In the next few weeks, all that everyone could talk about was that Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley were going out. But all I could think about was Kathrine. Or as I had always known her before, J.K Rowling.

       I could no longer look at her the way I used to. But what was more, was that I couldn't be in peace with the fact that now she knew everything that was supposed to happen before and all that was going to happen in the future.

       That day, I was sitting in the common room with Hermione and Ron. Harry was sitting on the couch while Ginny sat on the floor, leaning against his leg.

      "You'd think people had better things to gossip about," said Ginny, reading the Daily Prophet. "Three dementor attacks in a week, and all Romilda Vane does is ask me if it's true you've got a hippogriff tattooed across your chest."

     We all roared with laughter, but Harry ignored us. "What did you tell her?" he asked.

       "I told her it's a Hungarian Horntail," said Ginny, turning a page of the newspaper. "Much more macho."

      "Thanks," said Harry, grinning. "And what did you tell her Ron's got?"

       "A Pygmy Puff, but I didn't say where."

        Ron scowled as Hermione and I rolled around laughing.

       "Watch it," said Ron, pointing warningly between Harry and Ginny. "Just because I've given my permission doesn't mean I can't withdraw it —"

      "'Your permission,'" scoffed Ginny. "Since when did you give me permission to do anything? Anyway, you said yourself you'd rather it was Harry than Michael or Dean."

      "Yeah, I would," said Ron grudgingly. "And just as long as you don't start snogging each other in public —"

     "You filthy hypocrite! What about you and Lavender, thrashing around like a pair of eels all over the place?" Ginny demanded.

        Hermione and I gave each other a knowing look and grinned as we watched Ron grumpily fold his arms.

By that Hermione finally got to her feet, turning to look at me. "C'mon. Let's go to the library. I need that book on poison antidotes."

I said nothing and looked away, pretending like I hadn't heard her.

"Lexi!" Hermione said loudly and my head snapped up. "Do you want to finish your Potions or not?"

"Not," I answered with a grin.

She gave me a look.

"Well, it's pointless!" I said with a groan. "I already know all the antidotes!"

"Then you better get on with your Herbology essay! It's due tomorrow and you haven't gotten past the second line!" Hermione said demandingly.

I grumbled, getting up from the couch moodily and Ginny smirked up at me. But it faded when Hermione turned to look at her sharply.

"And you," Hermione started firmly, "aren't you supposed to be studying for your O.W.Ls?"

Ginny opened her mouth to retort, but Hermione cut cross her when he she pointed a finger at Harry warningly, saying, "And you stop distracting her! Ginny needs to get through her examinations!"

"What did I even do?" Harry blinked in confusion as Hermione grabbed a hold of mine and Ginny's robes, dragging us out of the common room.

When we got to the library and Hermione set Ginny and I to finally study, she left our side for a search of something.

Although when she returned back to our table, she didn't have a book with her, but instead she was carrying many old copies of the Daily Prophet with her.

Ginny knew better than to question her, and I was already aware of what she wanted to look for.

The Half-Blood Prince.

***

A few weeks passed and we were nearing the end of the term, yet Hermione was still in search of a sign relating to the Prince.

Finally one day, she found a reference to a woman named Eileen Prince in an old copy of the Daily Prophet and so she wasted no time in showing it to Harry and Ron, who only laughed it off, saying that there was no way that the Prince was a woman.

Although their conversation was soon interrupted when a young student came forward and gave Harry a message from Dumbledore, saying that he wanted to see Harry immediately.

When Harry left the common room, Ron and Hermione started discussing this urgently, yet I remained silent, for I knew exactly what was going to happen, my heart sinking.

This was going to be the night when Dumbledore and Harry were going to Tom Riddle's cave. They were going to find Regulus's fake Horcrux, and the Death Eaters were going to break into the castle.

This was the night that Dumbledore was to going to be killed by Snape.

My heartbeat sped up. There was nothing I could do about it, knowing that as Dumbledore had told me a long time ago himself, certain sacrifices were bound to be made.

His death was necessary, even Dumbledore himself knew this as well. But there was big problem awaiting me ahead.

What would everyone think of me when they figured that all this time, I knew that Dumbledore was going be murdered by Snape, yet I did nothing?

They were all going to hate me; Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Lupin, Sirius...

I don't know how long I was in that state; dazed and lost in my own thoughts. But my head shot up when after a long while, Harry came back into the common room urgently.

"What does Dumbledore want?" Hermione said at once. "Harry, are you okay?" she added anxiously.

"I'm fine," said Harry shortly, racing past us and rushing upstairs, coming back with his Invisibility Cloak, the Marauders' Map, and a stack of socks.

"I've got to be quick," Harry panted as they walked back toward us. "Dumbledore thinks I'm getting my Invisibility Cloak. Listen..."

And so he told us about where he was going with Dumbledore and why, ignoring their gasps.

"...so you see what this means?" Harry said when he was done explaining. "Dumbledore won't be here tonight, so Malfoy's going to have another clear shot at whatever he's up to. Here —"

He shoved the Marauder's Map into Hermione's hands, saying,

"You've got to watch him and you've got to watch Snape too. Use anyone else who you can rustle up from the D.A., Hermione. Dumbledore says he's put extra protection in the school, but if Snape's involved, he'll know what Dumbledore's protection is, and how to avoid it — but he won't be expecting you lot to be on the watch, will he?"

"Harry —" began Hermione, her eyes huge with fear.

"I haven't got time to argue," said Harry curtly. "Take this as well —"

He thrust the socks into Ron's hands.

"Thanks," said Ron awkwardly. "Er — why do I need socks?"

"You need what's wrapped in them, it's the Felix Felicis. Share it between yourselves and Ginny too. Say goodbye to her for me. I'd better go, Dumbledore's waiting —"

"No!" said Hermione, as Ron unwrapped the tiny little bottle of golden potion, looking awestruck. "We don't want it, you take it, who knows what you're going to be facing?"

"I'll be fine, I'll be with Dumbledore," said Harry. "I want to know you lot are okay..." But he then turned to me, saying, "Dumbledore told me that you already know what's going to happen in the future, but told me that under no circumstances am I supposed to talk to you about it. But I have to ask... is there anything you can tell me that could help us give an end to everything quicker?"

I paused for a few seconds. "I'm so sorry, Harry... But I'm scared to help you, only to mess everything up even more," I said. "All I can tell you for now... is to trust Dumbledore. He knows what he's doing."

Harry looked at me for long seconds, until he finally nodded. "I'll see you guys later..."

I fell back on the couch, trying to soothe my racked nerves, but it seemed hopeless. A lot was going to happen this night. But there was one thing that I had to do, as I'd planned.

Help Neville.