Disclaimer: All the characters and settings belong to the glorious J.K. Rowling, and I have no profit in mind, only some fun…

Prologue

He had known that she would be there, but when she stepped out of the shadows by the window, his breath caught for a moment. She looked so different. Six and a half years ago, he had alreadey seen her vast potential when she had entered the Great Hall to be sorted into her house. He had known that she would be special, brighter than the others, and extremely courageous, but nothing had prepared him for the graceful majesty, the quiet determination that filled her eyes now.

"Professor Dumbledore", she finally acknowledged his presence with a short tilting of her head.

"Miss Granger", he answered, not a hint of a smile in his eyes, "please sit down. What was it you wished to tell me so urgently?"

She chose a high backed leather armchair, sat down and carefully arranged her robes around her. Her letter had been odd – urgently she had stressed the need to talk to him immediately, all in her precise, neat handwriting that showed nothing of her haste.

"I wanted to inform you", she began after a moment of silence calmly, "that tonight I have joined the ranks of the Death Eaters. In order to earn Voldemort´s trust, I have told him that Severus Snape has been working as a double agent for the past years. Therefore, it wouldn´t be wise to let him attend another meeting, at least not if he wants to survive. I will report any information that I gain immediately to you, but I must ask that my identity as a spy will remain a complete secret. No one must know, especially not Professor Snape."

Her well structured little speech, delivered in a controlled and cool voice, had left the Headmaster speechless.

"May I offer you a sweet, my dear?", he asked rather helplessly, to stop the silence from getting too big.

"Yes, thank you." She took a sherbert lemon, unwrapped it and popped it into her mouth.

He watched her as she leaned back in her armchair, her face unreadable. What, by the gods, had she done?

"I´m afraid I don´t quite understand, Miss Granger", he finally said.

"There is nothing to understand, Headmaster. Nor is there anyhting to discuss. I thought it wise to inform you as soon as possible, if only to keep Professor Snape from danger. Now that everything is said, I will retire to my room."

"But I can´t allow you to do that, dear child." She had already stood up when he answered, and the way she looked down on him made him feel cold inside. She had become so beautiful, but her face looked like a mask, bathed in cool indifference.

"You have no choice, Professor. Due to my use of the time turner, I am eighteen, legally of age, and can choose what I wish to do. If you won´t let me attend school while spying for you, I will quit Hogwarts. If you won´t let me report to you, I will find someone else who will be more than willing to use my information. I am a Death Eater now, and you can´t change it. Consider well if you want to throw away your advantages. And don´t forget to inform Professor Snape."

"But Miss Granger..."

"Good night, Headmaster."

She left without a look back. But he stared after her, unthinking, unbelieving, and, for once, without the slightest clue of what was going on. She had shattered his control in a heartbeat, and he had no idea how to get it back.

A/N: This is just a teaser – if you like it, review and I will update soon.

I apologize for any mistakes I might have made – I´m not a native speaker, so be gentle with me!