standing up slowly. "I will make the necessary arrangements for you to return here when term resumes."

Rachel barely registered the old wizard's words as she began to wonder if she had made the right choice. Was she being too selfish in making this decision? She hadn't even discussed it with Sirius.

If she stayed at Hogwarts, she would at least have the company of Ginny, Harry, Hermione and everyone else at Hogwarts. Sirius, however, would be alone in Grimmauld Place. Sure, there would be the occasional Order meeting and Lupin or Tonks would visit often, but she knew that wasn't enough for Sirius.

With the exit of Professor Dumbledore came the arrival of someone Rachel had never seen before. It was a woman with grey hair and blue eyes. Despite her stern expression, the woman had a nurturing atmosphere to her. Rachel assumed that it must have been Madame Pomfrey.

"Ah!" she said. "Miss Dare, I heard you were awake. How are you feeling? Any soreness in the muscles?"

"Yes, actually," Rachel responded.

"Ah, yes, that is to be expected, given the circumstances," she said, shuffling over to a cabinet filled with vials containing liquids of all different colors and consistencies. She examined them before deciding one, which she handed to Rachel. "That should help."

The contents of the vial were a light purple color and smelled strongly of lavender. As soon as the liquid touched her lips, she could practically feel every muscle in her body completely relax and she quickly downed the entire thing.

"Thank you," Rachel said.

"Of course, now let me check your shoulder," she said as she came over to the bed, ordering Rachel to move her shoulder to see if it was completely healed.

She only stopped when the door opened yet again, only to reveal a beaming Apollo. Rachel grinned at him.

"Hey, Rach!" he said cheerfully. "I see you finally met Poppy, who so awesomely helped me nurse you back to health."

Rachel felt amusement when she saw that Madame Pomfrey looked slightly annoyed by the god's presence, trying to finish her assessment of Rachel's shoulder as quickly as possible.

"Everything looks good. You should be fine as long as you don't put too much stress on it," the matron said.

"Thank you," Rachel said as the women hastily made her way to her office.

"I can't stay long but I needed to see how you were feeling," Apollo said, taking the seat at her bedside.

"Much better," Rachel replied. "Listen, Apollo, I can't express how grateful I am to you for saving me from that place. I mean, who knows what would have happened to me if you hadn't shown up. For all, we know, Voldemort would've-"

Apollo held his hand up, signaling Rachel to cease her rambling.

"Now, Rachel, there's really no need to thank me, all that matters is that you are safe now."

His response shocked Rachel slightly. The Apollo she knew would've basked in the glory of being her savior. She even expected to hear a haiku or two. And yet, there he sat, a sincere smile gracing his lips, displaying the first sign of humility she had ever seen from the god. The Apollo she knew was not humble.

"Okay," Rachel said hesitantly.

"And you're sure you're ok?" he asked again. "Like... really ok?"

"Of course, why would I lie about being ok?" Rachel responded, now totally confused.

"It's just..." Apollo paused. "When I brought you back to the wizards, they told me what method of torture Voldemort used against you. It was a type of magic I had never heard of before, so I did some digging to see what it did, and I found that it can really mess with your mental state."

Rachel gave Apollo a small smile, flattered that he was concerned enough to find out how serious the effects of the curse were.

"Thank you, Apollo. I really am fine."

Apollo seemed extremely relieved at this, "Good. I want you to actually last as the host to the Oracle."

Apollo visibly relaxed after this and Rachel knew he had finally returned to normal when he shared his latest haiku about how awesome Hogwarts was. They continued to talk until Rachel began to nod off and Apollo announced it was time for him to leave.

"Well, if you need assistance again, you know who to call," he said with a blinding smile as he exited the Hospital Wing.

Rachel smiled to herself as she laid on her back and closed her eyes, getting some much needed sleep.

A/N: It's been a while lol. I hope you like this chapter next one coming to you soon. Kind of rushed towards the end but I just wanted to get it up so I might edit it later. Thank you for anyone still reading, following, faving and obviously, reviews are appreciated. To the person that pointed out I wrote that Rachel has green eyes, I changed that so thanks for pointing it out! Thanks for reading!